Lifting his hand into a claw-like shape, a suction force emerged from his palm, and a jade box was drawn into Chen Guan's grasp. He opened it, revealing an alluring emerald green fruit.
Dewdrops still clung to the air, and the medicinal fragrance was overwhelming. Even a magical beast unversed in alchemy would instinctively recognize its preciousness.
The Mitian Fruit, a rare eighth-tier medicinal herb, possessed the miraculous effect of enhancing aptitude even when consumed directly. It was a gift from Yin Gu that day.
With a deep breath, a sharp glint crossed Chen Guan's dark eyes. With a fierce flick of his sleeve, the Mitian Fruit floated from the jade box.
Simultaneously, Chen Guan's fingers flew, and the numerous jade boxes swirling around him suddenly split apart. Herbs flew out one by one, landing one after another in the medicine cauldron.
Once placed in the cauldron, the herbs withered rapidly under the terrifying heat of the dark blue fire. Then, under the control of Chen Guan's incredibly powerful spirit, in just ten minutes, several herbs were refined into pure medicinal powders. Finally, with a flick of Chen Guan's mind, they gently hovered in the corner of the cauldron.
Extracting the essence of the herbs was a simple task, especially since none of the herbs Chen Guan was refining today were particularly hardy, making the operation even more effortless.
After rapidly extracting the first batch of pure medicinal powder, Chen Guan remained expressionless. With a continuous movement of his hands, another batch of herbs began to be swept into the cauldron.
However, despite the sheer number of herbs, Chen Guan never felt the slightest bit of panic. Instead, he seemed to be in a state of order, as if he had entered a mysterious rhythm.
The benefits of his powerful mental strength were fully demonstrated at this moment!
With almost a single thought from Chen Guan, the temperature of the fire would change, refining the herbs to their purest form.
Moreover, those with a keen eye would notice that, even with the same steps, the essences of the herbs he extracted were faintly tinged with a faint trace of spiritual energy. Though faint, this spiritual energy subtly enhanced the quality of the resulting medicinal powder.
This was another miraculous effect of the Spiritual Realm Soul!
Chen Guan had long been accustomed to this state of affairs. Feeling the effects of the medicinal essences, his expression remained expressionless, like an emotionless robot, completely immersed in his own rhythm.
One herb, then another, batch after batch...
With Chen Guan's almost swift refinement, a quarter of the herbs had been refined into the required medicinal powder and liquid in just over an hour.
"Someone has already begun refining the elixir, but judging by the amount of ingredients they've extracted, it won't be more than the seventh grade."
From a distant platform, the three giants of Danta surveyed the scene, taking in every movement.
The higher the grade of the elixir, the more diverse the herbs required. This was common sense in alchemy.
Therefore, in their eyes, the alchemists who had just finished refining their medicines were undoubtedly out of the running for the championship.
Well, participation was the most important thing.
"Not much different than expected. The competition at this alchemy conference will still depend on these youngsters. Judging from the herbs Cao Ying refined, I've roughly guessed her goal. But Chen Guan's... interesting. He's actually got a high-level elixir that even I'm unfamiliar with."
Xuan Yi's face was filled with anticipation, and he glanced curiously at Xuan Kongzi beside him.
With their experience and decades of alchemy, they hadn't come across many unheard-of elixirs.
Understanding Xuan Yi's meaning, Xuan Kongzi laughed it off.
"The Dou Qi Continent is home to countless geniuses. It's normal to encounter things we're unaware of. Just wait until he finishes refining, and everything will become clear."
His face was filled with satisfaction, and it was clear that he knew Chen Guan's goal.
Seeing this, Tian Lei Zi and Xuan Yi could only suppress their curiosity and ignore him, lest he become too proud.
The entire square was utterly silent, as all the contestants were completely focused on refining the herbs in their cauldrons.
Alchemists who made it to this stage were all of high rank, possessing some level of skill, and rarely making mistakes in the previous steps.
The square itself had also fallen silent, intently observing the spectacle. While ordinary people simply watched for the excitement, those alchemists who didn't make it onto the stage had to consider carefully whether this was their only chance.
The nearly one thousand people on the stage comprised nearly ninety-nine percent of the Dou Qi Continent's current generation of high-ranking alchemists. If they only needed to achieve a fraction of their skill, it would be no exaggeration to say their future was bright!
"After all the hustle and bustle, we've finally caught up. I bet that's Mr. Chen Guan, right?"
Two graceful figures quietly emerged from outside the vast square.
One, a beautiful woman in palace attire, moved like a lotus, spotless and untainted, her movements seemingly accompanied by a mystical aura.
Yet, even the three great Danta masters on the high platform remained oblivious to this bizarre event.
The accompanying woman, wearing a light veil, nodded slightly, confirming the beautiful woman's suspicions.
"It is indeed Mr. Chen Guan, but this strange fire seems to have changed. Mother, I will take you to meet Sister Yun Yun and the others first."
...
Extracting the essence of the medicinal herbs—just this simple step—had taken Chen Guan nearly half a day to perfect.
Within the cauldron, a blob of turquoise, slimy substance, quietly hovered above the inky blue flames.
After completing the first step, Chen Guan rested briefly before once again concentrating fully on the more complex refining process.
After nearly half a day, nearly all the contestants in the sky had entered this step, their expressions growing solemn as they each controlled the heat and refined the elixir within their cauldrons.
