Ye Yuan smiled and said, “First Young Master is too kind. Since Ji Qing is Xiao Family’s guest retainer and is drawing Xiao Family’s salary, I naturally have to put forth my strength for the Xiao Family.”
Xiao Rufeng smile and said, “There’s no need to be so polite, Ji Qing. This foolish elder brother is a few years older. Brother Ji can just call me Brother Xiao.”
Ye Yuan did not decline either and said with cupped hands, “Brother Xiao!”
At this time, an unfriendly gaze came from behind Xiao Rufeng. Who could it be but Xiao Ruyan?
But today, within Xiao Ruyan’s eyes, other than displeasure towards Ye Yuan, there were a few parts additional of uncertainty.
Evidently, Ye Yuan had became mysterious in her eyes.
“Ruyan, your eyes are really discerning! To actually be able to find an Alchemy Path genius like Brother Ji. Truly, the heaven doesn’t want my Xiao Family to perish!” Xiao Rufeng said to his sister.
Xiao Ruyan shook her head and said, “So what if I found him? We’re bound to lose the match with Tong Yongchang without any doubt. And I don’t have confidence in winning Tong Yongshou either. Even Tong Yonghui is also somebody with uncommon strength. Whether or not Ji Qing can win him is another matter altogether!”
Very clearly, even if they had Ye Yuan, Xiao Ruyan was not optimistic about today’s match.
Listening to Xiao Ruyan’s words, Xiao Rufeng’s brows were also locked tightly together. Regarding this match that gambled with their family’s destiny, the two of them could not afford to lose!
In a twinkle, the people in front of the association’s gates gradually increased.
This match today not only concerned just the two Xiao and Tong family’s fate, but it also involved the enormous change in the capital’s alchemy world arrangements in the days to come.
Basically, there was already nobody who was optimistic about the Xiao Family.
Now, many families were itching to have a go to try and replace the Xiao Family’s position.
Medicinal pills was a business with even more extravagant profits in the Fierce Gale World.
The Fierce Gale World’s resources were scarce. The price of medicinal pills was several times of the Endless World! There were even some rare medicinal pills that could sell at a sky-high price.
Such a large market, how could everyone possibly watch it slip by them?
“Oh? Isn’t this the Xiao Family’s number one genius, Xiao Rufeng? I thought that you’d be bedbound, unable to get up. Didn’t think that you actually came!” A haughty voice was heard.
Xiao Rufeng’s face fell when he saw the arrival. He said with a cold snort, “Tong Yongchang, don’t get too smug!”
This person was shockingly the Tong Family’s number genius, Tong Yongchang!
But Tong Yongchang was even more pleased with himself as he said, “Hur hur, of course I am feeling smug! I say, you lying on the bed is already pretty good. You don’t have to come out and embarrass yourself. But now, you just have to run in front of me to make a spectacle of yourself. Do you think I will no feel smug? What’s this called? This is called delivering your face here for me to smack! Hahaha!”
“You!” Xiao Rufeng was so enraged that his entire body was shaking.
But because of his failed breakthrough, being able to step on stage today was already pretty good. It was simply impossible to be Tong Yongchang’s match.
It unwittingly gave people a feeling of a hero being caught in difficult circumstances.
In truth, with Xiao Rufeng’s talent, advancing to Quasi-Alchemy King was something inevitable. Watching helplessly as the Grand Pill Assembly got increasingly closer, and yet he still could not break through after so long. Finally, it made him unable to restrain himself from taking the plunge to forcefully break through.
It was just that he did not receive divine favor and failed his breakthrough.
“Oh, right. I heard that you all even went around recruiting guest retainers for this competition. Your Xiao Family is really too tragic, to actually not even be able to pool together three alchemists to come on stage. Mm? Is this brat the replacement you guys found? Looks only so-so . . .” Tong Yongchang looked at Ye Yuan with a half smile.
But Ye Yuan did not take notice of Tong Yongchang’s derision. His attention was placed entirely on the person behind Tong Yongchang.
That person’s eyes were somewhat dull, clearly different from normal people as if he did not have his own thoughts.
This person was none other than precisely Ye Yuan’s senior, Du Cheng!
