Chapter 111: Do you catch my drift?

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Inside and outside the arena, utter silence reigned. Not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.

Everyone stood dumbfounded, their minds utterly blank.

A pill tribulation?

Pills could actually trigger a heavenly tribulation?

What a sight to see…

More importantly, what on earth had this fellow put into the alchemy furnace? Why was something glowing inside it?

Whoosh!

At that moment, Xu Zhe swept his hand through the air.

Several dazzling pills floated up from the furnace.

They were blackish-brown all over, yet their surfaces shimmered beneath the sunlight. Looking more closely, one could see that the radiance came from a faint blue streak etched across each pill’s outer layer.

“What… what grade are these?”

Lin Bei stared at the pills in astonishment, his eyes filled with confusion.

He truly could not determine what grade they were, but he was certain they were absolutely above First Grade.

After all, he was the foremost alchemist of the Northern Land Continent. The only reason he had been unable to refine a high-quality Resurrection Pill of Heaven and Earth was that it was simply too difficult. With other varieties of pills, however, he had refined quite a few First-Grade pills.

Yet he had never seen a First-Grade pill reach such a level, possess such a dense medicinal aura, or even summon a heavenly tribulation.

“Who… is this person?”

Dong Fang’s expression was solemn, and her spirit was shaken to its core.

She, too, knew that these pills were definitely above First Grade. This had completely shattered her understanding of the ancient method of alchemy.

In her view, no grade above First Grade existed in this world.

Any pill reaching First Grade had already reached its limit.

She had conducted countless studies, refining every medicinal ingredient to its utmost potential and carrying out experiments with the most precise quantities in the strictest vacuum conditions, without the slightest interference from the outside world.

Yet the pills produced by combining them could only stabilize at First Grade.

Still, many ancient texts from the Azure Bestowed Continent recorded that grades beyond First Grade existed, such as Heaven Grade and Supreme Grade.

But the descriptions of those grades were vague and excessively idealistic.

They seemed wholly unrealistic.

Therefore, Dong Fang had once joined forces with Gu Jia’er, Lin Bei, and every other accomplished alchemist to research and experiment on the grading of pills.

In the end, they had unanimously concluded that First Grade was the absolute limit of pills. It was impossible to improve upon it.

And now, this unfamiliar, obscure young man had used the ancient method of alchemy to refine a pill far beyond their imagination.

The alchemical techniques, pill tribulation, and pill markings described in those ancient texts had all appeared before them.

“Divine-Grade pills! These are Divine-Grade pills!”

Outside the residence of the arena master, an old man cried out in a trembling voice. He rushed into the arena and headed straight for the several pills before Xu Zhe.

The old man extended both hands, trembling all over. He wanted to touch the pills, yet did not dare. His hands remained suspended in midair as he treated those pills like sacred objects.

“What is a Divine-Grade pill?” Dong Fang was no longer expressionless as before. Her face was extraordinarily complicated, and a trace of bewilderment lingered in her eyes.

“Divine Grade is no longer merely a matter of rank. It symbolizes perfection. Above First Grade are Heaven Grade and Supreme Grade, but Divine Grade has transcended all of them. It is said to be flawless. Look at this…”

The old man pointed at the faint blue streak on the pill and said excitedly, “A single Divine Mark! This is the trace left behind by the pill tribulation. It is equivalent to receiving the acknowledgment of Heaven itself—a pill worthy of being noticed by the heavens!”

The entire arena erupted in an uproar.

The old man’s words were simply too shocking. A pill tribulation meant that the pill had been acknowledged by Heaven, that it had been deemed worthy of Heaven’s attention.

Just how transcendent were these pills?

“It’s not that exaggerated.”

Xu Zhe suddenly spoke.

“What… what did you say?” The old man looked at him in astonishment.

Xu Zhe smiled faintly.

“I said it isn’t that exaggerated. Divine Grade is really nothing extraordinary. It merely refers to pills without impurities whose medicinal properties have been preserved relatively well. I used a little secret technique and fused the powers of yin and yang, thereby violating a small portion of Heaven’s laws. That was why the heavenly tribulation descended. It had nothing to do with whether Heaven acknowledged the pill.”

