Ye Xuan extinguished the Profound Fire Array and opened the Pill Furnace. A batch of twelve perfect Venerable Ascension Pills fell into his hands. Each pill was perfectly round and smooth, radiating a dazzling luster.

Ye Xuan shot Luo Xiang a contemptuous look. "While I was performing Alchemy, all those Alchemists were howling like sows in heat, yet I wasn’t affected in the slightest. You lack the skill, yet you blame others for your failure. Such arrogance from the Luo family’s chief Alchemist. You’re not so impressive after all."

Ye Xuan turned to the stunned Patriarch Luo Min. "Patriarch Luo, I’ve seen your workshop. I have two words for it: completely useless. Let’s go."

With that, Ye Xuan turned and walked out of the Alchemy room.

"Master... Young Master Ye, please wait! Don’t go!" An embarrassed Luo Xiang lunged forward, blocking Ye Xuan’s path. Tears and snot streamed down his face. "I was blind! I failed to recognize your greatness! Young Master Ye, your talent is truly world-class! Compared to you, our knowledge of Alchemy is nothing but garbage!"

"That’s right, Young Master Ye, please don’t go!"

"Please teach us the Alchemy Dao!"

A large group of Alchemists rushed forward, shouting and crying out in excitement.

The truth was, they were utterly shocked by the ability Ye Xuan had just displayed. For such a young man to possess such profound mastery of the Alchemy Dao... calling him a Pill God descended to the mortal realm would be no exaggeration.

It would have been one thing if Ye Xuan had merely succeeded in creating the Venerable Ascension Pill. But the technique he had just demonstrated was simply unparalleled, completely shattering everyone’s preconceived notions about refining this pill.

After watching Ye Xuan’s process, everyone felt as if a door to the Alchemy Dao was slowly swinging open before them.

And the one opening that door was none other than Ye Xuan.

"Young Master Ye, please stay!"

"Please guide us in the Alchemy Dao!"

"Young Master Ye wants to enter the Pill market? I support that with both hands! No, with all four limbs!"

"This old man agrees with all five of his limbs!"

"Elder Fang, COUGH COUGH, uh... you’re eighty-seven this year. Can you still raise that ’fifth limb’?"

"What the hell do you know? This old man’s pillar points to the heavens every morning!"

The Alchemists all shouted at the top of their lungs, surrounding Ye Xuan so tightly he couldn’t move, each one wearing a fawning smile.

Luo Min stood to the side, utterly dumbfounded. ’Are these really the same arrogant, supercilious family Alchemists I know?’

Most of them wouldn’t even give him, the Patriarch, the time of day. But now, in front of Ye Xuan, they were acting like sniveling bootlickers. It was almost too much for him to stomach.

"Lord Patriarch, hurry up and say something on our behalf!"

Seeing Luo Min remain silent, Luo Xiang desperately jabbed him in the side, hissing with a telepathic message.

"Oh, right." Luo Min finally snapped out of it. "Young Master Ye," he said hastily, "you can see how sincere everyone is. Why don’t you stay and... continue to observe?"

"Yes, continue to observe! Quick, everyone, show him your best side!" Luo Xiang shouted.

Immediately, the Alchemists scrambled to change into fresh Alchemist robes and slicked their hair back until it shone. A few female Alchemists even took out compacts and started touching up their makeup.

A moment later, the large group of Alchemists stood in a neat line before Ye Xuan. They bowed in unison and shouted, "The Luo family’s alchemy workshop warmly welcomes Young Master Ye’s guidance! Please, Young Master Ye, honor us with your criticisms and corrections!"

THUD!

Patriarch Luo Min collapsed to the ground.

Ye Xuan’s face darkened. "Alright, alright, everyone quiet down," he said. "I came here because I was planning to work with the Luo family to enter the Imperial Capital’s Pill market. That’s why I wanted to check out this workshop. However, my first impression... has been less than satisfactory."

"Yes, that’s my fault!" Luo Xiang scrambled to his feet, his face flush with shame. "I, Luo Xiang, must conduct a thorough self-criticism! My own Alchemy skills were clearly lacking, yet I dragged Young Master Ye into it. It was a heinous crime, I deserve to die a thousand deaths..."

Luo Xiang immediately launched into a session of self-criticism.

Luo Min watched all of this, feeling like his brain simply couldn’t keep up. In terms of seniority, Luo Xiang was practically his equal, and he often disregarded his authority as Patriarch. In all his decades, he had never seen Luo Xiang act this way.

"Alright, alright, that’s enough self-criticism," Ye Xuan said, waving his hand. "I came here simply to gauge everyone’s skill in Alchemy and see if there’s any potential for growth."

He was telling the truth. If he wanted to crush the Qu family and defeat the Qin family in the Pill market, he could certainly do it himself. There was no doubt about that. But he couldn’t stay in the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital forever.

That was why he had come: to assess the strength of the Luo family’s Alchemists and then decide which Pills they should launch.

"Young Master Ye, let me go first! I’m a Peak of Fourth Grade Alchemist, and I can refine Fourth Grade Essence Pills, Heart Returning Pills..."

