Chapter 430: 付行,来两片肉

Long Dan felt his chest tighten, choked by the words.

"Open the shield?"

He had considered it, but Xu Xiaoshou's repeated provocations, followed by Chen Qi and Li Mingji's teasing and mockery, made him hesitate. Today, he truly lacked the face to activate the protective shield.

The crowd below also looked on with anticipation. Although unspoken, with three Grade-6 alchemists demonstrating their skills, the onlookers were clearly the silent judges. Long Dan felt that if he showed weakness first by raising the shield, he would forever be considered inferior to Chen and Li.

"This damn reputation..."

Xu Xiaoshou mumbled very quietly, instantly making Long Dan's old face flush crimson.

"You!"

"Cursed, Passive Point, 1."

"Heh heh, what about me?" Xu Xiaoshou looked over cheerfully.

When he detonated the alchemical liquid inside the cauldron, he already knew the trio's performance was over. Indeed. Even with their momentary mental spasms, the three Grade-6 alchemists had progressed from refining individual spirit herbs to the stage of extracting and forming pills.

Did Xu Xiaoshou need the subsequent steps? No! He had memorized what he needed, and now possessed an absolute understanding of spirit herbs. If he were to follow the various alchemy techniques of these three Grade-6 alchemists, not only would Xu Xiaoshou refuse, but he also found their methods to be quite flawed. Xu Xiaoshou truly disdained to secretly learn from them. As long as he had spirit herbs, combined with the absolutely perfect "Culinary Mastery" in his mind, he could concoct a truly excellent batch of pills!

"Disgusting!"

On one side, Long Dan flicked his sleeve, moving his cauldron directly away from Xu Xiaoshou. He no longer wanted to be close to this person. As an elder who couldn't win an argument, might be directly beaten in a fight, and whose seniority was outright ignored, Long Dan felt that the best relationship he could have with Xu Xiaoshou was no relationship at all. The best distance was one like the ends of the earth.

"Don't go!" Seeing the old man about to move his cauldron to the farthest corner, Xu Xiaoshou called out, "Elder, what pill were you just refining? It's not too late to give this junior some pointers before you leave!"

Long Dan didn't look back.

"If you don't tell me, I'll come over, okay?"

Long Dan stumbled.

"Grade-6, Grand Clear Spirit-Nether Pill!" he shouted angrily, continuing to move his cauldron, "Don't come near me!"

"Oh, oh."

"Grand Clear Spirit-Nether Pill?" Xu Xiaoshou had heard of this type of pill. Even if he didn't know the name, he could infer it based on the medicinal properties of the spirit herbs Long Dan had just refined. This was an extremely high-quality Grade-6 pill, exceptionally rare even within the Grade-6 tier.

It not only calmed the mind and prevented inner demons, making it suitable for Throne-level experts breaking through in seclusion. It could also block almost all poisons and toxic miasma in the world. When exploring various realms, some poisonous insects and flowers made it impossible to proceed without the "Grand Clear Spirit-Nether Pill."

Besides this, Xu Xiaoshou also deduced medicinal properties that ordinary people were completely unaware of. During the refinement of this spirit pill, numerous soul-attribute herbs were used, and if consumed regularly, it could also stimulate the advancement of mental and spiritual power. This was remarkable. It was known that mental power, apart from what some extremely top-tier inherited powers could cultivate, was truly impossible for others to cultivate later in life. Of course, the prerequisite of "regular consumption" also explained why people didn't know the "Grand Clear Spirit-Nether Pill" had this additional effect. Who could consume a Grade-6 pill like candy?

"What about the other two elders?" Xu Xiaoshou turned to look at Chen Qi and Li Mingji.

The two old men also had gloomy expressions. Clearly, the cauldron explosion had made them extremely irritable. And a cauldron explosion caused by external interference (Xu Xiaoshou) made them feel even more mentally shattered. But when they saw Xu Xiaoshou's footsteps tending towards them, both men involuntarily shivered and quickly said:

"Grandmaster Pill!"

