Pill Competition Between Two Clans

Wutan City's summer breeze always carried the dry, dusty heat of the season, but lately, the open rivalry between the two great clans had made the atmosphere even more stifling. The mine vein west of the city, rich in Green Iron Ore, had kept the Xiao Clan and Jia Lie Family locked in a stalemate for over half a month, with neither side gaining an absolute advantage. Unexpectedly, the pill shop street in the bustling Marketplace east of the city had become another battlefield for their struggle. Ever since Xiao Yan, guided by Elder Yao, had refined several batches of first-grade Qi Gathering Powder with pure spiritual qi and reliable effects, the threshold of the Xiao Family Pill Shop had nearly been worn flat. Low-level cultivators all knew that while the Xiao Clan's Qi Gathering Powder was not cheap, it never suffered from weak medicinal potency or stinging pain in the meridians. Even mercenaries from neighboring towns were willing to travel out of their way to buy it. This momentum left the Jia Lie Family, who had always regarded the Xiao Clan as fallen trash, deeply unsettled. Jia Lie Ao in particular watched his own pill shop's business grow quieter by the day and spent his days smashing cups in his residence.

That morning, thunderous drums and gongs suddenly sounded outside the Jia Lie Family's grand residence, startling sparrows from the treetops. A luxurious carriage trimmed with brass and draped in green gauze curtains rolled over the Bluestone Slab street, its wheels creaking steadily as it slowly came to a stop before the residence. The driver lifted the curtain, and a middle-aged cultivator in a brocade robe patterned with dark designs stepped out at an unhurried pace. In his left hand, he held a Mutton-fat Jade medicine spoon engraved with fine cloud patterns. At his waist hung a Token that glimmered faintly with spiritual light, the words "Second-grade" especially conspicuous upon it. His hair was combed flawlessly and secured with a Jade Hairpin. His expression was somewhat arrogant, and when his gaze swept over the onlookers, it carried the indifference of someone looking down from above. This man was Liu Xi, the Second-grade Alchemist whom the Jia Lie Family had hired from neighboring Luofeng Town for three thousand Gold Coin.

"Master Liu, your willingness to grace our Jia Lie Family with your presence truly brings honor to this humble residence!" Jia Lie Ao had long been waiting at the entrance with the clan elders. The moment Liu Xi stepped down, he hurried forward with a beaming smile, his manner so respectful it bordered on fawning. "To be honest, the Xiao Clan has somehow stumbled into good fortune lately. A brat refining some worthless pills has stolen quite a bit of our business. Even our clan disciples at the mine vein have gone to buy their Qi Gathering Powder! I beg you to intervene and teach them a proper lesson, so the people of Wutan City will know who truly deserves to lead the pill shop trade!"

Liu Xi stroked his neatly trimmed beard, and a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes as he listened to Jia Lie Ao's complaints. His tone was faintly contemptuous. "They are merely first-grade pills unworthy of notice. Is that really enough to trouble a clan leader so greatly?" He lifted his chin and glanced toward the Marketplace in the east. "This old man received instruction at the Alchemist Guild of the Jia Ma Empire in his younger days. I would not dare claim mastery of alchemy, but dealing with a brat who does not even possess an Alchemist Token is more than easy enough. Within three days, I will ensure that the Xiao Family Pill Shop has no customers at all!" This was not entirely boasting. Although Liu Xi had only barely crossed the threshold of a Second-grade Alchemist and could usually refine only simple second-grade pills, in a small place like Wutan City, which did not even have a single Second-grade Alchemist, he truly counted as a top expert.

The news seemed to grow wings and spread throughout Wutan City in less than an hour. Marketplace vendors, mercenaries outside the city, and disciples from every clan were all discussing how the Jia Lie Family had hired a Second-grade Alchemist. That very afternoon, the area outside the Jia Lie Family's pill shop was packed with curious onlookers, all eager to witness the bearing of a Second-grade Alchemist for themselves. Seeing this, Jia Lie Ao simply used Liu Xi's reputation to set up a temporary pill platform before the shop. It was built from sturdy redwood, draped in black velvet, and surrounded by green curtains. Notices were even posted at the street corners, declaring that at noon three days later, Liu Xi would publicly refine first-grade Qi Gathering Powder at the pill platform. The refined pills would not only be thirty percent more effective than ordinary Qi Gathering Powder, but would also cost twenty percent less than the Xiao Clan's.

