I Have an Invincible Replicating System

The Pill Dispensary of the Inner Sect was abuzz with commotion.

Elder Zhang let out a dry chuckle, while the Inner Sect disciples sighed incessantly.

"What an audacious young man! Does he even know how to refine pills?"

"Even Elder Zhang needs at least two sets of materials for one success. How dare he claim one set is enough?"

Elder Zhang regretted agreeing to Meng Gaofei's challenge. Why bother with a formal competition against such a fool?

Meng Gaofei smiled. Perfect. If Qin Yang couldn't refine pills, everyone would simply enjoy watching his performance.

"Qin Yang, you..." Lou Mengyu suddenly hesitated, stopping herself mid-sentence. He should be humiliated. I should be happy! But...

Noticing the concern on Lou Mengyu's face, Meng Gaofei's expression darkened. He declared loudly, "Today, I challenge Qin Yang to a pill-refining duel. If he loses, I'll destroy his cultivation and expel him from the Thousand Hidden Sect!"

Elder Zhang blinked in surprise. "You two... have a grudge?"

"So that's why they're competing!"

"Wouldn't it be simpler to just throw Qin Yang out?"

"An Outer Sect disciple, barely into the Qi Gathering Realm, thinks he's so special. There's always someone better out there!"

"And if you lose?" Qin Yang asked coldly.

"How could I possibly lose?" Meng Gaofei chuckled.

In front of such a beauty, one must naturally put on a good show. Qin Yang promptly replied, "Since you've asked, I'll tell you. If I lose, you'll become the Inner Sect's head disciple!"

Within the Pill Dispensary, other Inner Sect disciples whispered among themselves. Even if Meng Gaofei lost, it wouldn't make Qin Yang the head disciple!

Qin Yang himself seemed reluctant. He immediately countered, "No, if I win and you lose, I'll make only one demand."

"What demand?" Meng Gaofei asked curiously.

"Stop pestering Lou Mengyu like a fly. Stay as far away from her as possible!" Qin Yang's words rang with conviction.

Meng Gaofei's eyes bulged, his jaw clenching so hard his teeth ached.

The other Inner Sect disciples exchanged glances, their mockery growing.

"Qin Yang, don't act like a toad trying to eat swan meat. Do you even deserve to address Junior Sister Lou?"

"Junior Sister Lou belongs to Senior Brother Meng alone. How dare you think otherwise?"

Meng Gaofei burned to destroy Qin Yang's cultivation right then and there. "Let the competition begin!" he snapped.

A look of disgust crossed Lou Mengyu's face, though it wasn't directed at Qin Yang, but at the others. Compared to their taunts, Qin Yang's declaration of intent to marry her seemed almost reasonable.

"So..." Lou Mengyu's thoughts churned with conflicting emotions, "he's competing with Meng Gaofei in pill refining... all for me..."

The table was set up with two pill furnaces and ten sets of materials prepared for each participant.

Meng Gaofei felt a surge of nervousness, though not from competing against Qin Yang, but rather from the pressure to succeed in his attempt.

If I can refine the pill in the first batch, the Inner Sect disciples will revere me even more. Then, I can show Lou Mengyu my true strength! Prove to her that I'm worthy of pursuing her!

Qin Yang stood with hands clasped behind his back, eyes closed in patient anticipation.

He couldn't identify a single ingredient on the table. What is Meng Gaofei thinking? he fumed inwardly. Why isn't he starting already?!

"Didn't you want to compete?" Qin Yang finally snapped. "Start already!"

Meng Gaofei snorted coldly. "Why aren't you beginning? Don't tell me you're trying to steal my technique right here?"

Qin Yang shrugged, remaining silent. Of course not, he thought. How could I copy anything if you don't make a move...

Elder Zhang interjected, "Dan refining isn't so simple. You can't possibly learn by observation."

Lou Mengyu cast Qin Yang a meaningful glance, recalling the martial techniques he'd demonstrated earlier. His confident demeanor made her wonder, Could he...

