Chapter 1684: Pill Mutation

"This... he must have just broken through recently, right? He can already refine such difficult pills?" Leng Yu said, stunned, after Ye Yuan left.

Xuan Yu pondered for a moment and said, "The strength of the Dao Realm is not something we can fathom. For us, we are still stuck in the shallow realm of seeing mountains as mountains; he has probably reached the realm of seeing mountains not as mountains! He touches the essence of the Dao of alchemy, learning with twice the result for half the effort, far beyond what we can imagine."

Leng Yu knew nothing of the Dao of alchemy, but he knew Xuan Yu's strength.

If Xuan Yu said so, it meant Ye Yuan's alchemy realm was unimaginable.

He suddenly thought of something and said to Xuan Yu, "Don't you think this kid's realm is somewhat elusive? It doesn't seem as simple as just the first level of Divine Lord!"

Xuan Yu nodded and said, "Seeing him just now, I felt as if he had been reborn. And I can't see through his true strength; it seems like the first level of Divine Lord, yet somewhat ambiguous!"

Leng Yu took a deep breath and said, "I have a feeling that his future achievements may be beyond our imagination!"

Xuan Yu nodded in deep agreement.

A few hours later, Ye Yuan emerged from seclusion.

"These are the Pure Yang Lie Shen Dan and the Xuan Shou Bu Jing Dan. Give them to Brother Zheng to take," Ye Yuan said, handing over two pills, looking slightly tired.

Obviously, these two pills were not easy for him at his current level.

The Pure Yang Lie Shen Dan's function was to expel yin qi from the body, while the Xuan Shou Bu Jing Dan's function was to replenish blood and nourish qi, restoring vitality.

Zheng Qi had used the Wild Sword Withering, and his essence and qi had long been depleted; ordinary pills were hard to restore.

That was why Xuan Yu had been helpless, as he could not refine high-grade Xuan Shou Bu Jing Dan.

Seeing the two pills, Xuan Yu was startled and said in surprise, "Div... Divine grade! You've just broken through, yet you can already refine these two pills to divine grade. Truly incredible!"

These two pills were not simple; Xuan Yu found it difficult even to refine them to top grade. Ye Yuan, having just broken through to the fourth rank, could already refine them to divine grade, which was inevitably surprising.

This showed that after breaking through to the fourth rank, Ye Yuan's alchemy level had completely surpassed him!

Now, the number one alchemist in Tianying Imperial City had officially changed hands!

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Brother Xuan Yu, during these nearly four hundred years, I wasn't just thinking about how to break through! I've long had fourth-rank pills at my fingertips; the only thing lacking was the heat."

Xuan Yu smiled bitterly and said, "Even so, it's still astonishing enough!"

Four hundred years?

Xuan Yu had been immersed in fourth-rank pills for over forty thousand years, yet Ye Yuan had completely defeated him in just four hundred years.

This... perhaps was the gap between an ordinary person and a genius?

But Xuan Yu did not envy Ye Yuan; instead, he was happy for him.

Now, Ye Yuan was truly significant to Tianying Imperial City.

Ye Yuan said, "Brother Leng, Brother Zheng's internal depletion has left him unable to refine the pills himself. Please help him refine them."

Leng Yu nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take him now."

After the two left, Ye Yuan was about to go into seclusion to recover his divine essence when someone reported that Ning Zhijing of the Ning family was seeking an audience.

Xuan Yu heard this and sneered, "Hah, how realistic! When you couldn't break through to the Divine Lord realm, he kicked you when you were down at the council of elders. Now, as soon as he hears you've broken through, he's the first to come looking for you!"

Ye Yuan said indifferently, "It's only human nature! Go tell him that I'm busy refining pills for Elder Zheng Qi and have no time to receive guests."

The servant dared not disobey and could only withdraw.

Both sides were formidable figures not to be trifled with!

...

Outside the Zheng residence, Ning Zhiyuan's expression was rather unpleasant.

He was the head of the Ning family, a mighty cultivator at the Eighth Heaven of the Divine Lord realm, yet now he was being refused entry!

"Tianping, this kid is far too arrogant, isn't he? I, the family head, came personally to seek an audience, and he won't even show his face!" Ning Zhiyuan frowned.

Ning Tianping glanced at him and sighed, "Family head, it's not that I'm flattering the lord. Ever since he set foot in the gates of the Eagle Emperor Capital again, this has become his era! You must be well aware of his alchemy skills. If he wishes, he can turn a small family into a behemoth like the Ning family within a few centuries. Tell me, does he have the capital to be arrogant?"

Ning Zhiyuan was momentarily speechless, filled with deep regret.

As the family head, he was not even as farsighted as a junior.

The returns on Ning Tianping's investment in Ye Yuan would be unimaginable!

Ning Zhiyuan already knew that the cultivation technique Ning Tianping now practiced was no longer the Ning family's technique, but a peak sixth-grade technique!

And this opportunity, Ye Yuan had simply not cared for and had handed it over to Ning Tianping.

This matter was a top secret, known only to Ning Tianping and Ning Zhiyuan.

What did a peak sixth-grade technique mean?

It was a technique that could allow one to cultivate all the way to the peak of the True God realm!

With Ning Tianping's talent, reaching the Heavenly God realm would be as easy as child's play.

After a pause, Ning Zhiyuan softened his tone and said to Ning Tianping, "Tianping, you are now the closest person to Ye Yuan. Perhaps... you could put in a good word for the Ning family, ask him to stop resenting us, alright?"

Ning Tianping smiled bitterly, "Family head, it's not that I'm unwilling to speak for the Ning family. You don't understand the lord. He is a man of strong opinions, clear in gratitude and resentment! For those he approves of, he would go through fire and water without hesitation; but for those he does not approve of, even if you talk until the sky falls, it's useless! If the Ning family wants to reconcile with the lord, I ask the family head to show sincerity. As long as the lord is willing to let bygones be bygones, out of respect for me, he might show some consideration for the Ning family. But family head, I'm not exaggerating—this is the last chance!"

Having followed Ye Yuan for a long time, Ning Tianping understood him very well.

It was impossible to shake Ye Yuan's judgment of a person, not even for him.

In Ye Yuan's eyes, Ning Tianping was Ning Tianping, and the Ning family was the Ning family—two different matters.

Ye Yuan would never show special favor to the Ning family because of Ning Tianping.

Hearing Ning Tianping's words, Ning Zhiyuan felt a chill in his heart.

He suddenly realized that the Ning family had reached a critical crossroads!

...

After an unknown amount of time, in the secret chamber, Leng Yu was helping Zheng Qi refine the medicinal pill when his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly withdrew his divine essence.

He looked at Zheng Qi in shock and murmured, "This pill... seems somewhat unusual! Zheng Qi, did you feel it?"

Zheng Qi's spirit had recovered to about fifty or sixty percent. Hearing this, he nodded and said, "Grandmaster, I have felt it! I'm afraid... I am about to break through!"

Leng Yu's gaze sharpened, and he said in shock, "What? These two pills were only meant to help you heal, yet you are about to break through?"