Chapter 4

0004 Trouble Comes Knocking

"Are you all disappointed?" Yun Qingyan observed everyone's reactions, then his gaze fell on the accountant, Qian Shu, "Uncle Qian, I remember calling you Uncle Qian when I was a child. Uncle Qian, are you disappointed in me?"

Uncle Qian was a middle-aged man in his forties. He hesitated for a moment before nodding, "To be honest, Master, I am indeed very disappointed. After all, you used to be the number one genius in Tianyu City, a super genius at the Fifth Rank of the Star Realm at the age of 15. But now, you have become..."

Uncle Qian didn't finish his sentence, but everyone knew what he meant—either a mediocre talent or a fool.

Yun Qingyan didn't mind and said calmly, "Three years ago, I went to practice in the Langya Mountains. Unfortunately, I encountered a group of bandits. After a fierce battle, I was captured and imprisoned in their hideout. During the three years in the hideout, I had no time to cultivate, and I couldn't even get three meals a day. Over time, my cultivation dropped from the Fifth Rank of the Star Realm to the Third Rank."

"However, I don't think there's any reason for everyone to be disappointed. Because I, Yun Qingyan, am still here, and my talent is still here. I promise that within a year, I will reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City!"

As he spoke, Yun Qingyan's gaze returned to Uncle Qian, "Uncle Qian, now please tell me, are you still disappointed in me?"

No one knew that while Yun Qingyan was speaking, an invisible spiritual波动 spread from him, enveloping the entire scene.

Everyone, including Yun Han and the four elders, was affected by this spiritual波动.

The difference was just a matter of degree.

Uncle Qian was inexplicably excited, as if Yun Qingyan had ignited his passion. He looked at Yun Qingyan with admiration, "Master, I am no longer disappointed! I believe that within a year, Master will definitely reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City!"

"Master, we are not disappointed!"

"Master, we also believe that within a year, you will definitely reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City!"

All the managers present said excitedly, and their gazes towards Yun Qingyan were even more fervent than before.

"Alright, everyone, calm down!" Yun Qingyan waved his hand, and everyone quieted down.

"Uncle, announce me as the successor now." Yun Qingyan turned to Yun Han, who looked stunned.

"Alright, alright, I'll announce it now!" Yun Han was dazed for a moment before coming to his senses, but before he could make the official announcement, he was interrupted by the First Elder.

"Wait!" The First Elder snorted coldly, his face full of ridicule, "Yun Qingyan, I didn't expect that after three years, although your cultivation has declined, your eloquence has improved so much. In just a few words, you've made everyone lose their sense of direction!"

"However, your lying skills are too crude! Claiming you can reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City within a year, you really have the nerve to boast! Do you know what the current number one genius in Tianyu City's cultivation is? Even if you hadn't gone missing three years ago, you might not have caught up with him, let alone now..."

Yun Qingyan suddenly waved his hand to stop the First Elder, "First Elder, let's skip the nonsense. Just tell me what you want!"

Yun Qingyan hadn't been this patient in a long time. If his cultivation hadn't declined, he would have slapped the First Elder to death long ago.

"It's simple. Since you claim you can reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City within a year, prove it with actions. However, I can't wait a whole year! I have a compromise that can prove it within a month!"

"What is it?" asked Uncle Yun Han.

"Exactly one month from today, let Yun Qingyan duel my son, Yun Yangqing! The winner will be the new successor of the clan!" The First Elder said coldly.

"First Elder, are you joking? Yun Qingyan is only at the Third Rank of the Star Realm, and you want him to duel Yun Yangqing, who is at the Sixth Rank of the Star Realm, in just one month!" Uncle Yun Han's face darkened instantly.

"Who's joking? Since Yun Qingyan claims he can reclaim the title of the number one genius in Tianyu City within a year, defeating my son in a month should be easy, right? Of course, if he loses to my son in a month, it means Yun Qingyan was just boasting." The First Elder looked at Yun Qingyan provocatively, "Yun Qingyan, do you dare to accept?"

Yun Qingyan shrugged, indifferent, "Why not! But a month is too long, let's make it seven days!"

The moment Yun Qingyan spoke, the hall erupted in chaos.

Originally, the one-month deadline proposed by the First Elder already seemed too short and unfair to Yun Qingyan. But no one expected Yun Qingyan to change it to seven days!

Has Yun Qingyan lost his mind?

Or does he think that even after a month, he won't be a match for Yun Yangqing, so he might as well take a desperate gamble and change it to seven days?

Not only did others think so, but even Uncle Qian, who had almost become numb with admiration for Yun Qingyan, thought he had gone mad!

"Ha ha ha, you said it yourself!" The First Elder laughed loudly.

"Qingyan, are you crazy!" Uncle Yun Han stared at Yun Qingyan with wide eyes.

"Uncle, don't worry!" Yun Qingyan reassured his uncle, "If it takes me a month to deal with that fool Yun Yangqing, I might as well bash my head against a wall!"

