"Mm." Xiao Yan nodded and casually pulled out a chair to sit down. He silently stared at the smiling Fa Ma for a moment before chuckling slightly, "Chairman, just say what you need. I shouldn't refuse if it's within my capabilities."
Fa Ma shook his head with a wry smile when he saw Xiao Yan's faint smile. " 'Shouldn't' is not enough."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and spread his hands. "Chairman, even with my confidence, I wouldn't dare to give you any guarantees in front of the Deputy Chairman of the Chu Yun Empire's Alchemist Association, a peak 4th-tier alchemist. I'm still an eighteen-year-old kid after all."
Fa Ma suddenly paused. Only then did he recall that Xiao Yan was merely eighteen years old! But for some reason, he felt that Xiao Yan was incredibly reliable, not at all like an eighteen- year-old.
After pondering for a moment, he said, "As you likely know, the main reason for inviting you to the Alchemist Association this time is because we want you to win the championship." "For tomorrow's round, we've already changed the test format at the last minute. There will be no set topic. Alchemists are free to refine any pill they wish. Whoever produces the highest quality and grade of pill will be the victor. It will depend on each person's true skill and trump cards."
"All materials, including ingredients, must be self-provided. If you don't have them, then you're just out of luck." Fa Ma shrugged and chuckled mischievously.
It was clear that in order to prevent Yan Li from winning the championship, Fa Ma and the others had not only revealed the test topic in advance, but also dug a pit for him. If he didn't bring enough materials, his strength would be reduced.
"Xiao Yan, be honest with me. What tier is your alchemy skill at?" Although Fa Ma had some guesses, Xiao Yan had never been officially assessed by the Alchemist Association, so only he himself knew his true tier.
"Peak tier 4," Xiao Yan replied straightforwardly without concealing it.
Even though Fa Ma had some mental preparation, his eyelids still twitched violently upon hearing the words 'peak tier 4' from his mouth.
Damn, he really is peak tier 4!
An eighteen-year-old 4th-tier alchemist was already a miracle, but peak tier 4! That was too outrageous!
"H-How did you cultivate your Spiritual Strength to possess peak Tier 4 Spiritual Strength at just eighteen years old?" The most challenging aspect for alchemists to improve was their Spiritual Strength. After all, not everyone was like Xiao Yan, born with extremely powerful Spiritual Strength and possessing the High Xuan Class Spirit Heart Gathering Soul Technique. "Innately powerful Spiritual Strength," Xiao Yan replied simply.
Fa Ma tapped the table and asked, "Can you refine tier 5 pills?"
"I've tried but never succeeded." Xiao Yan pursed his lips. Each time he had been just a step away from success.
"Sigh, if my guess is correct, that fellow Yan Li will definitely refine high tier 4 or even a peak tier 4 pill tomorrow," Fa Ma sighed and shook his head. Yan Li was bound to go all out at this critical juncture.
Although the success of alchemy depended heavily on the alchemist's state at the time, it was quite possible that Yan Li would unleash his full potential when caught between life and death.
"With the pill recipes and ingredients I currently have on hand, I can probably refine a middle tier 4 pill at best." Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and looked at Fa Ma with an innocent expression. That look seemed to say: I want to give it my all too, but the conditions simply don't allow it.
"If Yan Li emerges as the champion, the entire Jia Ma Empire will be plunged into the flames of war. The common people will suffer greatly as a result," Fa Ma said sorrowfully, attempting to appeal to Xiao Yan's sense of patriotism.
But he had misjudged Xiao Yan, whose eyes remained calm as still water, patiently waiting for terms that would satisfy him.
While Xiao Yan did feel a sense of patriotism, it was not strongly tied to the Jia Ma Empire. He had some attachment to it, but not much.
"Sigh, allow me to be frank then. I hope you can give the competition your all tomorrow. Among the most treasured pill recipes in the Alchemist Association's possession, you may select one to refine for the tournament. The association will provide all required ingredients, and the resulting medicinal pill will be yours to keep."
