A Perfect Fit

"President, that Sun Qingyang seems to have some confidence..."

Back in the attic, Han Yue asked with a hint of worry.

"That's not surprising. A Fourth-Tier Alchemist like him would enjoy the same treatment as Dou Wang expert anywhere. Moreover, with his skills, he would be among the top in the Alchemy Department. He is the most likely candidate in the Inner Academy to break through to the Fifth-Grade Alchemist before graduation. Given his strength and status, apart from the top twenty experts on the Strong Ranking List, other students would find it difficult to ask him to refine medicine."

Having been bothered by Sun Qingyang for a year, Yao Ling naturally knew him somewhat, and said calmly.

She wasn't worried that Xiao Yan would lose.

Because she knew better than anyone how extraordinary Xiao Yan's Yao Tian was.

Perhaps his soul power increased because of a good opportunity, but his Tier 9 Golden Pill Alchemy cannot be obtained through mere chance.

That's a terrifying talent powerful enough to suppress this era!

"Hmm, to reach the Fourth-Tier Alchemist at such a young age, one's talent is indeed outstanding."

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. Generally speaking, Fourth-Tier Alchemist in his early twenties is indeed quite talented.

Look at the two guild leaders of Black Rock City, they're quite old, yet they're only at the Fourth-Grade.

Compared to the other two, Sun Qingyang was indeed a genius.

But compared to Xiao Yan, no one is a genius.

"It seems you're quite confident in your Alchemy."

Shi Xuanxuan's lips curled up slightly, her eyes full of appreciation, and she said with a smile.

She didn't know if Xiao Yan's Alchemy could surpass Sun Qingyang's, but she had personally experienced Xiao Yan's Fire Energy and the pills he refined.

Based on her intuition, if both were Fourth-Grade, Xiao Yan would definitely be stronger.

Ling Yanfei and Xiao Yan weren't that familiar with each other yet, but she already knew that Xiao Yan would become Dou Emperor in the future. So, in theory, this little trouble shouldn't be able to stop Xiao Yan.

But it would be even better if we could hear Xiao Yan admit to some things himself.

However, even at such close range, she still couldn't see Xiao Yan's future or, through Spirit Communion, sense anything about Xiao Yan.

This is strange.

Even a Dou Sheng- level expert couldn't completely obscure her; she would inevitably perceive some vague information and suffer a backlash.

Someone like Xiao Yan, who is completely unfathomable...

There can only be one way.

That is, through the union of body and soul, to gain the ability to communicate with Xiao Yan's mind.

But...

It's obviously impossible!

If she were to do that now, the drop in her bloodline level would be a minor issue. What's worse, although she couldn't see through Xiao Yan, she could tell that among the four girls beside him, apart from Xiao Yan Han Yue being unremarkable, the remaining ones were Woe Poison Body, an Ancient Clan's young lady, and a Soul Clan's young lady.

This combination is absolutely explosive, even on the entire continent.

If they found out that she had taken advantage of Xiao Yan, the one from the Ancient Clan might still be able to reason with her, but the Little Demoness from the Soul Clan and the woman with the Woe Poison Body might actually attack her.

What are your chances of winning?

Suppressing her chaotic thoughts for the time being, Ling Yanfei asked.

Upon hearing this, the others also turned their gazes over.

Under the watchful eyes of the others, Xiao Yan smiled, put his hands behind his back, and walked forward, his soft laughter carried on the wind. "I am no longer Fourth-Tier Alchemist."

Upon hearing this, the four women were all stunned, and then their eyes widened.

Does this mean he has already reached the Fifth-Grade?

Seriously? A twelve-year-old Fifth-Grade Alchemist?

This guy's Yao Tian is just terrifying!

Overnight, the news that Xiao Yan from the Student Union was going to compete with Sun Qingyang from the Medicine Gang in alchemy spread throughout the entire Inner Academy.

One is a promising newcomer, the other a veteran powerhouse; this kind of dynamic is undoubtedly something people enjoy watching.

The Inner Academy was immediately in an uproar!

Although ordinary duels are commonplace in the Inner Academy and happen every day, it is quite rare for two Fourth-Grade- grade alchemists to compete in alchemy.

Therefore, all the trainees who heard this news were extremely curious about the competition.

The elders of the Inner Academy were quite curious after hearing about the competition. After all, the legendary freshman Xiao Yan, who could go into seclusion in the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower for two months right after entering the academy and who could defeat Dou Ling as a Da Dou Shi, had already spread throughout their circle.

Therefore, when the first rays of dawn the next morning poured down from the sky amidst the anticipation of countless people, completely enveloping this vast Inner Academy hidden deep in the mountains, the usually sparsely populated North Plaza was immediately filled with a dense sea of people.

The noise was even more intense than in the most popular Arena. Looking at the sea of people in the square, some elders who had nothing better to do and had come to observe couldn't help but sigh – it seemed like it had been a long time since the Inner Academy had been this lively, apart from a few special places like the trading area and the Arena!

"When!"

