Medicine Assembly Begins, Yao Xingji

Within the valley, Yao Xuan still sat cross-legged.

At that moment, he was studying the pill formula Yao Ling had sent over with utmost focus.

After examining it carefully, Yao Xuan once again discovered just how extraordinary the Myriad Veins Origin-Bearing Pill was.

Previously, Yao Xuan had only known that this pill was specially supplied to the Yao Clan's direct lineage. Now that he had seen the formula, he could not help but marvel that this pill was ninety percent extraordinary!

After all, that was obvious from the ingredients alone!

According to the formula, refining a mere fifth-grade pill required Ancestral Medicine Heart Grass. One had to know that such a medicinal herb could only be found in the ancestral grounds within the Medicine Realm. Across the entire Battle Qi Continent, it could not be found anywhere else besides the Medicine Realm!

Aside from the Medicine Heart Grass, the Profound-Rhyme Dewdrop Flower was not unique to the Medicine Realm, but it was also exceedingly precious. The places where it grew were usually accompanied by top-tier saint-grade medicinal herbs, and the flower itself was nurtured beneath the aura of those saint herbs...

Yao Xuan glanced over the list. Aside from those two ingredients, the Scarlet-Pattern Medicine Marrow, Spirit-Cleansing Ancient Lotus, Blood-Rhyme Pearl, and the rest might not have been as precious as the first two, but they were all top-grade medicinal ingredients!

What shocked Yao Xuan most was that the most crucial ingredient for refining this pill was actually Ancient Spirit Source Spring Liquid!

One had to know that this was the source water of the Medicine Clan Ancestral Spring. Those who could approach that ancestral spring were all among the clan's foremost figures.

With Yao Xuan's status, he had only ever heard of the ancestral spring and had never seen it...

Then, with a light tap of his fingertip, Yao Xuan laid out all the medicinal ingredients from the Storage Ring Yao Ling had given him...

Looking at these incomparably precious ingredients before him, Yao Xuan could not help drawing in a cold breath.

After all, without Yao Ling's help, there was no way he could have obtained these ingredients...

Yao Xuan chuckled softly. "That girl really put a great deal of thought into this..."

Naturally, Yao Xuan understood Yao Ling's intentions.

Only if Yao Xuan won this Medicine Assembly and made an exception to be admitted from a branch line into the direct lineage would there be any possibility for their relationship...

Otherwise, with Yao Xuan's current status as a branch-line member, the clan would never agree to let the two of them be together.

Yao Xuan carefully put the ingredients back into his Storage Ring and softly said again:

"Ling'er, don't worry!"

"I definitely won't let you down..."

Then Yao Xuan resumed his study of the pill formula. Though Yao Ling had provided the ingredients, there was only enough for a single attempt.

Naturally, Yao Xuan absolutely could not use them for practice. All he could do now was familiarize himself with the formula over and over again, thoroughly mastering the entire refining process.

Time slipped by in the blink of an eye, and half a month passed in an instant.

During those half a month, Yao Xuan repeatedly analyzed and familiarized himself with the formula for the Myriad Veins Origin-Bearing Pill. At the same time, he refined quite a few common fifth-grade pills to strengthen his soul power and improve his control over battle qi.

At the same time, Yao Xuan had not seen Yao Ling even once during those half a month.

He had heard that Yao Tian had been keeping a close watch on Yao Ling during this period, making thorough preparations for the Medicine Assembly.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Medicine Assembly arrived.

Medicine Realm, Pill Cauldron City.

The enormous central plaza had long been packed with Yao Clan members.

The Medicine Assembly was, after all, the Yao Clan's annual grand event, so it was hardly strange that so many people had gathered.

Looking at the surrounding clansmen, Yao Xuan could not help sighing softly. "It seems I'm not the only one trying to defy fate and change my destiny..."

Although the Medicine Assembly did not restrict participation by branch or direct lineage, the vast plaza was still divided into two sections. One was for branch-line clansmen, while the other was occupied by the distinguished members born into the direct lineage...

Yao Xuan currently stood in the branch-line waiting area and saw that the faces of many fellow branch-line clansmen were filled with nervousness.

Yao Xuan swept his gaze around before settling it on the area in the distance where the direct lineage had gathered.

Among the crowd, Yao Xuan spotted Yao Ling at first glance.

Yao Ling was also looking around, searching for Yao Xuan.

The next second, their gazes met. Yao Ling gave Yao Xuan her usual sweet smile, and Yao Xuan smiled back and nodded.

A moment later, an elderly man in a black robe trimmed with gold slowly rose from the elevated platform. He stepped through the air to arrive above the plaza. Though he did not deliberately release his battle qi, everyone could still sense a powerful aura from him.

The old man was none other than the chief elder of the Yao Clan's Punishment Hall, Yao Wangu!

Yao Wangu was already an elder at the level of a Four-Star Dou Saint. Thus, the moment he appeared, the plaza, which had just been rather lively, fell silent at once.

Yao Wangu coldly swept his gaze over the clansmen present, then slowly spoke in a deep voice:

"Everyone! Today is our Yao Clan's annual Medicine Assembly!"

"The Medicine Assembly is a stage specially prepared by the Yao Clan for you young people. I am sure you all know what it means if you can win this Medicine Assembly!"

"So, everyone, enjoy the stage to your hearts' content. This old man hereby declares the Medicine Assembly officially begun!"

Once Yao Wangu finished speaking, his figure flashed, and he returned to the main viewing platform.

At that moment, besides Yao Wangu, there was another elderly man on the main viewing platform, dressed in a specially tailored crimson-gold robe.

This old man was none other than the Yao Clan's current Grand Elder, Yao Wanhuo, known as Elder Wanhuo!

The imposing Yao Wangu immediately bowed respectfully in greeting upon seeing Yao Wanhuo.

After all, within the Yao Clan, aside from Clan Chief Yao Dan, the person with the highest status was Elder Wanhuo!

Not only was he a peak Six-Star Battle Saint, but he was also one of the rare Ninth-Grade Profound Pill Grandmasters on the continent!

Yao Wangu properly took a seat beside Elder Wanhuo, who slowly spoke:

"Elder Wangu, do you have any promising juniors in mind for this Medicine Assembly..."

Upon hearing this, Yao Wangu replied with great respect, "In reply to Elder Wanhuo..."

"In my opinion, this Medicine Assembly's champion should emerge from either Yao Ling or Yao Xingji..."

"Though the direct lineage has quite a few promising alchemy talents, they are still somewhat inferior to those two..."

Hearing Yao Wangu's words, Elder Wanhuo nodded. "What about the branch-line clansmen? Are there no talented alchemy prospects among them?"

Yao Wangu merely chuckled softly. "Elder Wanhuo, the branch-line clansmen have thin bloodlines. How could they compare to our direct lineage? Their alchemy might perhaps be passable in outsiders' eyes..."

"But within the Yao Clan, compared to our direct-line disciples, they are hardly worth displaying..."

"Since ancient times, the Medicine Assembly's champion has always come from the direct lineage. Branch-line disciples are mostly just here to make up the numbers..."

Hearing this, Yao Wanhuo cast Yao Wangu a sidelong glance. He merely nodded and did not express his own opinion again...

In truth, Yao Wanhuo agreed with Yao Wangu's views to a certain extent. For the Yao Clan's stability, there should be clear distinctions in bloodline rank within the clan.

For instance, when Yao Wangu expelled Yao Chen from the Yao Clan back then, how could Yao Wanhuo, as the Yao Clan's Grand Elder, have been unaware?

Yet he had not intervened. Instead, he had tacitly approved of Yao Wangu's actions...