by Feng Yise
Evidently, these words took immense courage to come out of his mouth.
But Ye Yuan was stunned when he heard these words. He could tell that Ren Dong was the kind of person who viewed himself very highly and was extremely haughty. To think that he would actually say something like that.
"Young Master Ren, according to what I know, your grandfather is a Peak Alchemy Sovereign powerhouse. Alchemy this sort of thing, seems like you shouldn't be coming over to ask me, right?" Ye Yuan said curiously.
But Rendong shook his head when he heard that and said, "Even though my grandfather is a Peak Alchemy Sovereign, he has no way of refining transcendent-grade medicinal pills when he was at your level. The way I see it, you should have some special skill that can refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills, right?"
Hearing that, Ye Yuan's expression could not help becoming strange, and he said with a cold smile, "Even if I have ways to refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills, why should I teach you? The process of us becoming acquainted didn't seem to be very merry, right?"
Ren Dong's expression was rather ugly. Him suddenly dropping in to find Ye Yuan to teach him alchemy was indeed very brusque.
But he thought about it for an entire day after he went back yesterday and did not sleep the entire night. He was extremely curious about Ye Yuan's pill refining techniques.
Today, not knowing why, he actually came to Feng Ya Pavilion at the behest of supernatural powers.
Ren Dong looked at Ye Yuan and stood up abruptly.
But this action gave Xiao Ruyan a fright. She hastily blocked in front of Ye Yuan, like a tigress protecting its cubs, and she said fiercely, "What do you want to do to Master?"
Ren Dong did not bother with Xiao Ruyan, and suddenly he kneeled down with a thud!
Chapter 504 - Refining Pills Bare-handedly
This action of Ren Dong threw Ye Yuan trio into a confusion.
"What are you doing?" Ye Yuan asked in surprise.
"I'm willing to acknowledge you as Master. Please teach me how to refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills!" Ren Dong said with a stubborn look.
This action from Ren Dong made Ye Yuan view him in a different light.
He did not look down on Ren Dong because of this. Rather, he felt that only such a person was worthy of bearing the word 'alchemist.'
Ye Yuan could feel Ren Dong's intense thirst for knowledge. That sort of extreme d.e.s.i.r.e, Ye Yuan himself had it before too.
Alchemist was an occupation held in great esteem. Many people lost their original goals during the process of growing stronger, indulging in the opulence of the secular world and being unable to extricate themselves.
Those kinds of people, even if overflowing with talent, their accomplishments would be extremely limited too.
"What if yesterday, I happened to refine a transcendent-grade medicinal pill by chance?" Ye Yuan said.
Of course, Ye Yuan would not take him in as a disciple so easily.
Ye Yuan had always prioritized quality over quantity when taking in disciples. Even if he did not take any disciples in his previous life, his followers were all carefully selected through a strict process.
Regardless whether it was talent or conduct, Xiao Ruyan was a top choice. That was why Ye Yuan agreed.
The first impression that this Ren Dong gave Ye Yuan was not good. Ye Yuan obviously would not relent so easy.
"Early this morning, I went to the Alchemist Association and examined your refining process yesterday. It's simply a magnificent work of art! Although we're both Quasi-Alchemy Kings, your alchemy skills flung me more than several streets behind!" Ren Dong said.
The refining process that the Alchemist Association recorded, normal people naturally could not view it. But Ren Dong's identity was extraordinary. Wanting to check it was not hard.
"Master, who knows what intentions this fellow has. You mustn't fall for his trick!" Xiao Ruyan slandered him by the side.
"You're really his disciple?" Ren Dong suddenly asked.
"Otherwise, what do you think?! I'm Master's eldest disciple!" Xiao Ruyan said with a proud look.
Xiao Ruyan was increasingly convinced by Ye Yuan when following him to refine pills now.
This period of time, although Xiao Ruyan did not break through realms, her alchemy skills level had a qualitative leap, and her foundation was much sturdier compared to before.
Hence, she admitted to being Ye Yuan's disciple now was without any pressure at all. In fact, she felt very proud.
This master, she acknowledged correctly!
Ren Dong mused for a moment and suddenly did a loud kowtow towards Ye Yuan and said, "Master Ye Yuan, please take me in as a disciple no matter what!"
