Xiao Yan is Struck
Over the years, the thought that he had finally surpassed the always enigmatic Lin Ming in terms of achievements filled Xiao Yan with a sense of exhilaration and pride that was even more intense than the blazing sun.
After a long period of Xiao Yan finally suppressed his emotions, took a deep breath, and calmed his excited mood. He then turned around and returned to the alchemy room to see if the other disciples had made any new discoveries, hoping to fully exploit the value of this alchemy room.
However, just as he turned around and lifted his foot, a flash of lightning seemed to strike his mind, and the image of that Snow White Beast blinking suddenly appeared in his mind!
Those bright, expressive eyes... those winks that seemed to carry a hint of human cunning...
Something's not right!
Xiao Yan froze instantly, his smile freezing on his face. A chill suddenly shot up his spine, straight to the top of his head!
He is no ordinary Alchemist; he is a grandmaster alchemist who has received the true teachings of the Old Yao Master Yao, has seen countless rare pills, and has personally refined an eighth-grade Alchemy Grandmaster that attracted Five-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Pill!
As a result, he understands the properties of high-intelligence pills far better than ordinary people!
That little beast... that was no ordinary pet spirit beast at all!
That's a Pill Beast! It's a Pill Beast that has taken form from the concentrated Spirituality of a high-grade pill!
Moreover, judging from its appearance, which is almost indistinguishable from that of a real living creature, its abundant yet restrained spiritual aura, and its eyes, which are agile and far more nimble than those of ordinary Magical Beasts...
This is definitely not Pill Beast that can be formed from an ordinary Tier 8 Medicinal Pill!
Its true form must be Super Eighth Grade Pill that has undergone the baptism of eight-colored, or even... Nine-Colored Pill Lightning! It is a peerless treasure second only to the legendary Tier 9 Medicinal Pill!
Thinking of this, Xiao Yan felt his head buzz, as if he had been hit hard by a ten-thousand-pound hammer, and he was completely stunned.
An indescribable feeling of shock, regret, and disbelief erupted in his chest like a volcano!
He had just been basking in pride at obtaining a Five-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Pill and an Eighth Grade Pill Recipe, thinking he had finally defeated Lin Ming... but now...
Compared to the Pill Beast that Lin Ming obtained, which was at least at the level of Eight-Colored Pill Lightning, the Five-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Pill that he cherished and the pill formula of the Pill to Break Venerate, while not quite like the difference between a roadside stone and a dazzling pearl, were equivalent to the difference between a silver key and a gold key.
This comparison, which should have been a complete victory for him, has now turned into a defeat for him. Just like at the Pill Gathering, although his Five-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Pill had created a huge gap between him and the others, Lin Ming's Grade Eight-and-a-Half-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Medicinal Pill had also created a huge gap between him and Lin Ming!
At this moment, he was filled with regret. Back at the Pill Gathering, he had said he wouldn't compare himself to Lin Ming. Why hadn't he controlled his tongue? Why had he asked that question?
Regretful, Xiao Yan said with resentment, "We... we were here first!"
This resentful whisper was almost squeezed out between Xiao Yan's teeth.
At the same time, an incredibly frustrating thought gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake, "Such a heaven-defying Pill Beast should, in theory, be destined to be ours! It should be quietly waiting in some unknown corner of this Pill Hall, waiting for us, the most destined ones and the first to arrive, to discover it! How... how could it have been obtained so quietly by Lin Ming, who came later?!"
Xiao Yan's mind uncontrollably began to imagine the scene of Lin Ming discovering the Pill Beast: perhaps in some dusty, secluded corner overlooked by everyone, Lin Ming, with his usual faint smile as if he had everything under control, easily lured that priceless Pill Beast into his possession using some method unknown to him...
The immense psychological gap, like stepping off a precipice, made Xiao Yan instantly feel that the Five-Colored Pill Lightning Tier 8 Medicinal Pill and the "Pill to Break Venerate" formula, which had just excited him and made him cherish them, now seemed like chicken ribs—tasteless and unappealing.
What I initially thought was a substantial gain now feels incredibly light and weightless.
Recalling Lin Ming's "sincere" lament of poverty, his "extremely shabby" helpless expression, and his "frankness" that he had "nothing but a few bottles of Tier 6 Medicinal Pill"...
Looking back now, Xiao Yan realized that it wasn't about feigning poverty at all; it was clearly about desperately trying to hide a huge advantage, as if afraid that others would be jealous and envious, or even try to steal it!
No, it's even more despicable than showing off; it's a mocking performance, as if he's watching a fool! And I'm the fool who was deceived by his superb acting skills! I was so stupid to believe it, to feel sympathy for him, and even to feel secretly proud, thinking that I've finally won back a point!
An indescribable sense of frustration and feeling "deceived" and "played" welled up in Xiao Yan's heart like fermenting swamp gas, causing his face to turn pale and then red. His chest felt like it was stuffed with a wad of wet cotton, making it difficult for him to breathe.
He felt that his intelligence and the discernment of Alchemy Grandmaster had just been thoroughly humiliated by Lin Ming.
So much so that at this moment, Xiao Yan looked in the direction of the passage where Lin Ming and the others had long since disappeared, his eyes filled with complex emotions, including frustration, helplessness, and a hint of barely perceptible admiration. His fists clenched tightly involuntarily, his nails almost digging into his flesh, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged.
This time, he felt that he not only didn't win, but lost completely, having been thoroughly and utterly "played" by his opponent from the inside out. This frustration was even more unbearable than losing a real battle.
"Xiao Yan, what's wrong?"
Venerable Feng Gu Ling keenly heard Xiao Yan's earlier whisper filled with resentment, and seeing his ever-changing expression and somewhat disordered breathing, he couldn't help but frown and ask.
The other disciples of the Starfall Pavilion also noticed Xiao Yan's unusual behavior and cast curious glances at him.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan suddenly came to his senses and realized that he had lost his composure.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan forcibly suppressed the churning emotions in his chest and tried to relax the muscles on his face.
He opened his mouth, wanting to reveal the truth about the Pill Beast, but the words caught in his throat. What good would it do to tell it? Could he possibly snatch it back from Lin Ming?
Putting aside whether he could win or not, even if he could, Xiao Yan wouldn't do something like stabbing a friend in the back.
In the end, all the words could only be reduced to a long, heavy, bitter laugh filled with complex emotions.
Xiao Yan shook his head, his voice hoarse and dry from suppressed effort. "No... nothing, Elder Feng. It's just... I suddenly feel that we were too careless, we didn't search thoroughly enough... Perhaps some real treasures are hidden right under our noses, but we've overlooked them..."
Xiao Yan's words were half true and half false. He was lamenting that he had missed out on the Pill Beast, but he was also reminding himself and everyone else not to be complacent.
However, a voice inside him roared and howled in impotent rage, "Lin Ming! Lin Ming, kid! Lin Ming, little brother! You... Ah! You hid it really well! Your acting was superb! You got away with it this time! Next time... next time I'll definitely..."
What should he do next time? He was momentarily speechless, realizing that he didn't seem to have any real confidence in defeating someone as unfathomable as Lin Ming. This realization made him even more frustrated.
Lin Ming, who had already leisurely led his team away, was completely unaware of Xiao Yan's rollercoaster-like emotional rollercoaster that culminated in his dramatic fall from grace.
He was currently taking stock of his gains from the trip with great pleasure, especially when he sensed the Ancient Medicinal Formula in his Storage Ring and the sleeping Pill Beast in Qing Lin's arms, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
However, if he had a water mirror at this moment, and could see Xiao Yan's face, which had plummeted from the peak of self-satisfaction to the depths of existential doubt, a face as colorful as if a paint shop had been overturned, then he, the Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect, would probably laugh heartily and without any restraint.
After all, it's quite interesting to see this exceptionally talented and resilient "younger brother" suffer such a major setback.
As Lin Ming and his group continued their journey, after leaving the area where they had encountered the Starfall Pavilion, they took a chance and searched for a few pill-making rooms that appeared to be relatively intact.
However, the result was disappointing.
These alchemy rooms looked as if they had been raided by the most professional looting team; they were so clean that even rats would shake their heads and leave in tears, finding absolutely nothing of value.
Many of the lighting stones embedded in the wall had been pried off, leaving only some pitted marks.
"Sect Master, it seems the third level has indeed been almost completely looted."
Elder Di Kong looked at yet another empty alchemy room, shook his head helplessly, and said to Lin Ming.
Lin Ming's gaze swept over the desolate yet quiet area, his Soul Power carefully sensing it. After confirming that there were no remaining powerful energy fluctuations, he nodded and made his decision:
"In that case, let's not waste any more time here. The core area of this Ancient Ruins is vast. While the Pill Hall is good, there are likely even greater opportunities waiting for us in the main hall and other places."
Instead of wandering aimlessly around this sparsely populated Pill Hall like a headless fly, it's better to leave early and head to the main hall area, which symbolizes the core of the ruins. Going early might give you a head start.
"Let's go, let's leave the Pill Hall." Lin Ming waved his hand and gave the order decisively.
Therefore, Lin Ming and his group no longer lingered, turned around, and headed in a grand procession towards the staircase leading to the third floor.
Their team was well-organized and their aura was consistent. Although they didn't try to be ostentatious, the confidence they exuded, honed by numerous victories and accumulated strength, along with the powerful presence they subtly emanated, was impossible to conceal.
Along the way, they naturally encountered other groups that were still tirelessly searching or were on the verge of fighting over something.
But when these people's gazes swept over Lin Ming's team, and they felt Xiong Zhan's undisguised ferocity, Zi Yan's restrained yet chilling Dragon Might, Lin Ming's unfathomable aura, and the steady Dou Qi fluctuations of Di Kong and other Dou Zong powerhouses, all their curious, inquisitive, or greedy eyes quickly withdrew as if pricked by needles.
Nobody's a fool.
In places like this, keen insight is more important than strength.
This team is clearly not to be trifled with; they're obviously a tough opponent, and they must have reaped rich rewards.
Even so, no one dared to entertain the slightest thought of intercepting or provoking them.
That would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—it would be courting its own destruction.
Therefore, Lin Ming and his group arrived at the top of the stairs almost without any hindrance, and their figures quickly disappeared into the descending passage, leaving the Pill Hall Third Floor, where they had gained so much and which had also left a certain future Flame Emperor with extremely complicated feelings.
Only after their presence completely disappeared from the space did some people hidden in the shadows breathe a sigh of relief, and then turn their attention to the other persimmons that looked "softer".
The commotion and struggle within the Pill Hall continued, but it was no longer relevant to Lin Ming and his group. They had already left the Pill Hall and headed towards the main hall of the ruins, which was located in the more central area.