"The pill formula for the Demon-Transforming Pill is indeed within our Alchemist Guild!"
Moved by Yan Cangtian's selfless sacrifice for the honor of alchemists, Hong Haotian showed signs of being touched.
As the president of the guild, Hong Haotian was not foolish. He had realized that Yan Cangtian's objective from the beginning was the Demon-Transforming Pill.
However, both of them were revered figures in the alchemy world of the Tianbai Empire, with a friendship spanning several decades.
Though they often competed with each other, Hong Haotian couldn't bear to see Yan Cangtian go to his death in vain.
Moreover, Yan Cangtian had indeed given them the pill formula for the Azure Cloud Striped Pill, which, in some ways, was far more valuable than the Demon-Transforming Pill.
The Demon-Transforming Pill was precious for its uniqueness, but in terms of grade and efficacy, the Azure Cloud Striped Pill far surpassed it.
"Oh?" Yan Cangtian turned around abruptly, looking at Hong Haotian with excitement. "Old Hong, are you serious?"
"Brother Yan, you can drop the act. You knew the pill formula was with our Alchemist Guild all along," Hong Haotian said solemnly.
"Hehe..." Yan Cangtian raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore." Hong Haotian smiled bitterly. "If you really plan to go to the Nanjiang demon domain, having a Demon-Transforming Pill would indeed increase your safety. As an old friend, I can give you the formula."
"Old Hong, among the dozen brothers I made back then, you were the most sentimental. No wonder you made it to the position of president!" Yan Cangtian laughed heartily.
"Don't praise me just yet." Hong Haotian rolled his eyes, thinking that the old man, who had been acting crazy for years, seemed sane now but had become quite the performer!
His acting nearly moved me to tears!
Shaking his head, Hong Haotian took a deep breath and continued, "You know the symbolic significance of the Demon-Transforming Pill for our Alchemist Guild. I can't simply give you the formula. How about this: if you're willing to return to the guild and become our honorary president, I can give you the formula."
"Hmmm..." Yan Cangtian frowned. "This isn't right! When I left the Alchemist Guild, I swore I'd never return. If I did, my son would be cursed! It was my youthful rashness."
Hong Haotian rolled his eyes at Yan Cangtian. "You old rascal, can you even have sons anymore?"
"No way!" Yan Cangtian's eyes twinkled before he laughed. "How about this, I'll recommend someone to be your honorary president. Giving the formula to him is the same as giving it to me!"
"Recommend?" Hong Haotian frowned. "Who is it? Can we trust him?"
"Hmph, his alchemy skills surpass mine. What do you think?" Yan Cangtian boasted.
"Oh? The empire has produced such an outstanding alchemist?" Hong Haotian asked, surprised.
"Indeed!" Yan Cangtian stroked his long beard. "Old Hong, you can rest assured. This person is more than qualified to be the honorary president. He could even be the president if need be."
Hong Haotian pondered for a moment and then stared at Yan Cangtian for a long time before finally nodding in agreement.
"Alright, since you recommended him, let's arrange a time to meet. If this person can pass a series of alchemy assessments, he can become the honorary president. At that point, the Demon-Transforming Pill formula will be his."
"That's easy!" Yan Cangtian laughed heartily. "Just wait for the surprise. You might be shocked!"
"Hahaha!" Hong Haotian laughed, looking up at the sky. "Old Yan, don’t underestimate me. Aside from the medical saint Ling Hanyang, no alchemist has ever made me feel like I couldn’t surpass them. Even you, Yan Cangtian, fall short."
"Let's wait and see," Yan Cangtian replied with a mysterious smile. He then pulled out a silk scroll filled with the names of various medicinal herbs and said with a grin, "Old Hong, take a look and see which ones your Alchemist Guild has so I don’t have to buy them from Tianmeng."
Hong Haotian glanced at the list. Though Yan Cangtian had scrambled the order of the materials, he could still make out some patterns. He exclaimed, "Old Yan, are you planning to break through to the emperor level?"
"Hehe, you truly are Hong Haotian!" Yan Cangtian nodded slightly. "I have that intention, but it’s not something that can be done overnight."
"Sigh, in terms of alchemy talent, I am not inferior to you. But in martial arts talent, you are indeed one of the most outstanding of our generation," Hong Haotian sighed. He looked at the materials listed on the scroll and said calmly, "I have most of these materials, but you’ll need to pay the standard market price. These are expensive items. Friendship is one thing, business is another."
"You won’t be shortchanged!" Yan Cangtian rolled his eyes and muttered, "A penny pincher will always be a penny pincher!"
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, Ling Feng woke up and prepared to continue teaching Deng Yongshi. He believed that yesterday's training would have led to significant improvements in her.
However, just as Ling Feng stepped out of his residence in the Tianyi Pavilion, he nearly bumped into a woman in the corridor. Her attire resembled Deng Yongshi's, but she was taller and older, likely in her twenties.
"Hey, watch where you're going! You almost ran into me!" The woman, with considerable cultivation, sidestepped him and scrutinized Ling Feng with a mix of reproach and flirtation. She raised her delicate finger while laughing coquettishly, "Oh, a handsome young man!"
Ling Feng inwardly shook his head, thinking it was best to keep a respectful distance from such a woman.
"Sir, I haven’t seen you in the Orchid Pavilion before. Are you Yongshi’s boyfriend? Tsk, tsk. You've moved into the Orchid Pavilion; things must be progressing well. How far have you gotten?"
The coquettish woman teased, pointing at her lips and then her chest with a sly smile.
Ling Feng frowned and stepped aside. Compared to this flirtatious woman, he preferred dealing with the obstinate Deng Yongshi.
"Hmph!" Seeing that Ling Feng was unmoved, the woman’s interest only grew. She narrowed her eyes and giggled. "Yongshi isn’t here. Why are you pretending to be so serious? Aren't all men the same?"
Ling Feng's brows furrowed while his face grew cold. "I don’t know what kind of men you’ve encountered, but I am not like them. Please step aside."
"Hmm?" The woman was momentarily stunned, and then a trace of coldness appeared in her eyes. "How ungrateful!"
Ling Feng felt a surge of anger. Some women who think they possess some beauty believe all men should revolve around them. How ridiculous!
He began to circulate his true qi and was ready to teach her a lesson if she continued to be unreasonable.
At that moment, a clear shout came from the courtyard behind them. "Cousin, what are you doing?