Legend of the Supreme Soldier - Chapter 401

Arbeni, anything particular on this fellow?” asked the man behind his dark mask, as he slightly tilted his head to the other 5 members in his team. The man had a bulky curve, with over-sized muscles all over his arms and legs that they seemed capable of shaking the earth. His eyes were bloodshot, looking violently destructive.

“Can’t feel anything,” said Arbeni behind his cloak, his expression was almost imperceivable, though his eyes lustered with desire occasionally.

“Liu Sheng?” Turned the masked man to another person, “See anything?” he whispered.

Liu Sheng yawned and tried lifting his drowsy eyelids, “Nope.” His lethargic voice trailed off as he went seemingly asleep.

“Dong Mo, Sisko, notice anything?” The masked man seemed very inquisitive at this.

“N…a…h…h…h…,” said Dong Mo. Was Dong Mo actually there? The masked man was talking to his stack of afterimages as if. Ye Chong would have probably noticed this anomaly assuming he was right there. The body of this Dong Mo guy was apparently ever-vibrating at a very high frequency, that his voice sounded blurry as his look.

“Tackan, would you stop?” Sisko sounded irritated. The voice was menacing like a condensed fury. Sisko was considerably athletic at his appearance similar to a small hill on the ground, while Tackan was looking merely like the herd down the hill. Sisko’s stare was much more fearsome than anybody else.

Tackan showed negligence towards Sisko’s annoyance as he turned to the last person of his team, “Kurdi, how about you?”

Kurdi was the only non-combat member among the six of them. He shrugged, “To be honest, I am still out of the situation. So why the panic, could any of you tell me?” his goatee shook as he spoke.

And it was a moment of awkward silence after that.

It took several minutes for the mood to set, “Well, he’s strong!” said Tackan sluggishly.

That was when the eyes of Arbeni celestially shone within his cloak. The statement seemed to have captured their attention, even Liu Sheng’s ever-drowsy eyes suddenly went forcibly open and Dong Mo had… accelerated, his silhouette grew fuzzier. Sisko gave a bright smile, with veins pumped hard once on his forehead.

“Very strong?” Kurdi was startled by the mutation of his teammates.

Well his inquiry went unanswered however.

It had been quite some time since Ye Chong felt such unsettling feeling inside him, as he had probably encountered the strongest group in his entire life. The entire team, other than the alchemist, consisted of fighters who very likely had surpassed standard of the Jie experts.

5 Jie experts on the ride. What a trip.

What are they doing here though?

That was the first doubt emerged and lingered in Ye Chong’s thoughts.

They are very dangerous.

The instinct had struck the red alert.

Ye Chong was considering quitting the party since their entities were enough threatening to his safety even without having an actual conflict. Ye Chong could just feel death from the gazes of their eyes.

Ye Chong was not sure the performance of an average fighter on Planet Guang Hua but he was fairly certain that these were the top fighters on the planet. The alchemist on the other hand, Ye Chong could not tell just yet, but judging from the fact that this alchemist could remain in their party, he must be something.

Well, if Ye Luo is here, he probably would be hopping around in excitement…

Thought Ye Chong.

It was some nonsense in his head but it helped loosening his nerves.

He had been plotting several escape plans in his mind. These fighters might not impose threats to him if he were to run away. He was pretty confident in his agility after all.

Ye Chong was in a party of 7 and he was treated with good hospitality. Under the constant interaction initiated by Caravan Leader Yu, both the group of mysterious men and the caravan leader grew closer. This was not a good sign to Ye Chong, he became more cautious upon seeing how the group was capable of inhibiting their brewing violence, including the giant in their group. He simply did not imagine how the bulky man could put up such a friendly smile whenever the leader approached him. That was a masterly control.

Ye Chong eventually looked like the more antisocial member in the party.

During the journey, the leader started sharing some of the folktales and local cultures he knew. It was rather interesting to be frank.

“I assume all of you have not been there before eh?” asked Leader Yu.

“Mhm, right, our visit this time is to behold the wonder of the city of alchemy,” said the goatee guy with an impressed look.

“Hah! Certainly Line Shaft City does not have this name for no reason. Once you’ve been there you will see how almost everything is of the alchemy, by the alchemy, for the alchemy. I must say, brother, you shall prosper there with your talent! Lots of works to do!” Another cheap compliment from Leader Yu, “Yes, say if you shouted for an alchemist, 4 out of 5 men would be turning back on you. Imagine that strange sight! I too stumbled upon the happening on my first visit. There were simply too many alchemists there. You could see the bum-looking elders sitting by the street, whom you could employ with measly cost for a good whole day. Don’t judge them by their apparel though, they are still the top alchemists, when they are outside the city of course. Any top alchemist would only be part of the folks once they stepped into the city.”

The leader carried on sharing his tales, while Kurdi flashed his smile from time to time, and gave no comments. The rest of the group was slightly interested in the talk, but Ye Chong was that number one audience to the storytelling.

He did not know much about the city but he would not doubt every statement illustrated by the leader. The city surely had standards since it was the place where Lunatic Guan was trained. She was an insane genius after all, and a place where an insane genius could be trained must be insanely brilliant.

“Every month the market would be a marvel. You could see all sorts of strange, rare materials over the street. As long as you have fortunes, or maybe some connections, there’s nothing you can’t buy. The marketplace of Line Shaft City is known to have the largest collection of raw materials. We even have our own branch there and not just any merchant could open a store there as they wish. Only the big businessmen would be able to set up their own spot in the market, and only the real deal of alchemy ingredient could stay. Like seriously, no one would be interested on the normal stuffs,” somehow the leader sounded proud as he spoke. Then he realized something, “Oh my atrocious memory, I forgot to ask you brother,” he looked at Ye Chong and said, “To which part of the city are you heading?”

And Ye Chong suddenly got spotlighted.

“Ridge of May’s Night!” Ye Chong remembered his destination well.

The name turned out to be a mood-changer as everyone else’s expression changed dramatically, especially Caravan Leader Yu and Kurdi, even the 5 potential Jie experts jerked on their steps almost simultaneously.

Ye Chong saw every detail of the scene, as confused he became. What kind of place is the Ridge of May’s Night?

The gazes at Ye Chong turned peculiar, that felt unexplainably uncomfortable.

The leader’s face was drained as his muscles seemed tightened. The only thought remained in his head was all the horrified cries demanding him to distance himself away from this very strange young man. Cold sweats had completely wetted his back and Kurdi was not looking good either.

Somehow there was envy, some hostility and bewilderment in his eyes.

“So… how do you get to the ridge?” asked Ye Chong.

The leader was trying to say something but his dehydrated throat held him. He tried spitting something but he just panicked.

He is actually a person associated with the ridge? He is one figure that I should never mess with! I thought I only managed to grab a chance to know someone from the city, but no! I’ve hit the jackpot! And it’s the worst jackpot ever! It’s somebody from the ridge! The ridge! Thought the leader.

If he knew that Ye Chong was someone of the ridge, he would have summoned a few men to carry Ye Chong on an altar or something. He seriously wondered what bad luck had gotten him into this. The leader could not help but to wail in his mind.

All because of that old man! Why, of all persons, he sent this boy? Curses!

The leader urged himself to say something, yes, the boy of the ridge was speaking, he got to reply, or how ill-manner he would look? He could not mess this up!

Ye Chong once thought the leader had seizures because of the visibly tightened muscles, till he saw the streaming sets over his body.

He said nothing and just stared on.

The leader’s sweating intensified!

It took 3 minutes for the leader to say a word, “I don’t know!” He screamed, “I know nothing at all!” Caravan Leader Yu thought joyfully that he finally was able to unmute himself, but the first few words he uttered did not seem all that well.

Ye Chong assumed that was a dead-end to his enquiry, so he just turned away and pondered with his eyes closed.

That was a relief to the leader. For once he thought he would be a goner since Ye Chong had not even made a gesture for the past few minutes. At least Ye Chong had ended the conversation himself.

Judging from the leader’s reaction, it did not seem to be a good omen. The 5 adepts too reacted towards the place with fear.

But what kind of place is the ridge? Ye Chong got particularly curious.

t was Feng Su’s first visit to Line Shaft City. If it was not because of how she had to pass by Planet Guang Hua on her way to Dankwood, she probably might never have the chance to visit the city renowned with alchemy marvels. Guang Hua was a known planet within the Xi Feng tribe. Unlike the other aristocrats, the Xi Feng tribe was originated in free space zone, so it was natural for a member of the Xi Feng tribe like Feng Su to recognize the status of this planet.

Speaking of alchemist, the best training ground for alchemist should be He Yue galaxy, particularly the aristocrats of the galaxy. The aristocrats not only were able to preserve the traditional system of alchemy but also happened to be well connected to the other system from the 5 major galaxies. Judging from this, their combined system seemed to have a better odds of making a breakthrough.

In reality however, none of the aristocrats was able to harness the potential of their galaxy. None of the families was able to be the representative of He Yue galaxy. Thus, He Yue galaxy eventually was not able to surpass the historical branches on Planet Guang Hua, despite all the superior conditions it could offer.

There was one incident that every Xi Feng tribe members would remember. On one year, the Xi Feng tribe relied on the Abductor to expand their forces in free space zone. The Abductor had brought large batch of children to the tribe, precisely all talented children, whom were all sent to the Sanctuary, according to what Feng Su knew.

Nevertheless, there was a plot twist on their side soon, as somehow the enormous Abductor organization on Planet Guang Hua disappeared in one night. They did not manage to reveal the culprit. They did hear the motive was to find a child however. That would be a good clue but the batch of children that year was simply too huge to trace. Moreover these children were distributed rapidly to all parts of the tribe. The case hit the dead-end and nothing new discovered d ever since.

All forces of Xi Feng tribe withdrew themselves promptly from Planet Guang Hua. They had a massive evacuation. The Abductor never managed to escape however. The foe seemed to be rather cruel by nature that none of the abductors left the planet alive. The Abductor thought the organization was well-camouflaged as several alliances had been made with known communities, unfortunately those friendly alliances offered nothing than a blind-eye towards the incident.

