Chapter 8

One furnace, nine pills, each of the highest quality.

It shocked everyone present.

Even Chen Yuanliang, in his entire life, had only managed to refine three high-quality True Essence Pills.

Even so, it was Chen Yuanliang's proudest capital in Shuangmu City.

But in front of Lu Chen's furnace of pills, that bit of pride vanished without a trace.

"Monster!"

Apart from these two words, no one could find any other words to describe Lu Chen.

"Impossible!"

Zhou Hong's face was full of shock, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably. Suddenly, he screamed hysterically, "He's so young, without a Dan Robe, and has no rank or grade. How could he possibly refine a high-quality True Essence Pill? Cheating, it must be cheating!"

"How could I cheat when refining pills on the spot?"

Lu Chen looked at the berserk Zhou Hong and couldn't help but sneer.

It seemed that Zhou Hong didn't want to give the Spirit Qi Pill and was looking for an excuse to renege on the bet.

"You must have used an illusion to secretly switch the pills in the furnace."

"Are you an idiot? With so many experts here, how could I switch them? Besides, where could I find nine high-quality True Essence Pills?"

The people present all had strange looks in their eyes.

They all saw that Zhou Hong was making excuses, a clear sign of not wanting to acknowledge his loss.

However, due to Zhou Hong's influence, no one dared to speak up for justice.

At this moment, Chen Yuanliang spoke up.

"Lu Chen cheated in refining pills and must be severely punished to set an example!"

There was a deathly silence in the room.

Everyone knew that Chen Yuanliang was protecting Zhou Hong and was about to make an example of Lu Chen.

"You're not qualified to compete with me in pill refining."

Zhou Hong finally turned from anger to a sinister smile.

"Colluding with each other!"

Lu Chen glanced at Chen Yuanliang and Zhou Hong and angrily denounced them in front of everyone.

"Seize him and lock him in the dungeon!"

Chen Yuanliang ordered.

Zhou Hong reached out and grabbed at Lu Chen.

Slap!

A slap echoed.

Zhou Hong's face now had a handprint.

"How dare you hit me?"

Zhou Hong was furious, immediately channeling his Spirit Qi, the aura of the Ninth Stage Body Refinement bursting forth.

"Die!"

Zhou Hong struck with a palm, the wind from his palm shaking the entire scene.

Lu Chen didn't dodge, directly releasing his aura and meeting the palm with his own.

Bang!

The two palms collided, producing a loud explosion.

Lu Chen stood firm as a mountain.

Zhou Hong was sent flying backward.

"Whoa..."

The crowd was stunned, many drawing in cold breaths.

Zhou Hong was actually no match for Lu Chen?

Lu Chen was clearly only at the Fifth Stage Body Refinement.

"Ridiculous!"

An angry voice sounded.

A powerful pressure descended.

"A First Stage True Essence pressure!"

The crowd retreated, avoiding the pressure.

However, Lu Chen resisted the pressure, standing firm!

"How dare you injure someone in the Pill Hall, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Chen Yuanliang's face was dark, the pressure locking onto Lu Chen, about to make his move.

Lu Chen's expression was serious, his fists clenched, infusing his entire body's Spirit Qi into them.

Chen Yuanliang was at the First Stage True Essence level, and Lu Chen couldn't defeat him, but that didn't mean he couldn't fight to the death.

If he were still at the original First Stage True Essence...

No, if he advanced two minor stages, with the enhancement of the Flame Dragon Martial Vein, he might not be without a chance to fight.

Suddenly,

An even more powerful pressure descended!

This pressure was extremely terrifying, directly crushing Chen Yuanliang's aura, making him sweat profusely and wobble.

"White Elder!"

Chen Yuanliang's face was filled with shock.

A moment later, the terrifying pressure disappeared.

A woman suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

She looked to be around thirty, beautiful, wearing a Dan Robe with seven red stripes, exuding an aura of authority and dominance.

"A Seventh Stage Great Alchemist!"

The crowd was shocked, bowing deeply, not daring to breathe loudly.

