Chapter 9: Patriarch Selection Meeting
Today, Chen Xiang did not go to accelerate the growth of the spirit herbs. Early in the morning, he instead went to huge field located in the middle of the Chen family villa, because today was the day to finalize the position of the new patriarch. The Chen family patriarch position had been empty for three months, causing the Chen family to be somewhat chaotic.
The huge field of the Chen family villa was covered with bricks, and many important children of the whole Chen family were standing there, which roughly amounted to three hundred of the Chen family’s elite juniors.
Everyone from Chen family encircled the field, and a large area in the middle was left empty, where five middle-aged men stood, of which one was Chen Tianhu.
Chen Xiang was also present among the crowds, watching everything with joy, and was ready to jump in anytime to help his father compete for the patriarch position.
One middle-aged man with thick eyebrow, big eyes, grey hair, said while sneering, “Chen Tianhu, you know we have one very important condition for the Chen family patriarch position.”
The middle-aged fellow’s name was Chen Haohai, and he was a branch commander of the Chen family. He was also older than Chen Tianhu and was at the 7th level of the Mortal Martial Realm. This branch of the Chen family was also quite strong, so he thought he had the qualifications to become the Chen family patriarch. In seniority, Chen Xiang needed to call him uncle.
Chen Tianhu’s eyes, which were filled with rage, stared at Chen Haohai and he coldly said, “Of course I know, relatives of the patriarch should have good potential, in order to avoid misappropriation of public resources to waste on their family members.”
Chen Xiang’s mother had already passed away, and since Chen Xiang was sensible he never asked about how she passed away, so Chen Tianhu was the only close relative of Chen Xiang.
“Ha-ha….but your son doesn’t have any Spiritual Veins, so if you get the patriarch position, you will certainly spend lot of valuable pills on him! Everybody knows all these years you have purchased many spirit herbs and pills and used it on him. Are you not going to help your son again?” Chen Haohai while laughing said, “Everyone knows he is a waste who can never advance!”
Chen Tianhu naturally knew that his son was a genius among his peers, but he just wanted to hide his strength and not expose it, otherwise it would lead to trouble.
“My son can release True Qi fire! He has the potential to become alchemist, who says he is useless? The Chen family elders will probably have other opinions.” Chen Tianhu said while sneering.
At this time everyone started discussing. Chen Xiang refusing the offer to become Spirit Dan Hall’s master’s apprentice was already spread all over in Wohu city. Although Chen Xiang did not have a Spiritual Vein, but he can still release True Qi flame so he has the opportunity to become an alchemist.
Chen Haohai snorted and said in a cold manner, “But he refused to become Spirit Dan Hall’s master’s apprentice. He doesn’t even have a teacher so he will have a hard time becoming an alchemist.”
At this point, Chen Xiang calm and steady voice was heard by everybody, “I am now able to refine the low-grade Mortal Level ‘Quenching Body Dan’.”
Hearing Chen Xiang words, everyone stared blankly, and Chen Haohai started laughing: “Huang Kou Xiao Er, you’re only sixteen years old and can already refine a pill? Do not think lying will provide any help to your father in competing for the position of the patriarch. Also, lying before an elder can lead to you having some severe punishments.”
[TLN: Huang kou xiao er is a Chinese proverb I couldn’t find any similar proverb in English, it is used to ridicule someone younger of age, if you can think of something please comment.]
“You think you’re the Yao family genius? People of the Yao family belong to one of the pill making aristocratic families! They have vigorous heritage.”
Chen Xiang walked from inside the crowd, and with a steady gaze and calm complexion, he put forward an alchemy furnace, looked at the sneering Chen Haohai, and said, “Do you dare to bet with me? I can refine the ‘Quenching Body Dan’ in one try. If I succeed how about you kowtow to apologize to me in front of everyone?”
Chen Haohai started laughing again, and everyone else became stunned, they did not even think that Chen Xiang could be this presumptuous in front of an elder!
Chen Haohai became angry because of Chen Xiang’s attitude. Not only was Chen Xiang much younger than him and he was also defying him in front of everybody.
Chen Tianhu fully supported his son’s actions, and at this moment he felt proud with his son’s response.
