The Pill Refiner Association was quite a distance away, so Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er hailed a carriage and rode over together.
In the script, Yan Zhen had only come to the Pill Refiner Association—and earned the chance to compete in the Grand Dan Fighting Competition—thanks to Huangfu Xiong’s recommendation during his treatment.
Today marked the arrival of the Pill Refiner representatives from the other kingdoms in Garo Royal Capital. Tomorrow, the Grand Dan Fighting Competition would begin, and the association had already finalized its team of representatives.
President Qingmu had granted Yan Zhen a shot out of respect for Huangfu Xiong, pitting him against one of the representatives in a dan fight. Yan Zhen’s victory had secured his qualification.
This time, though, without Huangfu Xiong’s endorsement, he’d have to throw his hat in the ring himself.
Upon arriving at the Pill Refiner Association, Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er went straight to the front counter. He showed his fourth-tier Pill Refiner badge to the receptionist and requested to see President Qingmu.
The badge from Holy Land Academy carried more authority than those from any kingdom’s association. The receptionist didn’t dare dally and hurried off to notify him.
Before long, she returned and escorted Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er into President Qingmu’s office.
No sooner had they entered than President Qingmu chuckled and said, “Young friend Yan Zhen, what brings you to seek out this old man?”
With no time for small talk from his host, Yan Zhen cut straight to the point.
“I’d like to represent Garo Kingdom in tomorrow’s Grand Dan Fighting Competition. I humbly request President Qingmu to give me a chance.”
As expected, President Qingmu politely declined. After all, the slots were already set.
There were five in total: the Garo Crown Prince; Qing Shan, President Qingmu’s foster son; Yun Bai, the closed-door disciple of Cloud Heaven Palace’s Eighth Palace Lord; Shangguan Jinghong, the third young master of the Shangguan Family; and the itinerant Pill Refiner Lu Renjia. All were fourth-tier Pill Refiners under thirty—true Heaven’s Proud Sons.
In his eyes, Yan Zhen might be a fourth-tier Pill Refiner too, but he was too young and lacking in experience. Clearly, he couldn’t measure up to the others.
Sure, Yan Zhen’s ability to refine rare wonder pills like the Revival Spirit Pill was a plus, but the Grand Dan Fighting Competition tested solid fundamentals more than anything.
Judging was typically based on the pills’ quality and appearance, not the difficulty of refining them.
But Yan Zhen had come prepared. He clenched his right hand into a claw, and a blood-red blaze erupted from his palm.
The moment the scarlet flame appeared, the temperature in the room skyrocketed, making everyone feel like they were trapped inside a furnace.
“Please take a look at this before deciding, President Qingmu,” Yan Zhen said.
President Qingmu’s eyes widened as he stared fixedly at the scarlet flame in Yan Zhen’s hand.
As a Pill Refiner, he was intimately familiar with the Extreme Flame List’s 108 Extreme Flames. While the top ten were exceedingly rare, the others all had illustrations.
He recognized it at a glance: the Great Crimson Heaven Flame, ranked thirty-sixth on the Extreme Flame List!
“The Great Crimson Heaven Flame… the Extreme Flame that surfaced in the Great Marsh Desert two years ago. They say the Red Sand Scorpion Lord claimed it, but after it was defeated by the Myriad Snake Queen, the flame ended up in the City of Water. Even Feng Xiao and the others failed to trade for it with her. How—how did it end up in your hands? You’re just a Mystic General—how could you have refined the Great Crimson Heaven Flame?”
So that’s how the rumor went—that the Great Crimson Heaven Flame was in the City of Water. Yan Zhen was a bit surprised, but his expression didn’t change.
“Since President Qingmu recognizes the Great Crimson Heaven Flame, you know what it’s capable of.”
Of course President Qingmu knew.
The Great Crimson Heaven Flame, the Hottest Extreme Flame. Beyond its signature super-high temperature, it possessed evolutionary power.
Pills, artifacts, talismans, formations, even spirit beasts—all could evolve under its tempering, upgrading their quality and appearance.
When it acted on a person, it corresponded to advancements in the Body Realm.
It was one of the two Extreme Flames every Pill Refiner dreamed of.
The Starlight Glazed Fire boasted unparalleled healing and the vast, ethereal power of the stars. It was not only the most beautiful Extreme Flame but also the strongest for Technique Refining.
The other was the Great Crimson Heaven Flame. A Pill Refiner who possessed it could far more easily produce Supreme Grade pills.
As long as one could refine a high-grade pill, the Great Crimson Heaven Flame offered a strong chance of elevating it to Supreme Grade.
Refining Supreme Grade pills was the romance of every Pill Refiner!
“This old man has clearly underestimated you, young friend Yan Zhen. Not only is your talent exceptional, but your luck is top-notch as well.”
A Mystic General who had obtained and successfully refined the Great Crimson Heaven Flame—what was that if not incredible luck?
Luck so good it was enviable!
“This old man can grant your request. However, with a last-minute change, the other representatives might feel uneasy. You’ll need to compete against one of them. Otherwise, even I couldn’t convince the crowd.”
“Junior understands. Please arrange it, President Qingmu. I’m ready to start anytime.”
President Qingmu first sent someone to fetch the itinerant Lu Renjia, then led Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er to the Pill Refining Plaza behind the association.
Soon, Lu Renjia—the itinerant Pill Refiner waiting there for tomorrow’s competition—was summoned. Among the five, he was the weakest; he’d barely passed the test with a low-grade fourth-tier pill, while the others had achieved medium or high grades.
If anyone was to be replaced, it would be him.
For an itinerant to reach this level was no small feat, but itinerants knew few pill formulas and even fewer techniques or mudras.
President Qingmu had planned to take him as a disciple after the competition. Now, he was the perfect test for Yan Zhen.
Word of the impending showdown between two genius Pill Refiners spread like wildfire. Idle refiners from the association flocked to watch, and soon the plaza was packed.
The other four representatives were there too: the Garo Crown Prince, the president’s foster son, the palace lord’s disciple, and the Shangguan scion.
In addition to them stood members of the Huangfu Family—none other than Huangfu Family Head and his attendants.
Huangfu Xiong’s illness required not just medicine but special techniques to draw out its full effect, so they’d come to ask President Qingmu for help.
Seeing Yan Zhen in the arena, Huangfu Family Head’s gaze was complicated. For now, he’d watch and see.
President Qingmu gave a brief explanation. Lu Renjia protested the unfairness and laid out his terms: if he lost, he’d yield his slot; if Yan Zhen lost, he’d owe him a fourth-tier spirit herb.
Yan Zhen had no objection.
Once terms were agreed, President Qingmu announced the challenge: refining a fourth-tier Bee King Pill.
An hour later—
Lu Renjia outperformed himself, producing a medium-grade Bee King Pill.
Yan Zhen, meanwhile, refined a high-grade Bee King Pill perilously close to Supreme Grade—and he hadn’t even used his Extreme Flame during the process.
The victor was obvious.
The outcome spoke for itself.
Yan Zhen smoothly claimed Lu Renjia’s slot.
“It seems this old man has still underestimated you, young friend Yan Zhen.” Appreciation gleamed in President Qingmu’s eyes. “Might I ask the name of your master?”
Yan Zhen naturally declined to answer.
“Very well. Since you’ve won, young friend Yan Zhen, we’ll count on you for tomorrow’s Grand Dan Fighting Competition.”
“Thank you, President.”
Having secured his slot, Yan Zhen didn’t linger at the Pill Refiner Association. He took Yi Xian’er’s hand and left.
What he hadn’t expected was to run into his “father-in-law” at the door.
