Everyone gazed at Shen Haoran, covered in blood yet still wearing a faint smile, and a sense of awe rose in their hearts.

"Guan Zhi, the result is in. Shen Haoran has successfully refined the Three Pure Spirit Pill and won this competition. Do you accept this outcome?" Elder Song asked calmly, looking at the ashen-faced Guan Zhi.

Hearing this, Guan Zhi gave a dazed laugh. ’Not accept it? What right do I have to not accept it? I used every trick in the book, even ruined my own reputation by resorting to dirty tricks against Shen Haoran, yet I still failed!’ He had no choice but to accept this reality.

"Good. Since you agree, hand over the promised alchemy channels to the Yao Sect as soon as possible!" Elder Song’s words sent another tremor through Guan Zhi’s heart. Half of the Chen Alliance’s alchemy channels... If Ouyang Chen found out that he had just handed over half of his empire to Shen Haoran, his fate would be unimaginable.

At the thought of Ouyang Chen’s terrifying nature, Guan Zhi collapsed to the ground, his entire body trembling in fear. The next moment, he passed out cold.

No one paid any mind to the fainted Guan Zhi. Elder Song returned the Three Pure Spirit Pill to Shen Haoran and said with a smile, "Congratulations. You’ve successfully refined a Fifth Grade Elixir. You can now be considered a Fifth Grade Alchemist!"

Shen Haoran accepted the Three Pure Spirit Pill and smiled faintly.

Looking at the young man before him, Elder Song sighed in amazement. Shen Haoran’s progress was simply too fast; his speed could only be described as heaven-defying. On top of that, he had even managed to form a Pill Pattern! Even if Elder Song himself were to refine this Three Pure Spirit Pill right now, he couldn’t guarantee he could produce a Pill Pattern. It required not only masterful alchemy techniques but also a good deal of luck to succeed.

’A Pill Pattern... that’s the state of perfection countless Alchemists pursue, and this kid actually achieved it.’ Elder Song even felt a small twinge of jealousy.

"Thank you for your generous guidance, Elder Song!" Shen Haoran said, cupping his fists as he put away the Three Pure Spirit Pill. He had only succeeded in refining the Fifth Grade Elixir this time through a fortunate coincidence, and it was all thanks to Elder Song’s help.

"Enough of that. You earned this yourself. Now, hurry back and recuperate. I can tell you’re impatient to claim that half of the Chen Alliance’s alchemy channels!" Elder Song chuckled.

"Haha, you know me well, Elder Song. In that case, I won’t disturb you any longer!" After saying this, Shen Haoran gave Elder Song another deep bow before hurrying off toward the Yao Sect.

After Shen Haoran left, news of his victory spread like wildfire throughout the entire Sect. None of the disciples, not even the Elders, dared to look down on him anymore.

A Fifth Grade Alchemist was a hot commodity no matter where one went. Fifth Grade Elixirs held immense appeal for experts at the Spirit Aspect realm and above. The status of a Fifth Grade Alchemist was in no way inferior to that of a Spirit King, and to think Shen Haoran had reached such a realm at his young age!

While Shen Haoran had become the man of the hour within the Sect, back at the Yao Sect, everyone was like ants on a hot pan, pacing anxiously around the main hall.

Fatty and Long Zhen paced back and forth inside the room without stopping. Shui Ruolan’s brows were knitted in a tight frown as she stared anxiously out the main gate, unable to sit still. Su Xing nervously gulped down tea, not even realizing his cup was empty. In the entire room, with the exception of Long Mo and Xuan Yi, everyone was tense to the extreme.

"Would you two stop pacing? You’re making my head spin! Take a lesson from Long Mo and Xuan Yi. Can’t you just sit down quietly?" Shui Ruolan said to Long Zhen and Zi Mo, rubbing her forehead.

"Sis, how can we possibly calm down? The entire future of the Yao Sect is at stake! We’re not like those two oddballs—one’s got a permanent poker face and the other worships the boss with blind faith. It’d be a miracle if we *could* sit still!" Zi Mo said, his chubby face scrunching up.

"Brother Shen will definitely win!" Xuan Yi declared, waving his little fists, his young face filled with adoration.

"See? What’d I tell you," Zi Mo couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

CREEAAAK... Just as everyone was waiting anxiously, the main gate of the Yao Sect was pushed open. A figure staggered inside—it was Shen Haoran, just back from the Pill Hall.

When Shui Ruolan and the others saw Shen Haoran, their faces lit up with joy, only to fall an instant later. The sight of the fresh blood covering his body was a jarring shock.

"Brother Shen, what happened to you?" Xuan Yi was the first to run out, asking anxiously. Shui Ruolan and the others quickly followed, surrounding Shen Haoran.

"Boss, what happened? Did that bastard Guan Zhi pull something on you? I’m gonna go cripple him!" Zi Mo roared, looking at Shen Haoran’s pale face.

Long Mo’s brow furrowed, and purple sparks of lightning and fire danced in his eyes. Shui Ruolan also looked at him, her face filled with worry.

Seeing their expressions, Shen Haoran was taken aback for a moment before smiling. "I’m fine," he said. "There was just a small mishap during the alchemy process. It’s nothing serious."

"A mishap with the alchemy?" Everyone froze. An idea seemed to occur to them, and their hearts sank. Looking at Shen Haoran’s deathly pale face, the atmosphere grew even more somber.

"Boss, did... did you lose the competition?" Zi Mo asked in a low voice.

"It’s okay," Zi Mo said quickly, not waiting for Shen Haoran to reply. "Even if the Yao Sect ceases to exist, we’ll still follow you. Don’t worry!"

"That’s right, Brother Shen! I’ll follow you forever!" Xuan Yi’s eyes reddened as he, too, declared his loyalty.

Shen Haoran found their attempts to console him rather amusing. He coughed lightly and said, "Ahem, while it’s true there was a small problem during the alchemy... I never said I lost, did I?"

"Huh?" At his words, the dejected group stared at him, stunned and unable to process what he’d said.

"Ruolan, get the chart we drew up of the Chen Alliance’s alchemy channels. You can go to them and claim our half of those channels now!" Shen Haoran declared with a hearty laugh.

Only then did it dawn on everyone: Shen Haoran had won the competition!

"See? I told you! I knew Brother Shen would win!" Xuan Yi exclaimed excitedly, wiping away his tears.

Shui Ruolan patted her full chest in relief and shot Shen Haoran an indignant look. ’This guy... he really is a miracle worker, but what a troublemaker, making everyone worry for so long!’

The ecstatic Fatty, Zi Mo, swept Shen Haoran up in a bear hug, nearly strangling the injured young man in the process...

Once the news spread, the entire Yao Sect erupted in cheers. The normally frugal Shui Ruolan even did something unprecedented: she threw a victory banquet for the sect!

By absorbing half of the Chen Alliance’s alchemy channels, the Yao Sect would no longer be constrained by a shortage of cultivation resources or have to pinch every penny. That Guan Zhi had really handed the Yao Sect quite a windfall!

Shen Haoran sat cross-legged in the Cultivation Room. Seeing that everything in the Yao Sect was finally on the right track, he nodded in satisfaction and entered a state of cultivation.