At this moment, almost everyone was stunned, wondering if they had misheard.
Zhao Xing and Ling Xiang also showed expressions of disbelief; they both thought Wang Ruoxie would definitely agree. After all, guidance from a First Grade Pill Master is something no one would refuse.
Even Xu Hao himself looked at Wang Ruoxie in shock, seemingly not believing what he had just heard.
Gradually, Xu Hao's expression became increasingly grim—he had been rejected.
A dignified First Grade Pill Master actively offering guidance, yet being refused.
If it were someone else, they would voluntarily hand over the potion formula, even if he hadn't asked, but the man before him seemed to completely disregard his identity as a Pill Master.
"I'll give you one more chance. If you hand over the formula, I will not only guide you in alchemy but also give you a thousand taels of gold. Otherwise, be prepared to face my wrath. You have ten seconds to consider."
Xu Hao looked coldly at Wang Ruoxie and spoke again.
"Hiss!"
Immediately, everyone gasped in shock.
No doubt, a Pill Master is incredibly generous; a thousand taels of gold is equivalent to a hundred thousand taels of silver. Even many prominent families would struggle to produce so much gold, let alone an individual, whose lifetime wealth could hardly compare.
"No need, I refuse."
Wang Ruoxie smiled indifferently and replied.
A thousand taels of gold may seem like a lot, but he knew very well that any single formula for those potions was worth far more.
Moreover, by continuously concocting potions, he could endlessly earn gold and silver. In just these three months, Jisheng Hall had helped him earn tens of thousands in silver, and it would only increase in the future. So why sell the formula?
As for the guidance, he wasn't interested. Once he reached the Energy-Introducing Realm, he could start making pills himself, and the quality and efficacy of his pills would certainly surpass the so-called First Grade Pill Master's.
"Hmph, if you don't appreciate the offer, then don't blame me for what's coming."
Once again rejected, Xu Hao's face turned ugly. He snorted coldly and said.
After speaking, his body lunged forward, throwing a punch directly at Wang Ruoxie.
"Seventh Young Master, be careful."
Seeing this scene, Ling Xiang couldn't help but cry out in alarm and prepared to intervene.
She had noticed that Wang Ruoxie's cultivation had risen to the Eighth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm, but Xu Hao was at the Ninth Layer, making it impossible for him to withstand the attack.
For the past three months, she'd been using the potions Wang Ruoxie concocted to assist her cultivation, elevating her to the Late Stage of the Body Tempering Realm and reaching the Ninth Layer—enough to fend off Xu Hao's attack.
However, at this moment, Wang Ruoxie acted, meeting Xu Hao's punch head-on as if intent on going toe-to-toe with him.
"This guy is doomed."
Zhao Xing sneered internally; to face a Ninth Layer attack with only an Eighth Layer cultivation was sheer suicide.
Everyone around also shook their heads in disbelief. The formula, no matter how important, wasn't worth more than one's own life, and by offending a First Grade Pill Master like Xu Hao, he was courting his own demise.
"First, I'll disable one of your arms. Let's see how arrogant you still are."
Xu Hao shouted coldly. His target was the potion formula, not the man's life, so he had no intention of killing him outright.
"Bang!"
With a dull thud, their fists collided brutally.
To everyone's astonishment, Xu Hao's body was sent flying, his arm bending at an impossible angle, clearly broken.
"Impossible... Eighth Layer of Body Tempering... Impossible..."
Xu Hao, who had landed heavily, struggled to rise, staring intently at Wang Ruoxie with a look of utter disbelief while coughing up a mouthful of blood from his injuries.
Clearly, he couldn't accept the outcome.
A Ninth Layer expert, injured by an Eighth Layer punch—it's something impossible to accept for anyone.
In that instant, the entire hall of Jisheng Hall fell silent, with every gaze frozen in place.
Ling Xiang, too, was taken aback, her mouth slightly agape in shock. Wang Ruoxie, at the Eighth Layer, defeated Xu Hao at the Ninth Layer with one punch.
Most importantly, Xu Hao was a First Grade Pill Master, and an ordinary person wouldn't dare fight him. Yet Wang Ruoxie not only fought but crippled his arm.
"You said you'd disable my arm, so I disabled yours. Satisfied?"
Wang Ruoxie looked at Xu Hao coldly and spoke slowly.
"Do you know that I am a First Grade Pill Master?"
Xu Hao clutched his disabled arm, shouting fiercely at Wang Ruoxie.
"I know, so what?"
A mocking look flashed in Wang Ruoxie's eyes as he replied.
"Fine, just you wait. Today's humiliation will be repaid tenfold in the future."
With a cold, sinister look at Wang Ruoxie, Xu Hao fled in a hurry.
As for Zhao Xing, he had vanished into the crowd the moment Xu Hao was defeated by Wang Ruoxie.
"Seventh Young Master, now that you've offended Xu Hao, you'll likely face trouble."
Ling Xiang brought Wang Ruoxie into an inner chamber, her expression growing serious: "Even though you are the Seventh Young Master of the Marquis's Mansion, Xu Hao's teacher is a Third Grade Alchemist. Even your father, Marquis Qingyun, would be cautious about offending his teacher, and certainly won't for... "
Ling Xiang left her sentence unfinished, knowing Wang Ruoxie understood what she meant.
"I understand."
Wang Ruoxie nodded slightly; he knew what Ling Xiang meant.
As the so-called Seventh Young Master of the Marquis's Mansion, his title was almost in name only. Not only did he pale in comparison to his brothers, but even the servants led better lives than he did. Three months ago, he almost got burned alive as an Evil Demon.
Of course, he never counted on that person for help. To him, the only real family within the mansion was his mother. The others were merely strangers sharing the same bloodline.
His reason for sparing Xu Hao was precisely this: Xu Hao, young as he was, had already become a First Grade Pill Master, which showed he had guidance from someone influential.
With his current strength, he was not yet ready to provoke overly powerful enemies. A Third Grade Alchemist ranks among the peak within the entire Southern Prefecture.
But he wasn't too worried. As long as he broke through to the Energy-Introducing Realm quickly, he could employ some methods from his past life and significantly speed up his cultivation.
Furthermore, he could begin crafting true pills, and by then, what would a Third Grade Alchemist have to fear?
"These few potions are of Divine Grade. You can keep them here for consignment."
Wang Ruoxie took out several Divine Grade potions he had prepared and handed them to Ling Xiang.
"Divine Grade potions."
Ling Xiang's eyes twitched with shock.
Before she could recover, Wang Ruoxie handed her something else, leaving her completely stunned.