btth: receive your own sucide note

  Day and night passed, and Chen Guan waited for a long time until Xuan Kongzi and the other two returned at night. From a distance

  , he could hear Xuan Kongzi's disgruntled complaints. "This old freak Hou is so arrogant! Not only did I waste so much time waiting for him, but he even had the nerve to mock me. If it weren't for the Danta matter, I'd have a ninth-grade treasure pill in my hand. This really infuriates me."

  "Okay, his words are unpleasant, but we can't make the same rapid progress in alchemy as those who stay here all day researching."

  "I was just angry..."

  As the three chatted, they landed in front of the hut. Chen Guan, who had been waiting for a long time, nodded slightly in greeting.

  But Xuan Kongzi, still furious, grabbed Chen Guan and issued a death order.

  "Chen boy, I know you learned a trick from Yao Chen. You must win this time. Use all your skills!"

  "Disciple, I will give it my all!"

  Chen Guan quickly promised. This time, his opponent was a leader of the older generation, and he had no room for reservations.

  After receiving the assurance, Xuan Kongzi finally relaxed and slowly returned to his usual demeanor.

  "Okay, let's get down to business. I have good news and bad news."

  "The good news is that after our efforts, the two elders who had a grudge against Soul Palace have clearly expressed their intention to side with us. You only need to make your stance on Soul Palace clear."

  "The bad news is, I've inquired with a few old friends, and Old Monster Hou's current level is probably even greater than we anticipated. He's already successfully refined an eighth-grade elixir containing eight-colored pill thunder. In other words, he's reached the same level as you did at the Alchemy Conference nearly twenty years ago—no, to be more precise, eighteen years ago."

  Xuan Kongzi's expression grew serious as he mentioned the business.

  Putting aside the other party's character, he was indeed a formidable opponent that even he had to admit.

  Chen Guan nodded slightly, noting that this was not far off from what the old man had said earlier.

  "That's all the basic information. Anything else you need to ask? Or should I prepare more?"

  "No, teacher. Let's get this settled soon. Otherwise, I'll always feel like there's a sword hanging over my head."

  "Okay, those old guys mean the same thing. Let's get going!"

  Xuan Kongzi nodded in agreement and said no more. After all, to them, one more night or one less wouldn't make much difference.

  ...

  "Up ahead is Danta Mountain, where the Great Elders' Council is located. Normally, it's deserted, with only a few old men buried in their alchemy studies. Tonight, because you and Old Monster Hou are vying for the tenth seat in the Great Elders' Council, it's a bit more crowded. Many old men have come to watch the fun."

  Walking through the night, Xuan Kongzi pointed to a nearby peak and introduced it.

  The extremely straightforward name gave it a somewhat ethereal air. Looking down from above, the summit was remarkably flat, a natural plaza, as if a peak had been cut in half.

  Thick fog enveloped the square, its thick, cotton-like clouds making it tempting to walk on it.

  As the four of them drew closer, they could see a number of figures scattered across the square. Some had been seen during the day, while others were complete strangers. Most of them were white-haired and frail, appearing extremely old.

  "This square tonight is home to at least half of the continent's eighth-grade and above alchemy masters. Any one of them would be highly sought after. For a sect to possess an alchemist of this caliber, the benefits would be immense. Old Monster Hou is a formidable figure even among them. Don't worry too much! Even if you lose and don't have the Little Danta's support, we'll let you practice freely here. With your talent, it won't be easy for the Soul Palace to target you again in twenty years at most."

  As Chen Guan surveyed Danta Mountain, Xuan Yi, walking to his right, whispered.

  Her words were quite unexpected, a touch overly caring.

  "I understand. Thank you, Master."

  Chen Guan responded earnestly, his resolve unwavering.

  After all, he was no longer alone. Failure was unacceptable, both for himself and for those around him!

  The distance of several hundred meters was short. Led by Xuan Kongzi, the four of them arrived at the square in a few short strides.

  Already aware of the purpose of their gathering tonight, the moment they stepped onto the square, many eyes suddenly focused on them. More precisely, they were all scrutinizing Chen Guan, who was trailing behind Xuan Kongzi.

  As the four of them advanced, Xuan Kongzi and the other two cheerfully greeted familiar faces. Chen Guan took the opportunity to scrutinize the alchemists, who stood almost at the pinnacle of the pyramid. The

  most striking sight was the elderly man in linen clothes seated at the very top. His white hair was white, and he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. He betrayed no aura, appearing powerless, yet like a bright moon in the sky, he commanded everyone's attention.

  The Grand Elder of the Grand Elders' Council!

  A true Dou Sheng!

  Speculating on the other person's identity, Chen Guan averted his gaze and quickly spotted a familiar figure in the crowd, gazing at him with a smile.

  It was none other than the old man he had seen at dusk. Sure enough, the old man was here too!

  Just as he was thinking, he saw the old man emerge from the crowd and walk directly in front of the four men.

  "Haha, I knew it! With your personality, Xuan Kongzi, you'd be eager to return. But alchemy isn't just a game. I've seen your disciple, and he's a formidable talent among the younger generation, but you're still a little immature to challenge me so early in the year."

  "Hmph, what's the point of talking? Show me the real deal. If you lose, you'll still have the nerve to show off in front of me."

  Xuan Kongzi glanced sideways, eagerly anticipating that scene.

