Regardless of what the cultivators of the Tao clan thought of Luo Chen, they observed proper etiquette when arranging his accommodations, treating him with the highest courtesy accorded to an honored guest.
He was provided an independent courtyard with a spiritual energy density comparable to that of a mid-grade Tier 2 immortal's cave.
All three daily meals consisted of spirit dishes brimming with spiritual energy.
In addition, two maidservants were assigned to attend to him, along with two Qi Refinement male cultivators at his beck and call.
After seeing Luo Chen settled in, Tao Yisheng departed in a hurry.
"Senior Danchenzi, do you require us to prepare your bath and change of clothes?"
Looking at the two fair-faced, bright-eyed, and attractive maidservants, Luo Chen waved a hand dismissively. "No need. Go wait outside!"
The two maidservants exchanged a glance and tactfully withdrew from the sitting room.
Once they had left, Luo Chen expanded his spiritual sense, sweeping across the entire courtyard. Only after confirming there were no monitoring measures in place did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Having just arrived in an unfamiliar place, it paid to be cautious.
He took out a book and began browsing through it casually.
Initially, he read with an easygoing attitude, but the more he read, the deeper he became immersed.
The book he was reading was none other than the *Shanghu Alchemy Exposition*, which Fairy Jueqing had gifted him back then.
Aside from the *Qingyuan Alchemy Exposition*, this was only the second volume of insights from a Tier 3 alchemist in his possession.
Furthermore, unlike Qing Yuanzi, who had relied on the pill-nourishing technique to refine a Tier 3 pill by a stroke of luck and thereby attained the title of Tier 3 alchemist, the author of the *Shanghu Alchemy Exposition* had been a genuine, bona fide Tier 3 alchemist!
Luo Chen had possessed this book for quite some time, yet he had gleaned little from it.
The reason was that several alchemy theories and techniques recorded within differed drastically from orthodox alchemy.
Orthodox alchemy typically emphasized taking from the surplus to supplement deficiencies. For example, if a primary ingredient in a pill formula exhibited an excessively strong property, another primary ingredient was needed to balance that flaw—whether by neutralizing it, stimulating it, or dampening it.
Yet the methods detailed in the *Shanghu Alchemy Exposition* took an entirely different path.
It advocated taking materials from the same source and utilizing them to their utmost. Because they were born of a single whole, inherent mutual repulsion was minimal. As a result, the success rate of forming pills was remarkably high.
Several alchemy techniques recorded within even involved directly using demon beast inner cores to concoct pills.
"This style of alchemy bears some resemblance to the Emperor's Flowing Syrup," Luo Chen murmured to himself.
The main ingredients of the Emperor's Flowing Syrup required the blood, flesh, and bone of the very same kind of demon beast, which counted as materials of shared origin.
"Who knows where Fairy Jueqing managed to obtain such a strange alchemy book?"
Luo Chen shook his head and ceased pondering the matter. Instead, he devoted himself to studying the ambiguous and convoluted passages.
With the alchemy competition imminent, every bit of alchemy skill he could muster was worth gaining.
This was not merely for Tao Wan's sake, but also an effort for his own benefit.
Over the years, he had thoroughly studied the alchemy scriptures of Danyuanzi, the Geng family, and the Li family, absorbing their essences completely. Only this *Shanghu Alchemy Exposition* still held many points he had yet to unravel.
***
While Luo Chen was diligently studying the art of alchemy, a sharp, cold snort rang out inside the council hall of the Tao clan on Mount Xiaonan, bringing an afternoon of heated arguing to an end.
Tao Wan gazed coldly at the elderly man being escorted out by the crowd, her eyes narrowing slightly behind long eyelashes.
Tao Yisheng hurried over.
"Elder Sister, I've brought Luo Chen back."
"Have you settled him in?"
"I put him in Mohe Garden, and I instructed Xiaopeng and the others to remain at his beck and call." At this point, dissatisfaction surfaced on Tao Yisheng's face. "Brother Luo traveled thousands of li to come here. Even if our clan didn't go out to welcome him, we should at least have hosted a welcome feast! Instead, because of all this mess, he was given the cold shoulder..."
How could Tao Wan not know that their hospitality was lacking?
However...
"These matters are hardly just a mess!" She sighed.
