Support me at patreon for 60+ advanced chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk
**
Following the surging crowd through the magnificent imperial capital, Wei Yang and his companions couldn't help but voice their heartfelt admiration.
Having traveled all the way from the desert, including their detour through the Chu Yun Empire, none of the many cities they encountered could compare in size or grandeur. Without a doubt, Jia Ma Sacred City stood as the most majestic — unparalleled by any other.
"What a huge city!" Qing Lin clutched Wei Yang's arm, walking with a spring in her step as she exclaimed in wonder.
Even after nearly an hour of walking with the crowd, they were still meandering through the outer districts of the city.
"As expected of the capital of the Jia Ma Empire. It's far larger than any city we've ever seen." Xian'er also smiled in agreement.
After quite some time, they finally arrived at the city's central district and found a decently sized inn to settle into.
They washed away the dust of travel and rested well for the night.
—
The next morning, the three of them set out.
Du Jiap had returned to its snake form, now small enough to be tucked away inside Qing Lin's sleeve.
The trio had also reverted to their normal attire, no longer cloaked in black robes and hoods.
A handsome man flanked by two beautiful girls naturally drew plenty of attention as they strolled down the street.
Among the three, Xian'er and Qing Lin were undoubtedly the most eye-catching. As they grew older, their appearances had become even more refined and alluring, their figures graceful and curvaceous.
Though Qing Lin wasn't even seventeen yet, her figure had matured remarkably due to her bloodline, even more voluptuous than Xian'er, who was already a married woman once.
They might not have possessed earth-shattering beauty, but they were undoubtedly top-tier — one had a fresh, ethereal charm, while the other exuded a delicate cuteness laced with a mysterious allure.
Most striking of all were their slender waists, barely enough to fit in one hand — captivating in every sense.
Walking beside Wei Yang, one on each side, they drew countless envious and jealous glances from passersby.
As for these stares, the three paid them no mind — or rather, they were already used to it.
"Young Master, where are we going now?" Qing Lin asked curiously.
"We'll head to the auction house first. It's the largest trading venue in the Jia Ma Empire, and it should have some of the herbs we need. After that, we'll visit the headquarters of the Alchemist Association," Wei Yang said with a smile after thinking for a moment.
"If I recall correctly, the Alchemist Grand Meeting should be starting soon. By now, alchemists from neighboring nations should already be gathering there... Alchemists love collecting rare medicinal ingredients. If there's any place in the capital where we might find rare herbs, it's without a doubt there."
"The Alchemist Grand Meeting!" Xian'er's eyes lit up slightly, clearly piqued with interest.
She had heard of the Alchemist Grand Meeting before — it was one of the rare grand events in the Jia Ma Empire. As an alchemist herself, she naturally yearned to be a part of it.
And now, with this year's assembly just around the corner, it was no surprise she felt tempted.
Participating in such a gathering wouldn't only allow her to exchange ideas and techniques with many peers, but it would also let her put her own skills to the test.
Wei Yang wasn't all that interested — after all, he was already a Tier 6 Alchemist. Not just in the Jia Ma Empire, but across the entire Northwestern Region, there were very few who could match him.
So far, the only known ones were Gu He and Han Feng.
Of course, there were surely other Tier 6 Alchemists out there, but they were few and far between — definitely not more than a handful.
Xian'er, on the other hand, was different. She was at the peak of Tier 4, so a prestigious event like this was naturally quite appealing to her.
—
"What, you interested in the grand meeting?" Wei Yang asked with a smile.
"Mm-hmm." Xian'er nodded, holding onto Wei Yang's arm and whispering softly, "I'd like to see what those other alchemists are capable of — maybe exchange and spar a little."
"Sure, why not. If you're interested, then join," Wei Yang replied casually.
"Alright!" Xian'er smiled, visibly delighted.
"Good luck, Sister Xian'er! I know you can win the championship!" Qing Lin chimed in supportively.
"Let's not talk about winning the championship... There are plenty of hidden experts at the Alchemist Grand Meeting. I just want to interact and learn from my fellow alchemists." Xian'er quickly waved her hand in humility.
Hearing this, Wei Yang's eyes flickered, and a thought suddenly came to mind.
So—
"You know, Xian'er, I actually think you do have a good shot at winning. And from what I hear, the championship is a pretty big deal. Never mind the rewards…" Wei Yang added deliberately, "You've heard of Pill King Gu He, right?"
"Pill King Gu He? Of course, he's a Tier 6 Alchemist." Xian'er smiled and nodded. Then she leaned closer and whispered in Wei Yang's ear, "Brother Yang… do you still remember… that time with Gu Te…"
Cough!
"Let's… not bring up the past." Wei Yang quickly cut her off, clearly not wanting to revisit that embarrassing memory.
What had once been amusing in his weaker days… now just felt like a disgrace.
It was a black history best left buried.
"Heehee~" Xian'er covered her mouth and giggled, though a faint trace of embarrassment flickered in her beautiful eyes too.
Back then, when she was still young and naïve, she actually went on a heist with Wei Yang—and she was the one who personally spiked the drink.
Now that she thought about it, it was honestly a bit embarrassing.
She couldn't help but playfully pinch Wei Yang's arm.
Off to the side, Qing Lin gave them a confused look.
"Ahem, let's get back to Gu He," Wei Yang quickly said, "He was the champion of the Alchemist Grand Meeting two sessions ago—the biggest dark horse of them all."
"Before that, barely anyone had heard of Gu He. But ever since he made a name for himself in that alchemy competition, he caught the eye of the previous Sect Master of the Yun Lan Sect, who then appointed him as an Elder."
"At that time, Gu He was only a Tier 4 alchemist. But over the years, with the massive resources of Yun Lan Sect backing him, he forcibly broke through two tiers and became the now-famous Pill King Gu He, renowned throughout the neighboring empires."
"He won the championship two sessions ago?" Xian'er and Qing Lin were both shocked.
They hadn't expected the famous Pill King Gu He to rise to prominence like that.
A Tier 6 alchemist—no one would dare underestimate such a figure. Not just in the Northwestern Region—even in the entire Dou Qi Continent, someone like that could stir up a storm wherever they went.
A Tier 6 alchemist!
Xian'er's eyes sparkled with longing.
Even though she was already at the peak of the Tier 4, and it didn't seem too far from Tier 6, in truth, it was like an insurmountable chasm.
The gap between the peak of Tier 4 and Tier 6 was vast, let alone from Tier 5 to Tier 6. They simply couldn't be compared.
Seeing that Xian'er was getting motivated, Wei Yang continued his persuasion, "Xian'er, you've got a real shot at winning. So don't go into it with a half-hearted mindset. You need to aim for the championship—go all out to defeat them. That's the greatest respect you can show to your fellow contestants!"
"Defeat them, win the championship, and you'll gain a kind of intangible luck. Who knows? You might just break through your bottleneck soon after and step into the Tier 5, maybe even Tier 6!"
"Huh? Luck? Winning the championship gives you something like that?" Xian'er was surprised.
There was such a thing as gaining luck from winning?
"Of course! Why do you think so many people fight for the championship? It's a battle of fate!" Wei Yang nodded seriously. "There's evidence—every past champion has far outshone the others who lost."
To be fair, Wei Yang wasn't completely bluffing—there was some truth to what he said.
Throughout the history of the Alchemist Grand Meetings, champions had always achieved far greater accomplishments than the runners-up.
Maybe it was the confidence forged from defeating all competitors and claiming the top spot.
As for "luck," that was a more abstract concept—believe it or not, up to you.
Xian'er's biggest issue right now was her lack of self-confidence.
Partly due to her gentle personality and distaste for rivalry, but more importantly, because her innate talent in alchemy wasn't particularly strong. So when facing other talented alchemists, she couldn't help but feel inferior.
That kind of mindset was unhealthy—and might eventually become a barrier to reaching higher ranks.
Actually, her current soul strength, after some postnatal enhancements...
Now at Six-Star Dou Huang, her soul power was comparable to a low-level Dou Zong… well, not too shabby.
Confidence—sometimes—is everything.
That's why Wei Yang was trying to hype her up for the championship, to ignite her fighting spirit.
If Xian'er could win, defeating all the other contestants in front of a crowd, maybe it would help change her mindset and boost her confidence.
…
After hearing Wei Yang's words, Xian'er was indeed fired up.
Alchemy was her greatest passion in life. She did want to go further along this path and achieve greater accomplishments.
Taking a deep breath, her eyes flashed with determination. Her delicate hands clenched into fists, and she nodded seriously. "Mm. I'll do my best."
"That's the spirit. Win or lose doesn't matter—since you've chosen to compete, give it your all. That's the least you can do to respect your opponents," Wei Yang said with a smile.
Xiao Yan, I've found you a rival. Let's see if you, the favored child of fate, are stronger… or if Xian'er's cultivation level advantage will prevail.
Wei Yang chuckled to himself inwardly.
This was one of his little guilty pleasures.
After all, just watching Xiao Yan dominate the Alchemist Grand Meeting would be boring. Throwing Xian'er into the mix to compete with him? The uncertainty made it far more interesting.
And even if Xian'er lost in the end, it didn't matter—it was still a valuable experience.
If she won, even better.
Defeating someone like Xiao Yan—the chosen one—would definitely benefit her future path.
If not, she could just stick to the "if talent isn't enough, boost with realm" route.
In any case, with Wei Yang around, she wouldn't have to worry about producing high-grade pills herself.
In the future, with enough opportunities—even brute-forcing it—Wei Yang would make sure she reached the peak of Tier 7 alchemist.
-----------------------------------------------
Support me at patreon for 60+ advanced chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk