Chapter 579 - 577: Reunion

The Alchemy Grand Competition had finally come to an end. Lin Xuan took first place, and his victory definitively proved that his Alchemy Technique had triumphed over the school of the Medicine King Valley. This left the Valley’s many disciples speechless. Though they were resentful, they could not deny that Lin Xuan’s Alchemy Technique was far more brilliant than theirs.

He had won, plain and simple. They wanted to argue, but they didn’t even know where to start. Recalling how they had taunted Lin Xuan before, they now felt incredibly awkward. Wasn’t this just a slap in their own faces? They had constantly boasted about the strength of the Medicine King Valley’s Alchemy Technique, but now it was clear their skills were inferior.

A competition among their peers was the fairest kind of contest. Lin Xuan had defeated their two most brilliant representatives just like that. What more could they possibly say?

It wasn’t just the surrounding disciples; even Long Bin and his group felt extremely awkward. The terms of their previous wager still echoed in their minds. Long Fan had even said he would sever his own hands, cripple them, and toss them into an Alchemy Furnace. Should that wager be honored now?

If he really crippled his hands, Long Fan’s life would be utterly ruined.

Long Xingyun and the other Elders had heard the wager, but they remained silent, waiting to see what Lin Xuan would do.

Long Bin and Long Fan walked over and handed their prizes to Lin Xuan. After accepting them, Lin Xuan smiled faintly. "I have received my winnings. As for your hands, Long Fan..."

Long Fan’s face flushed crimson. He was already suffocating with anxiety. If Lin Xuan truly demanded he cripple his own hands, he would never agree to it.

"There’s no need to cripple your hands. You’re a talented man, so use your skills to contribute to the Medicine King Valley in the future. I’ll just take these prizes. I won’t pursue the rest of it," Lin Xuan said with a faint smile, letting the matter drop.

It wasn’t that Lin Xuan was a particularly kindhearted person. Rather, the Medicine King Valley was like a second home to him; he couldn’t let relations grow hostile. His opponents had gone too far, but for the sake of future harmony, this was the only path he could choose.

Long Fan breathed a sigh of relief, a strained smile touching his lips. "Then... thank you, Brother Lin, for not pressing the matter..."

There was little else to be said. Some Elders still held a grudge against Long Yuwei and her family, but since the competition was won, they couldn’t say anything more. Primarily, it was Lin Xuan’s genuine strength that had stunned them, causing their opinion of him to change, however slightly.

Had Lin Xuan been standing here as the loser, the outcome would have been obvious. He would have been so viciously berated that he wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgewise.

After the competition concluded, the Medicine King Valley convened a council of Elders. This no longer concerned Lin Xuan and Long Yuwei. Regardless of the Medicine King Valley’s attitude, they had already obtained the Resurrection Grass and accomplished their goal.

Their sole purpose in coming here had been to acquire the Resurrection Grass. Long Yuwei didn’t expect the Medicine King Valley to forgive her; as long as they had the Resurrection Grass, their mission was essentially complete.

As for whether or not they could form an alliance with the Medicine King Valley—if they could, it would be a tremendous boon. If they couldn’t become allies, then at the very least, they must not become enemies.

However, as long as Long Xingyun remained Valley Master, they wouldn’t have to worry on that front. While Long Xingyun couldn’t help the Lin Family, he would at least never pose the slightest threat to them.

After the meeting ended, Long Xingyun returned to the courtyard. Lin Xuan and Long Yuwei were already in a pavilion, waiting for news. With them was Long Yuwei’s mother, Yu Weiqian—Lin Xuan’s maternal grandmother.

Their reunion was a joyous one, and the mother and daughter had endless things to talk about. They only stopped pouring their hearts out when Long Xingyun returned.

"Father, what’s the situation?" Long Yuwei asked, hastily standing up, eager to hear whether the news was good or bad.

"How else could it have gone?" Long Xingyun sighed and shook his head. "Lin Xuan’s ability made an impact on the disciples and even some of the Elders, but it’s not enough to change their minds overnight. Still, their stance has softened a little. The opposition isn’t as fierce as it was. As for an alliance... that’s completely out of the question."

"I knew they’d choose to be stubborn..." Long Yuwei shook her head. It was what she had expected, but she still felt a pang of disappointment.

"Grandfather, Mother, don’t dwell on it. The fact that we managed to get the Resurrection Grass is already a great success." Lin Xuan knew that if things couldn’t be changed, they simply had to be accepted.

"He’s right. Now that we have the Resurrection Grass, what more could we ask for?" Long Yuwei sighed, feeling that this was already more than enough.

"And Lin Chenyun... is his condition stable?" Long Xingyun finally asked. Lin Chenyun was the man who had run away with his daughter, and he still harbored deep resentment toward him. But seeing his daughter this happy, he found that it didn’t seem to matter as much anymore.

Perhaps, he thought, the task of rebellion had begun with his daughter. He himself had never possessed the courage to resist.

"Father, Chenyun’s condition is stable... Now that we have the Resurrection Grass, we just need the Phoenix Essence Blood from the Royal Family. Once we have that, Chenyun will be able to wake up," Long Yuwei explained.

"So you still need the Royal Family’s Phoenix Essence Blood... That is exceedingly difficult. It can only be found by going to the Demon Race Continent..." Long Xingyun shook his head, admitting he was powerless to help with this. "Phoenix Essence Blood is one thing, but adding the words ’Royal Family’ changes everything. They aren’t in the same league at all."

Even if one went to the Demon Race Continent, there’s no guarantee of finding it. One could very well die in the attempt. How could the Phoenix Essence Blood of the Royal Family be so easy to acquire?

"Don’t worry about that. Once things are settled here, I’ll make a trip to the Demon Race Continent," Lin Xuan said with a faint smile. "I have many friends there. I should be able to get my hands on the Royal Family’s Phoenix Essence Blood."

"You have friends on the Demon Race Continent...?"

Long Yuwei and Long Xingyun looked at each other, truly surprised. It was clear that Lin Xuan had traveled far and wide these past years, enduring great hardship.

They didn’t press for details. If Lin Xuan was capable of handling it, there was nothing more for them to say.

"As your father, I can’t do much for you. All I can do is protect you. I cannot protect the rest of the Lin Family, but if anyone dares to touch you, or harm my grandson, I will show them no mercy!" Long Xingyun declared, his voice cold as ice, the domineering presence of the Valley Master flaring to life.

Her mother, Yu Weiqian, nodded in agreement. She reached out and took her daughter’s hand. "Given the situation in the Medicine King Valley, we can’t do anything to help the Lin Family. But I can protect my children. As your mother, that much I can still do. Those Elders won’t dare to utter a single word of protest!"

Both of them sounded so overbearing, but it was less about being domineering and more about a parent’s love. They didn’t dare interfere in the Lin Family’s affairs, but they could still protect their own children. If they couldn’t even do that much, they’d have no right to face the world.

They had not turned on each other and become enemies. They could only bear the pressure and allow their daughter her freedom.

"Father... Mother..." Tears streamed down Long Yuwei’s face. She couldn’t get another word out and could only throw herself into her mother’s arms, weeping.

Lin Xuan let out a deep sigh, his own eyes turning red. ’I just want to put an end to all of this,’ he thought. ’But for that... I need strength!’