Just then, Mo Chen stepped forward, his eyes focused and deadly serious.
"That's my uncle's favorite Cauldron. The Burner. He never let anyone touch it. Never even let his own disciples use it. So how did you get your hands on it?"Mo Chen said, her voice low but sharp enough to slice air.
The crowd fell silent again. The weight behind Mo Chen's words was unmistakable. Her uncle was none other than Senior Lu himself.
Dozens of pairs of eyes fixed on Xiao Wei now. The moment had turned dangerous. Some had already begun circulating Spiritual Energy discreetly. If Xiao Wei gave the wrong answer, he might not even leave the field alive.
Xiao Wei understood this instantly. One wrong move, and he'd be buried here.
He took a breath and made a choice to tell truth. Because a lie would only make his situation more difficult.
As Xiao Wei's calm voice echoed through the area, everyone turned their attention back to him.
"Mo Fan gave me this Cauldron to use."Xiao Wei said without any trace of nervousness.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The name 'Mo Fan' was no less influential than the name 'Senior Lu'. Among Blacksmiths, Mo Fan was a legendary figure. His forging skills were renowned across several region of the Cultivation world. A single weapon made by him could incite sects to war. That Xiao Wei had just casually mentioned receiving a Tier 5 Cauldron from Mo Fan himself was, to many, unfathomable.
"Why would Father do that?"Mo Chen asked, her brows furrowing in genuine confusion.
The crowd was utterly silent again. Her words carried undeniable weight. Her father was none other than Mo Fan himself.
As Mo Fan's daughter, she knew her father never lent out or gifted his favorite creations to anyone without any reason.
But Xiao Wei remained unshaken. He looked directly at her.
"Go ask him if you think I'm lying."Xiao Wei said.
A few in the crowd began to murmur again, some speculating, others merely stunned by Xiao Wei's composure.
*I should really get another Cauldron for public use*Xiao Wei thought to himself as this kind of attention is a hassle.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, Qin Lan, who had been full of confidence mere moments ago, was staring into space as if lost in existential thought.
Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here? he questioned himself internally, already sensing how this competition might end.
Qin La, standing behind him, sighed deeply. He had already realized the outcome and saw no need to delay the inevitable.
"Let's not waste more time and begin the competition"Qin La declared, his voice tired but formal.
Both competitors stood before their cauldrons. Qin Lan quickly took out a set of clean ingredients from his Storage Ring. With practiced precision, he lit the cauldron fire and began the process of refining the herbs into a Spirit Power Pill. Though still young, his skills were sharp, and it was evident from the beginning that he had good fundamentals.
Xiao Wei, on the other hand, made no unnecessary movements. His demeanor was relaxed but focused, like a hunter watching prey from the shadows. He also lit the cauldron fire and began the process of refining the herbs into a Spirit Power Pill.
As the ingredients melted and began fusing inside their cauldrons, silence returned to the crowd, everyone too mesmerized by the process to speak.
Two hours passed.
Qin Lan's cauldron flared brightly, and a puff of herbal fragrance wafted through the air. With a wave of his hand, he pulled the lid open, revealing a single, gleaming pill resting at the center of the cauldron.
"A Middle Grade Tier 1 Spirit Power Pill!"one of the observers exclaimed.
The crowd broke into murmurs again. For a pill made under pressure and in a single attempt, that was no small feat.
Even Old Yang nodded in appreciation.
"Not bad, he's got the skill."Old Yang muttered.
Qin Lan puffed out his chest slightly, pride returning to his face. He looked over at Xiao Wei with a smug expression.
However, when he noticed that Xiao Wei was still working, his brows furrowed.
Another thirty minutes passed. The atmosphere was beginning to grow restless.
"I think his pill failed. That's why he's taking so long!"Qin Lan suddenly shouted, his voice full of scorn.
His words were met with silence at first, but slowly, a few people began to nod. It was uncommon for an Alchemist to take over two hours and still not complete a Tier 1 Pill.
But Xiao Wei ignored the noise. He was deep in concentration.
