A few days later.
In the capital city of Gama, the streets were packed with people, and shops opened for business early.
Everywhere you look, you can see figures dressed in alchemist robes.
These people gathered from all directions and headed toward the Royal Square.
The Alchemist Conference will be held there.
Are you sure you don't want to go take a look?
Hai Bodong stood at the door, looking at the young man inside.
"Not interested."
Xiao Yan gently shook his head, closed his eyes again, and immersed himself in cultivation.
With the three-year agreement drawing ever closer, he only wanted to devote all his time to cultivation.
As for the so-called grand event held every eight years, he was naturally curious, but there were more important things waiting for him.
"Hehe, don't feel sorry. When we go to Zhongzhou (Central Region}, I'll take you to the Pill Tower to see the Pill Gathering. Then you'll know what a real alchemist's gathering is like."
Yao Lao's faint laughter echoed in Xiao Yan's heart; he could sense Xiao Yan's emotions.
"Dan(Pill} Tower? Is it that powerful?"
This was the first time Xiao Yan had heard this name.
"There's a saying in Zhongzhou: 'One hall, one pagoda, two sects, three valleys, and four pavilions.' The Dan Pagoda ranks second, don't you think?"
The old alchemist replied and explained, "The Pill Tower can be considered the dream place of alchemists. Every Pill Gathering, almost all forces go there, with tens of thousands of alchemists competing together. That scale is something that the small Jia Ma Empire can't compare to."
"I must go and see it if I have the chance."
Xiao Yan felt a longing in his heart.
The old doctor corrected him, "It's not a matter of having a chance, but that you must go and participate! You are my disciple, and if you don't bring back a championship, you are not qualified."
"Teacher, please don't put pressure on me. My three-year commitment isn't over yet."
Xiao Yan said bitterly.
The old medicine master replied, "What's the rush? I'll refine some more pills for you in a couple of days."
...
"There are so many people."
"VIP area," Nie Yuan remarked unconsciously.
The huge square was packed with people, so crowded that it was impossible to move. All sorts of sounds converged, chattering and making my eardrums ache.
"Is this the first time the Gun King has watched the Alchemist Conference live?"
After Fa Ma and Nie Yuan sat down, Fa Ma turned around and asked.
Nie Yuan nodded, "Yes, in the previous year, the teacher kept making me cultivate, but I never had the chance."
"Sometimes being too talented isn't a good thing either." Fa Ma smiled.
Nie Yuan nodded in agreement.
"Get out of the way, you don't deserve to sit here."
Just then, a cold shout suddenly came from beside Fama.
The guild's vice president, Mitchell, glared angrily at the other party.
"Old man Bing, you're still alive?"
Fama felt a familiar, icy aura and immediately realized what was happening.
"Hey, listen to what you're saying."
Hai Bodong pulled the other person away and sat down in the chair.
Fama laughed and explained, "Back then, didn't you get...done by Queen Medusa?"
"I can't just be lucky enough to survive."
Hai Bodong said dejectedly.
At that moment, he saw Nie Yuan peek out from behind Fa Ma, smiling and waving.
Clang!
The chair beneath Hai Bodong shattered into pieces, and he landed squarely on the floor.
[Ding! Hai Bodong is showing surprise; emotion value +59]
Damn it, what's this kid doing here? That woman shouldn't be here, right?
Hai Bodong glanced around furtively; if Medusa was there, he was ready to slip away. "What's going on?"
Fama stood up and called over a member of the Alchemist Guild, "The chair is of such poor quality, quickly bring over a new one."
He pulled Hai Bodong up.
He turned to the side and pointed at Nie Yuan, introducing him: "Nie Yuan, nicknamed the Gun King, is a monster from Yunshan who was picked up from somewhere by sheer luck. Not only is his talent for cultivation exceptional, but his alchemy skills are also extraordinary."
"President Fama, I've met Elder Hai before."
Nie Yuan smiled slightly.
Fama paused for a moment, then looked at Hai Bodong, who nodded slightly.
After sitting down in a different chair, Fama went to preside over the opening ceremony of the conference. Hai Bodong hurriedly asked Medusa, and upon learning that she was not nearby, he relaxed his posture a little.
During this brief interval, Jia Xingtian also arrived, bringing the Yao Ye and Yao Yue sisters, and greeted Nie Yuan.
"Your Excellency, if you are unhappy in the Yunlan Sect, the Jia Ma Royal Family will welcome you at any time."
Yao Ye revealed a charming smile.
Compared to Princess Yaoyue, Yao Ye is taller and more mature.
Yao Yue's face was slightly youthful, while Yao Ye was more mature and had a touch of aloofness. Perhaps due to her royal upbringing, she also possessed a dignified air similar to Yun Yun's.
"Nie Yuan, this is a great opportunity. If you can't be the sect leader's man, being the princess's man isn't bad either."
Hai Bodong fanned the flames from the sidelines.
"Old man Bing, stop causing trouble here. You have a place to speak about the children's affairs."
Jia Xingtian sat down next to him.
Hai Bo glanced at him sideways and said, "I'm thinking about your royal family. When you kick the bucket, at least someone will still be protecting your royal family."
"After all these years, your annoying style hasn't changed at all."
Jia Xingtian was getting a little itchy to do it.
He was being stared at by a mature and aloof woman, who was none other than a royal princess.
Nie Yuan could feel the gazes coming from all directions. He smiled and said, "I appreciate Princess Yaoye's kindness, but no one in the Yunlan Sect can bully me right now."
Yao Ye's smile remained unchanged. "That would be best. Also, the Snake-People have been making frequent moves lately, and I'd like to discuss this with the Gun Emperor. When is the Gun Emperor available?"
"Let's wait until the conference is over."
Nie Yuan replied that he also wanted to see the Empire's attitude before communicating with Medusa.
Yao Ye now commands the army and has some influence over his words.
Having received the answer, Yao Ye, who was responsible for maintaining order at the scene, greeted the others and turned to leave.
Fama returned to his seat quickly.
Princess Yaoyue headed to the center of the square to prepare for the competition.
The first round of assessment involves deducing the correct proportions of ingredients from an incomplete prescription and refining the elixir. Each person has two attempts within a specified time.
With everyone watching intently, the time quickly came to an end.
"You don't seem to think much of Yaoyue and Liuling."
Upon hearing the sound, Nie Yuan saw that Fa Ma was staring at him.
"They are indeed quite good, but in such a big competition, there are bound to be one or two dark horses." Nie Yuan replied.
Following Nie Yuan's gaze, Fa Ma looked at a figure shrouded in a gray robe. "That person... do you know him?"
Nie Yuan shook his head.
How can you be so optimistic about someone you don't even know?
Fa Ma was taken aback.
Time was up, and everyone began testing the pills. When the gray-robed man's score surpassed that of Yao Yue and Liu Ling, the crowd was somewhat in an uproar.
"Some of them are not right."
Looking at the other man's face, Fama immediately said, "Chelsea, give me his information!"
The gray-robed man looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, but his soul power had already reached the fourth rank.
Previously, Fa Ma's attention was mostly on Yao Yue and Liu Ling. It was only when he noticed that Nie Yuan's gaze seemed to be searching for something that he began to spare some of his attention.
I should have looked away, because what I saw gave me quite a shock.