Striving for the Top of the Ranking

Tang Qi was stunned by Xiao Yan's words. Xiao Yan was simply too young. Although his cultivation surpassed Tang Qi's, if he also possessed exceptional talent in alchemy, that would truly be astonishing.

"Mr. Yan Xiao, even sixth-tier alchemists are taking part in this Medicine Ranking Nomination. You..."

Xiao Yan waved a hand. "It's fine. Just lead the way."

Sixth-tier alchemists were indeed still beyond Xiao Yan's reach, but if he could not do it himself, there was still Yao Lao. Having happened upon such precious medicinal ingredients, how could he possibly let them slip away?

Tang Qi led the three of them up to the fourth floor. Before they even reached it, a refreshing fragrance of pills drifted down to them.

Xiao Yan was rather surprised as well. It seemed this Medicine Ranking Nomination truly had something to it.

On the fourth floor, aside from the attendants of the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion, there were only a dozen or so people. Judging from the faint soul fluctuations around them, they were all high-ranking alchemists. Several medicine cauldrons of excellent quality had been placed nearby. At that moment, everyone was gathered around a young alchemist. Facing his cauldron, the young man carefully controlled his flames as a faint pill fragrance wafted out. He had clearly reached the crucial stage of pill formation.

Xiao Yan watched with interest. After all, everyone had their own habits when refining pills. Although Yao Lao was beyond reproach in alchemy, it was always good to learn from the strengths of others.

Beads of sweat rolled down the young alchemist's face, but he was completely unaware of them, concentrating solely on controlling the intensity of the flames.

"He is paying too much attention to the heat. It will affect the pill's perfection. Still too young," Yao Lao commented.

As though to validate Yao Lao's assessment, the pill's final shaping stage was quite unstable. The youth pushed his Dou Qi to its limit and barely managed to form the pill in the end.

A fifth-tier pill—the Spirit Attachment Pill.

"Ah, a fifth-tier pill indeed. As expected of Young Master Wan Qing of the Heroes Alliance."

"To be able to refine a fifth-tier pill at such an age, truly a hero rises in youth."

"This pill should be enough to rank among the top three of the Medicine Ranking Nomination, shouldn't it?"

Hearing those words, the youth's lips visibly curled upward. He clearly enjoyed the praise immensely.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan walked straight toward a medicine cauldron. He had no interest in joining the chorus of flattery, but Wan Qing, standing nearby, was somewhat displeased by this.

Tang Qi promptly explained, "Mr. Yan Xiao, the medicinal ingredients for the Medicine Ranking Nomination are provided by our Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion. If the refinement succeeds, the ingredients are free. However, the pill must be left behind for evaluation. Our pavilion will later sell it publicly and charge a ten percent handling fee. If the refinement fails, you must purchase all the ingredients at full price."

Xiao Yan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. Providing medicinal ingredients for free was certainly generous. As for requiring payment upon failure, it was probably meant to discourage those looking to take advantage.

Tang Qi pointed toward the counter in the center of the hall. "All completed pills are stored there. At present, the first-place entry is a sixth-tier Imperial Extreme Pill."

Xiao Yan looked over and saw dozens of pills displayed on the counter. Most were fourth-tier, while roughly one-fifth were fifth-tier pills. At the very top sat three sixth-tier pills. Judging by their quality, the Imperial Extreme Pill in the middle was indeed the best.

"Teacher, what should we refine?" Xiao Yan asked. He had spent two years asleep. Though he had refined a few pills here and there during the past months of travel, refining fifth-tier pills was still difficult for him. For the time being, he was not capable of refining sixth-tier pills.

"We must obtain this Snow Bone Ginseng. Then we'll refine one of the finest sixth-tier pills—the Qi Sea Spirit Returning Pill. The required ingredients are these..."

Xiao Yan memorized the ingredients he needed and handed the list to Tang Qi. "These are the medicinal ingredients I require."

Tang Qi's brow twitched again at a glance. Although he did not know what pill Xiao Yan intended to refine, he could tell from the ingredients alone that its tier would not be low.

"Mr. Yan Xiao, participation requires proof of alchemist status. Do you have it?"

At this point, Xiao Yan felt a little embarrassed. He took an Alchemist Badge from his Storage Ring. The ancient-looking medicine cauldron engraved upon it bore two silver lines. The credentials issued by the Alchemist Association were largely the same across the continent, so they were generally accepted everywhere.

