Chapter 2673: A Stubborn Duck with a Hard Beak?

"This is sheer nonsense! This Third Hall Master has sent back all the most elite disciples from our great families! The ones left behind are all useless fellows—what kind of business is this?"

"In my view, he did it on purpose! He never intended to pass down the legacy of the True Grade Heavenly Pill!"

"He's just fooling the two Hall Masters, and trying to fool us great families too!"

…

The great hall was filled with clamor.

Many family heads expressed strong dissatisfaction with Ye Yuan's actions.

Song Tianyang and Yun Boyu also had grim expressions.

They both felt they had been played.

Fortunately, the Song and Yun families each had three members left.

However, the strongest of the younger generation in the Song and Yun families, Song Wenhao and Yun Yuan, had both been turned away by Ye Yuan.

If not for this showdown, they would have certainly made a scene.

But since Ye Yuan had given Song Wenhao and Yun Yuan a chance, they naturally had to wait.

They also wanted to see what miraculous methods this Third Hall Master had to make those useless disciples surpass the top talents.

The alchemy room door opened, and Cui Tong walked out, saying, "Everyone, please enter!"

The big shots filed in, some eager to slap Ye Yuan's face.

They refused to believe that the geniuses they had piled resources on could be outdone by Ye Yuan's mere three months of training!

Moreover, they had enjoyed the same treatment.

Song Tianyang looked at Ye Yuan with a hostile expression and said, "Third Hall Master, we accepted your stripping of my Song family's elder position! But now, shouldn't you give us an explanation?"

Yun Boyu also said, "We know the True Grade Heavenly Pill is extremely precious, but if the Third Hall Master wants to suppress us this way, the Yun family won't sit idly by!"

With these two family heads taking the lead, the other heads expressed their indignation.

Ye Yuan merely smiled faintly and said, "Everyone, calm down. You'll see after watching. Since you're all here, let's begin. Song Wenhao, will you go first?"

Song Wenhao was full of pent-up anger, ready to vent.

Seeing Ye Yuan mention him, he sneered, "Exactly! I wonder, can I choose my own opponent?"

Ye Yuan nodded nonchalantly and said, "Pick anyone from my chosen ones."

Song Wenhao waved his hand and said solemnly, "No need! I'll pick my good cousin, Song Minzhe! I know you value him the most among this group! Today, I'll trample him underfoot in front of everyone, so the Third Hall Master can see how blind you are!"

Ye Yuan didn't mind and smiled, "Song Minzhe, you come."

"Yes!" Song Minzhe bowed respectfully and stepped forward.

Song Wenhao looked at Song Minzhe disdainfully and said, "Song Minzhe, do you really think a pheasant can turn into a phoenix and perch on a high branch? Today, I'll show you that you're still a pheasant on the ground!"

Song Minzhe's face showed some fear.

He himself knew how much progress he had made in these three months.

But what Ye Yuan had them practice were all first-grade basic heavenly pills!

They hadn't touched any other heavenly pills.

As a member of the Song family, Song Minzhe naturally knew how powerful Song Wenhao was.

Facing Song Wenhao for real, he still lacked confidence.

Song Tianyang and the other family heads had sharp eyes.

Seeing Song Minzhe's expression, they had already judged the outcome of this match.

After all, alchemy was not something that could be mastered quickly in a short time.

In just three months, making Song Minzhe surpass the prodigy Song Wenhao—how could that be possible?

These family heads sneered inwardly.

They were waiting for the moment Ye Yuan would be slapped in the face!

What's more, Ye Yuan had even given the opponent the choice of heavenly pill!

Song Wenhao laughed loudly, "My dear cousin, you're not naive enough to think I'd choose a first-grade foundation heavenly pill, are you? Don't worry, I'm not that stupid! If we're going to compete, we'll do it for real, with second-grade heavenly pills! What's the use of refining first-grade heavenly pills perfectly? I choose the Great Ultimate Creation Pill!"

Hearing this, Song Tianyang's lips curled slightly.

This Great Ultimate Creation Pill was the very one Ye Yuan had used to shock the entire audience, causing Huang Haoyan and Su Peiyun to break through directly to the Boundless Heavenly Rank!

Why was Song Tianyang called a genius?

Precisely because, at a young age, he could already refine the Imperial Heavenly Pill!

A second-grade peak heavenly alchemist!

Although the grade of his Imperial Heavenly Pill still needed improvement, being able to refine it was already something to boast about.

The Imperial Heavenly Pill was not something just anyone could refine.

Many family heads sneered inwardly.

"That Song Wenhao kid, no wonder he's valued by Song Tianyang! Choosing that heavenly pill was brilliant!"

"Just look at Song Minzhe's face—you know he can't do it!"

"Heh, making Song Minzhe refine the Imperial Heavenly Pill in three months? How is that possible? Now, I want to see how Ye Yuan gets out of this!"

…

These family heads had already prepared a bellyful of sarcasm to throw at Ye Yuan.

Even the factions following Zhao Xun and Wu Ji'an were now quite displeased with Ye Yuan.

This method of suppressing the great families was low-class!

Song Minzhe's face was very ugly. He couldn't help but look at Ye Yuan and said nervously, "Master Ye, I…"

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Don't feel pressured. Just treat it as a normal refinement!"

Song Minzhe was at best a second-grade intermediate heavenly alchemist, not even advanced.

So refining the Imperial Heavenly Pill was simply out of the question.

He didn't think that by refining first-grade basic heavenly pills, he could refine the Imperial Heavenly Pill.

Song Minzhe knew Ye Yuan had high expectations for him, so his pressure was even greater.

If he lost, Master Ye would truly lose face.

In the Song family, he was often compared to Song Wenhao as a negative example.

Now that he had finally gained Ye Yuan's appreciation, he didn't want to let Ye Yuan down.

But Ye Yuan's reassurance calmed him down a bit.

He always felt that Ye Yuan's insistence on having him refine first-grade basic heavenly pills had a deeper meaning.

Once the refinement began, Song Minzhe quickly put these thoughts aside.

His seriousness in alchemy was one of the reasons Ye Yuan had chosen him.

Compared to Song Wenhao, Song Minzhe had a much better temperament.

Although he bore great pressure, he could quickly get into the zone and not be crushed by it.

In fact, he could even turn pressure into motivation!

Watching Song Minzhe's somewhat flustered appearance, Song Tianyang suddenly said, "Third Hall Master, is this the explanation you give us? It's really not impressive!"

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Just watch until the end. Who can know the outcome until the last moment?"

The crowd still responded with cold sneers to Ye Yuan's words.

A stubborn duck with a hard beak—that described Ye Yuan at this moment, didn't it?

With Song Minzhe in such a flustered state, could he refine the Imperial Heavenly Pill?

Ridiculous!

They now felt that the two Hall Masters appointing Ye Yuan as the Third Hall Master was a complete mistake!