The day after the notices went up, word reached the Xiao Family Mansion. The atmosphere in the council hall was so heavy it seemed as though water could be wrung from it. Several White Hair elders sat in their chairs with deeply furrowed brows and grim expressions. Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan's patriarch, stood in the center of the hall, tightly clutching a notice torn down from a street corner. His knuckles had Trembled slightly white from the force of his grip. "The Jia Lie Family is trying to show no mercy! Liu Xi may be a Second-grade Alchemist, but refining first-grade pills is precisely what he excels at. Against our ordinary batches of Qi Gathering Powder, it is simply an overwhelming advantage!" He sighed and swept his gaze over the clan members in the hall. "Our Qi Gathering Powder is only of ordinary quality to begin with. If Liu Xi truly refines pills with stronger effects at lower prices, our pill shop may really be unable to survive!"

Xiao Yan stood at the Edge of the crowd, unconsciously rubbing the black Storage Ring at his waist. Inside were several batches of Qi Gathering Powder that Elder Yao had only taught him to refine the night before. Hearing Xiao Zhan's words, he raised his head and looked at him with a steady gaze. "Patriarch, let me handle the competition in three days."

"You?" Xiao Zhan froze, as if he had not heard clearly. Then he repeatedly shook his head, concern evident in his tone. "Xiao Yan, I know your alchemy has improved somewhat recently, but Liu Xi is a Second-grade Alchemist. He has a legitimate Alchemist Token. You cannot even be considered an entry-level alchemist yet. How can you compete with him?"

"Patriarch, give me one chance." Xiao Yan's voice remained resolute, without the slightest retreat. "I am confident I will not bring shame upon the Xiao Clan." In his sea of consciousness, Elder Yao's voice slowly sounded, calm and composed. "Kid, do not fear him. Liu Xi may bear the title of Second-grade Alchemist, but he is a schemer who cuts corners. Whenever he refines first-grade pills, he likes to use scraps from second-grade ingredients to make up the numbers. It may appear to improve the medicinal effect, but it actually disrupts the spiritual qi balance of the pill. After taking it, cultivators gain no benefit and only harm their meridians. We can use this opportunity to expose his true colors and let the people of Wutan City see what a genuinely good pill is."

At noon three days later, the sun hung high in the sky, pouring scorching light over the earth, yet it could not dampen the crowd's enthusiasm in the slightest. The front of the Jia Lie Family's pill shop was already packed so tightly that not even water could pass through, with spectators gathered in layer upon layer. Some had even brought small stools, standing on them and rising onto their toes to peer ahead. Liu Xi sat upright at the center of the pill platform. Before him stood a Purple Copper Medicine Cauldron far more exquisite than the Xiao Clan's copper cauldron, its body carved with intricate Flame Pattern that gleamed metallically beneath the sunlight. On both sides of the cauldron, the ingredients for Qi Gathering Powder had been neatly arranged: several Green Leaf Grass still beaded with dew, a piece of Qi Condensing Stone glowing with earthy yellow light, and a small packet of Silver Thread Powder. Attentive observers could easily notice that the edges of those Green Leaf Grass leaves carried the faint, lustrous sheen unique to second-grade ingredients. They had clearly been made from scraps of second-grade Green Leaf Grass.

"My heavens! Master Liu is actually using scraps of second-grade ingredients to refine first-grade pills. That is far too extravagant!" A mercenary in short hunting clothes with a bow on his back could not help crying out, prompting those around him to agree.

"Exactly! The spiritual qi in second-grade ingredients is far stronger than that of first-grade ones. This Qi Gathering Powder may have twice the medicinal effect!"

"It looks like the Xiao Clan is definitely going to lose this time. He is a Second-grade Alchemist, and he is even willing to spend so much!"

Jia Lie Ao stood at the edge of the pill platform, proudly sweeping his gaze over the crowd before looking toward the Xiao Family Pill Shop in the distance. When he saw Xiao Yan approaching alone, he immediately raised his voice. "Xiao Yan! You actually dared to come! The Qi Gathering Powder Master Liu refines today will surely make you and that pathetic pill shop of yours understand what true alchemy is, and what a real gap looks like!" His voice was deliberately provocative, drawing a burst of laughter from the Jia Lie Family disciples nearby.