In the mountain forest, Qin Yang had turned his opponents' own methods against them, slaughtering Zhang Hu and his companions.

Not only that, but Qin Yang's execution of the Pursuit Wind Step, Wind Piercing Finger, and Windstorm Kick... surpassed even his own! And Martial Heaven had never taught Qin Yang these martial arts...

As this realization struck, Lou Mengyu grew even more eager to see Qin Yang's next moves.

"Hurry up!" Qin Yang frowned deeply. "I'm giving you one chance to concoct. Saves me having to listen to excuses later when I succeed."

"Ha! We'll see how long your arrogance lasts!" Meng Gaofei sneered, already beginning his work.

Copy: Second-Order Pill Formula - Face-Preserving Pill

Automatically upgraded to Perfect Formula.

Qin Yang's eyes lit up. He was about to start when he noticed several ingredients in the Perfect Formula didn't match what he'd prepared...

"Spirit Mushroom? Not needed. Discard!"

"Ice Crystal Flower? Not required. Discard!"

"..."

The Face-Preserving Pill required over twenty ingredients. As Qin Yang sorted through them, he discarded seven or eight.

Elder Zhang trembled with rage nearby. He wanted to shout at Qin Yang, but feared distracting Meng Gaofei. Instead, he glared daggers at the young man.

"Bring me a White Lotus Flower!"

"Bloodvine..."

"Also..."

One after another, Qin Yang requested over a dozen more ingredients.

At first, Elder Zhang ignored him completely. But as Qin Yang listed each medicinal herb with such conviction, the elder reluctantly prepared the materials, half-convinced they were real.

"These ingredients cost far more than the original list," Elder Zhang growled, his eyes blazing. "Don't you dare make this up! If you're lying, I'll skin you alive!"

Qin Yang paid no attention. With the materials ready, he began refining the pill. His movements were so fluid and practiced - how could anyone claim he couldn't refine pills?

As Qin Yang casually tossed each ingredient into the pill furnace, Elder Zhang's face twitched repeatedly. He prayed fervently that Meng Gaofei would succeed on his first attempt. Otherwise, he'd have to prepare another set of ingredients for this brat.

Indeed, Elder Zhang didn't believe Qin Yang could possibly succeed. And he wasn't alone - none of the Inner Sect disciples believed it either.

"Fake! He's definitely faking it! Just wait until he fails and how he'll try to explain!"

"No, what if Elder Brother Meng also fails... That can't happen! We can't let this kid get away with this deception!"

Only Lou Mengyu's eyes showed genuine astonishment. Her clan possessed a superior formula for the Face-Preserving Pill, and several of the herbs Qin Yang had requested were precisely those used in it!

Time passed slowly. A look of delight appeared on Meng Gaofei's face; he was now seven or eight tenths certain of success!

"Just one crucial step remains. This time, I'm certain to succeed!" Meng Gaofei grew increasingly cautious. Moments later, he shouted triumphantly: "It worked! It worked!"

The pill furnace opened to reveal a second-order Face-Preserving Pill of superior grade!

"Superior grade! Superior grade!" Meng Gaofei danced in excitement, waving the pill before Lou Mengyu's eyes. "See that? I'm a dan refining genius!"

Meng Gaofei glanced around, bewildered. "What's wrong with you all? Am I that surprising for succeeding on my first try and producing a superior-grade pill?"

Elder Zhang and the others stood frozen, their mouths gaping wide enough to swallow a fistful of Face-Preserving Pills.

"Premium-grade quality..." Elder Zhang murmured.

Meng Gaofei stiffened momentarily before adopting a modest expression. "Elder Zhang, don't praise me prematurely. Pills of premium-grade quality exhibit extraordinary phenomena - either a medicinal fragrance permeates the air or pill qi emanates. This is merely superior-grade."

As he spoke, he suddenly noticed something amiss and stiffly turned his head toward Qin Yang's pill furnace.

Within the furnace, a mist was swirling - unmistakably pill qi!

"No... impossible..." The pill slipped from Meng Gaofei's fingers and clattered to the ground.