"Extreme Dao Pill!"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyebrows twitched. He knew about the "Grandmaster Pill"; it was similar to the "Innate Pill," used for breaking through major realms. Its refinement technique might be inferior to the "Grand Clear Spirit-Nether Pill," but its auxiliary effect was excellent, making it practical. If the final pill quality was superior, it was possible to surpass Long Dan.

But the "Extreme Dao Pill"... This pill was equivalent to the Yuan Court Pill, used by Grandmaster realm cultivators to aid in comprehending the Dao of Heaven, and was extremely difficult to refine. By rank, it should have been a Grade-5 pill, but because Grandmaster cultivators also had another even more superior pill, the "Star Offering Pill," it was pushed down to the Grade-6 tier. Even so, the "Extreme Dao Pill" was one of the most superior among Grade-6 pills. This Li Mingji dared to choose such a pill for refinement; he had quite some guts!

Long Dan and Chen Qi, still nearby, heard these words and their expressions darkened. They both knew that if Li Mingji had chosen the "Extreme Dao Pill," even if the quality of his final pill was a notch lower, as long as the difference wasn't too significant, the "Extreme Dao Pill" would definitely win.

"Old Li, when did you master the 'Extreme Dao Pill'? You were hiding this technique all along?" Chen Qi muttered.

Li Mingji's lips curled into an uncontrollable smile. "Not at all, I haven't quite mastered it. Whether it can even form a pill is still up in the air; I might even fail at the last moment, just like now."

Despite his words, Chen Qi and Long Dan were already on high alert. Would he dare to choose such a pill in this setting without some genuine skill? In that case, if they didn't change their pills, they probably wouldn't be able to surpass him.

But... "Change?"

The thought of changing pills made their faces sour. The pills they initially presented were naturally their peak achievements. And if they couldn't change pills, there was only one last method left: to absolutely surpass in quality! Both men resolved their minds. Being experienced alchemists, they naturally weren't too affected by external emotions. With a gentle warming of their cauldrons, they reopened their furnaces.

"The Extreme Dao Pill, huh..."

Among the spectators, there were many knowledgeable individuals, but when the name "Extreme Dao Pill" was spoken, everyone was still taken aback.

"If Elder Li truly succeeds in forming a pill, even a low-grade one, it'll be a complete triumph!"

"One 'Extreme Dao Pill' offers a chance for a Grandmaster-level expert to achieve enlightenment. If prepared and seized properly, even a minor realm breakthrough is possible."

"Yes, since Elder Li dares to bring it out, I think the championship is secured this time."

"Secured? Isn't Xu Xiaoshou still there?" someone retorted.

"Heh heh, Xu Xiaoshou? He's a Grade-10; do you really think he can cause any waves?"

"No, that's not what I mean." The person waved his hand and explained, "I mean, while Xu Xiaoshou certainly can't surpass them, with him on the field, the final outcome for everyone might be mutual destruction!"

"What you're saying..."

"Damn, it actually makes a bit of sense!"

Even without listening to the crowd's discussions, Xu Xiaoshou knew which pill he should choose. But the ingredients for the "Extreme Dao Pill"... He looked towards Fu Xing.

"Little Fu, get me one set of ingredients for the 'Extreme Dao Pill'... No, make it three sets!"

At this, not only was Fu Xing stunned, but the crowd below also froze.

"What does he mean? From Xu Xiaoshou's tone, does he also want a set of 'Extreme Dao Pill' ingredients?"

"He's Grade-10, what kind of joke is this?"

Fu Xing's face stiffened. "Xu Xiaoshou, what are you doing?"

"Brother Shou!" He transmitted his voice, a hint of a sob in it: "Stop messing around. If you don't want to refine, come down first. You absolutely cannot kill these three old men; their lives are extremely precious!"

"You might not realize it or take it seriously, but these individuals are the prized treasures of the various Alchemist Associations; they cannot die!"

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"I wasn't trying to kill them."

*Click*, the entire venue instantly turned to stone.

"Suspected, Passive Point, 955."

Everyone immediately realized Fu Xing was transmitting a message, and Xu Xiaoshou had accidentally blurted it out. The three old men's faces simultaneously turned green. They knew with a mere thought who "kill them" in Xu Xiaoshou's words referred to.

