by <unknown>
This yell, two Late-Stage Crystal Formation Realm guards suddenly appeared. But before they could make a move, a voice sounded from behind them.
"What happened?" An elderly man came out unhurriedly.
The assistant covered his face and said, "Manager Tong, this brat is intentionally here to cause trouble! I asked him to leave, but he didn't and even attack me!"
Manager Tong's face fell, and he asked Ye Yuan, "Was there such a thing?"
Ye Yuan said coolly, "I came to enlist as Xiao Family's retainer. He didn't even test me before asking me to get lost. Isn't that going too far?"
The assistance said hesitantly, "Manager Tong, this brat is at most 16 years old. Even if he started learning alchemy in his mother's womb, it's also impossible to have great accomplishments, right? This punk thinks that he's Miss Ruyan, having Alchemy Grandmaster standards at a young age? He's clearly here to cause trouble!"
The words that the assistance said gave no cause for much criticism. With Ye Yuan's age, wanting to have major accomplishments in the Alchemy Path was basically impossible.
"What say you, young man?"
This Manager Tong was a composed person and did not jump to conclusions.
Who would have expected Ye Yuan to take out a badge very calmly and wear it on his chest? It was shockingly that low-rank Alchemy Master badge!
"I'm really an alchemist. I'm not here to pull your leg," Ye Yuan said composedly.
"Puhwark!"
When the surrounding spectators saw this scene, they involuntarily nearly vomited out a mouthful of blood.
Was this young man here to play the fool? A low-rank Alchemy Master also dared to come to register for Xiao Family's guest retainer?
"Cough, cough, haven't gone to the Alchemist Association for very long to take the test. I'm just indicating my identity. As for whether I have the qualifications or not, just test and you'll know." Ye Yuan explained.
"Hahaha! Manager Tong, I said that he came to cause trouble, right? A low-rank Alchemy Master actually dares to come to our Four Seas Building to register as a retainer! In my opinion, he's definitely sent over by the Tong Family to intentionally create trouble!" The assistant jeered.
The first thing an alchemist would do after advancing ranks would be to go to the Alchemist Association to pass the test for the badge pertaining to their rank.
Hence, the way the clerk saw it, Ye Yuan was simply here to create a disturbance.
But Manager Tong still ruminated for briefly before saying to Ye Yuan, "Young man, can you release your soul force?"
Chapter 365. All Had Been Said by You People |
"Of course I can. But . . . it doesn't have to be here, right?"
Ye Yuan did not wish to be watched like a monkey.
Manager Tong nodded his head and brought Ye Yuan into a wing-room.
"Is here alright, young man?"
Ye Yuan nodded slightly. A majestic soul force rippled out.
Sensing Ye Yuan's soul force, Manager Tong's expression could not help changing.
"Middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster!" Manager Tong said in astonishment.
Breaking through to the Second Level Crystal Formation Realm, Ye Yuan's soul force already crossed the threshold of low-rank Alchemy Grandmaster and became middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster!
"Manager Tong, I wonder if I have the qualifications to enlist for the guest retainer position?" Ye Yuan said with a smile.
Only now did Manager Tong come back to his senses and said, "Of course! Even if you're unable to pass the test, I also have to highlight to the family head to keep you!"
You got to be kidding. A 16-year-old middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster. If they did not rope in such a person, wouldn't it be such a pity?
As an alchemist, in truth, the hardest thing was the divine soul realm! Other aspects could be made up for through hard work, but the breakthrough of divine soul realm varied from person to person.
Why was there nobody who could refine divine pills in the Divine Realm? It was because no alchemist could shatter the fetters of divine soul realm!
Furthermore, a genius like this, if Ye Yuan turned to the Tong Family, wouldn't there be an additional extremely terrifying opponent in the future?
"Haha. Then that's good."
Ye Yuan stubbornly stayed here just to get close to those two slaves. Otherwise, he would have turned around and left long ago.
"I wonder what Little Brother's name is?" Manager Tong's attitude underwent a 180-degree change and already addressed Ye Yuan as brothers.