"If I want to vie for the position of Dao Seed, I will inevitably clash with the likes of Shangguan Yan and He Yuanqing. Behind every one of them stands a Golden Core Master.
"The Patriarch and the elders are afraid that if I fail to win, I'll only end up offending those people.
"If the other side decides to settle scores afterward, our Tao clan will surely suffer."
Tao Yisheng was stunned.
He truly had not thought that far ahead.
They were all part of the same sect, and competing for the Dao Seed was an open and honorable True Disciple Sword Contest. Could there really be such a thing as settling scores later?
Looking at his sister, whose brow was weighed down with exhaustion from the family's sordid squabbles, he forced himself to say, "Refusing to compete might allow us to scrape by for now, but how could that bring peace for a lifetime?"
Tao Wan glanced at him in surprise.
"Well!
"You've certainly matured quite a bit! You never had such awareness before."
Rarely receiving praise from his sister, Tao Yisheng scratched his head. "I spent a lot of time at the Luotian Association last year, and many cultivators there hold that philosophy. According to them, Luo Chen built the Luotian Association from scratch and fought his way through every step. Across several battles, large and small, he consistently overcame the strong from a position of weakness and never compromised."
Environment could make a person!
Likewise, a new environment could influence a person!
Hailing from the Tao clan of Azure Pill Valley, Tao Yisheng had once been ignorant of the world's harshness. But after establishing his foundation and spending a decade outside, he had learned a thing or two—especially during this past year with the Luotian Association!
Tao Wan looked at her younger brother, whose chin had sprouted youthful stubble, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face.
Suddenly, she asked, "Yisheng, do you want to become the Clan Head of the Tao clan?"
Tao Yisheng froze and blurted out instinctively, "Wait, hasn't the position of Clan Head been held concurrently by the Patriarch for over a hundred years?"
The corners of Tao Wan's thin lips curled slightly upward.
"As you said, it's been over a hundred years!
"Some things are overdue for a change!"
***
"Contend for Clan Head?"
Luo Chen looked in surprise at the woman before him.
She wore a long azure dress, her cascading black hair draping down her back like a waterfall to her slender waist.
Tao Wan smiled faintly. "Indeed. Seeing that you were bored here, I thought you might accompany me to witness the birth of our Tao clan's new Clan Head."
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.
How intriguing!
Tao Wan had not brought the pill formulas and core formation insights he wanted when she sought him out today, but had abruptly brought up this matter instead.
Seeing her smile, Luo Chen realized that if he wanted to obtain those items, it would likely hinge on today's so-called contention for the clan headship.
"The Dao Seed competition hasn't even begun, yet you're going to fight over the position of Clan Head first.
"Fascinating, truly fascinating!"
Luo Chen stood up. "To be able to witness the birth of the Tao clan's new Clan Head is Luo's utmost honor!"
Tao Wan shook her head. "It isn't me, but Yisheng."
"Oh?"
This time, Luo Chen was genuinely taken aback.
***
When Luo Chen arrived at the Tao clan's assembly grounds, several hundred cultivators were already gathered.
A single glance revealed more than a dozen Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.
If such a force were placed in Tianlan Immortal City, it would be an undisputed hegemon!
*No wonder people like Tantai Jin and Tao Wan previously looked down on my Luotian Association. Compared to this, it truly is like the difference between a firefly and the bright moon.*
Yet he felt no inferiority.
After all, this was a prominent clan that had produced Golden Core cultivators. Even in decline, they still possessed such a foundation.
Sweeping his gaze around, he spotted Tao Wan and Tao Yisheng.
Behind them stood five Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.
All the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators stood behind an elderly man with white hair and beard.
The current Patriarch of the Tao clan, Tao Daonan!
A great cultivator of the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment!
While Luo Chen was sizing up the others, they too were intentionally or unintentionally watching him.
Tao Daonan cast a glance his way, then looked at Tao Wan and let out a cold snort.
"Xiao Wan, you proposed reappointing the Clan Head according to clan rules, and I agreed.
"Yet you bring an outsider to observe—what is the meaning of this?"
Tao Wan smiled haughtily. "An outsider? What do you mean by that? Danchenzi is a consecrated retainer of our Tao clan, and thus one of our own. How can you call him an outsider?"
"A consecrated retainer? In several hundred years, our Tao clan has never hired a consecrated retainer from outside!" Tao Daonan said tremulously. "Moreover, without the Clan Head's approval, who has the authority to appoint one?"
