C4 Breaking the Situation

The hushed whispers that had been buzzing around Chen Chu's ears vanished as he stepped into the grand hall. It was a spacious area, bustling with people. A highly familiar figure took the seat of honor, flanked by two elders, while a mix of influential middle-aged men and the clan's rising stars filled the seats below.

The man at the head of the hall was Patriarch Chen Tong, Chen Chu's father, alongside the Second Elder, Chen Yan, who had betrayed Chen Chu, and the Third Elder, Chen Fu.

Their eyes met, and a complex wave of emotions unfurled, bringing a faint redness to their eyes. Since Chen Tong's attempt to cure Chen Chu with the help of a Genuine Essence Stage master had failed, rumors had swirled nonstop within the clan. The exorbitant fee had strained the clan's finances, and under mounting pressure, Chen Tong had been forced to abandon his efforts. It had been months since Chen Chu last saw his father, but he knew Chen Tong had never stopped trying.

Though Chen Tong wasn't Chen Chu's birth father, the memories of this body had fused with his own, and in his heart, Chen Chu truly saw Chen Tong as his dad.

Upon seeing Chen Chu and Xiaowan enter, Chen Tong rose to his feet, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He longed to embrace his son, but decorum and ongoing negotiations with foreign delegates kept him seated, feigning composure. Nevertheless, his hand, white-knuckled around his teacup, betrayed his inner turmoil.

Chen Chu took a seat away from the limelight and noticed a portly middle-aged man to the right of his father. The man was clad in a pale green robe, adorned with golden clover embroidery at the cuffs and collar, which his ample girth rendered inelegant.

"Patriarch, how do you find this proposal?" the rotund man inquired, stroking his sparse goatee with a smug air.

"Mr. Lin Feng, the Chen Family approaches this matter with the utmost sincerity," Chen Tong replied, hands clasped in a gesture of respect, yet his smile was tinged with apology. "However, your asking price of 20,000 gold coins for an improved medicinal recipe seems rather steep."

Lin Feng's face twisted with scorn as he let out a deliberate sigh, "The Chen Family is reputed to be the foremost family in Wanbei City, but it appears the rumors don't hold water. The enhanced Origin Returning Pill is vastly superior to the original, and its worth far exceeds 20,000 gold coins. If it doesn't meet your standards, I suppose I'll have to see if other families are more appreciative of its value."

Lin Feng sighed as he rose to his feet and swaggered out of the hall, followed silently by two martial artists. Chen Tong stood, mouth agape, but ultimately found himself unable to voice the words to make them stay. The hall quieted considerably. It was then that the Second Elder, unable to contain himself any longer, blurted out, "This is all because the Patriarch acted on a whim the year before last, squandering our family's resources. Now we're in such a deficit that we can't even muster 20,000 gold coins."

Chen Chu, who had watched the alchemist depart, was momentarily lost in thought. Snapped back to reality by the raspy voice of the Second Elder, Chen Yan, he saw Chen Tong's face flush with the struggle to respond, unable to counter the accusations. The Second Elder relentlessly pinned the recent troubles of the family squarely on the Patriarch.

"The Chen Family's pill business was once booming. But due to financial constraints, we resorted to using inferior materials, leading to a decline in business and a tarnished reputation. Now, we can't even sell our minerals and materials, and our Escort Mission Hall stands empty."

"How could our family endure such disgrace if not for that year's mistakes?"

The mocking stares of those around them slowly converged on Chen Chu, their whispered discussions causing Chen Tong's face to shift through a spectrum of emotions.

Witnessing his father's forlorn look, Chen Chu sprang to his feet and lashed out at Chen Yan, "Second Elder, your shamelessness knows no bounds. Are you really oblivious to why our pill sales have plummeted? You covertly paid off an alchemist to sabotage our pills by mixing incompatible herbs, ruining their effects. Did you think the Chen Family lacked the knowledge to uncover your deceit?"

Chen Yan, taken aback by Chen Chu's confrontation, stammered his defense, his face flushing with indignation, "How dare you! With no proof, you accuse me? A cripple who's never laid eyes on a pill has the audacity to make such wild claims. I suspect your long paralysis has affected your mind. Guards, seize him!"

The warriors nearby hesitated, their faces showing their dilemma. Chen Tong rose, his expression steely, and addressed Chen Yan with icy resolve, "Second Elder, your audacity is astounding. Truth or lies, we shall soon see. Your eagerness to apprehend my son betrays your intentions!"

Chen Yan hemmed and hawed for quite some time before finally squeezing out a sentence: "Fine, if you don't trust me, let's head to the Alchemy Hall and see for ourselves. But I'm warning you now—if you come up empty-handed, I'll break his legs and throw him out of the Chen Family."

Murderous intent flashed in Chen Chu's eyes. He had initially hoped to avoid a confrontation in front of the others, but since the Second Elder Chen Yan seemed intent on digging his own grave, Chen Chu wouldn't hold back. This man had to be dealt with.

Chen Tong glanced at Chen Chu, his belief in his son unwavering from start to finish. He knew Chen Chu wouldn't act without being certain of his position.

Hearing the Second Elder's bold claims, Chen Tong couldn't help but laugh with a mix of anger and amusement. "Very well, since the Second Elder is so sure of himself, let's take that walk. And if I uncover anything... well, you know what's coming."

With a decisive wave of his hand, Chen Tong led the group out of the hall and towards the Alchemy Hall, with Chen Chu following in silence. The Second Elder's face twitched as he cast a lingering look at Chen Chu, reassuring himself internally, "Impossible. How could a nobody understand pharmacology? This is the perfect chance to get rid of this eyesore."

Once he was outside the Chen Family's gates, Chen Yan was confident he had a hundred ways to dispose of the young man before him.

With a heart pounding with both excitement and anxiety, the Second Elder followed.

Curious onlookers trailed behind, forming a sizeable procession heading towards the Alchemy Hall.

Elsewhere within the Chen Family compound, in a vast courtyard, over a dozen people bustled about. Most were ordinary servants tasked with acquiring and delivering pills. In one of the alchemy rooms, four alchemists in green robes casually conversed.

The room was lined with wooden frames filled with medicinal herbs, some still beaded with dew. On a wooden platform to the side, small white jade bottles were arrayed. At the center stood a massive bronze alchemy cauldron, from which pills burst forth, propelled by the roaring flames.

After filling the jade bottles with a new batch of pills, an alchemist rang a bronze bell, signaling a servant to enter and transport the fresh batch of pills out.

Listening to the retreating footsteps, the four exchanged glances and then erupted into boisterous laughter.

"Brother Zhang Guang, are we crossing the line with this stunt?"

From within the room, another voice chided, chuckling, "Oh, come off it. When it comes to mischief, you're the most eager of us all. Weren't you the one who added the most to the pills just a moment ago?"