by Feng Yise
Ye Hang wanted to make use of this time to swiftly raise his strength!
In this world where the strong feasts on the weak, strength was the absolute truth.
Ye Hang knew that the Explosive Yuan Pill's medicinal effects were multiple times of the Essence Qi Pill. But once it was exposed, the impact would not just be multiple times!
Without sufficient strength, this Explosive Yuan Pill would instead become the root of a calamity!
Ye Hang initially placed all of his attention on the Thousand Augmenting Soul Incantation and lacked interest in the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art. However, he only knew the terrifying might of this Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art after cultivating it.
In only three days' time, his cultivation realm that was stuck for a long time started to loosen. This was also the result of him cultivating the Thousand Augmenting Soul Incantation at the same time.
Borrowing the power of medicinal pills, Ye Hang burst through the hurdle in one move, rising one minor cultivation realm.
Above the Spirit Condensation Realm was the Crystal Formation Realm. In the Crystal Formation Realm, the difficulty of trying to break through a minor realm did not fall below that of training from the First Level Essence Qi Realm to the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm!
Some people might not even be able to break through a minor realm in five years or maybe even ten years! The difficulty could not even be imagined.
But Ye Hang discovered that ever since he cultivated the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art, the essence energy in his Dantian became much thicker. His crystallized essence energy seemed to show signs of liquefying and recondensing!
As for the Thousand Augmenting Soul Incantation, that was the soul incantation which Ye Yuan cultivated in his previous life. The pricelessness of it was naturally without any question.
Similarly, within three days, Ye Hang's soul strength broke through, and he successfully broke through to become a middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster.
However, Ye Hang still did not have any intention of exiting his closed-door seclusion. He wanted to continue and concentrate entirely on the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art. Only then could he raise his strength.
That was because Ye Hang was not certain what kind of a stir the Explosive Yuan Pill would cause once it surfaced.
. . . . . .
After four days, it was finally the day of the test. Ye Yuan exited seclusion and then headed to the Alchemist Association to gather with everyone.
When Ye Yuan arrived, the great hall of the Alchemist Association was completely fully packed.
He had not seen most of the people before, but he recognized a few of them, such as Feng Ruoqing, and her niece, as well as . . . Wan Yuan.
Wan Yuan indeed came from a family with profound teachings. He was already a middle-rank Alchemy Apprentice long ago. This time around, he should be here to participate in the high-rank Alchemy Apprentice test.
Furthermore, it was said that Wan Yuan's soul strength was rather robust. It would not be an issue for him to become an Alchemy Master in the future. And because of that, Wan Yuan received a great deal of attention in the Dan Wu Academy.
Currently, Wan Yuan was talking to Feng Zhirou about something, while Feng Zhirou was as cold as ice and gave him the cold shoulder.
Wan Yuan did not feel disgruntled by Feng Zhirou's action, but instead, had a smile on his face.
However, at this time, Feng Zhirou caught sight of Ye Yuan and suddenly showed an overjoyed expression. She shook off Wan Yuan and rushed over to Ye Yuan.
"Ye Yuan, why did you only arrive now? My aunt and I waited so long for you. We thought you were scared that you couldn't pass and decided to not come!" Feng Zhirou said intimately.
Ye Yuan knew that Feng Zhirou was doing this to shake off Wan Yuan and could not help looking over at Wan Yuan. As expected, he saw that face which turned the color of a pig's liver, along with a stare which could kill.
Chapter 57 - Small Talk
Ye Yuan felt speechless as he saw a crafty look flashed across Feng Zhirou's eyes.
This lass definitely knew about the horrible relationship between Wan Yuan and me, so she purposely shook aside Wan Yuan to greet me.
This was drawing agro to Ye Yuan. But he and Wan Yuan were already at the stage where one of them had to die, so a little more did not matter.
Ye Yuan had a headache. Why was Feng Zhirou's personality completely different from the sayings? To think that he even used her last time to annoy Liu Ruoshui.
"What's the point of coming so early? It hasn't even begun yet. No need to make a huge fuss over it. It's just a test." Ye Yuan grumbled.
