The howling of wind was punctuated by the roaring of thunder. Above the Alchemist Tower, a yellow blaze radiated its brilliance in the dark night, as if a star had fallen upon the Medicine City.

Strange sights played out in Chen Fan’s palm one after another.

There was a dancing yellow dragon and a Golden Phoenix that transformed into a prancing Qilin that tried and failed to escape Chen Fan’s loose grasp.

Qilins were masters of the Earth Element. Therefore, the illusions created by the Fruit of Kunyuan and the Earth Qi produced a Qilin. The appearance of the marvelous creature signified the completion of the Heavenly Pill.

“He created a Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence?”

A silence fell over the city before a blaring wave of shouts erupted. The audience had their eyes peeled open in disbelief as they gazed at the yellow Qilin.

“Impossible! He’s just a Golden Core Cultivator. How could he create the Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence? Even the Elixir Lord is still on the third transformation, yet he has already finished?”

Elder Chenyan shook his head incredulously.

Many disciples of the guild, including Jiang Han and Situ Cheng, could not give credit to what they had witnessed. Heavenly Pills were the highest level elixirs. Even the worse Heavenly Pill was more potent than the best Treasure Pills.

Although the Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence was far from being the most potent Heavenly Pill, it was a Heavenly Pill nonetheless.

Everyone had at least heard of the difficulties involved in making Heavenly Pills. Not only it required the most sophisticated tools, but also needed to undergo nine transformations and multiple Elixir Tribulations. Not to mention the special art that was required to conclude the creation.

However, Chen Fan had created a Heavenly Pill in less than half a day. Worse, he had completed the task even after his cauldron exploded.

“That must not be a real Heavenly Pill. It’s half done, a Quasi-Heavenly Pill at best,” Elder Situ said with certainty.

Before he could finish speaking, a sound that was a mix of a dragon’s droning and a phoenix’s singing was heard.

“Yinnn!”

The walnut sized Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence broke free of Chen Fan’s grasp and turned into a huge Qilin. The divine beast flew into the air and circled the city with incredible speed.

The Qilin looked so vivid that one could make out each and every scale on its body. What really brought it to life was its focused eyes which were filled with wisdom. Wave after wave of energy rippled out from its yellow scales, filling the air with immense pressure. Its presence felt as heavy as that of a Perfected Cultivator.

The Qilin’s level of attainment was as high as Wang Xuanfeng or Hu Xiao’s.

“The elixir has gained sentience?” someone stammered out in shock.

“A sentient elixir with nine connected orifices. This really is a Heavenly Pill!” Xu Yuan looked up at the Qilin incredulously. His face was awash with deference and admiration.

The Heavenly Pill could live forever and could do everything a mortal could, such as cultivation, casting spells and fighting. It was as powerful as a superior-grade Golden Core Cultivator. Without seeing the creature with their own eyes, everyone thought it only lived in high tales.

“Clap!”

An old alchemist dropped to his knees and kowtowed to Chen Fan as if he were a god. “I, Liu An have practiced the art of alchemy for five hundred years, and today is the first time I have seen Heavenly Alchemy in real life.”

Tears poured out from his eyes and streaked across his cheeks.

Many more senior alchemists followed his lead and kneeled before Chen Fan with teary eyes.

They had toiled in the field of Alchemy for their entire lives, but were rejected by Heavenly Alchemy due to their talents or other factors outside of their control. Seeing Chen Fan’s incredible display of power reinvigorated their desire for knowledge and gave their lives a new purpose.

“Stop it, you fools! How do you know that is the real Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence? What if it’s fake? Elixir Lord has not admitted defeat yet, why are you so eager to switch sides? Why? You don’t have faith in the Alchemy Guild? You, Liu An, you’re a guild elder, grow some backbone!” Elder Situ shouted with rancor and rushed to Liu An, hoping to pull him up.

However, more and more Alchemists dropped to their knees, many of them were leaders of the guild. Their desire for truth and knowledge had surpassed their loyalty to the guild.