Chen Haohai’s face was full of anger, and he heavily said, “What did you say!” In between conversation, True Qi rushed toward Chen Xiang, but it was actually dispersed by Chen Tianhu.
Chen Xiang’s both eyes stared at Chen Haohai, and enhancing his sound he said, “I want you to bet with me if I could refine ‘Quenching Body Dan’ in one attempt, and if I am successful than you will kowtow in front of everyone and apologize to me!”
Chen Xiang repeated it with a serious face making sure that nobody thought of it as a joke, moreover his expression was also full of the arrogance. Can a teenager face an elder like this, not many within the Chen family would even dare to think of doing something like this.
Chen Haohai was trembling with anger, because he saw Chen Xiang ask with a serious look, and he did not dare to comply immediately, but everybody around was waiting for an answer.
Chen Xiang was watching Chen Haohai intently, while continuing, “You slander me in public by declaring me as a useless waste, and now I want to prove myself, while simultaneously making you apologize to me! As a senior you’re still refusing to bet with me?”
Chen Haohai wanted to beat the crap out of this little brat, but he actually did not dare. After all, killing a child of the Chen family was a very serious matter.
An old man said, “Since it is like that, Chen Haohai you bet with him, but a kowtow apology is exempted, after all, it was simply some angry words of a little brat. If he can refine a pill in a single attempt, Chen Haohai you must give appropriate compensation.”
“I agree, if my son losses, I will not fight for the patriarch position!” Chen Tianhu said, then nodded his head towards Chen Xiang.
Chen Tianhu’s words cause an uproar!
Chen Haohai while snorting said, “Ok I will bet, if I lose, than I will give him my one thousand year old Blood Spirit Grass.”
One thousand year old Blood Spirit Grass! Everyone together shouted in a low voice. How could they not be surprised, the Blood Spirit Grass grown for a thousand years was a very expensive and profound level low-grade spirit herb.
“Chen Xiang, if you start the alchemy now about how long will you need?” That old man asked, He was a Chen family elder and carried a certain prestige.
According to everyone’s understanding, refining a Mortal Level low-grade pill will at least take half a day, and the fastest it will take is two or three hours, but it was now being refined by a sixteen year old teenager.
“Quickly, we do not need to delay much time!” In between conversation, Chen Xiang sat down cross-legged, and that elder and Chen Haohai came to check the alchemy furnace, to prevent Chen Xiang from cheating.
“Inferior alchemy furnace, it seems Chen Tianhu, that you are very poor!” Chen Haohai started sneering, as everyone knew that all of Chen Tianhu’s money was spent on Chen Xiang.
Chen Xiang finished removing the herbs from his storage pouch, reorganized and inspected them. While pouring his warm True Qi flame inside the furnace, he put all the herbs inside, and his every move was very meticulous.
But that True Qi flame also made everyone slightly surprised. Although many people can release flames to attack but they could only do so through some martial skill and those flames can only be released for the purpose of attacking. In simple words they cannot control the flames as freely as Chen Xiang, and only if they practiced fire control type exercises could they do so, but these exercises were very rare and difficult to practice.
Chen Xiang continuously poured the flame inside the alchemy furnace, and at this time, from within the alchemy furnace, the smell of some herbal aroma leaked out.
One hour had past, and everyone saw with closed eyes that Chen Xiang’s eyebrows suddenly started twitching. Onlookers knew he was in the most crucial phase, and Chen Haohai who is also watching this starts sweating. He was worried that he would have to give up a one thousand year Blood Spirit Grass if he lost.
Everyone saw smoke drifting out from inside alchemy furnace, and at this time Chen Xiang also opened his eyes and with a happy expression stood up and said, “Please inspect it.”
“What? Completed in one hour?” Everyone’s expressions were full of questions.
That elder started to inspect first! Although he does not know much about alchemy, he was fully aware of the alchemic process, and he had been carefully watching Chen Xiang, knowing that Chen Xiang followed the basic steps of alchemy. Although he was not clear about the situation inside the alchemy furnace, he was able to sense the heat in the furnace constantly changing, and these changes were very subtle.
Opening the lid of furnace, everyone smelt the faint herbal aroma, and they were truly familiar with this aroma. Moreover they also witnessed the refining process, and when they saw the elder taking out five snow white pills, everyone could not help but exclaim.