"Ji Qing!" Ye Yuan gave his fake name.
"So, it's Little Brother Ji Qing. You came just in the nick of time. Miss Ruyan is currently giving out the test to the alchemists who enlisted for guest retainer! Shall we go now?" Manager Tong consulted Ye Yuan's opinion.
Ye Yuan did not move right away. Instead, he asked curiously, "Manager Tong, pardon Junior for shooting my mouth off, but what is the Xiao Family recruiting retainers for? Such a large family business like the Four Seas Building shouldn't lack alchemists, right?"
Manager Tong sighed when he heard this and said, "Not hiding from Little Brother, the Xiao Family doesn't lack alchemists, but lack powerful alchemists!"
"Oh? Please enlighten, Manager Tong," Ye Yuan asked.
"Actually, the recruitment of retainers this time is something which cannot be helped! In this capital, the biggest medicinal pill managing businesses are our Xiao Family and the Tong Family.
It's precisely so that our two families are practically sworn enemies! In order to vie for the medicinal pills market, the two families once came to blows. Just the Sea Transformation Realm experts that died were over a dozen. Later on, Lord Wind Emperor sent people to pass the word down to make the Xiao and Tong, these two families, stop fighting. Only then did the conflict stop."
"What has this got to do with you guys finding guest retainers?" Ye Yuan asked with a confused look.
"Afterwards, through His Majesty, the Wind Emperor's mediation, our two families set down rules. Every ten years, the two family's juniors will undergo a Grand Pill Assembly once to determine the two family's share of the medicinal pill market. And this year just happens to be the tenth year!" Manager Tong said.
Ye Yuan's expression was odd as he said, "You all are finding guest retainers in order to participate in this Grand Pill Assembly? The Xiao Family's junior generation can't make the cut?"
Manager Tong's face changed, and he said furiously, "What do you mean can't make the cut?! First Young Master, Xiao Rufeng, and Second Miss, Xiao Ruyan, are both extraordinary Alchemy Path prodigies! Especially Second Miss Ruyan. She already stepped into the high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster realm at the age of 20. You dare to say they can't make the cut?"
Ye Yuan pursed his lips but thought otherwise.
20-year-old Alchemy Grandmaster. What was there to be proud of?
Seeing Ye Yuan's expression, Manager Tong could not help being stunned and nearly had an impulse to slap his mouth.
This young man was only 16 years old. By the time he was 20, he would probably be a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster already. Seemed like his household's missus did not have anything worth showing off, right?
Manager Tong coughed dryly twice to ease the awkward situation. He continued, "Actually, it's First Young Master's body that has a problem and is unable to take part in this Grand Pill Assembly. Miss Ruyan alone simply cannot defeat the Tong Family."
Ye Yuan nodded and said, "Like that huh. Then is it compliant with the rules for me to participate? After all, I'm not a Xiao Family member."
Manager Tong said, "As long as you join the Xiao Family, it's naturally compliant with the rules. Uh . . ."
Halfway through his words, Manager Tong suddenly noticed something off.
What do you mean did it adhere to the rules if you participate? Who told you to take part? Wasn't this punk's self-confidence a little too inflated?
The test wasn't even passed yet, and he wanted to represent the Xiao Fam
ily to fight?
One had to know that among the alchemists who came to register this time, there was no lack of high-rank Alchemy Grandmasters. Ye Yuan had just entered the middle-rank not long ago. Wanting to pass most likely would not be that easy.
The reason why Manager Tong took a fancy to Ye Yuan was because he was eyeing his potential, not his present strength.
Ye Yuan chuckled and said, "Since it follows the rules, let's go take the test then."
Manager Tong had a gloomy look. This punk really took himself to be someone from the Xiao Family.
. . . . . .
When Manager Tong brought Ye Yuan out from the wing-room and Ye Yuan was invited upstairs, the assistant's eyes went wide.
Could it brat really be an alchemist?
The clerk had a premonition that he seemed to have gotten into big trouble and provoked someone that he should not have.
