Chapter 315

Chapter 315

Qu Kun glared bitterly at the silent Bai Chenxing, then shifted his attention to Mu Chen, "I heard you're a low-level Grade 8 Alchemist?"

As Qu Kun mentioned him, Mu Chen's heart raced. He nodded, "Yes, that's correct."

"The Rebirth Pill is a high-level Grade 8 formula. Try to improve your skills! How much longer are you planning to dawdle?" Qu Kun chided.

Mu Chen's face stiffened, "Understood."

Although he wished to enhance his skills, without proper guidance, he was at a loss. Both Qu Kun and Ye Shi seemed optimistic about his potential, a trait clearly passed down from grandfather to grandson.

"Mu Chen has always been doing his best," Ye Shi quickly added.

Looking at Mu Chen, Qu Kun sighed, "I understand it's tough on you, but right now, you're the only one we can rely on."

"Grandfather, I promise to give it my all," Mu Chen assured.

Qu Kun then took out an object resembling a tortoise shell and handed it to Mu Chen.

"This has been passed down in the Qu family for generations. See if it can be of any use to you."

"What is it?" Ye Shi inquired.

Qu Kun frowned, stating, "It's a fragment of a map. There seems to be a character 'Dan' on it. I believe it may be of use to you."

"Grandfather, where did this come from?" Ye Shi asked with evident curiosity.

"It was passed down from our clan's ancestors. Our branch belongs to the Ling Clan. Over hundreds of thousands of years, the Ling Clan faced great calamities. The main lineage of the Ling Clan went into hiding and lost contact with the clan's upper echelons. To save themselves, our predecessors fled to distant lands."

Upon hearing Qu Kun's words, Ye Shi felt somewhat peculiar inside. He had always regarded the Ling Clan as his own. However, judging from their abandonment of the sub-clans, they weren't as noble as he had imagined.

Nonetheless, the brave decision of the Ling Clan's ancestors to cut losses was not necessarily wrong.

In such situations, sacrificing a pawn to save the game is better than losing everything. Ye Shi could understand, but that didn't mean he had no reservations.

Mu Chen's expression remained calm, "In this world, there's no absolute good or evil, only absolute interests."

As long as the hostile relationship between the Ling Clan and the Ming Clan remains, the Ling Clan can be trusted for the time being.

Bai Chenxing looked at the item Qu Kun presented, his eyes narrowing, "This... "

Ye Shi glanced at Bai Chenxing, asking, "Father, what's wrong?"

Bai Chenxing responded, "It seems to be a fragment of the map to the Dan Palace ruins."

Ye Shi looked at Bai Chenxing, asking, "Is it of any use?"

"Yes. Legend has it that when the map is complete, one can access the ruins of Dan Palace. Each fragment can admit five people," Bai Chenxing explained.

With narrowed eyes, Mu Chen inquired, "Different individuals possess the map fragments?"

Bai Chenxing nodded, stating, "The Dan Tower has two pieces, Dan Valley has one, and Dan Artifact Pavilion has one. The last missing piece has been sought by major forces. To think... " he trailed off, implying that the last piece was unexpectedly in Qu Kun's possession.

Mu Chen glanced at Qu Kun, thinking to himself: Ye Shi's ancestors were certainly not ordinary.

"For hundreds of thousands of years, many have sought these map fragments. The Dan Tower, Dan Valley, and Dan Artifact Pavilion all have offered substantial rewards for them," said Bai Chenxing.

Qu Kun smiled, "For such a long time, the legends passed down from our ancestors have been fading. By our generation, few believe in them. If it weren't for certain unique attributes in our clan's birth cycle, many would deem themselves ordinary. Due to its incomplete state, many consider this map fragment worthless."

Our ancestors thrived in remote areas where spiritual energy was scarce. Even producing a Martial Emperor was challenging. The legends of Martial Venerables and Martial Saints in our clan sound like far-fetched dreams.

Ye Shi looked at Qu Kun, asking, "Grandfather, how did you know of its significance?"

"I wasn't certain. When your father was young, during the traditional 'grabbing' ceremony, clan elders presented various objects for him to grasp. He chose this fragment. The elders said it was fated for him, so I kept it on his behalf," Qu Kun explained.

Ye Shi thought to himself, "My father indeed has a keen sense of choice."

............

Bai Chengfeng approached Bai Chenxing, exclaiming joyfully, "Brother Fifteen, I heard your father-in-law has arrived."

Bai Chenxing nodded, offering a wry smile, "Yes, he has."

With a mischievous grin, Bai Chengfeng said, "Rumor has it, your father-in-law is as formidable as Yan Xing, holding his own against five opponents!"

Bai Chenxing sighed, thinking that the Bai family members were too arrogant. Their lack of restraint would eventually lead to disaster.

"I also heard your father-in-law insulted you quite colorfully," Bai Chengfeng said with a touch of schadenfreude.

Bai Chenxing glared at Bai Chengfeng, realizing his intent was to rub salt into the wound.

"Didn't you just advance to Martial Venerable? Don't you need to consolidate your cultivation?" Bai Chenxing asked sarcastically.

