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 extraordinary alchemical talent, that would truly be terrifying.
"Mr. Yan Xiao, even Sixth-Grade Alchemists participate in the Medicine Ranking Nomination. You..."
Xiao Yan waved his hand. "It's fine. Just lead the way."
A Sixth-Grade Alchemist was indeed still beyond Xiao Yan's reach, but if he could not do it himself, there was still Yao Lao. Having stumbled upon such precious medicinal ingredients, how could he possibly let them go?
Tang Qi led the three of them up to the fourth floor. Before they even arrived, a refreshing medicinal fragrance wafted down to them.
Xiao Yan was secretly surprised as well. It seemed this Medicine Ranking Nomination really had some substance to it.
On the fourth floor, apart from the attendants of the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion, there were only a dozen or so people. Judging by the faint soul fluctuations around them, they were all Alchemists of considerable rank. Several medicine cauldrons of excellent quality had been set out as well. At that moment, everyone was gathered around a young Alchemist, who faced his cauldron and controlled the flames within. A faint pill fragrance drifted through the air. He had clearly reached the critical final stage of pill formation.
Xiao Yan watched with great interest. Everyone had their own pill-refining habits. Although Yao Lao's skill in alchemy was beyond reproach, it was always beneficial to learn from the strengths of others.
Drops of sweat rolled down the young Alchemist's face, yet he seemed completely unaware, wholly focused on controlling the intensity of the flames.
"Overly fixating on the heat will affect the pill's perfection. Still too young," Yao Lao commented.
As though to confirm Yao Lao's assessment, the pill's final shaping was rather unstable. The youth fully unleashed his Dou Qi and barely managed to form the pill in the end.
A fifth-grade pill—the Spirit Attachment Pill.
"Fifth-grade pill! As expected of Young Master Wan Qing of the Heroes Alliance."
"To refine a fifth-grade pill at such a young age, he truly is a hero born young."
"That pill should be enough to place among the top three in the Medicine Ranking Nomination, right?"
Hearing those words, the youth's lips visibly curled upward. He clearly enjoyed the praise immensely.
Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan headed straight for 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 you succeed, the ingredients are free. You only need to leave the pill behind for evaluation. Our pavilion will sell it publicly afterward and take a ten percent handling fee. If you fail, however, you must pay for all the ingredients in full."
Xiao Yan was somewhat surprised. Providing the ingredients for free was quite a grand gesture. As for making failures pay, it was likely meant to deter those looking to take advantage.
Tang Qi pointed toward the counter at the center of the hall. "The refined pills are all stored there. The current top-ranked one is a sixth-grade Imperial Extreme Pill."
Xiao Yan looked over and saw dozens of pills displayed on the counter. Most were fourth-grade, while one-fifth were fifth-grade pills. At the very top were three sixth-grade 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. Although he had refined a few pills here and there during the past several months of travel, refining fifth-grade pills was already difficult for him. He still lacked the ability to refine sixth-grade pills for the time being.
"We are determined to obtain that Snow Bone Ginseng, so we'll refine one of the finest sixth-grade pills—the Qi Sea Spirit Returning Pill. The required ingredients are these..."
Xiao Yan memorized the required ingredients, then handed the list to Tang Qi. "These are the ingredients I need."
Tang Qi's brows jumped again when he saw it. Though he did not know what pill Xiao Yan intended to refine, he could tell from the ingredients alone that its grade would not be low.
"Mr. Yan Xiao, participation requires proof of your status as an Alchemist. Do you have it?"
At that, Xiao Yan felt a little embarrassed. He took an Alchemist Badge from his Storage Ring. Two silver stripes adorned the ancient-looking medicine cauldron on it. The Alchemist Association's certification was largely the same across the continent, so it was generally accepted everywhere.
Yet the moment Tang Qi saw Xiao Yan's badge, his expression turned strange. A second-grade Alchemist? Refining the ingredients for those sixth-grade pills would probably be difficult enough. Xiao Yan's badge made Tang Qi unable to help suspecting his true intentions.
But remembering that Xiao Yan's large batch of medicinal ingredients was still in the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion's possession, Tang Qi could only think that Xiao Yan would have to compensate them for the ingredients at worst. He then took Xiao Yan's badge and went to fetch the ingredients.
"A second-grade Alchemist? The Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion really lets any random nobody in now."
An unpleasant voice rang out. It belonged to one of the people who had just been gathered around Wan Qing, the young Alchemist.
Xiao Yan glanced over. The man was merely a Dou Ling, and his soul strength was probably not even enough to qualify as a fourth-grade Alchemist. Xiao Yan promptly ignored him.
However, once the man spoke, quite a few people turned their gazes in this direction, their eyes holding no shortage of mockery. Though the Medicine Ranking Nomination did not restrict one's grade, ordinary second- and third-grade Alchemists would be too embarrassed to participate. Clearly, everyone here took Xiao Yan for someone trying to take advantage.
Feeling the hostile gazes, Xiao Xun'er grew angry, and her Dou Qi began to gather. She could tolerate being wronged herself, but she could not bear to see Xiao Yan ridiculed.
Xiao Yan noticed Xun Er's unusual state. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, smiling at her to show that it was nothing.
Before long, Tang Qi returned with the ingredients Xiao Yan needed. Xiao Yan could not help sighing again at the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion's immense wealth.
Xiao Yan chose a relatively good medicine cauldron and laid out every herb one by one. The other Alchemists' gazes were immediately drawn over.
"Hundred-Beard Green Vine, Red-Veined Spirit Fruit, Long-Leaf Ganoderma... What fifth-grade pill requires so many ingredients?"
"This probably isn't a fifth-grade pill. It's sixth-grade! And likely a superior sixth-grade pill at that."
"Refining a sixth-grade pill at such a young age? Is he crazy?" 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-Grade Alchemist possibly be so young?
"Deacon Tang, this man is probably here to swindle us. If he ruins the pill, he might not be able to afford compensation," the unpleasant voice from earlier sounded again.
Before Tang Qi could reply, Xiao Xun'er glared at the man. He felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss, and breathing became difficult. After Xiao Xun'er withdrew her gaze, he gasped for breath. Terror filled his eyes as he looked at her beneath her veiled hood, and he no longer dared to say another word.
Xiao Yan ignored them all. His pupils turned white as white flames ignited in his hand and entered the medicine cauldron.
Rather than waiting like ordinary Alchemists for the cauldron to heat up before processing the ingredients one at a time, he flicked his fingers repeatedly, and half the herbs were enveloped in white flames.
Cries of surprise came from the side. "Cauldronless Extraction! A technique even fifth-grade Alchemists may not be able to master."
"And look—the ingredients are being extracted so quickly."
"That fire feels so cold. It isn't an ordinary flame."
"Quiet!" An icy voice came from Xiao Xun'er. Everyone instinctively shuddered, and the way they looked at her changed. Though they still communicated with one another, their voices could no longer be heard by anyone else.
Wan Qing, who had just finished refining his fifth-grade pill, looked at Xiao Yan with hostility. Xiao Yan's display had completely drowned out the amazement Wan Qing had caused earlier, which made him deeply uncomfortable.
Little did he know that Xiao Yan himself was watching intently. Yao Lao's method of processing the ingredients was incomparably practiced, carrying a smooth and flowing beauty.
All the surrounding Alchemists watched with complete concentration. 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, every ingredient had been turned into pure medicinal liquid, while the number of people gathered around Xiao Yan had already exceeded fifty.
Yet Xiao Xun'er felt much more relaxed instead, because if anyone dared interfere with Xiao Yan's alchemy at that moment, the other Alchemists would surely tear that person to pieces.
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