"You are going too far!"
An Emperor-level Alchemist stepped forward, his face filled with anger.
"Exactly! We are alchemists, not your servants. You can't treat us like this!"
A Grandmaster-level Alchemist also stepped forward, his voice filled with indignation, and agreed.
"That's right! You have no right to treat us this way!"
"You are insulting us!"
"You are not even a member of our Xuanyuan City Alchemist Guild. How can you become the president? And how dare you order us around here?" Su Dan Novel Network
"Indeed, don't think too highly of yourself. Why should we listen to you?"
"..."
With a leader to start, others naturally followed suit.
"Why?"
Zi Linling sneered, looking at Ouyang Yude, and said, "You tell them why!"
Ouyang Yude said obsequiously, "Yes, Master!"
This one word, "Master," instantly silenced everyone.
They looked at Ouyang Yude in astonishment, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"President Ouyang, you... you... what did you just call her?"
The Emperor-level Alchemist who had first stepped forward couldn't believe his ears.
Ouyang Yude said with a cold face, "She is my master, so she naturally has the right to give orders here and has the right to deal with everyone present."
"Therefore, either you take the master's pills, or you are no longer a member of the Xuanyuan City Alchemist Guild. Choose yourselves!"
"Ouyang Yude, you're crazy!" the Emperor-level Alchemist said furiously.
Ouyang Yude said coldly, "Whether I'm crazy or not is none of your business! Either take the pills or get out, make your choice quickly!"
The Emperor-level Alchemist's face turned red with anger. "Fine! Very good! I originally thought you, Ouyang Yude, were a formidable figure, but now I see I was blind!"
"Forget it! It's impossible for me to take this pill, so I've decided to leave the Xuanyuan City Alchemist Guild. I hope you, Ouyang Yude, will not regret this!"
He finished speaking, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave without looking back.
A hint of darkness flashed in Ouyang Yude's eyes. He moved his lips but didn't say a word.
Zi Linling didn't even lift an eyelid, let alone try to stop him.
She said faintly, "Are there any others who wish to leave?"
The remaining people looked at each other and remained silent.
Even the Grandmaster-level Alchemist who had first stepped forward to agree did not leave immediately.
"Since you are unwilling to leave, then take the pills!" Zi Linling's tone was still calm.
After a moment of struggle, most of them poured the "Obedient Pill" from the porcelain bottle and took it.
However, a few people sighed and turned to leave.
They could not bow their proud heads and were unwilling to submit to Zi Linling.
Zi Linling still made no move to stop these few people.
After everyone who intended to leave had left, Zi Linling smiled and said, "Congratulations, you have made the right choice! You will all know in the future how wise you were to choose to submit today!"
"Alright, I'm going to participate in the Pill Dao Convention. You should assist Ouyang Yude well and refine various pills in large quantities. Remember, various pills."
"Besides supplying Hua Tian Commercial Firm and the Xuanyuan Dynasty, the rest will be used to fill our guild's pill reserves. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master!" Ouyang Yude answered first.
Zi Linling's gaze turned cold, and she swept over the others, saying, "What? Only he heard?"
The crowd couldn't help but shiver and replied in unison, "Yes, President!"
Zi Linling snorted coldly and said to Ouyang Yude, "Anyone who is insincere, or slacks off, will be expelled from the guild. Do you understand?"
Ouyang Yude quickly replied, "Yes, Master!"
"Good! If you handle the matters I've entrusted to you properly, I will grant you freedom. But if you fail, I will have no choice but to use you to fill the pit!" Zi Linling said coldly.
What pit would she fill? Naturally, it was the pit of the world-ending calamity.
But she couldn't reveal it yet, lest it spread and cause panic.
"Yes, Master! I will do my best to complete the Master's orders!" Ouyang Yude quickly pledged.
"Good! I'm leaving now!"
Zi Linling said and left the Xuanyuan City Alchemist Guild.
She first went to Hua Tian Commercial Firm to convey the news of their cooperation.
Afterward, she went to the Plum Pavilion in Yan Yu Tower and had a long conversation with Xuanyuan Xun for half a day before directly leaving Xuanyuan City.
Three days later, she had arrived in Xihe City.
Xihe City, also known as Tianzun City, was one of the few large cities that had survived from ancient times.
It was located at the border of the Xuanyuan Dynasty and Central City, and its prosperity was no less than that of Xuanyuan City.
As Zi Linling entered the city, she bumped into someone.
The person was tall and handsome, holding a peacock feather fan, exuding an air of nobility.
"May I ask if you are Miss Zi?" the person asked with a courteous bow.
Zi Linling asked in surprise, "Who are you?!"
The person said, "I am Shangguan Yulin, the young master of the Shangguan family. I once met the King of Hell as an old friend and was entrusted by Brother Ye to come and welcome Miss Zi."
"Shangguan Yulin?"
Zi Linling casually raised her eyebrows and asked, "Ye Lingyuan entrusted you to welcome me?"
Shangguan Yulin smiled and said, "Indeed! Please, Miss Zi, come with me!"
Zi Linling nodded and said, "It is indeed Ye Lingyuan's wish, so let's go! But where will Young Master Shangguan take me?"
Shangguan Yulin smiled and said, "If Miss doesn't mind, please temporarily reside at the Shangguan family, alright?"
Zi Linling said faintly, "What if I mind?"
Shangguan Yulin was stunned for a moment and said, "Miss Zi does not wish to go to the Shangguan family?"
Zi Linling nodded and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, but I am a person with many troubles, so I would rather not cause trouble for the Shangguan family."
Shangguan Yulin smiled and said, "Miss Zi is truly extraordinary! No wonder Brother Ye speaks so highly of you!"
"Young Master Shangguan flatters me. I have other matters to attend to, so I must excuse myself!"
Zi Linling threw down a sentence and turned to leave.
She did not believe that the jealous Ye Lingyuan would send such a handsome man to welcome her.
However, Shangguan Yulin did have a connection with Ye Lingyuan, because Shangguan Yulin was one of the reincarnated Nine Great Guardians.
"Wait!" Shangguan Yulin quickly stopped her.
Zi Linling said faintly, "Does Young Master Shangguan have anything else?"
Shangguan Yulin smiled and said, "Brother Ye left this for Miss Zi."
He then handed over a jade token.
Zi Linling took it in surprise and asked, "What is this?"
Shangguan Yulin said, "This is the access token to a set of rooms that Brother Ye bought in Xihe City. He instructed me to personally hand it to Miss Zi."
"Hmm! Thank you!" Zi Linling took the jade token and said faintly.