The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron

Third-grade Fairy Expansion Pills were already out of stock in the Yuan family’s and the Elixir Production Alliance’s stores. In fact, not a single pill had been available for over half a month!

According to some well-informed people, this was a direct result of the difficulty and high cost related to the pills’ production. As the pills’ production wasn’t as profitable as other pills’, the quantity produced was quite low. Hence, the scarcity at present.

After all, the minute that some pills were produced and made available, the most influential people would have already placed an order for them in advance. These privileged people would then give the precious pills to their relatives or their subordinates to help them reach the Fairy Realm. This made it nearly impossible for regular people to obtain them.

Such news of this pill shortage caused a great sensation among all of the Three Crystals Half Fairies. In fact, they were so upset, that a large group of Three Crystals Half Fairies rushed to the small elixir store, surrounded it, and prevented anyone from entering it.

“Shopkeeper, take out the Third-grade Fairy Expansion Pill! I know you have it, and I want it!” An energetic youngster barged into the store, then slapped his fist down on the counter in complete disregard for the consequences of his actions.

He wore a sharp look and had the strong aura of a Three Crystals Half Fairy Realm’s cultivation. However, the plump shopkeeper, who was sitting behind the counter, just crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at the youngster. He didn’t seem to fear this ferocious Three Crystals Half Fairy in front of him at all, even though the shopkeeper himself was only a mere One Crystal Half Fairy.

As he cast a sideways glance at the youngster, the shopkeeper asked, “Are you talking to me?”

The Three Crystals Half Fairy youngster had a fiery temper, so he was infuriated by the shopkeeper’s cool demeanor. “You insolent fool! How dare you talk to me like this? Don’t you know that I can slap you to death?”

The plump shopkeeper remained calm and unruffled as he chuckled, then said, “Kiddo, if you don’t want to die shortly, then go and get in line outside, wait patiently and obediently, then I will notify you when it’s your turn.”

The Three Crystals Half Fairy youngster was so infuriated that he laughed before he said, “A trifling small shopkeeper like you dares to order me around? Ha. I don’t believe that you can harm me.”

However, before he finished his words, the youngster felt several waves of killing intent surge toward him from behind.

“Youngster, just wait outside! But, if you refuse, which can only mean that you really want to die, then I will help you now,” the shopkeeper said.

Upon hearing these words, the youngster turned his around and looked at the man and woman, who were sitting calmly in the room, their eyes closed. They were obviously resting. The pair’s cultivation was not weak, and he could clearly tell that they were both Three Crystals Half Fairies.

“Who are you? I’m from the Three Flames Gang.” The youngster didn’t fear them, so he raised his head up high as he spoke to them.

The woman opened her eyes and replied calmly, “Well? The Three Flames Gang? Isn’t that amazing? Our West City’s seven Poisonous Widow sisters will be happy to pay a visit to it.”

The youngster’s body stiffened, his pupils contracted, and horror appeared on his face upon hearing this. With trembling lips, he repeated, “Poison… Poisonous Widow sisters…”

His whole body shivered, and fright was apparent in his voice. After all, the Poisonous Widows’ fame was notorious. They were comprised of only seven sisters, but each of them was cruel and sinister.

Moreover, besides the youngest seventh sister, the other sisters were all Fairies. They occupied a region of the West City, and no one dared to offend them.

As the youngster wondered if this woman was unexpectedly a Poisonous Widow, his heart thumped intensely. At that moment, he really wished to anoint the soles of his feet and slip away quickly.

“Then, what about you?” The youngster turned to address the man in front of the woman. The man seemed quite cultured and scholarly, not like someone who was related to the underworld.

The scholarly man looked at him calmly and replied, “Me? I’m no one important. I’m just the Axe Gang’s boss.”

Hiss!

The Axe Gang’s boss? The youngster almost fainted from fear when he heard this. After all, the Axe Gang had a large number of members, all of whom were vicious and ruthless people. They had fled here and were known for killing people mercilessly.

As it was such a powerful force to be reckoned with, even the Poisonous Widows were obliged to yield to them. When faced with such terror, the youngster wished that he had never set foot here, and he hated himself for being so blind and causing trouble here.

“Kid, why don’t you just get lost?” the scholarly man asked calmly.

Hearing this, the youngster was scared witless, and his face became pale as he quickly slipped away. There wasn’t even an ounce of his previous arrogance left in his current demeanor.

The scholarly man observed the Half Fairies in the surroundings, none of whom dared to take even a step forward. He then said calmly, “I won’t prevent you from buying elixirs, but if you dare to cause trouble before I get my hand on the elixirs, don’t blame my Axe Gang for dealing with you harshly!”