"Humph! I already heard all about you from Aunt. All the way until now, it's just empty talk. Who knows where you saw a bunch of crap from some records or books, to actually coax my aunt like this." Feng Zhirou snorted.
Ye Yuan could not be bothered to explain to her, and he directly walked past her to greet Feng Ruoqing.
This scene when reflected in Wan Yuan's eyes looked more like flirting between couples, making him gnash his teeth in hatred.
Although he liked Liu Ruoshui, Feng Zhirou greatly outclassed her. If he could win the heart of this beauty, would that little Liu Ruoshui even matter?
Feng Zhirou was the goddess of the male students, and that naturally included Wan Yuan as well. It was just that Feng Zhirou's status and his was too far apart in the past. So there was no opportunity to make contact with her.
Presently, Wan Yuan was an Earth Rank student. Moreover, he was a middle-rank Alchemy Apprentice. He had full confidence in passing the high-rank Alchemy Apprentice test this time.
Wan Yuan believed that before long, he could stand on the same starting line as Feng Zhirou.
With adequate strength, Wan Yuan naturally started having other thoughts.
Wan Yuan did not expect to meet Feng Zhirou during this alchemist test. So he thickened his face and introduced his background. But Feng Zhirou did not even react to it.
Within the State of Qin, a middle-rank Alchemy Master was absolutely a figure that everyone wanted to curry favor with. If that was not the case, why would Liu Ruoshui walk so closely with Wan Yuan?
However, this title did not seem to be very useful with Feng Zhirou. It was like she had never even heard of the name Wan Donghai.
Wan Yuan was stunned for a moment, but he felt relieved after thinking for a moment. The future accomplishments of the top three figures on the Martial Roll of Honor would definitely not be beneath his father's. Being a little proud was normal.
However, once these thoughts started to stir, it could no longer be suppressed.
When chasing girls, the harder it was, the more it would arouse the fighting spirit of men.
Except that Wan Yuan did not expect to see Ye Yuan here. Furthermore, Ye Yuan actually looked like he was on pretty good terms with Feng Zhirou. Besides, there were those vague rumors about Feng Ruoqing and Ye Yuan, making Wan Yuan's heart ablaze with the flames of jealousy.
Who was Ye Yuan to even have such deep connections with the two great goddesses of the Dan Wu Academy?
Although Ye Yuan recently rose up fiercely and even made Wan Yuan feel threatened, his scorn for Ye Yuan was deeply ingrained. He instinctively felt that Ye Yuan was not worthy to have all these.
Feng Ruoqing's eyes lit up when she saw Ye Yuan and pulled him aside to talk to him quietly.
"I've pretty much mastered the left hand drawing a circle and right hand drawing a square training that you asked me to do. I didn't think that it would be quite beneficial for the Yin-Yang Separation Flow Technique!"
Feng Ruoqing was always calm and collected, but she was quite agitated right now. If not for the fact that this was not a suitable place, she even wanted to let out a cry of relief.
The truth was, she already had practiced this Yin-Yang Separation Flow Technique for a long time. But no matter how much she trained, she could not find a way to learn it.
Now, after t
raining for a few days according to Ye Yuan's method, her Yin-Yang Separation Flow Technique unexpectedly improved by leaps and bounds.
Ye Yuan rolled his eyes at Feng Ruoqing and then said indignantly, "Didn't you say it was useless back then? Why did you pick it up again?"
Feng Ruoqing's excitement was abruptly cut, and she gave an embarrassed look. At the same time, she cursed endlessly in her heart, why did this punk not have the slightest bit of tenderness towards women? He actually embarrassed me right in front of my face!
"You didn't say anything back then. How would I know whether it's useful or not? You should have at least explained to me why I had to do it!" Feng Ruoqing was somewhat aggrieved.
Looking at Feng Ruoqing's pitiful appearance, Ye Yuan did not feel it was nice to deride her anymore. "The essence of the Yin-Yang Separation Flow Technique is dual-tasking. When you are using the technique, your essence energy was chaotic, and your two hands were not able to coordinate. It would be weirder for you to succeed! I asked you to train drawing so that you could learn how to dual-task. But this is just the initial step. You still need bitter hard work if you want your two hands to control essence energy to the point of Yin Yang harmony."
