Chapter 19 Conspiracy

In recent days, Drunken Star Tower had few visitors and was overshadowed by the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion.

Ever since Ye Yuan came to challenge them, Wan Donghai had been in seclusion, refusing to see anyone. This drove Wan Dongyang frantic. He wanted to send someone to kill Ye Yuan, but without his elder brother's approval, he dared not act on his own. So he paced outside Wan Donghai's seclusion chamber every so often, hoping his brother would emerge soon.

At this moment, Wan Dongyang was pacing anxiously before his brother's door, clearly nearing the end of his patience.

"Brother, if you don't come out, I'll take men and cripple that brat! I can't swallow this insult!" Wan Dongyang fumed.

Seeing no response from Wan Donghai, he stamped his foot in anger and was about to leave when Wan Donghai's voice reached his ears: "Dongyang, come in."

Overjoyed, Wan Dongyang immediately pushed open the door and entered.

"Uh, brother, aren't you in seclusion? How..." Wan Dongyang had thought his brother was truly seeking a breakthrough, but upon entering, he found Wan Donghai leisurely sipping tea, looking quite relaxed.

Contrary to Wan Dongyang's imagination, Wan Donghai showed no sign of defeat or dejection; instead, he was full of energy, as if nothing had happened two days ago.

Wan Donghai still wore that knowing smile and said calmly, "Dongyang, how many times have I told you not to be so impatient when things happen? This is the imperial city, our territory, but also Ye Hang's territory. Do you think you can kill Ye Yuan just by taking men there? Unless Ye Hang's brain is addled."

"But brother, I can't swallow this! A snot-nosed brat comes to our door and slaps us in the face. How can Drunken Star Tower continue to operate in the imperial city?" Wan Dongyang said angrily.

"In business, harmony brings wealth. Even if we must fight, it should be done in secret. Charging in openly like that only puts Drunken Star Tower in a more passive position; it's utterly pointless."

"But..."

"Just focus on managing Drunken Star Tower for me. Don't worry about Ye Yuan; I've already made arrangements."

Wan Dongyang's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "What arrangements?"

Wan Donghai smiled. "He's just a brat at the first level of Yuan Qi. Why dirty our own hands to kill him? His body has recovered, and I reckon he'll return to the Danwu Academy in a day or two. If something happens to him on the way, it has nothing to do with us."

"Brother means...?"

"I've already hired assassins from Mo Sha. Dealing with a first-level Yuan Qi kid shouldn't be a failure, right?"

"Hahaha!" Wan Dongyang burst into wild laughter and praised, "Brother, you truly have everything under control! I admire you! Why didn't I think of this? The assassins of Mo Sha are elusive; even people from our Youyun Ten Kingdoms turn pale at the mention of them. With them on the case, that brat is as good as dead!"

"Mm, Mo Sha is the most outstanding and trustworthy assassin organization in our Youyun Ten Kingdoms. Since Yuan'er failed to poison that brat, I'll send him on his way again. How dare he provoke me, Wan Donghai? The kid has a death wish." By the end, Wan Donghai's tone had turned icy.

"Indeed! This kid got hold of some obscure poison and dared to come challenge us—he simply doesn't know his place! If he had some real strength, it might be different, but he's just a worthless first-level Yuan Qi. Killing him would be effortless." In Wan Dongyang's eyes, Ye Yuan was already a dead man.

Wan Donghai smiled, seeming somewhat indifferent to Ye Yuan's matter. In his view, Ye Yuan wasn't even an opponent, at best a flea.

"If Ye Hang is behind this, then he has successfully angered me! This time, we will completely crush the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion. I want Ye Hang to be abandoned by all!"

Wan Donghai took a pill from his sleeve and handed it to Wan Dongyang. Puzzled, Wan Dongyang took the pill and examined it closely but couldn't make sense of it. Not every alchemist had Ye Yuan's understanding of medicinal properties; Wan Dongyang could only tell it was a pill similar to a Yuan Qi Pill.

"Brother, this is...?"

"This pill is called a Ju Yuan Pill. Like the Yuan Qi Pill, it increases Yuan power, but its potency is fifty percent stronger! Once Drunken Star Tower can mass-produce this pill, what do you think will happen?" As he spoke, Wan Donghai could no longer hide his smugness.

