Who will fight me?

A priceless treasure!

Duanmu Wenshan gave an awkward smile, no longer knowing what to say.

Had alchemy not been his only strength, and had he not feared he was no match for Xia Yu, he might have lost control and snatched it outright.

"My young friend, shall I light the fire?"

Seeing Xia Yu remain motionless, Duanmu Wenshan asked hesitantly.

"All right." Xia Yu nodded.

In truth, he had remained motionless because he had absolutely no idea how to light the fire.

The Nameless Old Man had left him alchemical techniques and recipes for King-Tier Spirit Pills and above, but nothing whatsoever about the basics of alchemy.

At Xia Yu's agreement, Duanmu Wenshan was overjoyed. He hurriedly took an array disk from his Heaven and Earth Bag, formed a hand seal, and activated it.

Points of light began glowing on the floor. Duanmu Wenshan immediately took out mid-grade spirit stones one after another and placed them in the array.

"My young friend, I don't know whether mid-grade spirit stones will suffice. If they don't, I'll replace them immediately. I won't let it affect your pill refining."

"What a pity. Had I known we would be refining King Pills, I would have exchanged them for superior-grade spirit stones."

Duanmu Wenshan muttered under his breath.

Deep down, he believed Xia Yu had asked him to do this expressly to help him advance.

Watching King-Tier Spirit Pills being refined from so close was tantamount to Xia Yu teaching him hand in hand.

After all, the Way was not lightly passed on.

Had he not known how young Xia Yu was, and feared offending him, he would have dropped to his knees and called him Master.

A sixteen-year-old King-Tier Alchemist?

As far as he knew, that was unquestionably a genius found in fewer than one in ten thousand.

Moreover, he had recognized the extraordinary nature of the Sin Dragon Spear, seen Xia Yu's Heaven and Earth Ring, and personally witnessed a Pill Furnace that appeared to be Saint Tier.

Every one of these things indicated that Xia Yu had an immensely powerful background.

Or perhaps Xia Yu was a direct descendant of some major power, sent out to gain experience.

Duanmu Wenshan knew of one such person in the capital.

She was said to be an unparalleled young woman sent down by a great Lineage from above to gain experience. Even the imperial family treated her with the utmost respect.

The imperial family had even bestowed a Nine-Dragon Gold Token upon her. To behold that token was to behold the emperor himself.

Befriending someone like that might be the most cherished opportunity of one's lifetime.

Duanmu Wenshan knew clearly that he had to cling tightly to this powerful patron's thigh.

Once he missed this chance, he might never have another in his lifetime.

Just as Duanmu Wenshan was about to light the fire, Duanmu Lin's voice rang out outside the room.

"Young Patriarch Xia, people from the Xia Lineage are here. They've come in a fury, saying they want to arrest you!"

"What? Has the Xia Lineage lost its mind? Tell them my young friend is refining pills. No one is allowed to disturb him!"

Before Xia Yu could speak, Duanmu Wenshan roared.

At a time like this, anyone who offended Xia Yu offended him.

This was his best opportunity to become a King-Tier Alchemist!

"Yes, Elder. I'll send them away at once."

"Pavilion Master Duanmu, I am Xia Yu. I no longer have any connection to the Xia Lineage," Xia Yu said calmly.

"Young... Young Master Xia, I understand. Please focus on refining your pills. I'll take care of it."

"Sorry for the trouble!"

"You're too kind, Young Master Xia!"

Duanmu Lin turned and left.

"My young friend, rest assured. The Xia Lineage would never dare force its way into our Myriad Treasures Pavilion," Duanmu Wenshan said proudly.

Xia Yu nodded and said, "Light the fire!"

Following the instructions in his memory, Xia Yu began refining pills.

The first batch failed.

The second batch failed.

The third batch succeeded.

Xia Yu had prepared medicinal ingredients for ten batches and produced seven batches of King-Tier Spirit Pills.

By now, Duanmu Wenshan's heart surged with emotion, and his respect for Xia Yu had reached its utmost height.

This was the first time he had personally witnessed the birth of King-Tier Spirit Pills.