Ye Yuan forcibly suppressed his own agitated emotions, with the expression on his face being as usual. His eyes did not look in Du Cheng’s direction either.
But regarding Tong Yongchang’s words, not a single word sank in.
But in Tong Yongchang’s perspective, his mockery was like a stone falling into the ocean; it was utterly disregarded.
This made him unable to quite preserve his face.
“I’m talking to you, punk. Didn’t you hear?” Tong Yongchang said solemnly.
Ye Yuan ignored his words once again . . .
“Hahaha! Xiao Rufeng, turns out that your family found a fool to take up the gauntlet! I think you all should just directly concede today. What’s there still to compete?” Tong Yongchang wanted to use laughter to resolve his embarrassment.
Except . . . everyone looked at him like they were looking at a fool.
Because no matter how foolish the Xiao Family was, they also would not find a fool to take part in such an important Grand Pill Assembly.
Seeing nobody answer, Tong Yongchang’s face finally fell, and he made a move, grabbing towards Ye Yuan.
This time, Ye Yuan moved . . .
Chapter 376
Translator: celefoata_ Editor: RegiusProfessor
After a short while, an old man slowly walked out from the back and sat down on the centermost seat.
Everybody stood up at this time and bowed. They said, “We pay respects to Sovereign Star Abyss!”
The old man nodded slightly and said, “Everyone, have a seat. This old man, I, only wished to come and have a look at what genius descendants have appeared in our capital these few years. This matter about judging, old me won’t be taking part in. You all just decide it on your own. I’ll be watching everybody’s performance in today’s match and take one person as my disciple.”
When Sovereign Star Abyss’s words were spoken, everyone revealed ecstatic looks.
“What did I hear? Sovereign Star Abyss is going to accept disciples! I didn’t hear wrongly, right?”
“It has already been decades since Sovereign Star Abyss has accepted any disciples. Today, he actually wants to accept a disciple out of the blue! What on earth happened?”
“A sovereign’s disciple! As long as one can step onto this track, they will have a meteoric rise!”
When Ye Yuan saw this Sovereign Star Abyss, his eyes also shrunk slightly. This was the first sovereign level powerhouse that he met!
When martial artists reached the Divine Traversing Realm, they could be titled as sovereigns. That was also a sovereign level powerhouse!
The meaning of a sovereign level powerhouse was extraordinary. In regards to the Lower Realms, they were practically pinnacle existences!
This old man was apparently a Divine Traversing Realm powerhouse. More importantly, he was even an Alchemy Sovereign!
An Alchemy Sovereign on the Alchemy Path was similarly considered as reaching a high level in proficiency.
Only alchemy sovereign powerhouses had the minimum qualifications to enter Ye Yuan’s arcane eyes!
Due to the disparity in strength between Ye Yuan and Sovereign Star Abyss being too great, he completely could not see through the other party’s depth.
But Ye Yuan had a sort of feeling that this old man was not simple!
Seemingly detecting Ye Yuan’s gaze, Sovereign Star Abyss’s gaze also looked towards Ye Yuan. That deeply profound gaze
actually nearly made Ye Yuan collapse uncontrollably.
Ye Yuan hastily moved his gaze, secretly sighing with vicissitudes of emotions.
Right now, his soul force was still too weak. The other party just swept a glance lightly like that, and it practically made him lose his mind.
“Rufeng, Ruyan, the two of you have to perform well this time. Even if you’re defeated, you also have to obtain Sovereign Star Abyss’s favor! As long as you become his disciple, our Xiao Family can likewise protect our family business!” Xiao Changfeng said softly with visible joy on his face.
The pair nodded slightly. But Ye Yuan sighed lightly in his heart.
This Xiao Changfeng was evidently an experienced and cunning person. But he was too conservative with this sort of major matter. It might not have a good outcome!
Firstly, this method of Tian Jian racing horse strategy was actually a very negative way of dealing with things. It was equivalent to admitting that their own family was not as strong as the other party.
Giving up fighting with the other party’s strongest person and letting the strongest person on their side deal with the Tong Family’s number two figure, even if they won in the end, there would not be anyone cheering for the Xiao Family either.
