Chapter 817: Xu Senior Brother? Vice President Xu

"It seems so!" Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized something. He looked up, smiling, and took the green lantern from Dong Ling's hand.

"Don't trouble yourself, President Dong Ling. I don't trust anyone else; I'll swallow it myself." The fire in the lantern glowed brilliantly, illuminating the surprised expression on Dong Ling's face.

"This fellow, he's certainly impolite when he speaks..." Dong Ling thought to herself. However, he was the successor of a Semi-Saint power. While others might experience accidents consuming a Little Skyfire, it shouldn't be an issue for Young Master Xu.

"President Dong Ling." Xu Xiaoshou gazed at the Lake of Serenity Green Bud he had just received and suddenly asked, "What level is the true Lake of Serenity Green Flower? Was it truly born from the Sky Soaring Tree, one of the Nine Ancestral Trees?"

"That's right," Dong Ling confirmed. "The Nine Ancestral Trees are extraordinarily divine. There's no doubt that the Lake of Serenity Green Flower originated from the Sky Soaring Tree. To this day, it still flourishes on the Lake of Serenity in the City of Living Buddhas, and no one has been able to subdue it for tens of thousands of years." She then said teasingly, "Speaking of which, since you've obtained the Lake of Serenity Green Bud, with this catalyst, perhaps you can try to subdue the Lake of Serenity Green Flower itself in the future."

Xu Xiaoshou immediately chuckled. "No one has been able to subdue it for tens of thousands of years. I don't believe I possess such ability."

*Aren't you self-important?* Dong Ling thought, a faint expression on her face. "Young Master Xu, you jest. You certainly possess extraordinary talent."

"Received praise, Passive Points +1." Xu Xiaoshou was somewhat moved by this notification. It wasn't sarcasm; it was genuine praise. *Had Dong Ling taken the wrong medicine?* The last time they met, they were at loggerheads. Now that he'd won the alchemy competition, had her attitude changed so drastically, becoming so agreeable?

"Is Skyfire considered Saint-level?" Xu Xiaoshou casually inquired further.

"Yes," Dong Ling nodded again. "The Sky Soaring Tree blooms once every ninety thousand years and bears fruit once every ninety thousand years. The Skyfire born from it is extraordinarily divine and is undoubtedly Saint-level." Her gaze fell upon the green lantern. "The Lake of Serenity Green Bud originated from Skyfire. Even if its power hasn't reached Saint-level, it's still a supreme treasure above the Dao-Slicing realm. There aren't many artifacts in this world that contain the power of calamity."

After receiving confirmation, Xu Xiaoshou didn't press further. He lowered his head thoughtfully, staring at the Lake of Serenity Green Bud. Above his Qi Sea, the Ice Lotus pulsed. The Three Days of Frozen Calamity seemed to sense a familiar energy, no longer as quiet as usual. But even with its current stirrings, it wasn't as frantic as the Incinerating Progenitor Seed. Instead, it subtly expanded and contracted with his breaths, chiming like a bell.

"Is it an illusion…?" Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes. If he remembered correctly, the Three Days of Frozen Calamity was, in fact, Skyfire! Strictly speaking, it should be on par with the Lake of Serenity Green Flower in terms of level. However, from his subjective perception, the power of calamity contained within the Lake of Serenity Green Bud was not even weaker than that of the Three Days of Frozen Calamity. This gave Xu Xiaoshou a false impression: that the Three Days of Frozen Calamity was barely on the same level as the Lake of Serenity Green Bud. But that shouldn't be the case! If Skyfire was Saint-level, why had he only felt the power of calamity from the Three Days of Frozen Calamity for so long, and no Saint power?

Previously, his cultivation was too low, and he had encountered very few things. Xu Xiaoshou only had a vague concept of levels above the Sovereign realm. At that time, artifacts containing the power of calamity, as President Dong Ling said, truly felt rare to him. But now, as his exposure widened and he fought more Dao-Slicing experts, Xu Xiaoshou discovered that there was a difference between Dao-Slicing and Dao-Slicing in the Nine Deaths Thunder Realm, and an even greater difference between Dao-Slicing and the Grand Void or Semi-Saints. The Three Days of Frozen Calamity was Skyfire. The power it displayed should be greater than what he had used before. At the very least, abilities like the Saint Blood and Saint Effigy, which could destroy heaven and earth, seemed like the most fundamental power of the Three Days of Frozen Calamity. But clearly, there was none… The small Ice Lotus was nestled in his Qi Sea, with the Incinerating Progenitor Seed holding its own against it. Let alone Saint power, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even glimpse a trace of Saint aura from these two treasures within him.

The crowd outside was still cheering. Dong Ling watched Young Master Xu's silence, assuming he was simply overcome with excitement after receiving the Lake of Serenity Green Bud, even for a Semi-Saint successor. She suddenly glanced at the judges' panel at lightning speed, seeing the elders still bickering. A sly glint flashed in her eyes, and she turned back to ask, "Young Master Xu, what do you think of the Alchemist Association of Eastern Heaven Royal City?"

