"Thank you for protecting my father."

  After collecting all the ingredients, Ling Yun was back inside Granny Sha's room. Granny Sha had gone to the patriarch's room to check in on him, leaving both of them alone. Chen Yinying told him about the three attackers before assuring him that nothing bad happened.

  "You don't need to say that. We're friends, aren't we?"

  Chen Yinying waved off the look of gratitude Ling Yun was giving her which then turned into a small smile.

  "So I hope you were successful."

  "I have got all the ingredients I need. Now I only have to successfully refine the pill."

  Ling Yun took out the cauldron he uses in his alchemy practice. He was fortunate that he had brought it with him instead of leaving it back at the Blue Moon city. Otherwise getting a new alchemy cauldron in this small village would be pretty difficult.

  He had started making the preparations when from the corner of his eyes, he saw Chen Yinying leaving the room.

  "Where are you going?" He called out in slight confusion.

  "I don't want to disturb you during refinement."

  Alchemists usually refined pills in seclusion, partially to keep their techniques secret but mainly to avoid failure due to disturbance. What she was saying made sense but-

  "Would you like to watch?"

  It is rare to see alchemists at work. One of his few good memories with Mu Feixue was when she gave a demonstration of pill refinement for the first time. He remembered the amazement he felt and wanted to show his new friend the same sight.

  "Can I really? Wouldn't it cause trouble?"

  Despite her words, he could see her pink eyes sparkling with child-like excitement. "Don't worry about mel, I won't fail. Just don't make any noise."

  Dazzling orange flames exploded from the top of his fingers before curving and moving towards the cauldron to start heating it up. The rarity of the Hundred Poisons Cleansing pill is not because of its required ingredients but due to the difficult process of its refinement. If the gallbladder of the Golden Spotted Toad is not tempered properly, the pill could turn poisonous and kill upon ingestion.

  Despite being a rank 1 pill, it is mostly made by master alchemists. Only a few alchemist apprentices are skilled enough to refine it.

  It would be his first time refining it but Ling Yun was confident in his abilities. Unable to move towards studying rank 2 pills due to his lack of divine sense, Ling Yun had studied all of the recipes of rank 1 pills available in Mu Feixue's inheritance.

  I won't fail this time.

  ***

  Chen Yinying was bedazzled as she watched Ling Yun manipulate multiple flames effortlessly to temper different ingredients simultaneously. The look of concentration on his face was similar to when he practiced music arts but the execution was night and day.

  His attempts at the Dao of music mastery were still a little awkward but right now he had the air of an expert. She didn't know much about alchemy but somehow knew the process was going quite well.

  Now she was sure without a doubt that he will be renowned as a great alchemist in the future. After completing the refinement Ling Yun lifted the lid and took our a purple pill.

  "A high grade pill. If I had better ingredients, I could've refined an excellent grade one."

  She watched him trace the faint lines on the surface. Beads of sweat droped from his forehead but he had a bright smile on his face.

  "You have very high standards. Many alchemist would be glad in successfully refining a high grade pill you know."

  She teased him for his arrogant statement before lightly nudging his shoulder. "But watching you showing off your skills, I must confess I am pretty impressed."

  Ling Yun chuckled before saying, "After watching you masterfully play your zither so many times, I had to step up. Can't have you thinking that I'm just a lousy musician."

  She giggled and they both made their way to Ling Yun's father's room. Ling Yun woke up his father and administered the pill. A few minutes after swallowing, his father started coughing violently before throwing up. They were prepared for it and Granny Sha quickly held up a bucket.

  Ling Yun watched in concern as his father vomited black miasma. The Hundred Poisons Cleansing pill expels all the poison and its residue from the body. This process was painful for his father in his weak condition but Ling Yun didn't know any other alternatives of curing his father.

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  "AAAAH!"

  Ling Yun flinched upon hearing another of his father's screams when he felt a small squeeze on his arm. Looking sideways, he saw that Chen Yinying was by his side. Her jade like hand was on his arm before sliding down and holding his hand firmly.

  When their eyes met, she flashed him a small smile. He blinked for a moment before gripping back tightly, holding on to the unspoken comfort and support she provided him. With their hands joined, together they watched over his father for the entire night.

  ***

  "Here, drink this father."

  Since his father had just recovered from being poisoned, Ling Yun prepared sweet rice congee for his breakfast with ginseng tea. These meals were easily digestible and would help him in recovering his vitality.

  He had sent both Yinying and Granny Sha to rest leaving the pair of father and son alone. They had stayed awake the whole night and were in need of a good sleep.

  "Thank you son."

  His father put down the cup after finishing the tea. His eyes were still a little hazy. It would take some for a full recovery.

  "How are you feeling father?"

  "I don't know. I had accepted my fate and was happy to meet your mother. But now I feel empty inside."

  His father was looking outside the window blankly. Ling Yun felt a little worried hearing those words. He wanted to say something but decided against it.