He had gained so much!

He was even confident that, if he tried refining pills himself, he would certainly produce a batch of King Tier pills within five attempts.

Once he became a King-Tier Alchemist, both his status and his treatment would rise to an entirely new level.

Even in the Imperial Capital, a King-Tier Alchemist held high standing.

After all, there was only one Emperor-Rank Alchemist in the entire Imperial Capital.

After finishing all ten batches, Xia Yu immediately fed Xia Yao two pills. As he watched her complexion return to normal, a smile appeared on his face.

Then he sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes.

Scene after scene from his pill refining appeared in his mind.

Only by reviewing what he had done and finding where he had fallen short could he improve.

This was a method of self-reflection Xia Yu had learned on his own.

Two hours later, Xia Yu opened his eyes.

Duanmu Wenshan, who had been standing quietly beside him, immediately gave a slight, respectful bow.

By then, the sun stood high overhead.

Suddenly, Xia Yu remembered something.

"Today seems to be the day of the Huai City Grand Competition!"

"Young Master Xia, I believe it is. Lin has already gone. He came here to mention it before leaving, but I didn't dare disturb you." Duanmu Wenshan had even stopped calling him his young friend.

He felt that form of address was not respectful enough.

Xia Yu stood and looked at Xia Yao beside him. "Sis, I'm going there. I'll personally take back what Mother left us."

"I'm coming with you."

"Sis, you've only just started recovering."

"I'm coming with you." Xia Yao's gaze was resolute.

"All right."

Xia Yu agreed.

He knew perfectly well that when his sister wore that expression, she would not change her mind.

In Huai City, the square before the city lord's residence was a sea of people.

For the people of Huai City, today was an important day.

Held once every three years, the Huai City Grand Competition was a grand occasion for the entire city.

Even several nearby cities would send people to attend.

This year, however, things were very different. Reportedly, even the Lu Prefecture Government had sent someone.

Many sect disciples were also said to have come, making this a spectacle rarely seen.

In the viewing stands, Huai City's city lord, Zhu Kang, sat in the secondary seat, leaving the seat of honor to a young man of around twenty.

The young man wore an arrogant expression, while City Lord Zhu Kang's face was filled with respect.

Below City Lord Zhu Kang sat the patriarchs of the four great Lineages, each looking equally respectful.

Many people pointed and whispered among themselves.

"Look, they say that's the young master from the Lu Prefecture Government."

"The eldest young master from the Lu Prefecture Government really is extraordinary. It is the provincial capital, after all. His bearing is exceptional."

"See those people beside the eldest young master? They're supposedly from the sects. This year is so strange. So many sect representatives have come, when in previous years there were only one or two sects."

"You don't know? They've all come for the Xia Lineage's young patriarch. When he broke through that day, he summoned a heavenly phenomenon that truly shook heaven and earth."

"Look! The Xia Lineage's young patriarch is making his entrance."

At that moment, a figure soared into the air and landed on the central arena platform.

Cheers immediately rose all around.

It was none other than the Xia Lineage's young patriarch, Xia Longfei.

Lu Tianxiang, who had been drowsing in the seat of honor, perked up somewhat when he saw Xia Longfei appear.

But a moment later, he frowned slightly.

The sixth level of Origin Absorption?

So weak?

The eyes of many sect representatives nearby had initially lit up, but after taking a closer look, their expressions also filled with disappointment.

This was the person who had triggered a phenomenon of heaven and earth?

So weak?

"Brother Xia, your worthy son Longfei truly lives up to being someone who can summon a heavenly phenomenon. In just half a month, he has advanced three minor realms. The Xia Lineage is destined to flourish," the Li Lineage's patriarch said with a smile.

"Ha ha! Brother Li, thank you for your auspicious words! Let us hope my humble son has a promising future." Xia Hongji's face was wreathed in smiles.

Dressed in white, Xia Longfei stood proudly on the platform, handsome as a jade tree swaying in the wind, a longsword in hand.

"Who will fight me?" he called out.

"I will."

A figure charged onto the platform.