Fifth-Tier Pill

Fifth-Tier Pill

Faced with Ge Ye's rebuke, Chen Qiye could not be bothered to respond. With a flick of his sleeve and a turn of his palm, he said:

"Yan'er, take it!"

A Beginner Experience Pill appeared in Chen Qiye's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Yan swallowed it.

"Ding! Notification: Xiao Yan has consumed a Beginner Experience Pill and gained: 9999 experience points!"

The crisp voice rang out in Chen Qiye's mind, and he immediately felt like he had been screwed over. Why the hell do I only get 999?

Buzz!

After Xiao Yan swallowed the pill, a vast surge of Dou Qi erupted within his body and instantly swept through his limbs and bones.

"This is...!"

Under everyone's horrified gazes!

Waves of powerful Dou Qi spilled from Xiao Yan's body, and a faint white glow began to emerge!

"Impossible!"

Ge Ye's expression abruptly changed, terror bursting from his eyes!

The brief leak of Dou Qi just now had given him the illusion that Xiao Yan had entered the Dou Practitioner realm!

In his understanding, Pill King Gu He was already the greatest alchemist he could imagine!

Even Pill King Gu He could not refine a pill capable of directly allowing someone to break through from the third stage of Dou Qi to become a Dou Practitioner.

But!

Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had condensed into a vortex. He was clearly making a breakthrough toward the Dou Practitioner realm.

When Ge Ye looked at Chen Qiye again, a chill rose in his heart:

Was he already capable of refining such terrifying pills at such a young age? It was simply unbelievable!

Impossible!

It had to have been refined by someone behind him!

Thinking of this, Ge Ye gave another bitter laugh. Could the Misty Cloud Sect afford to provoke someone capable of refining such a pill?

Boom!

The vortex spun like a whirlpool around Xiao Yan's body before vanishing moments later.

Amid a chorus of shocked cries, Xiao Yan dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed fiercely three times to Chen Qiye:

"I will never forget Master's grace in remaking me!"

Xiao Yan's voice was hoarse, and his eyes were moist!

The entire hall fell utterly silent at the sound of his kowtows!

On the Dou Qi Continent, one kneeled to Heaven and Earth above, and to one's parents below!

Students generally addressed someone as Teacher and offered a bow!

Only a Master!

Received kneeling rites!

Though Master and Teacher differed by only one word, their meanings were entirely different. One could have many teachers, but only one master—one's master was like one's father!

No one else knew how powerful the Beginner Experience Pill truly was. Only Xiao Yan understood!

"Miss Nalan, I hope you will not regret your high-handed actions today in the future!"

Chen Qiye stood with his hands behind his back, accepting Xiao Yan's three kowtows as he said coldly:

"Do not think you can act without restraint just because the Misty Cloud Sect supports you. The world is vast—how could frogs at the bottom of a well like you possibly comprehend it? Half a year from now, I will accompany my disciple Xiao Yan to the Misty Cloud Sect. When that time comes, I hope your Misty Cloud Sect will not disappoint me!"

Buzz!

The moment those words fell!

Nalan Yanran and the other two trembled violently, their expressions changing drastically!

When the Xiao Clan members looked at Chen Qiye again, they could not hide the fear in their eyes.

Though his white robe was plain, it perfectly accentuated his tall, slender figure.

His hands rested behind his back, seemingly casually.

Yet he carried an unrestrained, otherworldly air!

Like an immortal, like a demon!

"Ding! Emotion points from Xiao Zhan +300!"

"Ding! From..."

"Ding! Obtained 30 Master Points!"

"Yan'er, get up."

Chen Qiye raised a hand lightly, and Xiao Yan slowly rose.

As his words fell, Xiao Yan got to his feet, his eyes filled with boundless gratitude.

Nalan Yanran glanced back at Xiao Yan before her gaze finally settled on Chen Qiye. The terror in her heart would not subside. Was I really wrong?

Ge Ye did not give her time to think, leading her and the young man away.

Only after Nalan Yanran and the other two had left did the many Xiao Clan members recover from their shock. Their gazes moved back and forth between Chen Qiye and Xiao Yan, though most of them rested on Chen Qiye.

