Ouyang’s Thinking

Ouyang's Thinking...

Old man Mo approached Mo Qingcheng, his voice low with curiosity. "Qingcheng, who are these individuals?"

"Granddad, this is Ouyang Kuangsheng from the Ouyang Aristocratic Clan. His talent is truly exceptional; he condensed his first Astral Soul at the 4th Heavenly Layer," Mo Qingcheng introduced, her words lighting up old man Mo's eyes as he turned his gaze toward Ouyang Kuangsheng.

"His girlfriend, Jiang Ting, is also from an Aristocratic Clan, considered a transcendent power," Mo Qingcheng added. Old man Mo's heart trembled lightly. He had roamed the world for decades, yet he couldn't claim to be truly acquainted with any transcendent powers. Meanwhile, his own granddaughter had forged actual connections at such a young age.

As they pondered this, another group of cultivators descended from the sky. Three young-looking individuals led the way, exuding an extraordinary aura. Old man Mo was stunned. What in the world was happening today? Why were all these cultivators converging on his Mo Residence?

"Hua Xiaoyun, what brings you here?" asked the foremost person, a young woman who seemed to be under 20, dressed in pristine white, radiating a simple and elegant aura.

Beside her were two handsome young men who couldn't help but glance at Mo Qingcheng upon seeing her. Even in the Grand Xia Empire, such beauty as hers was exceedingly rare. Their expressions turned somewhat peculiar as they noticed Ouyang Kuangsheng and Jiang Ting standing beside Mo Qingcheng.

"Bai Fei, let me introduce a new junior martial sister to your sect. What do you say?" Hua Xiaoyun proposed to the girl.

However, Bai Fei responded with a cold snort, "You should know the strict requirements for entering our Pill Emperor Hall."

Hua Xiaoyun's expression subtly turned frosty. Weren't Bai Fei's words a public slap in his face? But he had to continue; otherwise, his dignity would truly be compromised. Old man Mo hadn't exaggerated about his granddaughter's beauty; he just hoped he wasn't exaggerating about her talent in pill concoction as well.

"Don't worry. How could I even think of introducing an inferior disciple to the esteemed Pill Emperor Hall?" Hua Xiaoyun chuckled, trying to maintain his composure. "The person I want to introduce is right here; you can go ahead and test her talent."

With those words, he pointed towards Mo Qingcheng. Bai Fei, still captivated by Mo Qingcheng's beauty, and the two male cultivators behind her, were clearly intrigued by the idea of having such a beautiful lady as their junior martial sister.

"Well, our Master is just nearby. Why don't we invite her to assess our prospective Junior Sister's talent?" one of the male cultivators suggested with a mischievous grin.

Bai Fei gave her Senior Brother a suspicious glare, unable to discern his intentions.

"Hehe, I'll have to trouble you then," Hua Xiaoyun said with a chuckle. Ouyang Kuangsheng, catching the implication of their words, directed his gaze towards Bai Fei and the other two cultivators. He asked, "Bai Fei from the Pill Emperor Palace, may I inquire if your master is the daughter of the Pill Emperor?"

"So what if she is? What business is it of yours?" Bai Fei responded with a hint of arrogance. Her master was indeed the daughter of the Pill Emperor, renowned for her exceptional talent in pill concoction.

"Your manners leave much to be desired, but I won't argue with women," Ouyang Kuangsheng quipped with a smirk. "Qingcheng, if her master truly is the Pill Emperor's daughter, you should seriously consider it. I'll take my leave now."

With that, Ouyang Kuangsheng led Jiang Ting and his followers away, exuding confidence and ease.

Bai Fei couldn't help but cast a disdainful glance at him, clearly irked by Ouyang's comments to Mo Qingcheng.

Old man Mo quivered with excitement. The daughter of the Pill Emperor? He would have never imagined Mo Qingcheng could be so fortunate. Extending an invitation, he spoke politely, "Why don't we all retire to my humble abode for some rest?"

"Since you're already here, why not accept Old Mo's invitation? You never know, your teacher might hold her talent in high regard," Hua Xiaoyun suggested with a laugh, while Bai Fei and the others from the Pill Emperor Hall nodded in agreement.

...

Unaware of the recent events, Qin Wentian had returned to the Bamboo Lodge, the place where he had often stayed with Gongyang Hong. He sat by the riverside, immersing himself in his cultivation.

"Haha, Wentian, you're really here. How come it's so easy to track your whereabouts?" A cheerful voice echoed through the air, catching Qin Wentian by surprise. "Ouyang Kuangsheng?"

Upon seeing Ouyang Kuangsheng, Qing'er, who had been standing nearby, silently faded into the shadows. She had encountered Ouyang Kuangsheng before, back at the Celestial Lake Refinement Grounds, so she was aware of his close relationship with Qin Wentian.

"Ouyang, what brings you here?" Qin Wentian inquired with a hint of surprise.

"There's a forest beyond Chu's borders, swarming with demonic beasts. Recently, the corpse of a Celestial Phenomenon Realm demonic lord appeared there, causing a great stir in the Grand Xia Empire. I followed some members of my clan all the way here, but we, the younger generation, have no way to contend with the supreme experts already gathered there. Then it occurred to me that you're from Chu, so I thought I'd check if you were around," Ouyang Kuangsheng explained, taking a seat beside Qin Wentian. Qin Wentian couldn't help but feel responsible for the commotion Ouyang was describing.

As he listened, Qin Wentian realized that the so-called demonic lord's corpse was the result of his actions. "The demonic lord you mentioned, was it the humanoid one or the beastly one?" he inquired.

