C273 A Metal Plate
Yu Yuan was not familiar with the Tusk Troops.
Indeed, had Ning Ji not brought them up and explained their origins, Yu Yuan wouldn't have even heard of them.
The Divine Might Empire and the Silvermoon Empire were distant and seldom interacted, and Yu Yuan's understanding of the Divine Might Empire was still stuck three centuries in the past.
Three hundred years ago, the emperor of the Divine Might Empire was a different ruler, and the Tusk Troops didn't exist.
Yet, the fact that Lau Wei and Lei Xiao placed such importance on Wei Feng, and that she concealed her true appearance, suggested there had to be a significant reason.
Wei Feng's natural beauty wasn't as breathtaking as Yuan Lianyao's, but she possessed a wild allure that drew in a certain crowd.
There was no apparent need for her to hide her identity, but the fact that she did implied her true identity must be well-known.
The soldiers of the Tusk Troops, who had long come to terms with life and death, were selected from specific groups, not for their fame.
With this in mind, Yu Yuan ventured, "You're not really a soldier of the Tusk Troops, are you?"
A flicker of something unusual passed through Wei Feng's eyes, filling the previous void with intrigue.
"The doctrines of the Voodoo Cult are peculiar; they leave me with an impression that something's off," Yu Yuan mused as he removed the black dagger from her waist. He examined her gloves and continued to search her person for any other items that might offer clues to her true identity.
He checked the areas on Wei Feng's waist and the outer side of her leg where items could be concealed.
Throughout his search, Wei Feng remained stoically indifferent.
Before long, Yu Yuan retrieved an item from a hidden pocket against her left chest.
It was a heavy, cool iron plate, engraved on one side with five pills, each trailing delicate threads like tendrils of a soul.
These pills seemed as vibrant and conscious as newborns, imbued with a mysterious sense of life and soul.
A pill with a soul, a pill soul!
These five pill souls signified the status of a Divine Level Fifth Grade alchemist, capable of crafting Divine Level pills!
A Divine Level Fifth Grade alchemist was an exceedingly rare find on any continent, possibly even more elusive than a cultivator at the Primordial Spirit Stage.
Legends say that only the Medicine God Sect of the Quietus Continent has long been home to Divine Level alchemists.
Yet, not every generation of the Medicine God Sect's leaders achieves the status of a Divine Level Fifth Grade alchemist.
In reality, many of the sect's past masters have been Third Grade Divine Level alchemists, with Fifth Grade ones being a rarity within the sect.
Beyond the Medicine God Sect, the Boundless Land boasts only a few other sects capable of producing Divine Level alchemists.
"Eh!"
Yu Yuan let out a soft exclamation, finding the object both familiar and astonishing.
He flipped the iron plate over to inspect the other side.
There, he saw only the character for "strange" etched in an ancient script.
Yu Yuan was thunderstruck, his eyes radiating disbelief and awe.
He gripped the iron plate so tightly in his excitement that his palm throbbed with pain, snapping him back to reality.
The black iron plate was clearly made of a unique material. The five pellets on one side and the "strange" character on the other conveyed a message that forced Yu Yuan to take several deep breaths to regain his composure.
"How can this be?" he silently screamed, still unable to believe his eyes. He scrutinized the iron plate, desperate to discern if it was merely a trick of the mind.
"Do you recognize it?" Wai Feng's voice, frail and weak, broke the silence.
The excitement and shock displayed by Yu Yuan were unmistakable, impossible to conceal.
"Where did you obtain this iron plate?" Yu Yuan eventually asked, feigning calm.
"It's none of your business," Wai Feng retorted, her gaze drifting to the empty sky, her expression distant. "Don't assume that your feigned excitement and shock will coax any information out of me."
Yu Yuan paused, realization dawning on him—his genuine shock had been mistaken for pretense!
"Do you know that Bai Shenshen is from the Medicine Sect?" Yu Yuan inhaled deeply once more. "If I'm not mistaken, this iron plate originates from the Medicine God Sect of the Quietus Continent, doesn't it? Such an iron plate, with its pellet soul, signifies its owner as a Fifth Grade Divine Level alchemist!"
"Is that a token held by the current Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect?"
He posed the question deliberately.
"The current Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect, Zhong Chichen, is well-known," Wei Feng said with a dismissive glance. "Moreover, the esteemed cultivators across all three continents are aware that Zhong Chichen's aptitude for alchemy differs from his talent in cultivation. To date, Zhong Chichen remains a mere First Grade Divine Level alchemist, yet his dedicated pursuit of cultivation has propelled him to the heights of the Unrestrained Stage."
Yu Yuan felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing this.
It was the first time since his rebirth that he had heard someone speak of his senior brother, revealing the true extent of his current cultivation realm and his proficiency in alchemy.
It echoed his master's words: his senior brother was not cut out for alchemy; his focus should be on cultivation.
Three centuries had passed, and his senior brother had made little to no progress in alchemy.
Yet, in the realm of cultivation, he had astonishingly ascended to the Unrestrained Stage!
The Unrestrained Stage, only a step below the Primordial Spirit Stage!
In the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, every individual who reached the Unrestrained Stage commanded respect across continents, and even the Devaputras and other entities of the Outland Star River held them in high esteem.
Never before in the annals of the Medicine God Sect had a Sect Master achieved such a pinnacle in cultivation!
His master had always maintained that one must devote themselves entirely to the art of alchemy upon embracing its path, without diverting too much energy to cultivation, lest they never scale the summit of alchemy.