Xiao Yan ignored Jia Lie Ao's mockery. He merely walked calmly to the other side of the pill platform and set down his own ordinary, somewhat worn Copper Small Cauldron. His father had given it to him when he was young. Its body had no decoration at all, and even its edges were worn down in places. Compared to Liu Xi's refined Purple Copper Medicine Cauldron, it looked utterly out of place, like a piece of worthless junk too embarrassing to display.

"With that broken cauldron, he dares compete with Master Liu? Has the Xiao Clan truly run out of people?"

"Haha, I think he came here to humiliate himself. When he ruins the pills later, let us see how he plans to clean up this mess!"

"A brat who cannot even be called an alchemist dares challenge a Second-grade Alchemist? He is truly overestimating himself!"

The surrounding remarks pierced the hearts of the Xiao Clan disciples like needles, yet Xiao Yan seemed not to hear them. He simply crouched down and carefully wiped the edge of his copper cauldron. Liu Xi glanced at Xiao Yan, a mocking curve appearing on his lips, his eyes full of contempt as though he were watching a clown. He no longer paid attention to Xiao Yan. His hands swiftly formed seals, and a thread of pale yellow Dou Qi erupted from his fingertips before slowly entering the Purple Copper Medicine Cauldron. Warmth soon appeared on the cauldron's surface, and the Flame Pattern seemed to awaken, faintly revealing a dim red glow. He picked up the ingredients and tossed them into the cauldron one after another. His movements appeared smooth and flowing, but he deliberately slowed the sequence and timing of the additions. From time to time, he even intentionally blocked the cauldron opening, clearly afraid that others would steal his alchemy techniques.

Xiao Yan, meanwhile, closed his eyes and followed Elder Yao's instructions, slowly sinking his spiritual power into the copper cauldron. Elder Yao's voice was clear and steady within his sea of consciousness. "Kid, remember: the essence of Qi Gathering Powder lies in gathering qi without causing stagnation. Whether a pill is good does not depend on how precious the ingredients are, but on how pure its spiritual qi is. Liu Xi uses scraps of second-grade ingredients. It may seem as if he is improving the medicinal effect, but in truth, he is making the spiritual qi inside the pill impure. A cultivator may feel an increase in Dou Qi shortly after taking it, but after half an hour, their meridians will begin to ache and swell. Long-term use may even damage their foundation." Elder Yao paused, his tone becoming solemn. "You do not need to imitate his flashy tricks. Just refine it according to the most basic ancient method. Remove all impurities from the ingredients, then use soul power to guide the spiritual qi together. Make the pill condensed without scattering, alive without becoming rigid. Then you will refine Qi Gathering Powder ten times better than his."

Xiao Yan took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes, certainty flashing through them. He gradually poured Dou Qi into the copper cauldron, and flames ignited beneath it. The flames were a pure pale blue. Their temperature was not high, yet they were exceptionally stable without the slightest flicker. He picked up ordinary first-grade Green Leaf Grass and, without hesitation, placed it into the cauldron piece by piece. His movements were not quick, but they were extraordinarily precise. Every addition came at exactly the instant when the flames were at their most stable. As he extracted the medicinal liquid, he followed the Spirit Separation Method Elder Yao had taught him, using spiritual power to strip away the impurities bit by bit. The White Mist wreathed around the cauldron grew increasingly pure, without the slightest murkiness. The pill fragrance it released was not intense, yet it carried a refreshing spiritual quality. A single breath of it left one feeling invigorated. This fragrance formed a sharp contrast with the somewhat heavy and slightly turbid scent from Liu Xi's side.

Liu Xi caught sight of Xiao Yan's movements from the corner of his eye. Seeing that Xiao Yan supposedly could not even control the flame temperature properly, he became even more disdainful. He does not even dare make his Dou Qi flames burn stronger, yet he thinks he can refine pills? He probably cannot even extract the medicinal liquid! He snorted and accelerated his refining. Driven by soul power, the medicinal liquid within the Purple Copper Medicine Cauldron quickly began to condense. A moment later, three Qi Gathering Powder pills gleaming with faint golden light flew from the cauldron, swiped past in an arc through the air, and landed steadily inside the White Jade Bottle he had prepared.