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts were pulled back, a hint of surprise in his voice. "What do you mean, President Dong Ling?"

Dong Ling merely smiled without speaking. At that moment, a staff member approached from behind, respectfully presenting a ring. Dong Ling took the ring, gave it a slight shake, and an alchemist's emblem appeared. The audience, already focused on the champion alchemist and President Dong Ling, immediately knew what was about to happen.

"A Fourth-Grade emblem!"

"Is President Dong Ling going to confer the rank right here, right now?"

"We are witnessing the birth of a Fourth-Grade alchemist; what an honor!"

"Haha, Young Master Xu is mighty!"

The young alchemist talents standing nearby all grew envious. A Fourth-Grade emblem. It was something they had only dreamed of! Some had only seen this level of emblem on their own masters. Yet, right here, among the contestants of the same age, a Fourth-Grade alchemist had emerged!

Dong Ling, smiling, presented the emblem with both hands and solemnly declared before the eyes of thousands: "Young Master Xu, on behalf of the Eastern Region's Sword God Heaven and the Eastern Heaven Realm Alchemist Association Headquarters, I bestow upon you the emblem of a Fourth-Grade Alchemist Sovereign and sincerely invite you to join the Eastern Heaven Royal City Alchemist Association Headquarters as an Honorary Vice President. From this day forward, we shall share glory and disgrace. Do you accept?"

Her voice was not loud, but it carried immense power, reaching the ears of tens of thousands throughout the venue. A high-grade conferment and a vice president position required witnesses. Instantly, the entire venue fell silent. One moment, everyone was discussing animatedly; the next, they quieted down. Dong Ling conferring the rank was understandable, but offering an "Honorary Vice President" position truly shocked tens of thousands of people.

"Has Dong Ling gone mad?"

"I didn't mishear, did I? President Dong Ling actually wants a young man to be an Honorary Vice President?"

"This isn't some small county town; this is Eastern Heaven Royal City! A Vice President of the Royal City, shouldn't they at least be an experienced Third-Grade senior?"

"Even though Young Master Xu refined a Fourth-Grade Sovereign Pill, he's too young and lacks experience. How can he be given such a high position as Honorary Vice President?"

"I must be hallucinating!"

Everyone's jaws dropped. The contestants on the field were even more dumbfounded. As alchemists themselves, they understood even more clearly what the position of Honorary Vice President in such a vast Royal City signified!

"Master?" Yu Chuchu stared blankly at the Fourth-Grade emblem between Young Master Xu and her own master, feeling bewildered. When she first met Young Master Xu, they were contestants of equal standing; he was even unknown, while she had already made a name for herself in the alchemy world. After the alchemy competition, according to their bet, she became Young Master Xu's alchemy attendant, her status instantly dropping a level, like a subordinate. And now, with the appearance of the Sovereign Pill, Young Master Xu was about to be promoted to Vice President. In the blink of an eye, she would become his junior.

What was happening? A dimensional downgrade? Yu Chuchu was truly bewildered. She had lived her whole life and never experienced such a rapid dimensional downgrade!

The judges' panel was also stunned. The old presidents, who had been pulling hair and tugging at clothes, froze in unison after Dong Ling's announcement. They turned their heads with a robotic stiffness, staring incredulously at the two figures in the arena. Then, the elders erupted in fury.

"You wretch!"

"Dong Ling, so this is the kind of person you are! This old man misjudged you!"

"You stole my idea, an unforgivable offense! I was the first to propose this Vice President position; how could you be so shameless as to intercept it midway?"

"Despicable scoundrel, a snake in the grass, arrgh—"

The old presidents wanted to rush down, but they were stopped by the spirit formation. To the audience, however, after Dong Ling's announcement, the old presidents all turned their heads, some nodding with a smile, others looking serene and nonchalant… Each one appeared like an immortal, standing with hands clasped behind their backs, showing no signs of impropriety.

Xu Xiaoshou was also taken aback. A Fourth-Grade emblem was understandable. But an Honorary Vice President…

"President Dong Ling, have you taken the wrong medicine?" he asked, tilting his head.

Dong Ling: "..."

"Received curse, Passive Points +1."

"Young Master Xu, I am not joking. I am formally asking you, if it is the position of Honorary Vice President of Eastern Heaven Royal City, are you willing to accept?" Dong Ling forced her emotions back.

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath. Honorary Vice President? Not a joke? He remembered that Old Man Sang was an Honorary Vice President of Heavenly Sang City, right? But Heavenly Sang City was incomparable to Eastern Heaven Royal City! What was going on with the Alchemist Association Headquarters here? Could Dong Ling just unilaterally hand out an Honorary Vice President position? Many shared Xu Xiaoshou's doubts. Everyone had virtually the same question… Young Master Xu was strong, and his talent was sufficient. But giving him the position of Honorary Vice President was too childish! At his level, at most, he should be offered a ceremonial position like a Guest Alchemist or Honorary Elder. An Honorary Vice President, even if "honorary," still held certain powers because of the "Vice President" suffix!

