Chen Lan hurried into Lin Yuan's residence, his face alight with excitement as he said, "Senior Brother Lin, I hear Master Shi Shoujing has already gifted that 'Refining Muddling Tripod' to Zhang Yan."
"Oh, is that really true?" Lin Yuan shot to his feet, though his expression showed some skepticism. After Chen Lan confirmed it, he burst into laughter toward the heavens, exclaiming, "We are unburdened!"
By gifting the Refining Muddling Tripod to Zhang Yan, the intention was clear—to make Zhang Yan behave himself and stay in his place. With such a move, the most he could aspire to be was merely a Powerful Warrior. As for elixirs or Daoist books, he shouldn't even think about it. This way, their prior share of resources would not be diminished by an additional entry-level disciple.
Chen Lan, however, showed some regret and said, "What a pity for such a fine tripod. I've heard it was refined by Master Shi Shoujing years ago during his cultivation. It was specifically designed to process elixir ingredients, with effectiveness no less than that of ordinary magic artifacts. To give it to Zhang Yan is truly casting pearls before swine."
"It doesn't matter. Neither of us can do alchemy nor intend to become Powerful Warriors. What use would we have for a tripod?"
By this point, Lin Yuan was in an excellent mood and thus paid no mind to such trivialities. In fact, he felt little regard for Chen Lan's complaint—a magic artifact, so what? Once he advanced to the Upper Court after Opening his Meridians, Spiritual Shells like the Jade Liquid Spirit Shell, Dharma Treasures, and Elixirs would be abundant and within his reach.
He settled back down, leisurely picked up his teacup, and took a sip. Looking at Chen Lan, a sudden inscrutable smile crept across his lips. "Junior Brother Chen, have you heard that Brother Zheng just returned to the Zheng Clan the other day?"
Chen Lan froze, then his face betrayed astonishment as he hesitated, asking, "Brother Zheng... is he preparing to open his meridians?"
"Why choose this moment?" Chen Lan was perplexed.
In the Lower Court, besides Zhang Yan, there were twenty-eight entry-level disciples in total. All were in the Foundation Building Realm, but among them, only five had reached Yuan Cheng Ruzhen and were preparing for Opening Meridians and breaking through the barrier.
They were Zheng Xun, Lin Yuan, Chen Lan, Zhen Lun, and Hu Shengyu.
For disciples from Xuanmen noble families, the process of Opening Meridians involved elders overseeing the procedure, consuming copious amounts of elixirs, and purging their meridians in the family's Jade Liquid Pool Cave.
However, since there were many noble family disciples, the sect would set a sixteen-year term—from the start of their cultivation journey to Opening Meridians—as a standard to temper their character and fortify their foundation.
Chen Lan knew Zheng Xun had only been in the sect for ten years. To attempt Opening Meridians now? There must be something hidden behind this!
Lin Yuan smirked triumphantly and said, "Naturally, there's a reason."
"Oh? Senior Brother Lin, have you caught wind of something again?" Chen Lan's eyes lit up slightly. He was well aware Lin Yuan had an elder who served as an elder within the Mingcang Sect and often managed to glean secrets that few others could know.
Lin Yuan leaned in a little closer and whispered, "I've heard that in the recent skirmish between the Upper Court and the Three Pools Lake Demons, we achieved a minor victory and finally claimed the Yingyun Shell Field. But the cost was high—casualties mounted, with even six True Disciples in the Ming Qi Stage being killed by a python spirit from the Bixue Pond that seized the opportunity."
"True Disciples?" Chen Lan blurted out in shock, "How could it come to this?"
Lower Court disciples, most of them from Xuanmen noble families, were groomed as cornerstones of the sect.
Once they opened their meridians, they would become True Disciples, receiving elixirs, books, Divine Sand, and Spiritual Shells directly bestowed by the sect. Unlike disciples teaching traditional master-student lineages, they didn't need to fight arduously outside for merit. In their weaker stages, they wouldn't even have to take the brunt in battles; they essentially only needed to stay within the sect to reap the benefits.
And yet they could still end up dead? After hearing this news, Chen Lan found it utterly incomprehensible. Unless the Three Pools Lake demons had stormed the Mingcang Sect's Mountain Gate?
Lin Yuan, however, gave a cold, disdainful laugh. "They brought it upon themselves. Those so-called Senior Brothers—who knows what went through their heads? I heard that the old python Luo Mengze from Bixue Pond has a daughter named Luo Zhenzhen, renowned for her dazzling beauty, enough to outshine the moon and flowers, and shame fish and birds. They wanted to catch a glimpse of her beauty, only to end up being targeted by the python spirit, leading to their deaths."
Hearing this, Chen Lan couldn't help but sneer, "Cultivators painstakingly seek the Dao, all for eternal life. To still lust after something as trifling as female beauty—let alone that of a demoness—truly makes their death well deserved. But... what does this have to do with Brother Zheng?"
"One of those Senior Brothers happened to be a member of the Zheng Clan. The message summoning Zheng Xun back this time is precisely so he can join the Upper Court and inherit the blessings left behind by that Senior Brother." Lin Yuan's tone revealed a trace of envy.
Chen Lan clicked his tongue and said, "Then for Brother Zheng, wouldn't that mean his clansman's death was rather convenient?"
He knew Lin Yuan also had two clan brothers cultivating in the Upper Court. Glancing at Lin Yuan's expression now, an insidious suspicion cropped up in his mind. Suddenly, as if another thought had struck him, he shivered involuntarily. Standing up, he quickly bowed deeply to Lin Yuan, showing reverence as he said, "With Brother Zheng moving on, Senior Brother Lin will now surely be the leading disciple of the Lower Court. I, your junior, will humbly rely on your guidance from now on."