Chapter 383: Elder’s Marriage Promise

Chapter 383: Chapter 383: Elder’s Marriage Promise

As the Alchemy Dao Arena vanished, the crowd below erupted in an uproar.

With the visual obstructions like walls and barriers gone, what appeared before everyone were the nine initial paths and, standing at the end of one, Yi Xiaoyao.

"It’s him! He’s the one who won the Alchemy Dao inheritance!"

"And behind him is a path of blood!"

Everyone stared in awe at Yi Xiaoyao and the bloody path behind him, their voices buzzing with discussion.

No one could have imagined that the final inheritance of the Alchemy Dao Assembly would be obtained by Yi Xiaoyao.

After all, Di Heng had openly threatened to kill Yi Xiaoyao from the very beginning. Moreover, this Alchemy Dao Assembly also tested combat prowess, and Yi Xiaoyao’s Cultivation was only at the Void-Entering Second Realm. In everyone’s eyes, it should have been impossible for him to reach the end; in fact, he was as good as dead.

In the crowd, Di Shen’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Yi Xiaoyao. ’Why didn’t Father kill this guy?’ he wondered in shock. ’How could he let this bastard take first place?’

A moment later, Di Shen collapsed to the ground in despair. He could see Di Heng’s body, dismembered and scattered, lying at the first intersection on Yi Xiaoyao’s bloody path.

Amid the clamor from below, the presiding elder from the Holy Pill Academy appeared and announced the winner of the inheritance: Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao, however, simply gave the crowd a cool glance, and with a flicker of his body, he departed.

...

After returning to his residence, Yi Xiaoyao opened the Inheritance Jade Slip and began to study it.

Inside the Jade Slip was indeed the Alchemy Dao inheritance of the Red Butterfly Saint Witch, which even included the method for refining Seven-Pattern Elixirs.

A faint smile touched Yi Xiaoyao’s lips. ’This alone is probably enough to drive countless Alchemists mad,’ he thought.

However, the method was profound and difficult to understand. Yi Xiaoyao immersed himself in it, and after an unknown amount of time, a somewhat familiar voice came from outside his door.

Hearing the voice, Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes flickered. The person outside was none other than Yi Lu.

Given what had happened in front of the Inheritance Hall, Yi Xiaoyao normally wouldn’t have bothered with her at all.

Yi Lu stood outside, feeling very anxious. ’I’ve probably made this trip for nothing,’ she thought.

But just then, Yi Xiaoyao’s cool voice came from inside.

"What is it?"

A look of delight crossed Yi Lu’s face, and she quickly said, "I, Yi Lu, have come specifically to apologize to you, Young Master. Besides that, my grandfather would also like to meet you."

Inside, the corner of Yi Xiaoyao’s mouth curved slightly. He was well aware that Yi Lu’s grandfather was the Grand Elder of the Holy Pill Academy. ’It seems the Red Butterfly Saint Witch was right,’ he mused.

"Since the Grand Elder has summoned me, I have no reason to refuse."

As he spoke, Yi Xiaoyao rose, opened the door, and glanced at Yi Lu. "Lead the way."

The expression on Yi Lu’s face grew even more complicated. Within the Holy Pill Academy, who didn’t treat her with respect and flattery? Yet Yi Xiaoyao ordered her around like a servant girl.

The two then walked in silence until they reached the Elder Hall.

As soon as Yi Xiaoyao stepped into the hall, he saw four elders seated on either side, with the Grand Elder on the main seat in the center.

The Holy Pill Academy had many elders, but most were merely equivalent to high-ranking Honored Guest Elders with little real power.

The nine elders before him, however, were the true elders of the Holy Pill Academy, and now they were all gathered here.

Seeing this, Yi Xiaoyao understood everything as clearly as if looking into a mirror. He knew exactly what was about to happen.

"You’re the one who won the inheritance? Yi Xiaoyao?"

The Grand Elder asked, looking at Yi Xiaoyao standing there.

"I wonder why the Elder has summoned me?" Yi Xiaoyao asked, feigning ignorance.

The Grand Elder put on a benevolent smile, looking from Yi Xiaoyao to Yi Lu beside him, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Yi Xiaoyao, this old man greatly admires your performance today. Seeing that you and my granddaughter, Yi Lu, are quite a good match, I have decided to take the liberty of betrothing Yi Lu to you. What do you say?" the Grand Elder said with a chuckle.

