Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Great Elixir Reveals Its Power Once Again

At first, only a handful of people around Han Feng glanced his way, but soon, as if the impulse was contagious, one after another turned to look at him, until finally, every pair of eyes in the crowd was fixed on Han Feng. A deep confusion stirred within them: What was wrong with this man? What was he trying to do?

Che Wuyou, standing on the stage, also looked at Han Feng with bewilderment in his eyes. What was going on with him? Why was he telling him to get off the stage? Had he inadvertently offended Han Feng somehow?

Han Feng glared at Che Wuyou, his eyes bloodshot. The boy still wore that innocent, guileless expression—did he not realize what a laughingstock he’d made of himself? He had turned a high-grade Yellow-level pill into a low-grade one, and yet still feigned innocence. Watching Che Wuyou’s honest and earnest demeanor only stoked Han Feng’s fury further, and he roared, “Get off the stage right now!”

Che Wuyou couldn’t help but furrow his brow. Han Feng was being outrageous. In such a solemn and dignified setting as the Alchemy Competition, he dared to shout at him to get off the stage. Did he not realize Che Wuyou was awaiting the verdict on his pill? Or did he still think Che Wuyou was the same as before—someone at Han Feng’s beck and call, someone to be scolded and insulted at will?

“Fine, if you won’t come down, I’ll come up.” Seeing Che Wuyou remain silent, Han Feng’s anger boiled over. When had Che Wuyou, always so meek, grown so bold as to ignore even him? Did he really think that with the junior sister protecting him, Han Feng would be helpless to do anything?

Watching Han Feng’s face, where murderous intent was beginning to show, Liu Lanzhi, though unsure why Che Wuyou had closed his eyes while refining pills or why he had turned a high-grade pill into a low-grade one, knew one thing for certain: Han Feng was about to lay hands on Che Wuyou. No matter who it was, if anyone wanted to harm Wuyou, they would have to get past Liu Lanzhi first. Without a second thought, seeing Han Feng move, she charged onto the arena after him.

The crowd stared in shock at this scene. What were they planning? They had actually rushed up onto the arena, which was heavily guarded by Xuanzong Sect. Seeing Han Feng’s face, murderous intent written clear as day, some in the crowd began to wonder if he meant to cause a commotion on stage.

Zhang Wanli, the usually mild-mannered Master Zhang, also wore an uncharacteristically grim expression. The people of the Miao family were going too far—Han Feng actually dared to storm the arena. What nerve! The arena was the heart of the Alchemy Competition, not only home to Ji Prefecture’s most gifted alchemists, but also priceless treasures like the Great Huai Pill. Master Zhang had no intention of letting anything happen “on his own turf.”

As a cultivator at the Core Formation stage and a towering figure in Ji Prefecture, Master Zhang cared little for who you were—if you dared disrespect him, he would not hesitate to erase you completely.

With a cold face, Master Zhang instructed Zhang Yuan by his side, “Yuan’er, escort them off the stage. If anyone dares make a move, eliminate them immediately.”

“What about Liu Lanzhi? She’s rushed onto the arena too,” Zhang Yuan probed, seeing his father’s rare show of true anger. After all, Liu Lanzhi was one of the competition’s focal participants. Was she to be eliminated as well?

“You child, why don't you use your brain for once? Liu Lanzhi is an excellent seedling. Her alchemy skills already far surpass her master’s, and her future achievements will be limitless. Such a genius—how could you even think of eliminating her? You truly exasperate me! With your lack of vision, how can I possibly feel at ease handing the Xuanzong Sect to you?” Master Zhang was about to lecture further, but saw Zhang Yuan had already dashed up to the arena like a gust of wind, and could only shake his head.

The Pill Appraiser had barely finished his statement when the excited crowd cut him off mid-sentence. Once the commotion died down and he was about to compose himself to finish his remarks, he noticed a young man, looking rather unhinged, charging onto the arena, his expression dark.

The appraiser’s hard-won calm was once again shattered. What was wrong with young people nowadays—so rude, so reckless! Had their masters not taught them that respect for one’s elders and teachers was the most fundamental virtue in the alchemical arts? At such a grand, solemn event, how could they brazenly crash the stage? This was intolerable.

“You…you people…” The appraiser’s complexion was frightful, his lips trembling as he managed, after a moment, to say, “You have gone too far—far too far!”

