Alchemist Guild

"Bang!"

A muffled explosion sounded, and to everyone's astonishment, Long Chen had, at some point, appeared in front of Li Hao like a phantom. This was the effect of his Swift Wind Steps, which granted incredible speed, especially with close-range bursts, making him impossible to defend against.

Li Hao's claws stopped in mid-air as Long Chen's kick landed squarely between his legs, sending him flying upwards with explosive force.

After a loud bang, a round object slid down Li Hao's pant leg and was flung directly into the crowd.

Wang Mang had been fantasizing about how Li Hao would torture Long Chen to the point of wishing he were dead, but the scene before him left him dumbfounded.

He hadn't noticed a grape-sized object flying straight towards his gaping mouth. By the time he realized it, the object had already entered his mouth.

Before he could even react, the slippery thing slid down his throat and into his stomach, carrying with it a strange, musky odor.

"Ah!"

Wang Mang finally came to his senses and frantically stuck a finger down his throat, gagging for a long time before spitting out a round object.

Zhou Yaoyang and the others around Wang Mang felt a wave of nausea looking at the round object and quickly backed away.

"Ah... my balls!"

On the stage, Li Hao clutched his crotch, his face contorted in pain. If he hadn't been protecting his body with Spiritual Energy beforehand, he would have fainted from the agony.

For a moment, the entire arena fell silent. The crowd looked at Li Hao on the stage, then at the mess in the distance, all with strange expressions.

"There, now you won't walk crooked anymore," Long Chen said with a nod.

"You..."

Li Hao was so enraged his eyes felt like they would burst. His only precious possession had been removed, and it had ended up in Wang Mang's stomach. Now, with stomach acid burning it, it was useless even if he got it back.

The previous one had been snatched away by a wild dog, and this one was ruined as well. Li Hao was destined to become a sterile cripple.

"You bastard, die for me—Shattering Stone Fist!"

Li Hao roared maniacally, forcefully circulating his Spiritual Energy to stop the pain in his lower body. He threw a punch at Long Chen, his aura surging, the wind whistling.

He unleashed the full power of a Qi Gathering Triple Heaven cultivator. He had fallen into a frenzy, forgetting Zhou Yaoyang's instructions, and was solely focused on killing Long Chen.

Long Chen looked at the crazed Li Hao, a cold glint appearing in his eyes. He let out a great roar, like thunder shaking the heavens and earth, reverberating through the surroundings and making the ears of those nearby ring.

An invisible aura swept out. Long Chen made no move to dodge and threw a punch of his own.

"Ox Power!"

"Boom!"

An explosion, accompanied by the sound of cracking bones, echoed through the air. Li Hao let out a scream of agony as blood sprayed everywhere. To the horrified gazes of the onlookers, Li Hao's arm was shattered.

Long Chen remained in his punching stance, his eyes cold, his expression indifferent. A terrifying killing aura emanated from him, chilling everyone to the bone.

At this moment, Long Chen was like a cold-blooded god of war, exuding an icy killing intent that made people shudder.

The entire arena was deathly silent. The power Long Chen had just unleashed made even Zhou Yaoyang, a seventh-level Qi Gathering cultivator, feel a sense of dread.

"How is this possible? He can actually use combat skills?"

"Didn't he say he couldn't cultivate? What's going on?"

"Those eyes are so terrifying."

The crowd was filled with shock. Those who had mocked Long Chen earlier were now filled with fear. Looking at Li Hao lying on the stage, they felt as if they were seeing themselves, and a shiver ran down their spines.

On the stage, Li Hao's arm was completely shattered, blood flowing freely. Long Chen's punch had not only broken his arm but also injured his internal organs.

Even Long Chen himself was somewhat shocked. It seemed he had underestimated the power. Even a low-grade combat skill, when wielded by him, could unleash such terrifying force.

He slowly walked towards Li Hao. On the stage where the slightest sound could be heard, Long Chen's footsteps were clear and distinct, like a killer's prelude, heavily impacting everyone's hearts.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

Li Hao's earlier anger had long since vanished, replaced by sheer terror. As he watched Long Chen approach, he stammered, "Don't... don't come near me."

Li Hao tried to retreat, but in his extreme fear, he found he couldn't muster any strength. The approaching Long Chen was like a nightmare he couldn't escape.

"Don't... don't kill me, it was all Zhou Yaoyang's idea," Li Hao cried, his voice choked with tears.

Zhou Yaoyang, watching from below, his face changed, and he angrily shouted, "Li Hao, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm not spouting nonsense! You told us to deal with Long Chen and promised us rewards afterward. This is all your fault!" Li Hao pointed at Zhou Yaoyang, shouting hysterically. Facing the threat of death, he had forgotten everything.

"Li Hao, you're asking for death!" Zhou Yaoyang's face turned ashen, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Zhou Yaoyang, you scoundrel, you used me! Long Chen, let me tell you, Zhou Yaoyang is just a lackey! In fact..."

Long Chen suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He smelled the scent of death. Without thinking, he retreated rapidly.

However, after Long Chen retreated, nothing happened. When Long Chen looked back at Li Hao, he saw that Li Hao's eyes had lost their focus, and he was already dead.

Long Chen's expression changed slightly. He looked towards the crowd and saw a figure wearing a bamboo hat fleeing rapidly. With a few leaps, they disappeared from sight.

The sudden turn of events caused an uproar among the onlookers. It was clear that the mysterious person had killed Li Hao.

