The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 4 - 3: Willing to Accept Defeat in a Bet?_1

Nothing bolstered Yang Chen’s spirit more than the art of alchemy. During his previous incarnation, his reputation as the First Genius of the Dan Dao was undisputed; his innate talent for pill-making had eclipsed everyone else in the realm. Only a handful of ancient immortals within the alchemy world could even hope to stand on equal footing with him.

To him, facing off against a First-Order Intermediate Dan Master was no different than bullying an infant.

In reality, he was indeed bullying Yang Heng at this moment, though Yang Heng remained blissfully unaware, convinced that Yang Chen was merely stirring up trouble.

“Regarding the rules of our duel, we shall follow the standard procedures for alchemy showdowns,” Yang Heng remarked with an air of indifference before gesturing to his attendant. “Xiao Hui, explain the details.”

Hearing Yang Heng’s command, his servant Xiao Hui stood tall as if he had just been granted a grand prize. He announced loudly, “In a formal alchemy duel, the victor is determined by three factors: the quality, the quantity, and the physical appearance of the refined elixirs.”

“Did those rules sink in?” Yang Heng asked, looking at Yang Chen as if he were explaining things to an idiot. “Since we are placing a wager, let’s do this properly. I won’t take unfair advantage of you. We will refine the ‘Reverting Bone Pill,’ which is the most basic of all First-Rank Elixirs. The final count, grade, and luster of the pills will decide the winner!”

“That is fine,” Yang Chen replied, agreeing without the slightest hesitation.

The Reverting Bone Pill was considered the simplest concoction for any First-Rank alchemist. A single pill could grant a martial artist in the Body Refining Realm a sense of mental clarity and refreshment. It was common practice for those in the Body Refining Realm to consume one before a battle to ensure their focus and combat efficiency were at their peak.

The Body Refining Realm itself served as the foundational stage of martial cultivation, consisting of nine distinct levels, each separated by a significant gap in power.

Currently, Yang Chen had not even reached the first level of the Body Refining Realm.

Conversely, Yang Heng had already attained the second level of the Body Refining Realm despite his youth, marking him as a premier talent among those who had not yet reached adulthood.

Yang Chen felt no pressure regarding the refinement of a basic Reverting Bone Pill. Turning to Gu Mingyue, he asked, “Mingyue, where is my pill furnace?”

“You... Young Master, did you forget? You lost your family’s ancestral ‘Purple Elegance Dan Furnace’ in a bet with the Wang family,” Gu Mingyue whispered, her fair face flushing with embarrassment.

As her words fell, the surrounding crowd erupted into mocking laughter.

Yang Chen’s brows twitched as he searched his memories, realizing that she was telling the truth.

Unfazed, Yang Chen simply said, “In that case, a standard pill furnace will suffice.”

Though Gu Mingyue was reluctant to see Yang Chen engage in this competition, she had no choice but to retrieve a very common pill furnace from her storage ring.

“I must say, Yang Chen, you’ve already gambled away your family’s Purple Elegance Dan Furnace, and now you intend to challenge me with that piece of junk? What are your odds of winning?” Yang Heng sneered. “This Young Master won't bully you; since you are using a common furnace, I shall use one as well to keep the match fair.”

He didn't offer this out of kindness, but rather out of the absolute certainty that even with identical equipment, Yang Chen stood no chance of victory.

Yang Chen replied nonchalantly, “Suit yourself!”

Once he finished speaking, he gripped the furnace lightly and balanced it upon his palm.

Typically, a mediocre alchemist or a novice would utilize a small, palm-sized pill furnace, as they lacked the skill to manage anything larger.

“The materials consist of one set for the Reverting Bone Pill. The winner will be judged on quantity, quality, and appearance. Let the duel begin!” Yang Heng’s servant barked.

Despite his current poverty, Yang Chen still possessed enough resources to scrape together the ingredients for a single batch of Reverting Bone Pills.

He searched through his low-grade storage ring, pulled out the necessary herbs, and swiftly tossed them into the furnace.

“He’s throwing in the ingredients before he’s even kindled the flame. What a complete amateur,” several servants mocked. Having witnessed their master refine pills countless times, Yang Chen’s technique looked like a joke to them.

Ignoring the jeers, Yang Chen placed the materials inside and then used ‘Fire Control Wood’ to start the blaze.

‘I grew so accustomed to using my own inherent flame in my past life that manipulating this Fire Control Wood is actually a bit of a challenge,’ Yang Chen mused as he carefully regulated the temperature.

Fire control was the soul of alchemy.

To put it simply, it was the mastery over heat.

The final yield and the grade of the resulting elixir were tied directly to how well the heat was managed.

Beyond heat management, one had to adjust the proportions of the ingredients as the elixir began to take shape within the furnace. This phase was vital; any error here would ruin the potency and quality of the pills. It was a process that demanded extreme attention to detail.

Consequently, the path of an alchemist was one that relied heavily on one's innate comprehension and talent.

For Yang Chen, however, these movements were etched into his very soul.

His manipulation of the fire and his adjustments to the herbs were performed with flawless precision.

Gu Mingyue, who had seen Yang Chen’s previous failed attempts at alchemy, watched with wide, nervous eyes. Her expression soon shifted to one of shock.

She could see that the Young Master was no longer as clumsy as he used to be. His movements were fluid, and his technique seemed far more sophisticated than anything he had shown before. The way he controlled the fire and meticulously adjusted the materials made him look like a completely different person.

‘Is it possible that after his suicide attempt, the Young Master suddenly attained enlightenment in the Dao of alchemy?’ Gu Mingyue wondered as she watched him intently.