The Dragon Lord had always wanted to acquire Ye Xiu’s Medical Skills to replace Medicine King Valley, whose transcendent status he coveted.

Bai Shanjun could not lose! If he lost, all the Totem Clans, Totem Organizations, and the various hidden families and experts would no longer necessarily seek out Medicine King Valley for Healing Medicine or other elixirs when they were injured. They might turn to Ye Xiu instead! At that point, Medicine King Valley’s prestige and transcendent status would be greatly diminished.

"What’s the competition?" Ye Xiu asked.

"Mr. Ye, you are our guest from afar. You may choose the content of our competition," Bai Shanjun said, maintaining the demeanor expected of an elder.

"Let’s compete in what you’re best at!" Ye Xiu declared arrogantly. "Only by defeating you at your greatest strength will Medicine King Valley be forced to accept its defeat wholeheartedly."

Arrogant!

Bai Shanjun and everyone from Medicine King Valley seethed with suppressed anger.

"Since Mr. Ye is so confident, very well. We’ll compete in what I am best at." Provoked by Ye Xiu, Bai Shanjun could no longer maintain his composure. With a dark expression, he asked, "How about we compete in Alchemy? No one in Medicine King Valley is better at it than I am."

"Agreed!" Ye Xiu nodded.

"Then tell Bai Changqing what ingredients and equipment you need, and he will prepare them for you," Bai Shanjun said.

"Whatever elixir you plan on refining, just have Bai Changqing prepare two sets of the materials and equipment," Ye Xiu said. "I’ll refine the very same elixir you do. Only then can you accept your defeat without any reservations."

Insolent!

Bai Shanjun was furious. Bai Changqing and the others from Medicine King Valley were just as infuriated. However, on second thought, they realized Ye Xiu’s attitude was likely a reaction to being provoked by Bai Shanjun and Bai Changqing themselves.

"Mr. Ye, I acknowledge your Medical Skills, but Medicine King Valley has a legacy spanning over two thousand years and possesses a profound heritage. The elixir I intend to refine may be one you have never even heard of, let alone know how to create," Bai Shanjun warned, suppressing his anger.

"What elixir do you plan to refine?" Ye Xiu asked.

"The Heaven-Mending Pill!" Bai Shanjun declared.

"Oh?" Ye Xiu was genuinely surprised. "The ingredients for refining the Heaven-Mending Pill are extremely precious. Just the thousand-year-old ginseng and hundred-year-old fleeceflower root are impossible to find on the market. Can Medicine King Valley truly gather all these ingredients?"

Bai Shanjun and the people from Medicine King Valley were stunned. Merely hearing Ye Xiu mention the thousand-year-old ginseng and hundred-year-old fleeceflower root told them that he not only knew of the Heaven-Mending Pill but was also familiar with its formula. However, they also inferred that Ye Xiu had likely never refined the pill before, since the ingredients were so hard to acquire. This realization made Bai Shanjun and the others from Medicine King Valley feel such heartache they could have vomited blood.

Refining the Heaven-Mending Pill required a massive amount of precious materials. Even with the profound heritage of Medicine King Valley, they could only gather enough to refine two pills. They couldn’t bear to see Ye Xiu waste them!

"Mr. Ye, the Heaven-Mending Pill is very difficult to refine," Bai Shanjun said awkwardly. "I have observed my father and grandfather refine it several times, and I myself have tried twice. Even so, I only have a seventy percent chance of success. Since this would be your first time, your success rate is practically zero. Perhaps we shouldn’t waste the ingredients?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

He truly couldn’t bear to part with those precious materials.

"What? Are you going back on your word, Senior Bai?" Ye Xiu asked with a cold laugh.

Second thoughts? I regret this so much my guts are turning green! If I had known you were going to refine the same pill, I never would have suggested the Heaven-Mending Pill!

Bai Shanjun roared internally, but what he said was, "So be it. Words spoken are like water spilled. Since I have declared I would refine the Heaven-Mending Pill, I cannot go back on my word. Changqing, go prepare two sets of the materials for the Heaven-Mending Pill, along with the alchemy equipment, and bring them all here."

