Chapter 28: Hehehe!
Seeing the young man approaching, the guard quickly stopped in his tracks, stepped aside, and saluted to make way.
"Greetings, young master."
Chen Guan nodded slightly and absentmindedly walked past him, his attention elsewhere.
But even after Chen Guan had nearly turned the corner and disappeared, the guard still didn't make any further moves, continuing to wander back and forth.
Could I have guessed wrong? Chen Guan couldn't help but doubt. After some thought, he felt the possibility of this being an assassin sent by the Yunlan Sect was slim.
Before today, he had not appeared in the public eye, and even within the palace, not everyone knew him.
It's impossible that the enemy received news of the Ninth Prince's death and had an assassin in place so quickly. If the Yunlan Sect was that capable, they'd have unified the northwest long ago.
"What are you doing?"
Unable to figure it out, Chen Guan walked back and directly asked.
A trace of embarrassment flashed across the guard's face, and he looked confused. "Young master, I was punished by Princess Yao Yue to stand here."
"Yao Yue? Why did she punish you?"
What kind of strange punishment is this?
"Indeed, the little princess. Fifteen minutes ago, after the elder princess's coming-of-age ceremony, the little princess returned in a rage, upset by someone. I was on gate duty, and when I stepped forward to greet her, she became unhappy that I stepped out with my left foot first and punished me to walk back and forth in front of the elder princess's palace two hundred times."
Chen Guan: ...
Well, it was truly a misunderstanding, that mischievous little girl.
"Got it. Where is she now?"
The guard looked troubled.
"Just tell me. I guarantee she won't hold it against you."
"The princess specifically told me not to tell you she went to the Alchemist Guild, and especially not to tell you that she likes gifts."
Chen Guan was speechless.
"Alright, I understand. You can go back now, no need to wander around anymore."
The guard hesitated for a moment but didn't dare listen to him. He continued diligently completing the little princess's punishment. After all, he had guarded the gate for seven years and still hoped for a promotion one day. He couldn't afford to leave a bad impression on her for slacking off.
The Holy City and the palace—inside and outside the walls—were like two different worlds.
Today was the elder princess Yao Ye's coming-of-age ceremony, and the streets were buzzing with discussions about who attended and which prominent figures were seen.
"I saw Yun Yun, the leader of Yunlan Sect, personally bringing the grand elder. Yun Yun's aura was far more regal than that dark-faced strongman I've seen before, like a goddess. The royal family is really showing off this time."
"That dark-faced strongman is Grandfather Nalan. But speaking of the Nalan family, the old man hasn't been seen for a long time. Even today, only Nalan Su, the family head, attended the ceremony."
"The Mittelt family head was also there in person."
"I've heard people from other empires also came to participate."
The gossiping crowd excitedly shared tidbits of information, their chatter filling the lively streets, a constant feature of the Holy City.
Chen Guan walked through them quietly, not joining in the conversation, not commenting, nor rebuking those exaggerating their stories.
The Alchemist Guild, located on the southern side of the Holy City, occupied a relatively small area, much less grand than the three major families. Its buildings were also quite modest.
However, the people going in and out had an air of pride, as if they wanted to wear their badges on their foreheads. They held their heads high, their arrogance written all over their faces.
And why not? They were alchemists!
There was no need to elaborate on the prestigious status of alchemists. Their position was so exalted it bordered on excessive, giving them immense confidence.
To be honest, they were rather obnoxious.
Many people secretly complained, but none dared act on it. The Alchemist Guild, gathering most of the empire's alchemists, was a formidable entity. Even the three great families and the royal court, along with Yunlan Sect, wouldn't offend them lightly.
It was Chen Guan's first time here, and the guild's notorious arrogance proved to be no exaggeration—perhaps even worse. Even the guards at the entrance seemed infected by this attitude, looking down on non-alchemist visitors.
Chen Guan wasn't interested in their attitudes. He pulled out a xun (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) and blew it softly for less than half a minute. A cheerful young girl came running down with a beaming face but quickly composed herself, trying to look aloof when she saw him.
"Chu Yuxun, what are you doing here?"
"I've told you countless times, stop calling me Chu Yuxun!" Chen Guan rolled his eyes, feigning frustration.
Ever since their first meeting, the girl had called him that. After learning his real name and his connection to Yao Ye, she didn't stop—in fact, she started calling him that even more.
Seeing him flustered, Yao Yue smirked triumphantly, her earlier anger dissipating.
She thought she had won a small victory, but little did she know, Chen Guan saw through her act. He was just playing along.
Child's play—easy to handle.
"Is your teacher here? I came to pay a visit."
"You came specifically to visit my teacher?"
"Of course not. I'm here to see you, and visiting is just a side thing." Seeing her about to glare, Chen Guan quickly added.
Yao Yue was satisfied, bouncing on her heels as she led the way.
"Since you're so sincere, I'll reluctantly introduce you. It's not like I care about the gift or anything."
Chen Guan chuckled, following her. "You don't need to keep reminding me, your gift is guaranteed. I'll give it to you once your studies are done."
With Yao Yue leading the way, they encountered no obstacles.
Even when heading to the second floor, a few managing alchemists only glanced at them without stopping them. Clearly, the little princess had a special status within the Alchemist Guild.
The royal princess was an apprentice to President Fa Ma, and there were few in the Jia Ma Empire who could rival her.
"Teacher, this is Chu Chen Guan, a good friend of my sister. He's here to pick me up and also to visit you."
Once they entered the alchemy room, Yao Yue's behavior became much more well-mannered as she introduced him.
'Yes, he's a good friend of my sister, not mine. I haven't forgiven him yet.'
Furthermore, Yao Yue didn't acknowledge the sibling relationship between Chen Guan and Yao Ye. If she did, wouldn't she have to start calling him "brother"? She'd much rather call him Chu Yuxun and keep things separate between him and her sister.
"Chen Guan, greetings to President Fa Ma."
"Indeed, we met at the palace before. You certainly surprised us old folks—quite an outstanding young man. Sit over there for a bit while I finish teaching Yue'er her lesson, then we can talk."
Fa Ma offered his genuine praise. Since the lesson for the day wasn't particularly advanced, he allowed Chen Guan to listen in.
"An honour."
In the slightly dim alchemy room, the elder patiently taught the girl the art of alchemy while the handsome young man sat nearby, listening attentively. The atmosphere was harmonious.
Meanwhile, in a secret chamber behind Yunlan Sect's mountain, two figures conversed in the darkness.
Only, the sound they made was nothing a carbon-based lifeform should utter.
"Hehehe!"
(End of chapter)
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone