"Of course I can. But . . . it doesn't have to be here, right?"

Ye Yuan did not wish to be watched like a monkey.

Manager Tong nodded his head and brought Ye Yuan into a wing-room.

"Is here alright, young man?"

Ye Yuan nodded slightly. A majestic soul force rippled out.

Sensing Ye Yuan's soul force, Manager Tong's expression could not help changing.

"Middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster!" Manager Tong said in astonishment.

Breaking through to the Second Level Crystal Formation Realm, Ye Yuan's soul force already crossed the threshold of low-rank Alchemy Grandmaster and became middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster!

"Manager Tong, I wonder if I have the qualifications to enlist for the guest retainer position?" Ye Yuan said with a smile.

Only now did Manager Tong come back to his senses and said, "Of course! Even if you're unable to pa.s.s the test, I also have to highlight to the family head to keep you!"

You got to be kidding. A 16-year-old middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster. If they did not rope in such a person, wouldn't it be such a pity?

As an alchemist, in truth, the hardest thing was the divine soul realm! Other aspects could be made up for through hard work, but the breakthrough of divine soul realm varied from person to person.

Why was there n.o.body who could refine divine pills in the Divine Realm? It was because no alchemist could shatter the fetters of divine soul realm!

Furthermore, a genius like this, if Ye Yuan turned to the Tong Family, wouldn't there be an additional extremely terrifying opponent in the future?

"Haha. Then that's good."

Ye Yuan stubbornly stayed here just to get close to those two slaves. Otherwise, he would have turned around and left long ago.

"I wonder what Little Brother's name is?" Manager Tong's att.i.tude underwent a 180-degree change and already addressed Ye Yuan as brothers.

"Ji Qing!" Ye Yuan gave his fake name.

"So, it's Little Brother Ji Qing. You came just in the nick of time. Miss Ruyan is currently giving out the test to the alchemists who enlisted for guest retainer! Shall we go now?" Manager Tong consulted Ye Yuan's opinion.

Ye Yuan did not move right away. Instead, he asked curiously, "Manager Tong, pardon Junior for shooting my mouth off, but what is the Xiao Family recruiting retainers for? Such a large family business like the Four Seas Building shouldn't lack alchemists, right?"

Manager Tong sighed when he heard this and said, "Not hiding from Little Brother, the Xiao Family doesn't lack alchemists, but lack powerful alchemists!"

"Oh? Please enlighten, Manager Tong," Ye Yuan asked.

"Actually, the recruitment of retainers this time is something which cannot be helped! In this capital, the biggest medicinal pill managing businesses are our Xiao Family and the Tong Family.

It's precisely so that our two families are practically sworn enemies! In order to vie for the medicinal pills market, the two families once came to blows. Just the Sea Transformation Realm experts that died were over a dozen. Later on, Lord Wind Emperor sent people to pa.s.s the word down to make the Xiao and Tong, these two families, stop fighting. Only then did the conflict stop."

"What has this got to do with you guys finding guest retainers?" Ye Yuan asked with a confused look.

"Afterwards, through His Majesty, the Wind Emperor's mediation, our two families set down rules. Every ten years, the two family's juniors will undergo a Grand Pill a.s.sembly once to determine the two family's share of the medicinal pill market. And this year just happens to be the tenth year!" Manager Tong said.

Ye Yuan's expression was odd as he said, "You all are finding guest retainers in order to partic.i.p.ate in this Grand Pill a.s.sembly? The Xiao Family's junior generation can't make the cut?"

Manager Tong's face changed, and he said furiously, "What do you mean can't make the cut?! First Young Master, Xiao Rufeng, and Second Miss, Xiao Ruyan, are both extraordinary Alchemy Path prodigies! Especially Second Miss Ruyan. She already stepped into the high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster realm at the age of 20. You dare to say they can't make the cut?"

Ye Yuan pursed his lips but thought otherwise.

20-year-old Alchemy Grandmaster. What was there to be proud of?

