A large portion of the Qin family’s twenty percent market share came from these three types of Pills.

Based on what he had learned in the Qin family’s pill emporium, Ye Xuan was able to confirm the accuracy of the report.

His earlier visit to the Qin family’s pill emporium hadn’t just been a casual stroll. In that short time, Ye Xuan had already assessed the sales performance of its various Pills.

Based on the sales price, popularity, and the Pills’ potency, Ye Xuan could easily determine the Qin family’s profit margin on each type.

As he connected the report’s data to the reality of the situation, a faint smile crept across Ye Xuan’s lips.

Anyone familiar with Ye Xuan who saw that smile would immediately know that someone was about to have a very bad day.

However, Luo Min, standing at his side, misunderstood Ye Xuan’s reaction. Thinking he was intimidated by the report, he said with a bitter smile, "Young Master Ye, now do you see why I said it was impossible? The Qin family is an absolute titan in the Imperial Capital’s Alchemy world. They control the very lifeblood of the city’s Pill market. When it comes to advancement-type Pills, they have a complete monopoly. Not even the other three great Alchemy Dao titans can shake their position. For just the few of us... the task is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

"It’s certainly difficult, but I wouldn’t say it’s as hard as climbing to the heavens," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile. "Our primary goal doesn’t need to be eliminating the Qin family entirely. We just have to take a majority of their profits."

Ye Xuan wasn’t just making empty promises to Luo Min. In truth, with his talent for Alchemy, if he truly applied himself, he could do more than just replace the Qin family. It wouldn’t be impossible for him to monopolize the market in the entire Sky Empire, or even the Dream Realm Plain.

But he clearly had no intention of doing so.

With his current manpower and strength, he couldn’t possibly manage an operation of that scale.

A powerful Alchemy Dao titan must ultimately be backed by a powerful background and martial might.

The main reason no one in the Imperial Capital dared to move against him was the support of the Artifact Refining Workshop.

But if he tried to monopolize the Imperial Capital’s entire Pill market, not even the Artifact Refining Workshop would have the clout to protect him.

Moreover, what no one knew was that Ye Xuan’s main reason for entering the Pill business wasn’t to target the Qin family, but the Qu family.

His conflict with the Qin family was, for now, merely a clash between spoiled young heirs. But his feud with the Profound Mystery Sect was one of deep-seated, irreconcilable hatred.

Leaving everything else aside, Ye Xuan simply couldn’t tolerate the fact that the Crazy Battle Elder had hunted him for so long and even sent assassins to kill him.

His philosophy was simple: he wouldn’t bother those who left him alone, but if someone wronged him, he’d repay them tenfold.

While he currently lacked the power to confront the Profound Mystery Sect directly, the Qu family was the sect’s main branch in the Sky Empire. Destroying the Qu family would inflict a huge loss upon the Profound Mystery Sect.

To deal with the Qu family, acting openly was out of the question; it would undoubtedly attract the attention and vigilance of the Profound Mystery Sect. That was why Ye Xuan had chosen to enter the Pill business.

From the report, Ye Xuan could see that the Qu family’s largest source of income, just like the Luo family’s, came from their pill emporiums.

If he could cut off the Qu family’s source of revenue, the family would be unable to grow.

So, while it appeared on the surface that Ye Xuan was feuding with the Qin family, in reality, his sights were secretly set on the Qu family.

Seeing that Ye Xuan still refused to give up, Luo Min felt a wave of frustration.

The Luo family was in a precarious position. They had lost the protection of the Murong family and their market for the Tengguang Pill and Obstacle Clearing Pill.

One could say that with a single misstep, the Luo family’s status would plummet, and they would be cast out from the ranks of the great families.

That was why he was so anxious, and why, after a family discussion, they had made the decision to follow Ye Xuan.

His original intention was to leverage Ye Xuan’s connection to the Artifact Refining Workshop to establish a relationship with them.

As long as they could forge ties with the Artifact Refining Workshop, the Luo family would not fall into decline, regardless of what they pursued.

After all, the Pill market was still divided among various great families, but when it came to Artifact Refining, the Artifact Refining Workshop controlled at least seventy percent of the market in the Imperial Capital. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a monopoly.

But Luo Min never imagined that instead of using his connections to the Artifact Refining Workshop to deal in Spiritual Treasures and Profound Treasures, Ye Xuan would prepare to enter the Pill business.

Luo Min didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

However, despite his reservations, since Ye Xuan had spoken, Luo Min secretly resolved to carry out his requests to the best of his ability. Whether they would ultimately succeed was a matter of fate.

"Luo Min, take me to your family’s alchemy workshop," Ye Xuan said.

Since the Luo family’s main business was in the Pill market, they definitely had an alchemy workshop and a team of Alchemists.

