The elders, seeing Elder Yunlong promoted to a Third-Grade Alchemist, were naturally envious. Not wanting to miss such a rare opportunity, they crowded around, faces flushed, clamoring to be the first to have Ye Han give pointers on their alchemy. The disciples stood to the side, staring in disbelief.
After all, Ye Han possessed the foundation of an Alchemy Saint. Even his casual remarks were enough to benefit these elders for a lifetime. Under Ye Han's guidance, several elders experienced sudden flashes of insight, as if enlightened. Some saw their soul power increase, while others refined their fire-control techniques. The observing disciples naturally benefited immensely as well.
Half an hour later, Master Zhuge and Liu Qintan entered the main hall.
***
Two figures strode into the hall, and instantly, all eyes turned to them. They were Master Zhuge and Liu Qintan. Master Zhuge seemed troubled; he cupped his hands in a gesture of apology.
"Master Ye, the final medicinal ingredient you require, the Green-Wood Turtle Vine, is extremely rare. We have only one left in the entire Alchemist Guild, so I do not have the authority to give it to you. However, if you must have this ingredient, you could perhaps petition the President."
"Petition the President?" Ye Han set his teacup down gently and raised an eyebrow.
Beside him, Elder Yunlong frowned and shook his head. "It is truly a bad time to see the President. The old man has been in seclusion for several months; even we, as elders of the Guild, cannot easily gain an audience with him. His temper is eccentric; if we were to disturb him rashly, I fear..."
Elder Tianque nodded in agreement, looking at Ye Han with an apologetic expression.
"Is there no other way?" Ye Han's face darkened. The Martial Tower would be opening in two days, and he had to secure this final ingredient.
"The President’s current seclusion will last at least another half a year or more. It is said that months ago, he obtained a defective Fourth-Grade alchemy recipe. A corner of the precious scroll was torn, and one ingredient was missing; he has been trying to deduce what that missing ingredient is ever since," another elder said, pondering for a moment.
"Oh? Is that so?" Ye Han thought for a moment before saying, "Perhaps I could help your President identify that missing ingredient and restore the Fourth-Grade recipe to its original state."
"This..." The other elders looked at one another, suddenly conflicted. While Ye Han was skilled in alchemy, the President had spent months working on the recipe to no avail; they didn't believe Ye Han could do it.
However, having just received his teachings, they felt indebted to him. After conferring with Elder Zhuge and Elder Yunlong, they nodded. "Very well, come with us to see the President. But be warned: he has a temper, so please prepare yourself."
Ye Han nodded, feeling increasingly curious.
***
Led by the elders, they bypassed the Alchemy Tower and soon reached a courtyard surrounded by bamboo. The path was winding and secluded, filled with dense spiritual energy and an air of tranquility. Yet, as they entered the courtyard, they found it in shambles, with crushed medicinal herbs scattered everywhere.
"President!" Master Zhuge and the others stepped forward and bowed.
"Get out, all of you!" a furious, aged voice roared from the alchemy room. Then, with a *whoosh*, a pile of charred, smoking herbs was hurled out.
The elders looked at Ye Han, embarrassed. Ye Han stood still, his gaze fixed on the alchemy room, his expression calm as an ancient well.
"The President is quite hot-tempered, but he is actually a very good man," Elder Yunlong hurriedly explained, looking mortified.
No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a loud *boom*. The alchemy room shook violently, and clouds of smoke billowed out. A moment later, a bald, disheveled old man ran out, looking grey-faced, covering his face, and coughing violently. His beard was singed, and his robes were in tatters.
"Dammit, the furnace exploded again! Son of a... it was almost perfect!" The President grabbed the herb residue on the ground and cursed in anger.
Ye Han glanced at him. The old man was extremely lean, and a few tufts of hair on his head were standing straight up due to the explosion, a sight that made it hard to keep from laughing.
"President, we have distinguished guests," Master Zhuge whispered again.
"Don't disturb my alchemy! Get out, all of you!" The President was mid-tantrum and ignored them.