The air was thick with tension and anticipation as the crowd watched Xiao Wei's cauldron closely. Qin Lan's shout had stirred the atmosphere, and many were beginning to wonder if Xiao Wei had indeed failed in refining his pill.
Another ten minutes passed. The fire in the Burner cauldron pulsed once and then slowly receded.
The intense silence that followed was suddenly broken as two faint pops echoed from Xiao Wei's cauldron.
From within the Tier 5 Burner Cauldron, two radiant pills floated gently into the air before being caught effortlessly by Xiao Wei. A faint medicinal fragrance wafted through the air, and the surrounding Cultivators widened their eyes in surprise.
"Who said the pill failed?!"Shi Man shouted triumphantly, his voice ringing loud and clear across the courtyard.
His finger jabbed in Qin Lan's direction, his tone filled with defiance and pride.
Qin Lan's face darkened.
"So what if he succeeded in refining the pills? It could be Low Grade for all we know!"Qin Lan said.
Before anyone else could speak, Qin La stepped forward, his expression unreadable. He eyed the pills in Xiao Wei's hand for a moment before declaring.
"Xiao Wei wins."Qin La announced.
Gasps erupted from the audience. Qin La, despite his obvious preference for his clan and son, had chosen to speak the truth as there are many Cultivators present who already know the result. With a flick of his hand, he tossed a small ring through the air. Xiao Wei caught it effortlessly.
"There are 1000 Low Tier Spiritual Crystals in that Tier 1 Storage Ring. The bet is settled"Qin La said firmly.
Qin Lan looked like he wanted to argue, but Qin La didn't give him the chance. In a swift, silent motion, he used his Spiritual Energy to envelop Qin Nan, Qin Lin, and Qin Lan. Then, with no further words, he soared into the sky, taking all three with him.
The crowd broke into murmurs, their attention still on Xiao Wei.
"Did you see that? Two Tier 1 Pills—High Grade—from one refinement!"
"I thought he was lying about being an alchemist… but now I feel like I owe him an apology."
"Even seasoned Alchemist struggle to make a two Tier 1 High Grade Pills."
"I wonder what clan he's from? No way he's just a rogue Cultivator."
"Mark my words, if he don't die early, he will become a rising star in the Mo Empire with his both Alchemy and Martial Arts."
Shi Man rushed to Xiao Wei's side, excitement glowing on his face.
"Brother Xiao Wei! That was amazing! What grade were the pills?"Shi Man asked.
Xiao Wei smiled faintly, though he looked a little pale.
"I refined two High Grade Tier 1 Spirit Power Pills."Xiao Wei said casually, holding up the two pills
Shi Man's mouth dropped open in shock, while other Cultivators gasped in astonishment as it was already difficult enough to refine a High Grade Tier 1 Pill but he refined 2.
Without another word, Xiao Wei tossed both pills into his mouth and swallowed. The Spiritual Energy from the pills surged through his body, quickly replenishing the Spiritual Energy he had lost during the earlier fight.
"What insane talent"Shi Feng muttered under his breath.
Old Yang, who had remained silent until now, suddenly stepped forward. His expression was calm, but his eyes sparkled with intrigue. With a wave of his hand, he used his Spiritual Energy to wrap around Xiao Wei, the Shi brothers and his disciples. The swirling wind kicked up dust as they rose into the air.
"Let's go"Old Yang said, his tone was gentle, but carried a sense of urgency.
The crowd could only watch in awe as the figures of Old Yang and his group ascended rapidly into the sky and disappeared from sight.
The wind rushed past Xiao Wei's ears as they soared through the skies, held aloft by Old Yang's powerful Spiritual Energy. The ground below shrank rapidly, distant forests turning to blurs and the bustling crowd from the competition vanished.
Xiao Wei couldn't help but smile faintly. It was his first time flying through the sky like this—an experience reserved only for powerful Cultivators or those under their protection.
Old Yang, floating ahead with both arms crossed behind his back, turned slightly to glance over his shoulder. His expression remained composed, but a glint of curiosity flickered in his sharp eyes.