Because of that, the tribe had drastically weakened in the free space zone. Other than Xi Feng tribe, the two other aristocrats somehow took the same action, as they also withdrew their forces on Guang Hua.

Planet Guang Hua then became a forbidden place to the tribe.

Luckily Feng Su had the one-and-only opportunity to have a visit. The lively street was a relaxing sight to her, probably because of the fresh green nursery gardens around. The scent of flowers wafted through the air, that reached Feng Su’s nose behind her purplish veil. She might have hidden her captivating face carefully, but her curves were still something that grabbed sufficient attention. Well she had gotten used to those sights, so she could not care less.

The tough trainings she had undergone recently did not leave a mark on her enchanting physique. She could not help but to smile upon looking at the crowd around her, as she reminisced those days when she was an undercover at the show business. But those days were already history. She had gotten worn out by the constant training and battles. It was great to be able to experience the tranquility again.

“Hah! We are there guys! Line Shaft City!” a deep voice rang thunderously behind her.

Feng Su frowned, feeling her mood spoiled.

She made a fancy turn to have a careful look at the inconsiderate pedestrian. And she realized, it was not a person but a group.

Her eyes shone in the brightest fear, wondering where these experts came from.

Yup, you guessed it. Feng Su had encountered Ye Chong’s party who had just arrived at the city.

Feng Su gave a quick glance at the members, her heart rumbled with intense peculiarity as she lowered her head, trying to hide her astonishment.

5 experts. There were 5 of them, and they were Jie experts.

Feng Su had obtained her title as a Jie expert not too long ago. She also rode a Phoenix Lord graded mech by then. Her extrasensory was enhanced by her training so she could already sense the potency of these men at one glance.

And she thought that would be her biggest surprise, but the young man next to the 5 Jie experts was far greater shocker. There was something imperceivable of him. He might look like an ordinary man by sight, but Feng Su could notice how the 5 Jie experts maintained a visible distance with him.

It can’t be. Could this young man be far stronger than the 5 Jie experts? That was a preposterous hypothesis that stirred fear in Feng Su. These 5 would have the greatest strength for they were the Jie experts, yet they feared this boy, assuming he was stronger, then what he would be?

The strangest part was, Feng Su actually sensed some familiarity on this boy. His face gave her a deja vu. She seemed to have seen him before, but she was pretty sure that she had not.

But why, why the deja vu?

Ye Chong recognized Feng Su at first sight. Her exceptional style and charm were already imprinted in his mind. Certainly, it was not because of his puberty. Firstly, Feng Su gave him a painful lesson during the battle. Secondly, Shang once got so obsessed of this beauty that he had to recite her highness on a daily basis. Ye Chong was somehow drilled with the term “curves” upon association with Feng Su.

Ye Chong did not expect to encounter Feng Su however.

Ye Chong’s brief awe got perceived by Feng Su, which affirmed to her intuitive speculation that she had met this man before.

Tackan and his mates seemed to have reacted towards Feng Su. They were warriors after all. The countless fights they experienced had already given them the sensibility, that they could tell Feng Su was a Jie expert at first sight.

Their gazes, imbued with their competitiveness, were fired upon Feng Su.

Ye Chong could feel the pressure just by the side. Feng Su tried her best to control her natural competitiveness from going wild. She almost felt like picking a fight but she should not.

The reason was clear. If it was a one-on-one, she probably could win. But a group fight? That would be far-fetched. Assuming they fought, she doubted she could even last till the moment she fully deployed her mech, especially when that unknown boy was right there.

Feng Su’s schemata ran wild, figuring a way to eject herself from the scene. She had never visited free space zone before, but she was informed that this place could be a place of the untamed who thirsted battles from time to time. A conflict could be happening soon.

And that was when Sisko made a whistle. A very ear-piercing whistle, that the passersby covered their ears and avoided him.

“As expected of Line Shaft City, I never expected that I would encounter a female Jie expert, a gorgeous beauty too. Such surprise, ha, ha, ha,” Sisko’s facial muscles quivered awkwardly, it looked exceptionally scary with his body size.

Meanwhile, few pedestrians were giving off dismissive stares. It was nothing strange as this was a place of alchemy after all, that martial arts practitioners – the presumed uneducated barbarians – should not be visiting. And Sisko could potentially be the most barbaric barbarian ever, judging by his look.

The size of his arm was almost the size of one’s thigh. The muscles were solid metal that flick made by his fingers would create an echo.

“You are such sweet person,” said Feng Su, in her battle stance, “I am no Jie expert, I am just an ordinary girl you see…” Her angelic voice rang, which seduced the fellow pedestrians successfully. Ye Chong was pretty impressed of her improved voice of seduction.

“Hahaha, keep your little trick, lassie,” smiled Sisko, with his lump of veins resting on his forehead like a serpent.

“Liu Sheng, do the talking for me,” turned Sisko, as he shouted at the sleepy head behind. “Okay,” replied Liu Sheng lethargically as he took a step forward, with a metamorphosis occurring on his face that he became pumped and lively out of sudden.

“It’s an honor!” he said. “That we are able to speak with such a beautiful Jie expert. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Liu Sheng, and these are my mates, Sisko, Dong Mo, Arbeni, Tackan and Kurdi,” Liu Sheng’s tone was calm but somehow an intensity could be felt.

Gasps were heard from the pedestrians. Clearly they recognized those names.

“What about him?” whispered Feng Su, as her fair finger pointed at Ye Chong.

Uh…,” Liu Sheng once looked all pumped and ever-ready but now he somehow had lost all his will as he dropped his head.

“Oh…,” a soft sigh could be heard from him, the lowered head was a countermeasure to his embarrassment of being never the center of attention in the eyes of this fair lady. Owing the fact that Liu Sheng was pretty handsome naturally, the gesture worked flawlessly as he could perceive the quick squeak from the females around.

Sadly, there were not many girls around here. Thought Liu Sheng. If he was doing this at other cities, he probably already had a fans’ club performing a massive passing-out when he did that.

Feng Su’s stress had vanished immediately. She was much relieved upon seeing how effective her question was.

Ye Chong had become the focus again.

Who is he?

Whispers rustled among the pedestrians while Liu Sheng’s expression remained uneasy. Ye Chong had already become their main target at first sight, especially when he exerted a far stronger danger than this female Jie expert with a fading charm, thus the awkward silence.

An unpredictable threat would always impose the greatest danger.

Ye Chong stayed as an unknown to the group, as it had been revealed that he was associated with the May’s Night Ridge the moment they attempted to interview him. That was the red flag to hold the interview session, as they pulled themselves away from this boy.

Nobody would want to have anything to do with the May’s Night Ridge, not even those Jie experts like Tackan’s group. They would want to avoid chances of conflict as much as possible, since those of the ridge too possessed highly-refined skills for martial arts.

“Guan Zhufeng. Call me that,” stated Ye Chong flatly.

It was … a foreign name. The 6 of them exchanged glances promptly to verify their impression.

They felt the name was foreign, so was Feng Su. The pedestrians were in major bewilderment however, wondering what this ordinary-looking boy had done on the top fighters of Guang Hua.

Tackan and his mates were well-known among residents of Guang Hua, but Guan Zhufeng? Nobody had heard of such name before. They might be in the city of alchemy, but the citizens were pretty much informed of martial arts practitioners like Tackan’s group.

All 6 of them were the top fighters of Congregation. The 5 combat members were the Jie experts who were esteemed for being the facade of martial arts field on Guang Hua when alchemy was the main trend. That was justifiable by their involvement in the Congregation every year. They were the only actual members among the 10 selected practitioners, while the rest of the participants were merely fillers.

Kurdi was the most known figure among all six of them however. The reason was simple, he was an alchemist. For someone who was able to join the Congregation, Kurdi had all the rights to receive respects and admiration from people. He was still young too, with lots of potential there.

One could imagine the group sparkling in their population while being avoidant of this ordinary boy, that was just weird.

“Pal, wanna join the Congregation with us?” said Arbeni out of the blue, as the other members fired passionate gazes at Ye Chong. They had been in a search of martial arts experts on Guang Hua, they really hoped to have more companions on their way there. The group had spent the past few years putting up facade for Guang Hua’s martial arts, they certainly would want new blood.

The 5 combat members would fight with each other as practice to look for that breakthrough on their way searching for new member. On one congregation they encountered Kurdi the alchemist who had joined them promptly. Kurdi joined because he hoped to have subjects to test on his new reagents.

They thought their journey would be fruitless, but they literally encountered 2 Jie experts this time. How could they stay calm on this? Ye Chong was a helpless case however, thanks to his unpredictable standards and his relationship with the ridge. They would want to talk it out, instead of using brutal force. But Feng Su? Well, that was one bird which could be captured with bare hands.

There was already a crowd around them.

It would be an honor for someone to represent the planet and join the Congregation. People looked envious upon Ye Chong, nobody would say no to that invitation.

“Sorry, not interested,” the cold line fell upon heating atmosphere.

The group was confused, wondering if their ears had gone wrong.

“Pal, aren’t you going to consider it at least?” Arbeni’s voice sounded a little irritated.

They might be afraid of the one from May Night’s Ridge but the pride they accumulated over the last few congregations had gotten into them. It was an insult from this boy that challenged their pride after all.

The pedestrians were not foolish and could recognize the brewing storm as they backed off right away. A massacre could happen any second soon when it involved Jie experts.

Both Feng Su and Ye Chong were surrounded by the 5 of them. Kurdi had already removed himself from the scene, he was just a feeble alchemist after all.

“How about this pretty? Fancy our invitation?” asked Liu Sheng firmly.

Feng Su’s expression remained still, as one perfect line had popped in her head, “I was very much in high admiration towards Mr. Guan. As long as he said yes, I am all fine.” That was truly a perfect bounce to the question.

Ye Chong was feeling uncomfortable from the constant stares of the 5. He remained calm however, as his eyes were indifferent.

He tried holding his adrenaline, “I have something to do at the ridge.”

