Misty Cloud Sect Outer Sect!

"Yo, tiny dick, big mouth."

Xiao Chen smiled faintly. "Have you tried your grandpa's? Here you are barking like a dog."

"Hmph! Sharp tongue!"

The middle-aged alchemist snorted. "In a moment, this old man will make you lose so thoroughly that you'll be convinced!"

"The finals rules: one furnace decides the victor! Rank and quality of the pill will determine superiority!"

The host announced loudly, "Begin!"

As soon as the words fell, the two moved almost simultaneously.

The middle-aged alchemist's movements were practiced. Selecting herbs, grinding them, adding them to the cauldron—everything flowed in one motion. He had clearly poured all the knowledge of his life into this batch of pills.

He controlled a crimson flame of extreme heat. The medicinal cauldron glowed red from the burning heat, emitting a humming tremor.

"Red Fire Alchemy... what pure flame control!"

"Experience counts. That middle-aged man's technique is clearly the result of decades of practice!"

Those who understood the craft in the audience nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Chen, however, remained unhurried.

With a flick of his finger, a wisp of pale azure flame emerged—the embryonic form of the Green Lotus Fire Seed.

Then, with another slight movement of his fingers, the azure flame split into two, then two into four, becoming four tiny lines of fire that simultaneously nurtured the four corners of the cauldron!

As the four lines of flame entered the cauldron, its temperature gradually rose.

"Four-Line Flame Control!"

An elderly man with white hair and beard abruptly rose from the judges' table, his pupils shrinking sharply.

"Using one mind for four purposes, nurturing the cauldron with flame! In my lifetime, I have seen such flame control only twice!"

"How terrifying!"

Outside the arena, countless people sucked in cold breaths.

Even the middle-aged alchemist's eyelids twitched.

He gritted his teeth and sped up his movements. The medicinal liquid in his cauldron churned ever more violently.

"Hmph, no matter how refined your flame control is, it's just a flashy trick. The path of alchemy ultimately comes down to the pill itself!"

He snorted under his breath and tossed a precious herb into the cauldron. The medicinal fragrance instantly grew rich.

"A third-tier pill... that middle-aged man is refining a third-tier pill!"

"A third-tier pill is already top-tier for a regional finals!"

Another commotion broke out among the spectators. Xiao Chen acted as though he had not heard a thing.

He slowly closed his eyes and, following the improved pill formula, added each herb into the cauldron in sequence. The timing, heat, and medicinal balance of every ingredient were all perfectly controlled.

Half an hour later, the two withdrew their flames almost at the same time.

The middle-aged alchemist opened his cauldron first. A crimson pill leaped out, its fragrance assailing the nose. "A top-grade third-tier pill! My Crimson Flame Pill is complete!"

He swept Xiao Chen a smug glance.

Xiao Chen merely smiled faintly, then waved his sleeve and lifted the cauldron lid.

In an instant, an incomparably rich pill fragrance surged out like a tide, flooding the entire venue!

Within that fragrance was a faint coolness that refreshed the mind and spirit, even causing the Dou Qi of many present to stir slightly.

A crystal-clear pill, faintly flowing with azure radiance, lay quietly at the bottom of the cauldron. Its glow was gentle, and it was breathtakingly beautiful.

"This is... the pinnacle of third-tier pills!"

Several elderly judges rose to their feet in unison.

The white-haired elder hurried to Xiao Chen's cauldron and bent down to inspect the pill. Even his hands trembled slightly.

"Azure radiance flowing, pill fragrance stirring resonance in Dou Qi—this is the sign of perfect fusion between heat and medicinal properties at the moment of completion! I have refined pills for over fifty years, yet I have seen fewer than three people achieve this realm!"

"Though this pill is considered a peak third-tier pill, it has in fact reached the entry level of the fourth tier!"

"Xiao Chen of the Xiao Clan wins this round!"

The moment the word "wins" landed, the entire venue fell silent for an instant before erupting in thunderous applause and cheers!

"Xiao Chen of the Xiao Clan!"

"Elder Xiao is mighty!"

The cheers came wave after wave.

The middle-aged alchemist stared blankly at Xiao Chen's pill, then looked at the Crimson Flame Pill in his own hand. His face alternated between green and white before he finally let out a long sigh and cupped his hands.

"The young are formidable... this old man has lost!"

He was straightforward about it. After admitting defeat, he packed up his cauldron and turned to leave.

Standing on the stage, Xiao Chen looked past the cheering crowd and fixed his gaze on Ya Fei.

Ya Fei was looking at him with a smile in her beautiful eyes, lightly applauding.

"Have you heard? That elder from the Xiao Clan refined a fourth-tier pill in a single furnace during the finals and utterly crushed his opponent!"

"The Xiao Clan is probably going to secure a place in the Jia Ma Empire's alchemy world!"

The manager of the Xiao Clan Apothecary was grinning from ear to ear. At dusk, he specifically ran to the Xiao Residence to deliver the good news.

"Elder! The apothecary's pills sold out before noon today! Even several unpopular pills that usually sat unsold were snapped up!"

"Understood."

Xiao Chen smiled and nodded. "Prepare more stock tomorrow."

"Yes, sir!" The manager understood and bowed as he withdrew.

"Ding! System notification: The host has gained fame in the alchemist competition. The Xiao Clan's fortune has gathered accordingly. Congratulations, you have obtained [Pill Dao Secret Treasury]!"

"Pill Dao Secret Treasury..."

The finals had ended. That night.

"They're here."

A faint trace of killing intent silently seeped into the room.

"Three... no, four."

Xiao Chen silently counted the hidden presences, a cold smile gradually curling his lips.

"Misty Cloud Sect Outer Sect, what a grand gesture! The finals have barely ended, and you're already so eager to hire assassins."

As early as the night the preliminaries ended, he had asked Ya Fei to keep an eye on suspicious people coming and going in and around Wutan City.

After winning today's finals, he had been even more certain that the Misty Cloud Sect Outer Sect would not let the matter rest.

Sure enough, as soon as night fell, this group had come knocking.

"Perfect."

Xiao Chen lightly flexed his wrist. "You can serve as live targets for your grandpa."

In the darkness, four black-clad figures slipped over the courtyard wall like ghosts and silently closed in along the base of the walls.

As the four approached the study, their leader made a hand signal. The other three spread out to surround the room, while he suddenly shoved open the door. His short dagger shot out like a venomous snake, stabbing straight at Xiao Chen's back!

"Die!"

He shouted lowly. The dagger tore through the air, carrying a sharp whistling sound.

"Bzz—"

Wrapped in Dou Qi, the dagger cut a visible white streak through the air. Even the study's candle flames swayed violently in its wake.

The strike was swift and vicious, aimed squarely at a vital point without leaving the slightest room for mercy.

Yet fast as he was, Xiao Chen was faster.

At the instant the dagger was about to pierce his back, Xiao Chen shifted aside, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

He struck back with a palm. The palm wind howled as it carried the blazing force of the Heaven-Burning Palm and slammed heavily into the leader's wrist!

"Crack—"

The sound of shattering bone rang out. The man groaned, his short dagger flying from his hand as he staggered backward, his face filled with horror.

"You're a Dou Ling expert?!"

Xiao Chen gave a cold laugh.

"Too bad... you learned that too late! From the moment you stepped onto East Street, you were already dead."

Before his words had faded, the other three black-clad figures sprang into action at once. Three weapons slashed toward Xiao Chen's vital points from three directions!

Their coordination had clearly been tempered through countless battles. One above and two below, their flashing blades wove into a killing net that sealed off every route of retreat!