Tao Wan wiped the smile from her face and sneered.
"Which is precisely why we must reappoint the Clan Head today!"
Without waiting for Tao Daonan to ramble further, she waved her hand directly.
"Yisheng!"
Tao Yisheng took a deep breath and stepped out from behind her, meeting the gazes of the crowd with calm poise.
"To serve as the Tao clan's Clan Head, one must satisfy three conditions: the Foundation Establishment realm, alchemy attainment, and the status of true disciple. Today, I satisfy all three conditions. Lord Patriarch, you are advanced in years and have already been stripped of your status as a true disciple by the sect. It is high time you stepped down and yielded the seat to someone worthy.
"Today, I, Tao Yisheng, intend to assume the position of Clan Head. Who approves, and who opposes?"
He spoke neither hurriedly nor sluggishly, and the determination in his voice was clear to all.
The group of Foundation Establishment cultivators standing behind Tao Daonan exchanged looks.
None of them had expected Tao Yisheng, who had been away for over a decade, to demand the position of Clan Head the moment he returned.
One had to know that for more than a century, the seat of Clan Head had always been held by the Patriarch!
This was not merely a seizure of power. If the reins changed hands, the interests involved would be enough to cause a massive shift in the Tao clan's internal structure!
These two siblings...
Amid the crowd's silence, Tao Daonan's weathered face grew exceedingly dark.
He knew this was at Tao Wan's instigation.
By ordinary logic, it was indeed time for him to hand over these powers to the younger generation. But how could one simply let go of such things at will?
"I am indeed old, and it is indeed time to step down and yield to the worthy."
The moment these words left his mouth, a chorus of protests erupted behind him.
"Patriarch!"
"Grandfather!"
"You must not!"
Tao Daonan raised his left hand slightly, using his years of accrued authority to suppress the clamor.
His dark gaze fell upon Tao Yisheng.
"However, Yisheng, you are still young and lack experience in the world. Entrusting our great Tao clan into your hands truly leaves this old man uneasy."
Tao Yisheng glanced at Tao Wan, and with the encouragement in her eyes, steadied his resolve.
He met the Patriarch's gaze without a trace of fear.
"I have already established my foundation, so there is no such thing as being too young. For us True Cultivators, the accomplished come first!
"Besides, lacking experience?
"With the assistance of the clan elders, I am confident I will quickly become familiar with all the clan's affairs."
These words were thoroughly reasoned and well-grounded.
Tao Daonan found himself unable to refute them.
However!
"In truth, I have long entertained thoughts of stepping down. Over the years, Yichen has been assisting me with various trivial clan affairs.
"If the position is to be yielded, his experience is far richer.
"Furthermore, he is also a true disciple of Azure Pill Valley and is qualified to serve as Clan Head."
As he spoke, Tao Daonan looked toward Tao Wan.
"This old man believes that letting Tao Yichen serve as Clan Head would be far more beneficial to the Tao clan!"
Tao Wan let out a cold snort.
"Why waste so many words? We are all disciples of Azure Pill Valley, so let us follow the traditions of Azure Pill Valley.
"Since there is no difference in cultivation realm, let us decide the victor through alchemy!"
The moment these words were spoken, everyone present nodded in tacit agreement.
Tao Daonan slammed his palm heavily against the sandalwood table. "It's a deal!"
No further words were wasted.
The Tao clan members swiftly grew busy, preparing all the implements and medicinal ingredients required for pill refinement.
Luo Chen, the "outsider," remained seated in the corner, watching the scene with keen interest.
He was not from an established clan. Although he had interacted with many clan cultivators, he had only ever heard of the internal strife within cultivation families through rumors.
Seeing it in person today, it truly held a unique flavor!
A clash of words without yielding an inch.
Though tempers flared, their sense of propriety was clearly maintained with great precision.
Presumably, to establish a foothold within a clan, strength was vital—just as Tao Wan had the confidence to set up her own faction.
At the same time, interpersonal relationships could not be neglected. Otherwise, when fixed benefits were allocated, whether one received a fair share depended entirely on the firmness of the hand wielding the knife.
What Tao Wan sought to do now was plainly to seize the role of the one carving the meat!
No, it was not even that simple.
Once she became the one dividing the spoils, those within the clan who originally gathered around Tao Daonan would lean toward her for their own interests.
