Second-Grade... Superior Pill!

The Drug Hall elder's eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Xiao Chen's hands, as if he wanted to carve every movement into his mind.

He had spent decades refining pills and considered himself quite accomplished in fire control, yet after seeing Xiao Chen's technique, he felt those decades had been utterly wasted!

About half an hour later.

Xiao Chen let out a low shout. "Pill complete!"

As his voice fell, he flicked his sleeve. The furnace lid flew open, and three round, plump pills rose from within before landing steadily in his palm.

The pills gleamed with a warm luster, their fragrance rich and fragrant. Their quality was so high that it was visible to the naked eye!

"Second-grade... superior pills!"

The Drug Hall elder was utterly aghast, his voice trembling. "Using ordinary fire to refine second-grade superior pills... Elder Xiao Chen, you... this technique of yours deserves to be called divine!"

"I have refined pills for decades, yet I have never seen anyone use ordinary fire to produce pills of such quality! Elder Xiao Chen, who exactly is your master?"

As soon as he said this, every gaze in the hall fell upon Xiao Chen, each filled with disbelief.

Second-grade superior pills!

Even if the Drug Hall elder refined them himself, he would have to exhaust all his effort to make a single batch. Yet this elder before them had refined them with ordinary fire as easily as breathing!

Xiao Chen merely smiled faintly. "A trivial skill, not worth mentioning."

As soon as he said that, the hall fell silent again.

If anyone else had called it a trivial skill, they would surely have been mocked for arrogance. Yet coming from Xiao Chen, it only made everyone feel...

That he was telling the truth.

To him, this ability to refine superior pills with ordinary fire truly seemed as effortless as lifting a hand.

"Knowing how to conceal one's ability is a skill. Knowing how to reveal it is also a skill."

Xiao Chen swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke calmly.

"If the Xiao Clan wishes to establish itself in Wutan City, it must have something worthy of display. I revealed this skill today so that everyone may know that the Xiao Clan's pill refinement is inferior to no one."

"Good!"

The Drug Hall elder clapped his hands in praise.

"Elder Xiao Chen, what spirit!"

Xiao Chen put away the pills and turned to leave, only for the Drug Hall elder to seize him.

"Elder Xiao Chen, please wait! This old man has a request... Would you be willing to join our Drug Hall and study pill refinement alongside us? I am willing to hire you for a generous sum!"

"I appreciate your kind offer, Elder."

Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head.

"However, I have two requests. If Elder agrees to them, I will naturally impart everything I know about the Xiao Clan's pill refinement in the future."

"Please speak, Elder!"

"First, I require freedom in pill refinement. The Drug Hall must not interfere with my refining."

Xiao Chen spoke slowly. "Second..."

He paused, sweeping his gaze across everyone in the hall.

"Any medicine Young Master Xiao Yan requires must be supplied by me as a priority."

The entire hall was shocked.

Everyone exchanged looks. No one had expected Elder Xiao Chen to forgo a fine position in the Drug Hall and ask only for these two seemingly simple matters.

"This... Elder Xiao Chen, is that truly all you want?"

The Drug Hall elder looked utterly puzzled.

"With your ability, even if you wanted the position of Deputy Hall Master, this old man would be willing to give it to you!"

"I appreciate your kindness, Elder."

Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head.

"But Xiao Chen has never sought empty fame. What I seek is freedom. The path of pill refinement values following one's heart. If one is bound by rules and restrictions, one loses its true meaning instead."

The Drug Hall elder froze briefly, then clapped his hands and laughed heartily.

"What a splendid 'following one's heart'!"

"Elder Xiao Chen, with such a state of mind, no wonder you can refine such fine pills!"

"Good! This old man agrees to both matters! Elder Xiao Chen shall have freedom in pill refinement, and Young Master Xiao Yan shall have priority in medicine! From today onward, the Drug Hall will set aside a separate medicine room for Elder's sole use!"

"Thank you for granting this, Elder."

Xiao Chen cupped his fists, then turned and left.

Freedom in pill refinement would allow him to provide medicine for Xiao Yan without restraint.

As for Xiao Yan's priority in medicine, it meant Xiao Chen could give him whatever he wanted!

Xiao Clan's back mountain.

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged atop a bluestone, the aura around him circulating slowly.

