Chapter 127: Subtle Ripples on the Cauldron's Pattern

She walked into the room, her gaze sweeping over the shards on the table and Lin Xue's face, revealing nothing.

"Tomorrow's gathering probably won't be peaceful. The Lin family might stop at nothing; the Zhou family, having suffered a loss, will surely resort to even more vicious means."

She paused, then took out a small jade bottle from her personal handbag and placed it on the table.

"This contains the Yin-Yang Convergence Pill, a secret remedy of the Qin family. It can greatly enhance the efficiency and power of yin-yang qi fusion in a short time, which may be useful for you two in dealing with tomorrow's changes."

The jade bottle glowed with a warm, moist sheen under the light, exuding a faint medicinal fragrance that made one's heart sway just by smelling it.

"Of course," Qin Yueyao added, "this medicine is precious, and the Qin family also hopes that, after success, we can achieve a more concrete cooperation regarding the Medicine Sect's inheritance—such as sharing all research findings and, under certain conditions, giving priority to fulfilling one request from the Qin family."

The conditions were finally laid out.

Exchange a temporary boost in power for future control and priority.

Zhang Jun picked up the jade bottle, turned it between his fingers, and felt the body grow slightly cool.

He could sense the pure energy contained within the pill; it was indeed a good thing.

"I appreciate Miss Qin's kindness."

He gently set the jade bottle back on the table and pushed it toward Qin Yueyao.

"We have no use for this medicine. We will handle tomorrow's affairs ourselves."

Qin Yueyao watched the bottle being pushed back, her expression unchanged.

Zhang Jun then said, "However, cooperation is not off the table. If the Qin family could provide something more valuable—for instance, details about the gray-robed sweeper at the eastern lane of White Pagoda Temple—our cooperation could go further."

Qin Yueyao took back the jade bottle, rubbing her fingertips along its surface.

"That old man..." she paused, then said, "I will look into it."

The main hall of the Qin family's old residence felt even more oppressive than three days prior.

Heavy redwood furniture glowed with a faint light, and the sandalwood scent in the air could not mask the taut, almost snapping tension. The heads of each household had arrived, and their attendants behind them breathed more deeply and sharply, like beasts ready to pounce, forcibly restrained.

On the Lin family's side, Lin Feng shrank back, his face still swollen, afraid to raise his head. In front stood Lin Hai, his former arrogance replaced by a desperate, ruthless resolve. Zhou Qian remained hidden in the shadows of the corner, his presence faint, yet the faint chill about him was stronger than before, like a pool of dead water about to overflow.

Qin Xiaotian still sat in the chief seat, his face as still as water. Qin Yueyao stood behind him, dressed in a moon-white cheongsam, silent as a painting.

The bronze cauldron stood at the center of the hall, its three legs firmly planted. Its blue-black body bore ancient, simple patterns, dead and lifeless—nothing like the lively appearance it had shown when Zhang Jun and Lin Xue had approached it before.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Qin Xiaotian said, his voice low but silencing the hall's murmurs, "the three-day deadline has arrived. Today we shall see which fate this Medicine Sect's pill cauldron favors, or rather, whose ability can earn it a hint of its favor."

He said no more, gesturing that they could begin.

The first to lose patience was still the Lin family.

Lin Hai stepped forward, not producing silver needles like Lin Feng nor displaying any inner strength, but carefully holding out a palm-sized yellow bronze compass. The compass was antiquated, its needle jet black, its face engraved with dense runes that exuded an ancient aura.

"This is the Stabilize Earth Plate my Lin family ancestors happened to obtain," Lin Hai said, his voice hoarse, with the air of a all‑or‑nothing gamble, "it can sense the flow of earth veins and harmonize the five elements' qi. Perhaps it can awaken the treasure cauldron's spirit!"

He placed the compass on his palm, murmuring incantations while his other hand swiftly formed hand seals. As he moved, the compass needle trembled slightly, and the surrounding air seemed to stir with an imperceptible undulation, like a pebble dropped in water.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, focusing intently.

However, the undulation lasted only a moment before fading. The compass needle finally drooped limp, while the bronze cauldron at the hall's center remained utterly still, not even a speck of dust rising.

Lin Hai's face instantly turned ashen; his hand, still holding the compass, trembled slightly, and he could only retreat resentfully.

Next, representatives of several other factions stepped forward.

Someone produced a polished animal‑bone talisman, said to be a relic of an obscure ancient fangshi school, and waved it before the bronze cauldron for a long time—yet the talisman elicited no response.

Someone pricked their fingertip, trying to sense with their unique bloodline; a drop of blood fell onto the bluestone beside the cauldron's foot, spreading a small dark red stain, but the cauldron remained dead silent.

Even an old man in a dark‑blue Daoist robe closed his eyes, concentrating to communicate with spiritual power—his forehead veins bulged—yet he ultimately had to give up in defeat.

For a moment the hall grew even more solemn. The bronze cauldron was like a stubborn stone—impervious to oil or salt, water or fire—completely extinguishing most people's hopes.

Just then, Zhou Qian in the corner moved.

He slowly stepped out of the shadows, a faint, unsettling smile playing on his lips. He carried nothing, merely walking to a spot about five steps from the bronze cauldron and stopping there.

Then he raised both hands, interlocking his ten fingers in a bizarre, twisted angle to form a strange seal. At the same time his lips moved, emitting a low, muffled chant whose words were utterly indistinct.

As he cast his spell, a thick, stagnant yin‑evil qi surged from his body! It was not mere cold; it carried decay and rancor, making one's very marrow tremble with dread.

The air seemed to grow viscous, the light dimming slightly. That yin‑evil qi roiled and coalesced before him, faintly shaping into several twisted, shadowy black forms—like soundless snakes—winding toward the bronze cauldron at the hall's center.

Witnessing this evil technique, many in the hall felt their scalps tingle and stepped back.

Qin Xiaotian and the Qin family elders behind him also changed expression, fixedly staring at Zhou Qian's movements and the black shadows attempting to approach the cauldron.

The change occurred just then!

To everyone's surprise, when those yin‑evil shadows cautiously touched the cauldron's icy surface, the vessel that had seemed lifeless actually showed a faint reaction!

The surface of the half‑filled black medicinal liquid inside the cauldron trembled with the slightest ripple!

At the same time, a portion of the black shadows clinging to the cauldron seemed to be absorbed like smoke into its body, and the pervasive chill of yin‑evil qi weakened slightly.

Though the reaction was extremely weak, it indeed occurred!

Zhou Qian's smile instantly widened—an expression of triumphant scheming and greed. He raised the volume of his chant, sped up his hand seals, and summoned more black shadows that rushed toward the cauldron.

"Not good!"