Firmament Sword

Lu Xue looked at the utterly confused Xu Luo and said with a smile, "Why don't I explain it to you?"

Xu Luo nodded eagerly, completely bewildered and unable to guess what had just happened.

The other Elders also fell silent, their eyes on Lu Xue.

Lu Xue took a deep breath and began her story.

"The history of this ring can be traced back to a time before the founding of Celestial Brilliance... It dates back so far that even we wouldn't dare state its exact age without consulting the chronicles."

"Celestial Brilliance wasn't founded by one person, but four. One of them was the ancestor of our Medicine Garden, known as the Medicine King!"

"As one of the founders of Celestial Brilliance, the Medicine King Ancestor dedicated himself to the path of elixirs after the sect was established. The medical codex in your hands is filled with his annotations—more than anyone else's."

"Similarly, those three Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pills... he personally refined them! Back then, that batch of elixirs caused quite a stir..."

"Our ancestor was an incredible legend in Xi Hezhou... no, in the entire Divine Domain! The Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden he single-handedly established was a crucial pillar supporting the rise of Celestial Brilliance!"

"And this ring on your finger... is the very one the ancestor wore. Before he departed from this world, he left it behind, along with a message to be passed down through the generations."

"The Medicine King Ring serves as the token of office for every Chief Grand Elder of the Medicine Garden. Whoever can wear it is the new Medicine King!"

"But countless years have passed, and the Medicine Garden has seen many Chief Grand Elders, yet not a single one... has been able to wear this ring!"

"After all these years, we had even come to believe that no one would ever be able to wear it... But then you appeared... To be able to slip the ring on so easily—this is destiny!"

"Therefore, you are the successor designated by the Medicine King Ancestor himself, chosen across generations!"

Lu Xue looked at Xu Luo and murmured, "Although you have taken the Grand Elder as your master, in terms of status, you are now equal to the current Sect Leader! Because... you are the new Medicine King!"

"And according to the rules of Celestial Brilliance, the Medicine King... is equal in status to the Sect Leader!"

"From now on, when we see you, we must bow to you first... and only then do you bow to us!" Fourth Elder Yin Zhi said, smiling at Xu Luo.

"But I... I only know the basics of Alchemy and Medicine Making. I'm far too lacking... As a Medicine King, aren't I completely unworthy of the title?" Xu Luo said.

"HAHAHAHA! Did you know that back in his early days, the Medicine King Ancestor was also a formidable Martial Artist? His greatest pleasure in life was telling people, 'I am a Martial Artist, not a Pharmacist!'"

Yuwen Ji laughed heartily. "In fact, the Medicine King Ancestor's combat prowess was astonishingly brilliant, no weaker than his talent in Alchemy and Medicine Making. It might have even surpassed it!"

"The Ancestor had lofty ambitions. Though he departed long ago, he had a clear vision for the future. So many people couldn't wear it, but you can. This proves that the Medicine King Ancestor... definitely had foresight!" said Second Elder Thunderstorm.

"Yes, all these twists of fate... came together, and you appeared! When you think about it, if not for all these factors converging, you never would have been able to enter the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden!" Seventh Elder Zou Yuan lamented, having completely forgotten his earlier displeasure.

Someone truly dedicated to Alchemy and Medicine Making is, in the end... pure and simple at heart.

At that moment, Xu Luo suddenly recalled what Lu Xue had just said. He looked at Yuwen Ji. "Elder Lu Xue said my status will be equal to the Sect Leader's... Doesn't that mean?"

Yuwen Ji let out a laugh, nodded emphatically, and said, "Theoretically, yes!"

"That's great!" Xu Luo pumped his fist, his handsome face alight with excitement.

The others watched, completely baffled.

But Yuwen Ji and Lu Xue, who knew the truth, just smiled without saying a word.

Lu Xue murmured, 'Is the Ancestor's spirit watching over us? Is this a sign... that our Medicine Garden will rise again?'

...

...

"The Medicine King's chosen successor has appeared!"

"A new Medicine King has been born!"

"The young man who originally entered the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden through backdoor connections has been acknowledged by the Medicine King Ring!"

"This is unbelievable! Is it a conspiracy? Or a coincidence?"

Hundreds of thousands had witnessed this scene with their own eyes, and many among them knew the story of the Medicine King Ring. As a result, news of the event spread outwards with incredible speed.

It caused a massive uproar throughout all of Celestial Brilliance!

The first reaction of countless people upon hearing the news was: 'This is ridiculous!'

"This is impossible!"

"I heard there's an ancestral rule in Celestial Brilliance that the Medicine King and the Sect Leader... are equal in status! Doesn't that mean our sect is about to get another untouchable Great God?"

"This is absurd! An ancestral rule is one thing, but we have to be flexible. Otherwise, a newly-initiated disciple having equal status with the Sect Leader... Wouldn't that throw everything into chaos?"

"Exactly! We have to make our voices heard! We can't let the Medicine Garden act so recklessly!"