Ever since taking the Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid and breaking through to Dou Zhe, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. Coupled with the Warm Nourishing Pills Xiao Chen sent every few days, in barely over a month, he had already begun showing signs of breaking into the middle stage of Dou Zhe.

Yet tonight, he simply could not calm his mind.

The question that had lingered in his mind for so long finally surfaced.

Why was Grandpa Xiao helping me so tirelessly?

He recalled the day his engagement had been broken. Throughout the clan, so many had pointed and whispered behind his back, while so many eyes hid their delight at his misfortune.

Only that gray-robed elder had handed him a bottle of Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid and told him, "I'm betting that you can win it back in three years."

Could someone in this world truly treat a useless person so well for no reason?

The next morning.

Xiao Yan went directly to Xiao Chen's small courtyard. The moment he entered, he cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

"Grandpa Xiao, Yan'er has something to ask. I hope Grandpa will answer me honestly!"

Xiao Chen was seated in the courtyard, savoring tea. Seeing Xiao Yan's solemn expression, he could not help but smile.

"Oh? What could make our Little Yan so serious?"

"Grandpa Xiao, why are you helping me?"

Xiao Yan raised his head and looked straight at Xiao Chen, speaking one word at a time.

"I, Xiao Yan, am nothing more than a useless person despised by everyone. After my engagement was broken, my reputation became even more disgraceful."

"But Grandpa, you first gave me Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid, then gave me cultivation techniques and pills. You even gave me the Xuan Tier Gale Step without hesitation... Yan'er truly cannot understand. What exactly are you seeking?"

He had kept these words bottled up for a long time, and now he had finally asked them.

He stared intently at Xiao Chen, waiting for an answer—an answer he had pondered for so long but could never understand.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen set down his teacup and studied Xiao Yan seriously for a long while.

After a long time, he suddenly smiled.

"What am I seeking? I seek the day, three years from now, when you can stand proudly before the gates of the Misty Cloud Sect and win back everything you lost."

Xiao Yan's body stiffened.

"Little Yan, listen carefully."

Xiao Chen slowly rose to his feet.

"The reason the strong are called strong is because deep in their bones, they possess a refusal to admit defeat!"

"That spirit is also the source of the strength that makes them powerful."

"I'm helping you because I saw that refusal to admit defeat in you!"

"Because I believe you can grow stronger—strong enough to win back the Xiao Clan's honor!"

"I'm betting that three years from now, you, Xiao Yan, will soar into the sky."

Xiao Yan stood there blankly, as though something had lodged in his chest.

He had seen too many people look down on him. He had seen too many people kick him while he was down. Yet never had anyone, like Xiao Chen, bet that he could grow stronger!

Bet that he could win back the Xiao Clan's honor!

"Grandpa Xiao..."

Xiao Yan's eyes reddened as he cupped his fists deeply.

"I, Xiao Yan, will remember this kindness! If I ever achieve greatness in the future, I will never forget today!"

"Good!"

Xiao Chen clapped his hands and laughed heartily.

Having received the answer he sought, Xiao Yan turned to leave.

"Wait."

Xiao Chen suddenly called out to him. "If there is anything in cultivation you cannot understand, come find Grandpa anytime. Grandpa's cultivation may not be high, but I understand a thing or two about the ways of cultivation."

"Yes, Grandpa Xiao!"

Xiao Yan grinned and left in response.

As he stepped out of the courtyard, Xiao Yan could not help looking back. The gray-robed elder stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, giving him a slight nod.

Xiao Yan nodded vigorously and strode toward the back mountain's training grounds, his steps lighter than ever before.

Not long after he left.

A Xiao Clan servant happened to pass Xiao Chen's small courtyard and happened to hear a soft chuckle from within.

The servant peered inside curiously. For some reason, he suddenly shuddered, feeling that something unfathomable was hidden within that elder's smile.

"How strange... Elder Xiao Chen is smiling as if he found a treasure."

The servant muttered to himself, shook his head, and left.

Naturally, he could not have known Xiao Chen's feelings at that moment.

That afternoon.

Xiao Yan's figure darted through the forest like the wind, drawing astonished exclamations from several passing Xiao Clan guards.

"Young Master Xiao Yan's progress is far too terrifying, isn't it?"

"I heard it was all taught by Elder Xiao Chen... Tsk, that elder is truly unfathomable!"