Chapter 37: Already Reserved by the Alchemy Hall

On the highest observation deck, the final trace of self-satisfaction on Zhou Yuan’s face vanished, instantly frozen. He stood as if petrified, unable to move a muscle.

Elder Fu...

His gaze uncontrollably drifted past Fu Lingchuan’s shoulder, locking firmly onto the pale violet figure behind him—a woman who haunted his dreams yet remained forever out of reach.

Mu Wanqing!

Why?

He had exhausted every effort, fawning over her in every way possible, only to be met with her cold, distant back. Yet now, she had actually moved her own master to intervene on behalf of a trash in the Body Tempering Realm!

At that moment, Zhou Yuan felt as if his throat had been filled with goldenseal; the bitterness of jealousy threatened to overflow from his chest.

Fu Lingchuan ignored everyone in the arena, his brows knit as his gaze fell directly upon Elder Feng.

"Junior Brother Feng, your Enforcement Hall is making quite a stir."

Fu Lingchuan’s voice was flat, devoid of any discernible joy or anger.

The towering rage that had just surged within Elder Feng was instantly extinguished, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. He forced a smile that looked worse than a cry and bowed hurriedly, his posture submissive.

"Senior Brother Fu, you misunderstand. I was merely handling a—"

"Enough."

Fu Lingchuan raised a hand with a hint of impatience, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"I have seen the cause and the effect."

The master of the Pill Hall shifted his gaze to the martial arts platform, his tone carrying a note of scrutiny.

"A disciple relying on his status as a second-stage Qi Gathering Realm cultivator tries to kill a junior in the Body Tempering Realm, only to end up crippled himself—that just means his own skills were lacking."

Fu Lingchuan paused, his tone shifting, his voice growing colder.

"Is such a trivial matter worth an elder stepping in personally, throwing his weight around and calling for blood?"

"Disgraceful."

The final word landed like a heavy mallet on Elder Feng’s heart.

The submissive posture he had adopted was shattered by this merciless reprimand. The gazes of thousands of disciples nearby pricked at him like needles. Elder Feng’s face sank inch by inch.

Just as Elder Feng found himself in a dilemma, a figure stepped quickly down from the platform and stood by his side.

It was Zhou Yuan.

He first bowed respectfully to Elder Feng and Elder Fu, then turned to face the entire arena, his voice ringing out with a sense of righteous indignation.

"Fellow disciples, with Elder Fu and Elder Feng presiding! I, Zhou Yuan, have something to say!"

He then extended a finger toward Chu Xing, his eyes gleaming with cold malice.

"This man crippled Junior Brother Wang Meng’s dantian during the assessment; his methods were vicious! Later, he openly defied the Enforcement Elder, roared in the hall, and showed no respect for his elders! If such a madman is not strictly punished, where is the order of the sect?"

Zhou Yuan turned to Fu Lingchuan and bowed, neither humble nor arrogant. "Uncle Fu, this matter concerns the laws of the sect; it is not merely a dispute between juniors. I ask that you judge fairly!"

These words were like a fire, instantly reigniting the humiliation and anger in Elder Feng’s heart.

He could respect Fu Lingchuan, and he could fear the Pill Hall, but he could not lose the dignity of the Enforcement Hall!

"Senior Brother Fu!"

Elder Feng abruptly lifted his head, the iron-blooded ferocity of an Enforcement Elder rising once more. "That is not so!"

He turned and pointed at Chu Xing on the stage, his voice harsh and stern.

"Every single point is a violation of sect rules! As the Enforcement Elder, if I do not take him down, where is the authority of the Enforcement Hall? Where is the order of the sect?"

"This matter is the internal affair of the Enforcement Hall! I ask that you, Senior Brother Fu, do not interfere!"

Facing Elder Feng’s rigidity, Fu Lingchuan’s expression remained unchanged, though his impatience grew more pronounced.

He was just about to speak.

A cool, yet incredibly clear voice came from behind him.