In that way, the interior would be pacified.
And she would be able to expand the "meat" the Tao clan could claim from the outside world without any worries about her rear.
*Pacifying the interior before resisting external threats!* Luo Chen murmured to himself, holding this woman, who was surrounded like a moon embraced by stars, in somewhat higher regard.
Just as he was covertly sizing up Tao Wan, her beautiful eyes met his by pure coincidence.
"Daoist friend, care to accompany me to the alchemy chamber?"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. He was permitted to observe such a private affair?
Naturally, he would not refuse. It would also give him an opportunity to gauge the alchemy attainments of other alchemists from Azure Pill Valley.
"Then let us go together!"
***
Along a forest path, a man and a woman walked side by side.
Behind them followed five Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.
A faint, delicate fragrance drifted into Luo Chen's nose, though he could not tell whether it came from the woman beside him or the chrysanthemums flanking the path.
"Fellow Daoist Tao, you seem very confident in Yisheng!" Luo Chen remarked.
Tao Wan curled her lip. "I have even more confidence in Tao Daonan's grandson, Tao Yichen!"
"Oh?" Luo Chen was puzzled.
The corners of Tao Wan's lips curved upward. "Over the years, he has been indulging in clan politics and power, having long cast his alchemy skills to the winds. He holds the empty title of a Tier 2 alchemist, but whether he can still produce Tier 2 pills is something he likely lacks confidence in himself!"
Luo Chen came to a sudden realization.
No wonder she was so assured.
"Besides, Yisheng has been by your side constantly for the past two years. Do you lack confidence in him?" Tao Wan's gaze shifted, landing on Luo Chen.
Luo Chen smiled.
"Then I shall wait and see!"
Meanwhile, on the other side, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from Tao Daonan's branch followed closely behind him, his expression fraught with worry.
"Patriarch, how could you agree so carelessly to an alchemy contest? Yichen has handled too many secular affairs for you over the years; his alchemy skills are simply not presentable."
Tao Daonan's expression remained calm and unhurried.
He said indifferently, "If Tao Yichen's alchemy cannot be presented, could Tao Yisheng's?"
"The pill to be refined this time is our Tao clan's exclusive Colored Chrysanthemum Pill, a full Tier 2 pill.
"Tao Yisheng is nothing more than a man of pure theory. There is no way he can refine it on short notice."
The mid-stage cultivator beside him paused in surprise.
Puzzled, he asked, "If neither of them can refine it, what is the point of this contest?"
Tao Daonan sneered. "In that case, won't we simply return to the starting point?"
The starting point?
The cultivator was momentarily stunned, and then enlightenment dawned on him.
Had not the starting point been that Tao Yichen possessed richer experience in managing clan affairs?
He could not help but praise, "Tao Wan has her eyes too high, fixated solely on the Dao Seed competition. How could clan affairs be so simple?
"In the end, the Patriarch remains far more brilliant!"
Tao Daonan smiled without answering.
***
Inside the spacious alchemy hall, two bronze cauldrons stood erect.
Earth fire roared, occasionally spitting out flames, held tightly in check.
A rich medicinal fragrance drifted in all directions.
Two figures stood beside their respective bronze cauldrons, each backed by several Qi Refinement cultivators standing at the ready.
Tao Daonan glanced across at Tao Wan, then waved his broad sleeve.
"Begin!"
With that command, Tao Yisheng and Tao Yichen, two members of the same generation, simultaneously cast incantation gestures to activate the formations, drawing roaring earth fire from the underground cavern.
Batch after batch of medicinal ingredients were delivered smoothly into their hands with the assistance of their respective apprentices.
Luo Chen watched the scene with keen interest.
Suddenly, a voice drifted into his ear.
"Fellow Daoist Luo, watch carefully. This is the recipe for the Tier 2 cultivation pill that I prepared for you.
"The Tao clan's exclusive Tier 2 pill, the Colored Chrysanthemum Pill!"
At those words, Luo Chen's mindset of merely watching a show instantly shifted.
His spiritual eyes turned profoundly deep. Strands of spiritual energy surged continuously toward his eyes, unseen by outsiders.
Under his focused gaze, every movement of the two men refining pills was laid bare before him.
And inside the bronze cauldrons, every transformation undergone by the various medicinal ingredients was fully grasped within his mind!
Chapter 327