There was no denying that Ouyang De held a lofty position in the Herbal Hall, and at a time like this, he was rather pulling rank based on his seniority.
Of course, his so-called investigation, conducted under Elder Yun Nie's supervision, naturally turned up nothing. After all, both Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi had earned their victory through genuine ability — there was no cheating involved whatsoever.
All Ouyang De accomplished with his antics was to make a fool of himself. That was the only result he could expect.
He inspected things several times over, and in the end, he had absolutely nothing to show for it.
Just then, Palace Master Dan Chi arrived, having heard that the competition in the alchemy arena had concluded. He had come to verify the final results.
After conducting his own examination, Palace Master Dan Chi confirmed that the competition had been conducted without any irregularities, and once again announced the ownership of the caves.
Mu Gaoqi could no longer contain himself. Tears of joy streamed down his face as he jumped up and down like a child.
Ouyang Chao's expression was grim, his heart bleeding — but he held his tongue. He wanted to maintain at least a semblance of the dignity expected of someone in his position.
Ling Hui'er, on the other hand, appeared thoughtful. She blinked her large eyes, staring at Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi as though her mind were filled with fog and questions. Her ample chest rose and fell slightly, undulating with a captivating grace.
"Jiang Chen, Mu Gaoqi — on behalf of the Dan Qian Palace, I congratulate you both first," Palace Master Dan Chi said with a smile, presenting each of them a token exclusive to the Supreme Caves.
As he handed over the tokens, his smile faded and his tone turned stern. "The two of you must remember this: Supreme Caves are meant for supreme individuals. You will live in these caves and enjoy extraordinary privileges, but you must also remember that the responsibilities on your shoulders will be greater than everyone else's. From now on, every word you speak and every action you take will represent the young generation of the Dan Qian Palace — and more than that, it will represent the face of the Dan Qian Palace to the outside world."
Those who occupied high positions inevitably had to shoulder greater responsibilities.
Jiang Chen accepted the token. "I will heed the Palace Master's words. Jiang Chen will keep them firmly in mind."
Mu Gaoqi, completely flustered, nodded repeatedly. "I've remembered, I've remembered. I absolutely won't disgrace the Dan Qian Palace."
At the end of the day, Mu Gaoqi was still a commoner at heart. He lacked Jiang Chen's composure and did not possess Jiang Chen's breadth of experience.
In a setting like this, it was impossible for him not to be nervous.
The surrounding elders all burst into laughter, clearly finding Mu Gaoqi's awkward performance both amusing and, to some extent, rather contemptible. Having such an unsophisticated country bumpkin move into the Supreme Zone was quite the oddity.
Although no one fully understood why Mu Gaoqi had made such a spectacular rise, his behavior still earned him a fair amount of prejudice.
Ouyang De was especially dismissive, his gaze a mixture of hostility and disdain.
But then Elder Yun Nie suddenly spoke up with a smile: "Mu Gaoqi, I am the master of the Herbal Hall, and yet I failed to notice this hidden gem in my midst, letting you only now step into the spotlight. I wish to make amends — I would like to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing?"
Up to this point, Elder Yun Nie had only a group of followers, and no direct disciple.
No one had expected him to personally offer to take Mu Gaoqi as his disciple. In an instant, all the young people present looked at Mu Gaoqi with envy in their eyes.
Elder Yun Nie was one of the top five most powerful figures in the Dan Qian Palace. He presided over the Herbal Hall and wielded tremendous influence. His lineage had virtually no heirs, and now he wanted to adopt Mu Gaoqi?
If Mu Gaoqi could become Elder Yun Nie's disciple in one leap, it would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate — his status would skyrocket overnight, and he would become one of the hottest young figures in the entire palace.
If he became Elder Yun Nie's direct disciple, who would dare mock his unorthodox background? Who would still call him a country bumpkin unworthy of standing on the main stage?
Mu Gaoqi was so overwhelmed with excitement that he couldn't form words.
Jiang Chen quickly transmitted a voice message: "Gaoqi, this is a rare opportunity — what are you hesitating for?"
Mu Gaoqi's brain had nearly short-circuited. Only after Jiang Chen's reminder did he snap back to reality. He hurriedly stepped forward and performed the formal rites of a disciple.
"I'm willing, I'm willing — a thousand times, ten thousand times willing!" Mu Gaoqi's voice trembled with emotion, on the verge of tears. Over the years, he had endured countless cold stares, suffered all manner of injustices, swallowed his pride time and again, scraped by in the cracks, greeted oppression with a forced smile, and complied with exploitation without a word of protest…
All of that humiliation — from this day forward — would become a thing of the past!
Elder Yun Nie chuckled. "Good. At last, I have a direct disciple. Mu Gaoqi, you are quite remarkable. At the level of a core disciple, it is exceedingly rare to find a young person who still maintains such a pure and innocent heart. The hardships you have endured will undoubtedly become your greatest wealth in the years to come."
Mu Gaoqi could only nod, his eyes red with emotion, his face flush with excitement.
Jiang Chen smiled as well. "Congratulations to Elder Yun Nie on finding such an excellent disciple. An Innate Wood Spirit Body — that truly is an extraordinary rarity."
"What?!"
Elder Yun Nie was startled, and Palace Master Dan Chi was equally astonished. An Innate Body?
Jiang Chen had said this deliberately, in a casual tone, precisely because he wanted to raise Mu Gaoqi's profile and put an end to the dismissive attitudes certain people held.
Particularly the attitude of skepticism represented by Ouyang De — it had rubbed Jiang Chen the wrong way.
All this talk about "outsider monks" and "unorthodox paths" — Ouyang De might hold a high position, but Jiang Chen was no pushover. He was not the type to sit there and take it without striking back.
Those words were, in effect, a counterattack against Ouyang De.
But the impact of his remark was like a thunderclap on a clear day, sending a ringing shockwave through everyone's ears.
Innate Wood Spirit Body?
An Innate Body was already exceedingly rare. An Innate Wood Spirit Body was even rarer still — because an Innate Wood Spirit Body essentially guaranteed that its bearer would become a future grandmaster of alchemy.