Ye Han stepped forward, sniffed the air, nodded slightly, and said, "The scent is sharp yet carries a cool, fragrant quality. This is definitely the aroma of Royal Blood Grass. Hmm... and Eight-Cornered Profound Ice Grass, Phoenix Fire Spirit Fruit, and Red Sand Leaves..."
"Presid—" The elders' expressions changed, and they moved to intervene, fearing the President's temper would flare. Instead, the President glared at Master Zhuge, then turned to look at Ye Han with frantic excitement. He scanned him up and down and asked impatiently, "What other ingredients?"
Ye Han smiled and continued, "Fire Spirit Root, Jade Skin Flower... and Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, Water Spirit Lotus..."
Ye Han rattled off a hundred ingredients in one breath! The President looked as if he had seen a ghost; he was utterly shocked! Even he, a Fourth-Grade alchemist, could not identify ingredients from a pile of ruined residue just by their scent!
But the next sentence hit the President like a bolt of lightning: "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the Fourth-Grade Nine-Turn Golden Spirit Pill recipe."
Ye Han spoke with absolute certainty.
"You... you can identify the Nine-Turn Golden Spirit Pill just by the scent of the ingredients?!" The President’s eyes widened to the size of copper bells in disbelief. Even he, a Fourth-Grade alchemist, couldn't do that.
"Not entirely," Ye Han said with a mysterious smile. As an Alchemy Saint, such pills were considered low-grade in his eyes; he knew the recipe by heart, so identifying it was natural.
"Then... the missing ingredient in the recipe is..." The President stared at Ye Han, wishing he could pry the answer out of his mouth.
"Snow Bone Ginseng," Ye Han said with a squinted, knowing smile.
"Dammit, Snow Bone Ginseng? Fine! I'll go try it. If it doesn't work, you'll answer for it!" With that, the President, his eyes burning with fervor, returned to the small house to refine the pill.
"An alchemy maniac, indeed eccentric. He could have pushed for Fifth-Grade, but his talent is merely average..." Ye Han remarked, though his assessment of the alchemy-obsessed President was actually quite favorable.
The other elders were left speechless, their jaws dropping. The President was a Fourth-Grade alchemist, yet in Ye Han’s mouth, his talent was only "average"! Could Ye Han's alchemy skills be even higher than the President's? Elder Yunlong and the others grew even more curious: could the ingredients Ye Han named really produce the Nine-Turn Golden Spirit Pill?
*Hum—*
Several hours later, a brilliant light erupted from the alchemy room, and a rich, fragrant medicinal aroma wafted out.
"Hahahaha! It worked!" A wild, unrestrained laugh echoed from the room.
"It... it really worked?" Master Zhuge and the others looked at each other, feeling a jolt in their nerves. The President had spent months researching it, yet Ye Han had identified the recipe and the missing ingredient with a mere sniff. They suddenly realized that Ye Han's alchemy skills were unfathomable!
Not long after, the President readily gifted the Green-Wood Turtle Vine to Ye Han.
***
After obtaining the final ingredient, Ye Han returned to his small courtyard in the Ye Family estate and began his seclusion to refine the pill. He had two days left to make his breakthrough into the Spirit Sea Realm.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high. Deep within the Ye Family mansion, a grand hall was brightly lit.
"Father," Ye Tiange said, dressed in white robes. His brow held a touch of sternness, and his eyes were sharp.
"Tomorrow is the day the Martial Tower opens. You must seize the opportunity. If you can obtain a high-grade Profound Art, you will surely shine at the Cloud Sea Sect’s recruitment," Ye Tianba said, his hand resting on his chair, his tone severe. He paused, then his eyes turned fierce. "Also, if the opportunity arises, cripple that brat, Ye Han!"
"Rest assured, Father. Last time, the Profound Yin Poison failed to cripple him, but that was just his good luck. This time, I will personally destroy his Dantian and trample him under my feet!" Ye Tiange’s tone was filled with contempt, his eyes vicious. He would make everyone in the clan understand that he was the true number one genius of the Ye Family. As for Ye Han, he was merely an insignificant stepping stone! He was destined to be the dragon of the nine heavens!
