“Thank you, Patriarch Wang, for your understanding!” Elder Shen said with a polite smile. He could feel the anger in the eyes of the Wang Clan elders, but it didn’t matter anymore. His mission was complete.

  “We understand that today’s request might have been disrespectful,” he continued. “So we have prepared a small reparation gift as a sign of our sincerity. Please, accept it as our apology.”

  After speaking, Elder Shen signaled Elder Mo.

  Elder Mo gave a lazy smile and lifted his hand. A faint light flashed on his ring, and a jade box appeared. When he opened it, a sweet fragrance filled the hall. The air itself seemed lighter and full of spiritual energy.

  “This smell…” a few Wang elders murmured.

  “This is… Soul Formation Essence Pill!” Wang Ning, a senior alchemist of the Wang Clan, said with surprise.

  The entire hall gasped. The Soul Formation Essence Pill was a tier five pill—so rare that even the wealthiest families in Crimson Sky City had never owned one. Only in the grand auction houses of the Imperial City could such a pill occasionally be seen, and even then, it would sell for a sky?high price. It was a treasure that could help cultivators break through from the Nascent Soul Realm to the Soul Formation Realm.

  The Wang Clan elders whispered among themselves in shock and awe. If it was real, then with this pill, Patriarch Wang Tian—already at the peak of the Grand Nascent Soul Realm—could easily advance to the next stage.

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  But Wang Tian only gave a faint smile. His expression was calm, yet his eyes were cold and sharp.

  Once, he might have been impressed by such a gift. But with the System in his possession, he had long surpassed the need for these so?called treasures. His divine sense scanned the pill, and he instantly saw the truth—the pill’s energy was unstable and impure. It wasn’t a treasure. It was a trap.

  “Patriarch Wang,” Elder Mo said proudly, arrogance hidden beneath his polite smile, “what do you think of our gift?”

  Inside, he laughed to himself. (These small?city fools cannot tell the difference between a high?grade pill and a defective one. I already swapped the real pill before coming here. When I return to the Sect, I’ll use it to break through to the Soul Formation Realm myself!)

  But before anyone could answer, a calm yet powerful voice rang out through the hall.

  “Master, that pill is defective. If anyone takes it, not only will it cause side effects, but it will also destroy their chance to ever reach the Soul Formation Realm.”

  Everyone turned toward the voice.

  A middle?aged man in green robes stood silently near one of the pillars. His presence was calm yet overwhelming, as if the air itself bowed to him. His sharp eyes glowed faintly, filled with quiet authority.

  It was Jin Dan—the man Wang Tian had summoned using the Random Profession Summon Card.

  Although he was summoned, Jin Dan was no different from a real human. He could eat, sleep, laugh, and love. He had emotions and dreams and could even build a family. But one thing about him was unshakable—his loyalty to Wang Tian. Even in death, he would never betray his master.

  And Jin Dan’s strength was beyond imagination. He was a Sovereign?level Alchemist and a peak Venerable Realm expert—a living legend. In the entire Phoenix Wing Empire, there wasn’t a single known cultivator at the Venerable Realm. People of his level existed only in tales.

  As his words filled the room, the sweet fragrance of the pill suddenly felt cold. The entire hall fell silent.

  Elder Mo’s confidence shattered in an instant. The pride on his face faded, replaced by shock and a growing fear. Sweat gathered on his forehead as he realized—their “gift” had just become their greatest mistake.