New Rankings

Gu Yao's words were not loud, yet they jolted everyone present!

Given Gu Yao's status—a Half-Saint and a Ninth-grade Alchemist—he had actually performed a disciple's salute today and asked Gu Fang to enlighten him?

Gu Fang was startled by Gu Yao's actions. He knew his own talent was exceptional, but his current strength was still lacking, and besides...

Gu Fang had always held Gu Yao in great respect.

He hurried forward and respectfully said, "Elder Gu Yao, why must you do this?"

Yet before Gu Fang could help Gu Yao up, Gu Yao had already taken a step back to avoid him. As a Half-Saint, evading a weak Dou Master like Gu Fang could not have been easier!

"On the path of alchemy, there is no distinction between noble and lowly, old and young. When one has doubts, one should offer a disciple's salute!"

"This..."

A trace of helplessness flashed through Gu Fang's heart, but at the same time, his respect for Gu Yao deepened further.

He turned and grabbed the Heart of the Earth, placing it beside Gu Yao. "Elder Gu Yao, that wisp of origin energy within the pill was provided by the Heart of the Earth."

"The Heart of the Earth?"

Confusion flickered in Gu Yao's eyes as he softly said to Gu Fang, "Excuse me."

With that, his palm was already resting on the Alchemy Cauldron. The instant he touched it, the confusion in Gu Yao's eyes vanished completely. He then withdrew his hand. "There really is origin energy within the Alchemy Cauldron. No wonder it is called the Heart of the Earth, and no wonder it can merge with other medicinal ingredients! I have learned much!"

"You are too kind, Elder," Gu Fang said respectfully.

As Gu Fang's words fell, Gu Yao swayed as he walked down from the platform. After only a few steps, as though he had remembered something, Gu Yao turned back and said to Gu Fang, "When you refined that pill earlier, your soul entered the Pseudo Heaven Realm—the Spirit Realm's Heaven Realm... A single step apart, yet as different as heaven and earth! What you lack now is an opportunity. Between life and death lie great terrors, but also great opportunities!"

When he finished speaking, Gu Yao, his hair in disarray, disappeared into the crowd.

Gu Fang murmured the words Gu Yao had left behind, then slightly bowed and offered a respectful salute.

The instant Gu Fang finished bowing, a wave of roaring cries erupted!

"The soul realms are the Human Realm, Spirit Realm, Heaven Realm, and Emperor Realm! The Pseudo Heaven Realm means reaching the peak of the Spirit Realm!"

"The peak of the Spirit Realm?? Gu Fang, you monster!"

"Is he even human? At the Spirit Realm, as long as his strength is sufficient, he can become an Eighth-grade Alchemist!"

"Madness! Madness! Am I crazy, or has this world gone crazy?"

"A fifteen-year-old at the peak of the Spirit Realm, in the Pseudo Heaven Realm—how are old men like us supposed to live?"

"Gu Fang, you are my god!"

Amid the waves of cheers, Gu Qingyang and the others stared blankly at Gu Fang.

"The late Spirit Realm... at the very least, the ability of a Fourth-grade Alchemist."

Gu Qingyang muttered to himself, the shock in his eyes growing stronger and stronger. He had thought a hundred Earth Rank Dou Techniques were terrifying enough, yet Gu Fang's alchemy had reached such a level as well. Was this truly that mere Dou Master?

Gu Qingyang felt as though he were dreaming. In truth, it was not just Gu Qingyang—Gu Yao, Gu Hua, and the other "companions" who had taken the test alongside Gu Fang felt equally surreal.

Whenever they felt that Gu Fang had surely reached his limit, he would produce an even greater "treasure" and shock everyone to the core.

At that moment, Gu Fang was like an iceberg. What he revealed was forever only the tip of it.

They had already begun to doubt whether Gu Fang truly possessed only the strength of a Dou Master.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but they could now feel a faint, inexplicable pressure from Gu Fang!

"Terrifying!"

The current Black Annihilation King, clad in black armor and radiating a terrifying aura, glanced sideways and muttered softly, "Fortunately, there was no such monster when I participated. How terrifying. If Gu Fang had been there with me..." Then the position of Black Annihilation King would have changed hands!

Naturally, he did not speak the rest aloud, but the meaning was already abundantly clear.

At this moment, Gu Fang's talent had utterly convinced even him, a genius who already sat in the position of Black Annihilation King.

Gu Dao looked at Gu Fang, shook away the helplessness and weakness on his face, and replaced them with a stern, imposing expression. "The pill test has concluded. Gu Fang successfully improved the pill. Its grade is determined to be... Pseudo Fourth-grade."

"The rankings for the pill medicinal ingredient test have been updated. First place, Gu Fang. Second place, Gu Qingyang. Third place..."

Gu Dao continued speaking to himself, but in truth...

The moment he announced, "First place, Gu Fang," earth-shaking cheers had already erupted.

If Gu Fang had once merely earned everyone's admiration, now he had conquered the entire younger generation of the Ancient Clan through sheer strength.

At this moment...

Gu Fang was their new king.

And it was not just them. The hidden old men were also speaking among themselves in scattered murmurs, every one of them shocked and full of praise for Gu Fang's talent.

"I never imagined Tian'er could reach such a level already. I truly never imagined it."

Gu Yuan muttered to himself, "If that is the case, then there is no need to wait until Tian'er truly reaches the Nine-star Battle Saint level. As long as he breaks through to the Battle Saint realm, his prestige will be sufficient.

Then, after passing the temperament illusion realm left behind by the ancestor, he can assume the position of clan leader.

Once Fang'er takes over, I can focus wholeheartedly on charging toward that realm."

As Gu Yuan muttered, every word fell into the ears of Elder Han and Gu Nanhai.

Hearing Gu Yuan's words, the two men's eyes widened like bells.

Gu Yuan intended to pass down the position of clan leader?

Gu Yuan was the Ancient Clan's clan leader, and the Ancient Clan was one of the strongest ancient clans on the Dou Qi Continent. The leader of such a clan—if he so much as sneezed, the entire continent would be thrown into an unimaginably terrifying calamity!

Yet Gu Yuan said...

He wanted to hand that position over to Gu Fang?

"Do not speak of this matter to anyone else. From now on, Fang'er will be entrusted to the two of you."

Gu Yuan suddenly spoke, this time addressing Elder Han and Gu Nanhai directly.

Gu Nanhai was startled, then overjoyed. "Thank you, Clan Leader. From now on, I will protect the Young Clan Leader with all my strength. I will never allow the Young Clan Leader to suffer the slightest harm."

For Gu Nanhai, although he was a Battle Saint and stood at the peak of the continent's strength, such terrifying power could not be considered particularly formidable within the Ancient Clan.

His position was also extremely awkward.

He stood at the edge of the core circle.

But if he had the opportunity to remain by Gu Fang's side, then once Gu Fang truly inherited the position of clan leader, his status would be completely different.

He would stand at the very heart of the Ancient Clan.

Elder Han looked at Gu Yuan in shock. After a carefree smile, he nodded. "I have practically left the Pill Tower, and my only final disciple has vanished without a trace.

In the future, I'll be counting on this little fellow to support me in my old age."

Though he did not finish his words, his stance was already clear: he would devote all his effort to teaching Gu Fang.

"Then I thank you both."

Gu Yuan nodded lightly, then shifted his gaze back to the testing platform. "The final test has begun. It is also time to clear out some of the parasites within the clan!"

As the final word fell, before the stunned eyes of Gu Nanhai and Elder Han, Gu Yuan's figure gradually turned illusory before vanishing completely.