It was then a silence.

Pure, dead silence. Every pedestrian literally dropped their tongue upon hearing that unbelievable line.

“So he is from the ridge?”

“The May Night’s Ridge…”

“No wonder he refused to join the Congregation…”

“And no wonder he looked all calm even when he was surrounded by 5 congregation representatives…”

Everything made sense with that key phrase now.

May Night’s Ridge.

… (Meanwhile at the other side of the street)…

Guan Qingheng was the second leader of the purchasing team this time. That was not the first time he had taken this mission. He looked unexcited merely because of how this job was always a pure boredom. Generally, any position that was regarded the second, the vice, as the supportive role to the first would be an idle position, since only the first, the alpha, the supported held the more authority.

What could he do anyway? The Guan family had fallen horrendously all these years. He was fine with his position but it would only be a matter of time for Guan family to be kicked out of the ridge if nothing had changed.

Guan Qingheng was worried. The issue never failed to vanquish his joy.

It could not be helped. Guan family had been joining the meeting as more of a listener at the ridge. The family lacked originality, invention, new blood, thus the falling status on the ridge. The purchasing mission never ran really well too. This was because the family’s status had fallen to a point that nobody really would treat the orders seriously.

The newest ranking had not been put up on the board, but the worries lingered, since there would be an evaluation in a year or so, which would determine status of the 14 families on the ridge. That would likely be the moment Guan family got officially kicked out of the ridge.

He pondered deeply as he walked the street.

“I have something to do at the ridge.”

One line from somewhere caught his attention.

At the ridge? May’s Night Ridge? Guan Qingheng flinched.

He lifted his head.

No one from the outside would know much about May Night’s Ridge, not even the merchants by the street, since only the top merchants had connection to the ridge in the city. Most people did not even know how the place looked. The residents of the ridge had hardly left the place either, as they would be too busy mastering the arts of alchemy under the strict enforcement of the committee. Unless one was of the purchasing department, one would probably never have a chance to leave the place, they were even forbidden to join major competitions like the Congregation.

And there was this guest who wanted to do something at the ridge?

Guan Qingheng was surprised, as he dashed towards the crowd.

May Night’s Ridge, a mystery, a forbidden area, the sanctuary of alchemy.

uan Qingheng forced himself into the crowd, and that was when he saw Ye Chong and Feng Su at the center. His sight fell upon Ye Chong eventually. Feng Su might be an attractive precious beauty in the city, but for someone who grew up at the ridge, she was just average.

The sudden participation of Guan Qingheng did not grab any attention. He might be from the ridge, but as much as the ridge was known to the people, the citizens hardly knew him. Probably only those merchants from the authority would recognize him at glances. But practically speaking, he only shared professional relationship with the merchants, thus his identity remained as a top secret among the traders.

“I am certainly curious of Mr. Guan’s association with the ridge. Please, do tell us, my Brother Guan, some clarifications would have helped resolving misunderstanding. We highly respect those from the ridge, so we would not allow imposters,” said Arbeni sluggishly, his rage seemed to have vanished.

Brother Guan? The boy was part of Guan?

Guan Qingheng had heard something interesting seemingly.

Even though May Night’s Ridge had never failed to stir up fear in heart of the people, it was not a place with a frightening sight in actuality. The ridge was an establishment with total 14 families, 14 slots open for families to be honest. The committee would reevaluate the resided families every so often and any underperforming family would be banished from the ridge while newer family would take over. Those who were banished because of below average contribution rate would be forbidden from revealing anything of the ridge to the public, or the family would be blacklisted permanently while receiving severe punishment from the ridge.

Guan Qingheng observed Ye Chong carefully once more. He was holding a wooden spear, the dark tip was not particularly eye-catching, the scent of the spear however… Guan Qingheng could smell the hidden scent of fatality.

The spear was coated with poison. And he roughly estimated the strength of the poison.

That was some strong poison! The expression of Guan Qingheng changed, as he speculated the superior standard of this boy’s alchemy.

He then decided to observe quietly at the moment.

“It’s top secret. Sorry about that,” stated Ye Chong. It was not because he was being uncooperative, rather it was because he simply had no idea what Lunatic Guan asked him there for. She never told him anything else other than visiting the ridge.

But one thing for sure, he did not like being threatened. He had tried his very best to control the hatred as he did not wish to fight the 5 men but that did not mean he would compromise at any condition.

Mu’s calmness had influenced Ye Chong deeply but being sociable was never his arsenal.

Assuming a conflict were to happen, Ye Chong would still fight.

He looked at the group with his cold eyes, like a beast with its back lowered, ready to pounce at intensity.

The unspoken hostility had triggered the group.

Feng Su was feeling bad of the situation. She could not believe this familiar-looking boy would decide to initiate a fight right here. It would be bad, the ending of this boy would be unimaginable.

Ye Chong did a quick calculation. To be frank, the chance of his victory was slim, negligibly slim. He could only rely on the intense toxic on his spear at the moment.

The battle did not just happen right away, showing that the 5 fighters still remained cautious of Ye Chong because of his identity.

“Since Mr. Guan has something to do at the ridge…,” said Liu Sheng unhurriedly, “I guess we shouldn’t be holding you back too much… Providing that you have finished your business there, would you kindly join the Congregation with us?”

A battle did not occur. Instead, immense tolerance was unexpectedly given.

Taking a step back was not in Tackan and Sisko’s script, as their face tightened, even though they stayed quiet.

Their behavior had justified their attitude, as Ye Chong had been given the equal status in their mind, judging by the stare, since it was natural for the strong to look at the weak from above in free space zone.

“I cannot guarantee this,” said Ye Chong frankly. He could sense the sincerity in Liu Sheng but he could not confirm his schedule when he did not know what could happen at the ridge.

Feng Su could not believe her ears. The boy was such a fool. Everything would have been fine if he just nodded his head!

The reality was quite the contrary. The group gave a smile of admiration upon hearing that line of Ye Chong.

“Hah! Great! Such an honest man!” Laughed Sisko, “I like you. You are different from those who just lie their way out! They assume one blatant lie would have settled us but on countless occasions we had settled them instead! Hahaha!”

The pedestrians shuddered…

Feng Su’s tiny heart pumped vigorously. She was so glad that she kept her mouth shut throughout the conversation just now. She really thought of making up a white lie to get away from this.

“Alright, alright,” smiled Liu Sheng. “We don’t need your guarantee. In 30 days we would be waiting here for you. If you did not make it, we would wait for another, till the day you arrive.”

“Okay!” nodded Ye Chong firmly.

“So, my fair lady, we hope for your participation in this Congregation. Please, do join us, will you?” said Liu Sheng as he shifted his sight upon Feng Su. His tone was much more insistent, unlike before.

Feng Su could feel her blood freezing just from the sights of these experts.

Her fair face had just turned snow-white from the pressuring atmosphere created by them.

Her eyes, filled with helpless spite, wafted upon Ye Chong pitifully, as her curves grooved in nervousness.

Such a pitiful sight! And the group seemed to have lost their morality among the pedestrians. How could they force such a weak beauty into this war? The pedestrians would love to voice their anger, but well they were not the Jie experts and never wanted to be the punching bag.

Come on, save the girl, Guan.

Save her.

“I’ll be going,” said Ye Chong, neglecting Feng Su’s begging stare. He gave a nod at the group and turned away.

Feng Su felt she had lost hope as she closed her eyes, with tears dripping.

“Are you still a man?” said one girl from the crowd. She could not bear with this anymore! Disdainfully she shouted as she stepped to the front.

“Right! Are you still a man?”

“How could you do this?” The crowd’s anger had been initiated.

“You might be from the ridge, but you are one heartless, weak man!”

“So people from the ridge are shameless as you eh?”

Guan Qingheng was feeling uneasy from the showering comments. Man the fame of May Night’s Ridge…

It was a massive verbal attack coming from the crowd, that even the Jie experts flinched.

Ye Chong did not see the need in this. He believed his action was reasonable. Why the criticisms?

“So all of you would like to have a word, eh?” said Sisko, angrily.

Then the noises disappeared. Sisko’s eyes had murdered the aggression in people. The pedestrians were looking frightful upon his glance, some even squeezed back into the crowd.

“Save your pity act. Move,” said Liu Sheng.

Poor Feng Su, she did not even have the chance to redeem herself. She did not manage to even summon her ride. She could not run away and certainly she could not call for help.

Well, she got to be cooperative at the moment, probably, in order to find the next chance to have a hit-and-run.

A mech owner like her only needed one thing at the moment. Timing, timing, the most natural thing hardest came by. Dammit, only if this boy spoke for her, but no, he was leaving.

Ye Chong sneaked into the crowd right after.

Crack! Thus! On his way he disabled the few attackers who tried to disrupt the heroes in the dark. That was when the pedestrians realized he was no coward, he was a savior!

The crowd was totally silent now, especially when they heard the piercing wails of the tumbling men on the ground.

Ye Chong indifferently walked out of the frightened crowd.

Well first thing’s first, guess I should ask people around for the ridge’s location.

“You’re going to the ridge?” said one man from his back.

ithering Heart

Ye Chong had been watching this person for awhile, who was tailing him ever since he left the crowd. He was about to make his move when that person spoke up first.

“Do you know May’s Night Ridge?” Ye Chong stopped walking and turned around to ask.

Guan Qingheng did not answer Ye Chong, but studied this young man in front of him instead. Up close, Ye Chong gave an even deeper impression to Guang Qingheng. Such weathered eyes could hardly be found on a 20-over-year-old. The coldness in those eyes were also decidedly uninviting.

“Is your surname Guan?” Guan Qingheng pondered for a moment before asking.

That was an interesting question. Just from Guan Qnigheng’s question alone, Ye Chong could deduce a lot. He could not help but thought of Lunatic Guan, and nodded. “Yes.”