For a time, all sorts of discussions ran rampant.

Even many of the older generation figures in Celestial Brilliance were alarmed. Upon hearing the news, they were first stunned, then expressed their disbelief.

Although the Medicine King Ancestor was one of the founders of Celestial Brilliance, that was something from the Ancient Era. Too many years had passed.

The old loyalties from that time had mostly faded by now. Therefore... the vast majority of people regarded this matter with disdain and opposition.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. To let a young disciple who just joined have the same status as the Sect Leader is completely preposterous!" an old-timer from Celestial Brilliance declared publicly.

"Indeed. What the Medicine Garden has done... is far too reckless!"

"Heh, you've got to be kidding, right? A newly-initiated disciple... Fine, even if he's an Inner Sect Disciple, compared to the Sect Leader... their statuses are worlds apart! If he's really that presumptuous, I wonder if someone's going to stab him in the back..."

"If this is true, I will absolutely not acknowledge it!"

"I will never accept it!"

Many influential figures made their opinions known, clearly expressing their attitudes and stances almost immediately after hearing the news.

In short: they would absolutely not accept it.

Aside from the Medicine Garden itself, no one else stood on their side.

These people had to think of themselves. The Heavenly Brilliance Sect Master was high and mighty, like the blazing sun in the sky; he naturally commanded respect and awe.

But a Medicine Garden Disciple... Who does he think he is? If his status becomes equal to the Sect Leader's, what are we supposed to do?

On the other hand, they simply didn't dare to side with the Medicine Garden.

The Medicine Garden might have been glorious once, creating the golden age of Celestial Brilliance, but times had changed. Even though the Medicine Garden still held an important position, it had long since lost its former power and influence.

Offending the Heavenly Brilliance Sect Master for the sake of a new disciple from the Medicine Garden... only someone who'd had their head slammed in a door would do that.

What was strange, however, was that the Sect Leader's faction... including those close to him, had remained completely silent!

Had they not received the news?

That was impossible!

With the news spreading throughout all of Celestial Brilliance, how could the Sect Leader possibly not know?

"Perhaps... His Excellency the Sect Leader finds it difficult to speak on the matter, given the ancestral rule!"

"Exactly! In a situation like this, we should take the initiative to alleviate the Sect Leader's burden!"

"Let's submit a joint petition!"

"Yes, let's petition together... to abolish this rule!"

"It's an outdated rule! We must innovate!"

Many people, believing they had grasped the Sect Leader's intentions, began to make moves in private.

Some even went so far as to set their sights... directly on Xu Luo!

'Wouldn't it be better to make him say it himself—that he doesn't dare, isn't worthy, and is not qualified to be compared to the Sect Leader?'

...

...

As Xu Luo left the meeting room, his head was still spinning. He couldn't believe his luck could be this good, but a question lingered in his heart: 'Why is Master being so good to me? Is it just because of what he saw with the Heart Inference Skill?'

Otherwise, it was truly difficult to explain why Yuwen Ji would treat him so well.

Of the four gifts, even the most inconspicuous one—the Seal of Trust—turned out to be a spatial container, as Xu Luo later discovered.

The space inside couldn't compare to the Bronze Divine Hall World, of course, but it was countless times larger than his old Storage Ring.

The second gift, the Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pill... was truly heaven-defying. It was no exaggeration. As long as a single shred of flesh remained, it could bring someone back from the dead!

A thing like that... simply shouldn't exist in this world!

Xu Luo had just heard from Elder Lu Xue that on the day this elixir was successfully created, the entire Xi Hezhou was thrown into turmoil, with all sorts of incredible phenomena appearing in the sky.

Originally, there were eighteen elixirs in that batch. The moment they were formed, fifteen of them gained unimaginable spirituality. Unwilling to be consumed, they shot out of the Pill Furnace together, attempting to flee!

But a Thunder Tribulation instantly descended from the sky—the most powerful kind, a Ninefold Celestial Tribulation—and blasted those fifteen Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pills to dust!

The remaining three elixirs... were actually even more spiritual. Seeing what happened, they didn't dare try to escape!

The Medicine King Ancestor immediately used a powerful technique to seal them with a Secret Skill!

And they remained sealed to this day!

Learning about the elixir's past, Xu Luo was filled with awe, and the gratitude he felt for Yuwen Ji was beyond words.

Although they were now master and disciple, their relationship was... still new. For Yuwen Ji to give so much to him, regardless of his motives, was enough to move Xu Luo deeply.

The third gift was just as incredible. It was a manuscript personally written by the Medicine King Ancestor after he had attained the Dao. Every single character contained an unimaginable, infinite Dao rhythm and was profoundly mysterious!

At Xu Luo's current level, he was now able to begin comprehending it.

'This is a true treasure, yet Master gave it to me...'

Xu Luo sighed softly. Looking at the Medicine King Ring on his finger, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, 'Could it be that the Medicine King Ancestor and I... are truly connected by fate?'

Lost in thought, Xu Luo made his way back to his residence.

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