Even as Elder Situ was struck by a pang of distress, he heard a long sigh.

“Hah.”

Everyone watched as Elixir Lord waved in resignation with his sleeve and put out the True Fire of Earth Lung. The Treasure Cauldron of a Hundred Medicines also shrunk in size as the yellow light diminished.

Elixir Lord had given up!

The residents of the State of Ancient Medicine and the members of the guild felt their hearts had dropped to the bottom. They knew what it meant.

Under many watchful eyes, Elixir Lord bowed deeply to Chen Fan. “Alchemist Chen’s skill is truly marvelous. I, Zhang Lin, give up on this competition.

“The Alchemy Guild has lost.”

Elder Situ’s face became lifeless after he heard the announcement.

Many disciples of the Alchemy Guild burst into tears.

Situ Cheng stumbled and nearly fell. He looked up and locked his gaze on the middle-aged man bowing to Chen Fan.

“Defeated? Was my Master really defeated?” Situ Cheng murmured.

He felt he had lost an anchor in his life. Without him, his dream and pride were going to scatter in the wind like some kind of joke.

Wu Qinyan gaped in shock. He couldn’t believe that Chen Fan had won.

“Bravo! What a dramatic turn of events! It was worth the trip!” Wu Wendin exclaimed and let out a peal of thunderous laughter. His voice carried powerful energy that shook the Golden Core Cultivators to the bone.

Meanwhile, Wang Xuanlong narrowed his eyes and examined Chen Fan attentively.

“Grandpa, he had won!”

Qiao Qiao jumped, letting the momentum toss her pony tail up into the air. Her vibrant red shirt complemented her blooming rosy cheeks.

“Yeah, he did it!”

Ge Yan looked up with a mix of complicated emotions in his heart.

Elixir Lord had been Ge Yan’s idol ever since he was a child.

Never had he thought that he would see his hero fall.

Meanwhile, the residence of the State of Ancient Medicine grew silent as they struggled with their strong and contradicting feelings.

“Guild Master, what should we do?”

Elder Chenyan turned around and looked at Xu Yuan. He was joined by tens of thousands of disciples.

Xu Yuan stood like a frozen statue with a heavy face. This Alchemy Battle was crucial to the guild. After winning four consecutive rounds, Chen Fan had cornered the guild even before his competition with Elixir Lord.

The Elixir Lord’s defeat meant that the guild’s reputation had been annihilated.

The mighty Alchemy Guild who boasted of having hundreds of Grand Alchemists was defeated by one man. It took away any legitimacy of the guild’s power in the State of Ancient Medicine.

The guild members waited for a long while, which felt like a century. Finally, they heard Xu Yuan’s response.

“Elixir Lord, are you sure that Alchemist Chen has really crafted a Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence? He is only at the early-stage of the Golden Core, he can’t be a Heavenly Alchemist, nor could his pill be a Heavenly Pill. I don’t think you lost…”

Elixir Lord waved his sleeves and said, “Xu Yuan, Alchemist Chen might not be a Heavenly Alchemist, but he is an Elixir Monarch! A one in a ten thousand years genius.”

“Elixir Monarch?”

Everyone was perplexed by the term.

Everyone knew about Heavenly Alchemists, and that only a peak level Golden Core Cultivator could be a Heavenly Alchemist. That was why most of the Heavenly Alchemists were Heavenly Lords; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to use Heavenly Cauldrons and Heavenly Fire.

Even Elixir Lord had to concentrate all of his effort in order to use the Quasi-Heavenly Cauldron and the True Fire of Earth Lung at the same time. Meanwhile, it was apparent to everyone that Chen Fan had only reached the early-stage of the Golden Core, a far cry from a Heavenly Alchemist.

But what is an Elixir Monarch?

“What? He’s an Elixir Monarch?” Wu Wendin shouted in shock.

Hearing his exclamation, people looked to him for an answer. Wu Wendin explained, “Elixir Monarch is a title for someone who possesses one in a ten thousand years raw talent! Their abilities cannot be measured using conventional means. Although limited by his lower level of attainment, his Alchemy Art is as every bit proficient as that of a Heavenly Alchemist. He is the only person who could craft a Heavenly Pill before becoming a Heavenly Alchemist.