Xiao Family would obtain victory, but lose the respect of others.
And Xiao Changfeng making his own son and daughter perform well to draw the attention of Sovereign Star Abyss was similarly a method that lost one’s drive.
The Xiao Family was in an inferior position to begin with; the family did not know how to risk it all to fight, but entrust their hopes onto another person instead. Ye Yuan could not agree with this way of doing things.
Furthermore, Ye Yuan had a feeling that that Tong Wenhui and Tong Wenshou might not be easy to deal with.
Truly, the older the person was, the smaller the guts were.
“Alright, the once in a decade Grand Pill Assembly is about to begin. Most of the people present here know this old man, but this old man better still introduces himself first. I’m the Alchemist Association’s First Elder, Yang Xiu. The Grand Pill Assembly this time will be hosted by me.”
Speaking up to here, Yang Xiu cleared his throat. Xiao Changfeng and Tong Fangshuo got up at the same time and said, “I’ll have to trouble Sovereign Star Abyss and Elder Yang.”
Yang Xiu nodded slightly and continued, “Sovereign Star Abyss has already spoken. The juniors of the Xiao and Tong families have good fortune. The sovereign has not taken in any disciples for close to 50 years already. This time can be considered as an epoch-making event! Alright, enough superfluous words. The two Xiao and Tong families have already sent the name list of the battles to my hands. I’ll now announce the battle sequence.”
Speaking up to here, Yang Xiu looked at the battle name list in his hands, his eyes involuntarily swept over Xiao Changfeng.
Xiao Changfeng’s heart palpitated but did not say anything. He naturally knew that doing it this way was inappropriate. But this was also a solution that could not be helped.
Yang Xiu was silent for a moment, and continued, “The first battle, Xiao Family’s Xiao Ruyan against the Tong Family’s Tong Wenhui!”
When these words were uttered, the crowd burst into an uproar.
“What? Xiao Ruyan is actually facing the Tong Family’s weakest Tong Wenhui? What kind of situation is this?”
“Heh heh, to think that Xiao Changfeng actually pulled this sort of underhanded trick. Looks like the Xiao Family’s fortune is over.”
“Yeah. Looking at this, Xiao Family has already given up on the battle with Tong Wenchang, leaving Xiao Rufeng and sister to go deal with the weaker Tong Wenshou and Tong Wenhui.”
Tong Fangshuo was also a little stunned. But he immediately burst into laughter and said, “Hahaha! Xiao Changfeng, you’re really deteriorating the older you get! The Xiao Family declining in your hands is also something within reason! But if you think that victory is within your grasp like this, then you’re too naïve!”
Xiao Changfeng was aware that reason was not on his side and did not respond to Tong Fangshuo. He looked straight ahead, no idea where he was looking at.
Yang Xiu coughed lightly and continued, “Silence, silence! The second match, Xiao Rufeng against Tong Wenshou. The third match, Ji Qing versus Tong Wenchang!”
“That boy is really pitiable, to actually have to face Tong Wenchang. I reckon that he’ll be defeated horribly.”
“Hehe, what’s pitiful about him isn’t this! I heard that his strength isn’t bad. A middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster that can actually refine Tier 3 high-level medicinal pills. He joined the Xiao Family in their moment of crisis but was directly forsaken by Xiao Changfeng. That’s his pitiable part.”
“Using such a method, even if they won, it will also be winning through unorthodox means. It’s just sad for this young man.”
Many people felt sorry for Ye Yuan. A middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster battling a Quasi-Alchemy King. What chances of victory was there?
There were also many who felt disappointed. They originally thought that they could see Xiao Rufeng and Tong Wenchang’s summit battle. Who knew that there was no opportunity?
Although Tong Wenchang was a Quasi-Alchemy King, he had only just advanced to the realm of Quasi-Alchemy King not long ago. In truth, there was still a chance to win, though this chance was very minuscule.
Xiao Rufeng had enjoyed Xiao Family’s limitless resources. Adding in his talent, he had always been keeping in pace with Tong Wenchang these few years.
