A Test! This is a Third-Rank Pill!

After the banquet concluded, Ya Fei led Xiao Chen to a VIP room upstairs.

The decor of the VIP room was even more exquisite than the floor below.

Ya Fei invited Xiao Chen to sit, and she took a seat opposite him.

Gu Ni sat to the side, casting a glance at Ya Fei.

Ya Fei nodded slightly.

Gu Ni pulled a prescription from his robe and handed it to Xiao Chen.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, this old man has a presumptuous request," Gu Ni began.

Xiao Chen looked at the prescription on the table without saying a word.

"This is a prescription for a Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pill," Gu Ni explained. "We have already prepared the medicinal ingredients and would like to ask for your help in refining this pill."

Xiao Chen picked up the prescription and glanced at it.

The Qi Recovery Pill, a Tier 3 medicinal pill capable of rapidly restoring Dou Qi during combat, was an essential item.

"Refining this pill is very important to our auction house," Ya Fei added. "If you can assist us, our auction house will certainly reward you handsomely."

Xiao Chen set the prescription down and looked at Ya Fei and Gu Ni.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni exchanged a look, both waiting for Xiao Chen's answer.

They both knew clearly that this request was somewhat forward; after all, they had only known Xiao Chen for two days, yet they were already asking him to refine a Tier 3 pill.

However, they truly wanted to test whether Xiao Chen was indeed an alchemist.

If Xiao Chen could refine a Tier 3 pill, then his alchemist rank was at least Tier 3.

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old Tier 3 alchemist was a rarity across the entire Dou Qi Continent.

"I can do it," Xiao Chen said.

Upon hearing this, Ya Fei and Gu Ni were both stunned.

They had not expected Xiao Chen to agree so readily.

"Young Master, this is a Tier 3 pill," Gu Ni reminded him. "Are you certain you can refine it?"

Xiao Chen cut him off, "Are the ingredients prepared?"

"They are," Ya Fei said hurriedly.

Ya Fei clapped her hands, and a maid entered carrying a tray.

On the tray sat several jade boxes containing the exact ingredients needed to refine the Qi Recovery Pill.

Xiao Chen took a look and nodded.

"I will have it delivered to you tomorrow," Xiao Chen said, standing up.

"So soon?" Ya Fei asked in surprise.

"What? Is that too fast?" Xiao Chen asked.

"No, no," Ya Fei quickly replied. "I just didn't expect you to be able to refine it so quickly."

Xiao Chen said nothing more; he picked up the ingredients and turned to walk out the door.

Ya Fei rose quickly to see him off, "Take care, Young Master."

Xiao Chen waved his hand and left the VIP room without looking back.

Ya Fei stood at the doorway, watching Xiao Chen's figure disappear at the end of the corridor before turning back around.

She walked back into the VIP room and sat down in her chair.

Gu Ni sat opposite her, the shock on his face yet to fade.

"Master Gu Ni, do you think Xiao Chen can really refine a Tier 3 pill?" Ya Fei asked.

Gu Ni shook his head, "It's hard to say."

"But he agreed so quickly; he seemed very confident," Ya Fei noted.

"That is exactly what worries me," Gu Ni said. "A Tier 3 pill is no trivial matter. The slightest mistake will not only cause the refinement to fail, but all the ingredients will be wasted."

Ya Fei was silent for a moment.

"What if Xiao Chen really can refine it?" Ya Fei asked.

Gu Ni took a deep breath, "Then he is at least a Tier 3 alchemist."

"A fifteen or sixteen-year-old Tier 3 alchemist..." Ya Fei murmured to herself.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni exchanged a look, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Tier 3 alchemists were few and far between in the entire Jia Ma Empire, and every one of them was a long-established figure, the youngest being over forty years old.

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old Tier 3 alchemist—let alone the Jia Ma Empire, one would be hard-pressed to find a second one in the entire Northwest Continent.

"Ya Fei, if Xiao Chen really does deliver the Qi Recovery Pill tomorrow, what should we do?" Gu Ni asked.

"Then we report it to the family," Ya Fei said. "The Mite'er Family must befriend someone like this."

Gu Ni nodded.

"However, before that, we must first confirm whether the medicinal pill was refined by his own hand," Gu Ni said.

"That goes without saying," Ya Fei said.

Xiao Chen left the Mittel Auction House and walked on the road back to the Xiao Clan.

The night breeze blew against Xiao Chen's face, carrying a hint of chill.

The streets of Wutan City were deserted, with only a few lanterns swaying in the wind.

Xiao Chen's pace was swift, and before long, he returned to the Xiao Clan.

The guards at the gate saw Xiao Chen and hurriedly saluted him.

Xiao Chen nodded and walked straight toward his living quarters.

Xiao Chen pushed open the door, walked inside, and closed it behind him.

Xiao Chen placed the medicinal herbs on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed.

A Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pill was nothing more than a piece of cake for him.

Gu He was a Tier 6 Alchemist, and since Xiao Chen had copied all of Gu He's strength, he could refine a Tier 3 pill with his eyes closed.

Xiao Chen stood up and walked to the table.

Xiao Chen raised his hand and channeled the Dou Qi within his body.

A ball of flame condensed in the palm of Xiao Chen's hand; the temperature of the flame was extremely high, illuminating the entire room.