This wandering bard who claimed to be from the imperial capital seemed to possess an earth-shattering background!

The three elders' lips trembled. Just as they were about to speak, they heard Xiao Zhan's voice dismissing the guests:

"Enough. Everyone, disperse!"

Xiao Zhan narrowed his eyes, swept his gaze over the three elders, then waved to the crowd.

Within the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan was still the clan leader, and he was also the strongest. His words still carried a certain degree of authority.

The three elders looked unwilling, but they ultimately left. The other Xiao Clan members followed after them, though they occasionally turned back to look at Chen Qiye and Xiao Yan...

Chen Qiye did not move, and Xiao Yan naturally remained at his side.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had stayed behind, Xiao Xun'er closed her book and walked to his side, not leaving either.

In the blink of an eye, only Chen Qiye, Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Xun'er remained in the reception hall.

Xiao Zhan gave Xiao Xun'er a meaningful look before turning to Xiao Yan and saying:

"Yan'er, Xun'er, you should return first as well. I have some matters to discuss alone with Master Chen."

"Yes, Father!" Xiao Yan replied. Turning to Chen Qiye, he bowed and said, "Master, this disciple will take his leave first."

Chen Qiye felt depressed. He had originally planned to show off once more and earn some emotion points, but Xiao Zhan had driven everyone away. He could only nod and say:

"Go on. Your master will come find you later."

"Uncle Xiao, then we'll head back first." Xiao Xun'er answered obediently.

After Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er left, Xiao Zhan clasped his hands and bowed slightly to Chen Qiye in gratitude:

"Thank you for what happened today, Master Chen. Xiao Zhan was truly blind not to realize that you were an alchemist. Please forgive any shortcomings in my earlier hospitality!"

Chen Qiye smiled. "To be honest, Clan Leader Xiao, I am not an alchemist."

"What?" Xiao Zhan froze, and the gratitude in his eyes became even more intense:

"I can see that pill was of no low grade; it must have been extremely valuable! Yet Master Chen gave it to Yan'er without any conditions. Xiao Zhan is deeply moved and immensely grateful!" He paused, took a deep breath, and continued:

"For Master Chen's kindness toward Yan'er, Xiao Zhan has no way to repay you. Please accept a bow from Xiao Zhan!"

As he spoke, Xiao Zhan was about to kowtow when Chen Qiye reached out and stopped him.

"Clan Leader Xiao, there is no need for this! Xiao Yan is my, Chen Qiye's, disciple. A mere fifth-tier pill is nothing worth mentioning!"

Chen Qiye put on the demeanor of a noble master and waved his hand lightly.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan froze on the spot. The smile on his face stiffened as though it had been there since time immemorial...

Only after a long while did his trembling lips manage to form the words:

"F-f-f-f-fifth tier?"

"Ding! Emotion points from Xiao Zhan +900!"

What did a fifth-tier pill represent? Even Fa Ma, the president of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Association, might not necessarily be able to refine one!

If it were placed in the Jia Ma Empire, it would absolutely sell for an astronomical price and might even spark a frenzy of bidding!

After a long while, Xiao Zhan lowered his head again and bowed deeply. "Master Chen's grace in remaking Yan'er is truly beyond Xiao Zhan's ability to repay..."

"Clan Leader Xiao, saying more would only make us strangers. If there is nothing else, I will go check on Yan'er first!"

Chen Qiye smiled and turned away, walking leisurely out of the reception hall with his hands behind his back. Xiao Zhan watched him leave, unable to calm himself for a long time!

"This is the bearing of a true master!"

Though I may never attain it, my heart longs for it!

Thus, the matter of the broken engagement came to an end.

Chen Qiye had undoubtedly become the topic of fervent discussion throughout the Xiao Clan. A wandering bard from the imperial capital had unexpectedly become the master of Xiao Yan, once a genius.

More importantly, what exactly was that shocking pill? What tier was it? These became the subjects of speculation among the Xiao Clan members after meals and over tea.

After leaving the reception hall, Chen Qiye did not linger and headed straight for the Xiao Clan's rear mountain.