Guan Qingheng appeared puzzled. Of the 14 Tribes in May’s Night Ridge, only the Guan Family had the surname Guan. However, all these years, only the Eldest Young Miss and Youngest Young Miss had left May’s Night Ridge. This young man was probably around 20 years of age – could he be the son of the Eldest Young Miss? Guan Qingheng immediately dismissed the silly idea. How could he even come up with such an impossible answer? Could the Eldest Young Miss possibly bear child at 10?

However, the fact was that only the Eldest Young Miss and Youngest Young Miss had left May’s Night Ridge for as long as he remembered.

The Guan Family was in decline, but it was still a true Elder Family compared to the other families. The Guan Family was one of the Five Elder Families that founded May’s Night Ridge, and up until now, its entitlement for a place in the Ridge had never been challenged. For the newer members of May’s Night Ridge, they would probably have branches outside of the Ridge. For the Guan Family, which had stayed in the Ridge for who knew how many years, it would not have any branches.

“Perhaps it was a coincidence that this person also had the surname Guan,” Guan Qingheng thought to himself with a little sadness.

“What is your business in May’s Night Ridge?” Guan Qingheng asked. After all, the Ridge never dealt with outsiders.

Just then, a voice came from behind Guan Qingheng, “I saw, Vice Squad Captain, we should be going.” The female voice sounded a touch cynical and mocking.

Guan Qingheng scrunched his eyebrows slightly together. He need not turn around to know that it was Shi Mingbei, Squad Captain of the procurement squad.

Ye Chong looked up to see the woman who interrupted them. She was about 20 years old, with her right hand hovering right by her waist. This was a standard stance for an alchemist. As she approached them both slowly, her right hand never left her waist, where many small pouches hung from her belt in a way that was not easily noticeable. Her fingers were long, and seemed capable of quick movements.

Ye Chong assessed the female alchemist to be very capable.

For the uninitiated, however, she was an entirely different person. Here was a flirty young lady with neat, white teeth, a coquettish smile on her face as her hand rested on her waist while she walked towards the two men. Her slender waist looked like a fragile willow branch, and people could not help but gulped as they watched from the side.

“Oh, who’s this young man here? I say, Vice Squad Captain, when did you get acquainted with such a handsome young man? And you didn’t even introduce him to me, it breaks my heart!” She complained teasingly.

Guan Qingheng seemed to try his best to ignore her antics, and replied coldly, “You jest, Captain Shi.” Everytime he saw this woman, he could not help but feel repulsed by her.

Shi Mingbei was from the Shi Family [1]. The Shi Family was admitted into the Ridge in the last Ridge meeting. Unlike the historical Guan Family, the Shi Family operated in a more utilitarian manner. This allowed the Shi Family to expand their influence rapidly. Their members could be found in many of the important departments of the Ridge Council.

Guan Qingheng never liked the Shi Family. Besides, his position in the procurement squad was awkward – he was 35, and Shi Mingpei 24, but their positions did not reflect their ranking in seniority.

“Has our Vice Squad Captain forgotten about the rules of the Ridge? This young man here is going to suffer from it!” Shi Mingbei had an attractive smile, but her eyes were shining with a cold gleam.

Guan Qingheng’s eyes widened as realized what was happening.

A sweet scent wafted in the air. Shi Mingbei smiled even more invitingly, her eyes narrowing into two crescent moons.

As he studied the two conversing individuals, Ye Chong’s nose twitched, and his brows lifted in surprise!

A cold exclamation! The wooden spear in his right hand suddenly turned around and striked!

“Ah!” A woman cried in pain! A shadow hit Shi Mingbei’s left shoulder, the huge momentum throwing her backwards, landing her heavily on the ground.

Crack. Guan Qingheng’s face twisted with dread. Good hearing may not be an alchemist’s trademark ability, but he could still hear the clear sound of bone cracking. Almost every alchemist was experienced in treating injuries, and Guan Qingheng could tell that Shi Mingbei’s scapula sustained a highly comminuted fracture.

Shi Mingbei’s expression contorted in pain. Her beautiful face was no longer visible under the torturing pain she felt. She gritted her teeth, her right hand reaching for her waist! She did not know how the other person noticed. She should have used an even stronger alchemy substance.

She finally reached her waist, but stopped abruptly, her entire body freezing like a statue. She dared not move. A large bead of sweat trickled down from the tip of her nose. Her face was white as a sheet, and her eyes were filled with terror!

A jet black spearhead was less than a millimeter away from the tip of her nose!

She could even see the patterns on the spearhead, and the unique scent that came from the black spearhead.

Being admitted to May’s Night Ridge implied that the Shi Family was an exemplary in the field of alchemy. As one of the more capable members of the Shi Family, Shi Mingbei was of course well versed in alchemy.

She knew exactly how dangerous the poison on the tip of the spearhead was! She did know the exact components of the alchemy substance on the spearhead, but that did not stop her from deducing its effects. She could tell that even a tiny scratch on her skin from the spearhead would kill her before she could even reach for the antidote.

The spearhead stopped less than a millimeter away from the tip of her nose. The air around her seemed to stop flowing. Already she had forgotten the pain from her injury as she stared at the spearhead, the symbol of death. She dared not move a muscle, in case her opponent thought she was fighting back. Any minor movement from her enemy would give her a fatal ending.

Her back was drenched with sweat as she felt a chill down her spine.

She watched without moving as the spearhead moved downwards slowly.

The spearhead finally stopped at her waist.

Rip! She felt a chill at her waist. As the spearhead lightly graced her skin, she felt goosebumps all over her, and the terror in her eyes intensified.

The spearhead had ripped a large hole in her clothing, and the fair skin underneath attracted the eyes of passersby like bees to honey.

Ye Chong’s eyes were cold and emotionless. He bent down and began to search Shi Mingbei’s waist with careful movements. Even while bending down, his other hand was holding the wooden spear steadily, as though his two shoulders belonged to two different human beings.

To the passersby, it was easy to mistake the situation as that of a young man using a wooden spear to threaten the young lady and take advantage of her.

“You wretched b*stard, how dare you act so recklessly? Stop now!” A loud cry interrupted the silence around them. This same script is used for every opening act of chivalry, no matter the era.

Ye Chong did not seem to hear the voice at all.

Shi Mingbei’s was growing more and more scared. The person in front of her was too terrifying, and impossibly calm! The loud reproach did not seem to affect him at all. Both his hands were still working steadily, and she could see that he was still moving carefully as before. The spearhead did not waver from its position.

She very much regretted her actions right now.

Ye Chong searched carefully. An alchemist’s pouches or bags were very dangerous to mess with. Lethal poisons and the like were often part of their belongings.

Finally, he found it. Ye Chong felt relieved.

In the third row of bags, sixth from the left, Ye Chong poured out some light green powder. As the powder was poured out, the air was filled with a pungent smell. However, Ye Chong poured all the green powder into his mouth without hesitation.

“Who are you?” Even with her unnatural pale face, Shi Mingbei could not help but ask. That this man had noticed her secretly administering Withering Heart and managed to find the cure for it meant that he was no ordinary person.

However, Withering Heart was a concoction unique to May’s Night Ridge. How could he know about it? Even she, from the Shi Family, had never heard of the chemical before joining May’s Night Ridge.

Withering Heart was a peculiar drug. Once a person inhaled it, that person’s heart would stop beating after 24 hours, and there would be no traces of the drug being used. That person’s death would by all accounts seem natural.

Every new family that joined May’s Night Ridge would be gifted some formulae from the Ridge Council. These formulae could help the new residents improve themselves quickly. Withering Heart was one of the formulae.

Ye Chong straightened himself, his eyes never leaving Shi Mingbei’s waist. The cold, emotionless look in his eyes made Shi Mingbei’s heart race in fear.

“B*stard! You hear me?” The man who cried earlier roared in anger when he saw Ye Chong ignoring him.

“Tell me, why?” Ye Chong’s flat voice had a chilling undertone.

ithering Heart was described in great detail in Lunatic Guan’s chip, enough to make Ye Chong suspect that it was one of Lunatic Guan’s own inventions. That was how Ye Chong managed to identify the drug the moment he smelled it.

Inhaling Withering Heart carelessly, even in small amounts, would have highly detrimental effects. For someone who knew so much about Withering Heart like Ye Chong, he was aware of the consequences.

Since his life was threatened, Ye Chong retaliated.

The truth was, Ye Chong was not too angry about it. These situations were normal for him. On the contrary, he was feeling very calm. He was more interested in the motive behind the woman’s attack. His reckless killing in the past had taught him much, and he had since learned to think before jumping to conclusions. Besides, this woman was most likely from May’s Night Ridge. He was not intimidated by May’s Night Ridge per say, but Lunatic Guan had asked to visit the place, so he decided to tread with care.

If it was his younger self, Ye Chong would probably have just killed the woman who ambushed him outright. Now, however, Ye Chong did not mind stopping at some light form of punishment.

His cold, severe voice reverberated in the air, and everyone around him felt shuddered involuntarily!

“You … You …” Shi Mingbei stuttered through gritted teeth. She was afraid. All her life she had been bold and daring where others wavered, but now she was truly afraid!

“B*stard, what’s there to proof by bullying a woman?” The man was loud, but Ye Chong could hear the fear and weakness behind his facade.

In any case, Ye Chong did not pay much attention to the man. He was focused entirely on the woman who had ambushed him.

“How dare you!” A low and menacing voice was heard.

Suddenly, Ye Chong felt danger coming towards him. He leapt to the side without hesitation.

Swish swish swish!

Half a meter away from where he stood, green smoke wafted into the air. There was a sharp, unpleasant smell coming from a small puddle of green liquid on the ground. The liquid corroded the floor, which turned charred black. The green smoke came from this small puddle.

What a powerful corrosive, definitely no less powerful than the Liquid of Shang!

Ye Chong watched the spot nervously.

A menacing looking middle aged man was looking at Ye Chong coldly. He wore a brown, old shirt, which Ye Chong could see was full of patches. His sunken cheeks gave him an angular look.

Ye Chong did not fight back. That move was obviously just a warning. If the man was serious, that green liquid would land exactly where he was standing, and not half a meter off the mark.

Guan Qingheng’s expression turned respectful when he saw the middle aged man.

