Chapter 870: Overreaching

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In the dead of night, Shangguan Feixiong brought Shangguan Yulin through the halls towards a plain room. He bowed, “Venerables, I’ve brought him.”

“Enter.”

Shangguan Feixiong nodded at the aged voice and went in with his nephew. There sat the three oldest venerables of the Shangguan clan.

Knowing this was serious, Shangguan Yulin bowed and s.h.i.+vered in excitement. 

[Another heavy task is entrusted!]

“Greetings, Venerables!”

“Stand up.”

The elders smiled, but then they looked at him oddly.

[What’s with that swollen face?] 

“Feixiong, w-what is this?”

Shangguan Feixiong was embarra.s.sed, but went to whisper in their ears. The trio nodded, “Oh, so he was scouting for the clan and had a bitter fight with the enemy.”

“Exactly, ha-ha-ha…” Shangguan Yulin beamed, “I’d do anything for the clan, come h.e.l.l or high water!”

The elders eased a breath, “The fight must’ve been truly desperate. Beaten so much that not even his mother would recognize him.”

Shangguan Yulin’s mouth twitched while Shangguan Feixiong chuckled with a shake of his head.

“But they’re all mere flesh wounds, needing a few days to recover, ha-ha-ha…”

But then the elders laughed out, focusing their aged eyes on him, “Shangguan Yulin, you are the best disciple of Shangguan clan, renowned for your cultivation. This time, the clan has a critical and deadly task for you. Do it well and you’ll gain the most merit. Fail and you may die. Will you accept?”

Shangguan Yulin cupped his hands and shouted, “For all the care the Shangguan clan gave me all these years, I will not shy from any danger!”

“Good, you got s.p.u.n.k!”

An elder elaborated the task, “You know by now that the manor is recruiting alchemists. In a few days, it will open its doors for them. We hope you can play as one and sneak in. You will scout the place for us, so that we can make a better plan of attack the second time.”

Shangguan Yulin cried out, “You want me to play the role of an alchemist? B-but I don’t know alchemy…”

“We know that. The Shangguan clan hardly has any such talents. That’s why it can only be you.”

The venerable sighed, “Alchemy combines cultivation, skill and arts to achieve greatness. While we lack in arts, we’ll just have to make up with cultivation and skill. It’s known that a Radiant Stage cultivator can be a 7th grade alchemist, an Ethereal Stage cultivator an 8th grade, a Soul Harmony Stage cultivator a 9th grade and a Genesis Stage cultivation a 10th grade. In this world 11th grade alchemists are the true masters of this art.

“With our skills, we can only make average 9th grade pills, with a rare 10th one. We’re not real alchemists in this sense, let alone outstanding grandmasters. While you, I bet you can’t even reach the 7th grade. But since we lack alchemy arts, we’ll use cultivation. You’re in the Soul Harmony Stage, so we’ll use these days to beat a few secret alchemy arts into you, in hope you reach the 8th grade. Maybe it will be enough to gain you entry into the manor.”

Shangguan Yulin’s brow shook, “You want me to become an 8th grade alchemist in just a few days? No way! I know next to nothing about alchemy. I may have an easy time making some casual pills, but I never tackled anything more complex.”

“Oh, why not have brother Gu go instead. Ain’t he an alchemist?”

Shangguan Yulin proposed. He knew just how deadly it could turn out if he went into the manor. In case he was exposed, his death was certain.

[It’s better to let that punk brave the danger than stay here, humph…]

The people shook their heads, “Yulin, we’ve already taken him in consideration, but he’s not good. Like I told you, a Radiant Stage cultivator can only reach 7th grade in alchemy, with average 8th grade at the most for true grandmasters. The limit is tied to one’s cultivation. The child is in the 5th layer of Radiant Stage, but not at the rank of grandmaster, a good 7th grade alchemist is all. It might’ve worked in the other lands’ tiny nations, but not in the Sword Star Empire.

“He’s also an outsider that has yet to earn our trust. A task so critical can only be handed down to a trusted clansman.”

Shangguan Yulin’s face twitched.

[d.a.m.n geezers, you’re saying it’s better for a clansman to die than an outsider?]

[Curses! Why aren’t you old farts going then? Don’t drag me into this!]

Shangguan Yulin frowned and worked hard to find an excuse.

He stuck out his chest and declared, “Venerable sirs, I think your judgment of brother Gu is unfair. Maybe he was dubious before, but today showed he is loyal. He helped me in my search and proved he’s worthy of trust. Right, uncle?”

“Yes, it’s indeed so.”

Shangguan Feixiong nodded, “I was about to tell Venerables, and since Yulin mentioned it, I will do it now. Today, Gu Yifan had not been under our surveillance, but still didn’t betray us. This shows his loyalty. I think holding him and his son confined is no longer needed. We should see them as part of the Shangguan clan. And from what we saw today, he has quite the valor, fitting the nature of the Shangguan clan.”

The venerables looked at him long then nodded, “Feixiong, we’ll trust your judgment. But this task of infiltrating the manor…”

“Venerables, please give brother Gu a chance. He’s working hard to join our clan.”

Shangguan Yulin cupped his hands and urged.

Shangguan Feixiong nodded, touched by the two’s camaraderie. 

[Though why did this happen after a single trip together?]

[Is it growing close through suffering? Has to be.]

Shangguan Feixiong added, “Venerables, Gu Yifan is a true alchemist. Even if he’s in 7th grade, he’s still a gem. He might even get into the manor. I believe casting a wider net will work in our favor. Why not have them both go? It will be the same as long as any one of them enters.”

Clueless that Shangguan Yulin wanted to throw Zhuo Fan to the wolves.

“Should we… let the outsider try as well?”

The venerables sank in thought.

Shangguan Yulin nodded and Shangguan Yulin rushed to add, “Yes, you must give brother Gu a chance, he-he-he…”

“But leaving it to an outsider makes us uneasy.”

The venerables looked worried, “He may go, but someone must keep an eye on him for any mishaps and dangers.”

Shangguan Yulin beamed, “Not a problem. As long as we treat brother Gu as family, giving him the chance to prove himself, all will be fine, ha-ha-ha…”

“Although we’ll have Yifan do something for us, we’ll also send someone to watch him. This might lower his opinion of us.”

Shangguan Feixiong frowned, “I have seen the kid’s character today. While he likes to mess around, his heart is good. And this is how we treat him?”

“Feixiong, a man of ambition doesn’t mind trifles!”

“Yeah, uncle, brother Gu won’t mind it.”

Shangguan Yulin and the venerables urged Shangguan Feixiong, who felt ashamed still, “Maybe, but he will definitely be against having some stranger with him. It will alienate him. Why not let Yan’er go? She’ll observe him under the guise of support. They’re also familiar to each other so he won’t mind.”

“What, cousin?! No, no…” Shangguan Yulin waved his hands around.

“Yes, that’s what we’ll do. Yan’er is the best choice.”

“Feixiong, you’re really thorough. We’ll go with your plan.”

“All of us are in agreement!”

Ignoring Shangguan Yulin’s outburst, the elders nodded, putting an end to this discussion, having disregarded him completely.

While the four laughed, their minds made up. Zhuo Fan, the second candidate, was going to sneak into the manor with Yan’er as his helper and watcher.

Shangguan Yulin was dumbstruck. 

[What have I done? Did I just hand my cousin to that punk?]

That was not his intention at all. He had overreached himself.

Pa!

Shangguan Yulin slapped himself hard. The four gave him a look, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just a… toothache…”