Chapter 367: To Be a Beast of Burden

As soon as the pill was formed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Even the usually composed Manager Tong secretly wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

The other three also crowded forward, eager to see what kind of pill had been refined.

"Qiu Zhi, how is it? Did you succeed?" the three asked nervously.

Qiu Zhi wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded. "I'm exhausted, but at last the pill is formed!"

With that, Qiu Zhi glanced smugly at Ye Yuan and laughed. "I told you, you had no chance! So, can you get lost now?"

Ye Yuan chuckled. "The furnace hasn't been opened yet, has it? Come on, open it and let's see what you've made."

Qiu Zhi's face darkened. He had barely managed to complete the process and knew the pill's grade was certainly low.

But with so many people watching, he couldn't back down.

"Fine, let's take a look. I'll make you give up hope!"

With that, he opened the pill furnace, and a fragrant aroma filled the air.

The four of them craned their necks to look, and even Manager Tong couldn't help but lean in for a closer look.

At that sight, Qiu Zhi's face fell.

The pill was formed, but it was a defective product, not even reaching a proper grade.

Qiu Zhi grimaced and said to Manager Tong, "Manager Tong, what do you think..."

Manager Tong was also quite disappointed, but he knew how difficult it was to refine this pill. The fact that Qiu Zhi had succeeded was already quite impressive.

Manager Tong sighed. "There's no time left. It'll have to be you."

Qiu Zhi was overjoyed. Joining the Xiao family would mean he'd never have to worry about the rest of his life.

After all, being an alchemist was a profitable profession, but also a costly one. Without the support of a major power, it was hard to make progress.

Qiu Zhi had reached the level of Senior Grand Alchemist, which was his limit. To go further, he needed to find a backer, or his career would stagnate.

"Hold on!" Just then, a pleasant voice rang out.

Xiao Ruyan spoke!

The gauze curtain was lifted, and a woman with a veiled face stepped out from behind the partition.

Though her face was covered by a light veil, it couldn't hide her graceful figure, which dazzled the four men.

The four quickly bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Miss Ruyan!"

Xiao Ruyan nodded slightly but said, "You all know that this Pill Duel Assembly is of utmost importance to my Xiao family. Qiu Zhi, you managed to refine the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill, but it's a defective product, not even reaching a grade. Your skill is decent, but you won't be able to beat the Tong family."

Her tone revealed a hint of melancholy.

In truth, seeking guest elders from outside was a last resort. All the skilled alchemists had long been snapped up by major powers, leaving only the mediocre ones.

The four before her were among the best of those mediocre ones.

Qiu Zhi felt as if struck by lightning, his face full of indignation: "But just now, Steward Tong clearly said that as long as the pill was successfully refined, it would be fine! How can you go back on your word?"

"Pfft!" An incongruous laugh interrupted Qiu Zhi's words. It was Ye Yuan.

Qiu Zhi dared not vent his anger at Xiao Ruyan, but that didn't mean he dared not vent it at Ye Yuan. He immediately roared: "Brat, what are you laughing at?"

Ye Yuan laughed heartily: "Sorry, I couldn't help it. If that counts as a successful refinement, then being an alchemist would be far too easy."

"Hmph! It's easy to talk when you're not in the hot seat. If you're so capable, why don't you refine it? Weren't you just bragging that you could do it? Go ahead and show me!" Qiu Zhi sneered.

Xiao Ruyan was already agitated, and the bickering between the two only made her more annoyed. She said: "Stop arguing! Although his soul power is decent, it's utterly impossible for him to refine the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill. You all go out first; I need some peace!"

Hearing this, Ye Yuan wouldn't stand for it: "Miss Ruyan, how can you judge by appearances like those common, vulgar women?"

At these words, everyone broke out in a cold sweat.

Xiao Ruyan, a common, vulgar woman? This kid had some nerve!

Sure enough, Xiao Ruyan trembled with rage and was about to explode when Ye Yuan curled his lips and said: "It's just the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill, isn't it? Give me a quarter of an hour, and I'll refine it for you to see."

Xiao Ruyan took a deep breath to calm herself, but her tone turned cold: "Such big talk! Refining the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill in a quarter of an hour? Do you think you're a Pill King? Fine, I'll let you try. But if you fail..."

"If I fail, I'll sign an indenture and be your slave for life, how about that?" Ye Yuan said with a smile.

Xiao Ruyan's pretty face flushed, fortunately hidden by the thin veil. But when she saw no lewd intent in Ye Yuan's smile, she realized she had misunderstood.

As one of the Twin Beauties of the royal city, Xiao Ruyan had far too many suitors. Even if she didn't want to, she had developed a keen ability to read people.

"What would I do with you as a slave? If you fail, you'll spend your whole life refining pills for our Xiao family!" Xiao Ruyan said.

Hearing this, the four others all showed looks of schadenfreude.

They all knew well the difficulty of refining the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill. This kid only had the soul power of an intermediate grand alchemist, and they didn't even know if he could actually refine pills. There was no way he could succeed.

He was destined to be a pill slave for life!

Not everyone was Xiao Ruyan!

Xiao Ruyan had reached such heights partly due to her talent, but more importantly because she had the powerful Xiao family backing her.

Judging by this kid's clothes, he was clearly from the countryside. What background could he have?

At best, he had a bit of talent and cultivated a bit faster.

"Refining pills for a lifetime... that would be a happy thing, but... I have other things to do," Ye Yuan said with some emotion.

Once upon a time, Ye Yuan's lifelong pursuit was to refine pills for the rest of his life, but fate had other plans. Now, reborn, he had to pursue the supreme martial path and avenge his wrongs.

Seeing the somewhat desolate look in Ye Yuan's eyes, Xiao Ruyan was quite surprised. This youth was only a little over ten years old; how could he seem to have experienced so many vicissitudes?

But as for Ye Yuan being able to refine the Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill, Xiao Ruyan wouldn't believe it even if she were beaten to death.

The Jade Dragon Calming Heart Pill was indeed a third-grade top-grade pill, but few grand alchemists could refine it.

Even she herself had only a fifty percent success rate. This youth looked a few years younger than her; how could he possibly succeed?

But Xiao Ruyan had only spoken in a moment of anger. This youth had the soul power of an intermediate grand alchemist, showing unlimited potential.

Regardless, the Xiao family had to keep him. Perhaps in the near future, the Xiao family might produce an extremely powerful grand alchemist.

"Enough talk. We're all waiting to see how you refine the pill. Our skills are lacking, so we need to learn well!" Qiu Zhi taunted.