Furthermore, he had prepared thoroughly for the opening of the Martial Tower. Ye Tiange had absolute confidence that, inside the tower, he would show Ye Han the true meaning of despair.
***
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Today was the day the Ye Family would open the Martial Tower. For the disciples of the Ye Family, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Martial Tower held the heritage of the family, housing the various Profound Arts accumulated over the past hundred years. To obtain even one would be enough to significantly boost one's strength.
Usually, the disciples didn't even have the chance to get near the Martial Tower, but today they were here to select their own arts.
In the center of the Ye estate stood a towering golden iron tower. At this moment, the area around the tower was packed with people. Under the sunlight, the tower reflected a magnificent light, as if countless mysterious runes were flowing across its surface.
Thousands of Ye clan disciples surrounded the tower, but two figures in the crowd had clearly become the focus of everyone’s attention.
Ye Han wore a simple green shirt, standing out from the crowd like a crane in a flock of chickens, looking quite extraordinary. Not far away, Ye Tiange stood in blue robes, his expression arrogant, as dazzling as the moon in the sky.
At this moment, everyone could faintly sense the two locking eyes, as if they were clashing; the air was thick with the scent of gunpowder.
"Although Ye Han has regained his cultivation, I’m curious: is he really a match for Ye Tiange?" Some disciples on the sidelines watched the two in the square, their eyes filled with anticipation. After all, one of them had once been the Ye Family’s top genius, while the other was the current one. If not for his sudden loss of cultivation, Ye Han’s monstrous talent would have left even the current Ye Tiange in the dust.
Hearing the discussions around him, Ye Tiange only smiled faintly. He stared at Ye Han’s slightly thin figure, a faint, cold glint of light flickering deep in his eyes. Now, he was the center of attention in the Ye Family; no one could take his halo away. Not even Ye Han.
"I could drive you into the abyss once, and I can do it again," Ye Tiange said, his lips curling with confidence.
Behind him, a woman in red robes looked on with cold disdain. "Does this guy really think he’s your match just because he recovered his cultivation? He’s truly delusional. You’ve already reached the Early Spirit Sea Realm. Even if you gave him another three months of hard training, he couldn't catch up."
This woman, Ye Hongling, was also a genius of the Ye Family, but it was clear she was very close to Ye Tiange.
"Talent is talent. No matter how strong Ye Han's talent is, he cannot fight a Spirit Sea Realm expert while at the Ninth Layer of Spirit Spring Realm. If he insists on clashing with Young Patriarch Tiange, he’s simply courting death," a grey-robed youth beside Ye Hongling snorted.
Seeing the commotion around the Martial Tower, the elders standing in the square frowned. They didn't have much faith in Ye Han either; after all, the Spirit Spring Realm and the Spirit Sea Realm were worlds apart. Regardless, by the end of the day, it would be clear who the true talent of the Ye Family was.
"Now, the Ye Family Martial Tower will be opened. What fortune you can obtain depends entirely on your own ability to grasp it," Ye Baili said, stroking his beard, his voice majestic.
Suddenly, a massive stir went through the crowd. Everyone’s eyes burned with anticipation.
"I heard there’s a Ninth-Grade Profound Art inside the Martial Tower, the family’s ultimate technique. Is it true?" Ye Han’s eyes brightened slightly; he was clearly quite interested in this art.
Profound Arts were divided into nine grades. For a remote place like Yancheng, a Ninth-Grade Profound Art was already extremely rare. It was said that above Ninth-Grade were even higher-level techniques, Dao Arts, and powerful divine abilities. But it was rumored that in all of Yancheng, only the City Lord possessed a high-grade technique.
"Open the Martial Tower!" the First Elder shouted, slamming his aged palm into the tower. Instantly, the tower trembled violently.
*Rumble! Hum—*
The golden tower released a brilliant light, and mottled, ancient patterns slowly appeared on its surface.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
The next moment, everyone saw thousands of colorful light orbs erupting from the tower, swirling around it.
