Chapter 163: Parting
"You're too kind."
Ye Chen nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face.
Of the four great families and three great sects in Lei Province, the Liu family was the first major power to form a good relationship with him.
Now, the three great sects were no more. The Luoyun Sect and Vajra Temple were obvious cases, but even the Nine Nether Sect, left leaderless after losing Yang Yan, had collapsed. The high-ranking members who had later pursued Mu Shanhong had also perished at the Demon Sect's gates.
Afterward, Ye Chen displayed his overwhelming might in the battle at Dragon Prison Cave. Under the pressure he exerted, the Nine Nether Sect finally crumbled and ceased to exist.
As for the four great families, two were annihilated. The Lei family was suppressed by Ye Chen and ultimately submitted to the Liu family.
The greatest power in Lei Province, the Provincial Office, had also had its share of friction with Ye Chen. However, after he revealed his strength and battled the berserk abbot of the Vajra Temple, he earned the acknowledgment of Lei Province's number one figure, Venerable Minglei.
The Provincial Office chose to let bygones be bygones.
The head of the Provincial Office knew very well that when faced with a peerless talent like Ye Chen, building a good relationship with him was the most important thing.
Besides, the families of the three fallen law enforcement commanders had either been annihilated or had surrendered. There was no need for the Provincial Office to offend someone like Ye Chen over three dead men.
Before the gates of Piaoling City, Liu Kunlun couldn't help but remind him, "Master Ye, Kunlun Mountain is on the border of Lei Province. You could even say it's outside of Lei Province's territory."
"Although it borders two other major provinces, it's also very close to the edge of our Great Hong Dynasty. A few more steps beyond that, and I'm afraid you'll be outside the dynasty's lands entirely."
"Beyond the Great Hong Dynasty lies the untamed wilderness, where demonic beasts and roving bandits appear from time to time."
"Master Ye must be careful."
"I understand." Ye Chen was, of course, no stranger to what Liu Kunlun was warning him about.
The lands of Lei Province were barren and located on the very border of the Great Hong Dynasty, extremely close to the wilderness.
And Kunlun Mountain happened to be situated right on Lei Province's border, which essentially meant it was also the frontier of the Great Hong Dynasty.
The reason it was revered as a Holy Mountain by some cultivators was undoubtedly because of the many ancient legends surrounding Kunlun Mountain, which gave it a thick air of mystery.
Thus, even though Kunlun Mountain was usually peaceful and rarely showed any signs of disturbance, cultivators would still travel there in groups from time to time, simply hoping to explore the mysteries of the place.
In the end, however, most of them returned empty-handed and deeply disappointed.
Legends were just legends, after all. The Kunlun Mountain of today was as ordinary as could be.
"It's already late. Why don't you stay in the city for one more night, Master Ye, and set out tomorrow?"
Lei Province was vast, and the journey from Piaoling City to the border was a long one.
The real reason Liu Yuchan made this suggestion was that he wanted to take advantage of Ye Chen's time with the Liu family to ask for his guidance regarding Alchemy Skill.
"That won't be necessary."
Ye Chen shook his head slightly. "Whether the sky is dark or bright, what difference does it make to cultivators like us?"
"Besides, I need to make it to the Peach Blossom Banquet in Dongxuan Province a month from now. It's best to set out early."
"Very well." Upon hearing this, Liu Yuchan, though somewhat disappointed, did not press him to stay.
"The Peach Blossom Banquet?" Liu Kunlun was taken aback, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Is that the grand event that specifically selects cultivators of astonishing talent from the eastern part of the dynasty?"
"Patriarch Liu has heard of it?" Ye Chen was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Liu Kunlun to pay attention to such matters.
After all, no matter how grand the Peach Blossom Banquet was, it had nothing to do with Lei Province.
If not for Song Yubing handing over Cyan Rainbow Hall's spot, he might not have been qualified to attend unless he went to Dongxuan Province to register himself.
But if the spots had already been divided up by the major powers, even going to register would have been pointless.
"I remember Yuchan once mentioned that his master would also be attending the Peach Blossom Banquet. Perhaps Master Ye will have the good fortune to meet her."
Liu Kunlun said with a smile.
"Master?"
Hearing this, Liu Yuchan gave a wry smile. "Back then, I didn't even know what the Peach Blossom Banquet was. I just thought Master was speaking casually."
"I never expected that Master Ye would also be attending. What a coincidence. I'm quite curious... If you and my master were to compete in Alchemy Dao, I imagine it would be absolutely spectacular."
"Hongyu Pill Venerable?" A thoughtful look appeared in Ye Chen's eyes.
He had first heard the title of Liu Yuchan's master from the Shopkeeper of the Treasure Pavilion.
"That's her." Liu Yuchan nodded, but his expression was a bit ashamed. "Although the outside world says I am the Hongyu Pill Venerable's final disciple, that's just a rumor."
"While it's true I received the Hongyu Pill Venerable's recognition and guidance, it was only because I happened to meet her by chance while she was traveling. She instructed me for a few days, but it never reached the point of her taking me as a disciple."
"After that, my Alchemy Skill did improve by leaps and bounds. But since she left, I have never seen her again, nor do I have any way to contact her."
"She only told me that if I was willing to go to the Pill Sect to find her, she wouldn't mind accepting me as a disciple."
"Since this Hongyu Pill Venerable has such an extraordinary background and profound skills, why didn't you go to the Pill Sect to seek her out and formally become her apprentice?" Ye Chen couldn't help but ask.
"I did, of course. But I was turned away at the gates by the guards."
Liu Yuchan's face was full of bitterness. "The Pill Sect is a transcendent power renowned throughout the entire Great Hong Dynasty! According to rumors, its headquarters is even located outside the dynasty's borders!"
"Although I found the Pill Sect, my strength was too weak, and I didn't have a token from the Hongyu Pill Venerable. Naturally, they treated me like a fraud and threw me out!"
"And the Hongyu Pill Venerable is out traveling the mortal world, so who knows when she'll return to the Pill Sect. On top of that, my grandfather's illness acted up, and as the best Alchemist in the family, I had no choice but to obediently stay with the Liu family and take care of the old man."
Hearing this, Ye Chen could also detect the helplessness in Liu Yuchan's voice.
Clearly, Liu Yuchan still longed to pursue the art of the Alchemy Dao.
He desperately wanted to receive the Hongyu Pill Venerable's guidance again, but unfortunately, fate brought them together only to separate them. After that chance encounter, they had never met again.
Ye Chen pondered for a moment. He could certainly write down a couple of his insights and understandings regarding Alchemy Skill for Liu Yuchan, but with Liu Yuchan's current ability, it was likely too soon for him to comprehend them.
It would be better to wait until after the Peach Blossom Banquet. He could give Liu Yuchan some guidance when he returned to Lei Province.
Afterward, Ye Chen chatted with the Liu father and son for a while longer before taking his leave.
Flanked by Jie Ling and Song Yubing, the three of them walked further and further into the deepening twilight, eventually disappearing from sight.