"Uncle Feng, that is not so."

Mu Wanqing walked forward slowly, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her master.

As soon as she appeared, the arena fell significantly quieter.

The woman wore a long, pale violet dress, her figure graceful and her beauty ethereal. The coldness in her eyes alone was enough to lower the temperature of the entire arena.

Countless eyes were focused on this inner-sect fairy, and even the breathing of those present seemed to falter.

Zhou Yuan’s breath caught in his throat as well.

Mu Wanqing did not even glance at him, meeting Elder Feng’s gaze calmly.

"Perhaps Uncle Feng is unaware."

Her voice held no ripples, yet it struck like a boulder thrown into the heart of a lake.

"Chu Xing has long been reserved for my Pill Hall."

The moment these words were spoken, the entire arena fell into a deathly silence!

Elder Feng was stunned, his mind blank, and he subconsciously retorted, "Niece Mu, what do you mean by this? This boy is clearly an outer-sect..."

Before he could finish, he choked on his own words.

The thousands of disciples below erupted in chaos, everyone whispering to each other, their faces filled with disbelief.

A disciple of the Pill Hall? Chu Xing? How could that be possible?

Zhou Yuan’s face turned ashen instantly. He stared at Mu Wanqing in disbelief, then snapped his gaze toward Chu Xing on the stage, his eyes burning as if he wanted to tear the man to pieces!

She had actually... stepped in personally for this trash?

On the ground, Chu Xing was also filled with astonishment and confusion.

What was this woman... what exactly was she planning? Was that deadly task at the Pill Hall her arrangement from the very beginning?

Fu Lingchuan watched his disciple’s performance, a flash of approval in his eyes, before he took over the conversation, calling out to the crowd: "Where is Steward Sun of the Affairs Hall? Is he dead? Get out here!"

In the crowd, Sun Er scurried out, his face full of sycophantic smiles. "Elder Fu, what are your orders?"

Fu Lingchuan glanced at him. "A few days ago, I told you to find a fearless menial laborer for the Pill Hall’s wasted pill room. Where is he?"

Sun Er froze, subconsciously glancing at Chu Xing on the stage, and stammered, "Elder Fu... I found him, but..."

Fu Lingchuan extended a finger, pointing toward Chu Xing.

"That’s him, isn't it?"

Sun Er nodded like a pestle pounding garlic. "Yes! Yes! It’s this lad!"

Having received confirmation, Fu Lingchuan turned his gaze back to Elder Feng, whose expression had begun to shift violently.

He spoke with a flat, emotionless tone, yet it exerted an unprecedented pressure on Elder Feng.

"Junior Brother Feng, have you heard clearly now?"

"This person was registered by the Affairs Hall several days ago and assigned to my Pill Hall. In other words..."

Fu Lingchuan’s tone turned cold. "He has long been a member of my Pill Hall."

Elder Feng’s pupils contracted sharply!

Fu Lingchuan gave him no time to think, pressing forward step by step.

"Now, I would like to ask you."

"A member of my Pill Hall, before he has even officially taken his post, was provoked and nearly killed by a disciple arranged by your Enforcement Hall. He merely acted in self-defense and crippled a piece of trash—what crime did he commit?"

He took a step forward, the aura of the Pill Hall’s master unleashed without reserve!

"Or are you saying the rules of your Enforcement Hall are now so great that you can dispose of my Pill Hall’s people at will?"

"You!"

Elder Feng’s aged face turned purple, and he stood there for a long time, unable to utter a single word in response.

All his rigidity and all the grand arguments of sect rules he had invoked collapsed instantly in the face of the statement "He has long been a member of my Pill Hall," turning into a colossal joke!

Fu Lingchuan watched him quietly, his gaze profound, before he finally spoke slowly.

"Junior Brother Feng, my Pill Hall intends to protect its own."

"As the Enforcement Elder, you are a man of deep understanding..."

"You shouldn't have any objections, should you?"