Breaking History, Medicine Assembly Champion, Yao Xuan of the Collateral Branch

The expressions of everyone present were vastly different at the sight of this.

Many direct-line descendants and collateral clan members wore faces full of shock. They simply could not believe that Yao Xuan, someone born into the collateral branch, had truly managed to refine the Origin-Bearing Pill reserved exclusively for the direct line.

Yao Ling, meanwhile, beamed as she nodded toward Yao Xuan. "I knew it, Brother Yao Xuan! I knew you could do it!"

At the same time, seeing that Yao Xuan had genuinely formed his pill within the allotted time, Yao Xingji, who had always appeared rather arrogant, turned his gaze toward him. But when Yao Xingji's eyes fell upon the Origin-Bearing Pill atop Yao Xuan's pill cauldron, his expression changed slightly!

Although Yao Xingji was not yet a top-tier alchemist, he was extremely familiar with the Origin-Bearing Pill!

From the pill fragrance emitted by Yao Xuan's Origin-Bearing Pill and the medicinal potency it contained, Yao Xingji understood that its quality completely surpassed the one he had refined!

Yao Xingji's throat bobbed slightly. Only after a while did he force out, "How is this possible?!"

"I'm a direct descendant of the main branch! How could I lose to a collateral brat like him?!"

Yet the person with the ugliest expression at the scene was undoubtedly Yao Wangu on the high platform!

Yao Wangu's face had turned livid, and even his breathing had grown heavier!

He had thought that Yao Xuan of the collateral branch would fail to refine the pill, yet Yao Xuan had formed it right at the deadline!

Moreover, Yao Wangu understood that Yao Xuan's pill was already of a higher quality than Yao Xingji's!

If they judged things fairly and impartially, then the Medicine Assembly championship truly belonged to Yao Xuan...

But just then, Elder Wanhuo beside Yao Wangu suddenly spoke in a deep voice. "Elder Wangu..."

"Now that the competition has ended, it seems your prediction was wrong. The champion should be decided between Yao Xingji and Yao Xuan..."

"I hope Elder Wangu will judge this properly and not lose his impartiality or chill the hearts of the collateral clansmen. After all, no matter what, they are still part of the Yao Clan..."

Elder Wanhuo's meaning was obvious: he wanted Yao Wangu to be fair and impartial...

After all, regarding what had happened to Yao Chen back then, Yao Wanhuo did not wish for it to happen again.

Yao Wanhuo had actually known about Yao Chen's affair back then, but at the time, he had not chosen to step forward and seek justice for Yao Chen...

He had allowed Yao Wangu to expel Yao Chen from the Yao Clan. Though the Yao Clan had rarely interfered in the affairs of the Central Plains over the years...

Yao Wanhuo had still heard of Yao Chen's accomplishments. After being expelled from the Yao Clan, Yao Chen had not fallen into despair. Instead, relying on his talent for alchemy, he had made a name for himself in the Central Plains, won the Central Plains Pill Assembly, and become the renowned Venerable Yao of the Central Plains!

Although the Pill Assembly was merely a lowly competition in the eyes of the Yao Clan, Yao Chen had nevertheless reached such heights without the clan's resources after leaving the Yao Clan. That alone was enough to show how extraordinary his alchemical talent was...

If such a talent had not been expelled from the Yao Clan back then, perhaps his achievements would have been even greater...

To Yao Wanhuo, Yao Xuan was like Yao Chen back then. Though born into the collateral branch, his innate talent for alchemy was beyond dispute.

Upon hearing Elder Wanhuo's words, Yao Wangu was deeply unwilling, but he still smiled and nodded.

"I understand the Grand Elder's meaning..."

"The Medicine Assembly has always upheld fairness and impartiality. Now that the collateral branch has produced such an alchemical genius, it is naturally a blessing for the Yao Clan!"

Elder Wanhuo nodded and signaled with his eyes for Yao Wangu to continue presiding over the Medicine Assembly...

In the next instant, Yao Wangu flashed forward and arrived at the very center of the arena...