“However, Elixir Monarchs are extremely rare. The last Elixir Monarch was an elder from an ancient Heavenly Sect who passed away forty thousand years ago.”

Many people let out gasps of cold air after hearing Wu Wendin’s explanation.

Suddenly, the gazes aimed at Chen Fan grew more respectful.

Chen Fan had to be more talented than a Heavenly Alchemist to be able to craft Heavenly Pills while being at lower level. Such talent and ability demanded full respect from everyone.

Countless cultivators and alchemists bowed to Chen Fan and shouted: “Elixir Monarch Chen!”

Wu Wendin and the Ancestral Patriarch of the Nin Family flew over to Chen Fan and greeted him. An Elixir Monarch was as respectable as a Heavenly Alchemist, a normal Grand Alchemist simply couldn’t compare.

After a while, Elixir Lord also walked over to greet Chen Fan with admiration and deference.

The sight terrified the guild’s disciples. The Elixir Lord was two thousand years old; still, he treated Chen Fan as if he were his master.

“He is the Elixir Monarch!”

Qiao Qiao cavorted in joy and did a couple of laps around Ge Yan.

The guild disciples looked to the girl in jealousy. As Chen Fan’s status grew, so would hers.

“If I had only known Alchemist Chen was a mighty Elixir Monarch, I would beg him to craft the Nine Transformation Spirit Pill for me,” Violet Moon Fairy said with regret.

Hu Xiao plastered a smile on his face, but he clenched his fist tightly, trying to rein in the flaring anger inside him.

Wu Baisu pulled a taut face and spoke to the girl next to her, “Sister, the Ancestral Patriarch recently asked us to do whatever we could to win Chen Beixuan over. He might even offer marrying you off as a reward.”

“Seventh sister, what are you talking about?”

Wu Qinyan blushed as she stomped the ground in embarrassment.

Wu Baisu giggled and said, “Humph, as if you wouldn’t want that. He is the Elixir Monarch, plus, he’s not hard on eyes either.” Then her voice grew more serious, “Seriously though… The Alchemy Guild was defeated and they will likely be under Chen Beixuan’s thumb now. If you have Chen Beixuan on your side, you have the entire Alchemy Guild. Do you see it now?”

“Yes, seventh sister.”

Wu Qinyan paused a second and then nodded.

Similar conversations were carried out in many family clans and sects.

The appearance of an Elixir Monarch was a shocking revelation. Although he was not as powerful as a Heavenly Alchemist, he could craft Heavenly Pills all the same.

“Elixir Monarch, please follow me to the Alchemist Tower. The Alchemy Guild will pay its dues in full. However, I wish you would be so kind as to teach me a thing or two,” Elixir Lord said, begging.

The two thousand year old alchemist acted like a servile disciple in front of Chen Fan.

The other elders and the guild masters followed his lead and squeezed smiles on their faces. As for Situ Cheng, he didn’t even get the chance to stand close to Chen Fan.

Many disciples of the Alchemy Guild could only look at Chen Fan from a distance.

“Don’t worry. I promised to leave the guild unharmed. All I need is a few Spirit Medicines in your vault,” Chen Fan said.

“You can have the entire vault if you like. What is ours is yours,” Elixir Lord said.

His response was echoed by the other leaders of the guild.

The crowd then led Chen Fan into the Alchemy Tower.

Many elders watched in jealousy as Chen Fan pocketed the Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence before they followed Chen Fan into the tower, begging him to teach them one thing or two from time to time. Countless people in the audience watched the development unfold, knowing that another mighty figure had risen in the Beihuang Region.

“The world is going to change,” someone exclaimed.

Tianhuang Calendar, July 5th 129653

Chen Fan defeated the Elixir Lord at the top of the Alchemist Tower and became the most powerful Alchemist in the Beihuang Region.

The news shook the entire Beihuang Region.