Thinking of what Shen Haoran had said, Han Xu felt the urge to punch him. ’You beat Yang Hao, and you still complain he wasn’t a good enough challenge? How could someone be so shameless!’ Still, Han Xu found he liked Shen Haoran’s personality.

Han Xu’s eyes narrowed as he watched the stunned Tyler and his companions. ’In truth, I knew from the moment I met him that I could never choose to partner with him. Men like that care only for profit and will do anything to get it. I have no intention of bringing a group of opportunists back to my family. I can’t afford to be the slightest bit careless with this mission!’

"This... This Dragon Beard Grass has been refined at least twenty times! Did you really refine this?" Elder Hu asked incredulously, his hands trembling as he held the incomparably pure Essence of Spirit Medicine. Refining Dragon Beard Grass more than twenty times... ’Even I, a Fifth Grade Alchemist, can’t do that. How could this young brat possibly manage it?’

"Twenty-six times, to be precise," Shen Haoran said calmly, looking at the disbelieving Elder Hu. ’And that was with me holding back. If I had gone all out, I could have condensed the Dragon Beard Grass directly into an Elixir instead of just refining it into the Essence of Spirit Medicine. Is a mere twenty-something refinements really so shocking?’

"Unprecedented! In all of Luotian City, no one has ever been able to refine Dragon Beard Grass so many times. This young brother’s Alchemy Skill is definitely superior to mine!" Elder Hu said with a tremor in his voice. In that moment, he was so stunned by Shen Haoran that he forgot his own standing and began to praise him instead.

Tyler stared at the Essence of Spirit Medicine in Elder Hu’s hands before striding forward and snatching it away. His expression grew uglier by the second as he gazed at the essence. Finally, he crushed it in his fist. The Energy contained within instantly dissipated, scattering into the surroundings.

"Hmph. I refuse to believe a country bumpkin like him could refine Dragon Beard Grass over twenty times. He must have cheated somehow!" Tyler said coldly, his eyes narrowed as he glared at Shen Haoran.

"That’s right! He must have cheated! There wasn’t a single stir from his Pill Furnace! How could he possibly have refined it over twenty times? How could a country bumpkin from the sticks be stronger than me?" Yang Hao cried out, having lost all of his previous composure.

Hearing this, Han Xu’s face darkened. He glared at Tyler and said coldly, "Vice President Tai, Brother Shen performed the refinement right under your nose. You were supervising him personally. How could he have possibly cheated?"

"Hmph. This kid is full of tricks, so of course it’s possible," Tyler said coldly. "Young Master Han, perhaps you are unaware, but in our Alchemy Realm, the people we cannot tolerate are those who cheat and commit fraud! Once discovered, they are forever barred from joining the Alchemy Master Guild. They will never receive the Guild’s protection, nor will the Guild ever acknowledge their status as an Alchemist! They will be scorned by all Alchemists!"

"That’s right! Shen Haoran, how dare you cheat so openly in front of my master! You’re showing blatant disregard for the Alchemy Master Guild! Master, expel him from the Alchemy Master Guild and announce his crimes throughout the entire Alchemy Realm!" Yang Hao clamored, a cold sneer forming on his lips as he stared maliciously at Shen Haoran.

"You..." Han Xu was so furious watching the master-disciple pair that he was practically hopping with rage. However, just as he was about to erupt, Shen Haoran stopped him.

After calming Han Xu down, Shen Haoran slowly stepped forward. He showed no anger at Tyler and Yang Hao’s slander, still wearing the same faint smile.

"You’re saying I cheated?" Shen Haoran asked Tyler calmly.

"Hmph. What else could it be? How could someone of your skill level possibly refine Dragon Beard Grass over twenty times?" Tyler said coldly.

"Oh? So you’re saying you can’t do it either?" Shen Haoran was still all smiles.

"Hmph! Of course I can’t do it!" Tyler snorted.

Hearing Tyler’s answer, Shen Haoran nodded in satisfaction. Then, the smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an icy coldness.

A suction force burst from his hand, pulling the Dragon Beard Grass from the nearby Jade Plate directly into his grasp. A cold sneer spread across his lips as he looked at Tyler and said, "Then open your dog eyes and watch carefully!"

The moment Shen Haoran finished speaking, the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian flared to life. The surrounding temperature skyrocketed, and the terrifying heat made everyone’s face pale instantly. The black flames cast a menacing reflection on Shen Haoran’s face.

Shen Haoran held the Dragon Beard Grass in one hand, right in front of Tyler’s face. Then, his fingers began to move. The Dragon Beard Grass, enveloped in the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, began to slowly melt. Shen Haoran was refining it again, right in front of him!

Shen Haoran’s fingers moved faster and faster, until only afterimages were visible. In the span of a few breaths, he had already refined it eight times, and he was still speeding up!

"Eighteen times, nineteen times, twenty times... twenty-six times!" A moment later, Shen Haoran had refined it exactly twenty-six times!

"He really can refine it more than twenty times! That technique is unheard of! This is practically the work of an Alchemy Master!" Elder Hu said, his face full of admiration.

Seeing Shen Haoran refine it twenty-six times right before his eyes, Tyler’s expression turned thunderous. As for Yang Hao, his face went deathly pale and he collapsed onto the ground.

’It took all my Essence, Qi, and Spirit just to refine it eight times, yet Shen Haoran matched that in a few breaths. Twenty-six times... that’s a feat I could never achieve in my entire lifetime!’

Gazing at the ashen-faced Yang Hao, Shen Haoran let out a cold laugh. The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian in his hand flared intensely, and the essence of the Dragon Beard Grass, which had just settled, began to boil once more.

’He... he can still keep refining!’ Han Xu was stunned.

"Thirty times... thirty-five times... forty times... Heavens, he’s broken the Alchemy Master Guild’s record!" Elder Hu exclaimed excitedly.

Only after refining it forty-five times, when the essence of the Dragon Beard Grass was on the verge of condensing into an Elixir, did Shen Haoran finally stop. He retracted the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian into his body. His expression was unchanged, his heart rate steady, as if it had been no effort at all. From the looks of it, he had still been holding back.

"Vice President Tai, did you get a clear look this time? Did I cheat?" Shen Haoran tossed the refined essence of Dragon Beard Grass directly to Tyler, completely ignoring his dark expression.

"Hmph!" Staring at the Essence of Spirit Medicine in his hand, which was even purer than before, Tyler could only manage a cold snort. He shot Shen Haoran a frigid glance and said, "You win this time. We’re leaving!"

With that, he turned and left, not even sparing a glance for the dazed Yang Hao on the floor. Qin Mei’Er quickly helped Yang Hao to his feet, and they scrambled after Tyler, disappearing from the grand hall.

"Tch. Trying to compete with me? You’re still too green," Shen Haoran said, dusting off his hands as he watched Tyler and the others leave.

"Haha, amazing, Brother Shen! This little brother is thoroughly impressed!" Han Xu walked forward, the way he looked at Shen Haoran completely transformed.

"Um, Brother Shen, could we speak in private for a moment?" Han Xu said softly.

Seeing Han Xu’s secretive expression, Shen Haoran chuckled lightly and thought to himself, ’Here it comes...’