  Listening to the exchange, Chen Guan was slightly surprised. Was this old man the old monster Hou?

  It was unexpected, yet also seemingly reasonable.

  No wonder he'd gone out of his way to confront him.

  Just as Xuan Kongzi and Hou Laoguai were arguing with each other and the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, the old man in hemp clothes at the top finally opened his eyes.   

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  A small gesture, yet it seemed to possess an immense magnetism, drawing the gazes of everyone present.

  "This is the Grand Elder of the Little Dan Pagoda. Besides the Old Ancestor, he is the most senior figure in the Little Dan Pagoda. Even we, the younger generation, must show respect as juniors. The Grand Elder is not only a master of alchemy, but also possesses the power of a two-star Dou Sheng. Only those outside of our Dan Pagoda, such as Yao Chen, who have a close relationship with us, know anything about him."

  Beside Chen Guan, Xuan Yi introduced him respectfully through voice transmission.

  This is the true essence of the Dan Pagoda!

  Even the Dan Pagoda revealed to the outside world is incredibly renowned, rivaling the Soul Palace.

  With the support of such a powerful figure, as long as the Soul Palace Master remains, everything is virtually guaranteed to be safe.

  As Chen Guan pondered this, the Grand Elder's eyes, as deep as the starry sky, turned to Chen Guan. A flicker of emotion flashed across them, clearly noticing something special about Chen Guan.

  "Such a powerful spiritual pressure!"

  Chen Guan frowned as the Great Elder glanced over. He could sense an invisible force pressing down on him from all around him, a pressure that was imperceptible to others, but only he, the one directly involved, could clearly sense.

  Fortunately, Chen Guan's mental strength had always been his strongest point. While the Great Elder's spiritual pressure weighed on him, it didn't cause him any real harm. Consequently, his expression remained unchanged.

  Noticing Chen Guan's impassive expression, the Great Elder's jaw twitched imperceptibly, and he averted his gaze. His old, calm voice echoed in the ears of everyone present.

  "According to the rules of the Small Dan Pagoda, the election for the seat of the Grand Elders was supposed to begin two years from now. However, things came to a head, and for some reason, we have decided to move it forward after a vote."

  "This is not the first time anyone here has experienced the selection for the seat of the Grand Elders. I won't elaborate on the rules. The medicinal herbs from the mountain are available to the refiners. Whoever refines the highest-grade elixir will be the winner."

  "If you have no questions, those interested in and qualified to participate, please step forward."

  Despite his age, the Grand Elder was decisive and efficient. He pointed to the square ahead and announced the start, unconcerned with trivial details like whether it was day or night.

  "Yes!"

  Upon hearing the Grand Elder's announcement, Old Monster Hou was the first to step out and walk to the center of the square.

  Some of the elders looked helpless, shaking their heads in disbelief.

  Originally, they had been preparing to try their luck.

  But after learning about the past performances of Hou Laoguai and Chen Guan, he wisely gave up. If they

  couldn't even refine the eighth-grade elixir of Eight-Colored Pill Thunder, there was no point in going up there to serve as a foil.

  They weren't young, driven individuals; the need to show off was long gone. Rather than going up there and expending effort only to end up as a foil, it would be more comfortable to just watch the show.

  "Teacher, two senior brothers, I'm going too."

  "Go ahead, show this old man what a rising star is!" Xuan Kongzi patted Chen Guan's shoulder vigorously, clearly wanting him to win the election.

  Chen Guan nodded slightly, and under the gaze of interested eyes, he slowly walked to stand about a meter or two away from Hou Laoguai.

  "This young man is called Chen Guan. He's Xuan Kongzi's newest disciple and the recent champion of the Alchemy Contest, making him eligible to run for the election. Let's not hide the fact that he was essentially responsible for bringing the election forward. On his way back to Zhongzhou from the northwest, he single-handedly annihilated four Celestial Sovereigns from the Soul Palace. Regardless of how many people he recruited or what methods he employed, this feat is truly incredible. Even though I, an old man, have no desire to argue, I have to admit he's truly exceptional!"

  The Great Elder glanced around the room, introducing Chen Guan with a touch of admiration.

  Chen Guan understood and appreciated the advice, but he remained reluctant to engage in a dispute for his own sake. This sentiment was quite frustrating.

  Perhaps this was also the sentiment shared by the other elders.

  They were accustomed to a peaceful, uncontested existence and didn't want to disrupt it.

  "Hiss, four Celestial Lords!"

  "It seems Xuankongzi has found a fine disciple. No wonder he's so beaming all day long."

  "Great potential."

  "He's also quite bold."

  As the Great Elder finished his words, a flurry of murmurs erupted in the square. Some eyes lit up, others frowned.

  Clearly, these experienced individuals had already grasped the true purpose of this early election for the Great Elders' Council seat, which would largely determine the future direction of Danta.

  Without giving them time to continue their discussion, seeing no one else appeared, the Great Elder spoke again slowly.

  "If you're all ready, then let's begin."

  With that, the Great Elder waved his sleeves, and a gust of air struck the massive bronze bell atop the Great Elders' Council, emitting a resounding sound.

  "Dang!"

  The tense atmosphere was suddenly filled with the resounding sound of metal, followed by the muffled thud of two heavy medicine cauldrons falling to the ground. Chen Guan and Old Monster Hou jointly retrieved the cauldrons.

  "Fire!"

  (End of Chapter)