Standing with his hands behind his back, Yao Wangu swept his gaze across Yao Xuan and the other two before speaking in a deep voice. "Yao Ling, only the three of you successfully refined fifth-grade pills in this Medicine Assembly..."

"Now present your pills one by one. I will personally appraise them!"

As Yao Wangu's words fell, Yao Xuan and the other two presented their refined pills before him...

Looking at the three fifth-grade pills floating in the air before him, Yao Wangu first pretended to stroke his beard and nodded.

Then Yao Wangu's gaze first fell upon Yao Ling's Detoxification Pill.

His fingertips brushed over it lightly, and a wisp of pill aura curled around them.

Yao Wangu nodded faintly, his tone calm.

"Yao Ling, what you refined is an ordinary fifth-grade Detoxification Pill. Its shape is intact and its pill aura stable. Your control over the heat can be considered above average among the younger generation. However, its pill patterns are shallow, and some medicinal potency has dissipated. It has only barely reached the high-grade level. Still, it is already quite impressive that you refined it to this extent."

"But this Detoxification Pill is truly too ordinary. With your ability, you were fully capable of refining a more precious pill. Your choice for this Medicine Assembly was rather regrettable..."

As his words ended, Yao Wangu shifted his gaze to Yao Xingji's Origin-Bearing Pill. A trace of concealed regret flashed through his eyes, but he still gave his appraisal in a deep voice.

"Xingji, as a direct descendant of the main branch, has enjoyed the clan's finest alchemical resources since childhood. This Origin-Bearing Pill has a rich fragrance, a smooth and full pill body, and clear, continuous pill patterns. It stands firmly at the peak of high-grade quality. To refine such a pill at your age, it seems you have not wasted the clan's years of resources and cultivation..."

"Not bad, not bad..."

After praising him, Yao Wangu's expression gradually darkened, and his gaze finally settled on the Origin-Bearing Pill before Yao Xuan.

The moment he approached, a rich and lingering pill fragrance rushed toward him, accompanied by pure and vast medicinal potency that far surpassed the other two pills.

Yao Wangu's expression tightened. He extended his hand into the air and sensed the medicinal potency within, filled to the utmost limit. Only after a long while did he slowly speak.

"This Origin-Bearing Pill is flawless. Its entire body is glossy and translucent, without the slightest trace of impurity. Its pill patterns seem naturally formed, and its medicinal potency is condensed without dispersing. It is, without question, of perfect quality..."

Yao Wangu paused, yet still chose to find fault with Yao Xuan. He spoke again in a deep voice. "Yao Xuan, though you were born into the collateral branch, being able to refine an Origin-Bearing Pill of such quality is no easy feat..."

"However, you spent too much time refining it and were the last to form your pill. This shows that your alchemical skills still require further refinement..."

The moment Yao Wangu said this, another commotion broke out in the arena.

After all, the excuse Yao Wangu had found was far too forced.

Yao Xuan had refined his Origin-Bearing Pill within the allotted time as well. He had not gone over the limit.

Hearing the many discussions from around the arena, Yao Wangu immediately swept a sharp gaze over the crowd, and the scene quickly fell silent again.

Yet in the next instant, Elder Wanhuo's voice rang out once more from the high platform. "Elder Wangu, judge the matter on its merits. Do not lose your impartiality!"

Hearing Elder Wanhuo's reminder again, Yao Wangu was filled with unwillingness. But with the Grand Elder present, he did not dare show favoritism.

He could only state the facts once more. "However, these two pills are both fifth-grade Origin-Bearing Pills. Whether in pill fragrance, medicinal potency, or completeness, Yao Xuan's pill completely surpasses the one refined by Yao Xingji. It is truly unexpected that the collateral branch could produce such an alchemical prodigy..."

Yao Wangu suppressed the countless emotions in his heart and reined in his complicated expression before finally announcing in a loud voice.

"The alchemy competition has ended. Based on an overall evaluation of pill quality, the winner of this Medicine Assembly is Yao Xuan of the collateral branch!"