Daoist Competition
Chapter 102 - 15 Golden Sword Sends a Message to Dang Domain Water Country_2

Chapter 102: Chapter 15 Golden Sword Sends a Message to Dang Domain Water Country_2

As the flying boat descended, Zhang Yan took a few steps into the fishing vessel, only to see Zhou Chongju sitting in the hall, his face so dark it seemed like water might drip from it. Zhang Yan’s heart sank slightly as he asked, "Senior Brother, what has happened?"

"You’re here?" Zhou Chongju gestured toward a nearby chair, signaling him to sit. However, he himself stood up, speaking in a low voice, "A few days ago, an envoy from Dang Domain’s Water Country came. In six months, it will be King Ji Jiushang’s grand birthday celebration, and they wish to host an Elixir Conference. To this end, they specially sent an envoy to request several alchemists from our sect, offering to relinquish a shell field as a gesture of sincerity. Resolving this matter without conflict, of course, gained the Sect Leader’s approval."

In actuality, Dang Domain’s Water Country was a tribe of Demon Cultivators. However, their power was enormous; even the Three Pools Lake Demon, which had clashed with the Mingcang Sect for over a decade, was nominally just a vassal of theirs.

Zhang Yan listened quietly, knowing there was more to this matter.

Zhou Chongju slammed his fist heavily onto the desk and said, "Last month, Elder Jiang invited me to concoct elixirs, leaving the affairs of the pavilion temporarily in the hands of Deputy Director Dou. Who would have thought that in my absence, when selecting people for the mission, he would include your name on the list? Now the envoy from the Water Country has already returned, and by the time I found out upon my return today, it was too late."

Zhang Yan’s expression remained composed, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. He asked, "What explanation did Deputy Director Dou give?"

Zhou Chongju’s eyes burned with anger as he snorted coldly and said, "Dou Ming claimed it was due to negligence by the stewards below him. He stated that he had already punished the person responsible, going so far as to kill them, and had even offered to voluntarily relinquish his position and retire at home, no longer serving as Deputy Director."

Zhang Yan sneered and said, "I imagine he had already arranged an escape route for himself. With things as they are, Senior Brother, you likely have no leverage against him now."

For Dou Ming to deflect the matter was all too simple, especially since Zhang Yan was indeed a member of the Elixir Cauldron Sect and a disciple of Zhou Chongju. With someone taking the blame, there was hardly sufficient reason to hold Dou accountable. At most, he would face a few rebukes, but nothing that would harm him fundamentally. As for the future, it would remain uncertain if they could even find him then.

"Someone must be orchestrating this from the shadows!" Zhou Chongju said angrily, "I suspect it’s Feng Shang. This reeks of his handiwork."

What troubled him was that if it truly was Feng Shang’s ploy, then every apparent flaw might actually be a trap. Thus, substituting another person for Zhang Yan or refusing to go altogether was entirely unworkable—Feng Shang might be awaiting just such a move.

While Zhang Yan was safe from these people’s machinations for now due to his status as a True Disciple within the Mingcang Sect, Zhou Chongju was worried that once Zhang Yan stepped outside the sect, the situation would change entirely, providing ample opportunities for rivals to act.

Turning his head sharply, Zhou Chongju fixed his intense gaze on Zhang Yan and said sternly, "Junior Brother, this matter is already settled. If you refuse to go, what do you intend to do? If you’re unwilling, I will risk my reputation to plead with someone to ensure your safety!" The muscles in his cheeks twitched visibly, as though he’d thought of something particularly humiliating.

Zhang Yan lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up with a faint smile forming at the corners of his mouth. He said, "Senior Brother, I am willing to go."

"Oh?" Zhou Chongju looked at him in surprise. "Have you thought it through?"

Zhang Yan replied, "Even within the sect, I’m not necessarily safe. Such schemes will continue to arise endlessly, leaving me no room to guard against them. Although I do not fear them, they might hinder my cultivation. By going to the Water Country and stepping out of the noble families’ watchful eyes, I may find greater freedom—like fish leaping in vast seas or birds soaring through open skies. Who knows, this might be my opportunity."

Zhou Chongju pondered this for a moment, then nodded slowly. "What you’ve said does hold some merit."

He paused and added, "But you must still be cautious. Based on my judgment, their attempts to harm you will likely fall into one of two scenarios: either they will act during your journey or they will create trouble for you in the Water Country. I believe the latter to be far more likely. If you were to perish there, the Sect Leader would not hold them accountable; instead, he would merely claim it was another sect trying to stir discord between us and the Water Country."

Zhang Yan nodded to indicate his understanding. Although he was a True Disciple, if something were truly to happen to him in the Water Country, the Mingcang Sect would never go to war with the Water Country just for his sake. They would seek to smooth things over, possibly even using his death as a pretext for future conflict, but never out of a desire for vengeance on his behalf.

Zhou Chongju sneered and said, "I reviewed the list of those traveling to the Dang Domain’s Water Country. Besides you, there are also several individuals who were once Dou Ming’s trusted followers. This cannot be a coincidence. You don’t know alchemy, which wouldn’t have been an issue if explained clearly. But since you’re my disciple, if someone in the Water Country stirs up trouble, spreads rumors, or covertly incites tension, it could very well lead to conflict between our sect and the Water Country. And when that happens, you’ll be the first one they target."

Saying this, he glanced at Zhang Yan and sighed. "There’s only ten days until your departure. In these ten days, I’ll teach you as much as I can. It’ll have to be a last-ditch effort."

Ten days?

Zhang Yan thought of the recent moon-watching event for the True Disciples. Could there be some connection between the two?

He then recalled something else: Luo Xiao knew a bit of alchemy as well, which suggested that demons weren’t lacking in alchemists. So why were they seeking alchemists from the Mingcang Sect?

He posed this question to Zhou Chongju, who replied, "You may not know this, but while Demon Cultivators can practice alchemy, their methods are rudimentary and only suitable for crafting ordinary elixirs. High-grade Elixirs, however, can only be refined by Human Cultivators. This is because the Three Apertures Skill can only be cultivated with a human body. Even if a Demon Cultivator transforms themselves, they cannot master this skill. Thus, for advanced elixirs, they have no choice but to rely on us. The King of Dang Domain’s Water Country, Ji Jiushang, is known for his ostentation, so this isn’t surprising."

At this, Zhou Chongju seemed to recall something and said, "The ’Inner Aperture Skill’ I plan to teach you must never be leaked. If Demon Cultivators gain knowledge of it, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"Rest assured, Senior Brother. I know where to draw the line," Zhang Yan said, his eyes glinting with determination. "However, I do believe Deputy Director Dou shouldn’t be allowed to get away so easily."

"Oh?" Zhou Chongju fixed his gaze on Zhang Yan. "What do you plan to do about it, Junior Brother?"

Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "Since he’s already resigned, it would be a pity to let his alchemy skills go to waste. Why not petition the Sect Leader to assign him as my deputy and have him accompany me on this journey?"