As the days passed.
The Alchemist Conference officially began.
Especially so.
After Shen Shihuang had fully revealed himself to the families of the imperial capital, their attitudes toward him had become almost absurdly warm. Normally, the Alchemist Conference had nothing to do with Shen Shihuang.
But Fa Ma and the others had invited him to attend.
Shen Shihuang sat on the high platform, watching the alchemists at their various stations below. They were preparing themselves; this was their best chance to make a name for themselves in the Jia Ma Empire. It was also the perfect opportunity for the various factions to recruit suitable alchemists.
"Young Master Shen, this is a three-hundred-year-old vintage from the Imperial Family. It has a mellow flavor without being too strong, and lingers on the palate. There are very few wines in the entire Jia Ma Empire that can compare."
Jia Xingtian said with a beaming smile. He waved his hand, and a maid carried over a wine pot, respectfully setting it on the table beside Shen Shihuang and filling his empty cup.
Shen Shihuang gave it a slight sniff and nodded. "It's good wine indeed."
Jia Xingtian laughed heartily, not forgetting to glance at Hai Bodong and Teng Shan on the other side.
Seeing this, Teng Shan said with some indignation, "Jia Xingtian is shameless."
Ya Fei stood to one side and smiled softly. "Grand Elder, the Imperial Family's fine things may be good, but they aren't necessarily the best."
Hearing this,
Teng Shan immediately relaxed, leaning back in his chair. "Ya Fei, it seems you came prepared?"
Ya Fei nodded.
"That's right."
"His strength may be formidable, but he isn't one of you old-timers. Grand Elder, haven't you noticed? He's very uncomfortable."
Teng Shan looked at Shen Shihuang.
Ya Fei was right.
Though there was fine wine before him, he had only taken a small sip and hadn't touched it again.
"In that case, Ya Fei, represent the Mittel Family and entertain Young Master Shen for a while. He's our guest; how can we let him feel uncomfortable?"
Ya Fei nodded.
With graceful steps, she came to Shen Shihuang's side.
"You finally came."
Seeing Ya Fei, Shen Shihuang breathed a sigh of relief.
Ya Fei expertly refilled Shen Shihuang's cup and said, "I knew you'd feel out of place."
Shen Shihuang leaned back comfortably. "I don't know these people, so we have nothing to talk about. Besides, they're all too scheming. I can't be bothered with them."
Ya Fei covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Fair enough."
With the final round of the Alchemist Conference underway, Shen Shihuang knew it would take a long time. They would have to wait.
And wait they did.
Two whole days passed.
By then, the alchemists below had all reached the final stages.
Boom!
The first one
reached the end and put on a show by blowing up his cauldron.
Shen Shihuang watched the fellow who had blown up his cauldron with interest. He hadn't been injured, but he was hardly in good shape.
"Tsk, tsk."
"This is my first time seeing someone really make pills—and they even blew up the cauldron."
Shen Shihuang said with a laugh.
Ya Fei wasn't surprised. Shen Shihuang was indeed very powerful, but she had also come to understand him better over this time. He seemed never to have left home; everything outside appeared unfamiliar to him.
That was
one of the reasons Ya Fei could stay by Shen Shihuang's side. They were about the same age, he was easy to talk to, and Ya Fei knew quite a lot.
"Pill fragrance?"
Shen Shihuang suddenly caught a scent and immediately recognized it as the aroma of a pill.
He looked toward one spot.
"Is that one about to succeed?"
Sure enough.
As the pill took shape, the first alchemist finally completed his pill.
"Hm?"
Suddenly,
Shen Shihuang sensed a fluctuation of Dou Qi and turned to look. It was Jia Xingtian, Fa Ma, Hai Bodong, and the others; they were all watching one person.
"Young Master Shen, there's something wrong with that fellow's identity."
"That's why we..."
Hai Bodong's voice sounded in his ear.
Shen Shihuang sent a message back. "Mm, I noticed. He's disguised, and he's no spring chicken. His aura seems to belong to someone from the Cloud-Out Empire. Do you need help?"
Hai Bodong immediately replied,
"He's just a thief. There's no need for Young Master Shen to act; we old fellows are enough."
Shen Shihuang smiled and nodded.
"Just ask if you need help."
He had eaten, drunk, and stayed with the Mittel Family for so long. Helping out a little was only right. He couldn't let them give and give without returning the favor.
Hummmmmm—
Suddenly,
a green flame appeared in front of Xiao Yan. In an instant, the flames throughout the Alchemist Square began to waver strangely.
"Is that a Heavenly Flame?"
Seeing the green flame before Xiao Yan, the alchemist from the Cloud-Out Empire noticed that his own flame seemed about to bow before it. He immediately guessed what it was.
Fa Ma, watching from the platform,
smiled. "That lucky fellow even has a Heavenly Flame."
Nalan Yanran watched Xiao Yan's face, her heart stirring faintly. Even Pill King Gu He wanted to possess a rare treasure like a Heavenly Flame, but unfortunately, he had never managed to obtain one.
Now,
one had appeared in the hands of a boy about her age.
It was simply unbelievable.
Though it wasn't the first time she had seen it.
"Green Lotus Core Flame."
Seeing Xiao Yan begin to wield his Heavenly Flame, Shen Shihuang spoke softly.
Hearing him, Ya Fei asked,
"Shihuang, you recognize this Heavenly Flame?"
Shen Shihuang nodded. "Mm, it's the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."
Ya Fei had never heard of the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
"The Heavenly Flame Ranking?"
Shen Shihuang explained casually, "It's a list that ranks the Heavenly Flames."
"But from the looks of it, that won't be enough to beat the fellow over there!" Shen Shihuang knew Xiao Yan would have to use a second Heavenly Flame: Yao Lao's flame.
The Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
However,
the other fellow wouldn't let Xiao Yan continue refining in peace so easily.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Wave after wave of power spilled out around that man, sweeping toward Xiao Yan.
He was trying to disrupt Xiao Yan's pill refinement.
"Bastard!"
Seeing this,
everyone understood what the other man was trying to do. But as hosts and judges, they naturally couldn't interfere—or rather, none of the people outside the arena could.
Hai Bodong watched Xiao Yan intently.
He had great confidence in Xiao Yan. The only concern was his damaged soul?
"Shihuang, isn't that fellow being a little too shameless?" Ya Fei didn't understand the details, but she could tell he was trying to disrupt Xiao Yan's pill refinement.
Shen Shihuang smiled faintly.
"No matter!"
Hummmmmm—
His soul power spread out toward Xiao Yan, and at the same time his voice sounded in Xiao Yan's ear. "Just focus on refining the pill. Don't worry about anything else."
In an instant,
Xiao Yan sensed the soul power around him. Hearing Shen Shihuang's voice, he looked up at him on the platform, nodded, then focused again on refining his pill.
The interference from the man from the Cloud-Out Empire was instantly snuffed out by Shen Shihuang's power.
"What happened?"
"Who made a move? I didn't even sense it!"
Watching his pill gradually take shape, he looked toward Xiao Yan. The confidence on his face turned grim.
"Is that... a Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill?"