Feng Ruoqing gave a look of sudden realization. "So that's the case. No wonder I couldn't improve no matter how much I trained!"
In all matters, the beginning was the hardest. Although Ye Yuan said that Feng Ruoqing had just taken the initial step, as long as that step was taken, the path in the future would be much smoother.
As an alchemist, Feng Ruoqing's talent was not bad. What was missing was outlook and experience.
"Alright. I don't need you to pay any tuition fees. But don't look for me to be an assistant in the future. I'm very busy." Ye Yuan waved his hands.
Hearing this, Feng Ruoqing felt another wave of bitterness. Other people could not wait to become her assistant, but Ye Yuan avoided her like the plague. Was she really not that attractive?
Women were mysterious creatures. Sometimes, the more you chased her, the more she found you irritating. But after you maintained a distance away from her, she would feel a sense of loss.
These two people whispering to each other naturally drew a lot of attention.
Even though nobody knew what they were talking about, Feng Ruoqing looked like a little wife getting scolded.
The crowd could not help but wonder if there really was something going on between the two of them.
At this time, several red-robed old men walked into the hall from the side door. Two of the old men even brought along a young lady each with them.
Feng Ruoqing was the instructor leading the group for this test. She was swapped in at the last minute.
This was obviously the time for her to step out.
"Haha. Are you well, Miss Feng? You haven't been to our association for some time. I'm afraid you are probably absorbed in researching alchemy again, are you? If you carry on like this, us old men are going to feel ashamed!"
An old man at the front seemed to be old acquaintances with Feng Ruoqing and started a small talk right away.
At this moment, Feng Ruoqing recovered her demeanor as the beautiful, otherworldly instructor. She smiled lightly as she greeted the group of old men, "Chairman Wang, Chairman Sun, and elders. How do you do? Chairman Wang is pulling my leg, the last time I was here was half a year ago. How was that long? With Ruoqing's measly cultivation, how would I dare to make Chairman Wang feel ashamed? You are the leading authority in the alchemist world in the State of Qin!"
"Haha. Miss Feng really knows how to talk. But I, Old Wang, am not joking around. The way I see it, the State of Qin would probably have another Alchemy Master in less than three years." Chairman Wang did not seem to be faking it and was actually full of praise for Feng Ruoqing.
Feng Ruoqing smiled faintly and said, "Chairman Wang is too kind. Ruoqing is not worthy."
Chairman Wang laughed loudly. "You are worthy! Worthy! Yii? Isn't this Honorable Nephew Wan Yuan? I didn't think that you would also come to take part in the test this time. Taking the high-rank Alchemy Apprentice test?"
Instantly, all eyes turned to Wan Yuan. Clearly, they did not expect Wan Yuan to know the deputy chairman of the Alchemist Association.
Wan Yuan looked gloatingly at Ye Yuan and went up to greet them. He then said, "Have you been well, Chairman Wang? This Little Nephew is here to take part in the high-rank Alchemy Apprentice test."
Chapter 58 - Can I Stand on the Right?
"Good. Good. Honorable Nephew really has profound family teachings to already have the strength of a high-rank Alchemy Apprentice at such a young age. Old Brother Wan has a worthy successor! Each new generation really excels the old one. I'm really old already."
Chairman Wang ridiculed himself slightly.
"Chairman Wang is still in your prime. Why would you say that you are old? All the elders here are our State of Qin's alchemists, people who are supporting the cauldron. Chairman Wang and Chairman Sun are even the leading figures. We juniors still have a long way to go." Wan Yuan's flattering was so resounding that he threw everyone in.
"Haha. I'm old, old already. Can't compare to back then. Miss Feng, Old Sun and I brought along two juniors today. Do you mind us cutting your queue here?" Chairman Wang turned to Feng Ruoqing.
Feng Ruoqing nodded slightly and said, "To let them witness your two accomplished disciples' power and know that there is always someone better is undoubtedly a good thing."