"This..." The three exchanged glances, seeing panic in each other's eyes. It can't be! They had only come up to refine pills, and Xu Xiaoshou hadn't exactly taught them an excessive lesson. How could he actually harbor murderous intent? At this moment, a sudden thought arose in the minds of the three old men, whose spines were chilling: to stop refining and come admit their mistakes to Xu Xiaoshou.

This fellow... Others might be joking, but he had consistently been carrying out what others thought were his jokes!

"Xu Xiaoshou, shut your mouth!" Shi Ti's face turned beet red with anger, and he abruptly rose from his seat.

Xu Xiaoshou paused, his voice softening: "I really didn't mean to kill anyone. I just want three sets of 'Extreme Dao Pill' ingredients; I want to research them, and I'll pay for them." He emphasized the last part. "Also, are alchemists not allowed to have spiritual array breakthroughs? After observing the three elders' alchemy just now, I've gained quite a bit of insight!"

The three elders' legs simultaneously went weak. They only just realized that Xu Xiaoshou had been watching their alchemy in the manner of the Grim Reaper. Long Dan felt the greatest sense of crisis in his heart. He was truly frightened. Had he, just now, perhaps, relying on his seniority, been a bit harsh with Xu Xiaoshou? It couldn't be considered harsh, could it? It seemed, perhaps, he had only spoken a bit loudly? Long Dan's hand trembled, and his flame became unstable. He immediately stopped refining. In this state, let alone Xu Xiaoshou secretly making a move, even if he didn't intervene, his cauldron would undoubtedly explode.

"You all continue." Shi Ti said to the three, then looked at Xu Xiaoshou and said coldly, "Spirit herbs, I'll give them to you. You can experiment however you want to research them, but there's a precondition!"

"What precondition?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up.

"You, come here. You must refine pills beside me," Shi Ti said.

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. Was he serious?

Shi Ti looked at his facial expression, his own expression stiffening. He didn't want to either. But at this moment, to reassure the three Grade-6 alchemists, he had to restrain Xu Xiaoshou.

"Why?" Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to go; it would make him feel like he was being punished by standing in a corner.

"Because you have a Grade-10 badge!" Shi Ti snapped, "You little brat, a Grade-10, I'm giving you Grade-6 spirit herbs to research, and that's not enough for you? What else do you want?" If it weren't for Elder Sang's sake...

"Grade-10, but you still didn't let me continue the assessment," Xu Xiaoshou mumbled.

At this, everyone in the arena suddenly became alert.

"Hmm? Assessment?" Everyone immediately connected this to Xu Xiaoshou's previous visit to the Pill Pagoda and why Shi Ti seemed to transform upon seeing Xu Xiaoshou. It wasn't hard to imagine...

"Could it be that the Pill Pagoda was bombed that day because of Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Suspected, Passive Point, 944."

Everyone was shocked. After all, few people were on the upper floors of the Pill Pagoda at that time, and those who truly knew the truth were silenced. The dignified Alchemist Association of Tiansang City, the venerable Pill Pagoda, had half of its structure blown off due to the assessment of a Grade-10 alchemist. If word got out, how disgraceful would that be? The legend did circulate within alchemy circles. But those who knew the inside story were mostly on stage right now. And because they knew the inside story, they were all wrapped tightly in protective shields. They might not even know what was happening outside, nor did they want to or dare to know. As a result, the people below had always been skeptical about the Pill Pagoda explosion that day. Today, all questions were answered. Was it truly Xu Xiaoshou's doing?

Shi Ti's face was grim. Listening to the murmurs below, it was as if his entire face was about to collapse. At this moment, he felt an urge to throw Xu Xiaoshou out of the City Lord's Mansion. The matter had clearly passed. Yet this fellow's casual mention... The Pill Pagoda's reputation, gone! However, knowing Xu Xiaoshou hadn't done it on purpose, Shi Ti had nowhere to vent his anger. This urge to vent, yet being unable to, was so stifling it felt like his lungs were about to burst. Shi Ti declared he had felt this way only once before in his life.

