"Seven, seven days? Tributor Chen, did I hear you correctly?"

Master Hu’s eyes widened, unable to believe it.

When Lu Yi first split the list in two, he gave each of the two Tributors a month, but Tributor Li had taken the initiative to cut that time in half.

But he never expected that Chen Che would cut the time in half yet again.

"This... the number of Pills is not small, and Valley Master Lu will be distributing them according to the schedule. If the timing is off..."

Master Hu reminded him in a low voice.

Having navigated the lower ranks for years, he naturally understood that these two seemed to have been at odds ever since that vial of Cold Frost Pills. He had no right to interfere in the affairs between Tributors, but some things had to be conveyed clearly, or he would also be held responsible.

"That’s right, seven days. Go back and report it exactly as I’ve said."

Chen Che lifted his teacup and took a small sip.

"Yes, yes, of course!"

Master Hu agreed repeatedly and hurried back to report.

Looking at the large batch of Spirit Grass left behind, Chen Che smiled.

Of course.

When refining Pills for Jinyun Valley, the Valley would provide all the Materials. Even in a place as chaotic as Yunzhou, there was no precedent for paying to work.

Moreover, Jinyun Valley prepared several portions of Spirit Grass for each type of Pill to account for potential failures during Alchemy.

If an alchemist’s success rate was high, there would be a lot of leftover Materials. Jinyun Valley tacitly allowed these leftovers to be written off as part of the consumption.

’Once I refine the Pills, my position will be secure, and the extra Spirit Grass will be mine. It’s a win-win!’

’But someone definitely has to lose.’

...

「Jinyun Valley.」

"Brother, you succeeded?"

Seeing the door, which had been sealed for half a month, finally open, Li Hong, who had been waiting outside, hurried to greet him.

"I did!"

Tributor Li nodded wearily. It had been a long time since he had refined Pills at such a high frequency. Even at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, he felt a deep sense of fatigue.

Seeing his brother’s hand tremble as he lifted his cup, Li Hong couldn’t help but complain:

"If you had trained an apprentice or two, Big Brother, you wouldn’t have to work so hard."

"What do you know? This is the very skill I rely on to make my living. How could I just teach it to someone else?"

At these words, Tributor Li’s eyes glared. With a SLAM, he slammed his teacup on the table and said angrily:

"If I hadn’t guarded it so jealously, how could I have held this Tributor position securely for over a decade?"

For all these years.

Jinyun Valley had asked him to take on an apprentice or two, but he refused to let them interfere with anything, from Alchemy itself down to the processing of Spirit Grass. He wouldn’t even let them watch.

Li Hong didn’t dare to argue and just agreed repeatedly, offering words of comfort:

"Since the Pills are refined, you can rest for half a day, Brother."

"Rest? What for? I have to deliver these Pills to Lu Yi and make him understand that Jinyun Valley can’t function without me! Without me..."

Tributor Li let out a soft laugh, his tone suddenly growing heavy:

"It can’t!"

He took a sip of tea and a few deep breaths to compose himself.

He put away the refined Pills and finally went out. Arriving at a quaint, traditional courtyard, he pushed open the gate and saw the Vice Valley Master, dressed in black robes, sitting upright in the garden.

"Valley Master Lu, I have not failed my mission. I have finished refining this batch of Pills!"

With that, he laid out the Pills on the table one by one.

Lu Yi sized him up, raised his teacup for a light sip, and smiled. "You’ve worked hard, Tributor Li. You have been in the Valley for a total of eighteen years. Apart from the first few, it seems you haven’t been this exhausted in a long time."

"I’m getting on in years, after all. The year I joined the Valley, I was just over thirty, in the prime of my life. Now, approaching sixty, my Qi and Blood and True Essence have both declined to some degree."

Tributor Li couldn’t discern the good or ill intent in those words and just laughed it off.

"Having been nurtured by the Valley for so many years, at a special time like this, it is naturally my duty to step up."

Lu Yi remained noncommittal. He could naturally tell that these words were only half-true.

If it were truly his undeniable duty,

he wouldn’t have made so many excuses when asked to refine the Cold Frost Pills.

When he first joined the Valley, the man had been diligent for a few years. But as his position solidified, he naturally started to get some crooked ideas.

