Chapter 95 of 100

Chapter 95

13 min read3,339 words

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The reason, of course, was the vacant position of the Valley Master.

Where there are people, there will be conflicts, let alone the position of the master of the prestigious Changchun Valley. Such a position commands respect even from the emperor of the Great Wind Kingdom.

Therefore, a fierce struggle was inevitable. Even a small meeting was filled with tension and a strong sense of confrontation.

"Slam!"

Elder Gu Ruidel slammed the table and stood up aggressively, pointing at Li Zhufan, who was also an elder and the head of the Yuliang Pavilion, and scolded:

"Li, although the old Valley Master has passed away, her direct disciple is still here. It's not your place to talk about the position of the Valley Master."

"Elder Gu, please calm down. Please sit down, let's talk things over calmly." Li Zhufan, with a gentlemanly demeanor, stroked his beard and advised calmly.

After years of coveting the position of the Valley Master, Li Zhufan finally saw a glimmer of hope with the old Valley Master's passing. With the support of the Yuliang Pavilion and the powerful forces behind him, he finally saw a ray of hope for becoming the Valley Master.

It was expected that there would be strong opposition.

Chen Mo sat obediently behind his master, Mu Lingwei, but inwardly sneered: "These hypocritical elders, many of them covet the position of the Valley Master."

Sunlight filtered through the window, enveloping Mu Lingwei, making her look like a celestial being, serene and elegant, free from the dust of the world.

"Elder Gu, please calm down. After all, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and our Changchun Valley has been without a master for a year. It is indeed urgent to select a new master." Gu Yuexiao, who was mediating, said.

"Hmph." Gu Ruidel glanced at Li Zhufan disdainfully and slowly sat down: "If the master is to be chosen, it should be Mu Lingwei, Elder Mu."

"If the old Valley Master had appointed Elder Mu before her passing, I would certainly support her. But now..." Li Zhufan shrugged and smiled faintly: "Elder Gu, you are the most senior and experienced. If you were to become the Valley Master, I, Li Zhufan, would have no objections." Li Zhufan said slyly.

Some of the people around nodded in agreement, while others, including some core disciples, remained silent.

Human hearts are hard to fathom. Chen Mo scanned the room, and everyone's expressions were different, a current of tension flowing through the room.

Chen Mo had a good impression of this stubborn old man. If he became the Valley Master, it would be fine. Of course, he still hoped his master would take the position.

"Ha, my old bones. Even if I became the Valley Master, how long could I serve? I just don't want the sacred Changchun Valley to be tainted by strife." Although Gu Ruidel was old, his mind was clear. The internal struggles among the various factions in Changchun Valley, if not controlled, would turn the once peaceful valley into a place of deceit and fear.

It might even become a battleground for the four major forces, including the royal family.

After saying this, Gu Ruidel looked around at everyone. Except for Chen Mo, he had watched everyone grow up, so he knew each person's character well.

The atmosphere gradually became oppressive and heavy. Many people hated this old man who was already half in the grave.

"Elder Gu, Changchun Valley has always valued the capable. It's for the good of Changchun Valley, so please don't speak so harshly." Elder Fan Yingguang, who was chairing the meeting, advised calmly.

Fan Yingguang was already in his seventies and was highly respected in Changchun Valley, but he and Gu Ruidel had always been at odds.

"In terms of cultivation, Elder Mu Lingwei is at the eighth stage of the innate realm. In terms of ability, she is the only fifth-grade alchemist. Who can compare?" Gu Ruidel was furious.

"Elder Gu, that's not entirely true. Although Elder Mu is strong, she is indifferent and doesn't like worldly affairs. The position of Valley Master requires the responsibility of inheritance and development." Fan Yingguang said calmly.

This immediately drew a lot of agreement.

Chen Mo secretly glanced at his master, Mu Lingwei, who remained silent, sitting quietly in a corner, her white clothes and plain face like a snow lotus on Mount Tian, pure and untainted.

He inwardly sighed, his master truly had the demeanor of a fairy.

"Then, according to the elders, how should we select the Valley Master?" Gu Yuexiao said with a serious expression.

"Our Changchun Valley is famous for alchemy. But the most important aspect of the sacred tradition is education. The ability of a master can be seen through their disciples. So, a disciple alchemy competition, where the one with the highest and purest alchemy wins, what do you think?" Li Zhufan finally got to the point.

"No, your disciples have been practicing alchemy with you since they were young. Chen Mo has only been with Mu Lingwei for a short time." Gu Ruidel almost slammed the table and jumped up again.

Although Mu Lingwei remained silent, she was well aware. The position of Valley Master was not something she cared much about.

"What does Senior Sister Mu think?" Gu Yuexiao thought this proposal was not bad. His disciple, Lin Junqian, was the best alchemist among his peers.

"I have no objections." Mu Lingwei, sitting upright, said softly and gently, like a gentle breeze, soothing to the soul: "I will send Chen Mo to participate."

