C215 Old Friends and Disciples

"Phew! Phew! Phew!"

The miasma cloud over the Jade Peak mountain range grew increasingly vibrant, relentlessly pursuing Jin Fann.

Any creature it encountered—be it bizarre insects, spiritual beasts, or foreign cultivators—was swept up into its toxic embrace.

Soon, those creatures were silenced, leaving no trace behind.

For reasons unknown, something sinister within the cloud had awakened, lashing out in a frenzied rage.

It relentlessly preyed on the living!

Jin Fann, desperate and cornered, scurried across the Jade Peak, seeking solace in the most desolate of places.

The shattering of his Heaven Banners had left him grievously wounded.

His actions against the young alchemists from the great empires had sparked widespread fury.

He was well aware that neither the Medicine Sect nor any cultivator from the empires would show him mercy upon meeting him.

Once fearless, the gravely injured Jin Fann now had no choice but to cower.

"What in the world is happening?"

Jin Fann was at a loss.

He couldn't fathom why the entity within the miasma cloud had targeted his banners while sparing Yu Yuan and the young ones by his side.

He was convinced that the youngster Bai Shenshen called Yu Yuan was to blame, meddling from the shadows.

"A mere boy of insignificant realm and humble origin—how could he command such avoidance? My master warned that once it breaks free, it could spell disaster for the Jade Peak!"

"..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Across from him, Yu Yuan remained serene, a smile playing on his lips as he appraised the disciple of an old acquaintance, "The Luan Bird Empire truly lives up to its reputation as the continent's foremost power. Even the esteemed practitioners of the Ghoul Glyph Sect think twice before stirring trouble."

He deftly steered the conversation elsewhere.

"If you're clueless, then let it be."

Chen Qingyan was untroubled, not pressing Yu Yuan for an explanation.

She was content knowing the truth within her own heart.

Whether Yu Yuan admitted it or not was irrelevant to her.

She trusted only her own judgment.

"Miss Chen, I'm Bai Shenshen from the Medicine Sect. Thank goodness you're here."

Bai Shenshen sat on the ground, managing a weak smile. "Jin Fann from the Ghoul Glyph Sect and his three disciples have been up to something in the forbidden lands of Jade Peak. As a result, a miasma cloud that had been dormant for centuries suddenly began to move."

Her eyes darkened. "Many have perished. Jin Fann is responsible for the deaths of numerous promising alchemists."

"It wasn't Jin Fann."

Lau Zaihe, the aloof and haughty descendant of the Mighty Spirit King, inhaled deeply before speaking, "Within that miasma cloud lurks a terrifying entity! My very soul quaked with fear as it passed. How can such a horror exist in Jade Peak?"

Bai Shenshen's face paled at his words. "It may not originate from the Jade Peak Mountain Range!"

"Stay calm," Chen Qingyan reassured her, her voice light. "The origins of that creature are unknown. Even if it emerged from Jade Peak, it doesn't necessarily implicate the Medicine Sect. The world is vast and filled with wonders; many mysterious and strange places naturally give rise to such anomalies."

"You have a point, Miss Chen," Bai Shenshen agreed hastily.

The Medicine Sect, known for its detachment from worldly conflicts on the Profound Sky Continent, was seldom provoked by other empires, sects, or clans.

The sect enjoyed a uniquely elevated status.

Should Lau Zaihe establish a connection between the creature and the Medicine Sect, the deaths of the young alchemists from various nations could be unjustly attributed to them.

The Medicine Sect could not shoulder such infamy.

"Bai Sister, who is he?" Chen Qingyan inquired with a smile.

Unable to extract any information from Lau Zaihe, she decided to try a different approach.

"Oh, you're asking about Yu Yuan?" Bai Shenshen was forthcoming. "His name is Yu Yuan, from Darkmoon City in the Silvermoon Empire. He's from the Yu Family, renowned for cultivating medicinal herbs."

"The Yu Family?" Chen Qingyan paused, a look of puzzlement in her eyes. "I've never heard of them before."

She eyed Yu Yuan with suspicion. "You're not an alchemist, are you?"

"Not at the moment," Yu Yuan replied with a slight bow, his tone courteous. "My visit to the Medicine Sect is specifically to take part in the alchemist's examination."

"You might as well give up," Chen Qingyan suggested with a covered smile. "You just don't strike me as the alchemist type."

"Is that so?" Yu Yuan touched his nose and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

The remaining young alchemists were still enveloped in sorrow.

Among them, some mourned lost companions, while others were still shaken by the horrors within the miasma cloud, unable to recover.

Even Lau Zaihe was noticeably pale.

Only Yu Yuan and Chen Qingyan seemed unfazed, chatting away as if the recent deaths had no bearing on their spirits.

"Miss Chen, have you just arrived?" Bai Shenshen, having regained some strength, slowly rose to her feet. "I urge you and the young master of the Lau family to seek shelter at the Medicine Sect at your earliest convenience. With your esteemed statuses and the recent surge of anomalies in the Jade Peak Mountain Range, we wouldn't want any harm to come your way."

Chen Qingyan glanced at her, then at Yu Yuan, and gave a slight nod in agreement. "That sounds prudent."

"Let's all move out!"

Bai Shenshen's voice rang out, addressing the young alchemists who had seen little hardship, "Death is irreversible, but I will report these losses to our sect elders. The Ghoul Glyph Sect and Jin Fann will have someone held accountable!"

The young alchemists, previously paralyzed by fear, began to rise one after another.

Yu Yuan, however, understood that if the Ghoul Glyph Sect and the Medicine God Sect were at odds, the Medicine Sect wouldn't be able to reprimand the Ghoul Glyph Sect for Jin Fann's deeds in the Jade Peak Mountain Range.

In essence, Bai Shenshen's words were empty.

As Bai Shenshen comforted the group and took the lead, everyone followed her towards the Medicine Sect nestled within the Jade Peak Mountain Range.

Yu Yuan remained motionless.

"Yu Yuan?" Bai Shenshen paused, puzzled. "Why aren't you coming?"

"I have other matters to attend to. I'll decide later whether to head to the Medicine Sect for the alchemist examination," Yu Yuan said with a wry smile. "Miss Chen made a good point; I'm hardly an alchemist and lack the innate gift. I was merely drawn by the buzz and thought to stir up a bit of fun."

"You?" Bai Shenshen was visibly upset.

Earlier, she had pressed Yu Yuan to return quickly because she sensed that something was amiss with the Jade Peak Mountain Range.

Now, having witnessed the eerie miasma cloud, her fear for Yu Yuan's safety grew; she worried he might perish on his journey back. That's why she extended an invitation for him to accompany her to the Medicine Sect.

But to her surprise, Yu Yuan declined.

"Thank you for your kindness. Perhaps we'll meet again if destiny wills it."

With those words and a radiant smile, Yu Yuan departed on his own, the very picture of grace.

He headed straight for Jin Fann, right into the path of the drifting miasma cloud.

That area was the Jade Peak's forbidden zone, a desolate place fraught with peril.

"Yu Yuan!" Bai Shenshen cried out.

But Yu Yuan didn't look back.

"Sister Bai, you all go on ahead. I'm familiar with the Medicine Sect's location," Chen Qingyan said after a brief pause, surprisingly choosing to follow Yu Yuan, leaving the others behind.

She drifted off like a wisp of smoke, leaving the rest bewildered and unsure of what to do next.

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