Don't look at me, don't look at me . . . the clerk repeated in his heart.
But whatever one feared would come. Ye Yuan suddenly turned his head and flashed a slight smile at him. Then he went up slowly.
The assistant's legs went wobbly, and he nearly kneeled on the ground.
"It's over. This time, it's really over," the assistant murmured to himself with a wail.
. . . . . .
Manager Tong brought Ye Yuan straight up to the third floor and arrived at a hall.
There were already quite a few people in the hall and even a number of medicinal cauldrons laid out.
At the far end, there was a partition. The partition was blocked by many layers of chiffon. But, one could faintly see a lithe and graceful silhouette inside.
Manager Tong asked Ye Yuan to wait for a moment and walked over to the partition.
Ye Yuan calmly sized up this hall and those alchemists.
These few people were all the same: high-rank Alchemy Grandmasters. Seemed like only he alone was a middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster.
Mm, of course, in these peoples' eyes, he most likely did not even count as an alchemist.
There were still four alchemists apart from Ye Yuan. They clearly saw Ye Yuan too. Seeing the badge adorned on Ye Yuan's chest, they could not help having a disdainful look.
"Elder Brothers are all here to enlist for Xiao Family's guest retainer?" Ye Yuan was warm and enthusiastic as he went forward with a flattering smile.
"So what if yes? You aren't the same as us, right?" said an alchemist among them, making a scornful look.
"Ah? Haha, you even saw through this. Big Brother has really good eyesight!"
That person said sneeringly, "You, a low-rank Alchemy Master, came to play the fool, right? This place isn't suitable for you. Better get lost quickly so as to avoid incurring Miss Ruyan's displeasure!"
"Yeah. A little fellow who doesn't know his own limitations. This bit of strength and you also dare to come out and lose face. I think you better go back home and drink milk!" said another person.
"Without the strength of a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster, don't come out and make a spectacle of yourself! The few of us were chosen through layers upon layers of sifting! Who do you think you are?!"
Ye Yuan chortled and said, "Why are all the stuff I wanted to say all had been said by you people?"
Chapter 366. Look at You All Play |
This sentence from Ye Yuan drew the aggro from all the alchemists.
At this time, Manager Tong came before the five people and said, "Alright. The few of you were selected very carefully, and your strength goes without saying. I won't say anything unnecessary. Let's start the test now."
"Hang on, Manager Tong!" said an alchemist, interrupting Manager Tong's words.
"En? You have something to say?" Manager Tong asked with a frown.
That alchemist pointed at Ye Yuan and said, "Manager Tong letting a low-rank Alchemy Master compete together with us, isn't this insulting us? I refuse to compete with him!"
"Yes! We don't want to compete together with a low-rank Alchemy Master!" The other three people immediately concurred.
Manager Tong's face darkened, and he said solemnly, "I've already tested. He's not a low-rank Alchemy Master. He's the same as you all, possessing Alchemy Grandmaster divine soul realm! It's just that he hasn't taken part in the Alchemist Association's tests for a long time, that's why he's wearing low-rank Alchemy Master badge."
The few people naturally did not believe it. Not everybody on this earth was Xiao Ruyan.
A 16-year-old youth could become an Alchemy Grandmaster? Even if he became an Alchemy Grandmaster, could he become a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster?"
"Possessing Alchemy Grandmaster divine soul realm doesn't mean being able to refine Tier 3 medicinal pills. I think that Manager Tong is clearer than us on this point, right? If Manager Tong insists on letting him compete with us, I'll withdraw!" The alchemist earlier pulled out the big guns.
"Yes! I'll withdraw too!"
Manager Tong did not think that these few people would actually make things difficult for him. He involuntarily sneered coldly and said, "Withdraw? Heh heh, the way I see it, you people seem to feel that our Xiao Family is easy to bully, eh? But I'm telling you, a starving camel is larger than a horse!"
The Xiao Family's matters were not a secret. Now, the news that the Xiao Family was going to be thoroughly finished this time was circulating outside. These few alchemists naturally also heard some extent of it.