"If only Tributor Li could always be as diligent as he has been recently. The Valley Master has high hopes for you..."

’It seems they still rely on me.’

Tributor Li heard the sigh in his words, and a trace of satisfaction appeared in the depths of his eyes.

And that was enough.

’In the end, I’ve won this silent competition.’

"I heard the other half of the list was given to Tributor Chen for refining. I wonder how his progress is coming along?"

Tributor Li brought it up, feigning casual conversation.

"Him..."

Lu Yi’s eyelids lifted slightly, and he was just about to speak.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Suddenly, a soft knock came from the gate. Immediately after, a disciple was seen walking in quickly. Seeing someone else in the courtyard, he couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

Lu Yi said expressionlessly, "What is it?"

"Valley Master Lu, these are the Pills sent by Tributor Chen."

The disciple quickly stepped forward and placed a Gilded Silver Jade Box on the table.

"He also finished refining his Pills within fifteen days?"

Tributor Li was stunned, unable to believe it.

In other words.

’Did this round of silent competition just end in a draw?’

"Haha, the younger generation is truly formidable. I really can’t compare when it comes to quantity."

Tributor Li’s expression shifted before he burst out laughing to hide his awkwardness.

Although he feigned humility, the implication was clear: when it came to quality and grade, he wouldn’t necessarily lose.

However, his laughter had just begun when it died abruptly. He heard Lu Yi say faintly:

"I forgot to mention. He finished refining the last batch of Pills in just seven days. This is from the second list. A total of three types of Tier One High Grade Elixirs, which he also completed on time in just seven days!"

"How is that possible?"

Tributor Li cried out, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

He had worked so hard just to complete the first list. But as it turned out, the other guy had already finished the second. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

’To think I was actually bested by some greenhorn?’

At this thought, he asked urgently:

"Valley Master Lu, with Tributor Chen showing such dedication to Jinyun Valley, how can the rest of us sit idly by? Are there any other Pills that need refining In the Valley?"

"Well, there is another list, but it’s not as urgent..." Lu Yi said, a bit surprised, as he slowly pulled out a list.

"The tides of battle can turn in an instant, how can we distinguish between urgent and not urgent? Valley Master Lu, please give me half of this list, and give the other half to Tributor Chen!"

Tributor Li took the list and glanced over it.

How could he resign himself to being outdone by some greenhorn?

"Big Brother!"

Seeing Tributor Li return in a hurry, Li Hong was astonished. "What’s going on?"

Tributor Li didn’t answer, walking straight into the Alchemy Room.

Li Hong was stunned. He had just followed him inside when he saw his brother take out a Yellow Gourd, leaving him even more bewildered.

That was Tier One High Grade ’Rejuvenating Water’. Just one sip could eliminate fatigue.

After gulping down a mouthful of Rejuvenating Water, Tributor Li recounted what had happened, "That brat must have guessed my plan and started secretly competing with me! He finished two whole batches of Pills in just fifteen days!"

"What?"

Li Hong’s face paled in shock.

’Doesn’t that mean his Alchemy skill is even greater than my big brother’s?’

"It’s fine!"

Tributor Li felt the effects of the Rejuvenating Water spreading through his body. The fatigue on his face gradually faded, replaced by an ever-intensifying light in his eyes. He snorted coldly and sneered, "Comparing his Alchemy to mine? That kid is still too green!"

"I have a Tier Two Treasure Furnace. What does he have?"

"I have this Rejuvenation Potion. What does he have?"

"I have studied the Pill Books since childhood. What does he have?"

"I have the blessing of this courtyard’s Spiritual Qi. What does he have?"

With each sentence, his voice grew louder.

By the end, his voice was thunderous, his face filled with absolute confidence. "Today, I’ll let him witness my true methods!"

...

「Meanwhile.」

The other half of the list was placed in front of Chen Che.

"You’re saying this list is split half and half between me and Tributor Li?"

"Yes!"

Xiaohu bowed respectfully and added, "He said he’ll have it refined within three days!"

’The old coot is launching a counterattack!’

Chen Che’s eyebrow twitched. He had long anticipated this situation.

After all.

When faced with a threat to one’s position, no one would simply surrender without a fight.

In that case, then—

Game on!