Chapter 125: Encountering Cold Star Once More

Inside the alchemy room, Yan Qingye and Yun Jianxin were left speechless.

One deformed pill had three pill patterns, and the other had four.

They were at least relieved that they had finally reached the standard of intermediate alchemists. But could pills really be made this way? Yun Jianxin was filled with questions.

Yan Qingye held the two lumps in his palms awkwardly. "Does this count as passing?"

Yun Jianxin twitched his lips. "Isn't this how you got into the Alchemy Association? But the intermediate exam might not necessarily test the Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill; you'll have to try others as well."

Yan Qingye sighed. Just as he was about to put the pills down, he saw Zhuang Mo rush in.

"Was it seven pill patterns? Was it seven?"

Yan Qingye spread his hands out in front of Zhuang Mo. "It is seven."

Zhuang Mo looked down at the familiar shapes.

"..."

One had three, one had four—it was indeed seven!

"You... you..." Zhuang Mo was so choked up he couldn't speak. "Did you refine these at the same time?"

Yan Qingye nodded. "Yes, one was refined in the teapot alchemy furnace, and the other in the golden light alchemy furnace."

"..."

Shen Chang, who had just walked in, exchanged a complex look with Zhuang Mo. Neither of them had ever seen pills produced this way.

After a long while, Zhuang Mo recovered and patted Yan Qingye's shoulder. "Four pill patterns, not bad... heh... not bad..."

With that, he turned and left the alchemy room. Shen Chang also gave a symbolic pat to Yan Qingye’s shoulder. "Qingye, keep up the effort." He then turned and followed Zhuang Mo out.

Yan Qingye watched their retreating backs in confusion and turned to ask Yun Jianxin, "Were they praising me just now?"

"Yes," Yun Jianxin confirmed with a nod.

Yan Qingye exhaled, put away the two lumps of Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill, and planned to give them to his father when he had the chance.

Other alchemists in the association were puzzled to see Zhuang Mo, the head of the association branch, rush excitedly into Yan Qingye's room only to walk out looking dazed. They swarmed Xu Chang, who was the last to leave.

"Alchemist Xu, were there seven pill patterns?"

"Alchemist Xu, did our association produce a senior alchemist?"

The group looked expectant, leaving Xu Chang unsure of how to explain. He gave a sheepish smile. "There are seven pill patterns, but he is not a senior alchemist."

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly, why wouldn't seven pill patterns make him a senior alchemist?"

"Because one has four, and the other has three."

Everyone was stunned, taking a long time to process this. Xu Chang took the opportunity to slip away.

After this incident, everyone became accustomed to the lightning strikes coming from Yan Qingye's alchemy room, reacting with calm indifference.

Yan Qingye and Yun Jianxin spent another week refining pills at the association before deciding to take a day off. They agreed to head to the residence You Xiyue had recently purchased.

While they were buying gifts on the street, they bumped into Han Xing. She was standing behind the man who had been offering apologies the other day, and that man seemed to be in a dispute with someone else. As the two argued, they inexplicably issued a challenge for a clan war.

"Are clan wars really something to be declared so lightly?" Yun Jianxin remarked sarcastically, pulling Yan Qingye away from the scene of trouble.

Yan Qingye looked at Han Xing with suspicion, still feeling that the scene was strangely familiar.

"What’s there to look at? Two reckless fools," Yun Jianxin said, clearly disapproving of their behavior. "A clan war affects the entire family; it's simply absurd."

Yan Qingye turned back, but his brow remained furrowed.

"What’s wrong?" Yun Jianxin asked with concern.

Yan Qingye shook his head slightly. "Nothing."

"That look on your face doesn't say 'nothing,'" Yun Jianxin pressed. "You haven't really taken a liking to that little maid, have you? You stare at her for ages every time. I’m telling you, that maid doesn't look like a good person."

"How did you figure that out?" Yan Qingye asked, turning his head with a serious expression.

"..." This expression made Yun Jianxin swallow the retort he had ready. Instead, he analyzed it seriously for Yan Qingye. "Do you remember when we were besieged by bandits?"

Yan Qingye nodded. "I remember."

"The ten bandits were all at the Great Luo True Immortal stage. Even though that maid is a Great Luo Golden Immortal, she shouldn't have won so easily. Those bandits were clearly not using their full strength."

"..."

Hearing Yun Jianxin's analysis, Yan Qingye suddenly had a revelation. "Are you saying she was in cahoots with the bandits? That she intentionally staged a 'hero saving the beauty' scene for us to see?"

"..." Yun Jianxin frowned slightly. What hero? What beauty? What kind of phrasing was that?

"That's what you mean, right?" Seeing Yan Qingye still looked serious, he didn't bother to correct him.

"She wants to get close to us?" Yan Qingye asked.

Yun Jianxin nodded. "I suspect as much."

"What is there to get close to us for?" Yan Qingye couldn't figure it out.

Yun Jianxin couldn't understand it either. "I don't know, but her motives aren't pure. So, don't get any ideas about her, or you might fall into her trap, just like her master did just now."

"Her master?"

"Her master was arguing with someone. Instead of trying to calm things down, she fanned the flames. Didn't she indirectly lead to the clan war?"

After listening to Yun Jianxin, Yan Qingye recalled the scene and realized it was indeed the maid who had shouted, "Do you dare to start a clan war? If you don't dare, then apologize to our master obediently."

It seemed like she was speaking for her master, but it was actually a massive trap.

As they talked, they arrived at You Xiyue's residence. Jun Yang had heard their grumbling from a distance. Before they even reached the gate, Jun Yang opened it and waited for them.

"What are you talking about? Such a heated discussion," Jun Yang asked.

Seeing Jun Yang, Yan Qingye’s mood brightened instantly. He shoved the treats he had bought on the street into Jun Yang's hands and laughed. "Nothing much. We saw two people on the street declare a clan war because of a single sentence from a maid. It felt quite ridiculous."

Jun Yang raised an eyebrow. "Indeed absurd."

In the Holy Realm, there had never been any talk of clans declaring war on each other. He couldn't help but add, "People from the Immortal Realm really are reckless."

Yun Jianxin nodded in total agreement. "I think so too. We've never seen a clan war in the Holy Realm."

Yan Qingye's eyes suddenly lit up. "I wonder which day they scheduled it for. I've never seen one either. Why don't we... go watch the show?"

Jun Yang cast a disdainful glance at Yan Qingye. "You haven't seen one?"

"No... wait!!!"

Yan Qingye suddenly remembered that in the Upper Realm, Jun Yang had once used his own clan spirit to wipe out a clan spirit from the Immortal Realm.

"That... that doesn't really count as a clan war."

Jun Yang narrowed his eyes. "Why doesn't it count?"

Yan Qingye said weakly, "That was just a one-sided crushing... there wasn't really a battle."

"Isn't that inevitable?" Jun Yang said smugly as he walked into the residence with their gifts.

Yan Qingye and Yun Jianxin exchanged a smile and followed him inside. But halfway there, Yan Qingye suddenly let out another cry of surprise.

Just then, You Xiyue, accompanied by Fan Lihua, walked into the outer courtyard.

"What are you shrieking about, so jumpy all of a sudden?"