  "But to think I was poisoned. Did you find out who was behind this?"

  ".. No."

  His uncle was a powerful man and held great influence in the clan. In fact, he was the one handling all the duties of the patriarch for years while his father was in his room getting drunk. If he told his father, it would surely lead to a fight.

  "Father I've been thinking about this. Why don't you come with me and live in the Blue Moon city?"

  "Son, how can I leave this clan? I am the patriarch."

  His father responded in a dry voice. "Now that you have returned, the first thing I will do is to make you the young master of the clan. I know you gave it to your cousin Jihua but since you are now an alchemist, no one from the clan would object. It is your birthright."

  "Father I won't be staying here."

  "Why? Is it because of my past behaviour?" With a panicked expression his father grabbed both of his hands.

  "I know I was wrong but please give me another chance. This time I will make sure you are given the respect you deserve."

  "It's not about that father. Remember, I told you before that Yaoyao is alive. In order to see her again, I have to grow stronger. And you know that Blue Moon city would be a far better place for that."

  In his village, an alchemist apprentice was a big deal but Ling Yun was familiar with the reality. The heights he was aiming to reach were far beyond his father's imagination.

  His father remained silent for a few moments before agreeing. "Okay. Do as you see fit. But I will stay here. If you need anything, I can help you as a patriarch."

  "Why are you hell bent on staying here?"

  Ling Yun yelled at his father's stubbornness. "Father you know you got poisoned from someone inside the clan. Do you think you are in any condition to fight against them? Or are you looking for death?"

  From his father's silence, Ling Yun was a hundred percent sure that his father had a death wish which made him very angry.

  "You told me you have changed but it's exactly the same. You don't care about your children and selfishly want to pass away. I didnt save you for this. Look at me father."

  His father raised his head and saw tears flowing from his son's eyes. "I don't care if you are patriarch or not. I just want you to be safe. Heavens have given us a second chance. I promise I will find Yaoyao and bring her back and you are going to apologise to her by yourself.

  "If you want to atone for your mistakes, don't take the easy way out. Keep living and when you meet her, show her that you have become the father she deserves."

  Hearing his son's emotional plea, tears started forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry son. I will do as you wish. I won't think of dying anymore."

  Ling Yun hugged his father and together the tears they shed washed away all pain and bitterness of the past.

  ***

  They stayed in the clan for a week waiting for his father to fully recover. Word had gotten out about his return and many in the clan were curious about him. They wanted to meet him but Ling Yun refused all such invitations. He has nothing to with the Ling clan anymore.

  Ling Yun remained holed up within Granny Sha's quarters only leaving to prepare meals for his father. He spent most of the time practicing music arts with Chen Yinying. It was his last day in the clan and tomorrow they will be leaving.

  He was playing his flute when Granny Sha informed his that uncle Yubai was at the door and wanted to see him. He sighed and told her let him in.

  "Your father called for a meeting today. He announced that he is retiring and giving up his position of the patriarch of the clan."

  "Oh."

  At this nonchalant reply, his uncle smiled in mirth. "I believe that was your doing. Soon a new head will be elected but I think you aren't interested in that. Here, take this."

  His uncle put a storage bag of full of spirit stones on the table. Ling Yun didn't even give it a single look before refusing.

  "You can take this back. I don't need it."

  His uncle shook his head as if in disappointment. "I forget that even though you are smart, you're still a young boy. Everyone needs money, boy. Don't think about it too much."

  Seeing him make no movements of taking it, uncle Yubai sighed before continuing. "I know there is a bad blood between my son and you. Think of it as a gift of apology to put this matter behind us. I don't want you to cause trouble in the future."

  "Uncle why are you allowing Jihua to remain as the heir after all this? Is it simply because he is your son?"

  His uncle was a smart man. He had no reason to lie to him so Ling Yun believed that his uncle was not involved in the poisoning. He can understand protecting his son but to trust the future of clan on a person like Jihua; Ling Yun could never understand this.

  "Partly because he is my son, but mainly because I understand and agree with his actions. When he learned about you, instead of laying down and giving up his position, he fought for it. Although his methods were crude and he acted without full confirmation, Jihua showed the hunger and ambition a future patriarch of the clan should have. You must hate him for his underhanded dirty ways but I only have praise for it."

  Yubai looked right in his eyes as if understanding what Ling Yun wanted to ask.

  "Everyone wants to reach the heavens but humans aren't born with wings. To get higher, one has no choice but to step on the backs of the others. That is the truth of the world."

  Seeing that Ling Yun had gone silent as if pondering his words, Yubai got up and started to leave. But at the door he stopped and started to talk without turning around.

  "You may hate me but I have always liked you. Even as a child you were wise enough to give up your position as the heir to my son when you found out you were a cripple. And now you convinced your father to step down to prevent future conflicts.

  "I wonder what heights our Ling clan would have reached if you and Jihua worked together. Such a pity to let go of an alchemist but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Goodbye boy, I hope we never meet again."