A single Divine Mark was nothing. It was far inferior to a pill bearing nine Divine Marks.

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“No, you don’t understand…” The old man’s eyes suddenly widened, and he flew into a rage. “You’re an alchemist. What could you possibly know about Divine-Grade pills?”

Xu Zhe: “???”

“No, wait. Young friend, you’re Young Master Yu, aren’t you? I was merely too excited. Please forgive my rudeness.” The old man realized that he had spoken too hastily and hurriedly apologized.

“It’s nothing.”

Xu Zhe laughed awkwardly, somewhat bewildered.

By now, he had begun to understand the situation. Why was everyone so shocked?

Apparently, he had overestimated them.

He could already see the several pills in Dong Fang’s hands. Only Second Grade.

Hmm. They contained pill poison!

Then he looked at Lin Bei’s pills. Third Grade…

More pill poison!

Finally, he glanced at the pills before the other alchemists present.

Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade, Eighth Grade, Ninth Grade…

Ptooey!

“I was careless again. I thought these people were powerful, so I gave it my all. I never imagined…”

Xu Zhe sighed inwardly. If he had known, he would have kept a lower profile and casually refined a few First-Grade pills to get by.

“Young Master Yu, I have a presumptuous request. Would it be possible for you to lend me one of these divine pills so I can take it home for careful study?” the old man asked, bowing his posture as low as possible.

After all, the rules of the Alchemy Grand Competition stated that regardless of the grade of the pills an alchemist refined, they belonged to the alchemist himself.

“Of course. They’re yours.”

Xu Zhe nodded without hesitation and casually waved his hand. Several pills instantly shot toward the old man.

“Ah? Wait, Young Master Yu! One pill is enough for me. Oh dear, oh dear, don’t be so rough! How can a divine pill be tossed around so casually? Let me take out a Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade bottle to store it properly.”

The old man hurriedly took a jade box from his storage ring and carefully placed one pill inside.

He then brought out a jade bottle, stored the remaining pills inside, and handed it back to Xu Zhe.

“It’s fine. These pills aren’t of much use to me, and the ingredients are easy enough to find. If I need more, I can simply refine them again. As for the rankings…”

Xu Zhe suddenly paused.

“The rankings? Oh, yes. Young Master Yu, rest assured. First place in this Alchemy Conference will certainly…”

The old man was speaking when he noticed Xu Zhe’s expression darken and his brows furrow.

He immediately stopped, wondering which part of his statement he had gotten wrong.

Whoosh!

In the next moment, Xu Zhe’s figure blurred and transformed into a black shadow, streaking toward the streets of the ancient city.

“I have something urgent to deal with. I’ll come back for the reward later.”

He left behind only that one sentence before vanishing from everyone’s sight.

“This…”

The old man stood frozen.

The people present were equally stunned.

Xu Zhe’s sudden departure left them utterly confused.

Had he shown off and then run away?

But it seemed he had not even finished showing off yet!

Why had he run?

“Damn, is that kid Yu Song really this powerful?” the burly man exclaimed from within the crowd, his face filled with horror.

As a centurion commanding the guards of Vermilion Bird Army Ancient City, he was also Yu Song’s direct superior. He had never imagined that Yu Song had been hiding so deeply.

Being at the Golden Core stage was one thing, but his attainments in alchemy were terrifying. He had completely overwhelmed Alchemist Dong and the others, even surpassing the foremost alchemy masters of all four continents!

“Something feels wrong. Yu Song seemed rather strange,” one of the guards said with a frown.

“He’s always looked so careless and carefree. Why did he seem so off this time?”

The others also nodded suspiciously.

…

At the same time, Xu Zhe had already crossed several streets and was heading straight for a dilapidated alley.

A moment earlier, a trace of divine sense had sent back a message: the small wooden door of the Yu family home had been smashed apart by force.

Originally, he had merely kept a precaution in reserve, intending to protect Yu Haiqiong and Yu Shui’er if fate allowed.

He had never expected someone to actually come looking for them with ill intent.

“Ah! Sister, there are bad people! So many bad people!”

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The moment he rushed into the alley, he heard Yu Shui’er’s cries from afar.

“Fatty Zhang, what are you doing? Let Shui’er go!” Yu Haiqiong’s furious voice rang out.

“Well, well, Yu Haiqiong. You’re quite something. You were so badly injured last night, yet you’re still alive—and your injuries have already mostly healed?”

“Fatty Zhang, I told you. The pill formula isn’t with me. What exactly do you want?”

“Hah. Yu Haiqiong, do you take me for a fool? Who else could have obtained the formula if not you? If you know what’s good for you, hand it over at once. Otherwise… heh heh, even if your little brother comes back, he’ll still die.”

“My little brother? What have you… done to him?”

“Hahaha, we don’t have the ability to do anything to him. He’s taking part in the Alchemy Grand Competition right now. Who would have thought that the Yu family was hiding a Golden Core expert who also knew alchemy? That must be why you kept the pill formula for yourself, isn’t it?”

“Golden Core… No, he…”

“Enough nonsense. If you know what’s good for you, hand over the formula. Don’t make things difficult for me, and don’t force these esteemed members of the God-Shocking Organization to act. If they do, you and your brother and sister will wish you were dead.”

“I really don’t have the formula… Ah!”

Yu Haiqiong suddenly let out a sharp scream, accompanied by the loud crack of a slap.

“You talk too much. Esteemed sirs, since this little wretch refuses to cooperate, I’ll trouble you to wait here a little longer. Once Yu Song returns…”

“I’m back!”

Xu Zhe appeared instantly at the entrance, stepped over the threshold, and entered the Yu family’s dilapidated house once more.

The courtyard, which had originally been neat and clean, was now in complete disarray, as though someone had searched it from top to bottom.

Several people stood in the courtyard: a portly young master, several attendants, and three masked assassins dressed in black from the God-Shocking Organization.

One of the attendants was gripping Yu Shui’er, while Yu Haiqiong lay on the ground with a hand pressed to her cheek, a thin trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth.

Xu Zhe’s arrival immediately drew everyone’s attention.

“Brother, they’re bad people! They bullied me, and they bullied Sister too!” Yu Shui’er cried the moment she saw Xu Zhe.

Yu Haiqiong stared at Xu Zhe in a daze. She knew very well that this person was not her younger brother, but the legendary figure…

Xu the Prodigy!

Her idol!

“Well, well. We were just talking about him, and here he is. Esteemed sirs, I’ll leave him to you.”

Upon seeing Xu Zhe, the portly young master gave a mocking smile and took a step back.

The three assassins from the God-Shocking Organization were all at the Nascent Soul stage. They looked at Xu Zhe with cold, indifferent eyes.

“God-Shocking Organization? What business do you have here again?” Xu Zhe raised an eyebrow at the three assassins, his expression half-amused and half-mocking.

The assassins ignored him. One of them took a card from inside his robe and held it out toward Xu Zhe, saying blandly, “The God-Shocking Organization’s newest service package…”

“No need.”

Xu Zhe shook his head and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

A wisp of black flame instantly sprang to life at his fingertips, rapidly transforming into a bewitchingly beautiful little black fire lotus.

The temperature around them suddenly plummeted, turning bitterly cold.

“This…”

The expressions of the three assassins changed on the spot.

What the hell… why did this look so familiar?

Wasn’t this the legendary God of Slaughter?

“It’s a misunderstanding! This is absolutely a misunderstanding! Xu—”

“Shh!”

Xu Zhe motioned for them to keep quiet. He glanced at the portly young master and his attendants, then turned back to the three assassins with a smile.

“Do you understand what I mean?”

“Understood.”

“Clear.”

“We’ll handle it.”

The three assassins answered in unison. Without the slightest hesitation, they turned around and reached for the portly young master and his companions.

…

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