C12 A Plan to Conquer the World!

"Was this also left for you by that master?" Ye Jian's voice trembled slightly, the potion's magic too astonishing to ignore.

Ye Bufan nodded, though inwardly he grumbled, "Remember, you're the one who said that, not me!"

"How much more do you have?" Ye Jian inquired, his gaze fixed intently on Ye Bufan.

"It's all in the bathtub," Ye Bufan replied, gesturing towards it.

Disappointment flickered across Ye Jian's face, but he rationalized it; receiving any amount of such a miraculous potion was fortunate enough. How could he yearn for more? Yet, Ye Jian grew more convinced that Ye Bufan's encounter had been with a Spirit Stage sage—only someone of that caliber could be so lavish.

Seeing his father's crestfallen look, Ye Bufan quickly added, "He did teach me the method to brew this potion. I concocted the batch in the bathtub myself!"

"What?" Ye Jian exclaimed, his voice rising in astonishment as he stared at Ye Bufan.

Ye Jian had only requested some gold, but Ye Bufan had just implied he possessed the secret of alchemy. The day's revelations were overwhelming, and Ye Jian's heart felt the strain.

"Do you need me to repeat myself, Father?" Ye Bufan asked, nodding towards the door.

The commotion had drawn the attention of the night patrol. Ye Jian shot a glance at the grinning Ye Bufan before stepping out to address the guards. "All's well here. Return to your posts," he instructed, shutting the door behind him.

"Yes, Family Head!" came the replies, fading into the night's stillness.

Once the guards dispersed, Ye Jian re-entered Ye Bufan's room and swiftly closed the door behind him, as if guarding a treasure trove. His eyes fell on the spent herbs by the entrance, sparking a realization. In a hushed tone, he asked, "Is this medicine made from the herbs you had me gather before?"

The choice of ingredients would dictate the cost of the potion. If too expensive, the benefits, however impressive, might be beyond what the Ye family, a second-grade noble house, could sustain.

Ye Bufan nodded once more. "Yes, exactly those herbs!" Having encountered numerous pill seekers in his past life, Ye Bufan saw nothing amiss in Ye Jian's reaction.

Ye Jian had already suspected the nature of the discarded herbs in the cauldron by the door, but with Ye Bufan's affirmation, he could finally ease his mind and hurriedly inquired, "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Just my father and me!" Ye Bufan was aware that the concoction could aid those at the Power Stage in refining their bodies. Yet, witnessing Ye Jian's earnestness, he felt it was an overreaction. With the right herbs and enough heat, wouldn't concocting a superior pill be child's play?

What Ye Bufan didn't realize was that Alchemists did exist in this world, albeit scarce. The stringent requirements to become one elevated the profession's status immensely.

The Ye family, despite being second-grade nobility, couldn't even support a low-grade Alchemist.

Yet here was Ye Bufan, claiming he could prepare this body-strengthening elixir. Whether or not this indicated his potential to become an Alchemist, the very existence of such a potion was news to Ye Jian.

"Come with me to the Great Elder," Ye Jian said, taking Ye Bufan by the hand and setting off.

"Do we really need to rush?" Ye Bufan wondered internally. At the doorway, Ye Jian summoned several guards and commanded, "Secure the young master's quarters. No entry without my say-so, and any violators will be executed without exception!"

"Yes, sir!" the guards responded in chorus. As they watched Ye Jian lead Ye Bufan toward the Great Elder's residence, they pondered, "Didn't the young master just best Lin Feiyang today? What grave error has he committed now?"

Regret gnawed at Ye Bufan during their walk; he berated himself for his impatience. Why not wait until tomorrow? Now, he'd robbed himself of a peaceful night's rest.

Initially, Ye Bufan had thought Ye Jian was blowing things out of proportion, but after meeting with the Great Elder, he realized his error. He had grossly underestimated the value of that medicinal brew in the eyes of the Ye family.

Upon hearing the news, the Great Elder of the Ye family immediately summoned the core members of the second generation and above to the ancestral temple for an emergency meeting that was to take place throughout the night.

The ancestral temple was ablaze with light!

The three Great Elders, typically in meditation, watched Ye Bufan with keen interest. The Great Elder had the "Tiger Guards" form a perimeter five meters from the temple, with strict orders that any unauthorized entry would be met with lethal force.

The Tiger Guards, a cornerstone of the Ye family's strength, were composed of fiercely loyal and carefully selected warriors, each with exceptional abilities. They were all at least at the fifth level of the Power Stage, with their leader being a formidable third-level Qi Stage expert, just one level below Ye Jian.

"Bufan, you may begin," Ye Jian prompted.

To verify Ye Bufan's ability to concoct the Body Tempering Liquid firsthand, the Ye family's senior members required him to demonstrate on the spot. Ye Bufan was inwardly irked; in the past, even cultivators at the Tribulation Stage wouldn't dare express doubt in his presence when he was crafting pills, or else they'd have to find another alchemist.

