Chapter 365 You've All Said It All

"Of course, but... do we have to do it here?"

Ye Yuan didn't want to be stared at like a monkey.

Manager Tong nodded and led Ye Yuan into a side room.

"Young man, is this place acceptable?"

Ye Yuan nodded slightly, and a vast soul force spread out.

Feeling Ye Yuan's soul force, Manager Tong's expression changed.

"Intermediate Grand Alchemist!" Manager Tong exclaimed in shock.

Having broken through to the second layer of Condensing Crystal, Ye Yuan's soul force had crossed the threshold of a Junior Grand Alchemist and become an Intermediate Grand Alchemist!

"Manager Tong, do I have the qualifications to apply for the position of guest elder?" Ye Yuan said with a smile.

Manager Tong came back to his senses and said, "Of course! Even if you fail the assessment, I will report to the family head and have you stay!"

No kidding, a sixteen-year-old Intermediate Grand Alchemist—it would be a pity not to recruit such talent!

As an alchemist, the hardest part was actually the soul realm! Other aspects could be compensated by diligence, but breakthroughs in the soul realm varied from person to person.

The reason no one in the Divine Realm could refine divine pills was that no alchemist's soul realm could break through the shackles!

Moreover, if such a genius turned to the Tong family, wouldn't that create a formidable opponent in the future?

"Haha, that's good."

Ye Yuan had shamelessly stayed precisely to get close to those two slaves; otherwise, he would have turned and left long ago.

"May I ask your name, young friend?" Manager Tong's attitude had done a complete one-eighty, now addressing Ye Yuan as a brother.

"Ji Qing!" Ye Yuan gave a false name.

"So it's Brother Ji. You've come at just the right time. Miss Ruyan is currently assessing the alchemists applying for the guest elder position. Shall we go up?" Manager Tong sought Ye Yuan's opinion.

But Ye Yuan didn't move immediately; instead, he asked curiously, "Manager Tong, forgive my impertinence, but why is the Xiao family recruiting guest elders? With such a large business as the Four Seas Tower, you shouldn't lack alchemists, right?"

Manager Tong sighed and said, "To be honest, Brother Ji, the Xiao family doesn't lack alchemists, but it lacks powerful alchemists!"

"Oh? Please enlighten me, Manager Tong." Ye Yuan asked.

"Actually, this recruitment of guest elders is a last resort! In this royal city, the largest pill businesses are our Xiao family and the Tong family. Because of this, our two families are practically sworn enemies! To compete for the pill market, the two families once fought fiercely, and dozens of Ocean Transformation Realm experts died. Later, Lord Wind Emperor sent word for the Xiao and Tong families to cease hostilities, which stopped the conflict."

"What does that have to do with your search for guest elders?" Ye Yuan asked, puzzled.

"Later, through mediation by His Majesty the Wind Emperor, our two families established a rule: every ten years, the younger generation of the two families holds a Pill Duel to determine each family's share of the pill market. And this year happens to be the tenth year!" Manager Tong said.

Ye Yuan looked at him oddly. "You're looking for guest elders to participate in this Pill Duel? Is the younger generation of the Xiao family not up to par?"

Manager Tong's expression changed, and he said angrily, "What do you mean 'not up to par'! The eldest young master Xiao Rufeng and the second young miss Xiao Ruyan are both prodigies in the Dao of alchemy. Especially Miss Ruyan, who at twenty has already reached the level of Senior Grand Alchemist. How dare you say she's not up to par!"

Ye Yuan curled his lips, unimpressed.

A twenty-year-old Grand Alchemist—what was there to be proud of?

Seeing Ye Yuan's expression, Manager Tong was stunned and felt an urge to slap himself.

This young man was only sixteen; by the time he was twenty, he would probably be a Senior Grand Alchemist. It seemed there was nothing to boast about regarding their young miss, was there?

Manager Tong coughed dryly to ease the awkwardness and continued, "Actually, the eldest young master has a health problem and can't participate in this Pill Duel. Miss Ruyan alone cannot defeat the Tong family."

Ye Yuan nodded. "I see. Then is it within the rules for me to participate? After all, I'm not a member of the Xiao family."

Manager Tong said, "As long as you join the Xiao family, it's naturally within the rules. Uh..."

Manager Tong stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something was off.

What did he mean by 'within the rules for me to participate'? Who said you were going to participate? Wasn't this kid a bit too overconfident?

He hadn't even passed the assessment yet, and he already wanted to represent the Xiao family?

After all, among the alchemists who had come to apply, there were quite a few Senior Grand Alchemists. Ye Yuan had only just become an Intermediate Grand Alchemist; passing the assessment might not be so easy.

The reason Manager Tong valued Ye Yuan was his potential, not his current strength.

Ye Yuan laughed heartily. "Since it's within the rules, let's go for the assessment."

Manager Tong looked gloomy. This kid really thought of himself as a member of the Xiao family.

...

When Manager Tong led Ye Yuan out of the side room and Ye Yuan was invited upstairs, the waiter's eyes went wide.

Could this kid actually be an alchemist?

The waiter had a feeling he had messed up badly and provoked someone he shouldn't have.

"Don't see me, don't see me..." the waiter muttered to himself.

But whatever he feared came. Ye Yuan suddenly turned and smiled at him, then leisurely went upstairs.

The waiter's legs went weak, and he nearly fell to the ground.

"It's over, it's really over now." The waiter said to himself with a mournful face.

...

Manager Tong led Ye Yuan straight to the third floor and into a large hall.

There were already several people in the hall, along with several alchemy cauldrons.

At the far end was a partition covered by several layers of thin gauze, but a graceful figure could be faintly seen inside.

Manager Tong asked Ye Yuan to wait and walked toward the partition.

Ye Yuan leisurely surveyed the hall and the alchemists.

These people were all Senior Grand Alchemists; it seemed he was the only Intermediate Grand Alchemist.

Well, of course, in their eyes, he probably wasn't even an alchemist.

Besides Ye Yuan, there were four other alchemists. They had clearly noticed Ye Yuan too, and upon seeing the badge on his chest, they showed looks of contempt.

"Are you all here to apply for the Xiao family's guest elder position?" Ye Yuan was very sociable, approaching with a smile.

"So what? You're not here for the same reason, are you?" one of the alchemists said disdainfully.

"Ah? Haha, you saw through me. Good eye, brother!"

The man said contemptuously, "A Junior Alchemist like you—are you here to be funny? This place isn't for you. Get lost now, or you'll upset Miss Ruyan!"

"Exactly, an overconfident little brat. With such little skill, you dare to show your face? I think you should go home and drink your mother's milk!" another said.

"If you don't have the strength of a Senior Grand Alchemist, don't embarrass yourself here! The few of us have all been through layers of selection. Who do you think you are!"

Ye Yuan laughed heartily. "The words I wanted to say—you've all said them!"