But when Tang Qi saw Xiao Yan's badge, his expression immediately turned strange. A second-tier alchemist? Even refining those ingredients for a sixth-tier pill would likely be difficult. Xiao Yan's badge made Tang Qi unable to help doubting his true intentions.

However, considering that Xiao Yan's large shipment of medicinal ingredients was still being held by the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion, Tang Qi could only think that Xiao Yan would have to compensate them if anything went wrong. He then took Xiao Yan's badge and went to fetch the ingredients.

"A second-tier alchemist? The Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion really lets any stray cat or dog come in now."

An unpleasant voice rang out. It came from one of the people who had been surrounding the young alchemist, Wan Qing, earlier.

Xiao Yan glanced over. The man was merely a Dou Ling, and his soul strength was probably barely enough for a fourth-tier alchemist. Xiao Yan promptly ignored him.

Yet at that shout, many people turned their gazes in this direction, their eyes filled with mockery. Although the Medicine Ranking Nomination imposed no tier restrictions, second- and third-tier alchemists generally would not even have the nerve to participate. Clearly, everyone here took Xiao Yan for someone trying to take advantage.

Feeling the hostile gazes, Xiao Xun'er grew angry as well, and Dou Qi began gathering around her. She could tolerate being wronged herself, but she could not bear to see Xiao Yan being ridiculed.

Noticing Xun Er's reaction, Xiao Yan caught her hand and gave it a light squeeze. He smiled at her, signaling that it was nothing.

Not long afterward, Tang Qi returned with the medicinal ingredients Xiao Yan needed. Xiao Yan could not help sighing once more at the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion's enormous wealth.

Xiao Yan selected a better medicine cauldron and arranged the herbs one by one. The attention of the other alchemists was immediately drawn over.

"Hundred-Beard Green Vine, Red-Veined Spirit Fruit, Long-Leaf Ganoderma... What fifth-tier pill needs so many ingredients?"

"This probably isn't a fifth-tier pill. It's a sixth-tier pill! And likely a top-grade one among sixth-tier pills."

"Refining a sixth-tier pill at that age? Has he gone mad?" If only half the people had thought Xiao Yan was here to take advantage before, now nearly everyone believed he had ulterior motives. After all, how could a sixth-tier alchemist possibly be so young?

"Steward Tang, this man is probably here to swindle us. If he ruins the pill later, he might not be able to afford the compensation," the discordant voice from before spoke up again.

Before Tang Qi could reply, Xiao Xun'er shot the man a glare. He instantly felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, unable to breathe. After Xiao Xun'er withdrew her gaze, he gasped heavily for air. Looking at the veiled, hooded Xiao Xun'er, his eyes were filled with terror, and he did not dare say another word.

Xiao Yan ignored them all. His pupils turned white, and white flames rose in his hand before he sent them into the cauldron.

Then, unlike ordinary alchemists who waited for the cauldron to heat up before processing the ingredients one by one, he flicked his fingers in rapid succession. Half the herbs were wrapped in white flames.

Cries of shock came from the people nearby. "Cauldronless Extraction, a technique even fifth-tier alchemists might not master."

"And look—the ingredients are being extracted so quickly."

"That flame is so cold. It isn't an ordinary flame."

"Quiet!" Xiao Xun'er's icy voice rang out. Everyone instinctively shuddered, and the way they looked at her changed. Though they continued exchanging words, their voices could no longer be heard by anyone else.

Wan Qing, who had just finished refining his fifth-tier pill, looked at Xiao Yan with unfriendly eyes. Xiao Yan's display had completely drowned out the amazement Wan Qing had inspired earlier, and that made him uncomfortable.

What he did not know was that Xiao Yan himself was also watching intently. Yao Lao's handling of the medicinal ingredients was incomparably skillful, carrying a smooth and flowing beauty.

All the surrounding alchemists watched with rapt attention. Every step Yao Lao took at that moment held something worth learning from, and the hall had fallen completely silent.

In less than an hour, all the medicinal ingredients had been transformed into pure medicinal liquid, while more than fifty people had gathered around Xiao Yan.

Yet Xiao Xun'er felt much more at ease instead. At this moment, if anyone dared interfere with Xiao Yan's pill refinement, the other alchemists would surely tear them to pieces.