It was just that they also did not think that if the Xiao Family was perfectly fine, why would they find them?
Indeed, once Manager Tong said these words, these few people's faces changed.
At this time, Ye Yuan sat down carelessly on a chair and said, "Alright, alright, you guys just play. I won't participate, alright? But . . . if you guys all can't make it, it should eventually be my turn, right?"
"You're the one who said it!"
"So what if I said it? This little lord, I, will sit right here and watch you guys play. I want to see what the hell you all can come up with!" Ye Yuan said.
Manager Tong secretly heaved a sigh in relief. Ye Yuan taking the initiative to withdraw really resolved his imminent problem.
Honestly speaking, the counter-attack by those people earlier was seriously quite devastating.
He could indeed use the Xiao Family's power to forcefully suppress them. But if they really chose someone and he intentionally went easy during the Grand Pill Assembly, that would not be amusing.
Yet, Manager Tong did not have much hope in Ye Yuan. Hence, Ye Yuan taking the initiative to withdraw was naturally the best alternative.
Earlier, he already clarified the situation to Miss Ruyan. Miss Ruyan also agreed to give Ye Yuan a chance. As long as Ye Yuan performed well, entering the Xiao Family was naturally not difficult.
But the difficulty of this test was much, much tougher than the difficulty of the test to be given to Ye Yuan afterward.
"Hehe, you still want to appear on the stage? There's no more chance. Sit there properly!"
. . . . . .
The test officially began. Manager Tong said to the four people, "The content of the test is very simple. There are refined medicinal embryos in here. The content of your test is to refine these medicinal embryos into pills, and it will be considered as passing the test."
Evidently, this pill formula was very precious and naturally could not be leaked out. If just the medicinal embryos were provided, even if these few people were even more powerful, they also could not possibly steal the pill formula.
Of course, this did not include Ye Yuan.
The four people were even happier when they heard it. This was too easy.
One had to know that the process of refining pills was very complicated. Any single oversight could cause the pill refinement to fail.
But now, even the medicinal embryos were refined. They were only responsible for the final refinement and forming the pill. It was practically something that was not troublesome.
Although they knew
that this medicinal pill was surely not very easy to refine, how could the few of them be simple people?
The four of them held their cleavers and entered the battlefield, starting the refinement at the same time!
Perhaps they deliberately wanted to show off in front of Xiao Ruyan; these few people's refinement techniques were very resplendent, looking quite like the model of a respected grandmaster.
Even Manager Tong also nodded secretly when he saw it. These people were indeed worthy of being strictly and carefully selected. Their strength was highly outstanding.
Ye Yuan watched this scene composedly by the side, with a slightly ruminating expression on his face.
Actually, same as martial artists, the ranks of alchemists and the true standards of alchemists could not be equated the same.
An alchemist obtaining the title of high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster did not mean that he could refine all the Tier 3 high-grade medicinal pills.
The same Tier 3 high-grade medicinal pills, but the refining difficulty varied greatly. Even high-rank Alchemy Grandmasters could not refine some Tier 3 middle-grade or even low-grade medicinal pills!
Behind the partition, Xiao Ruyan was also watching these four alchemists refine medicinal pills in a perturbed mood. This concerned whether the Xiao Family could win at the Grand Pill Assembly or not!
Truthfully speaking, even if selected, Xiao Ruyan did not have the confidence to win for certain. The strength of the Tong Family's juniors was actually even stronger than the Xiao Family!
But this matter was related to the Xiao Family's development in the next decade. Xiao Ruyan was compelled to face the problem head-on.
A pair of beautiful eyes stared fixedly at those four people, hoping that it was best if they did not make mistakes.
But whatever one feared would come. Just seven and a half minutes later, only to hear a puff. Someone already failed. The medicinal pill was burned into black charcoal.
That alchemist had a dejected look. "Why is this damn pill so hard to refine?"
The other three people's faces currently no longer had the composure from when they just started. The difficulty of this medicinal pill had indeed exceeded their imaginations.