The middle aged man studied Ye Chong for a moment, and went straight to Shi Mingbei. He crouched down, examined her, and muttered, “Hmm, comminuted fracture, odds of recovery are at 70 percent.”

When Shi Mingbei saw the middle aged man, she immediately turned docile like a kitten, and much of the tension was drained from her face.

“What happened?” The middle aged man finally stood up and asked plainly. Both Guan Qingheng and Shi Mingbei did not reply.

“Who are you?” Ye Chong stared fixedly at the newcomer. The middle aged man felt very familiar, with an aura that he could identify as Lunatic Guan’s. This aura made Ye Chong feel threatened.

The middle aged man turned around and scrutinized Ye Chong closely.

What sharp eyes! Ye Chong did not expect an alchemist do have such piercing eyes.

“Are you the one who injured her?” The coldness in the middle aged man’s voice could not be missed.

The bystanders who were standing around before the middle aged man appeared had all vanished. Even the brave man who yelled at Ye Chong scurried away quickly when he saw the middle aged man.

“Yes,” Ye Chong answered with his usual brevity. He was prepared to make his move any moment now, as his muscles tensed in anticipation. The September Lan Family’s techniques shone brightly through him. Ye Chong could now control all the muscles in his body in incredible ways, and unleash astonishing power.

Unexpectedly, the middle aged man did not attack, but looked at him straight in the eye and asked without expression, “Why did you hurt her?”

The middle aged man was the exact opposite of Lunatic Guan. One was severe and rigid, the other lazy and carefree. Logically speaking, they were two entirely different types of people. However, Ye Chong could not help but be reminded of the teacher who introduced him to alchemy, Lunatic Guan, when he looked at the middle aged man in front of him.

“Self defense!” Ye Chong answered as briefly as possible. His answer surprised the man, from the look in his eyes. However, the middle aged man quickly recovered himself.

He turned to the other two and said, “Both of you, describe what happened.” His calm words were undefiable.

Guan Qingheng was intimidated by the look in the middle aged man’s eyes, and told the full story.

When Guan Qingheng described Ye Chong’s wanting to enter May’s Night Ridge, the middle aged man stole a glance at Ye Chong, and Ye Chong saw the flash of disbelief in the man’s eyes. When the man heard that Ye Chong claimed to have the surname Guan, the middle aged man no longer tried to hide his surprise as he watched Ye Chong keenly.

Ye Chong was not afraid, and looked back calmly at the man.

When the man heard that Ye Chong could recognize Withering Heart, his expression turned serious.

After Guang Qingheng was finished, the middle aged man turned quiet, thinking to himself. After a while, he lifted his head and asked, “You said you’re going to May’s Night Ridge?”

“Yes.” Ye Chong nodded.

“What business do you have in May’s Night Ridge?” The middle aged man continued. He was indifferent in nature, but this hooked his curiosity. He believed he was good in reading people, and this young man seemed the calm type, who would not do something for no reason. He must have his reasons for going to May’s Night Ridge. More importantly, the young man had said that his teacher asked him to go, and that was strange. All alchemists knew of the rules of May’s Night Ridge. If this young man could recognize Withering Heart, then how could he not know of the rules? On the other hand, he was also interested in knowing how Ye Chong could recognize Withering Heart.

As expected, Ye Chong replied, “My teacher asked me to go to May’s Night Ridge. It’s her hometown.” Lunatic Guan did not specify exactly what she wanted him to do there, so Ye Chong could only provide a vague answer.

“Ah!” All three of them gasped, including the injured Shi Mingbei.

“You teacher is?” The middle aged man look at Ye Chong solemnly.

Guan Qingheng’s face reddened, and his breathing turned short. The surname Guan … His teacher … Hometown … These words flashed in his mind, and he shuddered at the thought that came to him!

“Her surname is Guan,” Ye Chong replied. He did not know Lunatic Guan’s full name, after all. Guagn Qingheng’s breathed even faster as he gulped anxiously.

“Guan?” The middle aged man took some time to digest that information. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he lifted his head to look straight at Ye Chong with an odd expression.

After a full half a minute, the middle aged man finally spoke again with great difficulty, “Is your teacher a woman?”

“Yes!” Ye Chong nodded calmly as he answered.

“Ah!” Guang Qingheng could not help but gasp again, unable to suppress his excitement. He could guess roughly who Ye Chong’s teacher was.

The middle aged man looked at Ye Chong with mixed emotions, and said, “I believe I know who she is. I will report your matter to the Ridge Council, and the Ridge Council will make the final decision. Before the decision is made, you cannot enter May’s Night Ridge.” He then turned to Guan Qingheng and said, “You are temporarily relieved of your duty as Vice Captain of the procurement squad. Bring this young man to the Ridge Lodgings to stay in the meantime, see to his needs while the Council makes its decision.” He spoke like a man of high ranking, as though Guan Qingheng was his subordinate.

“Yes Sir!” Guan Qingheng accepted his orders immediately, his eyes positively radiating with joy, like Ye Chong was some kind of living treasure. Even Ye Chong could not help but feel a little irked. He did not understand why the man would behave that way.

“You will return with me for now,” the middle aged man said to Shi Mingbei. “Yes Sir,” Shi Mingbei assented respectfully, bowing her head low. However, Ye Chong saw the hate in her eyes right before she bowed. She was trying her best to maintain a meek expression on her pale face.

“Wait!” Ye Chong cried coldly. The middle aged man was about to leave, but now he turned to Ye Chong and asked, “What other questions do you have?”

Ye Chong looked at the man calmly in the eye and asked something wholly unexpected, “What do you have to prove that you’re from May’s Night Ridge?”

Proof?” The middle aged man was stunned for a moment, his rigid face breaking into a thin smile. “As expected of her student! You think just like her. Well, what proof do you have in mind?”

Guan Qingheng and Shi Mingbei were both very, very surprised. The rigid middle aged man had shown such open emotions. It was unthinkable. Even more unthinkable was the fact that someone actually asked for proof of their identities as Ridge residents!

Well, how should they prove themselves? Ye Chong began to think.

The middle aged man studied Ye Chong with interest.

If Lunatic Guan was really from May’s Night Ridge, then she must have been a member of the alchemy school here. If this man was really from May’s Night Ridge, then he must come from the same school as Lunatic Guan.

The information in Lunatic Guan’s chip had a huge variety, and knowledge from other schools such as Green Tempest were abundant. Ye Chong had studied long and hard before identifying information that were from her own school.

If they were indeed from the same school of alchemy, then the man must be well versed with this information.

“I’ll ask you three questions. If you can answer them, I’ll know you are from May’s Night Ridge,” Ye Chong said calmly. Skill based knowledge cannot be faked, after all.

“Oh,” the middle aged man seemed interested as he replied, “Alright, ask away.” Guan Qingheng and Shi Mingbei were still shell shocked as they stared at the middle aged man.

“The questions must not be too easy,” Ye Chong thought to himself. However, he quickly came up with his first one, “What is the core principle of the Supplanting technique in alchemy?”

This question was one that Ye Chong had spent a long time studying Lunatic Guan’s chip before realizing the answer to it. In terms of difficulty, it was not the hardest problems presented in the chip, bu Ye Chong found it to be an important principle in Lunatic Guan’s school of alchemy.

The silence that followed was so intense that you could hear a pin drop!

The middle aged man’s expression was focused. He bowed his head in thought, his eyes shining brightly. He grinded his feet against the floor unconsciously, but to the people who knew him like Guan Qingheng and Shi Mingbei, it was a sign of him in deep thought.

However, both Guan Qingheng and Shi Mingbei did not study the man closely. They too lapsed into thought. The two of them were not as learned as the middle aged man, but they were still far more capable than the average alchemist. They too were trying to answer this question.

After 10 minutes, the three of them stayed as they were without moving at all.

After 30 minutes, Guan Qingheng’s forehead was covered with sweat, and Shi Mingbei’s pale face grew paler still. The middle aged man continued to grind his feet against the ground, digging a shallow depression in the ground.

After one hour, Guan Qingheng was the first of them to give up. He was drenched in sweat, and he was no longer looked alert, his face drained of blood. Prolonged deep thinking exhausted one’s energy at an astonishing rate. He sat down heavily on the ground and panted, without care for his image. Only his eyes looked at Ye Chong intently.

After another half an hour, Shi Mingbei gave up as well. Her beautiful eyes were full of puzzlement. Just who was this young man? Was his teacher really from the Ridge? To her, the young man seemed more and more mysterious.

After three hours, the middle aged man inhaled deeply, his eyes clearing up and he shook his head and said, “I’ll need about half a year of research to answer that question, and only if things proceed smoothly. I cannot give you an answer right now.” He sounded tired. The long thinking session had exhausted him greatly.

Ye Chong was patient as a saint. He watched the middle aged man think for three hours straight without even a trace of impatience, and his expression was still calm and composed.

Ye Chong shook his head. “If you can’t answer this question, the next two are a lot harder. I’m sorry, you failed to prove your identity with by providing an answer.” His calmly delivered verdict made the middle aged man blush, but he quickly got himself together.

Ye Chong did not mean to be sarcastic. He was only stating a fact. His next two questions were so hard that even he himself had not managed to solve them. He had wanted to build up the difficulty of his questions, but did not expect them to fail at the first question.

They had failed to answer such a simple question. Ye Chong was a little disappointed by them He was convinced at this point that the middle aged man was not from May’s Night Ridge. He believed that anyone from Lunatic Guan’s school should at least be able to answer that question, even if that person was not on the same level as his teacher.

Ye Chong did not know it, but May’s Night Ridge was completely different from what he imagined it to be.

Now, Ye Chong was interested with another question – why did these three people try to get on his good side now? Ye Chong felt wary.

That woman in particular had attacked him, and he saw her vengeful eyes from earlier clearly. He knew her type. Given the chance, she would not hesitate to exact revenge on him.

Ye Chong had initially thought that they were from May’s Night Ridge, so he tried to prevent the situation from escalating. Now that he was convinced that they were not of the Ridge, Ye Chong felt the need to eliminate them. He did not want to leave any loose ends that would haunt him later.