Chen Mo was speechless. Was this a sign of her confidence in his abilities, or did she know he was no match for the others and was just going through the motions?

"A group of despicable and shameless people, Changchun Valley will fall because of you." Gu Ruidel roared and stormed out.

For a few moments, the atmosphere in the room was extremely awkward. Fan Yingguang quickly stood up and said: "Since Elder Mu has no objections, we will use a disciple competition. The final selection will begin in half a month."

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After the meeting, the master and disciple returned to the Bamboo Hut.

The stream flowed gently, birds sang, and flowers bloomed, like a fairyland. Ignoring the worldly affairs, Mu Lingwei smiled, her eyes curved into a crescent moon, looking very beautiful.

"Master, do you really believe I can win the alchemy competition?" Chen Mo said gloomily, expressing his concerns: "I heard that Jiang Chen and Lin Junqian are very strong."

Especially Jiang Chen, who had plotted against him in the Demon Swamp Rainforest and ended up losing. He hated Chen Mo deeply, and during the meeting, Chen Mo could feel his constant glares.

Full of hostility.

"Ha ha." Mu Lingwei laughed softly, as if it was not a big deal, her soft and fair face with eyes filled with a gentle smile.

In the Bamboo Hut, Mu Lingwei seemed like a graceful fairy, her every movement and gesture exuding a fluid elegance, her every smile and frown making people feel refreshed and invigorated.

Chen Mo had already guessed Mu Lingwei's thoughts. For a woman who valued freedom and was not interested in worldly affairs, the power struggles and intrigues were too distant.

Indeed, his master was not confident in him, but was just sending him to go through the motions.

"Master, do you really have no desire to be the Valley Master?" Chen Mo felt depressed. If she became the Valley Master, it would be greatly beneficial to him. However, this was not his main concern. If Li Zhufan, Jiang Chen's master, became the Valley Master, it would be a big problem for him.

Mu Lingwei turned her head slightly, pursed her lips, and gazed at the mountains and rivers, seemingly not hearing Chen Mo's words.

"Master, under the governance of our ancestor, Changchun Valley has flourished. If the position of Valley Master falls into the hands of those with ulterior motives, what will be the consequences? Elder Gu supports you out of selflessness, for the good of Changchun Valley."

Chen Mo spoke earnestly, wiping sweat from his forehead. Persuading someone to change their mind was not an easy task.

Mu Lingwei lowered her eyes, deep in thought.

"Ancestor devoted all her efforts to cultivate you, wasn't it to make you lead Changchun Valley to glory?" Chen Mo said persuasively: "Do you want to let her hard work go to waste just for a peaceful life?"

Hearing this, Mu Lingwei frowned slightly, a blush spreading across her face. She had grown up with her master, who had taught her through words and actions, like a parent. Now that her master had passed away...

Thinking of this, a hint of worry appeared in Mu Lingwei's clear eyes.

"Master, do you want to see Changchun Valley go astray and become a pawn for others? Do you want to see the sacred place, which your ancestor worked hard to build, destroyed and reduced to a mere tool?" Chen Mo said solemnly: "I believe with your wisdom, you can see that the major forces are secretly supporting the elders."

Chen Mo was also worried. It was not easy to have Changchun Valley as a backing. If Changchun Valley were to be secretly controlled by a major force like the Xuanhuang Sect, he would have no place to stand.

Mu Lingwei's almond eyes finally showed some change, and she said softly: "Chen Mo, you must win the alchemy competition."

Chen Mo was delighted that his master had changed her mind, but he was also worried. Competing against those who had been practicing alchemy since childhood, his chances of winning were very low unless he took a different approach.

"In that case, we need to find a different path." A serious expression appeared on Chen Mo's face, and he said thoughtfully: "I heard about a fourth-grade spirit medicine called the Soul Revival Pill, which is quite effective, even among its peers."

"Soul Revival Pill?" Mu Lingwei murmured in surprise: "This pill can bring the dead back to life and regenerate flesh and bones. If you can refine it, you have a good chance of winning. However, there are two problems. First, this pill is quite obscure because the main and auxiliary materials are hard to find. You need a four-leaf Corpse Devil Mushroom and a fourth-grade Corpse Core. Second, even if you can find the materials, with your current ability..."

"Master, I have been training in the Demon Swamp Rainforest recently and have seen the Dead City. The Corpse Devil Qi in the Dead City is very strong, and we might be able to find the required materials there. As for refining the pill, I will do my best."

Mu Lingwei pondered for a moment and slowly nodded: "Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. Once you pass the preliminary selection and enter the finals, we will immediately set out for the Dead City. Whether we succeed or not, it's all up to fate." She said softly, her desire to win not very strong.

Chen Mo was slightly moved by her words.

"The preliminary competition is in half a month. During this time, you must practice alchemy diligently." Mu Lingwei closed her eyes and said calmly: "If you want to win, you must pass the preliminary competition..."

Chen Mo felt a chill in his heart, realizing he had misunderstood, and quickly nodded in agreement.

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