Chapter 151: Commotion on the Training Grounds
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Valley of the Medicine Masters.
The training grounds.
Since the inception of the valley, the training grounds had never been this lively. Almost everyone in the valley had gathered there, elders and disciples alike.
Some had even come in from far off, riding atop flying beasts, were now circling the air above the field.
Not that they didn’t want to enter. The beasts they were riding upon were lower-leveled, and since there were already several higher-powered flying beasts on the field they did not dare to get too close.
“How about we go down to the field and watch?” a valley disciple riding a flying beast suggested.
“I’m not going down there. If you want to go so bad, then you go. Can’t you see the field is packed with people? Even if you try you probably won’t be able to squeeze in,” another disciple on a flying beast lamented, shaking his head.
“I agree. Let’s just watch here from far away … at least we’ll be able to see something from here. If we go down to the field all we’ll be able to see will be the heads in front of us.”
“That guy in white, I hear he’s only nineteen years old.”
“That guy? Can’t really make him out from up here, but if you say he’s nineteen then he must be.”
“I hear he was originally from a small place in the country of Yunyang and only entered into the initial stage of his Connate abilities at such a young age because of the essence of a Primal Core monk. Plus, he even used some creepy hidden weapon to kill a mid-level second elder!
“A nineteen-year-old Connate adept … too bad, he’s definitely going to die today!”
…
All the residents of the Valley of the Medicine Masters who had gathered felt that the young man in white who had killed their second elder Chen Tianhe was definitely going to die today.
On the training grounds the young man in white stood, his left hand behind his back and his right hand fiddling with a small metal ball.
And he was now surrounded by several old and middle-aged men, all of whom were valley elders already on their Connate-stage journeys, and all of whom were staring directly at him.
Though the young man was surrounded, no one made a move. They all seemed to be silently waiting for something.
Aside from the young man, there was also a young woman within the circle made by the elders. She lay next to a corpse and was glaring at the young man, brimming with hatred.
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, a booming sound came from above, attracting everyone’s attention.
“It’s the head elder!”
“The head elder is here!”
… .
Drawing gasps from the crowd, a large blue eagle swooped low over the training grounds and a nimble figure leaped from its back.
In a three-foot flash of green light, the figure landed firmly among a gathered group of valley elders and stepped out into view of the crowd.
It was a woman with a medium-sized build dressed in a long gray robe. Though her hair was all white, her complexion looked to be that of a middle-aged woman.
She had hair the color of a crane, yet possessed the face of youth.
“Head Elder!”
“Head Elder!”
…
As soon as the woman appeared, all the gathered elders bowed to her in great reverence.
This woman was none other than the head elder of the Valley of the Medicine Masters, Yu Meiqin.
Yu Meiqin was already nearing 90 years old. In terms of seniority, even the Valley Lord, Su Mo, would have had to call her “Uncle.”
“Head elder!”
Upon seeing Yu Meiqin appear, Chen Dandan ran to her and knelt to the ground, tears streaming down her face.
“My father has dedicated his life to serving the Valley of the Medicine Masters, and now he has been murdered by someone who has infiltrated the valley. You … you must avenge him!”
“Rise.”
Yu Meiqin helped Chen Dandan to her feet. Her elderly voice was firm, “No matter who it is, the Valley of the Medicine Masters will never forgive whoever has murdered our second elder.”
As she said these words, Yu Meiqin’s gaze landed upon the young man not far away. What had before been expressionless eyes were now sharp and piercing.
Of course, deep within her gaze there were also traces of fear.
After all, Chen Tianhe had been the valley’s second elder, a mid-level Connate adept just like herself. Though his abilities had been no match for hers, he was not far behind.
On her way over she had met with the valley elders who had come to see her so was already familiar with the events that transpired.
This young man before her, a nineteen-year-old from the country of Yunyang, was suspected of receiving the essence of a Primal Core monk in order to achieve the initial Connate-stage.
“That metal ball … it transforms into a sword?”
Yu Meiqin shifted her eyes to the small metal ball in the young man’s hand.
“Is that … a sword sphere?!”
As High Elder of the valley and higher in seniority than Valley Lord Su Mo, Yu Meiqin was every bit as proficient in knowledge as the latter.
“If this truly is a sword sphere … then I’m afraid only the Valley Lord is able to defeat him!”
Thinking back to what she had read in an ancient tome regarding sword spheres, Yu Meiqin could not help but feel intense fear, and it showed in her eyes.