"It is done! Master Liu has refined divine pills!" Jia Lie Ao immediately cheered loudly, his voice drowning out the surrounding discussion. "Everyone, come and look! Master Liu's Qi Gathering Powder is golden in color and brimming with spiritual qi. These are true High-grade Pills! They are a hundred times better than the Xiao Clan's dull gray trash!"

The onlookers crowded forward, craning their necks to see the pills clearly. Liu Xi proudly picked up the White Jade Bottle, poured out one Qi Gathering Powder pill, and handed it to a young cultivator in coarse clothes standing at the front. His tone was faintly boastful. "Young brother, why not test it for yourself? After taking this Qi Gathering Powder, the rate at which an early-stage Dou Zhe cultivator gathers Dou Qi will increase by thirty percent for half an hour. It is far stronger than ordinary Qi Gathering Powder!"

The young cultivator was originally a member of the Jia Lie Family. After receiving the pill, he immediately swallowed it impatiently, closed his eyes to sense it for a moment, then abruptly opened them. An exaggerated look of surprise appeared on his face as he shouted, "It is true! The circulation of my Dou Qi really has become much faster! Master Liu truly lives up to his reputation. The pills you refine are practically miraculous medicine!"

Seeing this, Jia Lie Ao became even more pleased with himself. He turned toward Xiao Yan, his voice dripping with mockery. "Xiao Yan, where are your pills? Do not tell me you ruined them and are too afraid to bring them out? If you cannot do it, just admit defeat early. Do not waste everyone's time here!"

Xiao Yan had also extinguished the flames beneath his cauldron. Inside the copper cauldron lay three pearly white Qi Gathering Powder pills. They were round and full, with flawless surfaces, as though they had been carved from Mutton-fat Jade. The fragrance they emitted was crisp and pure. Breathing it in made even the hot, dry air feel refreshing. He picked up one pill, walked to the Edge of the crowd, and offered it to an elderly cultivator with grizzled hair and a hesitant expression. This old cultivator was a famous veteran mercenary in Wutan City. Having trained in the Monster Beast Mountain Range for many years, he had an extremely keen eye for the quality of pills. "Senior, why not try my pill and see how it works?"

The old cultivator accepted the Qi Gathering Powder and first held it beneath his nose for a sniff. A flicker of surprise immediately appeared in his eyes. Its fragrance was far purer than Liu Xi's pill, without a trace of any strange odor. He hesitated briefly, but ultimately swallowed it and closed his eyes, slowly circulating the Dou Qi within his body. A moment later, his eyes flew open. Excitement appeared on his face, and even his voice Trembled slightly. "Good! Excellent! The spiritual qi in this pill is unbelievably pure! Not only has my Dou Qi gathering speed increased by thirty percent, but there is not the slightest swelling pain in my meridians. It feels far more comfortable than Master Liu's pill! I dare say this is the best first-grade Qi Gathering Powder I have ever taken in my life!"

The entire scene instantly erupted. The previously noisy crowd fell silent for a moment, before breaking out into even louder discussion. The young cultivator who had taken Liu Xi's pill also suddenly turned somewhat pale. He instinctively pressed a hand over his lower abdomen, his brows drawing together slightly. Only now did he realize that his meridians felt faintly tight, as though something were blocking them. The joy of his increased Dou Qi had merely concealed that discomfort earlier.

Liu Xi's face immediately darkened like a sky filled with Dark clouds. He suddenly rose to his feet and shouted harshly, "Utter nonsense! How could pills refined by this old man possibly be inferior to a brat's? You must have accepted benefits from the Xiao Clan and are deliberately slandering me here!" As he spoke, he reached for the old cultivator's wrist, intending to inspect his meridians by force, but Xiao Yan Stepped Forward and stopped him.

"Why must Master Liu become angry?" Xiao Yan's tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp. "The quality of a pill is not determined by words, but by the experience of the person taking it." He turned to Liu Xi, his voice clearly conveyed to the entire crowd. "You use scraps from second-grade ingredients to refine first-grade pills. It appears to enhance their medicinal effect, but it actually destroys the pills' spiritual qi balance. Such pills may allow cultivators to feel an increase in Dou Qi in the short term, but prolonged use will only make their meridians increasingly fragile and may even affect their future cultivation foundation. That is why, despite being a Second-grade Alchemist, you can only refine such defective products. You pursue superficial medicinal effects but have forgotten the essence of alchemy: it is meant to save people, not harm them."

