Chapter 9: The Honored One

Bang!

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

A middle-aged man wearing the sect's black and blue robes, smashed a vase against the ground, shattering it.

To one's surprise, it was Vice-Pavilion Master Yuan Gen.

He seethed with fury, his face contorted in rage. He muttered curses at Chu Yuechan through gritted teeth, barely containing his anger.

"Damn Chu Yuechan! Always interfering and snatching everything from me! How dare she!" His anger crackled in his voice.

He had wanted to have Huang Longtian as his disciple, hoping the young talent would assist him in concocting pills and perhaps even help him break through to the High Rank Earth Alchemist level. 

But now, that plan was shattered. 

His skills were inferior to hers, and fighting her directly would be futile. 

He would have to find another opportunity to advance—something he had been obsessively pursuing for the past five hundred years while coveting the Alchemy Pavilion Master position.

"Curse that woman!" he spat, nearly tearing his moustache in rage. 

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then called out, "Xiao Chen!"

A figure in black attire materialized before him—Xiao Chen, his dark clothing blending with the shadows. 

His cold, expressionless face betrayed no emotion as he awaited orders. "Send the details about Huang Longtian being accepted as Chu Yuechan's disciple to that man."

Xiao Chen nodded and swiftly departed to carry it out.

"Hmph! If I can't have him, I'll make sure he's destroyed."

…

As the sun set, casting a deep orange glow across the horizon, dark clouds gathered ominously overhead.

In the beautifully courtyard, a voluptuous and strikingly beautiful woman stood beside a handsome man. 

They were none other than Chu Yuechan and Huang Longtian.

"Cough… Hm… Master, since we—" Huang Longtian began, but Chu Yuechan interrupted coldly, "If you want something, just ask directly."

Huang Longtian's cheeks warmed slightly, but he quickly cast aside his hesitation and boldly spoke up.

"Since I've accepted you as my master, shouldn't I receive some congratulatory gifts?" he asked, a cunning smile on his face. With such a fat sheep, how could I not exploit it? I need to gather all the materials if I want to cultivate this technique.

He wanted to curse the person who created such a black-hearted cultivation method. Just cultivating the first layer would cost him a fortune!

Hmph! Showing your true colors already? Chu Yuechan's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you want?" she asked coldly.

Huang Longtian's eyes lit up at her response.

He began listing numerous rare herbs and ingredients, each more precious than the last. "I'll need Dragon's Blood Grass, Phoenix Tail Flowers, Moonlit Dew, Celestial Serpent Venom's Vial, Starfire Lotus, and a gallon of Liquid Sun Essence," he said, not missing a beat. "Oh, and also Nightshade Flower Petals and a batch of Crystalized Spirit Bones."

Chu Yuechan's eyebrows raised slightly at the extravagant list.

She felt her heart bleeding at the cost. Despite this, she maintained her cold demeanor.

"You have quite the appetite," she remarked icily. "I only have half of what you asked for. As for the Nightshade Petals and Crystalized Spirit Stones, I don't have them. Go to the Alchemy Pavilion Treasury and see if they do. Here, take this token," she said, handing him a token inscribed with her initial 'Chu'. "It will grant you access without any problems."

Huang Longtian's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Master. I am truly grateful."

He might seem like an opportunist, but he had no choice if he wanted to cultivate that cultivation method. He planned to repay her a hundredfold later. 

Little did Huang Longtian know, he would repay that debt sooner than he expected…

Chu Yuechan shook her head slightly before disappearing quietly, leaving Huang Longtian momentarily surprised by her abrupt departure.

However, he quickly set off toward the Alchemy Pavilion Treasury, taking in the beautiful surroundings. 

The path was lined with vibrant flowers and neatly arranged herb gardens, their fragrances mingling in the air. 

At the entrance stood two stern-faced guards wearing the sect's disciple robes. As Huang Longtian approached, they eyed him with suspicion. "What's your business here?" one of them asked gruffly.

Huang Longtian held up the token Chu Yuechan had given him, letting it catch the light. The guards' eyes widened in surprise as they examined it closely.

"Is that...?" one guard began, his voice trailing off.

"I'm not sure," the other guard said, still staring at the token in awe. "It could be genuine or fake. We'll need to verify it first."

Huang Longtian remained calm and handed them the token without a word, his expression unbothered.

One of the guards muttered, "But it could be be a trick. I've heard rumors that some are using counterfeit ones."

Huang Longtian's gaze sharpened, but he said nothing. The other guard, noticing the tension, quickly added, "Let's just verify it to be sure."

After a tense moment of scrutinizing, the guard who had been silent nodded with a mixture of respect and awe. "Alright, you may pass."

Huang Longtian nodded and began to enter, but a shout rang out behind him.

"Stop right there!"

He didn't turn around or slow his pace, continuing forward. He wasn't anyone's servant and had no obligation to stop.

"Didn't you hear me? Stop right there!"

The voice came again, this time laced with clear fury.

Huang Longtian turned to see a man with long, shiny blonde hair tied in a ponytail, his bangs cascading over a strikingly handsome face. 

His smooth, jade-like skin glowed in the light. Dressed in the sect's dark blue robes, he looked like a delicate scholar, but his gait was as powerful and steady as a rock. 

His posture and demeanor radiated an undeniable confidence and arrogance.

The guards were taken aback by the man's appearance. "Is that—"

"Shut up, if you don't want to die. It's better we pretend nothing is happening."

The man approached Huang Longtian and said indifferently, "Who are you? Since when did the Alchemy Pavilion Treasury become a place where rats and dogs, can come and go as they please?"

Did he just called me rat and dog?

Huang Longtian's eyes narrowed slightly. He took the token Chu Yuechan gave him. "I have the permission of Pavilion Master Chu."

The blonde man's expression darkened. 

He had been deep in secluded cultivation when he learned that Chu Yuechan had accepted a mortal as her disciple. 

The news struck him like a lightning bolt, filling him with seething fury and burning jealousy. 

How could she?!

His heart was racing with resentment. 

I've begged and pleaded for years to be accepted as your disciple—only to be ignored. 

And now, you took in a mere mortal?!

His mind churned with bitter thoughts. 

Two years spent perfecting my skills and proving my worth, while this insignificant mortal—who doesn't even belong in our world—gets chosen instead? 

How a mortal is better than me, Tian Zunzhe?!

This is an insult I can't tolerate!

"Do you think waving a fake token around will save you? I don't care whose token you have!" he shouted, launching a fierce attack.

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Tian Zunzhe: 

"尊者" (Zūn Zhě) could mean "The Honored One"

"天" (Tiān), which means "heaven" or "sky,".