Immortality begin with Alchemy Grandmaster Chapter 2778 - 1028: The Profound Clan and the Precocious Youth (Part 3)

Granny Lin, having finished her inspection of the Elixir, passed it over to Zhou Fuqiu.

Zhou Fuqiu glanced at his sister, who was still asleep, and sighed. "I will take it later."

...

"Old Ancestor, Elder Hai requests an audience!"

Within the oppressive silence of the grand hall, Zhou Haibo, whose cheerful demeanor had vanished, now stood with a slightly somber expression, awaiting permission to enter.

Creak...

The main doors infinitesimally parted, and Zhou Haibo stepped inside.

"What is it?" An ancient, almost ethereal voice emanated from the shadows of the hall.

Zhou Haibo bowed deeply, meticulously detailing the events that had transpired.

The ancient voice inquired with an unnerving calm, "It was merely a mistake with the medicine. Why summon me in such haste?"

Zhou Haibo swallowed, his throat dry. "However, that concoction, while seeming to invigorate the spirit, actually harms it. Any Cultivator below the Golden Core Period would be unable to detect the issue. If I hadn't achieved Mastery in Healing techniques, I fear I too would have missed it."

The aged voice continued, "You suggest someone within the Clan is intentionally harming their own kin?"

Zhou Haibo dared not offer a response.

A profound silence descended upon the hall.

After a considerable pause, a single candle flame flickered to life, revealing an incredibly ancient face.

It was Zhou Yunshen.

His visage was etched with worry and gloom as he let out a long sigh. "We have only recently found stability after a few short years, and the Clan has finally made progress—how is it that some individuals have already begun to harbor such base intentions?"

Zhou Haibo spoke in a hushed tone, "Perhaps it is because young Fu You is exceptionally brilliant. At only five years old, he has already displayed talent that defies the heavens. Furthermore, at his birth, you yourself, Old Ancestor, bestowed upon him an incredibly rare Water Lotus Seed. That alone was enough to incite envy in others."

"I am not yet deceased!" Zhou Yunshen's voice cut through the air with a cold snort.

Zhou Haibo hesitantly inquired, "Then how should we manage matters concerning Zhou Fuqiu moving forward? His parents are away on a mission. At home, only a maidservant at the Qi Refinement Stage is present to look after them."

"Nothing must befall him!" Zhou Yunshen declared first, his resolve as solid as iron, then added with a touch of internal conflict, "However, we must not interfere too greatly in his development."

Zhou Haibo failed to comprehend. Fu You was merely a young child; even if he possessed some cleverness, how could he warrant such profound attention from the Old Ancestor?

The Old Ancestor had even given him secret instructions to regularly monitor the boy's health, as he was the most adept in Healing techniques.

And now, why did the Old Ancestor explicitly state that they should not overly involve themselves in Zhou Fuqiu's upbringing?

An extended period of silence ensued.

Eventually, Zhou Yunshen's voice reached his ears, slow and measured.

"It is not appropriate for me to reveal myself. Instruct Junxiao to discreetly watch over Fuqiu in my stead."

The Zhou Family currently boasted five Golden Core Cultivators.

The most formidable was undeniably Zhou Cang, yet he bore the critical responsibility of striving for the Nascent Soul Stage.

Following him was the equally vigorous and prime Zhou Junxiao of the second generation, the Xiao Generation!

The Old Ancestor's decision to have Zhou Junxiao personally intervene at this juncture underscored the immense importance placed upon Zhou Fuqiu.

Yet, the inclusion of the word "secretly" in his directive introduced an element of contradiction that was difficult to resolve.

Zhou Haibo's mind was filled with unanswered questions, but ultimately, he accepted the command.

...

Back within the clinic from earlier, just as dawn was about to break, Zhou Fuqiu consumed the Elixir.

Initially, no reaction occurred, but before long—

"Urgh!"

A gush of black blood sprayed onto the floor.

Zhou Fuqiu stared at the scene in stunned silence.

Despite his youth, his intellect was remarkably sharp. The instant he saw the dark blood, he immediately understood the true nature of the concoction.

"Poison!"

He recalled the Elder Hai Bo, whose gentle demeanor had masked repeated probing questions...

"Seventh Uncle's family intends to harm me?"

Murmuring to himself, the young boy found it difficult to accept.

Beside him, the little girl stirred, curling inward as if feeling an intense cold.

Zhou Fuqiu carefully wrapped a thick quilt around her. Observing the gradual smoothing of his sister's brow, a complex mix of warmth and chill spread through his heart.

Warmth stemmed from his sister's safety; chill arose from the realization that his Seventh Uncle's family, usually so close, would seek to harm him.

The Elder Hai Bo had clearly discerned something was amiss, so why had he not spoken directly?

And Father and Mother—when would they finally return?

Zhou Fuqiu unconsciously clenched his fists. Gazing out at the vast, inscrutable expanse of the Zhou Family estate, he felt utterly lost and alone, acutely aware of the lurking danger in every shadow.