The clear chimes of bells rang out in the square, and the surrounding noise suddenly quieted down.

In the square where countless people were watching, an old man's figure suddenly flashed down from the sky; it was Elder Hao, who was in charge of acting as the referee.

Elder Hao's gaze slowly swept across the dark plaza, occasionally pausing briefly above certain areas, a smile involuntarily appearing in his eyes:

"Hehe, they've all come, huh? This Inner Academy really needs the young people to keep the passion going!"

"Cough..."

Elder Hao cleared his throat, instantly silencing the entire room.

At this moment, a figure dressed in an alchemist's robe suddenly flashed onto the stage from below and stood beside Elder Hao. On the alchemist's rank badge on his chest, four silver ripples undulated slightly.

Clearly, this was Sun Qingyang, the leader of the Medicine Gang.

As soon as Sun Qingyang appeared, shouts rang out from below, clearly indicating that he had accumulated considerable prestige in the Inner Academy over the years.

Shortly after Sun Qingyang took the stage, a path suddenly opened up in the crowd. A smiling young man in a white robe led the Student Union members forward at a leisurely pace, under the watchful eyes of the crowd. On the cobalt blue badge he wore on his chest was a roaring lion with its mouth open.

They marched in unison, creating quite a spectacle.

Behind Xiao Yan, four beauties, Han Yue, Yao Ling, Shi Xuanxuan, Ling Yanfei, each with their own unique charm, followed closely behind, half a step behind him. Such treatment made everyone around them extremely envious.

But they clearly didn't realize that what came today was not just the whole group.

Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian are still in seclusion, and Hun Li Li has been missing recently. Otherwise, Xiao Yan should be followed by the Seven Fairies of the Inner Academy.

Xiao Yan raised his hand and waved, and everyone behind him stopped. Then, Xiao Yan stepped onto the square alone, bowed slightly to the crowd with an elegant demeanor, and his composure and calmness, combined with his well-fitting white robe, gave him a somewhat otherworldly air that made people feel good about him.

As the saying goes, if you want to look good, wear mourning clothes. This white robe is not from Xiao Yan 'Storage Ring, but was prepared for him by the Yao Ling.

In Yao Ling's opinion, Xiao Yan was good in every way, except that he wore a black robe every day, and that all-black outfit was indeed a bit tiring to look at.

Wearing this white robe instantly changes one's aura!

Under the watchful eyes of countless people below, two figures stood tall on the plaza, their upright postures highlighting their different temperaments and sharp edges, causing the eyes of many female students in the plaza below to light up for a moment.

Elder Hao, standing between Xiao Yan and Xiao Yan, was dressed in simple clothes. Although he had a smile on his face due to the atmosphere today, his sharp eyes still revealed a sense of impartiality, indifference, and ruthlessness.

He coughed softly again, his Dou Qi voice silencing the rest of the room. His gaze swept across the entire hall before Elder Hao slowly retrieved a slightly yellowed, ancient scroll from his Storage Ring, and said with a faint smile:

"I have always been very interested in alchemy, but due to the harsh conditions for becoming an alchemist, I have never been able to pursue this path. Today, I am quite happy to be able to serve as a referee for an alchemy competition that is a rare event in the Inner Academy."

As you all know, I have a good reputation, so there's no need to worry about fairness!

Upon hearing Elder Hao's words, shouts of response immediately rang out from the plaza below.

This is clearly an acknowledgment of Elder Hao's reputation.

"Today's competition questions were personally selected by me. To this day, neither Xiao Yan nor Sun Qingyang knows what they need to refine."

The cheers from below brought a slight smile to Elder Hao's face. He gently patted the scroll, then, under everyone's gaze, turned to Xiao Yan and the other person and smiled:

"Let me make it clear beforehand, these questions are quite difficult... I wonder if either of you dares to take them on?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan and Sun Qingyang were both taken aback. They exchanged a glance, and Sun Qingyang took the lead by clasping his hands in a fist and smiling, "No matter what the elder chooses for the test, Qing Yang will do his best."

He was extremely confident in his Alchemy. At his peak, he could even barely refine Fifth-grade Pill. Of course, the success rate was rather low, but in any case, he had reached the level of Fifth-grade Pill!

Moreover, even if Elder Hao's chosen questions were indeed of a very difficult level, he was still confident that even if he lost, he would still be better than Xiao Yan.

Beside him, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and nodded as well. Although he didn't know what was going on, his soul power had improved after the treatment by Yao Ling, and some of the seals placed by Old Yao had also been lifted. Now, with his soul power, he was able to refine most of the Fifth-grade Pill. What he lacked was only the experience in refining Fifth-grade Pill.

However, with his talent, even without experience, his success rate in refining Fifth-grade Pill would definitely not be too low.

"Haha! Excellent! You two are indeed the cream of the crop in my Inner Academy. I've been in charge of the Herb Repository for quite some time now. Consider this prescription a gift for you two to demonstrate your Alchemy." Elder Hao stroked his beard and laughed heartily, waving the scroll at the two of them and saying with a smile, "Who wants to see it first?"