Ren Dong perceived some things from Xiao Ruyan's expression and strengthened his resolve to acknowledge Ye Yuan as his master even more.
Ye Yuan smiled faintly and said, "I don't have any method that can refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills. So . . . you don't need to acknowledge me as master."
Ren Dong became anxious when he heard that and hurriedly said, "Is Master still blaming me for yesterday's incident? Me apologizing to you for my offense still won't do?"
Ye Yuan waved his hand and said, "You're thinking too much. I really don't have any technique to refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills. No alchemist has such a technique!"
"But, I saw Master's alchemy skills! Too amazing! There were many areas where I couldn't understand at all!" Ren Dong said.
Ye Yuan looked at Ren Dong and suddenly asked, "There's already a peak Alchemy Sovereign powerhouse at your home. Why do you go so far as to barter the trunk for the branches, and you come to acknowledge me as your master?"
Ren Dong suddenly heaved a sigh and said, "Although I haven't learned Grandfather's alchemy skills fully, I've already gotten 50% - 60% of the essence. What's left is just the polishing of time, as well as the acc.u.mulation of experience. Following the prescribed order like this, I believe that I can also cultivate to peak Alchemy Sovereign one day."
Ren Dong paused a bit, and he suddenly became somewhat agitated, "But I know that Grandfather's alchemy skills are already at his limits and is incapable of ascending to the Divine Realm! If I walk along his old path, it's simply impossible to surpass him. All the way until I saw the image of you refining pills, then only did I know how great the gap between us was!"
Ye Yuan nodded slightly. This boy's ambition wasn't small!
But if one could not even achieve ascending to the Divine Realm, where lies the talk of walking to the extremes of the Alchemy Path?
Ye Yuan took a look at the Ren Dong with a face full of anticipation and suddenly said with a smile, "Do you really want to acknowledge me as master?"
Ren Dong was overjoyed when he heard this. "Master is willing to take me in?"
"Huhu, you want to enter my tutelage, it's not prohibited too. However . . . you have to pass my test."
"No matter what kind of test it is, Ren Dong will definitely accomplish it!" Ren Don was still fully confident in himself.
Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Didn't you want to know why I can refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills?"
Ren Dong nodded his head fiercely but showed a difficult expression.
If Ye Yuan's test was to refine a transcendent-grade medicinal pill, he could not accomplish that.
"Haha. Don't need to worry. I'm not making you refine a Quasi-Tier 4 transcendent-grade medicinal pill. Lesser Phaseless Art, you should know, right?" Ye Yuan asked.
Ren Dong was dazed. Lesser Phaseless Art was the most basic refining technique. Even for a puny little Alchemy Apprentice, it was impossible to not know either.
Ren Dong was a high-rank Quasi-Alchemy King. How could he possibly not know the Lesser Phaseless Art?
Ye Yuan smiled, and suddenly took out a stalk of Tier 1 herbal grass, his fingers moving like phantoms!
At this movement, Ren Dong's expression could not help changing dramatically!
"Refining pill
s bare-handedly! This . . . This is Lesser Phaseless Art? No, wait! His fingers technique and seals are indeed the Lesser Phaseless Art without mistake, but . . . why can it be performed to such a level?" Ren Dong muttered under his breath.
It was only to see that the medicinal herb bounced up and down non-stop in Ye Yuan's hand as if it was alive.
And the one who gave it life was precisely Ye Yuan!
After twenty breaths, a tiny medicinal pellet appeared in Ye Yuan's hand.
"T-Transcendent-grade! Using the Lesser Phaseless Art to refine a transcendent-grade medicinal pill bare-handedly! Even though it's only a Tier 1 medicinal pill, but . . . how is this possible?"
Ren Dong was in a complete mess, speaking incoherently. But the astoundment in his heart was written on his face currently.
As everyone knew, alchemists all needed to borrow medicinal cauldrons and flames to refine pills.
Refining pills bare-handedly were completely forsaking these two, directing with essence energy and bare-handedly refining finished product medicinal pill.
The degree of difficulty of doing this was hard to imagine for ordinary people!
