Chapter 641: Conflict and Action
"Yao Chen? Ha, isn't he just the useless person expelled from our Medicine Clan?"
"An old sack of bones, yet he refuses to stay quietly in his place and insists on coming here to humiliate himself."
"Exactly! Elder, why bother talking to this outcast?"
In the square, those surrounding Yao Wan Gui knew about the grudge between him and Yao Chen, and so they chimed in, flattering him.
Yao Wan Gui clearly enjoyed the flattery. He turned his cold gaze to Yao Lao, sneering, "Yao Chen, I know why you're here. But in our Medicine Clan, outcasts have no right to leave their names on the Clan Monument. So, don't even think about it!"
"The elder is right! Letting you participate in the Medicine Codex is already the greatest mercy from our clan, Yao Chen. Don't get ahead of yourself."
"The Clan Monument isn't a place for an outcast like you to leave a mark!"
"Hmph! Elder Wan Gui, why don't you go and ask the Elder Council to drive these two out of here, so they don't pollute your eyes?"
As soon as Yao Wan Gui spoke, the group around him shamelessly followed, spewing nasty comments again.
"Alright, enough!"
At this point, Mo Yu, his brow slightly furrowed, fixed his silver eyes on the vile-mouthed Medicine Clan members, his voice cold.
Hearing Mo Yu's voice, the Medicine Clan members immediately recognized him. Their faces stiffened, and the words they were about to utter were swallowed back.
The Medicine Clan had formed an alliance with the Thunder Clan, Flame Clan, and Yuan Mansion, so they were familiar with Mo Yu, the master of Yuan Mansion. Over the years, Yuan Mansion's power had grown tremendously, and Mo Yu himself had defeated the Soul Palace's leader and the Sky Serpent Clan's leader, Huang Tian. His name was now legendary, even within the ancient clans.
What's more, it had become clear within the alliance that Yuan Mansion's status had risen to nearly equal footing with the Medicine Clan.
In terms of top-tier strength and the number of Dou Saints, Yuan Mansion was rapidly catching up to, and even starting to surpass, the Medicine Clan. Because of this, the Medicine Clan had shifted from looking down on Yuan Mansion to treating it as an equal ally.
Despite Mo Yu's intervention, Yao Wan Gui frowned slightly. He knew Mo Yu's strength and standing far surpassed his own, even nearing that of the Medicine Clan's leader. Still, Yao Wan Gui was unwilling to let Yao Chen off so easily. He turned to Mo Yu and said, "Master Mo, this is an internal affair of the Medicine Clan. I hope you won't interfere.
By the way, over the past two years, our clan has sent sixty seventh-tier alchemists and ten eighth-tier alchemists to your mansion for knowledge exchange. I expect them to return after the Codex is over."
Hearing Yao Wan Gui's slightly threatening tone, Mo Yu's brow furrowed.
In recent years, as Yuan Mansion expanded rapidly, there had been an increasing shortage of high-level alchemists. Alchemy played a crucial role in attracting strong individuals and maintaining morale, as high-tier pills were indispensable for boosting a faction's power. However, most top-tier alchemists either joined the Pill Tower or preferred to live freely, unwilling to be bound by any one faction. As a result, Yuan Mansion's attempts to recruit high-tier alchemists had been challenging.
Fortunately, Yuan Mansion later joined the alliance with the Thunder Clan, Flame Clan, and Medicine Clan. Through this alliance, and leveraging Mo Yu's Thunder Clan divine bloodline, Yuan Mansion was able to borrow nearly a hundred high-tier alchemists from the Medicine Clan under the guise of knowledge exchange. These skilled alchemists not only filled the void in Yuan Mansion's ranks but also trained new apprentice alchemists, creating a lasting benefit.
Mo Yu had his own plans. If the Medicine Clan were to fall, Yuan Mansion could seamlessly absorb these alchemists, strengthening the Qianyao Hall and turning it into a force to rival the Pill Tower.
So, hearing Yao Wan Gui's words dampened Mo Yu's mood. However, he knew that after the Medicine Codex, the entire Medicine Clan might no longer exist.
"Are you threatening me, Elder Yao?" Mo Yu asked coldly, with many eyes watching.
"Hmph, Master Mo, this is the Medicine Clan. I'm simply asking you not to interfere," Yao Wan Gui replied sternly.
Before Mo Yu could respond, Xiao Yan suddenly stepped forward and stopped him.
"Thank you for stepping in, cousin, but this is my teacher's matter. Let me, as his disciple, handle it," Xiao Yan said with a smile, gratitude in his eyes.
Mo Yu saw the restrained anger in Xiao Yan's eyes and understood his feelings. He patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said, "Alright, go ahead. We are brothers, and no matter what happens, we'll face it together."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and nodded firmly. He then turned to the Medicine Clan members, his voice calm but cold. "If you've got the guts, say what you just said again."
"Hmph, who do you think you are?" A skinny man standing close to Yao Wan Gui sneered, feeling relieved now that Mo Yu had stepped back. He shot a mocking glance at Xiao Yan.
But before he could finish speaking, a tremendous force crashed down on his head. His body crumpled, and his head was smashed into the floor, cracking the ground beneath him as blood sprayed everywhere.
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone. When they finally regained their senses, they saw a young man standing over the man, his foot lightly resting on the man's head. The young man wore a slight smile on his face—it was Xiao Yan.
"What speed!" Many onlookers felt a chill run through them. Xiao Yan had moved so fast that they hadn't even seen him strike. Before the man's words had fully left his mouth, his head had been driven into the ground.