"Please go first, senior."

Xiao Yan stretched out one hand and chuckled confidently and calmly.

"In that case, thank you very much, Junior Brother Xiao Yan."

Sun Qingyang was naturally quite confident. He smiled faintly, took the scroll from Elder Hao, unfolded it, gradually closed his eyes, and his soul power broke out of his body, then invaded the scroll to obtain the extremely complex alchemy information within.

However, as the contents of the prescription entered his mind, the smile on Sun Qingyang's face gradually faded, and in the end, it even had a somewhat unpleasant look on it.

Seeing the change in Sun Qingyang's expression, low whispers immediately arose in the plaza below, and many eyes were filled with doubt. Clearly, they were all somewhat unclear about what had happened.

Something seems off...

Below the square, Han Yue frowned and spoke to Yao Ling and the others beside her.

"Don't worry, when it comes to Alchemy, Sun Qingyang can't even beat me, let alone Xiao Yan?"

After learning yesterday that Xiao Yan had broken through to the Fifth-Grade Alchemist, Yao Ling immediately explained the reason.

That night, although she enjoyed the kiss, she did indeed stimulate some of her essence, which entered Xiao Yan's body through her bitten tongue.

With her special bloodline, as she grows up, her soul realm will be enough to reach the legendary Emperor Realm.

Therefore, although the amount of blood sent into Xiao Yan's body was not much, it was not impossible for it to help his soul repair its damage and even achieve a small breakthrough.

However, this is generally based on the premise that Xiao Yan's own soul realm is already on the verge of a breakthrough.

Therefore, it is obvious that Xiao Yan's talent has reached an unbelievable level!

But the more this happened, the happier Yao Ling felt.

Given the current situation, Xiao Yan's growth rate will be extremely astonishing.

In this way, not only will the Yao Clan be spared the threat of extermination, but the Shi Clan and the Ling Clan also seem to have a great chance of being spared!

On the plaza, seeing Sun Qingyang's ever-changing expression, Xiao Yan remained calm.

It's just that so-called Dragon Strength Pill. As long as it's Fifth-grade Pill, it's not difficult to refine!

After a long while, Sun Qingyang finally withdrew his soul power from the prescription, handed it back to Elder Hao, and forced a smile:

"The questions chosen by the elders are indeed extremely difficult; Qing Yang can only do his best."

"Young people always need to challenge their limits, right?"

Elder Hao smiled, but there was a hint of cunning hidden in that smile. He turned around and handed the prescription to Xiao Yan.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yan took the prescription and unfolded it, rapidly eroding it with his soul power.

Seeing Xiao Yan obtain the prescription, a cold smile flashed in Sun Qingyang's eyes. Even an alchemist of his caliber could only manage a helpless wry smile at this prescription; how could Xiao Yan possibly comprehend it...

Sun Qingyang looked at Xiao Yan with a hint of schadenfreude, anticipating the moment when Xiao Yan's expression would turn ugly. However, two minutes later, Xiao Yan's face did not show the same ugly expression as before. Instead, his eyebrows were slightly raised, as if he was looking at the prescription while already thinking about the refining process!

"This kid is incredibly cunning. He managed to suppress his shock and use his expression to fool me, hoping to make me panic? Hmph, I've already seen through your trick! No matter how deep your schemes are, you'll reveal your true colors when it comes to refining the pills!"

Sun Qingyang quickly realized that Xiao Yan was definitely playing mind games with him, and a cold smile crept across his face.

"It seems the advantage lies with us..."

Below the plaza, seeing the thoughtful expression on Xiao Yan's face, Han Yue and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, a few minutes later, Xiao Yan withdrew his soul power from the prescription, then returned it to Elder Hao, who was standing to the side, and chuckled:

"Elder Hao, you've really gone all out this time! Even a true Fifth-Grade Alchemist would find it quite difficult to refine this type of Fifth-grade Pill!"

"Fifth-grade Pill?"

Upon hearing this, the crowd below gasped in surprise, finally understanding why Sun Qingyang's expression had turned so grim earlier.

Even if Fourth-Tier Alchemist were to refine a Fourth-Grade Fifth-grade Pill, the success rate would be extremely low!

"Hehe, since we're going to compete, we should naturally compete on a larger scale. Refining Fifth-grade Pill is indeed very difficult, but if all else fails, at worst we'll just fail to refine them all."

Elder Hao smiled.

Xiao Yan grinned upon hearing this. The pill recorded in the prescription was a Fifth-grade Pill called "Double Spirit Ascension Pill," which could guarantee that Dou Ling Peak expert would advance to the Dou Wang level!

To refine this elixir, two powerful flames are needed to temper it while nurturing it!

Just like the Three-Vein Green Spirit Pill!

Therefore, this "Double Spirit Ascension Pill" is the kind of pill that directly enhances strength. Naturally, its refining difficulty is greater than that of ordinary Fifth-grade Pill. This kind of pill, let alone Sun Qingyang, even Xiao Yan...

Hehe, actually it's not that difficult, because this kind of elixir is his specialty!