Don't simply look at how Ren Dong was a Quasi-Alchemy King. To make him refine a Tier 1 medicinal pill bare-handedly, he simply could not do it!
"I don't need you to refine pills bare-handedly. You just have to use the Lesser Phaseless Art to refine out a Tier 1 transcendent-grade medicinal pill, and I'll take you in as a disciple."
Ye Yuan's voice shocked Ren Dong awake abruptly. Only now did he recover to his sense. Surprised, he said, "Using the Lesser Phaseless Art to refine a Tier 1 transcendent-grade medicinal pill? How is that possible?"
The moment he said that, Ren Dong wanted to smack his own mouth.
Didn't Ye Yuan just refine out a transcendent-grade medicinal pill just now? How was it impossible?
Furthermore, Ye Yuan even use bare-handed alchemy technique to refine it.
Although it was a Tier 1 medicinal pill, the degree of difficulty in it, Ren Dong felt despair just thinking about it.
"Whether it's possible or not, that's your business. This is my initiation test. If you can't do it, don't mention this matter again," Ye Yuan said coolly.
With Ren Dong's standards, going to refine a Tier 1 medicinal pill, he naturally could refine out a transcendent-grade medicinal pill.
But to let him use the Lesser Phaseless Art to refine a Tier 1 medicinal pill, it was impossible to refine no matter what.
The Lesser Phaseless Art was the most basic refining technique, being extremely simple. There had never been anybody who could use such a simple technique to refine transcendent-grade medicinal pills!
This test was too hard!
Ren Dong's expression flickered, and he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! I'll definitely do it!"
Chapter 505 - Thousand Query Wall
Ren Dong immediately went back to practice the Lesser Phaseless Art after leaving Feng Ya Pavilion.
Only after witnessing Ye Yuan's methods did Ren Dong suddenly become aware that he seemed to have found a different sky.
He, a high-rank Quasi-Alchemy King, was too undeserving.
This strengthened his resolve to acknowledge Ye Yuan as his master even more!
But with this disturbance, the mood of Ye Yuan and the two girls going out to sight-see dulled as well.
Yet, right at this time, Xu Zihui came back after leaving not long ago. His expression was very ugly.
"Young Master Ye, not good! Elder Skymaple he . . . he got detained by Exquisite Jade Pavilion!" Xu Zihui said somewhat anxiously.
Ye Yuan knitted his brows when he heard that and asked, "What happened?"
Xu Zihui hurriedly explained, "Elder Skymaple challenged the Exquisite Jade Pavilion's Thousand Query Wall. The result was that he failed. Elder Skymaple was unresigned and disputed a couple of words with them, and he got detained by Exquisite Jade Pavilion. I went to Exquisite Jade Pavilion after being informed of the news to ask for him. Also don't know what wrong medicine they ate, to actually not give me face and held Elder Skymaple in custody, refusing to release him no matter what."
"In this Wu Fang City, there are actually still things that your City Lord Manor can't settle?" Ye Yuan said curiously
This was Ye Yuan's first time here. His head was covered in a fog about Wu Fang City's forces distribution.
In his view, although Xu Zihui was not a Divine Traversing Realm powerhouse, a Ninth-Level Soul Sea Realm expert absolutely could be considered a famed and prestigious character in Wu Fang City.
Furthermore, Xu Zihui was even the City Lord Manor's first-class patrolling inspector. There were actually people who dared to not give him face!
Xu Zihui forced a smile and said, "Young Master Ye is unaware. Although City Lord, His Excellency, is one of Wu Fang City's strongest alchemists, Wu Fang City's forces are intricate and complex. Some families, their forces are only slightly inferior compared to City Lord Manor, and can fully not give me any face."
Xu Zihui briefly introduced the Exquisite Jade Pavilion's situation. Ye Yuan became absorbed in his thoughts.
This Exquisite Jade Pavilion was a force belonging to Wu Fang City's Cao Family. This Cao Family's strength was exceedingly powerful too. The old patriarch in their family was middle-rank Alchemy Sovereign strength.
While it was not as strong as City Lord Manor, it was also an extremely powerful faction in this Wu Fang City.
If the City Lord or other Divine Traversing Realm experts in the City Lord Manor came forward, Exquisite Jade Pavilion would of course sell them the face.
