BTTH: From Genius to Invincible-Chapter 334: Refusing to Admit Defeat

Word Count: 2,709 Words

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Furthermore, considering Xiao Yan's exceptionally precise refinement and the use of the Heavenly Flame, this Great Soul Black Purple Pill absolutely reached the quality of a middle-grade tier 7 pill. If one accounted for its rare effect of enhancing Spiritual Strength at the Mortal State, ordinary middle-grade tier 7 pills couldn't compare to its value.

"You... There's something wrong with his medicinal cauldron! He cheated!! There's definitely something off about his pill! How could a tier 7 pill have such a foul medicinal fragrance?! There must be something wrong with his pill, which is why even the Pill Lightning was abnormal!" Gu Tong finally snapped back to his senses and shouted harshly.

He could not afford to admit defeat. His Heavenly Flame would be gone once he did. Without it, the Qiu Clan would refuse to refine pills for him, and by then, he would be as good as dead.

"Can't even accept defeat gracefully? Truly pathetic. You should have said earlier that you couldn't afford to lose. Isn't it just a Heavenly Flame?" Xiao Yan glanced at him lazily with a faint smile. "It seems that your so-called Medicine Bone Sect, known as the strongest alchemist faction in the North-Western Region, is nothing more than this. Truly a disgrace to our region."

Many people were looking at Gu Tong at this moment. They couldn't help but shake their heads, though they feared offending him and didn't speak up.

If one claimed that Xiao Yan's medicinal cauldron had something strange and the pill was fake, it was simply impossible for him to cheat under such public scrutiny, given that so many people had witnessed the process with their own eyes. It would be exposed immediately.

Moreover, he had even attracted Pill Lightning, which struck toward the pill. They were genuinely curious how someone could cheat to create Pill Lightning.

"If you had defeated me with genuine skill, I would have nothing to say." Gu Tong argued stubbornly, his face flushed. "A twenty-something-year-old 7th-tier alchemist? Anyone with a bit of common sense knows that's impossible. Hmph, in my opinion, it must have been that strange Spiritual Strength earlier—probably just a smokescreen, and the true refiner was someone else!"

"Common sense?" Xiao Yan shot him a sidelong glance and smiled faintly. "Talking about common sense with an alchemist. How did you ever reach tier 7, by luck?"

"So what if one is a 7th-tier alchemist in his early twenties? Are you saying the Pill Region or the Pill Tower has never had such people? If that's the case, I'd be quite disappointed." Xiao Yan's tone was calm, and he cast a glance at Qiu Ping not far away.

Many people turned toward Qiu Ping. Out of everyone here, only he was from the Pill Region in Central Plains, a place where all sorts of alchemy geniuses gathered. Everyone was curious if such talents existed there.

Noticing the gazes on him, Qiu Ping frowned, but eventually spoke the truth. "Cao Ying, the young mistress of the Cao Clan, one of the five great clans in the Pill Region, became a 7th-tier alchemist at the age of twenty."

"Though 7th-tier alchemists under thirty are uncommon in the Pill Region, they are not exceedingly rare—they do appear from time to time."

Hiss!!!

A wave of gasps immediately rose among all the alchemists present.

Xiao Yan's monstrous talent apparently had peers in the Pill Region! And more than one!!

What was even more terrifying was that 7th-tier alchemists under thirty would occasionally appear there. This revelation caused the conviction of many young alchemists present to crumble!

There truly was a sky beyond the sky, and this sky was so high that it could not even be glimpsed.

However, since Gu Tong and Qiu Ping were ultimately on the same side, Qiu Ping added, "But even in the Pill Region, geniuses like Grandmaster Cao Ying are seen only once in a century or even a millennium. She is currently attempting to break through to tier 8, and may very well enter the Pill Tower, becoming an elder or even one of its giants."

"During my travels across the Dou Qi Continent, apart from the Pill Region, I haven't heard of anyone with such talent."

Qiu Ping's implication was clear. While the Pill Region did have geniuses like Xiao Yan, they were exceedingly rare and were nurtured from a young age by great clans, provided with abundant resources and guidance from high-tier alchemists to achieve such accomplishments.

He simply refused to believe that an alchemist from the North-Western Region could possess such talent.

Once Qiu Ping finished, Gu Tong shouted with renewed confidence, "Hmph! You must have placed a half-finished pill into the cauldron, and that strange soul body completed the final steps!"

"No wonder you concealed everything so tightly with your Heavenly Flame. It was to prevent others from seeing that it wasn't you refining!"

Even the old shopkeeper of the Yellow Spring Treasures Pavilion couldn't stand it anymore and said in a deep voice, "If there truly is a soul body capable of refining a tier 7 pill, its Spiritual Strength must have reached tier 8. No, even Tier 8 Spiritual Strength wouldn't suffice. It would probably need to be tier 9."

