Chapter 316: Competition of Alchemy Skills

Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Competition of Alchemy Skills

Although Mo River was the Pill King, his Cultivation was only average. After a savage beating from Yi Xiaoyao, he was completely unable to fight back.

Lying in the massive crater, he heard the discussions of the crowd and Yi Xiaoyao’s words, and a shudder ran through him.

Mo River finally understood why he had been beaten.

But he couldn’t admit it. He had already heard the news of the Second Prince’s death.

"I’ve performed Alchemy for countless people in my life. Am I supposed to remember every single one of their names?!"

Mo River climbed out of the crater, his eyes fixed on Yi Xiaoyao with utter malice. The feeling of countless gazes on his pathetic state ignited a towering rage within him.

He was, after all, the great Pill King, the number one Alchemist. A moment ago, he had been high and mighty, and now he had been brought so low.

Yi Xiaoyao sneered. "It seems you haven’t had enough. If you don’t tell me what that Elixir was and how to counteract it, I’ll keep beating you until you do!"

Mo River’s face was a mask of anger and fear, but he knew he couldn’t avoid this.

"If I tell you, will you spare my life?" Mo River asked, wary.

"What do you think?"

The chill on Yi Xiaoyao’s face didn’t thaw in the slightest. ’This man concocted such a malevolent Elixir and endangered Yun Mengling. How could I possibly let him go?’

Mo River understood Yi Xiaoyao’s intentions. Regaining some of his composure, he snorted coldly, "If I’m dead either way, then of course I won’t say a thing."

"Are you trying to use this to blackmail me into letting you live?" Yi Xiaoyao scoffed. "You think I won’t kill you if you stay silent?"

Mo River’s jaw tightened. He said in a low voice, "No one but me knows how to counteract that Elixir, and no one else can refine the antidote. If I die, your girlfriend will be well and truly beyond saving."

Hearing this, Yi Xiaoyao’s brow furrowed slightly. The man had a point.

If he didn’t know exactly what Elixir Yun Mengling had taken, then even if Dan Jiu were here, he wouldn’t be able to find the right cure. The problem would be impossible to solve.

’But this man has crossed a line that can’t be uncrossed. How can I not kill him!’

Seeing that his words had affected Yi Xiaoyao, Mo River pressed on. "You don’t need to doubt my words. In the art of Alchemy, I have reached the pinnacle. Don’t forget, I am the Pill King! The Elixirs I create, no one else can replicate!"

"Reached the pinnacle? The Pill King?"

Yi Xiaoyao scoffed. "You dare call yourself the Pill King in my presence? How laughably ignorant!"

In the next moment, a glint appeared in Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes. He had an idea.

"In that case, I’ll make you a wager."

"We will compete in the Alchemy Skill. If I lose, I’ll spare your life. But if I win, you will give me the method to counteract that Elixir!"

"What do you say? Do you dare accept?"

At these words, it wasn’t just Mo River; everyone in the surrounding crowd burst into stunned, mocking laughter.

"He actually wants to challenge the Pill King in the Alchemy Skill?"

"The arrogance is boundless! In this world, the Pill King’s Alchemy Skill is second to none!"

"This Yi Xiaoyao may be terrifyingly strong, but challenging the Pill King in the Alchemy Skill? He’s just asking for humiliation!"

"I suppose he’s only doing it to save Yun Mengling. He must be desperate."

The crowd buzzed with discussion. When it came to a contest of Alchemy, not a single person believed Yi Xiaoyao could defeat Pill King Mo River.

As for Mo River, this was the only chance at survival Yi Xiaoyao had offered him. How could he not seize it?

Besides, Mo River was supremely confident in his Alchemy Skill. Challenged by a mere youth, he never even considered the possibility of losing. All he could think about now was how to use this opportunity to avenge the humiliation he had just suffered.

"Fine! We will swear an oath before all the world. Should either of us break this vow, may we be scorned by all!"

Mo River agreed instantly. He slapped his Storage Pouch, and a purplish-red Copper Cauldron flew out before him—his personal Pill Furnace.

Before this Pill Furnace, all traces of his pathetic state vanished. It was as if he were a king once more. Such was his confidence in his Alchemy Skill.

High in the sky, the Alliance Leaders all wore strange expressions. They knew Yi Xiaoyao was powerful, but strength had little to do with the Alchemy Skill.

The Pill King, on the other hand, was renowned throughout the entire Chaotic Alliance Domain. On what grounds could Yi Xiaoyao possibly compete?

Of everyone present, only Yun Mengling had complete faith in Yi Xiaoyao, and she offered him a trusting smile.

Yi Xiaoyao thought for a moment, then said to Mo River, "I’ve never refined a fifth-rank Elixir before. How about we compete by refining a fourth-rank one?"

The crowd immediately roared with laughter.

"He’s lost half his momentum right at the start. How can he possibly compete with the Pill King now?"

"He was never a match for the Pill King to begin with!"

Mo River also sneered and nodded. "Very well. I won’t bully you. Fourth-rank it is. I will ensure your defeat is so absolute that you accept it completely."

As his voice fell, Mo River waved his hand, and a pile of identical Spirit Medicines appeared on the ground—more than enough to refine a thousand Elixirs.

"As it happens, these are the materials I was planning to use to refine a large batch of Nascent Soul Pills for the Imperial Army Mansion. I’ll take just one portion. The rest is for you."

Mo River stepped forward, took one portion of the materials, and sneered at Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes flickered. The Nascent Soul Pill helped Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators break through to the Nascent Soul Transformation Realm. It was the most difficult fourth-rank Elixir to refine. By choosing this Elixir, Mo River was clearly trying to make things as difficult as possible for Yi Xiaoyao.

By leaving so many materials for Yi Xiaoyao while taking only a single portion for himself, Mo River was implying that Yi Xiaoyao would fail repeatedly and require many attempts, whereas he himself could succeed on the very first try.

Yi Xiaoyao, however, was completely unbothered.

The only issue was that he had always performed Alchemy at Dan Jiu’s residence and didn’t have an Alchemy Furnace on him.

Then, Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze fell upon the enormous Copper Cauldron in the very center of Prince Dan’s Mansion. Although it had been crafted for decoration, it was also a rather impressive Spiritual Artifact Pill Furnace.

With a beckoning wave of his hand, the giant Copper Cauldron tore free from the ground and flew to hover before Yi Xiaoyao.

Seeing this, the crowd couldn’t help but erupt into laughter again.

"This guy doesn’t even have a Pill Furnace, and he wants to compete with the Pill King in Alchemy?"

"He’s actually going to use that decorative cauldron for Alchemy?"

"Is he trying to be a comedian?"

"Look! What is Yi Xiaoyao doing?"

Immediately after, the crowd erupted in an even greater uproar.

They watched as Yi Xiaoyao dumped all of the Spirit Medicine materials—enough to refine over a thousand elixirs—into the massive, decorative Copper Cauldron!

Mo River watched this scene with cold eyes, sneering endlessly. In his view, Yi Xiaoyao’s actions were nothing more than a public spectacle of his own incompetence.

And now, he would refine an ultimate, supreme-grade Elixir, creating a stark contrast that would be worlds apart from whatever Yi Xiaoyao produced.

Only then would Yi Xiaoyao’s foolishness be put on full display, paying him back for the humiliation Mo River had suffered and sating the hatred in his heart.

...