Three days had passed since the alchemy competition, and within these three days, Xiao Yan’s astonishing alchemy skills had already spread throughout most of the inner court. At this point, Xiao Yan’s reputation in the inner court was probably on par with the top ten powerhouses on the “Strong Rankings.” An alchemist capable of refining a fifth-grade elixir could enjoy status and treatment comparable to that of a Dou Wang or even a Battle Emperor, regardless of where he was. This change was evident in the newfound warmth and respect shown by the inner court elders towards Xiao Yan.
Although the Grand Elder had secretly instructed the other elders to take care of Xiao Yan, previously, they had only regarded him as a student with decent potential. Now, however, they truly treated him as an equal, speaking with an additional layer of subtle politeness. After all, the elders understood that an alchemist capable of refining a fifth-grade elixir was far more valuable than a Dou Wang-level powerhouse. Once they grasped the value disparity, the elders could no longer display their arrogance in front of Xiao Yan. They knew that their status held no pressure against Xiao Yan, so why use it at all?
During these three days, not only did Xiao Yan’s reputation soar in the inner court, but the news that Pan Gate would start selling elixirs also spread like wildfire. Many inner court students, having witnessed Xiao Yan’s alchemical prowess in the plaza, became extremely interested in Pan Gate’s elixirs and often wandered outside the freshman area, hoping to purchase them in advance.
Additionally, due to the victory in the competition, the five trading locations promised by the Medicine Sect were gradually handed over to Pan Gate within these three days. Though the Medicine Sect was extremely reluctant and tried to delay the exchange, their tricks crumbled once Xiao Yan invited Elder Hao to intervene. Under Elder Hao’s stern expression, the Medicine Sect could only grit their teeth as Pan Gate members erased the Medicine Sect’s emblem and replaced it with their own.
After securing these five trading locations, Xiao Yan and his companions truly felt the intensity of the popularity. In just one day, nearly two hundred elixirs were sold out, and seeing the rapidly rising fire energy on the fire crystal card, Xiao Yan and his friends were somewhat stunned.
Despite the elixirs being sold out and the Medicine Sect’s blockade on medicinal herbs being lifted, Xiao Yan found himself busy again. However, after two days of non-stop alchemy, the demand still exceeded supply. Xiao Yan could only sigh and propose a long-considered suggestion to Xuner and the others.
“We should gather some alchemists.”
In the hall, Xiao Yan, with dark circles under his eyes, helplessly shrugged his shoulders to Xuner and the others: “I can’t handle such a huge amount of alchemy work alone, so we need to hire people.”
“Hire people? But won’t that mean leaking our formulas?” Xuner was somewhat surprised by Xiao Yan’s suggestion and asked softly after a moment of thought.
“It’s unavoidable. I can’t spend every day cooped up in a room refining elixirs,” Xiao Yan said with a wry smile. “We can’t keep our formulas secret forever, and besides, you’re overestimating the value of these three formulas. If they are ever leaked, I’ll come up with even better ones.”
Xiao Yan wasn’t lying; these three formulas were only around the first or second grade and weren’t particularly valuable. After a brief hesitation, Xuner and the others nodded in agreement. It was true that Xiao Yan couldn’t spend all his time in Pan Gate refining elixirs.
“As for finding alchemists, you can take care of that. Remember, this must be done discreetly, and every alchemist joining Pan Gate must be thoroughly investigated to ensure they have no connections with the Medicine Sect,” Xiao Yan reminded them seriously.
“Are you worried that Han Xian will sneak people into Pan Gate?” Xuner asked with a light laugh.
“That guy isn’t exactly honorable. If he can get the formulas, he wouldn’t hesitate to use any method,” Xiao Yan said flatly.
“Alright, we understand. We’ll take care of it.”
Xuner and the others were incredibly efficient. The day after the suggestion, Xuner had already found three alchemists of around the third grade. According to Xuner, they were not accepted by the Alchemy Department for some reason, so they not only didn’t entangle themselves with the Medicine Sect but were often bullied by its members. Hearing that Pan Gate was willing to absorb stray alchemists, they readily agreed without much hesitation.
If it were before, these alchemists might not have paid much attention to Pan Gate, a new force. But now, things were different. Although Pan Gate didn’t have any Dou Ling powerhouses, it had an alchemist capable of refining a fifth-grade elixir. This title alone was enough to attract many people, and these alchemists were drawn to Xiao Yan, the number one alchemist in the inner court.
Xiao Yan had no doubts about Xuner’s discernment. After meeting the three alchemists and seeing their admiring faces, he was both amused and exasperated. After a thorough examination, he found that they indeed had considerable alchemical experience. Thus, Xiao Yan immediately decided to include them in Pan Gate.
After taking in the three alchemists, Xiao Yan didn’t immediately give them the formulas. Instead, he observed their behavior and character for a few days before calling them to a secret chamber and handing them the completed formulas, strictly warning them not to leak the information.
The three alchemists, who had been inducted for only three days, were deeply shocked by Xiao Yan’s generosity and solemnly bowed to him. Their gratitude was not just for the trust, but also for the fact that they had been struggling due to the Medicine Sect’s suppression.
Seeing the joy and gratitude on their faces, Xiao Yan finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. For now, at least, these three seemed trustworthy.
With the help of the three alchemists, Xiao Yan could finally relax. Over the next few days, he occasionally guided them in their alchemy, finally escaping the grueling routine of non-stop elixir refinement.
Pan Gate’s elixirs, though slightly cheaper than those of the Medicine Sect, did not sell out as quickly once the initial excitement died down. Still, their current sales were enough to challenge the Medicine Sect’s monopoly. People tend to forget, and after a week, the enthusiasm from the alchemy competition began to fade, which relieved Xiao Yan. Now, there were fewer piercing gazes and pointing fingers when he walked around.
Pan Gate was finally on the right track, and Xuner and the others started to allocate time to train in the Sky Flame Tower. The progress they made, even Xiao Yan found impressive. At this rate, Xuner, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao could potentially break through to the Dou Ling level within half a year, significantly boosting Pan Gate’s strength.
Perhaps because of his previous extended retreat in the Sky Flame Tower, Xiao Yan was now reluctant to enter the closed underground tower. He knew that for someone who had just broken through, the effects of training there would be minimal.
During his free time, Xiao Yan accompanied Wu Hao to the arena several times. The intense atmosphere of the battles was exhilarating, making everyone feel like they could be the star of the show if they dared to step into the arena.
Leaning against a railing, Xiao Yan lazily watched the fierce battles below, with powerful Dou Qi causing dust and stones to fly, and occasional attacks hitting the hard walls, sending fragments flying.
As he observed the contestants’ graceful movements, a thought suddenly struck Xiao Yan. Gently touching his ring, he felt the scroll of the Earth Grade movement technique, Three Thousand Thunder Movement, inside.
“Perhaps… it’s time to start practicing it,” he murmured softly, his heart suddenly becoming alive.
“Looks like I’ll have to head back into the mountains again…” With a low voice, Xiao Yan didn’t even say goodbye to Wu Hao, who was waiting to enter the arena, and headed straight out. After resting for nearly half a month, it was time to add another significant advantage to his strength.
Practicing the Three Thousand Thunder Movement in the inner court was not feasible, so Xiao Yan planned to venture into the deep mountains alone until he mastered it.
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