Liu Xi's Pupils abruptly contracted. Xiao Yan's words were like a sharp blade, accurately stabbing into his sore spot. Though he was a Second-grade Alchemist, he had never been able to grasp the proper compatibility between second-grade ingredients and first-grade pills. He could only use such opportunistic methods to improve the pills' superficial effects and raise his own status. Over the years, he had deceived many people through this method. He had never expected a brat to expose him in public today.

The crowd gradually began to see the truth as well. The young cultivator who had taken Liu Xi's pill looked increasingly awful. Fine Sweat Beads even appeared on his forehead. Clutching his lower abdomen, he could not help letting out a muffled groan. The swelling pain in his meridians was clearly growing stronger. In contrast, the old cultivator who had taken Xiao Yan's pill had a rosy complexion and steady breathing. He even moved his wrist a little, a relaxed smile on his face.

"So Master Liu was fooling everyone! What Second-grade Alchemist? He is nothing but a fraud!"

"I was even planning to buy his pills. Good thing I did not, or my meridians would have been ruined!"

"The Xiao Clan's pills are still the reliable ones! Their spiritual qi is pure, and they have no side effects. I will buy the Xiao Clan's Qi Gathering Powder from now on!"

The crowd's words were like countless needles piercing Liu Xi and Jia Lie Ao. Jia Lie Ao's face had turned iron-gray. His lips moved, but not a single word came out. The facts were right before him, leaving no room for argument. Liu Xi's face was bright red with both shame and fury. He shot Xiao Yan a vicious glare, his eyes filled with resentment, but he did not dare say another word. Turning around, he tried to push through the crowd and flee.

"Master Liu," Xiao Yan suddenly called out, stopping him. "The path of alchemy demands steady, grounded work, not opportunism." His voice carried a hint of sincerity. "If you truly wish to achieve something in alchemy, you should calm yourself and start from the basics. First learn to refine a genuinely pure batch of first-grade pills, rather than using your title as a Second-grade Alchemist to swindle people."

Liu Xi paused, his shoulders Trembled slightly, but in the end, he did not turn back. He only quickened his pace and pushed through the crowd in disgrace, vanishing at the end of the street like a homeless dog. Jia Lie Ao looked at the empty pill platform, then at the surrounding crowd who could not stop praising the Xiao Clan's pills. He trembled with rage, yet could only grit his teeth and lead the Jia Lie Family members back to their residence in humiliation. This pill competition had not only failed to suppress the Xiao Clan, but had instead turned the Jia Lie Family into the laughingstock of Wutan City.

This pill competition between the two clans, which had shaken Wutan City, ultimately ended in the Xiao Clan's complete victory. After the news spread, business at the Xiao Family Pill Shop became even more prosperous than before. Cultivators from Wutan City rushed to purchase their pills, while mercenaries and clan disciples from neighboring towns came specially to place orders for the Qi Gathering Powder refined by Xiao Yan. In the council hall, Xiao Zhan looked at the thick account book before him and smiled so broadly he could barely close his mouth. He excitedly patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, his voice faintly choked with emotion. "Xiao Yan, you truly are the fortune of our Xiao Clan! You have allowed our Xiao Clan to raise its head in Wutan City once more!"

Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head, but he understood that this was only the beginning. Elder Yao's pleased voice sounded in his sea of consciousness. "Not bad, kid. You did not merely win this pill competition; you also protected the true heart of alchemy. Remember today's lesson. Alchemy is not a tool for competing over strength or victory, but a means to help others and improve yourself. Only by holding fast to that true heart can you travel farther and more steadily on your path of alchemy."

Xiao Yan nodded heavily and looked out the window. At that moment, the setting sun was slowly descending, coating Wutan City in a warm golden glow. A light breeze brushed past, carrying the crisp pill fragrance from the pill shop as it wreathed around his nose. He knew that his legend of alchemy had just begun; the Jia Lie Family's provocation had merely been an insignificant trial on his path to rise again. A broader world and Stronger opponents awaited him in the future—but he was already prepared.