Father and son Wei had, for the time being, been reduced to supporting roles. Instead, Young Master Ji San and Jiang Chen had become the main characters.
Of Jiang Chen in particular, almost every guest who came by made a point of walking up to greet him and introduce themselves.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen had an excellent memory. Though the guests numbered a full one or two thousand, every person who approached had only to give their name and he could commit it to memory at once.
Having witnessed countless grand occasions in his previous life, Jiang Chen felt not the slightest stage fright in a setting like this—he handled it with effortless ease.
This scene left the Wei father and son secretly astonished.
They both knew Jiang Chen hailed from the modest Myriad Elephant Domain, a small backwater place. They had assumed he might show some awkwardness in such a prestigious gathering.
They had never expected him to handle it so flawlessly. Neither servile nor overbearing, he struck a balance that kept guests from feeling he was unapproachable, yet avoided giving the impression of being superficial or all show.
This kind of effortless social grace—knowing exactly when to press and when to hold back—was something even the Wei father and son would have found difficult to match.
For a time, the atmosphere was perfectly harmonious.
Several judge Pill Kings, together with Young Master Ji San, Jiang Chen, Wei Tianxiao, and a handful of other young clan scions, sat together in a group. Even the Wei father and son could do nothing more than attend from the sidelines.
During the banquet, Pill King Yu exchanged many insights on the Dao of Alchemy with Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen answered every question with ease, and their discussion flowed without the slightest strain on either side.
This spectacle left every alchemy powerhouse in the audience utterly astonished.
"Clan Head Wei, your clan has truly found a rare treasure this time," Pill King Yu said with a rueful smile. "Even I've developed a pang of admiration and am half-tempted to poach him."
The Wei father and son exchanged reserved smiles but offered no response.
It was Young Master Ji San who, emboldened by wine, laughed: "No, no, absolutely not. The Wei clan has been half-dead in the pill arts for years. Their luck's finally turning around—Pill King Yu, you absolutely cannot steal him away."
Pill King Yu chuckled: "If Young Master San says no, how would I dare make a move? Pill King Zhen, with your true ability, surely a second-rank Pill King title is far too modest?"
Jiang Chen smiled. "I've never particularly cared for these titles. My master taught me not to obsess over worldly vanity. I try not to care, though I admit I haven't fully let go. Otherwise, why would I still be rolling around in the mortal world? I should have long since found some remote corner to cultivate and pursue the Dao."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Pill King Yu sighed with admiration: "Your master must be a hermit of extraordinary caliber, or how could he have produced such a prodigious disciple?"
This so-called master was, of course, a fictional figure Jiang Chen had invented as a convenient shield. Hearing Pill King Yu's praise, he climbed right up along with it, nodding and sighing: "The pity is, he only taught me the alchemy arts for ten years. If I could have studied under him for a hundred—how wonderful that would have been!"
Ten years, and already this remarkable. A hundred years—no one dared even imagine.
The Pill King known for his eccentric alchemy school was an eighth-rank Pill King named Lü Fengzi, commonly called Pill King Lü Feng. At this moment he was scratching his ears and cheeks, his face brimming with eager hope: "Pill King Zhen, would it be possible to reach your master somehow?"
Jiang Chen asked with a smile: "Does Pill King Lü Feng have some question to ask?"
"I want to take him as my master too! Even three or five years would be enough. If three or five years isn't possible, three or five months would do!" Lü Fengzi was an absolute devotee of the eccentric alchemy school.
Ever since discovering that Jiang Chen represented the eccentric school, he had been practically squirming in his seat.
Everyone laughed again, but Lü Fengzi wore a perfectly serious expression, gazing at Jiang Chen with genuine anticipation. It was clear he was not merely making casual conversation.
Jiang Chen offered an apologetic smile: "Pill King Lü Feng, I haven't seen him myself for a very long time. Where he is now, I truly don't know."
Young Master Ji San suddenly asked: "Didn't he leave you any way to contact him?"
Seeing the eager look in Ji San's eyes, Jiang Chen couldn't help but laugh: "Young Master Ji San, surely you don't want to study under my master as well?"
Ji San grinned sheepishly: "With my meager alchemy talent, your master wouldn't spare me a second glance. Even if there were a queue, I'd never make it to the front."
He had pressed the question because he had never stopped thinking about the Pine Crane Pill. Jiang Chen had previously mentioned that his master knew how to refine one, and Ji San had been hung up on it ever since.
Jiang Chen noticed the curiosity in everyone's eyes and realized that this fabricated master of his had thoroughly captured their interest.
But at this point, even if it meant gritting his teeth, he had to keep the lie going.
"He did leave me a contact method, but I've never used it. He warned me not to reach out unless the situation was truly dire. Moreover, he told me I could only contact him once. If I used this chance, I could never seek him out again. So I've kept this method unused, not daring to use it. As long as I save it, at least I always have something to hold onto."
This explanation was so convincing that no one could find cause for doubt.
Lü Fengzi's shoulders slumped: "If that's how it is, then old Lü doesn't stand a chance, does he?"
Jiang Chen smiled and raised his cup: "The martial world is like the Heavenly Dao—it always leaves a thread of opportunity. Come, everyone—drink!"
All raised their cups.