"My god! These... these are all Profound Arts!" The disciples were overcome with greed and excitement. Each light orb contained a technique! However, the grade of these arts was unknown; one needed sharp perception or pure luck to select a high-grade one. To this day, no one in the Ye Family had ever been able to retrieve that legendary Ninth-Grade Profound Art.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Suddenly, all the disciples surged toward the tower to snatch the techniques. Ye Tiange and Ye Han, however, remained where they were, scanning the light orbs with their eyes. They were both aiming for the Ninth-Grade art!
*Bang!*
A golden light burst, a lion’s roar echoed, and a scroll emerged.
"Hahaha! A Fourth-Grade Profound Art! 'Mad Lion Fist'!" A grey-robed youth grabbed the scroll, laughing wildly, drawing envious and jealous looks from the surrounding disciples.
*Hum—*
Following that, a grey light shot out, its fluctuation extremely powerful.
"That is... a Fifth-Grade Profound Art!" Everyone watched greedily as a grey scroll fell into Ye Hongling’s hand.
"Why haven't those two made a move yet?" Ye Hongling frowned, looking at Ye Han and Ye Tiange in confusion. They were both standing there with their eyes closed, as if sensing something.
Time ticked by. Many disciples had already chosen their techniques. Some were elated, while others cursed their bad luck. Everyone only had one chance to pick from the Martial Tower.
"Hmm?!" Finally, Ye Han and Ye Tiange seemed to sense a faint fluctuation. Both opened their eyes simultaneously and looked toward a corner, where a golden light orb was hovering. It looked completely ordinary, but both of them locked onto it at the same time!
*Boom!*
Ye Han stomped on the ground, his body shooting out like a leopard. Pale golden spiritual energy surged over his palms, infused with heavy power, and he reached for the orb.
"Thinking of taking this art? It won't be that easy!"
A sudden gust of wind struck from the front, filled with icy coldness. Ye Tiange was shrouded in cold blue light, shooting toward him like an ice arrow, freezing the floor tiles as he passed.
*Bang!*
Both extended their palms, striking the light orb with their vast spiritual energy. The two powerful forces collided, and with a loud *crack*, the orb shattered, revealing a scroll.
*Hum!*
Brilliant light, like a golden sun rising, suspended in mid-air.
"This fluctuation..." At this moment, everyone in the Ye Family, including the four elders, felt their pupils constrict, their eyes filled with shock and intense heat.
A Ninth-Grade Profound Art!
***
*Hum!*
Golden light scattered in all directions. A scroll hovered in the center, wrapped in brilliance as if a golden sun had ascended into the air. A powerful surge of spiritual energy pulsed, causing the very space to ripple like heat waves.
"This fluctuation..."
"A Ninth-Grade Profound Art!"
Sensing this, the eyes of every disciple turned near-greedily. They stared like wolves watching prey, their breathing becoming ragged. No one expected Ye Han and Ye Tiange to find this Ninth-Grade art at the same time.
"This Ninth-Grade Profound Art hasn't been mastered by anyone in our family for decades. If cultivated to the highest level, its power is comparable to a Divine Art," the First Elder said, his voice trembling with excitement as he stared at the scroll.
*Comparable to a Divine Art!*
Upon hearing this, the clansmen below erupted into a frenzy. Divine Arts were top-tier techniques that only Purple Palace Realm experts were qualified to cultivate!
All eyes shifted back to the two figures in the square. They were curious: in this battle between a dragon and a tiger, who would walk away with the Ninth-Grade art?
Ye Tiange looked at Ye Han, his expression surprised—he hadn't expected Ye Han to find this art as well. But his lips curled into a cruel smile, and he mocked, "You’d better choose to give up. This art isn't something you can touch. Otherwise, this time, it won't just be as simple as having your cultivation crippled."
Facing his mockery, Ye Han showed no anger. Instead, he reached out his hand and smiled faintly. "You likely don't have that ability."
"How arrogant!" Ye Tiange’s eyes flared with rage. He clenched his fists, icy blue spiritual energy coating his arms with terrifying coldness.