At Han Xian's words, his expression immediately darkened further. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said in a heavier tone, "I know. You can leave now, can't you?"
"Since Leader Han understands, we'll leave at once."
A Tai smiled faintly, called to his companions beside him, and the group withdrew from the hall, leaving the Medicine Gang's territory.
"Leader, what should we do now? Are we going to accept this alchemy challenge?" Fu Ao asked in a low voice after watching A Tai and the others leave the Medicine Gang's territory.
Han Xian's clenched fist slammed onto the table as he said coldly, "Compete? How could we possibly win? That brat Xiao Yao can refine Fifth-Grade Pills. This news has spread everywhere already, while I haven't even touched the threshold of Fifth Grade alchemy. Are we supposed to humiliate ourselves?"
Fu Ao frowned, a trace of unwillingness flashing through his eyes. He leaned closer to Han Xian and lowered his voice. "Leader, if we don't accept the challenge, the Medicine Gang's reputation will be ruined. Those people will definitely mock us for being timid and afraid of trouble. How will we keep our footing in the Inner Academy after that?"
Han Xian rose irritably and paced back and forth through the room, his face filled with anxiety and helplessness.
"Reputation? Can reputation feed us? Xiao Yao is extraordinarily gifted; he isn't someone we can easily provoke. This challenge is clearly meant to make the Medicine Gang lose face and turn us into a stepping stone for the Immortal Fall Pavilion. Once we take part, Xiao Yao will refine a Fifth-Grade Pill before everyone's eyes, while we can only refine Fourth-Grade Pills. Wouldn't that make us the laughingstock of others? How could the Medicine Gang continue to survive