The other elders smiled and nodded, their eyes fixed on Yi Xiaoyao. Far too many talented young men wanted to marry Yi Lu; they were certain Yi Xiaoyao would accept without a moment’s hesitation.

Yi Lu, for her part, pressed her lips together and lowered her head, saying nothing.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Grand Elder, but I’m afraid I have no interest in Miss Yi Lu."

The moment Yi Xiaoyao said this, Yi Lu snapped her head up in astonishment.

Over the years, so many suitors had come to propose that they had practically worn down her doorstep. It had always been her rejecting others, but today, she was being rejected by Yi Xiaoyao—and so decisively at that.

Hearing this, the Grand Elder’s benevolent expression froze, and his old face gradually fell.

"Hmph! Yi Xiaoyao, the Grand Elder personally offered you this marriage, and yet you are so ungrateful!"

"Besides, Yi Lu is the Grand Elder’s most beloved granddaughter! Her talent in Alchemy Mastery is astounding, and her beauty is otherworldly. In what way is she not good enough for a nobody with no background like you!"

"Don’t think that just because you got a little attention today, you’re something special! You’re arrogant and don’t know your place!"

The other elders slammed their hands on the tables, one after another, berating Yi Xiaoyao.

Hearing this, the Grand Elder’s voice turned grave as he asked Yi Xiaoyao, "Do you feel that my granddaughter, Yi Lu, is not good enough for you?"

Faced with this verbal assault, Yi Xiaoyao just smiled faintly.

"When did I ever say I was something special, as you elders claim? When did I say Yi Lu wasn’t good enough for me? You are my seniors, after all. If you wish to accuse me, you should at least provide some evidence, shouldn’t you?"

Yi Xiaoyao’s calm gaze swept across the nine elders, neither servile nor overbearing, showing not a trace of fear.

"Then why did you refuse?" the Grand Elder asked coldly.

"I have already promised my life to another, so of course I must refuse," Yi Xiaoyao said.

The Grand Elder snorted coldly. "How could those cheap, painted faces possibly compare to my granddaughter? As for that person you promised yourself to, you can just abandon her!"

"Indeed, they cannot be compared," Yi Xiaoyao said with a light chuckle. "Which makes it even more impossible for me to be unfaithful and abandon her."

The Grand Elder completely misunderstood Yi Xiaoyao’s meaning, thinking he was praising Yi Lu, and continued, "In that case, why don’t you tell me? In terms of talent, aptitude, natural gifts, and appearance, in what way is this person you’ve promised yourself to better than Yi Lu?"

"There is not a single point of comparison," Yi Xiaoyao said, the image of Yun Mengling’s face and smile appearing in his mind. ’Yi Lu may be beautiful, but how could she compare in the slightest?’

The Grand Elder said smugly, "Since she is inferior in every way, why not discard the dregs?"

The other elders all laughed. "This boy is truly dense."

Yi Lu was also secretly feeling smug and pleased, but in the next moment, her expression froze.

"For you to compare Miss Yi Lu to dregs, Grand Elder, is perhaps a bit inappropriate. Although I don’t care for her, she is your granddaughter, after all," Yi Xiaoyao said with a raised eyebrow.

The hall instantly fell silent. Everyone understood now. They had completely misinterpreted Yi Xiaoyao’s words.

What Yi Xiaoyao had been saying was that Yi Lu could not compare to the person he’d pledged himself to, that there wasn’t a single thing about Yi Lu that was superior.

By that logic, the "dregs" the Grand Elder spoke of... was naturally Yi Lu.

BANG!

With a loud crash, the table beside the Grand Elder was smashed to smithereens by his furious blow.

Yi Xiaoyao’s expression remained calm, completely unfazed by the Grand Elder’s intimidating aura.

"You were the one who insisted on making a comparison, Grand Elder. This junior was merely telling the truth according to your own words. What reason is there to be angry?"

Then, Yi Xiaoyao laid everything bare. "Besides, I doubt you elders have all gathered here to see me just for a marriage proposal. Your real purpose is the Red Butterfly Saint Witch’s Alchemy Dao inheritance, isn’t it?"

...