Even Xiao Yan found it hard not to be tempted by the offer of free pill recipes and ingredients. "Any above tier 6?" He immediately made a bold request.
Fa Ma shot him a glare and said, "You think tier 6 pill recipes grow on trees? The highest tier in the entire Alchemist Association's collection is only tier 5. The tier 6 pill recipe awarded to the champion is provided by the Pill Tower to motivate alchemists from weaker empires."
He walked to a bookshelf and twisted a book. The bookshelf swung open with a click, revealing a shelf holding a dozen or so pill recipe scrolls.
"These are all the pill recipes above high tier 4 that the Alchemist Association possesses. Feel free to take a look."
Xiao Yan licked his lips in anticipation and began perusing the recipe descriptions. He clicked his tongue in admiration. 'Tsk tsk, the Alchemist Association sure lives up to its reputation. The effects of these recipes are no joke.'
There were quite a few pill recipes in his mysterious storage ring as well, but many of those were very ancient and their ingredients hard to find. The Alchemist Association, on the other hand, had many relatively new and novel pill recipes whose ingredients were easier to acquire.
'Hmm? This is...' Xiao Yan's eyes took on a profound depth as his gaze fell upon a scroll as black as ink.
A hint of reminiscence flashed through Fa Ma's eyes when he saw the scroll in Xiao Yan's hand. He said, "That's the 'Three Lines Green Spirit Pill' recipe. Although it says I created it
myself, that's not entirely true."
Fa Ma slowly rose to his feet, took the pill recipe scroll from Xiao Yan's hand, and spoke in a nostalgic tone, "Back in my younger days when I was still traveling the continent, I had a chance encounter with an old man of unfathomable strength. As fate would have it, I ended up spending three days in the company of that mysterious elder."
"During those three days, the old man casually imparted some of his vast alchemy knowledge to me. It greatly benefited me. Moreover, it was precisely by relying on the knowledge he taught me that I was able to progress step by step to reach my current position. This Three Lines Green Spirit Pill was created thanks to that mysterious alchemist's teachings."
A glimmer flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes upon hearing his words. He asked with a smile, "What kind of person was that old man?"
"What kind of person?" Fa Ma recalled those three days and gazed out the window at the night sky. "He was a teacher who taught without discrimination."
"Even though I was just a novice alchemist with no background or connections at the time, he
was still willing to patiently guide and enlighten me."
With a swift motion, Xiao Yan snatched the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill recipe from Fa Ma's hand and said with a chuckle, "I'll take this one. I'll refine the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill for tomorrow's competition."
Fa Ma was startled. "The Three Lines Green Spirit Pill has three grades. Each line pattern formed on the pill's body represents a grade. One line is low tier 4, two lines high tier 4, and
three lines peak tier 4!"
"If it reaches three lines, when a Dou Grandmaster consumes this pill, there's a chance of directly increasing their strength by three stars. However, there's also a risk of medicinal backlash. Those who suffer backlash may have their strength reduced by one to two stars." "Moreover, refining the highest grade 'Three-Lined Green Spirit Pill' requires three different kinds of flames. Do you have three different flames?!"
Fa Ma knew Xiao Yan possessed a blood-red flame and a black flame.
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "Rest assured, I happen to have exactly three."
That said, he gripped the recipe scroll in his hand and clasped his hands behind his back. In
high spirits, he strode toward the door. Now that he had obtained what he came for, it was time to take his leave. The necessary ingredients could wait until tomorrow for Fa Ma to
"Don't you want to stay here and practice a bit? I can give you some pointers on the alchemy method!" Fa Ma hurriedly called out to Xiao Yan. He didn't want to throw a meat bun to a dog.
The Three Lines Green Spirit Pill recipe was a treasure whose worth was comparable to a tier 5 pill recipe, as it could produce a medicinal pill capable of directly increasing one's strength.
As he walked out the door, Xiao Yan waved the recipe scroll in his hand without looking back. 'I'm even more familiar with the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill's alchemy method than you
[1] "Throw a meat bun to a dog " means to give something valuable to someone who will not appreciate it or will waste it.