Seeing Ye Yuan's expression, Manager Tong could not help being stunned and nearly had an impulse to slap his mouth.

This young man was only 16 years old. By the time he was 20, he would probably be a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster already. Seemed like his household's missus did not have anything worth showing off, right?

Manager Tong coughed dryly twice to ease the awkward situation. He continued, "Actually, it's First Young Master's body that has a problem and is unable to take part in this Grand Pill a.s.sembly. Miss Ruyan alone simply cannot defeat the Tong Family."

Ye Yuan nodded and said, "Like that huh. Then is it compliant with the rules for me to partic.i.p.ate? After all, I'm not a Xiao Family member."

Manager Tong said, "As long as you join the Xiao Family, it's naturally compliant with the rules. Uh . . ."

Halfway through his words, Manager Tong suddenly noticed something off.

What do you mean did it adhere to the rules if you partic.i.p.ate? Who told you to take part? Wasn't this punk's self-confidence a little too inflated?

The test wasn't even pa.s.sed yet, and he wanted to represent the Xiao Family to fight?

One had to know that among the alchemists who came to register this time, there was no lack of high-rank Alchemy Grandmasters. Ye Yuan had just entered the middle-rank not long ago. Wanting to pa.s.s most likely would not be that easy.

The reason why Manager Tong took a fancy to Ye Yuan was because he was eyeing his potential, not his present strength.

Ye Yuan chuckled and said, "Since it follows the rules, let's go take the test then."

Manager Tong had a gloomy look. This punk really took himself to be someone from the Xiao Family.

. . . . . .

When Manager Tong brought Ye Yuan out from the wing-room and Ye Yuan was invited upstairs, the a.s.sistant's eyes went wide.

Could it brat really be an alchemist?

The clerk had a premonition that he seemed to have gotten into big trouble and provoked someone that he should not have.

Don't look at me, don't look at me . . . the clerk repeated in his heart.

But whatever one feared would come. Ye Yuan suddenly turned his head and flashed a slight smile at him. Then he went up slowly.

The a.s.sistant's legs went wobbly, and he nearly kneeled on the ground.

"It's over. This time, it's really over," the a.s.sistant murmured to himself with a wail.

. . . . . .

Manager Tong brought Ye Yuan straight up to the third floor and arrived at a hall.

There were already quite a few people in the hall and even a number of medicinal cauldrons laid out.

At the far end, there was a part.i.tion. The part.i.tion was blocked by many layers of chiffon. But, one could faintly see a lithe and graceful silhouette inside.

Manager Tong asked Ye Yuan to wait for a moment and walked over to the part.i.tion.

Ye Yuan calmly sized up this hall and those alchemists.

These few people were all the same: high-rank Alchemy Grandmasters. Seemed like only he alone was a middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster.

Mm, of course, in these peoples' eyes, he most likely did not even count as an alchemist.

There were still four alchemists apart from Ye Yuan. They clearly saw Ye Yuan too. Seeing the badge adorned on Ye Yuan's chest, they could not help having a disdainful look.

"Elder Brothers are all here to enlist for Xiao Family's guest retainer?" Ye Yuan was warm and enthusiastic as he went forward with a flattering smile.

"So what if yes? You aren't the same as us, right?" said an alchemist among them, making a scornful look.

"Ah? Haha, you even saw through this. Big Brother has really good eyesight!"

That person said sneeringly, "You, a low-rank Alchemy Master, came to play the fool, right? This place isn't suitable for you. Better get lost quickly so as to avoid incurring Miss Ruyan's displeasure!"

"Yeah. A little fellow who doesn't know his own limitations. This bit of strength and you also dare to come out and lose face. I think you better go back home and drink milk!" said another person.

"Without the strength of a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster, don't come out and make a spectacle of yourself! The few of us were chosen through layers upon layers of sifting! Who do you think you are?!"

Ye Yuan chortled and said, "Why are all the stuff I wanted to say all had been said by you people?"