. When Mo Tang returned to Yunlan Mountain, he happened to run into Ge Ye, also an Outer Sect Elder.
"Elder Mo, you've advanced again?"
Ge Ye, upon seeing Mo Tang, was about to greet him when he suddenly sensed his aura, a little mellower and more powerful than it had been a few days before. He couldn't help but ask in surprise.
Mo Tang nodded slightly and asked with a smile, "Elder Ge, do you have a mission?"
Ge Ye smiled wryly, his tone tinged with envy, and shook his head, "Yes, I'm not talented enough. I finally reached Dou Ling. Every step forward requires a huge accumulation of resources, so I can only live a life of toil..."
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before parting ways.
Mo Tang had returned this time intending to exchange the few medicinal herbs he had that were of no use to him at the sect, so he went directly to the sect's Hall of Merit.
The Yunlan Sect treated its disciples very favorably. In Mo Tang's current situation, all he had to do was bring his herbs to the Merit Hall for an appraisal. He could then exchange them for items of equal value, including herbs, elixirs, combat techniques, and so on.
"One Seven-Star White Orchid, two Mysterious Spirit Fruits, one Fire Spirit Grass... a total of forty-five rare herbs, worth 11,200 Contribution Points. Elder Mo, would you like to exchange for any items?"
a Yunlan Sect inner disciple, seemingly in his twenties, asked with a smile.
Most of these disciples worked part-time, earning ten Contribution Points daily. Accumulating these points, they could exchange for a very good elixir or combat technique every month.
"Exchange them all for Dragon Pattern Grass..." Mo Tang, prepared, said directly.
"Uh... you mean all of them?"
The young disciple, clearly surprised by Mo Tang's request, paused for a moment before asking again for confirmation.
While the Dragon-Striped Grass was equally valuable, its rarity was slightly inferior to any of the ones Mo Tang had previously offered.
This exchange of a rare medicinal herb for a common one, and in such a large quantity at once, was a new experience for Mo Tang.
Mo Tang nodded again, confirming, "Yes! I believe the sect is not short of this Dragon-Striped Grass, am I?"
The young disciple, regaining his composure, quickly replied, "Yes, Elder, please wait a moment. I'll go get it..."
Eleven thousand, two hundred contribution points were enough to exchange for over fifty stalks of Dragon-Striped Grass, which, after absorption and transformation, would provide Mo Tang with 1,240 intermediate energy points.
Well, another major step towards Dou Wang status. It seemed that by the time he reached the Black Horn Territory, he should have accumulated enough energy points to ascend to Dou Wang status.
As the inner disciple looked bewildered, Mo Tang hummed a cheerful tune as he returned to his room.
In reality, his mission in the Imperial Capital had been fully concluded, allowing him to return to the Mo Clan and collect his share of the profits.
However, the Alchemist Conference was coming up soon. If the plot didn't change significantly, then Xiao Yan would challenge Nalan Yanran after the conference. So Mo Tang wanted to see if this plot would continue to follow the original novel.
...
...
Three days later, the sky was a brilliant blue, cloudless. The sun was warm but not scorching. An occasional breeze washed away the hustle and bustle of the city, leaving everyone feeling refreshed.
Today was a major event for the Jia Ma Empire. The Alchemist Conference, held every eight years, would begin today!
Walking down the street, alchemists, once rarely seen, were now appearing in groups of two or three.
The Royal Square, the venue for the conference, was already packed.
If it weren't for the surrounding Imperial Army, it would have been packed to the gills.
Nearly two thousand alchemists gathered in the square, a grand spectacle that could only be seen during the Alchemist Conference, even in the Jia Ma Holy City.
The VIP area was reserved for the major factions of the Jia Ma Empire.
Mo Tang, seated in his seat, watched all this unfold with fascination.
"You know what? Seeing so many alchemists gathered together is quite intimidating!"
Mo Tang, ignoring the vague gazes around him, smiled directly at those around him.
He knew full well that while the focus of the entire square was on him, it wasn't him, but the woman beside him.
The Yunlan Sect's leader—Yun Yun!
This woman, to the common eye, was incredibly mysterious. Whether it was her status as the leader of the Yunlan Sect, her Douhuang-level strength, or even her stunning beauty, her mere presence was a surefire draw.
"Alchemists are human too, and naturally they crave vanity and recognition... and this Alchemist Conference is the perfect platform for that,"
Yun Yun said softly, observing the proceedings with a calm gaze.
Mo Tang nodded, feeling the words ring true. As the
saying goes: All the world's hustle and bustle is driven by profit, and all the world's hustle and bustle is driven by profit.
Even an alchemist of high rank couldn't pass up such an opportunity for instant fame, even instant success.
The best proof of this is the champion of the previous two sessions, Dan Wang Guhe!
When Gu He won the tournament, he was only a fourth-rank alchemist. Yet, Yunshan, the former leader of the Yunlan Sect, personally invited him to become an elder. Then, with the support of the Yunlan Sect's vast resources, he ascended to the sixth-rank alchemist in just over a decade, becoming the foremost alchemist in the Jiama Empire and earning the title of Pill King!
This shows that for alchemists without a strong background, this Alchemist Tournament is a chance to change their fate. It's a bit like the Gaokao in his past life...
Thinking of the Gaokao, Mo Tang calculated the months and realized that the struggling high school students on Earth, China, would soon be embarking on their own battlefields.
Although he couldn't experience that kind of excitement anymore, Mo Tang still sent his best wishes from the Dou Qi Continent to the students about to enter the battlefield.
Noticing Mo Tang's silence, Yun Yun, who was standing beside him, turned slightly, wondering, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing," Mo Tang said with a quick smile, having regained his composure.
"I was just thinking, shouldn't we take advantage of this Alchemist Conference to invite one or two capable alchemists to serve in the Mo Clan? That would strengthen the Mo Clan, wouldn't it?"
Yun Yun glanced at Mo Tang, snorted, and said lightly, "It seems you have quite big ambitions. Are you planning to let the Mo Clan rise and see when you can suppress my Yunlan Sect?" Mo
Tang's eyelids suddenly jumped, and he cried out in his heart, "Oh my god! This woman can tell fortunes, right? How does she know what I'm thinking?"
Of course, such a thing must never be admitted. As his mind raced, Mo Tang hurriedly put on a smile and said, "How could that be possible! My Mo Clan is a small family. No matter how hard we try, we can't catch up with the Yunlan Sect... What's more, with you in the Yunlan Sect, I am willing to put the entire Mo Clan at your disposal..."
(End of this chapter)