Heavenly Dao Child

"I hate that smug bastard."

"Who are you talking about Daoist TriStar?"

"Who else but Ryuu have seen how he is berating and looking down on us, he is giving us such complicated arrays and then he is making us do something we have not done before under such extreme conditions, how can we achieve perfection."

"So true and did you see when he began poking his nose, what right does he have telling the poison I made is not good, I am one of the most renowned poison makers of my generation."

"So true."

"You are absolutely right, how dare he demean us."

"Is there anything wrong?"

The disgruntled cultivators looked at the speaker as one of them spoke with anger in his tone, "That cultivator of your realm Ryuu is his name, is always finding fault at our work and trying to correct us, we are not some newborn babies that need to be checked up, we know our craft better than most and yet he is acting high and mighty always causing problems for us, I am one of the best alchemists even celestials admire my work, so who is he to say otherwise."

Severing Saber tilted his head for a moment before he spoke with a smirk, "Then why don't you shut him.", as the Deva realm cultivators paid undivided attention towards him Severing Saber continued, "Since you are disgruntled by him why don't you challenge him to a pill duel and defeat him."

The group was dumbstruck for a moment before one of them gained a large grin, "You are right fellow Daoist instead of complaining and cursing him we should challenge him and put him in his place."

Ryuu was sitting on an alcove with Frozen Ocean sitting just opposite to him, the alcove provided an excellent view to the outside and with rain falling continuously bathing the world outside, it was so peaceful that Ryuu could spend hours sitting there just staring outside.

"It is so relaxing."

Ryuu looked towards Frost Flames who was looking at outside with a saucer of wine in her hands, as Frozen Ocean gave a nod of agreement before she spoke with a smile on her face, "It is, though Ryuu the wine is exceptional as always.", upon hearing the compliment Ryuu simply raised his saucer as Frozen Ocean continued, "Do you have wine for every occasion? Every time you bring out wine it is not only different but perfectly matching with the atmosphere."

Ryuu only sent her a smile as Zywia spoke, "To thin you have changed so much, I still remember the teenager who abhorred wine, always giving anyone who drank it a stink eye, but now it is like someone else had taken your place."

"Well, with age I gained wisdom, and learned to appreciate finer things of life like wine."

"Daoist Ryuu we challenge you to a 'Pill Duel', get over here you smug bastard face us like a cultivator."

A look of annoyance flashed through Ryuu's face as Zywia spoke with a smirk, "Told you, you should not have been harsh on them too much, now you will have to face their attempt to heal their bruised ego and pride, are you going to annihilate them?"

Ryuu gained a look of innocence on his face as he spoke, "Annihilate them? Why would I do such a barbaric thing, I will simply give them a reality check."

As he stood he stretched himself feeling his joints pop he let out a satisfied groan before he spoke, "I better get going and see what these idiots want, I hope it is entertaining and challenging."

Ryuu made his way towards the rather impatient group who since the time they had thrown the gauntlet had called Ryuu, had already cursed him and called him various names they could think off, and by the time Ryuu reached them he was hair breath from snapping and slaughtering them.

"Are you done?"

The calm voice of Ryuu was like the calm before the onset of a rather furious thunderstorm, his power behind the glowing eyes made some of them take a step back.

"Have you finished cursing me, or do I have to give you all a few more hours to finish cursing me before I slaughter every last one of you?"

His back with killing intent had suddenly dipped the morale of those challenging plummet enough that it was lost in the abyss, they were suddenly reminded of the incident with the Preta realm cultivators as they cursed their own stupidity for acting in such a manner, which resulted on having an enraged Ryuu after them.

"Well, I am waiting."

Severing Saber decided to take pity on them as he spoke, "Well they wanted to show you that they are superior alchemists than you as such they decided to challenge you to a pill duel."

Ryuu looked at them as if they were dirt beneath his shoes as he spoke with a drawl, "Ho, is that so, Ah I understand now Senior Daoist brother there is a saying, 'the weakest dog barks the loudest.'"

"Of course young Ryuu, though will you accept their challenge."

Ryuu looked at him for a moment before he spoke with a predatory smirk, "Of course, though I hope they will be able to provide a good challenge, and not wilt under pressure."

Ryuu's eyes then moved over the challengers as he spoke, "So how should we do it?"

One of the braver challengers stepped forward as he spoke, "Simple you give us a pill and we give you one and then compare who has managed to create the best."

"Boring!!!!", Ryuu spoke with a yawn, "That is so boring, I will give you that the method is a classic but boring method why don't we spice it up a bit."

Severing Saber spoke with "Spice it up Young Ryuu how so?"

With a smirk, Ryuu continued, "Simple instead of us giving each other a challenge, we will take a piece of paper, write the name and function of a pill as well as write down all the ingredients required for the pill, then enclose along with a few samples of the pill."

