Chapter 501: The Old Priest

"Twenty Essence Replenishing Pills?"

"We'll see if you have what it takes to get them."

Outside the courtyard gate, Zhao Tiankuo snorted coldly and spoke indifferently.

"Oh?"

"So, you plan to make a move?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, speaking in a slow, unhurried manner.

Not far away, Zhao An watched the scene, both nervous and excited.

'With his grandfather taking action, surely that arrogant bastard will get a harsh lesson, right?'

"Hmph!"

"You truly don't know your own limits!"

Ye Chen's nonchalant attitude ignited a nameless rage in Zhao Tiankuo's heart.

"Let this old man see what you're made of, you brat! How dare you act so lawlessly in the tribe!"

He had a fiery temper, and after seeing his grandson Zhao An's miserable state, he could no longer suppress his killing intent.

The power of the Fifth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm surged forth with astonishing force.

Even a Cultivator at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm wouldn't dare to face Zhao Tiankuo head-on!

But in Ye Chen's eyes, Zhao Tiankuo's meager abilities were clearly not worth mentioning.

BANG!

In a single exchange, Ye Chen suppressed Zhao Tiankuo with a backhand blow, sending him crashing to the ground!

In that instant, countless gasps of shock could be heard one after another.

After all, Zhao Tiankuo's swift and aggressive arrival had already alarmed many members of the tribe.

They had rushed over at the commotion, finding the scene hard to believe.

'That awakened cripple actually took Zhao An hostage?'

'Doesn't he have no cultivation? Even if he had the ability, how could he dare to do such a thing?'

It was only now, seeing with their own eyes that even the tribe's Elder, Zhao Tiankuo, was no match for Ye Chen in a single round, that everyone's hearts were filled with shock.

'So this "cripple" who married Lin Qiyun is actually a master hiding his true strength?'

Some tribe members who were dissatisfied with Lin Ruowei's rule couldn't help but feel a sense of ironic amusement.

'Lin Ruowei was too clever for her own good!'

'She probably never imagined that while she intended to tie Lin Qiyun to a cripple, that so-called cripple would turn out to be a great master.'

'Lin Qiyun's status might undergo a world-shaking change because of this!'

"You... How can you be so strong?"

Zhao Tiankuo's entire body ached as if it were about to split apart; his old bones felt like they were on the verge of collapsing.

He lay limp on the ground, struggling to get up, but he felt powerless as his blood roiled within him.

"Grandfather!"

Seeing this, Zhao An's eyes nearly split from their sockets, his gaze toward Ye Chen filled with utter terror.

'Why? Why couldn't even a Fifth Layer Blood Coagulation Realm Cultivator like his grandfather do anything to this guy who has absolutely no Spiritual Cultivation?'

"You old codger, it seems you're not so tough after all."

Ye Chen casually lifted Zhao Tiankuo, his words laced with unconcealed humiliation.

Zhao Tiankuo's old face trembled with anger. He wanted to lash out, but he didn't dare!

"Alright, now I've got you as a hostage too, old man."

"If you want to get out of this, hand over everything you've got."

Ye Chen said calmly, "Let me make this clear beforehand: without fifty Essence Replenishing Pills, don't even think about taking a single step out of here!"

"What?"

Zhao Tiankuo's eyes widened, his heart feeling as if it were bleeding.

Essence Replenishing Pills were Second Grade pills. To the Vermilion Bird Tribe, they were already considered extremely valuable.

'Fifty pills right off the bat! He might as well just tear these old bones of mine apart!'

"What?"

"You're not willing?"

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed, a cold light glinting in their depths.

"I... I don't have that many Essence Replenishing Pills!" Zhao Tiankuo said through gritted teeth.

"Then go borrow them!"

"If you pool the resources of your entire tribe, surely you can scrape together fifty Essence Replenishing Pills, right?"

Ye Chen refused to back down in the slightest.

The crowd was stunned, finding it all utterly unbelievable.

'This kid is actually targeting the resources of our entire tribe?'

"Young friend Ye, we can discuss this civilly."

"Please, release Elder Zhao first."

A hoarse voice rang out.

Ye Chen followed the sound and immediately saw a familiar figure.

The one who had spoken was none other than the old Priest from the previous night, who had been meditating on the tribe's totem before the bronze pillar!

The old Priest's hair and beard were completely white, his back was stooped, and his face was covered in wrinkles.

A profound, ancient light swirled within his cloudy eyes.

Seeing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but smile.

'So I've finally drawn out this old fellow who's in charge of the tribe's totem.'

He knew, of course, that the old Priest held a transcendent status in the tribe and was also one of its most powerful members.

His cultivation had already reached the Eighth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm. Combined with the power of the tribe's totem, he could even contend with a Cultivator at the Peak of the Blood Coagulation Realm!

Ye Chen had intended to speak with this old Priest from the start, but given his previous identity, getting close to him would have been difficult.

But now, by using this disturbance, he had finally found his chance!

"Then why don't we have a proper talk?"

Ye Chen glanced at the old Priest and smiled.

The old Priest's brow furrowed slightly. He could tell that the young man's original goal seemed to be to make him appear.

"Then let's have a proper talk."

Although the old Priest couldn't fathom Ye Chen's true intentions, his vast experience told him that the young man before him, known as a "cripple," likely had an extraordinary background.

Thus, he agreed. "As long as the conditions you propose are reasonable, young friend, we will naturally offer you satisfactory compensation."

Ye Chen was slightly taken aback.

'It seems the old Priest saw everything that happened with Zhao An coming here to cause trouble.'

'This most mysterious old man of the tribe, despite usually living in seclusion and never showing his face, seems to be aware of everything, big or small, that happens within the tribe.'

"Priest..." Zhao Tiankuo was also somewhat shocked.

He hadn't expected that the Priest didn't seem to intend to punish this troublemaking outsider, but instead truly wanted to have a proper talk with him.

"You also bear responsibility for indulging your grandson. I will settle this with you later."

"Now that you've provoked someone you can't afford to offend, you have only yourself to blame."

The old Priest glanced at Zhao Tiankuo and said in his hoarse voice.

Hearing this, Zhao Tiankuo's old face flushed red. He lowered his head in embarrassment, not daring to meet the old Priest's gaze again.

"Shall we speak somewhere more private?" the old Priest said to Ye Chen.

"Alright."

Ye Chen nodded.

Led by the old Priest, Ye Chen left the courtyard and walked toward the deeper parts of the tribe.

Following behind him were several guard captains, all of them Cultivators in the Blood Coagulation Realm. They held prestigious reputations within the tribe and were not to be underestimated.

They were normally responsible for carrying out the old Priest's orders and ensuring his safety.

Zhao An stared blankly at the departing figures of the old Priest and the others.

"Did we just get away from Ye Chen?"