After conquering the Empress, I proved my Dao with the Heaven and Earth Spirit Furnace!

"Cough cough..."

Just as Gu Qingfeng was being arrogant and smug, Qin Chuan coughed.

With his keen mind, he had already guessed that Lin Canghai intended to use this method to find Master Danshui.

This was also the reason why Qin Chuan hesitated earlier, but he already had a plan in mind, and coughed as he stepped out from the crowd.

His appearance immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding alchemists, who all turned to look at him.

Fang Yuyan frowned, snorted coldly, glanced at him, and then ignored him.

Su Anfu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Lin Canghai's eyes seemed to hold a deep meaning, and with a scrutinizing look, he also focused his gaze on Qin Chuan.

"Is it him..." Lin Canghai frowned, muttering to himself.

Even Zuoqiu looked up at Qin Chuan, but his expression remained unchanged, and outsiders could not see any change in his demeanor.

"My name is Wang Xueyi. I would like to try refining this pill. I would appreciate your permission, seniors."

Stepping out of the crowd, Qin Chuan clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Lin Canghai and Su Anfu.

Su Anfu remained silent, while Lin Canghai nodded slightly.

Just like he had done to Jiang Ming before, he threw out a fire crystal, which landed in front of Qin Chuan.

"Hey! Another kid. Remember to make sure the pills you refine are hard. I want to squeeze something hard."

Gu Qingfeng glanced at Qin Chuan, raised his chin, and looked like he was asking for a beating.

Qin Chuan did not immediately begin refining the medicine, but instead looked at Gu Qingfeng with a smile on his lips.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Cough cough... Fine, I'm handsome and kind-hearted, so I won't crush it all at once. I'll give you face and crush it in three times, okay?"

For some reason, Gu Qingfeng felt particularly comfortable with the person in front of him and immediately patted his chest and said.

"Ugh…"

With a sigh, Qin Chuan remained silent, a look of guilt on his face, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu Qingfeng.

Although I was reluctant, this was a rare opportunity, so I had no choice but to make the other party suffer.

"Huh? What's with that expression? Oh well, fine, I like you. I'll crush it five times, is that alright?" Gu Qingfeng quickly said.

These words caused Lin Canghai's face to darken, and the surrounding alchemists also looked unfriendly.

Fang Yuyan glared fiercely at Gu Qingfeng, then turned her gaze to Qin Chuan.

I just felt that the two of them were birds of a feather.

"Qingfeng, it's not that I, as your older brother, am trying to trick you, I really have no other choice..." Qin Chuan thought to himself.

He coughed, then stopped looking at Gu Qingfeng and raised his right hand in a wave.

A furnace carved with a crane pattern floats directly above the fire crystal.

To avoid the risk of revealing his identity, Qin Chuan did not use the Nine Dragon Cauldron.

Most importantly, this time he wasn't actually refining pills in the true sense.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qin Chuan, with a solemn expression, immediately took out the medicinal herbs as the alchemy furnace turned crimson.

Whether it's catalysis or refining...

After about half an hour of alchemy, Qin Chuan took out some black scales.

These scales are unrecognizable to outsiders, since alchemy doesn't only use fresh herbs.

Some mythical beast bodies, ground into powder or even substances like grass ash, can be used in medicine.

But Qin Chuan knew perfectly well that the reason he was confident he could refine pills that Gu Qingfeng couldn't even crush.

It's actually because of these black scales, nothing else.

Instead, it was... the scales that had fallen off the body of the Spirit Rat, Tun Tun.

Just recently, Qin Chuan discovered that the spirit rat had started to shed its skin.

Like scales, the outer skin fell piece by piece to various places around the Heaven and Earth Spirit Furnace, and he collected them all.

Qin Chuan had tested the toughness of the spirit rat's skin countless times before, so he was well aware of it.

I just couldn't think of a use for it, so I left it in a corner.

Now, upon hearing about the Gu family's bet, this was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Qingfeng, I'm so sorry..."

A moment later, Qin Chuan's eyes flashed, and he suddenly raised his right hand and waved it, and the alchemy furnace in front of him gradually returned to normal.

A pill flew up instantly and was caught in Qin Chuan's hand.

This pill was about half the size of a fist. It looked ordinary, but most of it was made up of scales shed by Tun Tun.

Qin Chuan did not refine the scales; instead, he kneaded them together with medicinal herbs.

It's less about alchemy and more about bonding.

The pill emitted no medicinal fragrance whatsoever; it was completely black, and Qin Chuan held it in his hand.

He glanced apologetically at Gu Qingfeng and immediately threw it over.

"This...this is a pill?"

Looking at the large black ball in his hand, Gu Qingfeng's lips twitched, and he had an urge to faint on the spot.

"Cough cough..."

Qin Chuan gave an awkward smile, "The pills that I, Wang, refine are just like this."

"you are vicious!"

Gu Qingfeng spoke angrily, but his face quickly regained its arrogant and smug expression.

"It's nothing but a few trivial tricks. Don't worry, if I say I'll crush it five times, I won't crush it four times!"

As he spoke, he continued to hold the pill between two fingers, just as he always had.

His gaze also swept over the female alchemists around him, revealing his bold and generous side.

However, he completely skipped over Fang Yuyan.

This woman has an ambiguous relationship with Brother Qin, so he dares not overstep any boundaries.

Gu Qingfeng held Qin Chuan in the highest esteem…

Pulling himself back to his senses, Gu Qingfeng gently pinched the handle.

This sudden movement startled him, but he quickly masked his surprise and burst into laughter.

"Haha... You all saw it, didn't you? I didn't crush it even once."

Upon hearing this, the alchemists of the Wendan lineage all turned ugly, finding Gu Qingfeng even more repulsive.

As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng exerted force with his right hand again, and couldn't help but gasp.

But his expression remained unchanged, and he laughed a few more times, saying that Gu Qingfeng kept his word.

If I say I'll crush it in five seconds, I will never go back on my word!

Even so, he felt a little anxious.

The first strike was manageable, since it only used 30% of my strength, but the second strike used a full 80%.

But the pill didn't budge at all, and Gu Qingfeng's right hand even started to ache slightly.

"When did this kid become so obsessed with saving face that he'd rather suffer than admit it..."

Watching Gu Qingfeng's performance, Qin Chuan murmured to himself with sympathy and apology.

"The third time, this third time I'm going to use my full strength!!"

As Gu Qingfeng spoke, he hardened his heart, clenched his right fist, and used all his strength.

With a single squeeze, his mind went blank, almost sparking as if sparks were flying.

The hardness emanating from it made Gu Qingfeng shudder, his face paled, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

"See, I keep my word, haha... I was sweating because I was putting on an act, just to make it look convincing..."

"This is the fourth time. After this, I won't let you off so easily."

Despite the burning pain in his hands, Gu Qingfeng spoke with feigned composure.

But how could those around them not see the clues?

Each of them had a strange expression, clearly noticing that Gu Qingfeng was acting unusually at this moment.

……