In his past life, constrained by his own limits, he had concentrated on alchemy and ultimately won his master's favor, ascending to the role of Sect Master.
His senior brother had failed to reach the zenith precisely because he tried to balance both worlds, and his seamless progress in cultivation led his master to conclude he had strayed into the wrong path.
Three hundred years had slipped by in an instant, and to Yu Yuan's astonishment, his senior brother's innate gift for cultivation was truly formidable.
The Unrestrained Stage!
Overwhelmed, Yu Yuan found himself gazing skyward, emulating Wei Feng, as a sense of pressure washed over him.
"The badge bears five pills, symbolizing a Fifth Grade Divine Level alchemist!" Wei Feng huffed. "The current Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect does not deserve such a distinguished insignia!"
Yu Yuan snapped out of his reverie and fixed his gaze on Wai Feng, who had just begun to open up. "Where did you get this token from?" he inquired.
Wai Feng fell silent once more.
"Shall I take a guess?" Yu Yuan pondered briefly before speaking in a low voice, "The one who handed you the iron token, does he bear numerous burn scars? Not just on his hands, but across his chest and back as well? Am I right? And his left hand—it has six fingers, doesn't it?"
Wai Feng's icy stare was suddenly riddled with panic. She stared at him, stammering, "You, you, you..."
"You're wondering how I knew, aren't you?" Yu Yuan had already formed a theory. After a brief pause, he asked, "Is this man still among the living?"
"He's very much alive!" Wai Feng asserted.
"And your relationship with him?" Yu Yuan probed further.
Wai Feng weighed her words carefully, remaining silent for a long moment before responding, "I have nothing to disclose."
Yu Yuan nodded, then pressed on, "Is he connected to the Tusk Troops?"
This time, Wai Feng was the one who nodded.
"So, the Tusk Troops' arrival in Darkmoon City, their defection from the Divine Might Empire—does it relate to you and him?" Yu Yuan continued his line of questioning.
"How do you recognize this iron token?" Wai Feng countered, avoiding his question and fixing him with a chilly stare. "You're acquainted with Bai Shenshen from the Medicine Sect. Not long ago, members of the Medicine God Sect visited Jade Peak to oversee the alchemist festival at the Medicine Sect. But what exactly did the Medicine God Sect say to make them seek him out?"
At this point, Wai Feng seemed to muster a bit more energy and attempted to bite her tongue once again.
"Thump!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yu Yuan swiftly knocked her unconscious and stuffed the cloth back into her mouth.
He pocketed the iron token.
With a grave expression, Yu Yuan looked at the unconscious Wai Feng. After some deliberation, he sought out Bai Shenshen first, asking, "Sister Bai, what brings you to the northern part of Elfview?"
Bai Shenshen, who had been casually conversing with Ning Ji, paused before replying, "You disappeared in Jade Peak. I have old ties with your father, so I came to speak with your grandfather here in Elfview. I didn't expect to find you had returned. Additionally, I'm on a mission from our sect to find certain items in the north of Elfview."
"A sect mission? Issued by the Medicine God Sect?" Yu Yuan's expression shifted, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. Could Shi Yuxuan of the Medicine God Sect be acting under orders, aware of some connection between the Tusk Troops and Wai Feng, and sent someone to probe into it?
Were there others from the Medicine Sect involved, besides Bai Shenshen?
A swirl of doubts haunted Yu Yuan's thoughts, spurred by the emergence of that iron plate. He couldn't help but ponder the implications.
"Did you manage to get anything out of her?"
Yuan Lianyao approached, brimming with curiosity, "What's the story with that Tusk Troops girl?"
Bai Shenshen and Ning Ji were intrigued; they hadn't anticipated that Yu Yuan, not Lianyao, would be the one interrogating Wei Feng.
"I've uncovered some leads, but she's tight-lipped about the details. I need to reflect on it before questioning her further," Yu Yuan explained. "Sister City Lord, Wei Feng is a complex character; her life is essential. Bringing her into Darkmoon City could spell trouble if the Tusk Troops catch wind of it."
Yuan Lianyao responded, "I could seek assistance from the empress."
She had already considered the possibility of a full-scale invasion by the Tusk Troops. Informing the Silvermoon Queen in advance to secure imperial reinforcements, coupled with alerting the Divine Might Empire, should be enough to thwart the Tusk Troops.
"No, let's not resort to that," Yu Yuan demurred, shaking his head. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Could you entrust Wei Feng to me for now? Rest assured, I'll share any information I glean with you."
It was Yu Yuan who had provided a timely warning a year ago when the Blood God Cult had covertly targeted Darkmoon City.
Recalling Yu Yuan's exceptional support in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, Yuan Lianyao conceded, "Since you captured her, it's only right you decide her fate. My concern is the Cold Yin Sect and the Thunder Sect—they're unlikely to take this lightly."
"I'll stay away from Elfview for the time being," Yu Yuan decided. "Send word that I've detained a female officer of the Tusk Troops and haven't returned yet. As long as the remnants of the Tusk Troops believe Wei Feng is in my custody and I'm not in Darkmoon City, that should suffice."
Yuan Lianyao inquired with a hint of wonder, "Aren't you concerned about the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect tracking you down?"
"Fear doesn't concern me," Yu Yuan replied.
After a moment of contemplation, Yuan Lianyao, moved by her trust in him, nodded her assent.