His unspoken implication was that anyone who affected his purchase of his desired elixirs would die! After hearing such a terrifying threat, the group of Three Crystals Half Fairies, which was moving back and forth before the door, didn’t dare to defy him.

In fact, the Threes Crystals Half Fairies even rejoiced over his presence, as with him here, the shopkeeper’s life would be protected, which meant that they would get the chance to buy elixirs. Otherwise, if someone who harbored evil designs captured the shopkeeper and fled, they might never get the chance to get the elixirs!

“The Three Flames Gang is just a group of fools,” an onlooker yelled.

The rest of the crowd also jeered while they waited outside. The commotion that had been caused by the news of the pills only grew more and more chaotic, and in the end, it reached the ears of even the Yuan family and the Elixir Production Alliance.

The Yuan family called all of its members to a meeting that was specifically planned to discuss this matter. It was of such vital importance, all of the family’s primary alchemists were also ordered to attend this meeting.

“I believe that everyone has already heard of what is going on. A batch of Third-grade Fairy Expansion Pills appeared on the market, and I wanted to know whether someone from our Yuan family is engaging in some private business on the outside.” The Yuan Family’s Master sharp gaze swept over the ten primary alchemists in attendance.

His tone was warm and mild, as he didn’t dare to offend them. After hearing his words, the ten primary alchemists shook their heads, each of them denying any involvement in such a scheme.

“Yuan Family’s Master, you can set your mind at ease, as we really don’t care about doing something so underhanded simply to obtains such insignificant profits,” an alchemist declared. The other alchemists also nodding, wordlessly declaring their own innocences.

The Yuan Family’s Master then said, “Okay. I trust all of you. So, it seems like the only explanation is that this slip-up occurred within the Elixir Production Alliance. After all, it’s only our two factions that have access to Fairy Expansion PIlls.”

However, after hearing this, a primary alchemist shook his head. He then said, “Family Master, something is strange about this matter, as the Elixir Production Alliance’s exercise of control and restraint over its alchemists is far greater than our Yuan family’s. Thus, the possibility of some of their alchemists making the pills in secret and selling them is quite slim.”

The primary alchemist then added, “Moreover, from the news that is currently spreading out, the other party made eleven Third-grade Fairy Expansion Pills in just six days. As such, he would have probably spent all of his time in making those pills, so how would it be possible for him to hide it from the Elixir Production Alliance?”

His logical words caused the people here to become lost in their thoughts as they mulled everything over. They all were wondering… Since he isn’t from the Yuan family or the Elixir Production Alliance… Who is he… And… Where did he come from?

“Could it be that he’s a new primary alchemist?” Yuan Wanbi was quite bright and witty, so when she guessed this possibility, all of the people naturally considered it.

She then added, “After all, the Fairy Expansion Pill’s secret recipe is only known by our two factions. However, everything in the universe has an exception to it, and as we first obtained the Fairy Expansion Pill’s recipe from the outside, it isn’t that unlikely for someone else to have also been able to obtain it.”

A new primary alchemist? Everyone was shocked as they considered the possibility.

After all, the training of an alchemist was a long and arduous process. In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for it to take ten years for one to appear! Then, once one appeared, the Yuan family and the Elixir Production Alliance would start fighting over him!

“Regardless of whether Wanbi’s guess is correct or not, we must still take adequate measures.” After mulling this over for a while, the Yuan Family’s Master issued an order, “You should immediately send the family’s fairies to hide in the store’s vicinity! You must find that alchemist for me!”

The Yuan family’s people became quite spirited when they heard his command, as this signaled that another fight with the Elixir Production Alliance would soon commence. Upon hearing the command, Yuan Yingying, who stood by Su Yu’s side, trembled from excitement, while her face became rosy and was filled with delight.

This was because she was the very alchemist they were just speaking of! At that moment, she wanted to stand up and admit this fact. However, Su Yu reached out to stop her just in time.

“Now is not the time,” Su Yu said. “You must look for a more suitable opportunity to reveal yourself in the future.”

Knowing that he was right, Yuan Yingying bore her excitement, while she nodded calmly and returned to Su Yu’s side. But, her eyes were still filled with a delighted glint.

After all, no one would ever paid any attention to Yuan Yingying usually, but since the Almighty Divine Master had descended this last time, she had become the center of attention!

At that moment, the Yuan Family’s Master also noticed Yuan Yingying’s strange expression, so he asked, “Yingying, what has happened to you?”

The other people were also baffled by her behavior, as she was currently weeping and seemed to be getting excited for no reason. They all had to wonder…. What on earth is going on with her?

