Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Shen Xiao removed a pill from the Pill Furnace. The black pill exuded a faint pill's might, impressively free of any impurities.

"An unexpected five-star Foundation Pill! That's a genuine mid-grade five-star pill!"

"Amazing! Truly amazing! Just as expected of a disciple from the Heavenly Pill Pavilion! We're fortunate to witness this today!"

"Hahahaha... Has that kid not given up yet?"

Amid their excitement, the crowd finally remembered Zhao Dong's presence and turned to look. When they saw him still sitting cross-legged on the ground, they were collectively dumbfounded.

"Why hasn't this kid moved?"

"Hahahaha... Looks to me like he's been scared stiff and is just about to forfeit!"

"Forfeiting now is the smart move. At least he won't be completely humiliated. If he tried to refine a one-star pill and failed, he'd have no face left at all, hahaha…"

"He's just some lunatic who doesn't even know his own limits. It's normal for him to be scared stiff!"

"Zhao Dong, are you going to forfeit?" Shen Xiao asked, casting a smug, sidelong glance at him.

"Forfeit?" Zhao Dong slowly opened his eyes. He glanced indifferently at the Foundation Pill in Shen Xiao's hand, a trace of disdain on his face.

This kind of thing… Zhao Dong had long grown tired of refining them. What was there to show off?

Without a word, Zhao Dong stood up and tossed several herbs into the Pill Furnace. This action stunned the surrounding crowd even more.

"Is this kid really going to compete?"

"He's not even preheating the Pill Furnace? Does this kid even know the first thing about Alchemy?!"

"Heh, he's just a poser trying to build a reputation. Let's see how he plans to get out of this one!"

The crowd jeered relentlessly. Even Shen Xiao gave a self-deprecating laugh.

This hack clearly doesn't know the first thing about Alchemy, does he? And to think I was trying so hard, worried he might pull off an upset?

However, the next moment, as Zhao Dong formed a hand seal and pointed at the Pill Furnace, the crowd's ridicule transformed into collective shock!

BOOM!

A purple flame materialized from thin air, lifting the Pill Furnace completely off the ground!

"E-Earth Fire?! You can summon Earth Fire?!" Shen Xiao's expression changed drastically.

Duan Qiong, however, shot to his feet, his old eyes wide as if he had discovered a priceless treasure.

"A prodigy! An absolute prodigy! To master Earth Fire without a teacher… we've found a real treasure, a treasure!"

Duan Qiong was so excited he jumped up, looking for all the world like a playful old child. The jaws of the surrounding crowd had dropped wide enough to fit a duck egg!

At this moment, the entire venue fell deathly silent. How could any of them dare to mock Zhao Dong now?

Shen Xiao's eyes were practically bulging from their sockets.

"Miss, don't panic," her attendant hurriedly comforted her. "It's only Earth Fire. The Heavenly Pill Pavilion has alchemists who can control it. This flame only enhances a pill's purity and refining speed. To beat you, he'd need to refine a superior-grade five-star pill at the very least, and I refuse to believe he's capable of that!"

Hearing this, Shen Xiao's heart did indeed settle considerably. Although the Earth Fire was shocking, she was still confident in her own pill!

Zhao Dong casually gestured toward the Pill Furnace, his movements calm and unhurried.

Half an hour later, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the Pill Furnace.

Another half an hour passed, and with a loud pop from within the furnace, the Earth Fire vanished, and the Pill Furnace grew still.

By now, everyone was breaking out in a cold sweat. But they were also extremely puzzled. Zhao Dong hadn't added any obviously precious herbs to the furnace. Based on the ingredients used, the pill he produced would be a superior-grade three-star at best, right?

The crowd was perplexed, but a gleam of admiration sparked in Duan Qiong's old eyes.

Just then, the Pill Furnace opened. The crowd scrambled to get a closer look.

When they saw the pill inside, everyone was stunned. A moment later, a roar of laughter erupted!

"Hahahaha… This is killing me! It's fucking hilarious! I thought you were someone special just because you could summon Earth Fire, but you end up shattering even a three-star pill?"

"Coming out here to embarrass yourself with this level of skill… you're truly shameless!"

"And I was actually startled for a moment! What a massive disappointment you are, hahaha…"

The crowd scoffed repeatedly. Shen Xiao's eyes filled with contempt.

"Zhao Dong, you are a true disappointment."

"Is that so?" Zhao Dong grinned, retorting with disdain. "You don't even understand what Nirvana Rebirth is. Now *that* is disappointing."

Nirvana Rebirth?

Shen Xiao was taken aback.

At the same time, the shattered pill fragments inside the Pill Furnace began to tremble violently! They seemed to be drawn together by a magnetic force.

The next moment…

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The shattered pieces of the pill were pulled together instantly. A beam of white light shot toward the sky, transforming into an overwhelming medicinal aura that radiated in all directions!

"This… could this be a mid-grade six-star Violent Blood Pill?!"

"A master! A true master!"

"Refining a high-grade pill from the simplest ingredients using a special technique… that's far more incredible than simply using high-grade ingredients to refine a high-grade pill!"

"We were blind not to recognize a true master! How shameful! Truly shameful!"

The crowd exclaimed in awe. Recalling how they had just insulted Zhao Dong, their cheeks burned with shame, and they began to apologize one after another.

Shen Xiao stood frozen as if struck by lightning.

"Hahahaha… I really underestimated you, kid. Impressive! You've got half the flair I had in my day! Hahaha…" Duan Qiong chuckled as he walked over, patting Zhao Dong's shoulder with satisfaction.

Zhao Dong's eye twitched. This convenient master of mine really never misses a chance to boast, does he?

Collecting himself, Zhao Dong turned to the stupefied Shen Xiao and said, "Miss Shen, you've lost. A bet is a bet. Isn't it time to hand over the items?"

"I…" Shen Xiao's face turned ugly, her reluctance obvious. But seeing all the eyes on her, she had no choice but to hand the stone and the Cultivation Technique to Zhao Dong. She was from the Heavenly Pill Pavilion, and in public, she represented its reputation. While reneging on the bet would tarnish her own name, disgracing the Heavenly Pill Pavilion would bring far greater trouble!

"Insolence! You actually dare to take them?!" her attendant, however, grew furious, rolling up his sleeves to intervene.

"Stop!" Shen Xiao's pretty face flushed with anger as she snapped, "Haven't you caused enough embarrassment? Get lost!"

With that, she shot a furious glare at Zhao Dong. "Zhao Dong, I'll remember you! We will meet again. We definitely will!"

"I'll be waiting," Zhao Dong replied with a calm smile, watching as Shen Xiao stormed off in humiliation.

With the farce over, the crowd scattered in shame.

「Back inside the dilapidated shop.」

Duan Qiong's eyes brimmed with satisfaction. "You kid, you really surprised me. Impressive! So impressive!"

Zhao Dong gave an awkward smile, pulled out a chair for Duan Qiong, and then sat down opposite him. "I was simply lucky to win, Master. You are the true expert."

Since this convenient master of his loved flattery, Zhao Dong was happy to oblige.

Sure enough, Duan Qiong's smile widened at his words. But after his laughter faded, he looked toward the doorway, his gaze lost in memory as he spoke with a bitter tone.

"What good is being an expert? In the end, I was still framed and left disgraced. Disgraced… utterly disgraced."