"I have dedicated over thirty years to Healing Pills and can expertly refine various Healing Elixirs... I also placed ninety-sixth in the last Alchemist Association’s Healing Pill refining competition..."

"Give me a break, Elder Bai, there’s no need to brag about ninety-sixth place! Young Master Ye, I have some expertise in... exotic performance enhancers. I can refine all sorts of Dragon and Tiger Pills, Sky Divine Oil, and other such health supplements. Take one of my pills, and you’ll be fierce as a dragon and strong as a tiger. Your ’golden spear’ will never falter!"

"Xu the Second, stop your damn boasting! The last time I took one of your pills, not only did it not help me last longer, I ’surrendered my arms’ ahead of schedule! My wife kicked me right out of bed! And you’re still out here trying to trick people with that junk."

One after another, the Alchemists swarmed forward, desperately trying to showcase their skills to Ye Xuan.

Breaking out in a cold sweat, Ye Xuan waved his hands and bellowed, "Enough! Stop talking! Anyone who pushes forward again can get the hell out! Now find a spot and sit down quietly!"

Silence. The room was deathly quiet.

Everyone quickly found a meditation cushion and sat down, as quiet as schoolchildren in a lecture.

Ye Xuan said coolly, "That’s more like it. You are all Alchemists of the Luo family. For their sake, if you have any questions, you may ask. I can provide some answers."

"Young Master Ye," an Alchemist began, "I’d like to ask... we all saw your process just now. The Venerable Ascension Pill is a peak Fifth Grade pill. How did you succeed after putting in so many ingredients all at once?"

An Alchemist mustered his courage and carefully voiced the question on his mind.

Instantly, everyone held their breath, their gazes fixed on Ye Xuan. They all perked up their ears, as this was the very thing that had baffled them. No one dared to even breathe loudly; the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"You must not have been watching my process very carefully, were you?" Ye Xuan said coldly.

"No, no, I was!" the Alchemist cried, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "Young Master Ye, you did explain a little, but I... I just didn’t understand!"

While Ye Xuan had offered a rough explanation during his work, he had only scratched the surface. Given their level of skill, it was like they were lost in a fog, completely unable to grasp the full picture.

"It’s true, Young Master Ye. We’re still a bit confused," others chimed in.

"What’s the secret behind it?"

One after another, the Alchemists all cried out.

Ye Xuan frowned. "It seems everyone’s fundamentals are as weak as Luo Xiang’s."

Luo Xiang could only manage a bitter smile, not daring to argue. Young Master Ye was right. He had studied the Venerable Ascension Pill for ages and still couldn’t successfully refine it, yet Young Master Ye had succeeded so casually. Compared to him, his fundamentals were indeed pathetic.

Ye Xuan sighed. "Since everyone’s fundamentals are so weak, I suppose I’ll have to give you a remedial lesson. The true essence of any Alchemy is combining the auras of various Spirit Medicines. The Venerable Ascension Pill is no exception. In fact, it’s quite a special case..."

As Ye Xuan explained, the room gradually fell silent. The many Alchemists were all frowning in deep thought. One balding old man, while listening, kept pulling at his remaining hair. Soon, a large pile of white strands had fallen in front of him, and he was nearly bald.

Luo Min stared blankly, first at Ye Xuan lecturing, then at the many Alchemists listening so intently. His mind was a complete blank.

Time ticked by.

Ye Xuan’s lecture lasted a full hour. Everyone remained completely focused and silent.

The moment Ye Xuan finished, the room erupted with cries of amazement.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

"I’ve been an Alchemist for over forty years, and this is the first time I’ve ever heard such a brilliant lecture! The first time I’ve understood the true essence of Alchemy! I’ve wasted half my life!"

"Young Master Ye, when will you lecture again?"

"Yes, Young Master Ye! Please give us another lecture!"

Countless Alchemists clamored for more. Ye Xuan’s lecture had allowed them to touch the true Alchemy Dao once more. A brilliant, grand path was slowly opening before them.

"Perhaps you aren’t aware," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile, "but the Luo family has already pledged their allegiance to me. As long as you all remain with the Luo family, I will come to lecture whenever I have the time."

"Such a wonderful opportunity? Patriarch Luo, my contract with the family expires in half a year. I demand to re-sign immediately for another ten years! My compensation can remain the same."

"Damn it, how can you still talk about compensation at a time like this? Are you an idiot? Patriarch Luo Min, I don’t want a single coin! I’ll sign a ten-year indenture contract with the Luo family for free!"

"Only ten years? That shows a lack of sincerity! Patriarch Luo, I’ll sign for twenty!"

"I’ll go all in! Thirty years!"

The hired Alchemists swarmed forward, each trying to outdo the last.

These Alchemists had joined the Luo family not only for the pay and resources but also for the opportunity to learn, something they valued tremendously.

The world of Alchemists was even more insular than that of Martial Artists. Without sufficient communication and solid guidance, for an Alchemist to advance to the next grade on their own was a task as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Now, after witnessing Ye Xuan’s god-like mastery of Alchemy, everyone present was in a frenzy.