376 The Forsaken Youth

After a short while, an old man slowly walked out from the back and sat down on the centermost seat.

Everybody stood up at this time and bowed. They said, "We pay respects to Sovereign Star Abyss!"

The old man nodded slightly and said, "Everyone, have a seat. This old man, I, only wished to come and have a look at what genius descendants have appeared in our capital these few years. This matter about judging, old me won't be taking part in. You all just decide it on your own. I'll be watching everybody's performance in today's match and take one person as my disciple."

When Sovereign Star Abyss's words were spoken, everyone revealed ecstatic looks.

"What did I hear? Sovereign Star Abyss is going to accept disciples! I didn't hear wrongly, right?"

"It has already been decades since Sovereign Star Abyss has accepted any disciples. Today, he actually wants to accept a disciple out of the blue! What on earth happened?"

"A sovereign's disciple! As long as one can step onto this track, they will have a meteoric rise!"

When Ye Yuan saw this Sovereign Star Abyss, his eyes also shrunk slightly. This was the first sovereign level powerhouse that he met!

When martial artists reached the Divine Traversing Realm, they could be titled as sovereigns. That was also a sovereign level powerhouse!

The meaning of a sovereign level powerhouse was extraordinary. In regards to the Lower Realms, they were practically pinnacle existences!

This old man was apparently a Divine Traversing Realm powerhouse. More importantly, he was even an Alchemy Sovereign!

An Alchemy Sovereign on the Alchemy Path was similarly considered as reaching a high level in proficiency.

Only alchemy sovereign powerhouses had the minimum qualifications to enter Ye Yuan's arcane eyes!

Due to the disparity in strength between Ye Yuan and Sovereign Star Abyss being too great, he completely could not see through the other party's depth.

But Ye Yuan had a sort of feeling that this old man was not simple!

Seemingly detecting Ye Yuan's gaze, Sovereign Star Abyss's gaze also looked towards Ye Yuan. That deeply profound gaze actually nearly made Ye Yuan collapse uncontrollably.

Ye Yuan hastily moved his gaze, secretly sighing with vicissitudes of emotions.

Right now, his soul force was still too weak. The other party just swept a glance lightly like that, and it practically made him lose his mind.

"Rufeng, Ruyan, the two of you have to perform well this time. Even if you're defeated, you also have to obtain Sovereign Star Abyss's favor! As long as you become his disciple, our Xiao Family can likewise protect our family business!" Xiao Changfeng said softly with visible joy on his face.

The pair nodded slightly. But Ye Yuan sighed lightly in his heart.

This Xiao Changfeng was evidently an experienced and cunning person. But he was too conservative with this sort of major matter. It might not have a good outcome!

Firstly, this method of Tian Jian racing horse strategy was actually a very negative way of dealing with things. It was equivalent to admitting that their own family was not as strong as the other party.

Giving up fighting with the other party's strongest person and letting the strongest person on their side deal with the Tong Family's number two figure, even if they won in the end, there would not be anyone cheering for the Xiao Family either.

Xiao Family would obtain victory, but lose the respect of others.

And Xiao Changfeng making his own son and daughter perform well to draw the attention of Sovereign Star Abyss was similarly a method that lost one's drive.

The Xiao Family was in an inferior position to begin with; the family did not know how to risk it all to fight, but entrust their hopes onto another person instead. Ye Yuan could not agree with this way of doing things.

Furthermore, Ye Yuan had a feeling that that Tong Wenhui and Tong Wenshou might not be easy to deal with.

Truly, the older the person was, the smaller the guts were.

"Alright, the once in a decade Grand Pill Assembly is about to begin. Most of the people present here know this old man, but this old man better still introduces himself first. I'm the Alchemist Association's First Elder, Yang Xiu. The Grand Pill Assembly this time will be hosted by me."

Speaking up to here, Yang Xiu cleared his throat. Xiao Changfeng and Tong Fangshuo got up at the same time and said, "I'll have to trouble Sovereign Star Abyss and Elder Yang."

