"Look at that... You were just trying to be nice, but she certainly doesn’t appreciate it."

She watched Lan Le with undisguised glee, enraging him until his face was flushed and the veins on his neck bulged. He was on the verge of exploding.

Lan Le hadn’t expected Ye Chuxue to be so harsh. ’Is she looking down on me?’

’I really didn’t see it before. So young, yet so arrogant!’

His face darkened. He flung his sleeves in anger. "Your sequence is just plain wrong! What does that have to do with any inheritance?"

"No wonder your pills are poisonous if you use a method like that for your alchemy!"

"GASP! Could Senior Sister Ye’s alchemy process really have been wrong?"

"Is that for real? No way! Didn’t she inherit the legacy of the Medicine King Sect?"

"That’s right. The news has spread all over the Cultivation World. Everyone knows Ye Chuxue of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect inherited the legacy of the Medicine King Sect and is on her way to becoming the next Alchemy Grandmaster... It can’t be a lie, can it?"

"Maybe it’s a new alchemy technique that Master Lan and the others have never seen before?"

"I think that’s it. After all, it’s a top-tier pill recipe. It’s bound to be different from ordinary alchemy methods..."

Most of the disciples still sided with Ye Chuxue.

The name "Medicine King Sect" alone was a symbol of authority in alchemy, an authority that not even Lan Le could challenge.

Hearing this, Lan Le grew so furious his vision momentarily went black.

’These people were saying the exact same thing as Ye Chuxue, just in different words—that he was ignorant!’

"Junior Sister Song, you tell me. Were her steps wrong?"

He couldn’t help but ask his nemesis, Song Wanning.

’These people were so infuriating!’

All eyes turned to Song Wanning.

Song Wanning was lounging against the stone chair. She raised her eyes to glance at the defiant Ye Chuxue. "Of course she’s the problem. I’ve been saying that all along."

"Her alchemy process for the elixir pills was flawed, creating a severe Dan Poison, and she tried to frame Li Rao for it..."

"Impossible!"

Ye Chuxue immediately cut her off, clenching her fists as she retorted, "You’re just deliberately slandering me to clear Li Rao of suspicion!"

"There’s absolutely nothing wrong with my elixir pills!"

Seeing his beloved disciple being bullied, Gu Qingyuan couldn’t help but speak up. "I believe Chuxue. Let’s have her finish the alchemy first, then we can discuss everything else!"

"We’ll know if it’s poisonous or not when we test it!"

"Yes!" Ye Chuxue’s eyes brightened. "We’ll know as soon as we test it!"

"Tsk..."

"I don’t think that’s appropriate."

Song Wanning crossed one leg over the other, pursing her lips in disapproval.

"Birds are living creatures, too. Why should an innocent animal be a test subject? Ye, you’re always talking about the equality of all living things, yet you have the heart for this?"

"I say... why don’t we have Ye test the medicine on herself? That would be more fair..."

A strange glint flashed in her eyes as the corners of her lips curled into a provocative smirk.

Link by link, piece by piece, it was all part of the design.

They were like moths caught in a spiderweb. No matter how they struggled, it was merely a futile, final struggle.

"No!"

Gu Qingyuan refused without hesitation. "I’ll take the elixir pill she refines!"

His trust in Ye Chuxue was absolute, unshakable even if the heavens fell.

But... he still couldn’t bear to let Ye Chuxue take the risk.

The smile on Song Wanning’s lips faltered for a moment before the ends of her brows arched upward, every fiber of her being seeming to radiate excitement.

"Oh, good... This couldn’t be better..."

Ye Chuxue hesitated for a moment, but then she remembered that she could never make a mistake. She assured Gu Qingyuan, "Master, rest assured. I will definitely succeed in creating the elixir pill!"

"Good. I believe in you."

Gu Qingyuan gave her a deep, meaningful look, then quietly stood nearby to support her.

Liu Lan Yi’s vision went black at the sight.