His entire body tensed up in an instant to a state of preparation. Ye Chong looked at the three people with the eyes of a hunter.

Guan Qingheng’s long harboured negative feelings evaporated. He felt refreshed like never before, and his heart was filled with joy. If this young man was really her student, then there was hope still for the Guan Family. Guan Qingheng believed that the young man would not ignore the Guan Family’s situation. Perhaps that was why she had asked him to come here.

Unlike the other two, he was a true member of the Guan Family. Ye Chong’s question may have stumbled him, but it further reaffirmed his assumption. He remembered clearly that right before she left, the only project that she had not completed yet was on the Supplanting method. To think that she had reached such heights in her research!

As expected of her student!

Even this student of hers was not an average joe! Guan Qingheng looked at Ye Chong with approval. What a calm and steady young man. No matter how he looked at it, Guan Qingheng was fond him.

“Tsk tsk, such a young talent, you don’t see them everywhere! I say, he’ll probably rise into one of the Guan Family’s leading characters,” he thought to himself.

Guan Qingheng’s eyes never left Ye Chong.

Huh, what’s with him?

Guan Qingheng was shocked. Killing intent! The words came to him immediately, and he was caught off guard. However, with his sharp mind, he instantly understood the importance of this moment.

“Wait!” Given the urgency, Guan Qingheng cried out loud without care for appropriateness.

Everyone looked to Guan Qingheng, and even Ye Chong held back his next move.

“Err, em, err, that … That …” Guang Qingheng did not make any sense. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he spoke more fluently, “I know how we can prove our identities.”

“Oh?” Ye Chong’s eyes were fixed at Guan Qingheng. The other two looked to him as well.

“If your teacher is really the one we’re talking about it, I believe you’ll know these.” Guan Qingheng looked proud.

Ye Chong watched him silently.

Guan Qingheng’s fervent eyes focused on Ye Chong as he pronounced his next words slowly, “Tassleflower Red, Ghue Solution, Blue Thread Cultivation Method, Bilayered Liquid Tempering Technique!”

As Guan Qingheng spoke every name, the middle aged man’s expression turned more and more respectful, while Shi Mingbei looked confused. She had never heard of any of them.

Ye Chong’s calm expression did not change. Guan Qingheng turned anxious. If this young man had never heard of these terms, then …

“What can these prove?” Ye Chong asked.

It was the middle aged man who explained, “If you are really her student, then I believe you must have heard of these terms. These are the May’s Night Ridge Guan Family’s most famous inventions in the last century. If I remember correctly, the Bilayered Liquid Tempering Technique is your teacher’s work.”

Shi Mingbei realized then what they were talking about. She immediately felt self conscious. The Shi Family had only joined May’s Night Ridge for a short time, and could not compete with the older residents such as the Guan Family.

Ye Chong looked at all three of them quietly, and they began to feel nervous.

Guan Qingheng’s heart was racing. His mouth felt dry, and it was difficult to breathe.

“Alright, you have given your proof.” Ye Chong nodded. The terms that Guang Qingheng had said were all in Lunatic Guan’s chip. They were quite special compared to the other contents in the chip. From their records, he could see that Lunatic Guan had never stopped working on improving on them. Of all of them, the Bilayered Liquid Tempering Technique was modified the most. Ye Chong could see no less than five versions of the technique, and the latest version had an unmistakable influence from the Five Galaxies.

To think that they all originated from the Guan Family! Ye Chong gained a much better understanding of the reasoning behind the organization of information in the chip. Many of his earlier confusions were now cleared up.

Hence, he nodded.

At that moment, Guan Qingheng nearly died of happiness!

idge Lodgings was only a normal looking house. From the outside, no one would have guessed that it was a building under May’s Night Ridge, the Sacred Place of Alchemy. A normal looking brick wall ran along the building’s perimeter, reaching seven meters tall, so that outsiders could not see within. Poisonous vines grew along the walls to discourage intruders.

This seemingly normal place was of course not easily recognized by the common people. However, an alchemist would definitely keep a wide berth. The surroundings of the building was littered with all kinds of traps. These traps were devised from plants, and they could be toxic, hallucination inducing, numbing, or harmful in many other ways. They were so many that Ye Chong felt overwhelmed just looking at them. The way the traps were designed were also impressive.

As expected of the territory of May’s Night Ridge! Ye Chong grew thoughtful. Perhaps only May’s Night Ridge could afford such methods. Up until now, Lunatic Guan was the most powerful alchemist Ye Chong had ever met. May’s Night Ridge, Lunatic Guan’s hometown, was even more interesting due to the fact that his teacher came from this place. Many times he had wondered if May’s Night Ridge was the zenith of alchemy.

“You have the smoke pearl, so most of these traps are useless against you. However, it’s better to err on the side of caution. There are some traps here that would be troublesome even for members of the Ridge,” Guan Qingheng warned with concern. As a resident of May’s Night Ridge, he recognized the smoke pearl on Ye Chong’s hand immediately.

Guan Qingheng understood that the Guan Family’s future would very likely depend on this young man.

They slowly made their way across, avoiding the traps. Ye Chong and Guan Qingheng reached the house about 10 minutes later. Inside the house was an entirely different scenery. Unlike the dangerous terrain outside, the courtyard inside was like a large garden. Flowers bloomed freely, and the air was thick with the scent of flowers.

In between the flowers, many gardeners were tending to the plants with care. These people ignored Ye Chong and Guan Qingheng completely, not even lifting their heads in acknowledgement.

The green environment did not exactly lifted Ye Chong’s spirits. On the contrary, he was secretly cautious. He could recognize most of the plants here, and they were largely famous for their harmful qualities or rarity.

Guan Qingheng led Ye Chong to a room, which was fitted with all the essential sundries and items for a comfortable stay. The materials used were well selected, and the craftsmanship was outstanding. However, the room did not feel extravagant at all.

“This is the guest room. Please stay here for now. Once the Ridge Council approves your entrance, we will return home. I believe that the Tribe Leader must be anxious to see you,” Guan Qingheng said with a smile.

“Tribe Leader?” Ye Chong raised his brows in confusion. “Why would he want to see me?”

Guan Qingheng was taken aback by the question, but smiled as he said, “You must be unaware of what’s happening right now. The Eldest Young Miss is always like that, hehe, she must have kept you in the dark.”

“Eldest Young Miss?” Ye Chong asked.

“Yes. Do you know your teacher’s name?” Guan Qingheng asked.

Ye Chong shook his head and answered firmly, “I don’t.” Ye Chong had only ever knew her as Lunatic Guan, and nothing else.

“As I suspected!” Guan Qingheng laughed wryly and mumbled to himself, “The Eldest Young Miss is still as the same as before.” He noticed Ye Chong’s confusion, however, and described the Eldest Young Miss to him.

Based on Guan Qingheng’s description of Lunatic Guan’s looks, they appeared to the same person. However, they had very different personalities. According to Guan Qingheng, Lunatic Guan was a extremely hardworking woman. However, Ye Chong remembered her as a lazy drunkard, a bad influence overall.

Nonetheless, since she appeared roughly as Guan Qingheng described, Ye Chong was ready to believe that Lunatic Guan was the Eldest Young Miss that Guan Qingheng was talking about.

As Guan Qingheng explained patiently, Ye Chong began to understand his teacher more.

“The Tribe Leader is busy with administrative matters that there was not much time left for alchemy. The Eldest Young Miss was quick to take up leadership in our Tribe’s research efforts. Back then, the Eldest Young Miss was extremely talented, and no one in the Ridge can outmatch her. That was a good time for our Guan Family. The Bilayer Liquid Tempering Technique was the invention of the Eldest Young Miss when she was 14 years old. When people in the Ridge heard of the news, they knew immediately that the Guan Family was gifted with a prodigy,” he spoke softly with deep pride.

“Almost everyone in the Ridge believed then that the Guan Family’s position in the Ridge would be secure for at least five decades to come. However, an incident occured unexpectedly two years later. That year, the Youngest Young Miss went missing.” Guan Qingheng’s open expression turned grim. He spoke through gritted teeth, “Those d*mned child abductors, they should all be killed! In fact, they suffered heavily after. Humph. How could we allow the Ridge’s power to be challenged? Back then, elites from all 14 families of the Ridge were deployed. All the Abductor’s bases of operation on Guang Hua planet were cleansed with the child abductors’ blood.”

Ye Chong was no stranger to bloodshed, but as he could not help but shuddered inside as he listened to Guan Qingheng. He could imagine just how horrible a scene it was back then.

“Unfortunately, we still did not find the Youngest Young Miss. You should know that the Eldest Young Miss loved the Youngest Young Miss very much. Soon after the mass attacks, the Eldest Young Miss left the Ridge quietly to find the Youngest Young Miss.”

The Youngest Young Miss that Guan Qingheng was talking about must be Zhu Ling. Ye Chong now understood Lunatic Guan’s background better. This meant that Zhu Ling’s hometown was also May’s Night Ridge.

Regrettably, Zhu Ling, Mu,Shang and the rest were lost to him. Ye Chong said nothing, and continued listening to Guan Qingheng.

“After the Eldest Young Miss left, our Tribe almost went stagnant with progress. Since almost all the huge projects were related to the Eldest Young Miss, her departure caused us to halt most of these projects. Everyone in the Tribe tried their best, but we did not achieve much progress. The Guan Family’s status in the Ridge took a nosedive, and we have now reached a critical situation!”

Guan Qingheng stole a glance at Ye Chong. Ye Chong was still calm as ever. The truth was, he could understand roughly why Lunatic Guan asked him to visit the planet of Guang Hua. However, Lunatic Guan must not have put too much hope in him. After all, Guang Hua was a planet in the free space zone. It was no guarantee that he could make it here.

Perhaps, her leaving this chip behind was only an act of desperation, clinging onto her last bit of hope!

As though the idea had hit a soft spot in him, Ye Chong’s icy cold heart thawed a little.