Ever since they were young, Yun Qingyan had beaten Yun Yangqing many times. Yun Yangqing was simply too detestable, often bullying others with the authority of being the First Elder's son.

Once, Yun Yangqing had almost been castrated by Yun Qingyan for verbally harassing Cai'er!

Fortunately, an elder arrived in time to save Yun Yangqing from that fate.

After setting the seven-day duel, the family meeting quickly adjourned.

"Qingyan, I'll take you back!" Uncle Yun Han said. On the way back, he hesitated, his eyes filled with regret, and finally said, "Qingyan, it's my fault, I'm sorry to you!"

If Yun Qingyan's father were still the head of the family, even if Yun Qingyan were only at the Third Rank of the Star Realm, he could have been named the successor with just a word.

Yun Qingyan's father had absolute authority in the Yun family, and even the four elders had to obey him.

"Uncle, if you really feel guilty, tell me everything about my brother after I defeat Yun Yangqing." As Yun Qingyan spoke, a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

"Alright!" Uncle Yun Han's eyes showed determination, but he still gritted his teeth.

After sending Yun Qingyan to his courtyard, Uncle Yun Han stayed for a while before leaving.

Yun Qingyan began preparing for the alchemy process. The pill he intended to refine would take about two days of continuous work with his current cultivation.

To avoid being disturbed, he not only informed his uncle but also specifically called the old steward, Yun Yuanlin, to guard him.

After all preparations were made, Yun Qingyan locked the door and opened the pill furnace that had been placed in the room.

"Lingzhi, Poria, Shan Gucao—each ingredient is ten years old." Yun Qingyan muttered, placing the ingredients into the pill furnace in an orderly manner.

"I wonder what the people of the Immortal Realm would think if they knew I'm refining a Qi Gathering Pill," Yun Qingyan said to himself with a smile. The Qi Gathering Pill was the lowest-grade pill, and even the lowest beings in the Immortal Realm wouldn't take it.

However, with his current cultivation, Yun Qingyan could only refine a Qi Gathering Pill.

Fortunately, in the Tianxing Continent, the Qi Gathering Pill was already a low-grade pill, though it was only a low-grade human pill, it was still considered a low-grade pill.

On the market, one pill would cost at least a thousand taels of silver, and it was in high demand.

Yun Qingyan placed his hands below the pill furnace, activating the Fire Control Technique to produce two pale white flames in his palms.

Crack, crack, crack

A few minutes later, the flames had heated the pill furnace, and half an hour later, a misty smoke rose from the furnace.

Yun Qingyan observed the inside of the pill furnace with his spiritual sense.

Three hours later, the flames on his palms began to fluctuate in size as he controlled the heat.

Controlling the heat during the pill formation process was extremely important. When it needed to be intense, he used a strong flame, and when it needed to be gentle, he used a mild flame.

Any mistake in the process would lower the quality of the pill or even ruin it.

Although Yun Qingyan's spiritual sense was only a fraction of its peak, it was still far stronger than most alchemists in the Tianxing Continent.

With his spiritual sense, Yun Qingyan controlled the alchemy process with perfect precision.

After a day and a night, more than thirty Qi Gathering Pills had taken shape in the pill furnace. Each pill was evenly spaced and heated equally.

As long as there were no accidents, the success rate of this batch of Qi Gathering Pills would be 100%.

If this news spread, it would shock everyone. In the alchemy world, a success rate of over 30% was considered master-level, and over 50% was extremely rare.

A 100% success rate was simply a fairy tale.

Another day and a night passed.

In the pill furnace, more than thirty pills had fully formed and only needed a few more minutes of refining before they could be taken out.

But just as the final few minutes approached, Yun Qingyan's expression suddenly darkened.

"Hey, isn't that Yun Yuanlin? Yun Qingyan just came back, and you old man are already eager to run over and be his dog?" A mocking voice came from outside the room in the courtyard.

"Old man, quickly go and call Yun Qingyan out. Tell him I, Yun Yuelai, am here to see him!"

"Old man, what are you waiting for? Are you itching for a beating? Don't think I won't hit you just because you're the steward!"

"It looks like you really are itching for a beating!"

As the voice fell, there was a loud thud, and someone was kicked away.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is Yun Qingyan's room!" In no time, the owner of the voice was already at Yun Qingyan's door.

Bang!

With a heavy kick, the sandalwood door shattered into several pieces.

Clang! A piece of broken wood splashed onto the pill furnace, and Yun Qingyan, who was still refining the pills, couldn't stop it in time. He watched helplessly as the pill furnace tipped over.

"Ha ha ha, Yun Qingyan, I heard that after escaping from the bandits' hideout, your cultivation has dropped to the Third Rank of the Star Realm! What? Are you so hopeless in martial arts that you've decided to pursue alchemy instead?"

Seeing the tipped-over pill furnace and the misty smoke in the room, the intruder immediately guessed that Yun Qingyan was refining pills. "Heh heh, if that's the case, you're in for a bigger fall! The difficulty of the alchemy path is several times greater than that of martial arts!"