Chapter 120: The Conspiracy

Soon, all eight ice blocks were excavated and arranged in two rows. Tan Xinfang then produced a small box and set it aside.

Ye Suifeng gazed at the Flowers of Doom, clearly lost in thought. After a long while, he let out a heavy sigh. "Xin'er, these eight Flowers of Enlightenment are likely the last hope for the mortal world. I hope you... will not let your eldest uncle's efforts of over a decade go to waste!"

"I understand, Second Uncle, rest assured," Ye Xin replied slowly. He was still suppressing his Heavenly Wolf Force; once fully unleashed, his power would far exceed his current state. However, even with the Spirit Body, he knew he couldn't absorb any more Yuan power, which was why he had decided to secure the Flowers of Enlightenment as quickly as possible to break through the barrier and become a true cultivator.

"Xuantong, take these eight flowers and return to the main camp as fast as you can," Ye Xin said, turning to Yang Xuantong. "Little Fish has already obtained the secret recipe for the Enlightenment Pill, and his message will arrive any day now. Once it does, have Zhenzhen start refining the pills immediately!"

Ye Suifeng and Tan Xinfang were both surprised and displeased that Ye Xin would entrust the flowers to an outsider. Yang Xuantong, however, remained composed. He nodded and said, "Very well, My Lord. If Little Fish's message reaches the camp in time, I should be able to return to Nine Tripod City within a month. Zhenzhen's alchemy is truly remarkable; I have full confidence in her."

"Wait!" Tan Xinfang suddenly interjected. "Xin'er, you intend to refine the Enlightenment Pill?"

"Yes, Uncle. Is there a problem?" Ye Xin asked.

"Your uncle possesses the pill formula and is well-versed in alchemy," Ye Suifeng added. "The reason we were never able to refine the pill was due to the scarcity of certain ingredients, especially the catalyst. We need at least ten high-grade Yuan stones. Even after more than a decade of effort, we only managed to scrape together five. We are still halfway there."

Tan Xinfang picked up the small box and slowly opened it. Inside lay five golden, glowing Yuan stones the size of bottle caps, shimmering like miniature suns. Alongside them were hundreds of smaller, brilliant golden stones.

"Besides the five high-grade stones, I have over two hundred medium-grade stones here, all entrusted to me by your father," Tan Xinfang said slowly. "We had intended to save more and use these medium-grade stones to trade for high-grade ones. But then... your father left and never returned. I lost contact with the outside world and dared not leave this place. Sigh... it wasn't until Little Ye came to tell me that your father had met with an unfortunate end."

"Can medium-grade stones be traded for high-grade ones? What is the exchange rate?" Ye Xin asked.

"Certainly. It takes eighty to one hundred medium-grade stones to trade for one high-grade one," Tan Xinfang explained. "The value of high-grade Yuan stones lies in their use for alchemy; medium-grade stones cannot withstand the intense flames. For many low-level cultivators, they are quite happy to trade their high-grade stones for a larger quantity of medium-grade ones, as they have no immediate need for those spirit pills."

"Then there is no problem," Ye Xin said.

"Xin'er, it is not as simple as you think," Tan Xinfang cautioned. "There are many auxiliary herbs. If we have to trade for everything using non-graded Yuan stones, the total cost would likely exceed twenty thousand stones."

"A trifle," Ye Xin replied. He had sufficient confidence. Setting aside the wealth left in the Great Zhao Kingdom and the main camp, the plunder from the seven sub-tripods alone had yielded immense gains. He could easily afford a mere twenty thousand stones.

Tan Xinfang was stunned and turned to look at Ye Suifeng, who was equally shocked. Neither knew just how much wealth Ye Xin controlled. To them, this was a massive sum—what was the annual military budget? To call twenty thousand stones a "trifle" was an incredibly bold statement.

"Xin'er, are you not joking?" Ye Suifeng asked, enunciating every word.

"Why would I joke about such a thing?" Ye Xin smiled.

"Very well..." Tan Xinfang took a long breath. "Xin'er, I shall accompany this young man. There is no need for me to remain here, and going to the army with you... I fear I would be of little help."

"Agreed." Ye Xin accepted without hesitation, then looked at Yang Xuantong. "Xuantong, come outside with me for a moment."

The two stepped out of the small temple and walked to a nearby tree. Ye Xin hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Xuantong, when you return, tell Zhenzhen to set aside all other tasks and focus entirely on refining the pills! And... after the pills are finished, be very careful around Tan Xinfang."

"What?" The shock was evident on Yang Xuantong's stoic face. "My Lord, is he a fraud?"

"No, he is indeed my uncle. Even if I were mistaken, Second Uncle would not be," Ye Xin narrowed his eyes. "However, I have always believed that while human nature can be the most sacred thing in the world, it is also the most vile. I am telling you to be careful of him precisely to protect him."

"My Lord, I... I do not quite understand!" Yang Xuantong said with difficulty.