It was just that Tong Wenchang stepped into Quasi-Alchemy King Realm a step before Xiao Rufeng. That was why Xiao Rufeng appeared a level weaker.
But now, the Xiao Family retreating without fighting made many people present feel disappointed.
Yang Xiu continued and said, “The rules of the Grand Pill Assembly will be the same as past years. I won’t be repeating them. Now, starting the first match: Xiao Ruyan versus Tong Wenhui!”
On the stage, the Xiao and Tong two families faced each other across a great distance. All sorts of alchemy medicinal herbs, wares, and medicinal cauldrons were also placed between them.
Xiao Ruyan took in a deep breath and stepped up.
Not knowing why, before Xiao Ruyan stepped onto the stage, her gaze unconsciously looked over towards Ye Yuan.
And Ye Yuan was also presently looking at her and gave her a hand gesture, “Miss Ruyan, good luck!”
Chapter 377
Translator: celefoata_ Editor: RegiusProfessor
Although Ye Yuan’s words were cheers, no matter how she looked at it, it somewhat lacked some sincerity.
But not knowing why, Xiao Ruyan’s originally rather nervous feelings actually calmed down under Ye Yuan’s encouragement.
She shot a fierce glare at Ye Yuan and came to the fighting area.
“Tch. Good intentions taken for granted!” Ye Yuan muttered to himself resentfully.
At this time, a quasi-alchemy king came to the arena. Clearly, he was the person maintaining order on-site, while the final ruling was still by Yang Xiu and the other six alchemy kings.
As for Sovereign Star Abyss, he shut his eyes from the start just now, looking as if he was snoozing, like everything here had nothing to do with him at all.
“The first match, constituting medicinal pills! There will be people delivering a hundred types of spirit medicines right away. The two of you need to differentiate these hundred types of spirit medicines and freely match these hundred kinds of spirit medicines together, forming pill formulas. Finally, the one who composes the most pill formulas win!” That quasi-alchemy king explained.
There was a long table in the center. When the quasi-alchemy king finished talking, some apprentice looking people brought up stalk after stalk of spirit medicines. There were tier 2, tier 3, so on and so forth.
Xiao Ruyan and Tong Wenhui each respectively went to one side of the arena and started to differentiate the spirit medicines.
; This was actually testing the fundamental skills of the alchemist. Speedily and accurately identifying spirit medicines was an essential skill for alchemists.
But in this sort of Grand Pill Assembly that determined the fates of two families, identifying the spirit medicines were clearly not an easy matter.
It was true that the two people could differentiate the vast majority of the spirit medicines. But there were definitely a handful of rarely seen spirit medicines that the pair had not even seen before.
Under this sort of situation, one would have to see if the alchemist’s foundation was sturdy or not, and if they could identify them through the records in the books.
“Old Liu, in your view, which of the two of them will win?” Yang Xiu asked an old man beside him.
This old man was similarly an Alchemy King powerhouse; Alchemist Association’s Elder Liu Han.
Liu Han said, “Ruyan’s, this lass’s, talent is exceedingly high. Her future accomplishments are boundless. It’s just too bad that she was dragged down by the Xiao Family. Tong Wenhui is seven to eight years old older than that lass, but his foundation is more solid than hers. In my opinion, the outcome should be around 50/50.”
Yang Xiu nodded and said, “Actually, I feel that the Xiao Family only has Ruyan, this lass, that can give Tong Wenchang a run for his money. Rufeng that boy is already beaten by Wenchang. If Ruyan this lass performs well, maybe she can let Lord Star Abyss take her in as his disciple.”
Liu Han concurred and said, “These two brats have been at loggerheads for so many years. This time, they finally will determine the winner. But I heard that Rufeng this boy was able to take part in the Grand Pill Assembly today because Ruyan that lass refined the Vast Tuber Essence Stimulating Pill. Looks like this lass’s talent is even above her brother’s!”
Yang Xiu exclaimed in surprise, “There’s actually such a thing? No wonder! Assaulting cultivation realm and failing is the most troublesome. Although the Xiao Family has the Vast Tuber Essence Stimulating Pill’s complete pill formula, they were missing the refinement method. To think Ruyan that lass actually successfully refined it!”
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