"Tolerance is a virtue."

"Magnanimity is a mark of one's cultivation."

Suddenly, Elder Sang's letter reappeared before his eyes, fluttering. Shi Ti seemed to deflate instantly, slumping onto his seat. He was truly powerless.

"Oh, Elder Sang, what did this kid do to you for you to write such profound and insightful sentences?" Shi Ti felt the most bitter regret for the disdain and mockery he'd harbored when he first saw that letter. He understood. Everything made sense.

"Come here and refine pills beside me. If there's anything you don't understand, I'll guide you." Shi Ti smiled and waved, his smile appearing as warm as a spring breeze.

Xu Xiaoshou inexplicably felt a surge of murderous intent. His hair stood on end.

"Threatened, Passive Point, 1."

Threat? What happened? The good-natured Shi Ti was actually threatening him? If he refused again...

"Alright." Xu Xiaoshou also walked forward with a smile. He suddenly felt that if he refused again, his life might be in danger. And so, the two boys with fake smiles met each other's eyes and amicably converged.

"Too close." Xu Xiaoshou moved sideways and glanced at the people around him. Fu Xing, Shou Ye, Zhang Taiying, Su Qianqian... And a host of other unfamiliar old men. Only Su Qianqian offered him the most sincere and concerned smile. The others, seeing him approach, all twitched their mouths, with an urge to speak but holding back. Was it necessary?

Waving to Su Qianqian, Xu Xiaoshou turned back: "Spirit herbs, right? I'm not taking them for free; I have principles, I'll pay for them..."

"No need." Shi Ti waved his hand, tossing over a ring. "Just stay here obediently. If your cauldron is about to explode, just let me know beforehand."

"Oh." Xu Xiaoshou, whose freedom was restricted, was like a bird in a cage, but he wasn't flustered. He took the ring, looked at the audience below, and said with a smile: "By the way, I'm probably the first person to refine pills in this spot, aren't I?"

"With so many people protecting me, I feel very safe."

Everyone: "..."

"Cursed, Passive Point, 966."

They instinctively shifted their bodies. Even though the opposite side was now ruins, many people began to move away. Although the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place, as long as Xu Xiaoshou was present, all such certainties were illusory. This guy was the embodiment of danger.

"Shut up and refine!" Shi Ti stared fixedly, unblinking, on extreme alert.

Xu Xiaoshou zipped his lips and was about to begin when he suddenly raised his eyes, looking towards the first table, where Zhang Taiying and the others were seated.

"Are you sure you want to be this close to me? I'm experimenting!" Xu Xiaoshou unzipped his lips, deliberately emphasizing the word "experiment." He was quite surprised by these people's confidence. If it were merely refining pills, he still had some confidence in controlling it. But an experiment... Even with ample theoretical knowledge, given Xu Xiaoshou's limited experience only refining Yuan Court Pills, the danger of this experiment made even him a little scared.

"Go ahead and start, it's not a big problem." Shou Ye spoke. He was very curious why Shi Ti, a dignified Throne, would be so afraid of a junior. As for cauldron explosions, Xu Xiaoshou had just had one, and it wasn't that loud. Why was everyone so nervous?

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Shou Ye, then silently lowered his head. I'm leaving it to you all. My safety!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." With a flick of his fingers, five fire seeds flew out, spinning rapidly and extremely balanced in a unique circulatory manner beneath the cauldron. Since he had so many Thrones escorting him, Xu Xiaoshou didn't intend to hold back. He only had two experimental chances left; this Grade-6 pill absolutely had to succeed today! If not... Well, then never mind. It didn't matter if it failed; after all, he already had more than ten slots.

"Hmm?" Observing the compressed fire seeds up close, Shou Ye felt an even greater sense of familiarity. But what surprised him more was the orderly operation of Xu Xiaoshou's five energy fire seeds.

"Spirit array?" His eyes lit up. If there was anything he anticipated most tonight, it was talent in spirit arrays that would be useful for the White Cave. With Xu Xiaoshou's display, others only saw his talent in alchemy, but Shou Ye clearly realized that this young man's path in spirit arrays was by no means simple either.