This was definitely not the hidden weapon spoken of by the elders who came to see her. This was something only those above the Primal Core stage could ever hope to control.
The sword sphere was something that, in the hands of a Connate initial-stage adept, could easily kill a Connate mid-level adept. Even a late-stage Connate adept could easily fall before it without the proper preparation.
“Young man.”
Yu Meiqin turned to Zhou Donghuang and spoke in a grave voice.
“Being able to receive the essence of a Primal Core monk was your good fortune. However, you came to our valley uninvited and murdered our second elder Chen Tianhe. That’s crossing the line, wouldn’t you say?”
“Crossing the line?”
Zhou Donghuang let out a faint laugh, his eyes falling upon the young lady at Yu Meiqin’s feet.
“Today I’m here solely for Chen Dandan. Some people attack me just to try and fight for her … you think I would actually let them? Ridiculous!”
At this, a smirk appeared on Zhou Donghuang’s face.
“She has already sent her father on his way … At your age, I would recommend you not meddle in other people’s business, lest you follow in his footsteps,” Zhou Donghuang said with a mocking look.
Facing Zhou Donghuang’s threat, Yu Meiqin’s face fell. To be intimidated by someone younger than her own great-grandson was truly humiliating.
If only she weren’t wary of the sword sphere in the young man’s hand she would have attacked long ago.
“Zhou Donghuang! You dare to threaten the head elder of the Valley of the Medicine Masters … you really want to die that bad?”
Before Yu Meiqin had arrived, Chen Dandan avoided provoking the young man, afraid that he would become enraged and kill her. Now that Yu Meiqin was here, she seemed to regain her courage.
“Head elder of the Valley of the Medicine Masters?”
Zhou Donghuang shook his head and chuckled, “Never mind the head elder of the valley … even if the lord of the valley were here today, he would have to kneel before me!”
“Insolence!”
“Insolence!”
…
As Zhou Donghuang spoke, Head Elder Yu Meiqin’s face flushed with outrage, along with those of all the elders gathered, and an angry commotion arose.
The Valley Lord of the Medicine Masters held the most esteemed position in the valley, as exalted as an emperor and not to be disrespected.
But now this arrogant young man before them dared to dishonor their lord.
How could they accept this?
“How dare you!”
“Such insolence!”
As the elders’ blood began to boil, two elderly voices came from the sky above, and a massive flying beast swooped down overhead, whipping up torrents of wind.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As the beast flew past, two figures leaped from its back. As they dropped through the sky, two brilliant bolts of green light appeared beneath their feet, gliding them to a soft landing.
They landed at Yu Meiqin’s side.
“Greetings Left Sentinel, Right Sentinel!”
“Greetings to both Sentinels!”
…
The surrounding elders’ previous glares towards Zhou Donghuang were replaced by reverent bows towards the two newcomers.
“I, Meiqin, welcome you two elder brothers,” the head elder of The Valley of the Medicine Masters paid her respects as well.
These two were both silver-haired and elderly, one heavyset and the other lean. The heavyset one had a youthful and chubby face that shown from within, just like Yu Meiqin.
The lean Sentinel instead had elderly features, looking close to a hundred years old.
In fact, the two were only a few years apart in age, both over ninety and the oldest in the valley.
In terms of seniority, they were both uncles to the Valley Lord, Su Mo.
The husky old man was the Left Sentinel, Wang Tao.
The slim old man was the Right Sentinel, Yu Wei.
Both were mid-level Connate adepts, and were infinitely close to becoming late-stage, meaning they could enter late-stage at any moment, or never at all.
In terms of strength, they were second only to the Su Mo and even more powerful than Yu Meiqin!
“Even the Left and Right Sentinels are here?”
“Head Elder, both the Left and Right Sentinels have arrived. Now we have all our Valley of the Medicine Masters mid-level and above Connates. I think we are only missing the Valley Lord and Third Elder, correct?
“Third Elder is traveling and definitely won’t be coming. We are still missing the Valley Lord.”
“Both Sentinels are here. Even if the Valley Lord doesn’t come, this young man is going down!”
…
The gathered elders, without exception, were certain that this was the end for the young man.
“Zhou Donghuang, these two are our Sentinels. You dare to dishonor our Valley Lord in front of our Valley Elder and Sentinels. I suggest that you kneel and beg for mercy!” Seeing the arrival of the two Sentinels, Chen Dandan’s fortitude rose even more. She stared coldly at Zhou Donghuang, taunting him.