Yuan Yingying was startled by all of the attention, so she started talking incoherently and stammering, without managing to explain anything clearly. Upon seeing this, Yuan Wanbi asked her calmly, “Sister, could it be that you assumed that the primary alchemist they were speaking of was you?”

Although her words had nothing obvious in them, it was still easy for Yuan Yingying to detect the mockery that was cleverly hidden within them. After all, how could a young twit, who had only managed to break into the Yuan family two years ago, become an excellent primary alchemist in such a short time? Such a idea was a joke, which wasn’t even funny!

Many of the family’s elders looked at Yuan Yingying calmly and shook their heads. It was obvious that they didn’t find her pleasing to the eye.

The Yuan Family’s Master felt helpless at the moment. He really pitied his daughter, who was clearly being crowded out yet again.

He then purposefully asked in a very loud voice, “Yingying, did that senior come looking for you again?”

Yuan Yingying replied to this question just as Su Yu had instructed her, as she shook her head and said, “No. He still has not come to look for me.”

The crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief when they heard her answer. Yuan Wanbi, who had started to suspect what was really going on, then asked, “Sister, that Divine Master senior shouldn’t have been just talking nonsense. But, why has he still not shown himself, even though the month’s test is quickly approaching?”

Yuan Yingying only remained quieted, choosing not reply to the question at all. This interchange caused many people to become worried, as it was beginning to seem that the Yuan family had gotten excited over nothing.

“Fine, we will bring this meeting to an end here. You should all look for any news regarding the primary alchemist after leaving here.” The Yuan Family’s Master then waved his hand in dismissal, clearly feeling quite helpless.

…

A similar situation occurred within the Elixir Production Alliance, as all of their twenty primary alchemists were called and inspected, one after the other.

“Brother Zhao, it seems like it isn’t an alchemist from our Elixir Production Alliance. Is he perhaps from the Yuan family?” A red-nosed and rosy-faced middle-aged man questioned the blue-robed, who was scholar sitting opposite him.

The blue-robed scholar was Zhao Yin’s father, who also happened to be one of the Elixir Production Alliance’s two big shots. At the moment, the pair had both joined hands to keep the Yuan family in check.

“It’s unlikely.” The blue-robed scholar shook his head firmly, then added, “The Yuan family always keeps its elixir recipes under strict guard, and even the covert investigator that I placed in the Yuan family couldn’t manage to succeed in obtaining even one recipe, even after he tried for ten years! Thus, this leads me to believe that it would be impossible for an existing primary alchemist to get the Fairy Expansion Pill’s recipe.”

A covert investigator? Who is this guy? The red-nosed middle-aged man became instantly curious as to the man’s identity. After all, who wouldn’t want to know more about a covert investigator, who hid among the Yuan family!

“So… This means that it must be a new primary alchemist?” The red-nosed middle-aged man’s eyes lit up as he asked for confirmation.

The blue-robed scholar nodded, and just when he was about to say something else, they heard a wild sound coming from outside the palace.

“It’s really a new primary alchemist, not an ordinary primary alchemist!” A voice suddenly drifted towards them as a black-robed old man stepped into the palace. He had an aged face, gray hair, yellow eyeballs and a scary gaze.

Shock appeared on the blue-robed scholar’s and the red-nosed middle-aged man’s faces. They stood up hurriedly and said in unison as they smiled, “Welcome, Elder Liao!”

Although these two men were the Elixir Production Alliance’s two big shots, they were still very respectful to this person. This was because he was the Soul Seizing Palace’s outer sanctum’s elder.

The Blue Mountain Range wasn’t far from the Soul Seizing Palace, and each year, they would choose an outer sanctum’s disciples from the Blue Mountain Range via the yearly Blue Mountain Meet. Getting to join one of the Eighteen Blessed and Heavenly Lands’ eighteen great factions was like a dream come true for the Blue Mountain Range’s cultivators, and ordinary people would find even considering the chance at obtaining such an honor laughable.

After all, only the most talented youths, who were trained meticulously by their factions, would could get the miraculous chance to join the Soul Seizing Palace via such a fierce competition. And… It just so happened that this competition’s judge was none other than Elder Liao, the man standing right in front of them!

He also had a notable relationship with the Elixir Production Alliance, which further explained why the blue-robed scholar and the red-nosed middle-aged man were obliged to be respectful to him.

After Elder Liao entered the palace, he naturally sat in the main seat of honor, while the blue-robed scholar and the red-nosed middle-aged man sat beside him, one on each side.

“I saw the elixir that was made by that person,” Elder Liao said, while he took a jade bottle that was stained with blood from his sleeve.

It was obvious that he hadn’t obtained it through ordinary measures, and the pair assumed that he had most likely killed someone for it. He then handed it to the pair and said, “Here, take a look at it.”