Guan Qingheng grew frantic when he saw Ye Chong’s indifference, and said, “You are the student of the Eldest Young Miss, please do not just ignore the Tribe’s crisis!” For the moment, he did not speak as respectfully as he was earlier, pleading to this young man.

“Dear God! Please, please, don’t let him be as irresponsible as the Eldest Young Miss!” Guan Qingheng prayed inside, but quickly recalled then that Ye Chong’s teacher was a very irresponsible person by nature. He felt a sense of foreboding.

Ye Chong did not answer Guan Qingheng, but asked a question of his own, “Who was the woman just now?”

“Are you talking about Shi Mingbei?” Guan Qingheng was taken aback by the question, but quickly resumed his respectful behavior, hoping to win the young man’s favor. “She is of the Shi Family.”

“Shi Family?”

“Yes. There are 14 families in the Ridge. The Shi Family has been accepted to enter the Ridge in the last Ridge Council meeting. Their members are generally more active.” Guan Qingheng sounded disapproving of them.

“Why did she attack me?” Ye Chong was curious. He could figure out her motives.

Guan Qingheng explained, “You have never been in the Ridge, so you’re not familiar with our internal affairs. No information from within the Ridge must be known to outsiders. This law is absolute. However, the Ridge cannot avoid contact with the outside world, hence it was inevitable that some outsiders would find out details of the Ridge without meaning to. Members of the Ridge are divided when it comes to the policy against these outsiders. On the one hand, some believe that a warning is good enough. Most of the older members of the Ridge, like our Tribe, are on this side. On the other hand, some believe that information about the Ridge must never be known to outsiders, and will take drastic measures to ensure this. Supporters of this view are mostly the newer families and tribes, and the Shi Family is one of them. There is no official decision on the right policy, however, so both sides have decided to not interfere with each other.”

“I see,” Ye Chong replied without expression.

“Don’t worry too much about it. It’s only a small matter. Once the Ridge Council approves of your entry, it won’t be an issue anymore. Then, if you’re looking for pay back later, there are many ways to go about it. The Ridge usually does not care for such matters,” Guan Qingheng offered his advice, with a touch of sadness in his eyes.

The crux of the matter was, will the Ridge Council approve of Ye Chong? In the past few years, the Ridge had been receiving new blood faster than ever before, and the situation within the Ridge had grown more complicated. Guan Qingheng was uncertain about the final outcome.

uan Zhengyuan was livid when he left the Ridge Council meeting. A middle aged man drew up to his side from behind and spoke with regret, “Zhengyuan, I tried!” This middle aged man was the super alchemist that Ye Chong encountered earlier.

Guang Zhengyuan smiled bitterly and said, “Yan, please. The kid’s life would’ve been forfeit if it wasn’t for you. I haven’t even thanked you for that.”

The middle aged man’s cold face mimicked his bitter expression. “Don’t worry about that. We’ve grown up together, and I’ve always thought of Ling as a sister. I feel so guilty, now that I failed to ensure her student’s safe passage into the Ridge.”

Guan Yuanzheng seemed to remember his sister’s mean antics, and could not help but smile on his face. “My dear sister, I wonder how she’s doing these days. If it wasn’t for the Shi Family this time …” The thought of the Shi Family brought down his mood once again, and his eyes burned with the fire of anger.

The Shi Family had interfered, causing the unexpected outcome from the Council meeting.

“The Shi Family!” The middle aged man humped coldly. The atmosphere turned tense as the man looked into the distance and said calmly, “It’s been a long time since I was in the field, people seemed to have forgotten about me!” As a close friend of his, Guan Zhengyuan could sense that the man was having the urge to kill.

Guan Zhengyuan knew exactly how powerful his good friend was. Before Guan Ling [1] became famous, Yan was the unchallenged number one alchemist amongst his peers of the younger generation. Guan Leng’s entrance into the scene had robbed him of his glory. Later on, the Ridge Council had given him the position of Head Envoy, and so he was often away from the Ridge. With that, his fame within the Ridge fell. Nonetheless, Guan Zhengyuan knew that his good friend had grew to be extraordinarily capable during his many years away.

Besides that, Yan had the backing of the Hua Family, an aristocratic family that had a long history like the Guan Family. All these years, Yan and the Hua Family had assisted the Guan Family, or the Guan Family would have been pushed out of the Ridge by the newer residents of the place, led by the Shi Family.

Older aristocratic alchemy families such as the Guan Hua Families were more moderate in their actions, unlike the more arrogant and bombastic younger families. The Shi Family’s actions had really offended his good friend this time. Guan Zhengyuan was not particularly talented in alchemy, but he was always better at grasping the bigger picture. That was why the last head of the family had entrusted the position to him, and not the then most talented alchemist in the family, Guan Ling.

Guan Zhengyuan understood that, once Yan made his move, it will ignite the war between the old and new forces within the Ridge. This war would be waged on an unprecedented scale.

However, that was not on the top of his priority list at the moment. He was now thinking about his sister’s student, now staying at the Ridge Lodgings.

“Yan, do you think that the boy can enter the Ridge?” Guan Zhengyuan asked with concern.

Hua Yan’s expression was odd when he replied, “I don’t know, but Ling’s student is definitely not someone mediocre!”

Back in the Lodgings.

Guan Qingheng looked terrible. He never expected the Council’s decision to be this.

“So?” On the contrary, Ye Chong was calm. He was used to all kinds of trouble. To him, there will always be a solution to the decision of the Council, no matter what it was.

“The Ridge Council wants you to enter the Ridge alone, without any guides,” Guan Qingheng forced the words out of his mouth.

“Oh,” Ye Chong still looked as composed as ever, without any emotional response.

“What do you think of the security around the Lodgings?” Seeing Ye Chong’s response, Guan Qingheng asked him.

“It’s excellent,” Ye Chong answered truthfully. In fact, it was the most powerful alchemy based defense system he had ever seen. Each trap was all well designed, packed with a mean punch, and the traps worked together in good combinations. Even with Ye Chong’s smoke pearl, he would not even try to breach the Lodgings’ walls by himself. Ye Chong believed it to be out of his league.

Guan Qingheng looked positively hopeless. “Compared to the route that leads to the Ridge’s entrance, these are child’s play. The road to the Ridge is a hundred times more dangerous! You may not know it, but every new technique invented would be first tested on the route. Anyone who left the Ridge for a substantial amount of time would not dare to enter the Ridge by themselves. Ever since the day May’s Night Ridge was founded, people have never stopped improving the security along that route.” In fact, Guan Qingheng himself had always took extra care when he made his way in or out of the Ridge, for fear of triggering any traps.

Wasn’t this clearly meant to kill him? Looking at Ye Chong’s indifferent behaviour, Guan Qingheng cursed inwardly at the people in the Ridge Council.

“I see.” Ye Chong thought about the situation for a moment.

“Alright, I accept.” With his evenly delivered announcement, Guan Qingheng could hardly believe his own ears.

“What? He accepted?” Shi Mingbei laughed coldly. Her face was unnaturally pale, and her shoulder was wrapped up in thick layers of bandages. Her voice was filled with deep hatred as she said, “What a stupid idiot, let’s see you escape this!”

The Shi Family’s head watched Shi Mingbei with an aching heart, and consoled her, “Don’t worry, he’ll die for sure. No one can travel the route themselves and survive. There is no person alive on this world that has of that kind of strength.”

Just then, someone stumbled in panickedly and said, “Bad news! Bad news! My Lord, the Hua Family is here for trouble!”

The head of the Shi Family’s lifted a single brow with deliberate indifference, and asked, “How dare the old fools come to challenge us! How many are there?”

“Only – only one of them!” The person stuttered, obviously shakened.

“Humph, for shame! It’s just one person, and already you’re panicking, a disgrace to the Shi Family!” Shi Wuwei felt humiliated by his subordinate’s lack of composure, and scolded him out loud. He turned to Shi Mingbei and said gently, “Rest here for now, I’ll go and take a look.” Shi Mingbei nodded meedly.

Hua Yan stood before the door of the Shi Family’s house calmly. Already there were five people lying unconscious by the door. Hua Yan was in his typical rigid self, but his lone form was like a towering figure in the eyes of the Shi Family. Everyone in the Shi Family looked at him with deep respect and fear.

“Is this what the Shi Family’s capable of?” Hua Yan asked coldly, with a killing intent radiating off him. The Ridge Council had never been against challenges between families, but in fact encouraged them. That was why challenges like these were common.

This was a time of turmoil for May’s Night Ridge. This was the day the long forgotten member of the Ridge, the elite of the younger generation of his time, Hua Yan, challenged the Shi Family by himself, defeated nine of his opponents and left with ease!

The Ridge was in an uproar! Hua Yan’s former glory was restored once again. The Hua Family’s fame rose because of the incident. This incident also marked the beginning of the war between the old and new factions in the Ridge.

After many years of peace, May’s Night Ridge was once again troubled by challenges between families and tribes. The Ridge was plunged into disorder. Despite the escalating situation, the Ridge Council remained silent on the matter. The most peaceful families were the Hua Family and Guan Family. The Hua Family, with the Grandmaster level Hua Yan as their protector, was unchallenged. The Guan Family was also left in peace, since Hua Yan had warned against any hostility towards the Guan Family.

Unlike the Hua and Guan Families, the other 12 families were all involved in the mess that followed. As the situation worsened, Guan Zhengyuan was also affected. He knew that the peace at the Guan Family was only temporary. If things continue as they were, sooner or later someone would come and break the peace. In the end, Hua Yan was of the Hua Family, and the Hua Family had their own status to protect.

Guan Zhengyuan understood his situation clearly. The time for a reshuffling of the Ridge’s power hierarchy was upon them. Unfortunately, the Guan Family was the weakest of all the contenders.

Ye Chong knew nothing of the situation in the Ridge. However, even if he was aware, he would have been unmoved by it all.