All the Alchemy Apprentices, Alchemy Adepts, including Zhou Hong, knelt in welcome.

Shuangmu City was just a small city in the Yongming Dynasty, usually only a First Stage Alchemist presided over the Pill Hall. Where had they ever seen such a high-level Alchemist descend?

"White Elder, why did you come down?"

Chen Yuanliang bowed, running to the beautiful woman and asking cautiously.

This beautiful woman was called Bai Ningshuang, an elder of the Pill Pavilion.

The Pill Pavilion was in the capital, with many large Pill Halls and countless small Pill Halls under its jurisdiction.

The Pill Hall in Shuangmu City was just a small Pill Hall, directly under the jurisdiction of the Dangzhou Large Pill Hall, which in turn reported directly to the Pill Pavilion.

And Bai Ningshuang was an upper-level superior that Chen Yuanliang could never reach.

In short, Bai Ningshuang could elevate Chen Yuanliang to the clouds or cast him into the depths of hell with just a word.

"I saw a spectacular pill competition and a despicable act."

Bai Ningshuang's face was expressionless, with a hint of anger, "You, as the head of the hall, actually bully alchemists, tarnishing the reputation of the Pill Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuanliang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar and immediately knelt down.

"I know my crime, please forgive me, White Elder!"

"You should seek forgiveness from him."

Bai Ningshuang pointed at Lu Chen and smiled slightly, "Young man, how should he be dealt with to quench your anger? Just a word from you can decide his fate."

"Let him fulfill his promise."

Lu Chen said calmly.

Chen Yuanliang's reputation in Shuangmu City was still decent, and he didn't deserve death. Lu Chen didn't want to kill him.

"Thank you, Young Master Lu!"

Chen Yuanliang, who had escaped death, bowed several times to Lu Chen, then took out fifty Intermediate Body Refinement Pills and respectfully handed them to Lu Chen.

"As for you?"

Lu Chen's gaze turned to Zhou Hong.

Zhou Hong felt a chill run through his body, as if being stared at by a prehistoric beast, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"Y-Young Master Lu, this is what you won, please accept it."

Zhou Hong hurriedly knelt and handed over fifty Low-Grade Spirit Qi Pills.

When Lu Chen accepted the Spirit Qi Pills, a hint of pain flashed in Zhou Hong's eyes.

His uncle, the city lord, had gone to great lengths and used many connections to obtain a batch of Spirit Qi Pills from the capital.

Because of his limitless potential in alchemy, the city lord valued him and gave him fifty Low-Grade Spirit Qi Pills to help him advance.

He never expected that these treasures would all end up with Lu Chen in the blink of an eye.

"Head of the Hall Chen, you deal with him."

Lu Chen didn't say he would let Zhou Hong off but handed him over to Chen Yuanliang.

Chen Yuanliang stared at Zhou Hong, his eyes flashing with anger.

To help Zhou Hong deal with Lu Chen, he had almost risked his life. He now hated Zhou Hong to the core.

"Zhou Hong, you lost the competition and still slandered others, truly despicable!"

Chen Yuanliang said coldly, "I announce that your Alchemy Adept status is revoked, and you are immediately expelled from the Pill Hall, never to be rehired!"

Zhou Hong's face turned ashen, and he had no choice but to take off his Dan Robe and leave the Pill Hall in disgrace.

"Young Master Lu, would you like to come upstairs for a talk?"

Bai Ningshuang only spoke after the matter was resolved.

But her words shocked everyone.

A Seventh Stage Great Alchemist!

Others would be lucky to even have a chance to curry favor with her.

Lu Chen, however, was invited by a Great Alchemist, his future boundless.

The crowd looked at Lu Chen with envy.

Lu Chen nodded and followed Bai Ningshuang upstairs.

Chen Yuanliang followed like a lapdog.

On the top floor of the Pill Hall.

Bai Ningshuang opened a door and invited Lu Chen inside.

As soon as Lu Chen entered the room, he saw a young man.

The young man was about his age, wearing a silk robe, with a dignified demeanor, but there was a hint of black qi between his brows.