Mo Yu raised an eyebrow at the scene, while Gu He's face showed clear astonishment.
"Xiao Yan, how dare you! This is the Medicine Clan!" Yao Wan Gui shouted angrily, shocked by Xiao Yan's audacity.
But before he could finish, another man who had spoken harshly earlier was suddenly sent flying, his teeth and blood spraying out from his mouth.
Seeing the grim fate of these two men, fear finally spread among those around Yao Wan Gui. They quickly moved closer to him for protection.
But before they could take a step, a series of shadows flashed before their eyes. In an instant, a chorus of slaps echoed in the square, and all those who had insulted Yao Lao moments before were sent flying, their teeth and blood splattering across the ground.
Within mere moments, the ground was stained with blood, and those who had been so bold earlier now lay writhing on the floor, clutching their faces and groaning in agony.
Mo Yu couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. Xiao Yan certainly had a way of settling scores—swift and decisive.
"Alright, alright. Let's see who gave you the courage to act so wildly in our Medicine Clan today!" Yao Wan Gui roared in fury, stepping forward. A powerful aura erupted from him, revealing his mid-level four-star Dou Saint strength.
Seeing Yao Wan Gui's power, the leaders of the various factions in the crowd couldn't help but feel impressed. A four-star Dou Saint was indeed formidable. But before they could react, an even more terrifying aura, at least ten times stronger, surged forth from Xiao Yan, causing everyone's faces to pale in shock.
"A five-star Dou Saint?!"
The crowd was left in awe as they felt the overwhelming pressure emanating from Xiao Yan. Even among the ancient clans, this level of strength was rare.
Mo Yu stroked his chin thoughtfully. The Netherworld Lotus Flame, ranked third on the Heavenly Flame list, had indeed brought Xiao Yan incredible power in such a short time.
As Xiao Yan's aura burst forth, Yao Wan Gui's expression darkened. He had not expected that in just a few short years, Xiao Yan had not only caught up to him but surpassed him completely.
The intense energy coming from a five-star Dou Saint also alarmed several of the Medicine Clan's elders, who immediately rushed to the square, flying down from the mountain.
Seeing the blood-soaked ground, they were stunned. Regardless of the circumstances, these people were still members of the Medicine Clan, and it was humiliating for them to be beaten like this at their own doorstep.
"Elder Wan Gui, what happened?" one of the elders demanded, his expression darkening as his gaze shifted to the bloodied figures on the ground.
"You've arrived just in time, elders!" Yao Wan Gui said, delighted by their arrival. "This arrogant Xiao Yan dared to attack our clan members within the Medicine Clan. Help me capture him, or we'll lose face in front of all our guests!"
"Xiao Yan? The Xiao Yan from the Xiao Clan?" The elders were shocked upon hearing Yao Wan Gui's words, clearly familiar with the name. Their gazes immediately turned to Xiao Yan, and when they sensed the terrifying aura coming from him, their surprise only deepened.
"Xiao Yan, your Xiao Clan once had a good relationship with our Medicine Clan. Isn't your behavior today a bit too much?" a yellow-robed elder said, his tone dark.
"Respect is earned. If you insult others, expect to be insulted in return. If Yao Wan Gui doesn't apologize to my teacher, this won't end," Xiao Yan said firmly.
Yao Wan Gui's pupils contracted, and he sneered coldly. As an elder, far above Yao Chen in rank, how could he possibly apologize in front of so many people?
"Perhaps Elder Wan Gui made a mistake, but you've already vented your anger by injuring so many. Why not take a step back?" another elder suggested, hoping to calm the situation.
"If you won't, then I'll take action myself," Xiao Yan said coldly, cutting him off.
Before anyone could respond, Xiao Yan's figure blurred into motion, rushing directly toward Yao Wan Gui.
"Stop!" the elders shouted angrily. But before they could intervene, a beam of pink energy shot from Xiao Yan's body, transforming into a flame-like baby that hovered in the sky.
The flame baby opened its mouth, releasing a torrent of terrifying pink fire, its destructive power forcing the elders to retreat in shock.
Those who recognized the flames gasped in horror.
"Netherworld Lotus Flame?!"
While the elders focused on the flame, Mo Yu observed the flame baby itself. If he wasn't mistaken, this must be the fire spirit Xiao Yan had formed by merging several Heavenly Flames—Little Yi.
With the elders held at bay by Little Yi, Xiao Yan closed in on Yao Wan Gui, his face cold as ice. Yao Wan Gui lashed out, channeling his Dou Qi into a powerful strike known as the "Withering Glory Palm."
But Xiao Yan remained unfazed. His right hand, wrapped in pink flames, shot forward like lightning, clashing with Yao Wan Gui's strike.
"Boom!"
The moment their palms collided, the withering energy in Yao Wan Gui's attack was instantly incinerated by Xiao Yan's pink flames.
The resulting shockwave cracked the ground beneath them, and both fighters took two steps back from the impact.
But Xiao Yan's expression only grew colder. He reached out again, this time seizing Yao Wan Gui by the throat.
Yao Wan Gui tried to resist, but to his horror, he found the space around him frozen. He couldn't move.
In an instant, Xiao Yan had him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. The elder's face turned pale with fear.
In just a few moments, Yao Wan Gui, one of the most powerful elders in the Medicine Clan, was captured like a prisoner, firmly held in Xiao Yan's grasp.
(End of Chapter)
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