During the first half-month, Xiao Yan refined various first-rank medicines, including eight hundred bottles each of Blood-Coagulating Powder, Rejuvenation Powder, Qi-Boosting Powder, Wound-Healing Pills, and others.
At first, Xiao Yan's refining methods were fairly conventional, but as his understanding of alchemy deepened, his approach gradually broke free of those constraints.
For first-rank pills, for instance, Xiao Yan simply tossed in dozens of portions of medicinal ingredients at once, producing dozens of pills in a single batch. It was practically wholesale production.
Most importantly, even the pills he produced in batches maintained perfect quality.
Even Yao Lao, who watched from the sidelines, could only click his tongue in wonder at such talent.
Watching Xiao Yan concentrate fully on refining medicine, he marveled inwardly.
Who could have imagined that a monstrous talent like Xiao Yan could emerge from a forgotten corner of the world like the Northwest Continent?
After finishing the first-rank medicines, Xiao Yan rested for a day, then began refining second-rank pills.
Compared with his approach to first-rank pills, Xiao Yan was undoubtedly far more restrained when refining second-rank pills.
Even so, each batch still yielded around three to five pills.
In the end, since second-rank pills were primarily intended for Dou Shi, Xiao Yan only refined fifty of each type.
After all, there were hardly any Dou Shi experts in all of Wutan City.
Aside from those, Xiao Yan also refined eighteen third-rank pills without making a single mistake, and every one was of perfect quality.
Finally, Xiao Yan also attempted to refine a fourth-rank pill.
With his experience refining the Jade Marrow Golden Body Pill, coupled with nearly two months of frenzied alchemy, Xiao Yan's refining methods were clearly worlds apart from what they had been two months earlier.
For that very reason, Xiao Yan's first attempt at refining a fourth-rank pill ended in success, and its quality was even close to perfect.
Only after finishing all of this did Xiao Yan slump onto the ground without a shred of decorum, both eyes bloodshot.
Although he did not look particularly disheveled, an overwhelming air of exhaustion radiated from his entire body.
Letting out a long, stale breath, Xiao Yan said in a weary voice, "Two whole months. I've finally finished refining all the medicines the Xiao Clan needs."
Those two months had exhausted not only his body, but his mind even more.
Standing nearby, Yao Lao smiled in satisfaction. "But your alchemy has undergone a complete transformation over these two months, hasn't it?"
Yao Lao had witnessed every bit of Xiao Yan's progress over the past two months.
Looking at Xiao Yan before him, Yao Lao felt as though he were watching a future Pill Saint rise.
Meanwhile, in the Xiao Clan's main hall!
Xiao Zhan and the three elders had gathered once again.
However, none of the four looked particularly cheerful.
Several days earlier, the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family had launched the first attack.
The markets controlled by those two families had suddenly begun selling a large quantity of low-rank medicines, primarily first-rank medicines such as Blood-Coagulating Powder and Rejuvenation Powder, with even a small number of second-rank pills among them.
Beyond that, the two families had even brought out third-rank pills as a draw, attracting countless mercenaries and travelers to their markets.
Even some merchants who had planned to watch quietly from the sidelines had consequently switched to the Jia Lie Family's and the Ao Ba Family's markets.
In just a few days, the other two families had siphoned away a full fifty percent of the Xiao Family Market's customers. The losses were devastating, and anxiety gripped the clan.
The first elder looked grave. "Clan leader, is the young clan leader still in seclusion? The Xiao Clan's current situation is far from promising!"
Ever since learning that Xiao Yan could refine peak third-rank pills, the three elders had begun addressing him as the young clan leader.
Xiao Zhan nodded silently, then said in a low voice, "There's no need to rush. Once Yan'er comes out of seclusion, we'll be able to strike back.
"The medicinal stock in our Xiao Family Market will still last us a while."
The second elder nodded in agreement. "The clan leader is right. All we can do now is wait."
The third elder heaved a long sigh. "I truly dare not imagine how our Xiao Clan would end up without the young clan leader. The clan owes him far too much!"
The other three, including Xiao Zhan, all agreed, guilt stirring in their hearts.
Did a clan as large as theirs really need a fifteen-year-old boy to hold it up?
At that thought, all four men in the hall let out a long sigh together.
"Father, elders, why are you all sighing so mournfully?"
Just then, a young man's hearty laughter suddenly rang out beyond the door.
"Yan'er! You're out of seclusion!"
When Xiao Zhan saw the black-clad youth suddenly appear at the hall's entrance, surprise and joy immediately lit up his face.
The three elders also rose to their feet, their expressions excited.
Xiao Yan was out of seclusion. It seemed the Xiao Clan's counterattack was about to begin!
After resting for half a day, Xiao Yan had recovered much of his energy. Only a trace of fatigue remained between his brows.
As it happened, Xiao Zhan noticed it, and the sight made his heart ache.
Xiao Yan stepped forward and handed Xiao Zhan a Storage Ring.
"Father, this Storage Ring contains thirty-two hundred first-rank medicines, three hundred second-rank pills, eighteen third-rank pills, and one... fourth-rank pill!"
"What an astonishing haul!"
The more Xiao Zhan and the others heard, the more their scalps prickled and their hearts pounded.
Could someone really refine so many medicines in just two short months?
Even the Fourth-Rank Alchemist backing the Jia Lie Family probably could not manage such a feat.
Especially since there was actually a fourth-rank pill among these medicines.
"Young clan leader, could it be that your master lent a hand?"
The first elder asked curiously.
Xiao Yan's master was unfathomable. If he had refined these medicines, everything would make sense.
Yet, contrary to their expectations, Xiao Yan shook his head and replied, "My teacher didn't lend a hand. I refined every one of these medicines myself, including that fourth-rank pill. I now qualify as a Fourth-Rank Alchemist."
Before his father and the elders, Xiao Yan had no intention of concealing anything.
But that was precisely why Xiao Zhan and the others were utterly stunned.
"Hiss!"
All four sucked in a sharp breath, staring at Xiao Yan as though they had seen a ghost.
"Young clan leader, is everything you said... true?"
The first elder swallowed and asked again uncertainly.
The other three also looked at Xiao Yan nervously, afraid that he had merely misspoken.
"Of course it's true."
Xiao Yan was speechless. Why won't people believe me even when I tell the truth?
After receiving Xiao Yan's confirmation, the four quickly accepted the fact.
In their eyes, Xiao Yan had already created far too many miracles.
Perhaps one day, even if Xiao Yan suddenly announced that he had become a Dou Di, they would find it perfectly natural.
Without further ado, Xiao Yan placed the Storage Ring in Xiao Zhan's hand and smiled. "Father, this is all I can do. I'll leave the rest to you!"
Xiao Zhan laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Yan'er, rest assured. With these medicines, what can the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family possibly use to fight us?"
The elders were equally thrilled. For the past few days, the Xiao Clan had been forced onto the defensive at every turn, leaving them stifled with frustration. Now, every one of them was fired up as though injected with chicken blood.
"Exactly! With the medicines the young clan leader refined, it's time for our Xiao Clan to strike back."
"After this battle, the Xiao Clan will be Wutan City's sole overlord."
Still, they could hardly be blamed for being so arrogant.
With a god-tier carry like Xiao Yan on their side, to put it crudely, even a dog tied to the reins could win.
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