Chapter 1487: It's Worth a Try

Ye Yuan, however, smiled and said, "Just so-so, but probably a bit higher than you."

One sentence nearly choked everyone to death.

They had seen shameless people, but never one so shameless!

His skill at climbing up the pole was already perfected.

"Where did this kid pop up from, daring to be so arrogant?"

"The Five Elders have immersed themselves in alchemy their whole lives, their skills already supernatural. How can they let a fool tarnish their reputation?"

"Lord Monchi, why bother talking to this kid? Just kill him!"

...

Ye Yuan's words immediately sparked public outrage.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Li Ji anxiously shot Ye Yuan a look.

She groaned inwardly, thinking, "If you keep this up, even I can't save you!"

Monchi's eyes turned cold. He raised a hand to silence the others and said coldly, "Kid, spouting nonsense in the Magic Herb Hall—even the Fan family can't save you! Men, cripple this brat and throw him into the herb garden as fertilizer!"

At Monchi's command, a dozen burly men suddenly appeared in the hall, clearly no weaklings.

Li Ji's face changed drastically. She tugged at Monchi's arm and pleaded, "Grandpa Monchi, you've watched me grow up! He... he's my man. Please, show some leniency, okay?"

Li Ji's voice was almost choked with tears.

She knew too well the power of the Magic Herb Hall and the Blood Yama Hall. The Fan family wouldn't go to war with the Magic Herb Hall over a mere Yuan Ye.

If the Magic Herb Hall were truly angered, it might even annihilate the Fan family!

Monchi glanced at Li Ji, then at Ye Yuan, and snorted, "Kid, don't say I didn't give you a chance! Pick any one of these five batches of waste pills. If you can identify even thirty percent of the ingredients in any waste pill, I'll spare your life!"

Li Ji grew anxious again and said, "Grandpa Monchi!"

Monchi snorted, "Girl, if it weren't for your sake, I wouldn't even give him this chance! If he knows alchemy, fine. But if this kid is just pretending and ruining my reputation here, do you expect me to let him off?"

Identifying the ingredients of waste pills was something even very experienced alchemists couldn't always get right.

Identifying waste pill ingredients was completely different from identifying raw herb components.

After being refined in the furnace, the various ingredients had fused together, indistinguishable from one another.

It was extremely difficult to identify them.

Even Monchi himself, if he didn't know the formula, could at most identify seventy percent.

His demand of Ye Yuan wasn't too excessive; he was really giving Li Ji some face.

But he also had to save his own face.

Thirty percent—no less!

Ye Yuan, however, smiled and said, "Identifying ingredients? Simple."

"Simple? Don't brag or you'll bite your tongue! Girl, you wouldn't even give Kasin face, and in the end, you found this hothead?" Monchi fumed, his beard bristling.

Li Ji blushed and looked at Ye Yuan.

Ye Yuan said nothing. He walked straight to Monchi's cauldron, pressed his palm, and a black, sticky mass was shaken out.

Seeing this, Monchi's face showed a hint of surprise.

An expert knows as soon as he makes a move.

Ye Yuan's control of the cauldron clearly showed he was experienced.

It seemed this kid was indeed an insider.

But he didn't believe Ye Yuan could identify the waste pill ingredients.

Ye Yuan observed for a moment, then sniffed and said calmly, "This contains Dragon Whisker Root, Demon Flame Crystal, Red Sandalwood and Crane Grass..."

Ye Yuan unhurriedly listed the names of the herbs one by one.

With each name, the expressions of the crowd grew more astonished.

After Ye Yuan named the last one, he curled his lip and said, "What a pity. Your control of the fire is far from adequate. In the first stage of refining, the fire was too strong by three-tenths; in the third stage, too weak by two-tenths; in the fourth stage... And your concentration was so scattered during alchemy that you could even hear me whispering. You couldn't infuse the Dao essence into it. Even if you succeeded, the pill would be at most lower grade."

Everyone's eyes turned to Monchi. They couldn't discern these details and were curious to hear Monchi's own opinion.

Monchi's face was expressionless, as if he dismissed Ye Yuan's words entirely.

But inside, he was already in turmoil.

This kid was impressive! He had seen so many intricacies from the waste pill!

He knew his own situation. Although Monchi's skill was lacking, he was an old hand at alchemy. How could he not know where he had gone wrong?

But knowing didn't mean he could overcome it.

Human strength has its limits. Without the right methods, sometimes no amount of effort can break through.

Alchemy was a delicate craft, allowing no margin for error.

But Monchi was, after all, a titan among alchemists. Being lectured publicly by a wet-behind-the-ears kid—where would his face be?

He steeled himself and retorted, "Hey, do you know how difficult it is to refine the Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill? You talk a good game. If you're so capable, refine one for me to see!"

The Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill was indeed a difficult second-grade divine pill. Among the two-star alchemists in Capon Royal City, only he could refine it.

Even the others present couldn't refine it.

So he used this to shut Ye Yuan up and stop his 'nonsense.'

But he was disappointed.

Ye Yuan looked at him with a half-smile and said, "Are you sure you want me to refine it?"

Monchi was taken aback, then his face darkened. "Nonsense! Anyone can talk nonsense. You say we're no good, so you refine one for me to see! If you can't, then get the hell out of here!"

He still didn't believe that this kid could actually refine the Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill!

On the surface, his words sounded tough, but in fact, they were an admission of Ye Yuan's skill.

Ye Yuan's identification of the ingredients was spot on—that couldn't be glossed over.

Monchi guessed that Ye Yuan must have a very powerful master who had drilled his fundamentals thoroughly.

But as for Ye Yuan being able to refine the Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill, he would never believe it.

Without thousands of years of experience, refining such a difficult second-grade divine pill was nearly impossible!

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "I've never actually refined the Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill."

Hearing this, Monchi relaxed. The kid had finally backed down.

He was about to speak when Ye Yuan said leisurely, "But if you insist, I can give it a try."

Monchi nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. Couldn't he finish his sentence without such a pause?

Wait, first time refining?

"Kid, have you taken the wrong medicine? Do you think you're the Medicine Ancestor, able to whip up any pill at will?"

"You've never refined the Demon Dragon Flame Crystal Pill—are you deliberately messing with us?"

"Lord Monchi has already spared your life, and now you're pushing your luck?"

...

Ye Yuan's words immediately drew a torrent of abuse.