Travis Shepherd returned moments later with the required materials. Xander stepped up first, oozing confidence. "Watch and learn, boy."

He worked the pill furnace with practiced ease, the flickering flames casting dramatic shadows. His hands moved with the precision of a master chef, tossing in herbs and guiding the process with smooth, fluid motions. Fifteen minutes later, the faint fragrance of success wafted through the room as he completed his first pill.

By the time he finished all ten batches, seven glimmering pills sat in a neat row before him. He turned to Asmon, smirking. "Seventy percent success rate. Beat that if you can."

The crowd murmured in approval. Xander’s result was impressive, even for a second-rank alchemist.

Asmon approached the furnace with a casual stroll, as if he were headed to a picnic instead of an alchemy duel. He glanced at Xander’s pills, then back at him. "Seventy percent? Not bad. For an amateur."

The room erupted in gasps. Xander’s face turned red, but Asmon ignored him, focusing on the furnace.

[Success rate amplified, precision optimized, outcome maximized.]

Asmon’s lips twitched into a grin. 'Let’s make this quick.' He moved with quiet confidence, his hands steady and precise. One by one, the herbs were added, the furnace roared to life, and the air filled with the tantalizing scent of alchemy in progress. Each step was flawless, almost mechanical in its perfection.

Ten minutes later, his first pill was complete, gleaming like a tiny gemstone of effort and accomplishment.

The crowd erupted in whispers, some gasping audibly.

“Whoa! Did you see that? He actually made one!” a young alchemist-in-training squeaked, practically bouncing with excitement. “And he’s so young! It’s like watching a child prodigy ace a calculus exam.”

Asmon ignored the growing buzz around him. He wasn’t here for applause; he was here to do what he did best—alchemy. With smooth, efficient movements, he went on to refine one pill after another, his focus unshaken by the gawking spectators.

[You’ve refined First-Rank Body Tempering Pill. Experience multiplied, mastery expanded, progress accelerated.]

An hour later, Asmon stepped back, his ten sets of ingredients completely used up. In their place sat ten flawless Body Tempering Pills, lined up neatly like soldiers waiting for inspection.

Someone in the crowd actually dropped their jaw. “All ten? From ten sets of ingredients? That’s unreal!”

“Amazing,” Travis murmured, his admiration palpable. “No wonder Teacher Sophia is so fond of him. This guy isn’t just talented—he’s a genius!”

Xander, however, was having none of it. His face turned as pale as day-old tofu. “No! This can’t be happening! A kid like him, without even an alchemist badge, pulling off a perfect success rate? That’s absurd!”

Asmon didn’t even flinch, his calm demeanor as unshakable as a seasoned poker player. “Just because you can’t do it, Mr.Xander, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Face it—you’ve lost.”

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Xander’s disbelief morphed into indignation. “Lost? Ha! Don’t make me laugh. I’m a dignified second-rank alchemist! You just got lucky with those ten pills!”

Before Asmon could respond, Travis stepped in, his voice cutting through the tension like a sword through butter. “Enough, Master Xander. As a senior, you should know when to admit defeat. From this moment on, Brother Asmon is the chief alchemist of Vitalstone Apothecary!”

The announcement sent ripples of shock through the crowd. Xander Monroe, however, looked ready to explode. “You’re replacing me with 'him'? This brat?!”

Travis Shepherd’s gaze was steady. “Is there a problem with that?”

Xander’s tone turned venomous. “Oh, there’s a problem, all right. Do you have any idea what you’re doing? I’m the only second-rank alchemist here producing high-grade pills. Replace me, and see how that works out for you.”

Travis crossed his arms, unfazed. “As the future head of Vitalstone Apothecary, I stand by my decision.”

Seeing he was outmaneuvered, Xander sneered. “Fine! But mark my words—you’ll regret this. Let’s see if this so-called genius can back up his arrogance.”

Asmon smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh, I can back it up, all right. How about we settle this with another competition? You bring out the best pill you can make, and I’ll beat you.”

The crowd collectively held its breath. Was Asmon serious?

Xander’s confidence rebounded instantly. “You’re on! Bring me the materials for three Qi Gathering Pills!”

Travis Shepherd’s brows furrowed as he leaned closer to Asmon. “Are you sure about this? That’s a high-level second-grade pill he’s attempting. To beat him, you’d have to…”

Asmon waved off his concern with a grin. “Relax. He’s not even in my league.”

Travis hesitated, then ordered the materials for Xander. Xander dove into his work, his brows knit with concentration. Even for him, refining a high-level second-grade Qi Gathering Pill wasn’t a walk in the park. His first attempt ended in failure when the furnace belched out smoke like a disgruntled dragon.

But on his second try, Xander finally succeeded, holding up the pill like it was a trophy. “There! A high-level second-grade Qi Gathering Pill. Let’s see you top that!”

Asmon chuckled, the sound light and unbothered. “Took you two tries, huh? Hardly impressive. Watch and learn.”

His words sent a ripple of shock through the crowd.

“Did he just say he’s going to make a third-grade pill?” someone whispered.

Xander barked a laugh. “Third-grade? You? Don’t make me laugh. Do you even know how many years of experience it takes to refine one of those?”

Unbothered, Asmon turned to Travis Shepherd. “Prepare the materials for an Innate Spirit Pill.”

The murmurs turned into outright gasps. “An Innate Spirit Pill? Isn’t that one of the hardest third-grade pills to refine?”

Travis, though startled, ordered the materials. Asmon approached the furnace with all the confidence of a chef about to make his signature dish. He ignited the flame, his movements precise and deliberate. The crowd watched, spellbound, as he expertly extracted the essence of each ingredient, blending them together in a seamless dance of fire and skill.

In less than thirty minutes, Asmon fished a perfectly formed Innate Spirit Pill from the alchemy furnace. A clear, bell-like chime resonated through the air, the hallmark of a pill’s extraordinary quality. The crowd erupted, their disbelief palpable.

“He… he actually did it! A third-grade high-level pill on his first try!” one spectator exclaimed, their voice cracking with astonishment.

“And he only used one set of ingredients! Is he even human?” muttered another, slack-jawed at Asmon’s alchemical mastery.

Xander, however, stood frozen. His face had gone as pale as freshly pressed tofu. A man who had spent his life toiling over alchemy, struggling to produce high-level second-grade pills, now found himself utterly outclassed. Watching Asmon refine a third-grade high-level pill with such ease was like being told a rabbit had outrun a phoenix.

Nearby, Travis was equally stunned, his lips twitching as if unsure whether to laugh or cry. Just this morning, Asmon had defeated Big Monty, the A-class student who reigned supreme at Silvercrest Martial Institute. Now, in a single stroke, he had toppled Xander, the supposedly untouchable alchemist of Vitalstone Apothecary. If this wasn’t a masterclass in making waves, what was?