He took out a stalk of Qi Recovery Grass and tossed it into the flame.

Under the scorching heat of the flame, the medicinal herb slowly melted, turning into a ball of cyan liquid.

Xiao Chen was fully focused, controlling the temperature of the flame.

One stalk of medicinal herb after another was tossed into the flame by Xiao Chen, and they turned into liquid one by one.

Under the burning of the flame, those liquids slowly fused together, their color changing from cyan to dark brown, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

After an unknown amount of time, the flame in Xiao Chen's hand suddenly retracted.

A medicinal pill hovered in mid-air, its body round and its color deep.

The Qi Recovery Pill was complete.

Xiao Chen collected the pill into a jade bottle and placed it on the table.

He glanced at the sky outside the window; it was already late at night.

Xiao Chen did not sleep; he sat cross-legged on the bed.

Xiao Chen closed his eyes and circulated the Dou Qi within his body.

The Dou Emperor Bloodline made his cultivation speed several times faster than before.

Dou Qi flowed through his meridians, over and over again, and he could clearly feel the Dou Qi within his body slowly growing.

The next morning, Xiao Chen opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance crossing them.

After a night of cultivation, although Xiao Chen's strength had not broken through, it had stabilized significantly; his strength as a three-star Dou Emperor was now completely solidified.

He stretched his neck and opened the system panel.

[Daily copy opportunity has refreshed. Would you like to perform a copy?]

Xiao Chen looked at the system panel before him, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

The daily copy opportunity was the foundation of his growth and must never be wasted.

"Copy immediately," Xiao Chen said in his heart.

[Copy target is being randomly drawn...]

[Copy target: Yun Shan.]

[Copy Dou Technique: Great Wind Hand Seal.]

[Copy successful.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Yun Shan's Dou Technique: Great Wind Hand Seal.]

The moment the system prompt fell, a massive amount of information flooded into Xiao Chen's mind.

The Great Wind Hand Seal, a Profound-tier high-level Dou Technique, was one of the signature techniques of the former Misty Cloud Sect leader, Yun Shan. When struck with a palm, it was like a great gale descending, and its power was astonishing.

Xiao Chen opened his eyes, feeling the information of the Dou Technique that had flooded into his mind, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Having gained another Profound-tier high-level Dou Technique, added to the Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill he had previously copied from Yun Yun, he now possessed two Profound-tier high-level Dou Techniques.

Xiao Chen stood up and stretched his body.

He walked to the table, picked up the jade bottle containing the Qi Recovery Pill, and tucked it into his robes.

It was time to go to the Mittel Auction House.

Xiao Chen pushed open the door and walked out of the room.

He took a deep breath and walked toward the main gate of the Xiao Clan.

Passing through the main hall, Xiao Chen saw several elders discussing matters inside.

He did not enter, walking straight past them; he did not want to waste any time.

Mittel Auction House.

As Xiao Chen stepped through the main entrance, a maid in the hall immediately came forward to greet him.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, you have arrived." The maid bowed, "Miss Ya Fei is waiting for you upstairs."

Xiao Chen nodded and followed the maid upstairs.

Arriving at the door of the VIP room, the maid knocked.

"Come in." Ya Fei's voice drifted from within.

The maid pushed the door open, and Xiao Chen walked inside.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni were both sitting inside, and upon seeing Xiao Chen enter, they hurriedly stood up.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, you are here." A smile appeared on Ya Fei's face.

Xiao Chen nodded and sat down in a chair.

He took a jade bottle from his robe and placed it on the table.

"The Qi Recovery Pill, it has been refined."

Ya Fei and Gu Ni exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni had not expected Xiao Chen to actually deliver the medicinal pill.

Gu Ni picked up the jade bottle, opened the stopper, and poured the pill into his palm.

A smooth, round pill lay in the center of Gu Ni's palm, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

Gu Ni examined it carefully, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.

"This is... a Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pill." Gu Ni spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

"What is the quality?" Ya Fei asked.

"Top-grade quality." Gu Ni said, "Furthermore, the refining technique is extremely sophisticated; it is certainly not something an ordinary person could achieve."

Ya Fei took a deep breath.

A top-grade Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pill—even among the Tier 3 alchemists she had met, very few could refine a pill of such quality.

Xiao Chen's alchemy was even stronger than theirs.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, your alchemy is truly extraordinary." Ya Fei said.

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and said indifferently, "The pill has been delivered. May I leave now?"

"Please wait, Young Master." Ya Fei said hurriedly.

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei.

"You have done us such a great favor, and we have yet to properly thank you." Ya Fei said, "Is there anything you need our help with?"

Xiao Chen thought for a moment and said, "Not for the time being."

"Then if you have any needs in the future, please do not hesitate to ask." Ya Fei said, "As long as it is within the capabilities of the Mittel Auction House, we will not refuse."

Xiao Chen nodded and stood up.

"Then I shall take my leave."

"Safe travels, Young Master." Ya Fei and Gu Ni stood up simultaneously to see Xiao Chen out.

Xiao Chen waved his hand and left the VIP room without looking back.

Ya Fei stood at the doorway, watching Xiao Chen's departing figure, a trace of shock flashing through her eyes.

This youth was even more unfathomable than she had imagined.

Gu Ni stood behind Ya Fei and muttered to himself, "This person must never be offended."