The entire top floor of a grand and soaring building in the treasure tower region had been completely reserved by junior master Fang. No one else was permitted to enter.

“Brother Long, you’ve really opened my eyes today. Previously, I always thought that face-slaps were only for people weaker than you, but seeing you slap that elder, I realize the truth. Let me offer you a cup!” Junior master Fang actually stood up and toasted with Long Chen with both hands.

Everyone’s expressions changed slightly, and they all felt a trace of hostility toward Long Chen. Junior master Fang cared too much about Long Chen.

None of them had said a word to Long Chen the entire time. In their eyes, Long Chen was just a martial artist. He couldn’t be compared to grand alchemists.

They hadn’t openly displayed any contempt for him because they were giving face to junior master Fang. But now junior master Fang was so respectful to him, which displeased them.

Just by relying on some face-slapping art, he had managed to gain so much favor from junior master Fang. That luck was absolutely ridiculous.

“Brother Fang is too courteous. Cheers!” Long Chen laughed and touched his cup to junior master Fang’s.

The wine was excellent. It had actually been made out of over a hundred rare medicines, and was extremely beneficial to a person’s soul.

“Brother Long, let me introduce you. These people are all alchemists who came to participate in the Pill Emperor Competition. They are all elites in the alchemy world,” said junior master Fang.

These people had all been drawn into junior master Fang’s camp early so that they wouldn’t end up on the side of the other two families.

Although they were all part of the Pill Tower, the Huo family, Fang family, and Chai family all cared most about their people. That would determine how high their position would be in the future.

These people had been pulled in by junior master Fang in private. As for the registration test, he had directly let them skip it.

He had originally brought everyone out to go hunting and amuse themselves. But on the way, they had seen people from the Huo family. They had gone down to amuse themselves, but as a result, they had encountered Long Chen.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare call myself an elite. Compared to brother Long’s beautiful face-slaps, alchemy is just a minor Dao,” laughed one of them.

Long Chen glanced at this person and shook his head inside. As expected, wherever there were people, there was competition. These people had pointed their spears at him so quickly.

This person’s true meaning was extremely obvious: he was just good at slapping people in the face, while they were grand alchemists. The difference between them was like heaven and earth.

Junior master Fang’s high regard for Long Chen had brought on their displeasure, as he had never treated them so grandly before.

“When someone goes and practically pushes their face in front of you, it would be wrong for you to not slap them. That’s how I managed to train my art. If brother is interested, I can give you some private lessons.” Long Chen smiled.

These words were a bit impolite. But if someone wanted him to slap them, he definitely wouldn’t hesitate.

He had clearly shown his attitude now. For these people, you couldn’t give them face, or they would say and do even more irritating things.

“Haha, alright, let’s not fight. It was fate that brought us together. Let’s all toast to that!” Junior master Fang sensed the atmosphere was getting tense, and he hastily raised his cup with a laugh.

Everyone followed suit. They cared deeply about the Fang family’s strength. On the surface, the Pill Tower was one whole entity, but it was actually controlled by the three families. Entering one of these three families was equivalent to having boundless resources and innumerable cultivation opportunities for them.

So they had to be extremely courteous to him. If they offended junior master Fang, their future prospects would be ruined.

Junior master Fang was extremely happy today. He had managed to entice several talented alchemists to his side, as well as encountered a master midway through a trip.

“I hear this is brother Long’s first time coming to Pill Yang Prefecture. This is a world for alchemists. What plans do you have in coming here?” asked one person.

This person’s off-hand question was extremely sharp and displeasing. Long Chen smiled and was about to reply when footsteps rang out from below.

Junior master Fang’s expression sank. He had already reserved this place. But someone still dared come up and disturb them.

“Junior master Chai?”

When he saw who had come up, junior master Fang leaped up and laughed.

The others didn’t feel right sitting when junior master Fang was standing, so they also stood. Long Chen looked at the newcomers. A total of ten people had come. The person at the front was a medium-sized, square-faced man with an imposing mannerism.

This person was the future heir of one of the Pill Tower’s three great families, the Chai family’s number one junior generation’s alchemy genius.

“Haha, junior master Fang, I heard you have reserved this place. Recently, I’ve been embarrassingly short of money. You wouldn’t mind if I cadged a meal of you, right?” laughed junior master Chai.

“Junior master Chai, you’re joking. Come, let me introduce you. These are my precious guests.”

Obviously, these two had a very close relationship. They hastily asked the restaurant to bring up a larger table and more food.

“Junior master Fang, you really are fast. You actually have three more than me,” sighed junior master Chai.

