This was because, adding another alchemist meant the Third Prince's resources for patronage would have to be split one more way.
Moreover, alchemists were famously aloof and arrogant, unable to tolerate others in their eyes.
"Heh, two pieces of garbage like you also dare call yourselves alchemists?"
Ye Yunfei's gaze swept over Guo Alchemist and Lin Alchemist.
"Your Pill Fire—did it inexplicably extinguish once last year and then had to be reignited?
Heh, you're merely a Third Grade Alchemist, yet you refuse to be grounded and are greedy for great achievements, forcibly attempting to refine Fourth-Grade Spirit Pills.
As a result, you damaged the foundational source of your Pill Fire.
I'm afraid your alchemy skill will henceforth decline instead of advance."
Ye Yunfei looked at Guo Alchemist and gave a cold laugh.
"You... how did you know?!"
Upon hearing this, Guo Alchemist stared at Ye Yunfei as if he had seen a ghost, his face full of disbelief.
"As for you, although you can barely manage to refine Third-Grade Spirit Pills,
your innate talent for alchemy is truly mediocre at best. The Third-Grade Spirit Pills you produce are not only of poor quality but also have an extremely low success rate. Almost every time you refine pills, you are bound to waste more than half of the spirit herbs.
Your alchemy skill has reached its limit in this lifetime.
Therefore, I say you are both garbage."
Ye Yunfei's gaze then fell upon Lin Alchemist.
"Kid, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Lin Alchemist exclaimed in shock and fury, his expression flickering between dark and light.
However, a storm of shock surged within his heart, because Ye Yunfei had described his situation with terrifying accuracy!
For a moment, the looks Guo Alchemist and Lin Alchemist directed at Ye Yunfei were full of both extreme wariness and intense resentment.
They felt that in front of Ye Yunfei, it was as if they were stripped naked, seen through with a single glance.
Therefore, they dared not speak anymore. With gloomy expressions, they directly sat down.
The others in the hall, witnessing this scene, immediately guessed that Ye Yunfei's assessment of these two alchemists was likely correct.
"Alright, alright, everyone. You are all honored guests of mine, the Third Prince. What just happened was merely a small interlude, an inconsequential one at that.
Come, let's enjoy our drinks properly!"
At this moment, the Third Prince stepped forward, letting out a hearty laugh to dissolve the awkward atmosphere in the hall.
Having witnessed the earlier commotion, the Third Prince held Ye Yunfei in even higher regard in his heart. His attitude became even more cordial, constantly raising his cup to urge Ye Yunfei to drink.
In his mind, he had already placed his hopes for this Alchemy Competition entirely on Ye Yunfei!
The banquet lasted for over an hour before concluding.
"Brother Ye, please come with me."
After the banquet ended, the Third Prince whispered in Ye Yunfei's ear.
Ye Yunfei nodded slightly and followed the Third Prince.
The Third Prince led Ye Yunfei to a side chamber.
The green-robed elder was already waiting inside.
The Third Prince gestured for Ye Yunfei to take a seat.
"Brother Ye, I have prepared some gifts as a token of our meeting. I hope Brother Ye will accept them."
The Third Prince spoke up.
So, he had brought Ye Yunfei to this side chamber to present gifts and curry favor.
"Oh?
Third Prince, you are too kind."
Ye Yunfei smiled.
*Clap!*
The Third Prince clapped his hands.
The next moment, six beautiful maidens, holding trays, entered gracefully from outside the chamber. Graceful and elegant, their scent arrived before they did.
These six maidens were all in the prime of their youth, with perfect figures—curvaceous and shapely. Their skin, under the chamber's soft light, emitted a luster akin to solidified fat or white jade. Their eyes were watery, carrying a trace of a pitiable, endearing temperament.
One could say each was a beauty picked from ten thousand!
"We pay our respects to Young Master Ye Yunfei."
The six maidens walked together to stand before Ye Yunfei, knelt down, raised their trays high with both hands, and spoke in unison with delicate voices.
"Brother Ye, please look. Here we have spatial rings filled with spirit crystals, high-level martial arts techniques, spirit pills, and Spirit Artifacts, all gifts for you, Brother Ye."
The Third Prince pointed at the trays in the maidens' hands and introduced them clearly.
"Also, these six women were all beauties searched for and brought into the palace from various parts of the Great Qin Empire. They have studied palace etiquette since childhood, are cultivated and well-mannered. Moreover, each is untouched, their purity intact. Now, they are all given to you, Brother Ye, to serve as slaves for life.
Brother Ye, since ancient times, beauties are meant to match heroes. For these six women to follow you, Brother Ye, would also make for a fine tale.
Brother Ye, do you find them pleasing? Hehe..."
The Third Prince reached this point and revealed a smile that all men understood.
The six maidens looked up at Ye Yunfei together. They showed no sense of shame at being given as gifts; instead, they emanated a seductive allure.
"Ahem... Third Prince, to be honest, I don't need these gifts."
Ye Yunfei spoke up. His eyes swept over the spirit pills, martial arts techniques, Spirit Artifacts, and the six maidens with utter indifference.
Those spirit pills were all Second or Third-Grade Spirit Pills, which Ye Yunfei considered trash.
As for martial arts techniques, Ye Yunfei's mind held records of the highest-level techniques in the world.
Regarding Spirit Artifacts, Ye Yunfei had already begun preparations to forge his Five Elements Spiritual Swords. Ordinary Spirit Artifacts could hardly even enter his eyes.
Thus, the spirit pills, martial arts techniques, and Spirit Artifacts that ordinary martial artists treasured as life itself held little value in Ye Yunfei's view.
As for women, having once been a Heavenly Emperor, Ye Yunfei had long seen through the passions between men and women.
"Brother Ye, you...
Then, Brother Ye, what do you want?"
Seeing Ye Yunfei refuse, the Third Prince couldn't help but be taken aback and asked in confusion.
"If the Third Prince truly wishes to give me some gifts, then give me a batch of demonic beasts.
The higher the grade and the greater the quantity, the better."
Ye Yunfei thought for a moment and said.
Ye Yunfei planned to cultivate the second layer of the Demonic Heaven Blood Forging Body Art, which required large amounts of Bloodline Essence from demonic beasts.
"Demonic beasts?
I see. When will Brother Ye need them?"
The Third Prince was momentarily stunned before asking.
"Best before the Alchemy Competition.
Also, what I need are live demonic beasts, not corpses."
Ye Yunfei said.
This time, traveling from Yuanyue City to the imperial city on his Red Flood Demon Horse, its speed incredibly fast, Ye Yunfei had arrived in the imperial city quickly. The Alchemy Competition would begin in four days.
"Good!
Since Brother Ye has spoken, I will immediately send people to do their utmost to capture demonic beasts for you!"
The Third Prince declared.
"Elder Cao, hurry, dispatch people to handle this immediately!"
The Third Prince turned and said to the green-robed elder.
"I understand."
The green-robed elder immediately strode quickly out of the side chamber.
"Third Prince, thank you.
In this Alchemy Competition, I will definitely take the top spot.
Your grandmother's illness, I will also cure."
Ye Yunfei said to the Third Prince.
Ye Yunfei had once been a Pill Venerable. All alchemists were necessarily proficient in medical arts. For Ye Yunfei, unless the Third Prince's grandmother was already dead,
it didn't matter; Ye Yunfei had ways to revive her!
Even some dead people, Ye Yunfei had methods to bring back to life.
Take for example Huang Shang within the Pill Cauldron. If the materials were complete, Ye Yunfei could help him remake a physical body and return to life!
"Haha, I have confidence in you, Brother Ye."
The Third Prince laughed heartily upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words.