Everything was proceeding methodically according to Jiang Chen's plan.
Two days later, Wei Jie came to invite Jiang Chen once again.
"Brother Jiang, Wei Tiantong has indeed submitted a request to convene a clan meeting — this afternoon. My father would like you to be there to lend your support. We can also discuss matters regarding the shop."
Jiang Chen knew this would likely be the final confrontation between Wei Tianxiao and Wei Tiantong.
It was not something he wanted to miss. Though Wei Tianxiao already held the advantage, Jiang Chen felt uneasy about not seeing it through in person.
Wei Tiantong alone might not stir up much trouble, but the sinister alchemist at his side was something Jiang Chen had to guard against.
From the way Wei Tiantong was acting, he had probably already pledged allegiance to the Royal Court Clan in secret — though Jiang Chen didn't know the full picture behind the Royal Court Clan.
Still, having been the son of the Heavenly Emperor in his previous life, Jiang Chen had seen more than his share of high-level power struggles.
A ninth-grade clan like the Wei family, which counted as a prominent force in Glazed Royal City, would be committing a grave taboo by rashly switching allegiances.
If Jiang Chen hadn't been involved, he wouldn't have cared.
But now that he was tied to the Wei family, he absolutely could not let that happen. Moreover, if Wei Tiantong took control of the Wei clan, his partnership with them would amount to nothing.
"Brother Jiang, have you settled on a name for your pill shop?"
"Taiyuan Pavilion." Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
The name Taiyuan was the title of his father, the Heavenly Emperor, in his past life. It was the first name that came to mind.
Though he had no idea whether the Taiyuan Realm of Myriad Heavens from his previous life had any connection to this Divine Abyss Continent, naming a pill shop "Taiyuan Pavilion" was harmless enough.
Wei Jie savored the name for a moment and exclaimed, "What a fine name!"
Jiang Chen chuckled, then recalled something and added, "Brother Wei, from now on, call me Brother Zhen. We should keep our story straight. From this point on, in Glazed Royal City, my name is Zhen Shi."
Wei Jie was taken aback, but quickly realized it made sense — consistency in how they addressed each other was better. If he accidentally slipped up one day, it could cause real trouble.
Jiang Chen and Wei Jie headed out without bringing Huang'er along.
Jiang Chen didn't want to drag Huang'er into the Wei family's affairs.
"Take care on your way, Young Master Jiang." As they were about to leave, Huang'er offered her concern.
Their eyes met, and in that moment their hearts were in perfect accord. They exchanged a knowing smile.
…
Inside the Wei family estate, Wei Jie brought Jiang Chen to pay an early visit to Wei Tianxiao. They also met Wei Tianxiao's uncle, Wei Zhi.
Wei Zhi was one of the Wei clan's Four Elders, and he was Wei Tianxiao's trusted confidant — the only one among the four clan elders who was unwaveringly loyal to Wei Tianxiao.
Through Wei Jie's introduction, Jiang Chen also made this elder's acquaintance — an old man whose eyes brimmed with wisdom.
"Father, Grand Uncle, it seems Wei Tiantong has called this clan meeting because he's ready to show his hand and force a showdown, hasn't he?" Wei Jie broached the subject.
Wei Tianxiao nodded slightly, casting an appreciative gaze at Wei Jie and Jiang Chen. "Jie'er, this time I have you and Alchemist Zhen to thank. Otherwise, I might well have been caught off guard. Now that we have Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng backing us, the outcome is all but decided."
"Clan Leader, can we truly be certain about Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng?" Wei Zhi was still somewhat uneasy.
Wei Tianxiao glanced at Wei Jie and smiled. "Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng are not the type to make idle promises. Since they've given their word, they won't go back on it."
As he spoke, Wei Tianxiao turned to Jiang Chen. "Alchemist Zhen, you're no outsider here. What's your assessment of Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng?"
"The two elders shouldn't waver. Wei Tiantong himself is hardly a concern. But that alchemist at his side — I'm worried he might pull some trick. If that man makes a move, the situation could shift again. You must be on your guard, Clan Leader."
Wei Tianxiao's expression turned grave. His greatest worry was exactly what Jiang Chen had said — that the sinister alchemist would pull something.
What the Wei clan lacked was a Pill King to stand guard, which made every step they took feel like a struggle and made it difficult to carry out many of their plans.
But Wei Tianxiao's gaze immediately settled on Jiang Chen's face, tinged with expectation. "Alchemist Zhen must already have some countermeasure in mind?"
Jiang Chen smiled calmly and produced a small pill bottle. "Young Master Wei mentioned that today we'd discuss our partnership, so I brought some pills along. These are pills I've refined, called Half-Step Lingzhi Immortal Pills. They're a supreme antidote against poison."
"Half-Step Lingzhi Immortal Pill?" Wei Zhi's eyebrows shot up. "I've heard of the Lingzhi Immortal Pill — it's indeed a supreme antidote. But what does 'half-step' mean?"
Wei Tianxiao also watched Jiang Chen with keen interest, clearly intrigued.
Jiang Chen met their gazes without flinching and smiled with composure. "The so-called Half-Step Lingzhi Immortal Pill naturally surpasses the traditional Lingzhi Immortal Pill by a significant margin. An ordinary Lingzhi Immortal Pill must be taken at least an hour in advance to take effect. But my Half-Step Lingzhi Immortal Pill — if you take it just half a step before being poisoned, it takes effect immediately. That's what makes it a 'half-step' pill."
"You mean it takes effect the moment you swallow it?" Wei Zhi's eyes sharpened.
"You could say that." Jiang Chen was supremely confident.
"What about its detoxifying potency? How long does the protection last?" Wei Zhi pressed further.