Bai Chengfeng boasted, "Brother Fifteen, don't you know me? My recent advancement is the result of years of accumulated effort. Though I'm a new Martial Venerable, my strength surpasses ordinary ones. It's wise for you to choose me as a partner for the secret realm expedition."

Bai Chenxing retorted, "Stop boasting. I heard that when you advanced to Martial Venerable, you were beaten black and blue by Yan Xing, who's still at Martial Master level. I'm embarrassed for you."

Bai Chengfeng chuckled awkwardly, "That doesn't count. Yan Xing is expecting a child, how could I, as the prospective uncle, take it seriously?"

Bai Chenxing scoffed, "Even at your best, you're no match for Yan Xing. If he had used his trump card, you wouldn't have stood a chance..."

Bai Chengfeng, feeling a bit embarrassed, retorted, "I'm not that weak!" Though he said so, he inwardly admitted Bai Chenxing's innate ability to command ancient formations made him an unmatched opponent.

Bai Chenxing crossed his arms, an air of disdain evident in his gaze.

Bai Chengfeng thought, "You only act high and mighty in front of me. In front of Qu Kun, you're just like a submissive grandchild."

............

"Grandfather, you summoned me?" Jing Ming strode confidently into Jing Lifeng's courtyard.

Jing Lifeng nodded, "Yes. We've received news from the Bai family. The final piece of the Dan Palace ruins map has been found."

Jing Ming looked astounded and said, "How could that be? After all this time without any word, how did they suddenly find it?"

"According to ancient records, the fragment of the map might have ended up with a branch of the Spirit Clan. During a tumultuous period for the clan, amidst chaos and war, this branch vanished without a trace. Major powers searched for them but found no clues."

"How did Bai Chenxing get ahold of it? Was it brought out by the Spirit Clan?" Jing Ming asked.

Jing Lìfēng shook his head, "I don't think it's from the main Spirit Clan. A single map fragment allows five people to enter. Those designated from Bai Chenxing's side are Bai Chenxing, Mu Chen, Bai Yanxing, Qu Kun, and Bai Chengfeng. While Bai Yanxing and Qu Kun are from the Spirit Clan, they're not from the primary lineage. If it had been in the hands of the true Spirit Clan, the representatives from the Bai family entering the Dan Hall ruins wouldn’t have been these individuals."

Jing Ming furrowed his brow, "Mu Chen and Bai Chengfeng are acceptable, but Qu Kun and Ye Shi are both Martial Masters. I doubt they'd be of much assistance inside."

"The weaker the Bai family's representatives are, the better for us. If someone from the Bai family achieves Martial Saint status, what chance would we have?" Jing Lìfēng remarked.

Jing Ming nodded in agreement, "Indeed. I heard that Bai Chenxing's father-in-law had a conflict with the Bai family upon his arrival in Zhongzhou."

Jing Lìfēng nodded, "Yes! I've heard that Qu Kun holds significant grievances against Bai Chenxing."

"No surprise there. Bai Chenxing, for all those years due to a misunderstanding, never visited Qu Xinyang. Although Bai Chenxing might have distanced himself because Qu Xinyang chose someone else, in Qu Kun's heart, Bai Chenxing might have been seen as abandoning Qu Xinyang."

"Bai Chenxing truly has bad luck, all because of a mere misunderstanding."

"The relationship between the Dan Tower and the Bai family is currently delicate. If they manage to open the Dan Hall, conflict might arise between the two."

Jing Ming smirked dismissively, "Even better if they fight. As the saying goes, 'When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits.' It's odd that Bai Chenxing didn’t invite anyone from the Spirit Clan."

Jing Lìfēng chuckled, "The Spirit Clan might not necessarily have the best to offer."

...

"The Bai family has gone too far!" Qu Quan exclaimed with a hint of anger.

Qu Lingwu’s face darkened, "Exactly! Five spots, and not a single one given to our Spirit Clan. Bai Chenxing, Mu Chen, Bai Chengfeng are understandable, but why should Bai Yanxing and Qu Kun occupy two spots?"

Qu Qingyin said calmly, "Both Bai Yanxing and Qu Kun are of the Spirit Clan. One is Bai Chenxing's son, the other his father-in-law. It makes sense for Bai Chenxing to favor them."

"They are just from a branch lineage," Qu Quan retorted.

Bloodline is paramount for the Spirit Clan, with a significant difference in treatment between the direct descendants and side branches.

The Spirit Clan possesses instruments to determine the purity of one's divine blood. Generally, those with purer blood have better aptitudes. Qu Quan, Qu Lingwu, and Qu Qingyin all possess high purity, granting them esteemed status within the clan.

The direct descendants of the Spirit Clan often feel superior by birth and look down on those from side branches.

"Enough! Regardless, they are still part of the Spirit Clan, and can be considered as one of our own," Qu Qingyin said with slight annoyance.

The Bai family's foundation isn't inferior to the Spirit Clan's. With Bai Chenxing's recent advancement to Martial Saint, his potential is boundless. Qu Quan and the others have been spoiled by their clan, leading to their arrogance.

However, Bai Chenxing not offering them even one spot is indeed excessive.