Wan Dongyang had some vague guesses but hadn't expected the Ju Yuan Pill to be so effective. After his brother's explanation, he felt a surge of excitement.

Once such a pill hit the market, it would be a game-changer!

Although the Yuan Qi Pill could help improve strength, if taken from the first level of Yuan Qi, by the time one reached the fifth or sixth level, it would be almost useless.

But if the Yuan Qi Pill were replaced with the Ju Yuan Pill, starting from the first level of Yuan Qi meant one's cultivation speed would be fifty percent faster than others! For the talented scions of great families, this was a dream come true.

The path of martial arts was a race against time. As bone age increased, the body's potential gradually depleted, limiting room for growth. Thus, the younger one reached a higher realm, the further one's martial path could extend. In this light, the Ju Yuan Pill was of extraordinary significance.

"Brother, what's the cost of the Ju Yuan Pill?" Wan Dongyang was no fool; as a proper alchemist, he hit the key point.

"Rest assured, the Ju Yuan Pill is only a first-tier pill, and its cost is just slightly higher than the Yuan Qi Pill."

"Excellent! Brother, with this Ju Yuan Pill, we can completely crush the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion!"

The brothers locked eyes and burst into laughter together.

...

At the Tang residence, Tang Zonghuai had just taken the pill brought by Ye Yuan and was in seclusion refining its medicinal power.

The pill Ye Yuan refined for Tang Zonghuai was called Mo Yu Hui Xin Dan. Such a pill naturally wouldn't exist in the Qin Kingdom, but the required ingredients were not hard to find. With the Medicine Fragrance Pavilion's stock, Ye Yuan quickly gathered the herbs and successfully refined it.

The Mo Yu Hui Xin Dan was specifically for treating internal injuries. Its effects were similar to the Da Huan Dan, but its potency was on a whole different level. It could not only protect Tang Zonghuai's heart meridian but also repair his damaged organs. Once Tang Zonghuai refined the medicinal power, he would recover within three days.

In the Tang family's outer hall, Tang Yu bowed deeply to Ye Yuan. "If not for meeting Brother Ye by chance, my father would have been doomed. Please accept my bow."

Ye Yuan supported Tang Yu with his hand and smiled. "Brother Tang, you're too kind. It was your filial piety that moved me. Seeing you and your father reminded me of my own father's anxiousness a few days ago. How could I bear to see you two separated by death? In truth, you saved your father yourself. If you hadn't given me the six-leaf grass, I would have been helpless against his injuries."

Hearing this, Tang Yu noticed that Ye Yuan's Yuan power was much more abundant. In just one day, he had already reached the third level of Yuan Qi!

"This... overnight, Brother Ye has advanced two levels! How... how is this possible?" Tang Yu had been focused on his father earlier, but now he noticed the change in Ye Yuan and was stunned speechless.

The Danwu Academy was a gathering place for geniuses, and Tang Yu thought he had seen many prodigies, but he had never heard of anyone advancing two levels overnight. It was simply too incredible.

Ye Yuan smiled. "Just a shortcut. Don't laugh at me, Brother Tang."

For Ye Yuan, it was indeed a shortcut. Even if others had the Bao Yuan Dan, they wouldn't dare consume it like he did, or their meridians would burst and kill them. But Ye Yuan's understanding of medicinal properties had reached a height ordinary people couldn't fathom, and with the Lingzhe Jiuyang Divine Art, he dared to take such risks.

Tang Yu came to his senses and smiled wryly. "A shortcut? Laugh at you? Brother Ye, your words make me feel ashamed!"

"Hehe, Brother Tang, don't say that. I have some pills here that can aid cultivation. I'll give them to you. I think Uncle Tang's injuries should be fine. Can you return to the Danwu Academy with me tomorrow?"

"Alright, once Father comes out of seclusion, if there's no problem, I'll go with you tomorrow."

"Mm, keep the pills I gave you safe. Don't let anyone know about them."

Hearing this, Tang Yu knew the pills were extraordinary, so he said solemnly, "Rest assured, Brother Ye, I will keep my mouth shut."

The Bao Yuan Dan might be nothing in the Divine Realm, but in a place like the Qin Kingdom, it was far too precious. Ye Yuan was well aware of the principle that "a man's wealth is his own ruin."