Refining pills without a physical body was practically impossible unless one's Spiritual Strength was dreadfully overwhelming. To refine a tier 7 pill under such conditions meant the Spiritual State had reached the Heavenly State!

"Exactly! Find someone who can refine a tier 7 pill as a soul body. Probably only the Pill Tower has such monsters."

"That's right, that's right!"

Even Qiu Ping couldn't help shaking his head. Claiming that a soul body refined a tier 7 pill was absurd. If such a person existed, they would be at least a 9th-tier alchemist. If Xiao Yan truly had such a 9th-tier alchemist behind him, it would be best to kneel down immediately.

Gu Tong's plan to bring Xiao Yan down had backfired. After all, alchemists revered strength, and it was clear that Xiao Yan's alchemy skills surpassed his. His face immediately turned beet red as a burning shame washed over him.

"If you can't accept defeat, just say so. I pity you; letting you off is no big deal. It's just a Heavenly Flame. Why embarrass yourself here?" Xiao Yan cast Gu Tong a casual glance, his voice calm.

It's just a Heavenly Flame, I have many. It doesn't matter if I don't get your Wind and Thunder Fury Flame.

"You!!" Gu Tong trembled with rage. Now he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Yet he refused to bow his head. Where would he put his face if he yielded to Xiao Yan?

Right then, Qiu Ping slowly approached, gave a slight cough and said, "Ahem, the quality of tier 7 pills can be judged by the Pill Lightning. Earlier, both of you attracted Pill Lightning with similar power. In my view, why not call it a tie to preserve harmony?"

"That old thing is truly shameless," Qing Lin murmured coldly from not far away.

Someone like her rarely uttered such words, but today she couldn't help herself.

Previously, many people had a good impression of the Medicine Bone Sect and the Qiu Clan from the Pill Region. Some even wanted to befriend Qiu Ping, negotiate business with the Medicine Bone Sect, or even form alliances.

Being a tier 7 alchemist, Gu Tong was esteemed in the eyes of many as a prominent figure of his generation. But after witnessing his current conduct, those who had such intentions couldn't help but shake their heads lightly.

Indeed, the quality and grade of tier 7 pills were determined by the Pill Lightning. For instance, Sima Lin's Pill Lightning was the same as Gu Tong's, both were low-grade tier 7. However, Gu Tong's thundercloud was larger, so its power was naturally greater.

Naturally, Gu Tong's Dragon Elephant Prajna Pill was of slightly higher grade than Sima Lin's Beast Emperor Body Tempering Pill. This was basically common knowledge, so the grading of tier 7 pills didn't require judges. One could discern it with their own eyes.

And just now, Xiao Yan's thundercloud was not only the largest but also gathered at more than twice the speed of the other two. It even caused an anomaly, almost bringing down a second Pill Lightning.

Anyone who wasn't blind could understand that these two instances of Pill Lightning were fundamentally not on the same level. It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say that Xiao Yan's pill was middle-grade tier 7.

Still, no one present dared speak on Xiao Yan's behalf. After all, they truly could not afford to offend the Qiu Clan from the Pill Region.

However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Xiao Yan did not become angry or argue. He simply walked toward Qiu Ping, smiled, and asked, "You can represent the Qiu Clan, is that right?"

"Hmph, as a 7th-tier alchemist holding an important position in the Pill Tower, my judgment naturally represents the Qiu Clan," Qiu Ping snorted coldly, naturally displeased at being questioned by a junior like Xiao Yan.

He was no ordinary 7th-tier alchemist; he had already reached high-grade tier 7.

Moreover, although Xiao Yan's alchemy talent was high, he knew that Xiao Yan's chances of breaking through to tier 8 were slim to none.

The reason was simple. Without specialized Qi Methods and rare treasures, reaching the Soul State needed for tier 8 was nearly impossible. Countless alchemists had remained stuck at the peak of tier 7 their entire lives.

Furthermore, Gu Tong had dealings with the Qiu Clan. Although the transaction wasn't completed, the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame could be considered half-owned by the Qiu Clan, and he would not allow Xiao Yan to take it.

Xiao Yan simply laughed, lightly patted Qiu Ping's shoulder, and even mischievously ruffled Gu Tong's head as though the latter were a child, "Alright, since that's the case, when I visit the Pill Region in the future, I'll be sure to stop by the Qiu Clan to get a clear understanding."

He, Xiao Yan, had already reserved the championship of this Pill Gathering! No matter what Witch or prodigy dared to stand in his way, they would only meet defeat!

Everyone present fell silent at these words.

"Sigh, setting aside the Medicine Bone Sect, one of the ten great factions, the Qiu Clan is truly not to be provoked."

"That Xiao Yan of the Yan Alliance can be considered someone who knows when to yield and when to stand firm."

"Hah, in the end, he still has to give the Qiu Clan face. He can't really think that a bit of talent will let him ignore the Qiu Clan, can he?"