However, faced with Ye Jian's hopeful gaze, Ye Bufan couldn't stand to disappoint him and reluctantly agreed to the assessment.

With practiced ease, he placed the herbs into the cauldron one by one, as everyone inside the ancestral temple held their breath, careful not to make a sound and disturb his concentration.

In the vast silence of the temple, you could hear a pin drop, the collective heartbeat of those present pulsing to the cadence of the bubbling concoction.

After four hours, a sweat-drenched Ye Bufan moved the cauldron aside and announced, "It's ready!"

Just like that? In only four hours? Skeptical, the onlookers dipped their fingers into the cauldron to test the potency of the liquid. Despite the boil, the heat was trivial for those at the Qi Stage.

As they sensed the potency of the liquid, their faces lit up with astonishment. In that moment, they looked upon Ye Bufan as if he were a cornucopia of wealth. "Summon Ye Tianzhan!" commanded the Great Elder.

He sensed the strength of the potion, yet without proper testing, its true effects remained unconfirmed.

At the ancestral temple, an urgent meeting had been convened through the night, with the Tiger Guards on high alert. This commotion had roused the entire Ye family, especially since Ye Bufan had triumphed over Lin Feiyang earlier that day. Speculation was rife that the Ye family might be on the brink of declaring war on the Lin family.

Upon being summoned to the ancestral temple, Ye Tianzhan arrived, his demeanor radiating a readiness for battle, eager for the task his elders would assign him.

Entering the temple, he was momentarily puzzled by the sight of an enormous bathtub at its center. The confusion was fleeting, and he bowed respectfully, announcing, "Ye Tianzhan reporting for duty!"

The Great Elder cast a brief look at Ye Tianzhan and instructed, "Remove your clothes and get into the bathtub."

"What?" Ye Tianzhan doubted his ears, but a confirming nod from his father, Ye Kuang, quelled his doubts. Though bewildered, he knew better than to question the Great Elder's command. With great reluctance, he disrobed and stepped into the tub.

"Steady your mind and remain silent," the Great Elder ordered, placing a palm on Ye Tianzhan's back as he submerged himself.

A prickling sensation spread through his body, tinged with a faint sting...

An hour later, the Great Elder withdrew his hand from Ye Tianzhan's back. "Tianzhan, you may leave now. Speak of nothing you've witnessed here today, or face the family's unforgiving discipline."

Having soaked in the medicinal bath for an hour, Ye Tianzhan could feel its strengthening effect on his physique. He now understood the day's heightened security. Dressing himself, he cast a longing glance at the potion-filled bathtub before exiting the ancestral temple.

The Great Elder turned to Ye Bufan with a question, "How long can this potion be stored without losing its potency?"

"If properly sealed, it should remain effective for three to five years," Ye Bufan replied. The Great Elder, sharp as ever, had already surmised the crux of the matter. Yet, without the assurance of preservation, Ye Bufan would never reveal the existence of the potion, even under threat of severe punishment.

"What's this potion called?" The Great Elder asked, learning it could be stored for three to five years. He was slightly disappointed, but took solace in the fact that Ye Bufan was a member of the Ye family.

"Body Tempering Liquid," Ye Bufan replied offhandedly.

The Great Elder declared, "Starting tomorrow, gather a large quantity of the herbs needed for the Body Tempering Liquid and entrust Bufan with their refinement. Bufan will also join the ancestral temple meetings from now on!"

Ye Jian was thrilled to hear the Great Elder invite Ye Bufan to the ancestral temple meetings. None of the third-generation disciples of the Ye family had been deemed worthy of such an honor. This signaled the Great Elder's intention to groom Ye Bufan as his successor.

Yet, Ye Bufan's recent conduct had been beyond reproach, leaving even Ye Jin, who might have wanted to object, without a leg to stand on. Particularly once the efficacy of Ye Bufan's Body Tempering Liquid was verified, Ye Jin foresaw this turn of events.

"Refining the Body Tempering Liquid is no issue, but let's skip the ancestral temple meetings. I'd rather focus solely on my cultivation. There are many brothers in the Ye family better suited for leadership roles," Ye Bufan said. His goal was to bolster the Ye family's power, not necessarily to lead it. Having arrived in this world, he had no desire to be confined to the small bounds of Cloud Peak City; he was intent on exploring the wider world.

"Excellent! That's the spirit of the Ye family men!" The Great Elder quickly grasped the essence of Ye Bufan's words and commended him.

Ye Jin, however, wasn't as pleased as he had anticipated in response to Ye Bufan's stance. He saw Ye Bufan as an insurmountable peak, a mountain his own son would likely never surpass. Tiannan's ambitions seemed too modest in comparison. Nevertheless, this worked in his favor—if Ye Bufan chose not to vie for leadership, Tiannan's succession to the head of the Ye family was almost guaranteed.