He looked around to see everyone paying undivided attention towards him as he continued, "Now we will appoint neutral judges who will pick up a particular package that has pills written on it, they will give us small shaving off the pill, we will detect the type and write down the ingredients needed for the judges to check later, and then create the pills, a ten per cent deviation is allowed in case a person thinks that they can improve the given pill greatly."

Ryuu watched carefully as the cultivators had broken off into small groups as they discussed the merits of the method that Ryuu had proposed for them and after a few minutes one of them stepped forward as he spoke, "We accept Daoist Ryuu."

Ryuu flashed them a smile as he spoke, "Excellent, so why not bring a box where we will put our respective pills accompanied with a lovely letter containing the recipe."

"I have a question."

One of the cultivators spoke while drawing Ryuu's attention towards him, "What if we do not have the ingredient then?"

"Ask the judges and they will make those whose recipe has been chosen to share some of the ingredients, though I think we should raise the bar a little."

"How do we raise the bar and why do we raise it Daoist Ryuu?"

Ryuu's smile sent a chill down everyone's spine as he spoke, "We will only use ingredients enough to make a set of ten pills of each type, not an iota more, that means if you make a mistake you will not have another batch to rectify it."

Silence descended as many of them stunned into disbelief, even others who were simply there to witness a pill duel, between one of theirs and the Deva realm's bastards as they were being called behind their backs.

The Manushya realm cultivators at first were a bit sceptical when they had first met Ryuu but over time he had managed to win them over, and after seeing his work their respect for him rose, even more, they knew there are times when one can be arrogant and there are one where one can be humble, and by being humble around him they had managed to pick a few things here and there by watching and studying his work.

Then they met the Deva realm cultivators and now they finally learn why Ryuu called them 'annoying bastards with holier than thou attitude', when Ryuu pointed out their error, they would ask for the reason as well as a solution to the problem and Ryuu would provide them with enough to completely satisfy them, but the Deva realm cultivators refused to see their error, refused to listen to anyone but most importantly refused to learn from their mistake, instead they love to whine a lot while throwing tantrums.

Severing Saber clapped his hand once drawing everyone's attention towards him as he spoke, "Excellent, now how many of you will be participating in this challenge."

At least ten cultivators stepped forward as Severing Saber spoke with much enthusiasm in his voice, "Wonderful, so please start writing your recipes on this pieces of paper before enclosing pill or pills along with it, you are only needed to write one."

As he handed them each piece of paper, Ryuu spoke out aloud, "Just because the challenge is tough please do not hold back, I will be giving one of the toughest pills that I know."

As they finished writing and enclosing the pills in a folded piece of papers, Severing Saber collected them inside a box, which he then covered with a lid having a small hole enough for someone's hand to pass through, then he proceeded to shake the box before going over towards the audience.

"I need three volunteers."

He called out aloud as Ryuu watched him with a small smile on his face, 'He is enjoying himself too much, don't tell me he is behind the entire 'Pill Duel', given the chance I will have to ask him.'

Three cultivators from amongst the audience stepped forward as Severing Saber spoke with a large smile on his face, "Since we already have three volunteers competitors please take their respective places and make sure to have ample distance among yourselves."

With each of them occupying their positions, one of the volunteers stepped forward, as he pulled out a paper enclosed pill, he opened it showed everyone, other than the contestants, the contents of the paper as well as the pill contained within it, well everyone who was not the contestant.

"Before the second volunteer picks up the next item please divide the pills into eleven equal parts and show it to others, let them look at it for twenty breaths of time and no touching, then please destroy the pill."

Severing Saber then looked towards Ryuu as he spoke, "Is it challenge right for you?"

Ryuu nodded as he spoke with a shrug, "I am fine, the more difficult the challenge the better it is though I want to draw your attention to something."

Severing Saber tilted his head as he continued, "What is it, brother Ryuu?"

"Since they challenged me to a 'Pill Duel' while calling me such uncivilized names acting unlike a proper respectable cultivator of good breeding would, as such I want a rather heartfelt apology from them after I crush them."

"And we want the same from you, you smug bastard, you look down on us, we have worked our way to this level and we would not be looked down by likes up."

Ryuu sneered as he spoke with disgust, "There you are going in such a bad dastardly horrid manner, it is only my good upbringing that is preventing me from tearing your intestine out with me bare hands and then use it to tie your neck and choke you to death, then burn corpse to ash, then urinating on it, so that you might atone for having such lack of manners, and if you continue then…."

He left the threat hanging as he flashed his killing intent making the person severe in fright as he sweated heavily.

Severing Saber simply smiled at that as he spoke, "Well since we have discussed and agreed on terms shall we begin."