"You know what the Enlightenment Pill represents. Once one reaches the peak of the advanced innate warrior stage, obtaining a single pill gives them a chance to break through the worldly barrier and become a true cultivator," Ye Xin said slowly. "How many people do you think can resist such temptation? Although he is my uncle, at such a juncture, all sorts of thoughts will enter his mind. For instance, he might think that if he takes the pill and becomes a cultivator, he would have the power to protect me, his nephew. Heh... justifying it to oneself is easy, isn't it?"

"I understand..." Yang Xuantong sighed deeply.

"It is not that I am suspicious, but rather... I dare not let those I trust face temptations beyond human resistance," Ye Xin stated. "The people I trust most are Old Thirteen, Little Fish, and Bai Qi. I can have Bai Qi oversee the refining, but I would never let Little Fish handle it. Do you know why?"

"I don't," Yang Xuantong shook his head.

"It seems you still don't understand," Ye Xin laughed. "Little Fish is already qualified to take the Enlightenment Pill. To force him into such a choice would be unfair. Even if he upheld our brotherhood, it would leave him with a painful memory. Since I have chosen to trust him, I will not put him to the test! Xuantong, in the future, if we obtain more resources, you and Zhenzhen will shine brightly, and all our brothers will come to you. So, remember my words: you may give them surprises, but never test their human nature, and never place irresistible temptations before them. Do you understand?"

"My Lord, I understand now." Yang Xuantong's expression was complex. "This uncle... you aren't doubting him, but fearing he might lose control of his desires at the final moment. You are protecting him!"

"Exactly," Ye Xin nodded.

"And if he truly harbors ill intent? Should I kill him?" Yang Xuantong asked.

"Thinking back... he must have contributed greatly to the rise of the 'Famous Generals,' not to mention collecting these Flowers of Enlightenment..." Ye Xin rarely showed such hesitation. "Let Zhenzhen decide. However, if you manage things well, you can avoid giving him the opportunity entirely. Xuantong, I suddenly gained an uncle today; although unexpected, I do not wish to lose him in an instant."

"I will be very careful," Yang Xuantong promised.

...

When they returned, Tan Xinfang was ready to depart. Ye Xin gave his subordinates a few instructions, which seemed natural enough to the others.

"Uncle, I didn't bring any other mounts," Ye Xin said. "You two will have to share one Boundless Heavenly Wolf."

"That is fine," Tan Xinfang replied.

Once the eight flowers were packed into the saddlebags, Yang Xuantong and Tan Xinfang rode off. Watching their retreating figures, Ye Xin suddenly asked, "Second Uncle, what is the background of this uncle of mine? You should be able to tell me now, right?"

"I have been wanting to tell you, but I was unsure if he would still be here, and the news might be sudden for you. I have been weighing it," Ye Suifeng said slowly. "Few know of Tan Xinfang, but Tan Buqi is a name of great renown. He was once an outer disciple of the Falling Mist Mountain. After accidentally trespassing into a restricted area, he enraged the elders, who crippled his cultivation and expelled him. Much of my eldest brother's success in founding the 'Famous Generals' was due to his enlightenment. We were mere mortals; how else would we have known the wonders of the Flowers of Doom? He pointed us toward a path to break our limits, though unfortunately... my eldest brother could not endure it."

"So, my mother was so formidable back then because she received guidance from this uncle?" Ye Xin asked.

"Yes," Ye Suifeng said, a look of nostalgia on his face.

"It all makes sense now," Ye Xin said. He only needed a single point of entry, and he had found it.

"What makes sense?" Ye Suifeng asked, startled.

"My mother's refusal to enter the Azure Cloud Sect back then—it must have been intentional, right? Everyone knew she and my father were from the Great Wei Kingdom. To ignore the Azure Cloud Sect and directly seek the Falling Mist Mountain was illogical and would have invited suspicion. Haha... even the person bribed to host the selection was likely a move my mother made behind the scenes. Her true target was the Falling Mist Mountain all along," Ye Xin reasoned. "The Azure Cloud Sect was merely a facade. My mother wanted to finish what my uncle hadn't. Am I right? In that case, my uncle didn't 'accidentally' trespass—he had a grand design!"

Ye Suifeng's face changed drastically. He looked at Ye Xin as if staring at a devil. He knew Ye Xin was brilliant, but he had never personally felt the pressure Ye Xin exerted. This secret was something Ye Xin should never have known. By merely revealing a few clues, Ye Xin had parted the fog and reached the truth. This capability shocked him to the core.

"How... how could you say that?" Ye Suifeng asked with difficulty.

"I have always had a question: why did my father look down on Tie Xinsheng? Though he never showed it openly, he constantly humiliated him," Ye Xin sighed. "Now I understand. My father truly intended to aim his sword at the sects. It wasn't a whim, but a long-held plan. If so, how could he possibly think highly of a mere king?"