"Great-grandfather..." Bai Changqing started anxiously. Medicine King Valley only had two sets of materials left; they couldn’t afford to waste them!

"Hurry up!" Bai Shanjun snapped, gritting his teeth in anguish.

Bai Changqing had no choice but to leave reluctantly.

Just then, An Dongye asked, "Little Brother, what is this Heaven-Mending Pill? What does it do?"

Dongfang Chaonan, Dongfang Dazhuang, Dongfang Erlang, and Dongfang Meili also leaned in, as none of them had heard of it either.

"The Heaven-Mending Pill is a true treasure," Ye Xiu said, inwardly delighted.

"Its primary effect is to repair congenital deficiencies. No one is born perfect. Some have an inherently weak heart, others have insufficient kidney qi, or obstructed meridians, and so on. These minor issues generally don’t affect one’s growth or lifespan.

"But for a Martial Artist, congenital deficiencies mean their potential achievements are limited.

"The Heaven-Mending Pill can repair these congenital deficiencies. Of course, achieving absolute perfection is impossible, but it can bring a person closer to perfection, greatly enhancing a Martial Artist’s natural talent.

"Let me put it this way: if a good-for-nothing in Martial Arts were to consume a Heaven-Mending Pill, they would become a genius in minutes.

"Of course, the Heaven-Mending Pill has other effects. For instance, its effect in Cleansing Essence and Marrow is no weaker than that of a Marrow Cleansing Pill.

"It can also stabilize one’s foundation, purify one’s Martial Prowess, and increase one’s lifespan. Ninety-nine percent of Martial Artists have foundations that are, to some degree, unstable. The Heaven-Mending Pill can stabilize that foundation, greatly raising a Martial Artist’s upper limits. The purification of Martial Prowess needs no further explanation—the purer the prowess, the greater its power. As for increasing lifespan, that’s easy to understand. For instance, if a hundred-year-old man on the verge of death consumes a Heaven-Mending Pill, his depleted body will be nourished, easily adding another ten years or so to his life."

After hearing about the effects of the Heaven-Mending Pill, An Dongye, Dongfang Chaonan, Dongfang Dazhuang, Dongfang Erlang, and Dongfang Meili all began breathing heavily. For Martial Artists, the Heaven-Mending Pill was practically a divine medicine.

"Little Brother, when you refine the Heaven-Mending Pill, can you give it to me?" An Dongye asked, her eyes burning as she stared at Ye Xiu, her tone almost pleading.

"Cuihua, you’re being ridiculous!" Dongfang Chaonan scolded. "You’re young, and your talent is the best in the Dongfang Family. What do you need a Heaven-Mending Pill for? It should be mine!"

"Master, that’s a bit shameless of you. How can an elder fight with the younger generation over something like this?" Dongfang Dazhuang pushed Dongfang Chaonan aside. Standing a mere one-and-a-half meters tall, he tilted his head up at Ye Xiu and grinned widely. "Hey buddy... Brother Ye... Big Bro, can I have it?"

"Eldest Brother, given your looks, even a Heaven-Mending Pill couldn’t make you any taller. Give it to me instead! My face is a little too round; maybe after taking the pill, I’ll get a delicate, oval-shaped face," Dongfang Erlang chimed in. He was deeply dissatisfied with his broad, pancake-like face, convinced it was the reason he couldn’t find a partner.

"Brother Ye, please give it to me..." Dongfang Meili went right for it, grabbing Ye Xiu’s arm and shaking it coquettishly. "Please..."

Before she could finish, Dongfang Erlang picked her up and tossed her aside.

Bai Shanjun and the people of Medicine King Valley watched as this shameless bunch from the Dongfang Family scrambled over the Heaven-Mending Pill, all acting as if Ye Xiu was guaranteed to refine it successfully. It nearly drove them mad.

Even if Ye Xiu could refine the Heaven-Mending Pill, it would belong to Medicine King Valley, considering he was using their materials. At worst, Medicine King Valley would just pay Ye Xiu a processing fee afterward. However, judging by the way Ye Xiu and these shameless members of the Dongfang Family were acting, it seemed they planned to keep the Heaven-Mending Pill for themselves, with no intention of leaving it for Medicine King Valley.