Qing Lin, at the side, couldn't resist a small smile. She understood in her heart that her Young Master was definitely not someone to be trifled with, nor was he afraid of trouble. He absolutely had his own plans.

"Xiao Yan, are you really going to let him off like that?" Zi Yan was a bit indignant. She raised her small fists, looking as if she was ready to vent Xiao Yan's anger for him.

"Why the rush? There are so many people here; you can't make a move now even if you want to. Besides, isn't the Great Meeting of Factions not over yet? How many have you beaten today?" Xiao Yan chuckled and asked.

Zi Yan immediately puffed out her small chest proudly. "I've beaten ten today!"

"That so-called Beast Emperor of the Sky Serpent Mansion was no match at all," Zi Yan grinned, revealing her pearly-white teeth.

With that, Xiao Yan and the members of the Yan Alliance chatted and laughed as they leaped onto the back of the Serene Sea Scaly Beast. The Serene Sea Scaly Beast then carried them all away from the square.

On the back of the Serene Sea Scaly Beast, Xiao Yan slowly turned his head to look down, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

As he had said, with so many people here, making a move was impractical. He had already placed a soul imprint for tracking. After the Great Meeting of Factions ended, that Heavenly Flame would still end up in his hands. It was just that at that time, he might need to use some slightly more forceful methods.

A cold smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. They wanted to renege on a wager with him, Venerable Yan? After the Great Meeting of Factions concluded, he would collect both principal and interest!

Once the Serene Sea Scaly Beast disappeared over the horizon, discussions gradually arose throughout the mountain range.

Some talked about the recent alchemy competition, some discussed the Yan Alliance, and naturally, some secretly ridiculed Gu Tong for not keeping his word. In short, there were all kinds of discussions.

However, there was no doubt that all discussions pointed in one direction: the Yan Alliance!

It was not just the Medicine Bone Sect now. Even the leaders of overlord-level factions like the Thunderbolt Sect and the Sky Serpent Mansion had furrowed brows.

She Tianhao, Ting Hao, Shi Nian, and the other faction leaders exchanged subtle glances, all seeing a trace of apprehension in each other's eyes.

While a 7th-tier alchemist might amount to no more than adding another Medicine Bone Sect and couldn't shake their positions as overlords, Xiao Yan was too young!

"Tomorrow is the final competition of the Great Meeting of Factions. No matter what, we must defend our arena this time," She Tianhao glanced at Qing Lin, then spoke gravely to the Dou Ancestors like Bai Ya behind him.

"Understood, Mansion Lord!"

...

Over the past few days, the Dou Emperor-level battles had concluded. The Dou Emperors of various factions had essentially all fought once, and among them, Zi Yan stood out as the undisputed Beast Emperor. Even though her cultivation was only at 3-star Dou Emperor, even the 9-star Dou Emperor from the Sky Serpent Mansion had failed to defeat her!

People were also curious about what kind of magical beast Zi Yan's true form was.

Early the next morning, just as Xiao Yan emerged from his cultivation and was preparing to freshen up.

"This is bad!" Princess Yue Er burst in at this moment, looking panicked as she spoke to Xiao Yan.

"What happened?" Xiao Yan looked at the flustered Yue Er and asked.

Yue Er's voice also attracted others. She hastily said, "It's Sect Leader Yun Yun! Something happened to her."

"What happened to Yun Yun?" Xiao Yan stood up abruptly, his eyes turning sharp. Just moments ago, Yun Yun had been outside practicing Dou Techniques; how could anything have happened?!

"I had just gone out intending to purchase some medicinal ingredients for alchemy. Hearing some commotion, I curiously went to see and found Sect Leader Yun Yun surrounded by experts from several factions—the Medicine Bone Sect, Gold Geese Sect, and Mulan Valley—on a nearby mountain peak," Yue Er said anxiously.

A frightful killing intent surged from Xiao Yan, and Yue Er could not help trembling. At that moment, she felt as if Xiao Yan had transformed into a dreadful god of death.

"I was originally planning to wait until the Great Meeting of Factions ended to settle accounts, but it seems some people are truly tired of living," Xiao Yan said slowly.

Yue Mei and Hua She Er, who had rushed over from outside the door, couldn't help but shudder. At that moment, they felt as if a terrifying black shadow loomed behind Xiao Yan, making one's hair stand on end.

Once they returned to their senses, they immediately called for the others and followed Xiao Yan.

On a mountain peak not far from the Sky Serpent Mansion's mountain range, Yun Yun was currently surrounded by a group of people. Moreover, most of those surrounding Yun Yun were white-haired seniors of the older generation, all of them Dou Emperors, and among them were even several powerful Dou Ancestor experts!

At Yun Yun's feet lay a corpse. This corpse had its throat slit by a single sword strike. It was none other than the Medicine Bone Sect's youngest genius, Jian Feixue!