"Don't say that! This is my last disciple, Xu Feng-er. The one beside Old Sun is my granddaughter and also his proud successor, Sun Keyun. These two juniors are good-for-nothings, so don't laugh later, Miss Feng. The two of you, why haven't you come to greet Teacher Feng? She's only a few years older than you, but she is already a middle-rank Alchemy Master. You two have to learn more from her."
Even though Chairman Wang belittled the two young ladies, he could not hide the satisfaction in his eyes.
It looked like were it not for these two young ladies, with Chairman Wang's and Chairman Sun's status as Alchemy Grandmasters, they would not have personally came to host the test.
"Feng-er (Keyun) has seen Teacher Feng." The two ladies gave Feng Ruoqing a bow, their eyes filled with worship.
To become a middle-rank Alchemy Master at this age was absolutely a target worth prostrating to for all young people.
Ye Yuan silently sized up these two lasses. Their soul strength was indeed mighty. It looked like it should not be an issue for them to become Alchemy Masters after stepping into the Spirit Condensation Realm.
"Alright. Everyone is an outstanding student of the Dan Wu Academy. Some of you have already participated in this test several times before so I won't go through the rules too much. The first test that takes place will be the Alchemy Apprentice test, followed by the Alchemy Master test. Each group will have five people entering the refinement room. Now, those participating in the Alchemy Apprentice test stand on the left. Those taking the Alchemy Master test stand on the right." Chairman Wang organized them into groups.
There were only twenty people from the Dan Wu Academy participating in the test this time. Including Xu Feng-er and Sun Keyun, there were only twenty-two people. The majority of them came to participate in the Alchemy Apprentice test, and only two of them are taking the Alchemy Master test. One of them was Feng Zhirou, while the other was one rank below Feng Zhirou on the Alchemy Roll of Honor, Cao Yu.
After Chairman Wang said this, a large group moved to the left, while Feng Zhirou and Cao Yu stood to the right; leaving Ye Yuan standing in his original position and not moving.
Seeing this, Chairman Wang frowned and was slightly displeased. "This Young Friend, didn't you hear what I said?"
Everyone looked at Ye Yuan in amazement, while Wan Yuan had a gloating face. This punk was indeed still an eccentric. Was it not courting death to behave like that in front of a top figure like Chairman Wang?
Seeing that Ye Yuan still did not move, Feng Ruoqing
became anxious and called out, "What are you still standing there for, Ye Yuan? Quickly move to the left!"
"Uh . . . Actually, I want to ask if I can stand on the right side," Ye Yuan said a little helplessly.
He did not want to be unconventional, but since he promised Feng Ruoqing to go all out, Ye Yuan did not plan on concealing his strength.
When he promised Feng Ruoqing, Ye Yuan thought about it a little.
In the future, with the increase in strength, he would not be able to avoid this hurdle called Alchemist Association. If his Alchemy Dao was extraordinarily strong, but he did not take part in the alchemist tests all the way, then he would genuinely be a maverick.
If at that time, it spreads to the ears of that traitor or the Alchemist Association's Headquarters, then it would not be fun. It would be very easy to arouse their suspicion.
"Hahaha . . ." There was an uproar of laughter.
"A Fourth Level Essence Qi Realm wants to participate in the Alchemy Master test? Are you joking or are you making fun of both Chairman Wang and Chairman Sun?" Wan Yuan berated out loud, but he actually had the sinister intentions of making the two chairmen get a terrible impression of Ye Yuan.
As expected, when the two of then heard what Wan Yuan said, their faces turned ugly.
"This Young Friend, didn't you hear clearly? The right side is for those taking the Alchemy Master test!" Chairman Wang's face fell, and his words became less courteous. It was clear that he was unhappy.
"Ye Yuan! Why haven't you apologized to the two chairmen? This is the Alchemist Association! You can't act wildly here!" Feng Ruoqing repeatedly signaled with her eyes at Ye Yuan worriedly. Offending the two big heads of the Alchemist Association at the same time was no laughing matter.
The Alchemist Association had always been an aloof existence. Even the Imperial family could not command them. Nobody had dared to make fun of the Alchemist Association's chairmen before.
But now, Ye Yuan set a new precedent! Of course, this was how the others saw it.