But... "Has he gone mad? Is this guy truly a polymath?" Shou Ye's gaze was quite peculiar. He didn't believe such a talent truly existed in the world. But Xu Xiaoshou's appearance seemed to repeatedly break common sense.

"Whoosh, whoosh!" The illusory flames burned wildly, and the surrounding temperature instantly soared. Everyone was startled by the scorching energy at such close proximity, intending to retreat, but then they saw Shi Ti, Shou Ye, Zhang Taiying... If even these individuals couldn't withstand it, then retreating one step, or a hundred steps, or even leaving the banquet hall, would make no difference. And so, they contentedly remained in their seats, enjoying the warmth of being protected.

"Heavenly Profound Flower, Heavenly Pivot Vine, Heavenly Mechanism Grass..." Xu Xiaoshou flicked the medicinal ingredients into the cauldron one by one, not impulsively dropping them all at once. The ingredients for a Grade-6 pill were precious; there was no chance to start over if they were scorched. And with his absolute grasp of medicinal properties and exquisite control over the compressed fire seeds, he could always find the precise moment for the spirit herbs to enter the cauldron.

"What astonishing eyesight." Shi Ti watched, somewhat surprised. If it were just one plant, that would be fine. But Xu Xiaoshou had continuously added over a dozen plants to the cauldron, maintaining this peak level of operation. There was even one instance where he thought the spirit herb was added to the furnace too early. The final result, however, was that the spirit herb he had provided was too young, requiring it to neutralize the previous dose earlier. This discovery caused the surprise in Shi Ti's eyes to gradually turn into awe.

"A coincidence?" After more than ten consecutive "coincidences," even Shi Ti no longer believed it! He watched the serious and focused Xu Xiaoshou, and for the first time, he quieted his mind from the young man's mischievous nature, seeing a hidden side of him.

"So strong!" "This talent is even stronger than when I first saw him!" "Could such a terrifying transformation occur in just a few days?"

It wasn't that Shi Ti had never seen Xu Xiaoshou refine pills. On the contrary, having observed him up close the last time, he could confidently assert that Xu Xiaoshou had not reached such a realm before.

"Did he truly comprehend it?" Remembering what the fellow had said earlier, Shi Ti's heart tightened. It was truly as everyone felt: every time Xu Xiaoshou joked, everyone thought he was joking. But it turned out that beneath his seemingly outlandish remarks, this fellow always harbored a seriousness that the world couldn't tolerate. A loneliness that surpassed common understanding, and was therefore difficult to acknowledge...

Shi Ti's heart began to overflow with pity. He was startled. He immediately forced himself to suppress that emotion. "Don't be reckless. Facing Xu Xiaoshou, you absolutely cannot harbor such emotions!"

Also captivated by Xu Xiaoshou's exquisite technique were the banquet attendees who had previously been dismissive. They had originally been observing the methods of the Grade-6 alchemists in the arena, but a sudden turn of their heads left them captivated by Xu Xiaoshou. They couldn't help but be drawn in. This guy, when serious, looked too much like he was stir-frying!

"Oh my god, look at Xu Xiaoshou! Is he really refining pills?" Someone exclaimed, and instantly everyone turned their heads. They saw Xu Xiaoshou with a serious expression, his left hand grasping the most precise timing for adding ingredients, while his right hand constantly flipped and stirred the cauldron from the outside. With a movement of his right hand, the heat responded to his will, expanding or contracting, gentle or fierce, utterly obedient. His left hand added ingredients, every time...

"Something's off, right? Is he really adding medicine, or do I feel like he's adding ingredients for a dish?"

"Questioned, Passive Point, 232."

The spirit herbs entered the pot, instantly vaporizing into ash, while the swiftly refined medicinal liquid immediately flowed into the broth at the bottom of the cauldron. *Gurgle* The rich aroma finally burst forth luxuriantly. Everyone swallowed. Smelling this aroma not only gave them a sense of epiphany and an urge to break through, but it also made their stomachs rumble with hunger.