Ye Xuan couldn’t stay in the Sky Empire forever, so before entering the Pill market, he first had to get a grasp of the Luo family’s alchemical foundations.

Under Luo Min’s guidance, the two soon arrived at the location of the Luo family’s alchemy workshop.

As soon as they stepped inside, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air. Alchemists hurried back and forth, a picture of bustling activity.

"Patriarch."

"Patriarch Luo."

Upon seeing Luo Min, many of the Alchemists greeted him with respectful bows.

Luo Min greeted them as he walked past. Most of the Alchemists returned the pleasantries, but a few were noticeably colder, offering only a slight nod in response to Luo Min’s greeting.

Luo Min didn’t seem embarrassed. He explained to Ye Xuan, "Young Master Ye, this is the Luo family’s alchemy workshop. In total, we have nearly one hundred Second Grade Alchemists, thirty-five Third Grade Alchemists, nine Fourth Grade Alchemists, and one Fifth Grade Alchemist."

"About sixty percent of them are Alchemists from our own family. The other forty percent are outsiders we’ve recruited who have signed alchemy agreements with us."

Ye Xuan nodded as he listened.

This was a common arrangement. Although Alchemists were a highly respected class on the continent, their path to advancement was incredibly difficult. Every increase in grade required at least ten times the resources needed by a Martial Artist of an equivalent level.

Thus, many Alchemists from humble origins with no other source of funding would choose to join an Alchemy Dao power. They would refine Pills in exchange for profit, and the organization would provide them with the resources needed for their own breakthroughs. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.

"Young Master Ye, this outer hall is where our workshop sorts its ingredients. All the materials we purchase are sorted here before being sent to the refining chambers. Of course, only some of the more specialized Pills are made in private chambers. Most are refined together in the main refining hall. I’ll take you there now."

Speaking, Luo Min led Ye Xuan into the main refining hall.

The moment they stepped inside, Luo Min froze.

"Where is everyone?"

The vast refining hall was completely empty. Not a single person was in sight.

An icy expression immediately fell over Luo Min’s face.

Just then, a Second Grade Alchemist hurried out of a back room, head down and lost in thought. He didn’t notice the two people in his path and almost crashed right into Luo Min and Ye Xuan.

"Who’s standing here like a damn statue, blocking my way?"

the Alchemist cursed, startled.

"It’s me," Luo Min said, his face like ice.

The Alchemist thought the voice sounded familiar and quickly looked up. The moment he saw it was Luo Min, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "AHEM, so it’s the Patriarch! Uh... I wasn’t talking about you, of course."

Luo Min had no time for his excuses. He asked coldly, "Where is Luo Xiang?"

"Master Luo Xiang is inside, refining the Fifth Grade Venerable Ascension Pill. The rest of us were observing him... Oh, crap..."

Halfway through his sentence, the Alchemist suddenly let out a fart. He clutched his stomach and yelped, "Patriarch, I can’t take it anymore! I think I ate something bad! I can’t hold it in! Whatever questions you have, please wait until I get back from the latrine! Forgive my rudeness!"

As he spoke, the Alchemist rushed toward the latrine. A series of PFFT PFFT PFFT sounds followed him. The noise started out rather crisp, but soon became distressingly muffled.

Dark lines creased Ye Xuan’s forehead. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out: the Alchemist had definitely shit his pants. The thought alone was disgusting enough to make his hair stand on end.

"So, Luo Xiang is in the middle of Alchemy. In that case, let’s wait out here for a bit. The process requires absolute focus. I’m worried that going in might disturb him."

Hearing that Luo Xiang was performing Alchemy while the others were observing, Luo Min’s expression finally softened as he spoke to Ye Xuan.

As the Patriarch, his arrival in the refining chamber would certainly cause a commotion. An Alchemist’s work requires absolute, undisturbed focus. It would be a disaster if they went in and ruined Luo Xiang’s process.

Ye Xuan frowned. "How long will that take? How about this: I’ll go in and take a look. You wait out here. Once the process is finished, you can come in."

Ye Xuan had come precisely to gauge the skill of the Luo family’s Alchemists. Hearing that their strongest—a Fifth Grade Alchemist—was currently refining a Venerable Ascension Pill, he knew this was the perfect opportunity to observe.

The Venerable Ascension Pill might only be a Fifth Grade Pill, but it was one of the most difficult of its grade to create. That was because its effect was to increase a Tier Five Peak Martial Sect’s chances of breaking through to the Tier Six Martial Venerable Realm by a full twenty percent.

This Pill was so difficult to refine that not even every Sixth Grade Alchemist could successfully create it.

"Young Master Ye, I don’t think that’s a good idea. No one in there knows you. I’m afraid an accident might happen if you go in alone," Luo Min said, hesitating.

"What kind of accident could happen? It’s settled."

Without another word, Ye Xuan pushed the door open and walked inside.

Luo Min could only stand outside, speechless.