"How did you know there were two lords? They were both at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, but the humanoid corpse was more extraordinary than the demonic beast. After thorough investigation, the elders concluded that the blood resonance from the corpse caused the uproar. Upon examination, it was deduced that the demonic lord belonged to the Ancient Primordial Bloodline. However, we couldn't ascertain the specific race, as the remaining blood in his body wasn't enough for a definitive conclusion," Ouyang Kuangsheng explained, prompting a curious gleam in Qin Wentian's eyes. Ancient Primordial Bloodline?

"I wonder what caused the dried blood of the demonic lord to resonate so dramatically. The ripples were so massive that they even affected the celestial bodies' movements, which caught the attention of the Venerate Heavens Sect. They spread the news, claiming that the demonic star had descended, and its location was none other than Chu's Dark Forest," Ouyang Kuangsheng remarked, shaking his head. "Oh, by the way, I visited the Mo Residence earlier and met your girlfriend, Mo Qingcheng. What's the deal with this Hua Xiaoyun? Is he your love rival? He went as far as introducing a sect for her to join."

"I'm not entirely sure either. That person seems to be acquainted with Qingcheng's granddad, and her granddad holds him in high regard. It seems he doesn't approve of any Chu cultivators," Qin Wentian said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "But when it comes to joining a sect, I believe Qingcheng will make her own decision."

Qin Wentian had absolute trust in Mo Qingcheng. She had risked her life to save him from Janus's attack in the past, and more recently, she had braved the dangers of the Dark Forest just to warn him about the risks of returning to Chu. How could he not be moved by her actions? He was determined to cherish her.

"I can handle this easily. Do you want me to have a word with the old man?" Ouyang Kuangsheng offered with a laugh.

"It's okay; Qingcheng can handle it herself. It's ultimately her granddad's decision, and outsiders interfering might not be the best idea," Qin Wentian replied, not wanting to sour his relationship with Old Mo.

"Well, I didn't say I would bully him," Ouyang Kuangsheng said, his eyes glittering with mischief, leaving Qin Wentian wondering what he was plotting.

"Oh, one more thing. Through a combination of fortuitous circumstances, Hua Xiaoyun managed to refer Mo Qingcheng to the Pill Emperor's daughter. If the Pill Emperor's daughter recognizes Mo Qingcheng's talent, you can rest assured that she'll be well taken care of in the Pill Emperor Hall," Ouyang Kuangsheng analyzed further. "Besides, you'll be traveling through the Grand Xia Empire soon, right? Do you want Mo Qingcheng to be left behind as your talent continues to grow? If she joins the Pill Emperor Hall, they'll nurture her into an incredible alchemy expert. This could be a win-win situation for both of you. But of course, you need to consider if your relationship can withstand the test of time and distance."

"I'm not worried about that. If... and I say 'if,' if Qingcheng's feelings change, I won't stop her from pursuing her happiness," Qin Wentian replied, finding Ouyang Kuangsheng's reasoning sound. After dealing with matters in Chu, he would be departing for the Grand Xia Empire. Joining the Pill Emperor Hall would likely bring Mo Qingcheng to the Grand Xia Empire as well, forging her own path.

"I'm glad you see it that way. Unknowingly, that Hua Xiaoyun guy did something good," Ouyang Kuangsheng chuckled.

"Why are you grinning so much?" Jiang Ting teased him.

"Jiang Ting, you have to understand that Hua Xiaoyun simply isn't qualified to invite the Pill Emperor's daughter. If she really visits the Mo Clan, it must be because of his brother's reputation. That silk-pants young master used his genius brother's name to help Mo Qingcheng. Isn't that amusing? HAHAHA!" Ouyang Kuangsheng was clearly in high spirits.

"Okay, let's just watch from the sidelines for now. By the way, I heard you have some disputes in Chu? Do you need my help to resolve them?" Qin Wentian glanced at Ouyang Kuangsheng's followers, many of whom were Yuanfu-level experts.

"I won't be polite then," Qin Wentian replied with a laugh. It truly seemed like the heavens were favoring him.

Qin Wentian had no qualms about seeking external help to topple the Royal Clan of Chu. This wasn't a solo battle but a struggle that entwined the fate of the Emperor Star Academy and the Qin Clan.

The brewing storm in Chu only grew more intense, refusing to dissipate. It now involved various factions within the Dark Forest, moving stealthily in the shadows. Meanwhile, the rebel troops loyal to Qin outside the Royal Capital had successfully repelled the Royal Clan's encirclement and returned to regroup on the outskirts of the city, preparing for an even fiercer offensive.

News spread like wildfire that Qin Wentian had been in contact with representatives from several transcendent powers. This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the Royal Palace. It seemed as if the doomsday for Chu's Royal Clan was imminent.

However, in the Mo Residence, the turmoil in the Royal Capital barely registered. Their attention was fixated on Mo Qingcheng and the distinguished guests from the transcendent powers.

Mo Qingcheng soon realized that her freedom had been severely curtailed. She was essentially under house arrest, deprived of her liberty like a prisoner.

Finally, the master of Bai Fei, the Pill Emperor's daughter, arrived at the Mo Residence. Everyone present bowed respectfully to welcome her.

It was rumored that not only was she an incredibly skilled alchemist, but her level of cultivation far surpassed anyone in Chu. Her background and achievements were nothing short of astonishing.

The results of Mo Qingcheng's test were revealed, showcasing her prodigious talent in pill concoction. The Pill Emperor's daughter was willing to take her as her disciple. This news sent waves of excitement and celebration through the Mo Clan; they could hardly contain their joy!