"Long Chen wins."

After a brief period of confusion, the arena attendant finally announced the final result.

Although Li Hao was not killed by Long Chen, Long Chen had defeated Li Hao and could have easily killed him. Therefore, the judgment of Long Chen's victory was undeniable.

As Long Chen emerged victorious, countless people sighed in their hearts. This outcome meant their investments had gone down the drain.

Meanwhile, dozens of people cheered loudly, having bet on Long Chen to win. Fatty Yu and the others howled with delight.

Li Hao, lying on the stage, was ignored. The stage officials would notify his family to collect his body.

Duels on the Death Stage were protected by imperial law, preventing private revenge. Li Hao was merely a concubine's son, not of particularly high status. His death wouldn't cause much of a stir; this was the formidable nature of the Phoenix Cry Empire.

Long Chen descended from the stage to a hero's welcome from Fatty Yu and the others. Shi Feng gave Long Chen a firm hug.

"Good kid, when did you get so fierce? You should have told me earlier. My heart was about to jump out of my chest watching from below," Shi Feng grumbled.

"Brother Long, oh no, Brother Long, we'll follow you from now on. You have to look out for us!" Fatty Yu and the others said, their eyes shining.

Long Chen laughed heartily, "No problem. Let's go collect our winnings."

The crowd erupted in cheers. Under the envious gazes of countless people, Long Chen claimed a staggering three million Gold Coins.

When a Crystal Card bearing three million Gold Coins was placed in Long Chen's hand, he felt even more exhilarated than when he killed Li Hao.

He knew Li Hao was just a minor obstacle. The information Li Hao revealed before dying had alerted him to greater dangers.

He had initially thought he was being bullied due to his father's conflicts, but it seemed to be more than a simple power struggle. He was merely a pawn.

He was just a good-for-nothing youth, and his family was dirt poor. The elaborate schemes against him clearly targeted his father.

"This seems complicated."

However, looking at the three million Gold Coins in his hand, Long Chen felt an immense surge of confidence. Was this the legendary power of wealth?

After leaving the crowd, Long Chen found a teahouse. After a grand celebration, Long Chen returned everyone's principal investment.

The winnings, however, were kept. Long Chen made a promise that excited everyone:

He would take care of their future cultivation.

Fatty Yu and the others were ecstatic. They were all people who couldn't cultivate. If anyone else had said this, they wouldn't have believed it.

But Long Chen was just like them before. Now, he had instantly killed Li Hao with one move. How real was that?

Hearing Long Chen's words, everyone was overjoyed. Long Chen asked them to keep it a secret, and they all nodded frantically.

Long Chen had spoken so solemnly, and it concerned everyone's future, even being as important as their lives. They dared not take it lightly.

After Fatty Yu and the others left, Long Chen chatted with Shi Feng. Shi Feng was a genius, the most gifted among the noble sons. He was already at the eighth level of Qi Gathering and could enter the ninth level at any time. He should be able to reach Blood Condensation before twenty without issue.

After observing him twice, Long Chen was certain Shi Feng was trustworthy. After confirming Shi Feng's current cultivation state, Long Chen parted ways with him and headed straight for the Alchemist Guild.

The Alchemist Guild was located south of the imperial capital, the most sacred place in the entire city. Even the Royal Family dared not disrespect members of the Alchemist Guild.

The Alchemist Guild was said to be spread across the globe, and the guild in the imperial capital was just one of them.

Long Chen had come to obtain an alchemist qualification certificate. After all, having a certificate would be very convenient for him when buying medicine or traveling the world.

Alchemy was a scarce profession everywhere. With this certificate, Long Chen's value would increase significantly. Even the Phoenix Cry Empire would have to reconsider before making a move against him.

Most importantly, with this qualification, he could purchase rare medicinal ingredients from the Alchemist Guild at a highly preferential price, saving a considerable amount of money.

The Alchemist Guild covered over ten acres but stood dozens of feet tall, exuding grandeur and inspiring awe.

Upon entering the lobby, two maids greeted Long Chen. They were surprised when they heard he was there to take the alchemist qualification exam.

Long Chen appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen years old and showed no signs of cultivation. Nevertheless, the two maids led him to the alchemy hall.

When Long Chen arrived, over a dozen men in the hall were igniting Pill Fire, seemingly refining medicine.

"Huh, how is it you?"

As soon as Long Chen entered, an old man looked at him with surprise and asked.

Upon seeing the man, Long Chen inwardly seethed. This old man was the one who had treated him, claiming he might have amnesia when he was fine, and tricked him out of his mother's jewelry.

"I'm here to take the alchemist exam," Long Chen suppressed his anger, deciding to settle the score with the old man later.

"Exam? Alchemist?" The old man looked Long Chen up and down. "It seems your previous injury hasn't fully healed. You should go back and rest."

Long Chen frowned slightly. "I am indeed here for the exam."

The old man's face darkened. "I don't have time to waste with a child like you. Get lost, or I'll have the guards throw you out."

Long Chen's anger flared inwardly. He looked at the old man and shouted, "If your ears are plugged with green hair, I'll tell you again: I'm here to take the alchemist exam!"

By the end of his outburst, Long Chen's voice had become a roar, echoing throughout the entire Alchemist Guild.

"Who's making such a racket here?"

Suddenly, a stern-looking elder with a gaunt face walked over, displeased. Long Chen's eyes darted, and a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.