Chapter 2051: When the Person Leaves, the Tea Cools

“Duan Yunfei, have you practiced your Three Hundred Moves of Nether Cloud a thousand times yet, and you dare to slack off here?” Yun Yi barked at Duan Yunfei, who was basking in the sun.

Duan Yunfei was the young man surnamed Duan who had once mocked Ye Yuan. After choosing a master, Duan Yunfei had also unhesitatingly chosen Ye Yuan.

After their group arrived at the Eagle Imperial City, they joined the Alchemist Tower. But as per Ye Yuan’s instructions, they could only become medicine boys. Not only did they have to do menial tasks like sorting spirit herbs every day, but they also practiced the most basic alchemy techniques.

For these proud alchemy prodigies, this was utterly intolerable.

Every day, they repeated boring and tedious tasks, with no time for cultivation.

In their eyes, it was a complete waste of time.

This wasn’t tempering them; it was mocking them.

In less than half a year, over a dozen people had left the Eagle Imperial City.

A year later, another seven or eight couldn’t endure and left.

These talented youths all had some background, more or less.

Later, they heard news of Ye Yuan’s death and left in droves.

Now, ten years had passed, and of the original forty, only three remained.

Besides Yun Yi and Duan Yunfei, there was a young man named Yang Xuan.

Yang Xuan was the twentieth in the Five-Star Group, the last one, yet he alone had persisted until now.

Even Luo Tianqi had immediately chosen to leave after hearing of Ye Yuan’s death.

“Hey, Brother Yun, if you hadn’t asked me to stay, I, Duan Yunfei, would have left long ago! A lousy Three Hundred Moves of Nether Cloud, practiced tens of thousands of times, what’s the use? Besides, Ye Yuan is already dead. Is there any point in persisting?” Duan Yunfei said disdainfully.

Yun Yi frowned and snorted coldly, “Duan Yunfei, I’ve always told you to cultivate diligently, but you refuse to listen! Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning becomes clear; the same principle applies to alchemy! If you practice the Three Hundred Moves of Nether Cloud with focus, you will definitely feel something different.”

Duan Yunfei chuckled, “Forget it, what different feeling can a mere first- or second-grade alchemy technique give? You’ve practiced diligently for ten years, but I haven’t seen any breakthrough in your realm! Enough, enough, I don’t have time to waste here. Brother Yun, are you really not coming with me?”

Beside them, Yang Xuan spoke up, “Brother Duan, Brother Yun is right. I never thought these basic alchemy techniques could yield such marvelous insights. If you cultivate with focus, it really will be different!”

Duan Yunfei snorted coldly, “What business is it of yours? Brother Duan is a title you can use? Scram!”

Yun Yi frowned deeply and said solemnly, “Are you really leaving?”

Duan Yunfei said lightly, “Brother Yun, I’m not criticizing you, but no matter how talented Ye Yuan was, he got himself killed! You are now the number one talent in the Southern Domain, yet you want to waste your years here?”

Yun Yi sighed, “Forget it, those who follow different paths cannot work together. Go! But I hope you won’t regret it in the future!”

Duan Yunfei laughed, “Regret? How could that be? Brother Yun, you’re the one who will regret! It’s been ten years, and Ye Yuan hasn’t woken up. Do you really think he can still wake up?”

With that, Duan Yunfei laughed heartily and left.

Yang Xuan sighed, “Brother Yun, I really didn’t expect you to persist to this point.”

Yun Yi felt a bit lost. Hearing Yang Xuan’s words, he smiled faintly, “In your eyes, am I just a spoiled brat who can’t endure hardship or suffering?”

Yang Xuan blushed, clearly that was what he had thought.

But over the past ten years, Yun Yi’s actions had indeed earned his respect.

He was the one who could endure the most hardship and cultivated the most diligently.

Even with these first- and second-grade alchemy techniques, which he already knew by heart, he still practiced them meticulously over and over.

When everyone wanted to leave, it was Yun Yi who earnestly urged them to stay.

But no one listened to him.

After a moment of silence, Yang Xuan suddenly said, “Brother Yun, do you think… Master Ye can really come back?”

Yun Yi’s gaze sharpened. He sighed and shook his head, “To tell you the truth, I don’t know either!”

Yang Xuan was surprised, “Then… then why are you still here?”

Yun Yi smiled bitterly, “Five years ago, I still had some confidence that Master Ye would return. But now it’s been ten years. News from over there says that Master Ye has no aura left at all, a complete sign of no life force. The reason I stay is that I feel Master Ye wasn’t just testing us; he was truly teaching us something. Since coming to the Alchemist Tower, I’ve realized that this is how cultivation should be done, and we’ve overlooked too many things. Yang Xuan, I think you feel the same way, don’t you?”

Yang Xuan nodded seriously, “Indeed! A towering building rises from the ground. We prided ourselves on our alchemy talent but neglected the importance of foundations. I think Master Ye’s terrifying strength at such a young age largely stems from this, doesn’t it?”

Yun Yi nodded in agreement.

Over the past ten years, Alchemy Jade Heavenly Sovereign had repeatedly called him back, but he stubbornly refused.

He was waiting, waiting for a miracle!

…

Piao Yu Heavenly Sovereign gazed at Ye Yuan in the Sea of Laws, his expression extremely complex.

“Ye Yuan, are you really dead? I don’t believe you would die like this. But… ten years, why haven’t you woken up?” Piao Yu sighed.

“Hehe, Brother Piao Yu is here again? It’s been over ten years, and you still haven’t given up? This kid spied on the Heavenly Dao, and his soul has long been obliterated. You still think he can come back to life?” Ao Yun Heavenly Sovereign sneered.

Piao Yu frowned slightly and snorted coldly, “Ao Yun, over the years, your factions have violated the agreement of the Summit Alchemist Convention and privately devoured Tianying’s territory. Do you really think my Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is a pushover?”

Ao Yun Heavenly Sovereign laughed heartily, “Brother Piao Yu, you’re mistaken! Ye Yuan is dead, so Tianying’s jurisdiction naturally becomes ownerless land. Such a vast territory—how can those martial artists cultivate without elixirs? What we’re doing is also blessing the region!”

Piao Yu’s gaze turned cold. Just as he was about to erupt in anger, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked at the Sea of Laws in shock.

Ao Yun Heavenly Sovereign burst into laughter, “Hahaha… the Sea of Laws is beginning to dissipate! Brother Piao Yu, you can collect Ye Yuan’s corpse now.”

Not far away, the once calm Sea of Laws finally stirred.

The surging power of laws caused violent fluctuations in the spiritual energy around Tianyue Square.

Rumble…

Just then, the wind and clouds suddenly changed, and the sky gradually darkened.

In the space where the Sea of Laws was, a violent storm suddenly arose. Endless heaven and earth spiritual energy crazily converged toward the Sea of Laws.

Countless spiritual energy condensed into mist, turning into substance!

And this storm was centered precisely on Ye Yuan!

Piao Yu Heavenly Sovereign’s heart surged with ecstasy, but he let out a cold laugh, “Collect the corpse? It seems… that won’t be necessary! I think you’d better consider how to explain to the alliance!”