But Xu Zihui's identity was a little inferior.
Except that it was kind of weird thinking about it. Even though Xu Zihui was not considered the City Lord Manor's upper echelon, if it were just causing some small dispute, the Exquisite Jade Pavilion would not go so far as to be so domineering.
In between this, there should have some other reason.
"How about . . . I go to City Lord, His Excellency, to report it and request his elderly self to come forward?" Xu Zihui asked probingly.
But Ye Yuan did not speak and was pondering about something.
Only after some time, did Ye Yuan look at Xu Zihui and ask, "What relationship does the Heavenly Evil Sect and Cao Family have?"
With Ye Yuan saying this, Xu Zihui was dazed, and then immediately revealed a look of sudden realization.
"Sigh! Look at this pig brain of mine! The Heavenly Evil Sect precisely belongs to the Cao Family's sphere of influence. The Cao Family's Third Young Master, Cao Fang, has close ties with the Heavenly Evil Sect's Mao Yuanji! Oh, Cao Fang is the person with the greatest alchemy strength in the Cao Family's junior generation; he is just slightly inferior compared to Young Master Ren Dong. He is also already middle-rank Quasi-Alchemy King right now," Xu Zihui said.
Xu Zihui's gaze when looking at Ye Yuan was filled with admiration. He himself had yet to even think of this aspect, and Ye Yuan an outsider actually guessed to such an extent already.
Ye Yuan nodded after listening and said, "What is this Thousand Query Wall?"
"This Thousand Query Wall is one of the Cao Family's main attraction. Countless alchemists come to Wu Fang City, and many of them come for this Thousand Query Wall . . ." Xu Zihui explained.
Turns out that in the history of Wu Fang City, the Cao Family had been glorious before too, even producing many generations of city lords. Among them, one of the city lords set up a Thousand Query Wall right in this Wu Fang City. The specific era was already unverifiable.
The so-called Thousand Query Wall was where alchemists placed their own queries on this wall, offering a reward for other alchemists to come and answer.
Through so many years' acc.u.mulation, the questions on the Thousand Query Wall were already more than a thousand long ago.
The questions on the Thousand Query Wall, as long as it was answered, it would be removed from the wall.
But the queries raised by
alchemists were far more than the queries resolved. With the acc.u.mulation of months and days, the questions on this Thousand Query Wall was already rather sizable.
Furthermore, through the countless years of filtering, the difficulty of the questions on the Thousand Query Wall also became increasingly greater. Many of the problems, even peak Alchemy Sovereign powerhouses could not answer them either.
Challenging the Thousand Query Wall, one first had to pay a certain amount of essence crystals. These essence crystals would belong to the Exquisite Jade Pavilion, which was owned by the Cao Family.
If answered correctly, the alchemist would be able to take away the reward. If unable to answer, they could naturally only return empty-handed. Even the essence crystals from before were gone too.
With so many years, the Cao Family relied on this Thousand Query Wall to earn countless riches.
But even so, there were still countless alchemists advancing wave after wave to come to the Exquisite Jade Pavilion to challenge the Thousand Query Wall.
One could say that the reason why this Wu Fang City could become the Endless World's alchemy holy land, this Thousand Query Wall's contributions could not be forgone!
Hearing Xu Zihui's explanation, even Ye Yuan had no choice but to gasp in admiration at that generation's city lord's outstanding wisdom and resourcefulness as well.
Such exchanges absolutely had tremendous advantages towards the heightening of alchemy skills.
This Thousand Query Wall could be said to be an immensely valuable asset left behind by that generation's city lord.
Through so many years, many people who raised the query were no longer around anymore. Those questions naturally become ownerless objects.
And these questions, each one of it being answered had tremendously important meaning in promoting the development of alchemy skills.
And the Cao Family guarding such a treasure mountain could actually decline! It could be seen that this Cao Family was really rotten mud that could not even stick to a wall!
"Want to challenge Thousand Query Wall, one must leave their background on the contract. The contract won't be publicized. But the Cao Family's people most likely have ways to see it. If this matter is really Cao Fang playing tricks behind, it's rather troublesome," Xu Zihui said worriedly.