Han Feng was stunned as the Pill Appraiser, in a display of righteous indignation, blocked his way. He studied the old master’s weathered face, the deep wrinkles unable to hide his fury, and Han Feng’s fevered mind began to clear. At that moment, he also sensed a powerful aura behind him, locking onto him with a chilling intent to kill.

Cold sweat broke out on Han Feng’s back—he knew that if he dared make a wrong move, the person behind him would not hesitate to erase him from existence.

He felt a pang of dread—he’d been too impulsive, committing a grave mistake. His mind racing, he quickly recalled why he had charged onto the stage. Bowing respectfully to the Pill Appraiser, he hurried to explain, “This boy has actually turned a high-grade Yellow-level pill into a low-grade one. It’s a disgrace to our Miao family, a disgrace to the entire world of alchemy. I…”

But before Han Feng could finish, the Pill Appraiser shot him a peculiar look, his lips trembling as he replied, “Who told you he turned a high-grade Yellow-level pill into a low-grade one? Who said he was a disgrace to the alchemy world?” The appraiser’s tone grew graver still.

“Uh…wasn’t it you, sir?” Han Feng responded cautiously, seeing the appraiser’s increasingly severe expression.

“Me? When did I ever say that?” The Pill Appraiser practically roared, his anger resounding despite his advanced years—enough to make some worry about his health.

Han Feng was bewildered. Had he heard wrong? Wasn’t it the appraiser who’d said that? He glanced around at the crowd, perplexed by the turn of events.

The Pill Appraiser, seeing the crowd’s odd looks, glanced at his two colleagues and muttered uncertainly, “Did I really say that? But how could a high-grade Yellow-level pill be refined into a low-grade one? That would be harder than making a peerless top-grade pill…”

Everyone was speechless at the old man’s words, but a moment’s thought made sense of it. All present were versed in the alchemical arts, and they understood well: turning a high-grade pill into a low-grade one was no easy feat.

“My apologies, everyone. I may have led to some misunderstandings today due to the many surprises, but this young friend has indeed refined a Great Huai Pill.” The Pill Appraiser paused, his voice rising with pride.

He waited expectantly for cries of astonishment—for the uproar that should greet such news. After all, four Great Huai Pills appearing in Ji Prefecture in a single day was unheard of, an event not recorded in all its history, except perhaps in ancient times when such marvels might have occurred. In today’s Ji Prefecture, it was unthinkable.

Yet, to his disappointment, the crowd remained silent, as if in tacit agreement, merely listening quietly. The reason was simple—they feared he might misspeak again, and their excitement would be wasted.

The Pill Appraiser felt a bit embarrassed; the lack of reaction was not what he’d expected. But it didn’t matter, for the most thrilling moment was yet to come. Suddenly, with great passion, he all but shouted, “Great Huai Pill, high-grade Yellow-level, grade A—prime quality!”

Before the crowd could even react, the appraiser hastily added, “Well, actually, I can’t be completely certain, as in all my years I’ve never seen a prime-grade high-level pill before. My apologies—deepest apologies.” He spoke with utmost professionalism, determined to stand by his every word.

Ever since receiving Che Wuyou’s pill, he’d been pondering its true grade. The three pill appraisers combined had over five centuries of experience, yet none could definitively determine its classification. Even as he was about to make the announcement, an internal battle raged in his mind: was it grade B, grade A, or grade A—prime? Appraising such a rare pill was a struggle for him, let alone one of such extraordinary quality. Deep in thought, he’d even mistakenly announced it as a low-grade pill.

What? He’s unsure, yet he still announced it as grade A—prime? How could a prime-grade high-level pill appear so easily? The crowd was stunned to silence. These old masters—were they reliable at all? First they’d declared Geerlan’s Gui Xu Pill grade A, then grade A—prime. Then Che Wuyou’s Great Huai Pill was called a low-grade pill, only to be upgraded to grade A—prime, and finally, they admitted uncertainty.

If not for the appraisers’ sterling reputations, some might have charged the stage to argue with them. Was this any way to judge pills? Utterly unprofessional. Then again, it was understandable. In backward Ji Prefecture, few had ever seen a prime-grade pill—how could anyone be expected to make an accurate appraisal?

Many in the crowd doubted that Che Wuyou could possibly refine a pill of such transcendent quality, especially given the appraiser’s uncertain tone. Their skepticism only deepened. Yet among all those people, there was one who did not doubt—not in the slightest. He believed with unwavering faith that the appraiser was correct, and that the Great Huai Pill truly was a grade A—prime.