“Hehe, it was luck,” said junior master Fang. But he was clearly pleased.

“Hmm? Wait, what?! You… you are Long San?!” Junior master Chai suddenly looked at Long Chen with shock.

“You know Long San?” asked junior master Fang, surprised.

“What the fuck?! You were way too fast! I only just received the news, but you already pulled him in,” said junior master Chai.

“What are you talking about? What news?”

“Tch, keep acting. Long San is the only one to be given a Genius rating in the competition’s registration so far. At eighteen years old, his soul energy has reached the first tier Heaven class. Don’t bother trying to tell me that you didn’t know and just randomly picked him up off the street.”

Junior master Fang was stunned. Even the people beside him were stunned. This Long San had such an origin?

“Brother Long, you’re an alchemist?” asked junior master Fang.

“Yes.”

“What the fuck?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner! Now I look like an idiot!” cursed junior master Fang.

“Well, the main thing is that you never asked.” Long Chen shrugged.

Junior master Chai saw that it didn’t seem like they were acting. After asking a few questions, he turned speechless. “This dogshit luck of yours is way too strong! I really have to concede. I already sent people to go look for Long San, but you ended up randomly picking him up first.”

According to the rules, the registrants that passed would go through a meeting where some old alchemists would give them some tips. But that was useless to Long Chen.

He had his Pill Sovereign memories. Why would he need other people’s alchemy tips? So he had just directly left. It was only later that people realized he had disappeared.

So the three families had immediately started a search for Long San, wanting to pull him into their camp. Such a talented alchemist was too rare.

As a result, while they searched all over, junior master Fang had picked him up while thinking of going hunting. Furthermore, he hadn’t even known he was an alchemist.

“Junior master Fang, since you didn’t know he was an alchemist, it wouldn’t count as stealing…” Junior master Chai laughed mischievously.

“Don’t even try it. Long San is my brother. Don’t even think about taking my brother away.”

Long Chen could see that although the two of them represented two different families, they were extremely close. They were even able to make such jokes.

“The food’s here. Let’s eat.”

Junior master Fang waved his hand, and everyone sat down. Long Chen was sitting between the two junior masters. Everyone else’s gazes were filled with envy, but they were also helpless.

Their soul energy had only reached the seventh to ninth tier Earth class; thus, they could only reach the Outstanding rank. There was no way for them to compare to Long Chen.

Those people that had been displeased with Long Chen were now even more irritated. Originally, they had thought Long Chen was just a martial artist who only relied on a face-slapping art to get close to junior master Fang.

They had never expected him to be a Genius rank alchemist. The people who had insulted him felt like they were sitting on pins. They also cursed inside. If he was such a strong alchemist, why hadn’t he said so earlier? Was it to make himself appear low-key? He had made complete fools out of them.

Junior master Fang hadn’t gone to the testing region, as there were naturally people from his family who had kept watch for him. But junior master Chai had kept a photographic jade recording of what had happened over there.

He had even shown the section regarding Long San to his family, which had greatly shaken them. They all felt he had to be drawn to their side.

“Long San, I have a little sister who is as beautiful as a heavenly fairy. She is outstanding…” said junior master Chai suddenly.

“Stop! Long San, don’t listen to him! His sister might be pretty, but she’s only eight! Don’t get duped,” said junior master Fang.

“So what if she’s only eight? You can cultivate the Pill Dao for countless years. Ten years can pass in the blink of an eye. She’ll quickly grow up,” quibbled junior master Chai.

Long Chen laughed. “Junior master Chai, I appreciate your kindness. But junior master Fang recognized my worth without even knowing I was an alchemist, accepting me as a brother. I, Long San, will never forget that kindness.”

Toward the end, his voice was a bit low with emotion. Junior master Fang was incomparably moved, and he was also extremely proud of himself. This simple matter had locked a genius to his Fang family’s side.

“Alright, then I’ll give up. Well, our Chai and Fang families get along very well, so being over there is the same to me. Let’s toast as a celebration.” Junior master Chai had truly given up now. Long Chen’s promise had already displayed his resolve.

In truth, this phrase of his had been extremely brilliant. He had directly erased junior master Fang’s misgivings while also causing him to feel emotional and proud.

Once most of the food was eaten, Long Chen asked the two of them for their real names. They were already so close, but he still didn’t know their names. That was a bit rude.

“I’m Fang Chang and he’s Chai Liehuo,” answered junior master Fang.

Hearing their names, Long Chen’s jaw suddenly dropped, and he seemed completely shocked.