Yang Xiu nodded slightly and continued, "Sovereign Star Abyss has already spoken. The juniors of the Xiao and Tong families have good fortune. The sovereign has not taken in any disciples for close to 50 years already. This time can be considered as an epoch-making event! Alright, enough superfluous words. The two Xiao and Tong families have already sent the name list of the battles to my hands. I'll now announce the battle sequence."

Speaking up to here, Yang Xiu looked at the battle name list in his hands, his eyes involuntarily swept over Xiao Changfeng.

Xiao Changfeng's heart palpitated but did not say anything. He naturally knew that doing it this way was inappropriate. But this was also a solution that could not be helped.

Yang Xiu was silent for a moment, and continued, "The first battle, Xiao Family's Xiao Ruyan against the Tong Family's Tong Wenhui!"

When these words were uttered, the crowd burst into an uproar.

"What? Xiao Ruyan is actually facing the Tong Family's weakest Tong Wenhui? What kind of situation is this?"

"Heh heh, to think that Xiao Changfeng actually pulled this sort of underhanded trick. Looks like the Xiao Family's fortune is over."

"Yeah. Looking at this, Xiao Family has already given up on the battle with Tong Wenchang, leaving Xiao Rufeng and sister to go deal with the weaker Tong Wenshou and Tong Wenhui."

Tong Fangshuo was also a little stunned. But he immediately burst into laughter and said, "Hahaha! Xiao Changfeng, you're really deteriorating the older you get! The Xiao Family declining in your hands is also something within reason! But if you think that victory is within your grasp like this, then you're too naïve!"

Xiao Changfeng was aware that reason was not on his side and did not respond to Tong Fangshuo. He looked straight ahead, no idea where he was looking at.

Yang Xiu coughed lightly and continued, "Silence, silence! The second match, Xiao Rufeng against Tong Wenshou. The third match, Ji Qing versus Tong Wenchang!"

"That boy is really pitiable, to actually have to face Tong Wenchang. I reckon that he'll be defeated horribly."

"Hehe, what's pitiful about him isn't this! I heard that his strength isn't bad. A middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster that can actually refine Tier 3 high-level medicinal pills. He joined the Xiao Family in their moment of crisis but was directly forsaken by Xiao Changfeng. That's his pitiable part."

"Using such a method, even if they won, it will also be winning through unorthodox means. It's just sad for this young man."

Many people felt sorry for Ye Yuan. A middle-rank Alchemy Grandmaster battling a Quasi-Alchemy King. What chances of victory was there?

There were also many who felt disappointed. They originally thought that they could see Xiao Rufeng and Tong Wenchang's summit battle. Who knew that there was no opportunity?

Although Tong Wenchang was a Quasi-Alchemy King, he had only just advanced to the realm of Quasi-Alchemy King not long ago. In truth, there was still a chance to win, though this chance was very minuscule.

Xiao Rufeng had enjoyed Xiao Family's limitless resources. Adding in his talent, he had always been keeping in pace with Tong Wenchang these few years.

It was just that Tong Wenchang stepped into Quasi-Alchemy King Realm a step before Xiao Rufeng. That was why Xiao Rufeng appeared a level weaker.

But now, the Xiao Family retreating without fighting made many people present feel disappointed.

Yang Xiu continued and said, "The rules of the Grand Pill Assembly will be the same as past years. I won't be repeating them. Now, starting the first match: Xiao Ruyan versus Tong Wenhui!"

On the stage, the Xiao and Tong two families faced each other across a great distance. All sorts of alchemy medicinal herbs, wares, and medicinal cauldrons were also placed between them.

Xiao Ruyan took in a deep breath and stepped up.

Not knowing why, before Xiao Ruyan stepped onto the stage, her gaze unconsciously looked over towards Ye Yuan.

And Ye Yuan was also presently looking at her and gave her a hand gesture, "Miss Ruyan, good luck!"