The prominent figures in the viewing stands were shocked, at a loss for words. Some in the audience cried out that something was amiss, that there was an inside story; others shook their heads and sighed, completely failing to understand President Dong Ling's intentions. Even Xu Xiaoshou himself began to suspect a trick.

Among the entire audience, the only one who might possibly understand President Dong Ling was Teacher Ti on the judges' panel, who was still feigning outrage and criticizing Dong Ling for her supposed inhumanity.

"She wouldn't be so irrational."

"It's not impossible to force the position of Honorary Vice President on a Fourth-Grade Alchemist Sovereign, but it will certainly draw criticism later."

"The only explanation is that the Scarlet Gold Liquid might disrupt the market, but one Scarlet Gold Liquid alone isn't enough, unless Young Master Xu can produce several more items similar to it, but of a higher grade."

"Clearly, Dong Ling wouldn't joke about something unknown…"

"That's it, the pill-condensing technique!" Teacher Ti suddenly felt he had understood. It must be because of the unique pill-condensing technique Young Master Xu had displayed. In this world, very few people had seen the Incinerating Pill Condensing Technique. Teacher Ti had only seen his good friend Sang Qiye use it a few times in his life. Young Master Xu's technique was ninety percent similar to the Incinerating Pill Condensing Technique. If so! He was Xu Xiaoshou! Following this line of reasoning, it should go like this… President Dong Ling, it was said, once studied at the Saint Palace and was considered half a nominal disciple of Mu Lin. And Mu Lin was Old Man Sang's junior brother; both belonged to the Incinerating lineage. This meant Young Master Xu was on the same generation as Dong Ling. And according to the rules, even a nominal disciple, not part of the formal lineage, regardless of when they began their studies, should address a formal disciple as Senior Brother when they meet. So, Dong Ling should call Young Master Xu…

"Senior Brother Xu?" Teacher Ti almost spat out a mouthful of old blood at this realization, his facial expression completely frozen. He dared not think further. This was too terrifying. If Young Master Xu was truly Xu Xiaoshou, then this connection was simply too frightening!

"Shaking uncontrollably…" Teacher Ti maintained an expression of "I know nothing, and I don't want to know," as he continued to furiously denounce Dong Ling's actions as inhumane.

On the field, Xu Xiaoshou was still hesitant. Usually, it was he who gave others an elusive, inscrutable feeling. Now, he finally understood the mindset of those he had previously misled.

"What in the world does this woman want?" Xu Xiaoshou imagined that if Dong Ling also had a passive system and an information panel, it would now be rapidly displaying "Suspected," "Conjectured"… But he pondered for a long time and couldn't think of any downsides to accepting the Honorary Vice President position. So he asked, "You're really not joking?"

"Mm-hmm," Dong Ling smiled.

"You're trying to trick me."

"I'm not."

"Share glory and disgrace?"

"Share glory and disgrace!"

*Oh, please,* Xu Xiaoshou thought. *If you knew I was a Saint Slave, you'd probably run for your life, let alone share glory and disgrace!* But he maintained a continuous smile. "Alright, alright, President Dong Ling, you've gone to great lengths. I'm willing to accept this Honorary Vice President position… Speaking of which, what does an Honorary Vice President need to do?"

Dong Ling shook her head. "It's just an honorary title. You can participate in management until you're promoted to a formal Vice President, or you can simply hold the title without dealing with practical matters."

"That's wonderful!" Xu Xiaoshou exclaimed, clapping his hands. "I love being a hands-off manager, especially one who commands such respect."

*You really dare to say anything,* Dong Ling thought to herself, but she simply smiled without responding, turning to face the collective criticism. "Everyone, I believe you're all still wondering why I offered Young Master Xu the position of Honorary Vice President of Eastern Heaven Royal City."

Everyone quieted down, waiting for an explanation. Dong Ling continued, "I'm sure you've all recently experienced the marvel of the 'Scarlet Gold Liquid.' Indeed, this miraculous healing potion is Young Master Xu's remarkable achievement."

"Such an innovation, benefiting spiritual refiners, born in Eastern Heaven Royal City, is a blessing for the royal city's spiritual refiners."

"I also believe that Young Master Xu, the creator of the 'Scarlet Gold Liquid,' as a Fourth-Grade Alchemist Sovereign with unlimited potential, will bring even more groundbreaking innovations to everyone by joining the Royal City Alchemist Association Headquarters!"

Whether there would be more innovations was unknown, but after being president for so many years, Dong Ling was quite skilled at making grand promises.

"Young Master Xu, isn't that right?" Dong Ling turned and tossed the final question to Xu Xiaoshou.