Guan Qingheng led Ye Chong to the route that would bring him to the Ridge’s entrance. Along the way, Guan Qingheng continued to impress upon Ye Chong a rough overview of the route, about where the traps were and ways to avoid them. He even drew a sketch of the place for Ye Chong. However, he knew that despite his efforts, the traps were well designed, and one who had never travelled the route would find it hard to imagine the treacherous place.

“So I just need to make my way there?” Ye Chong pointed at the destination marked on the Guan Qingheng’s sketch.

Guan Qingheng nodded. “Yes, once you reach that point, you’ll be safe. There will be someone waiting for you there. Aside from the territories of each family residing in the Ridge, there are no other traps within. If you can travel this route and survive, the other traps will not be a problem for you.”

After a good round of warnings, Guan Qingheng took a last, worried glance at Ye Chong and took his leave.

On this very day, the Ridge was unusually silent. No challenges were issued anywhere in the Ridge. Everyone was focused on the event that was Ye Chong’s attempt to enter the Ridge. The reason for Hua Yan’s challenge against the Shi Family was well known. Almost everyone believed that the young man would never survive the journey. What worried them was Hua Yan’s response once the young man died along the route to the Ridge.

To them, the young man was already dead the moment the Council made its decision!

Ye Chong looked at the time, and sat down, doing nothing else.

He sat, and waited for five hours straight. Night came, and the route towards the Ridge was enveloped in darkness. Soon, the place was pitch black, impenetrable to sight.

In the darkness, Ye Chong stood up, his eyes shining as bright as the stars. Before him, Moon King stood silently , with its half lidded bionic eyes looking into the distance. The two crescent blades on its wrists gleamed coldly in the night.

icilique was nodding off idly at the end of the route that led to the Ridge. In his dreams, he was still cursing the old geezers in the Ridge Council. Those d*mn old fools, to think that they would order him to welcome the young man to the Ridge. Sicilique was not exactly lazy, but he was completely uninterested in this meaningless task.

The young man was obviously set up to die, how could he possibly survive the route towards the Ridge? Everyone in the Ridge knew that. That night, the Ridge was silent. The streets were empty.

The recent chaos in the Ridge had also affected the Pawe Family, which he belonged to. Challenges were issued here and there, and the Ridge was filled with battle hungry people overnight.

The peace today was like the calm before the storm, and it was suffocating.

Hence, when Sicilique was here, he decided to just sleep for the night. When the time came, he would just report to the Ridge Council and be done with the whole affair.

He was in deep sleep when he felt someone pat on his back.

“Who is it?” He was angry. It was already late at night, who dared to mess with him now? More importantly, he was interrupted from a very nice dream, and that made him very angry. He was mostly muttering, but in fact his sleep had not quite left him.

“Please, are you the one sent to welcome me?” A cold but polite voice inquired.

“Welcome you …” Amidst his sleepiness, Sicilique’s brain awakened violently. He opened his sleepy eyes and saw a slender, thin and unfamiliar young man looking back at him. Sicilique was beyond shocked.

“Ah!” Sicilique’s sharp cry broke the peace of the night, like a cat which had its tail stepped on.

“You … You … You’re the one … The one … Who’s entering the Ridge?” Sicilique stuttered incoherently.

The man was not speaking clearly, but Ye Chong understood him. He nodded and answered, “Yes.”

It was destined to be a day of unrest. Guan Family’s young member had successfully travelled the route that led to the Ridge. The news spread like wildfire across the Ridge.

It came down onto the Ridge like a bolt of lightning!

Everyone in the Ridge understood that this Grandmaster level alchemist’s return would disrupt the power balance in the Ridge. No one slept well that night.

Ye Chong was brought straight to the Guan Family. In fact, when the Ridge Council was informed of the outcome, people had expected Ye Chong to undergo a round of questioning by the Council, but it never happened. Instead, he had went straight to the Guan Family. To everybody’s surprise, the Council had adopted an odd strategy in this situation, opting to act as though nothing had happened.

Sicilique left the Guan Family feeling jealous of the latter. With such a strong alchemist joining their ranks, the Guan Family would be able to survive their crisis.

Every alchemist knew that a Grandmaster level alchemist was far more powerful than their average counterparts, despite being outnumbered.

No one doubted the power of this mysterious young alchemist of the Guan Family. The route was the only way to enter the Ridge, and it was littered with traps that represented the best of the Ridge’s alchemist abilities. To travel the path unscathed was an act no one in the Ridge could promise to reenact. In fact, even the now famous Hua Yan had once admitted that he could not travel the route by only his own abilities. Now, who would dare to question the strength of this young alchemist? Who would even think of questioning his power?

The Guan Family was lit up brightly, its members celebrating. Ever since Guan Ling left the Guan Family, the place had never seen so much activity before. Every member of the Guan Family was jubilant. As an aristocratic family with a long, celebrated history, they had more pride than average people. All these years, however, the cruel facts of reality had borne down on them. They could only watch from the side as other families received more benefits and enjoyed their prestige. Often, they had to quietly endure the condescending glares from other people.

The long endured pressure was finally shed, and every Guan Family member stood tall and smiled widely. Those who had witnessed the birth of the Eldest Young Miss, Guan Ling, were still alive, and they repeated again and again the story of the Guan Family’s former glory.

Now, they finally had hope, a hope to rebuild the Guan Family’s name. As a student of the Eldest Young Miss, the mysterious young man was sure to be greeted warmly by the family. The fact that he survived the route to the Ridge unscathed further propelled his reputation skyward.

The only thing that perplexed them was the wooden spear in Ye Chong’s hand. An alchemist with a spear? As expected, the student of the Eldest Young Miss was no ordinary person.

Right now, Ye Chong was in Guan Zhengyuan’s room.

“You are Ling’s student?” Guan Zhengyuan kept a calm expression, but his betrayed the happiness in him.

“Ling?” Ye Chong frowned in thought. Was that Lunatic Guan’s name? Guan Ling? Ye Chong seemed to remember something like that. The man who had taught to skeleton carving skills, Old Ge, probably mentioned that to him before. The memory was from long ago, but Ye Chong with his vivid memory could recall it. Lunatic Guan this, Lunatic Guan that. That was how he had thought of her for so long, and he had forgotten her real name instead.

Ye Chong nodded. “Yes.” He was, however, watching Guan Zhengyuan’s neck. There hung a familiar looking Red Liquor.

“How is Ling doing now?” Guan Zhengyuan asked anxiously.

“Dead,” Ye Chong answered factually. Lunatic Guan had asked Zhu Ling to find him, but she herself did not make an appearance. Zhu Ling’s expression was also telling.

“What?” Guan Zhengyuan was surprised, and his face contorted in pain, his voice trembling from shock.

Ye Chong watched Guan Zhengyuan quietly, unsure what he should say next. In the end, he stuck to the truth, “She probably died saving Zhu Ling. The probability is about 80 to 90 percent.”

“Dead …” Guan Zhengyuan muttered to himself. He seemed lost. His eyes dimmed into a lifeless glow, and he seemed to have grown much older the next second.

Ye Chong did not know what to say. He had always lacked the skills in handling situations like this. More precisely speaking, he was completely clueless about what to do.

Guan Zhengyuan lifted his head abruptly and asked with a hoarse voice, “Zhu Ling? Who is this Zhu Ling you spoke of? Why would Ling go and rescue her?”

“Zhu Ling is her sister.”

“What? Sister?” Guan Zhengyuan’s hands reached for Ye Chong, his lifeless expression suddenly brought to life again.

Ye Chong sidestepped him easily.

“Ling found our sister … Ling found our sister …” Guan Zhengyuan looked like he was losing it, and Ye Chong thought of giving him a moment to gather himself.

Fortunately, as head of the family, Guan Zhengyuan was able to resume his calmness quickly. He looked at Ye Chong with determined eyes and asked, “And my sister? Where is she?”

Ye Chong answered plainly, “We got separated.”

“Separated?” Guan Zhengyuan grew anxious again, and asked, “Where?” He looked just about ready to start the search right away.

“The Red Sea.”

The name of the place was unfamiliar, but he still ordered a tribe member in and quietly gave a few orders. After listening to his orders, the subordinate looked at Ye Chong with disbelief, and quickly left the room.

Guan Zhengyuan asked more questions about other things, and Ye Chong answered them all truthfully. When he heard that Guan Ling had passed on all her knowledge to Ye Chong, Guan Zhengyuan was positively overjoyed.

He spoke to the tribe member outside his room, “Bring Jin here.”

He then turned back to Ye Chong and said, “Jin is my daughter, and the most capable alchemist in the Guan Family.” He looked proud of his daughter. However, he added regretfully, “Compared to Ling in the past, however, she still has a lot to catch up.”

Just then, Ye Chong heard a girl’s voice from outside said, “Dad, you called for me?”

“Yes, come in,” Guan Zhengyuan replied.

A young woman came in through the door. She was about 12 to 14 years old, with a height of about 140 to 150 centimeters. She looked fragile and pale, perhaps due to the lack of sunlight outdoors. Her long hair reached her shoulders, and her eyes glowed with life. Ye Chong studied this young lady called Jin.

“Jin, this is Brother Zhu Feng, a student of your aunt. You will learn from Brother Zhu Feng from now on, understood?” Guan Zhengyuan said sternly.

Guan Jin acknowledged obediently, then addressed her Brother Zhu Feng sweetly. Ye Chong still looked like his usual cold self, but he nodded to her as greeting.

Guan Zhengyuan was satisfied with his daughter’s behavior, and smiled gently to her. “Alright, bring Brother Zhu Feng to his room to rest. He must be tired. Ah, and don’t forget about our meal time.”

Guan Jin acceded.

“This way please, Brother Zhu Feng. Mind the steps.” Guan Jin sounded melodic and airy. If Shang were here, he would definitely be swept away. However, Ye Chong obviously was immune to it. Even Feng Su’s bewitching voice could not move him, much less the voice of the inexperienced Guan Jin.

Guan Jin quickly noticed that her usually effective measures were not working on Ye Chong. She decided to switch tactics, and said, “Brother Zhu Feng, it’s still too early for our next meal. Why don’t we visit the alchemy laboratory?”