Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 198 - Fair Bet

The role of a chief alchemist carried immense authority, even extending to the life and death of other alchemists. Along the way, Master Mao provided Liu Wuxie with information to consider, particularly regarding those with a unique relationship with Jiang Yue.

These individuals blamed Liu Wuxie entirely for Jiang Yue’s expulsion and were naturally poised to seize the opportunity to oust him and reinstate Jiang Yue.

Liu Wuxie surveyed the twenty alchemists present. Among them, Sang Yan and Sheng Lian offered him friendly smiles.

Upon entering the spacious alchemy chamber, he found ten cauldrons already prepared and relocated from nearby chambers.

“Wuxie, are you planning to refine pills using ten cauldrons simultaneously?” Sang Yan walked over and whispered, urging Liu Wuxie to reconsider his choice. They didn’t doubt Liu Wuxie’s skills as an alchemist because they had witnessed it twice. But refining using ten cauldrons simultaneously was a bit of a stretch, even for them.

“Time is limited, and I can only try it.” Liu Wuxie understood that it was Sang Yan’s well-intentioned reminder. He believed that since his fire attribute was activated, it should be fine for him to refine twenty cauldrons of pills with his skills. He just didn’t expect it to cause such a huge commotion.

“He’s nothing more than a show-off. Does he believe his four-star alchemist status gives him the right to squander the resources of the Treasure Pill Pavilion? I wager none of you are aware that he’s taken over ten thousand herbs from the warehouse,” Geng Ye retorted, refusing to back down.

The few people around him were likely part of his group. His voice resonated in the spacious alchemy chamber, a room far larger than the average, designed for the chief alchemist. Even with over twenty people present, it didn’t feel cramped.

“Geng Ye, why do you persist in belittling the chief alchemist?” The crowd was divided into several groups. Geng Ye and his faction of five stood to the right, while Sang Yan and Sheng Lian positioned themselves to the left. A few chose neutrality, opting out of the dispute.

The one who posed the question was Gao Hong, a two-star alchemist. Despite his lower rank, he had been mentored by Sang Yan over the years, forming a bond that was part mentorship, part friendship.

Sang Yan’s position was unequivocal—he was in Liu Wuxie’s corner.

“Gao Hong, who do you think you are to speak here? Don’t forget, you’re merely a two-star alchemist.” The two factions were locked in a heated debate, hurling insults at each other.

“Geng Ye, weren’t you once a two-star alchemist yourself?” Gao Hong, who was younger, retorted, his face turning pale with anger. To belittle someone based on their lower rank was a clear sign of hostility. After all, everyone starts from the bottom and gradually climbs up.

“We stand with Master Mao as the chief disciple. Those in agreement, raise your hands!” Geng Ye smirked, raising his hand first. His four allies quickly followed suit, showing their support for Master Mao as the chief alchemist.

The eight alchemists who had chosen to remain neutral merely exchanged glances before deciding to stay silent.

This left Geng Ye and his group looking foolish, raising their hands without any support from the others. When Liu Wuxie was undergoing his alchemist assessment, only Sang Yan and Sheng Lian were present. The other alchemists had only heard rumors about it; they hadn’t witnessed Liu Wuxie’s rumored alchemy skills firsthand.

After all, it was common for rumors to be exaggerated, and they still doubted Liu Wuxie’s alchemy skills.

Elder Wen remained silent, a subtle smirk playing on his lips. He was aware that Liu Wuxie had taken more than ten thousand herbs from the Treasure Pill Pavilion. If Liu Wuxie failed to produce 5,000 pills today, Elder Wen was prepared to challenge his competence as the chief alchemist.

Liu Wuxie, for his part, remained unperturbed despite the tension in the room. He understood that Geng Ye was merely trying to provoke him. After all, pills crafted in a state of anger could contain a trace of hostility, potentially causing harm to those who consumed them.

Geng Ye’s words were a calculated attempt to set Liu Wuxie up for failure. If Liu Wuxie were to fail, it would provide them with a pretext to oppose him.

“Geng Ye cut it out. Master Liu is worthy of his position, and I’m the first to support him as the chief alchemist. Are you questioning the lady’s decision?” Master Mao intervened. After all, Geng Ye had mentioned him multiple times, attempting to pull him on their side to target Liu Wuxie.

If Master Mao were to oppose Liu Wuxie openly, it could sway the alchemists who had so far chosen to remain neutral.

The individuals present were significantly older and held higher positions within the Treasure Pill Pavilion. It was undeniable that Liu Wuxie was considerably younger, a fact that didn’t sit well with those accustomed to their high-ranking positions.

“Master Mao, you’ve been misled by him. Only you are deserving of the title of chief alchemist in our eyes. He is not!” Geng Ye declared, his four allies echoing his sentiment.

The neutral alchemists nodded in agreement. Geng Ye’s words resonated with them. Master Mao had served as the chief alchemist for many years, demonstrating consistent diligence. The sudden removal of Master Mao from his position was something they found hard to accept.

“And how might I prove myself worthy of the title of chief alchemist?” Liu Wuxie asked, a smirk on his face as he glanced at Geng Ye after inspecting the cauldron.

“As long as you earn our respect, we will naturally acknowledge you as the chief disciple.” They would naturally cease causing trouble for Liu Wuxie if his performance demonstrated his worthiness of the position.

“And how might I accomplish that?” Liu Wuxie inquired, maintaining a calm demeanor and a bright smile.

“I’ve heard from Elder Wen that you aim to refine 5,000 fourth-grade pills in a single day. If you can achieve this, I’ll leave immediately and never refine pills again. But if you fail...” Geng Ye sneered, recalling Elder Wen’s vague reference to the situation in the warehouse.

“And what if I don’t succeed?” Liu Wuxie asked, his smile broadening as he anticipated Geng Ye’s response.

“If you fail, you must leave the Treasure Pill Pavilion and never practice alchemy again.” The terms were fair: if Liu Wuxie succeeded, Geng Ye would leave, and vice versa. Geng Ye was adamant about not accepting Liu Wuxie as their chief alchemist.

“And does this apply to the rest of you as well?” Liu Wuxie turned his gaze to the alchemists standing behind Geng Ye—Zhang Dejun, Zou Tao, Yu Zhong, and Xiao Li, who were also supporters of Jiang Yue.

The four exchanged a look and reached a consensus.

“Indeed. If you can refine 5,000 fourth-grade pills in a day, we will surrender our alchemist medals and never practice alchemy again.” To them, giving up alchemy was akin to a cultivator being forbidden from using true essence—it was equivalent to crippling their cultivation.

In the True Martial Continent, a cultivator would be considered crippled if their dantian was damaged, and an alchemist would be crippled if they were barred from practicing alchemy. In this context, cripples were deemed less valuable than dogs.

“Very well, let everyone here bear witness. This wager is fair to both parties. If I manage to refine 5,000 fourth-grade pills in a day, these five will renounce their titles as alchemists and be expelled from the Treasure Pill Pavilion. If I fail, I will leave the Treasure Pill Pavilion and never practice alchemy again.” Liu Wuxie agreed to Geng Ye’s wager, sweeping his gaze over the other alchemists.

It was already too late for Sang Yan to intervene, and this was Geng Ye’s plot. After all, how could someone possibly refine 5,000 fourth-grade pills in a day? They believed in Liu Wuxie’s alchemy skills, but the quantity was insane.

“Wuxie, don’t agree to it!” Master Mao, Sang Yan, and Sheng Lian stepped forward, attempting to dissuade Liu Wuxie.

Mu Yueying had appointed Liu Wuxie as the chief alchemist, and Geng Ye had no right to make such demands.

“Thank you all for your goodwill, but I’ve made up my mind!” Liu Wuxie stopped them from speaking any further. He was newly appointed as the chief alchemist, and even those who maintained neutrality wouldn’t be convinced if he didn’t demonstrate his skills.

Even if they wouldn’t publicly say anything because of Mu Yueying, they would ridicule him behind his back. If he wanted to make them submit entirely, the best way was to display his strength and crush them, forcing them to shut their mouths. Since it had already come this far, it was too late to go back on the bet.

“Gao Hong, Senior Sang, and Senior Sheng, please process the herbs according to this formula.” The process of refining the herbs was time-consuming and wasn’t included in the pill-refining timeframe.

He provided them with five formulas in total. This act of sharing the intricacies of refining fifth-grade pills was a generous gesture that took many by surprise.

While most pill formulas were publicly available, there were a few that remained exclusive to a select few. For instance, the formula for the Golden Spirit Pill from the Treasure Pill Pavilion was known only to Bi Gongyu, with even Master Mao being unaware of its specifics.

“Alright!” The trio responded in unison. They followed Liu Wuxie’s instructions on the formulas, spending an hour refining the herbs. The resulting pills were placed near the chambers for Liu Wuxie’s convenience.

“Wuxie, are these fourth-grade pills?” Sang Yan asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead. This was his first encounter with this particular pill formula.

“Yeah. Each has a different effect, such as body-refining, improving the aptitude, cleansing the impurities, and strengthening the soul.” He didn’t withhold any information, revealing that the formulas included those for the Bone Refining Pill, Marrow Refining Pill, Soul Refining Pill, and others.

However, the potency of these pills was halved, making them weaker than the pills he usually consumed. Despite this, their quality surpassed that of the pills available in the market.

Liu Wuxie then opened the fire vents and lit the ten cauldrons, commencing the pill refining process. The sight of someone refining in ten cauldrons simultaneously was unprecedented, causing everyone present to watch intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.

Approaching the first cauldron, Liu Wuxie tossed in a pile of herbs and began forming seals.