’How dare Gu Qingyuan so brazenly show his affection for Ye Chuxue! It’s preposterous!’

’If my friend were here, he might have had to clean house on the spot!’

’He’s brought such shame upon the Heavenly Inquiry Sect.’

Ye Chuxue rallied her spirits and resumed her alchemy. Provoked, Lan Le washed his hands of the whole mess, slumping onto a chair to the side and adopting an air of aloof indifference.

’They don’t believe me, do they?’

’Let’s just see how they’re going to get out of this mess!’

While everyone waited for Ye Chuxue to finish her alchemy, only Li Rao went to Song Wanning’s side and gently tugged her sleeve.

"Master... do you have a way to cure her?"

Following her gaze, Song Wanning saw the unconscious Wu Dan.

Everyone else seemed to have forgotten her. Only Li Rao had noticed, her heart filled with worry.

"She’ll be fine... Just let her lie there for a while. It will be a good lesson for her."

Song Wanning’s gaze swept coolly over Wu Dan. ’She’ll probably think twice before casually taking elixir pills from others in the future.’

"Oh..."

Li Rao was instantly relieved, her small face lighting up with adoration.

’Master Lan couldn’t do it, but my master can!’

’Master is the greatest!’

Feeling the fervent gaze, Song Wanning looked at her, her own expression faltering for a moment.

’In the Cultivation World, being too kind is never a good thing.’

’This little disciple of mine still has much to learn.’

BANG—

The lid of the Pill Furnace shot into the air, and a wild torrent of energy flared toward the heavens. Immediately after, a medicinal fragrance wafted into everyone’s noses.

"The alchemy is done? That was fast!"

The disciples all stood on tiptoe, scrambling to get a look at the newly formed pills.

Ye Chuxue caught the lid, looked inside, and immediately let out a long sigh of relief.

Four Fifth-grade Spirit Gathering Pills, of medium quality.

’My success rate of pill formation has improved again! This is wonderful.’

Unable to contain her pride, she smirked and, with a wave of her hand, collected the four elixir pills into her palm.

The Sect Master’s eyes brightened, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

’Just give Ye Chuxue a little more time, and she’s certain to surpass Song Wanning by a wide margin!’

’Then we’ll see what Song Wanning has to be so smug about!’

The disciples gasped in unison, shocked and full of admiration for Ye Chuxue’s talent.

Only Lan Le closed his eyes, not wanting to look anymore.

"The alchemy is complete. Gu Qingyuan, do you dare to test it?"

Song Wanning sat up a little straighter, her eyes burning with an excited gleam.

It was the excitement of seeing an enemy about to suffer misfortune.

Liu Lan Yi noticed the change in Song Wanning, and the confusion in her eyes deepened.

’What on earth did Gu Qingyuan do to hurt Wan Ning so deeply?’

Having been called out, Gu Qingyuan felt that something was wrong, but it was too late to back down now.

Clutching his chest, he walked to Ye Chuxue’s side and took an elixir pill from her palm.

For some reason, Ye Chuxue started to feel nervous as well.

Bai Yang and An Ze also moved a little closer, their expressions focused.

’As long as the elixir pills are proven to be fine, Li Rao will be the culprit again.’

Everything hinged on this moment.

Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Gu Qingyuan took the elixir pill and swallowed it whole.

The elixir pill slid down his throat and instantly dissolved into countless streams of essence that coursed through his meridians.

The color gradually returned to his once-pale face, his weakness swept away.

His aura also began to steadily recover.

"See? See? I told you there was nothing wrong with Senior Sister Ye’s elixir pills!"

"Senior Sister Ye is incredible! She shut them up with her sheer skill..."

"With her talent for alchemy, I’d say Senior Sister Ye is the best in the Cultivation World. Anyone disagree?"

"Nope, no disagreement here!"

The disciples were already beside themselves with excitement.

The Ye Chuxue they supported was the world’s number one master of the Alchemy Dao!