A bustling bustle raged on the platform, while the square below seemed a world away. Countless eyes were fixed on the busy figures in the sky.
They were waiting, waiting for the final day.
That day would be the climax of the alchemy competition!
The champion of the Alchemy Competition will be announced on that day!
The wait may be tedious, but for what may be the most exciting moment of a lifetime, it's all worth it!
Time slipped by unnoticed, and seven days flew by in a flash.
Occasionally, alchemists made mistakes, causing the dull sound of thunder to resonate throughout the venue. These mistakes, in turn, affected the less resolute, and some were even caught in the crossfire...
Only then did everyone suddenly realize how foresighted they had been in choosing a quiet, remote location.
Of course, besides those who failed, many had also succeeded.
However, as Tian Lei Zi had predicted, none of their products had yet experienced the calamity of alchemy thunder.
Clearly, the elixirs they had successfully refined were no higher than the seventh grade.
And such elixirs were undoubtedly not worthy of competing for the championship.
The number of successful and eliminated alchemists continued to increase, causing the number of alchemists still immersed in refining on the platform to drop sharply, from over a thousand at the beginning to less than five hundred now.
However, the majority of the audience's attention was still on Cao Ying, Chen Guan, Dan Chen, and some of the more renowned alchemy masters. They knew that the competition among these people was the most exciting part of this alchemy conference.
At this moment, Chen Guan had already entered the crucial process of fusing the medicinal liquid. This was the most delicate, challenging, and time-consuming step in alchemy.
However, with his immense soul power and exceptional control, Chen Guan felt no pressure.
If this weren't his first time refining an elixir of this caliber, he might even have sped up the process.
"Boom!"
At that moment, a thunderclap erupted from the clear sky, drawing everyone's attention. High in the sky, a thundercloud gradually formed, and within it, thunder rolled, emitting a roaring sound.
Even Chen Guan and Cao Ying glanced in the direction of the sound.
Of course, that was all.
To have successfully refined a seventh-grade elixir in just seven days meant it was of exceptional quality. There was only one explanation:
this elixir barely reached the seventh grade.
However, everyone has their own aspirations. While Chen Guan and the others didn't care about a seventh-grade elixir, it was still the envy of countless alchemists.
Just like the person refining it, his face was filled with ecstasy, and he shouted repeatedly.
"I did it! I did it! I'm a seventh-grade alchemist!"
The somewhat noisy shouts didn't displease many alchemists.
Those less skilled cast longing glances with envy, while those more skilled, having also slowly worked their way up from this stage, understood the difficulty of advancement.
"Quiet, deal with your pill thunder first,"
Tian Leizi warned from the high platform.
Refining an elixir doesn't guarantee success. If you can't handle the pill thunder, everything is for naught.
It's like being pregnant—being pregnant doesn't guarantee a safe birth...
The startled alchemists, regaining their composure, hurriedly dealt with the pill thunder. Chen Guan and the others, paying no attention, focused their attention on their own cauldrons.
As time passed, more and more alchemists completed the final step. The sound of pill thunder became increasingly common, akin to a succession of successive strikes. It was common to see multiple pill thunders appear simultaneously, raising the atmosphere in the square to a crescendo, seemingly reaching a climax.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and fewer than twenty people remained who hadn't yet finished refining their elixirs.
On the stone platform, as more and more contestants refined their elixirs, the air was filled with a rich, inexhaustible aroma. With a single breath, the fatigue of the long wait faded away.
Chen Guan's gaze, sharp as a torch, showed no sign of fatigue as he fixed his gaze on the cauldron.
After over ten days of grueling fusion, a small, oval-shaped sphere, roughly the size of a fist, could be faintly seen within the rising flames within.
This sphere was the result of the pure medicinal power of hundreds of medicinal herbs, though at this point, it was only the prototype of the elixir.
At this point, the most difficult step had been overcome. All Chen Guan needed to do now was stabilize the state and incubate it for a while longer before the elixir was ready.
Suddenly, a familiar gaze met
his gaze. Chen Guan glanced over and saw Cao Dan nodding excitedly.
With a slight nod in response, Cao Dan rose to his feet. With a flick of his sleeve, the lid of the cauldron swung open with a bang.
At that moment, a rich, elixir-like fragrance, unprecedented in nearly half a month, filled the air.
Boom!
Pill thunder, echoing in response!
"Hahaha, just in time!"
Before the pill could fly from the cauldron, Cao Dan roared with laughter, his surging Dou Qi suppressing it. He then soared up to dispel the pill thunder.
His magnificent robes fluttered, his long hair flowing freely in the wind. This was Cao Dan's crowning moment!
Ironically, however, his moment of glory was eerily brief.
It lasted only a few seconds, as if the moment had suddenly entered a sprint. The sound of thunder crackled in the sky incessantly.
At this moment, the pills of over ten people were simultaneously being produced! Even
the autumn waters and the vast sky were a single color, a dream no longer possible. At this moment, the scene was more aptly described as a riot of demons!
Cao Dan felt his own brilliance being snatched away, leaving him weeping with tears, yet he could only dispel the pill thunder.
No matter what, this pill was a major breakthrough for him, and he couldn't let it be destroyed at the last moment!
"A seventh-grade, high-level pill, with a promising future."
Chen Guan, observing the pill thunder from the edge of the stone platform, guessed the rank of Cao Dan's pill and gave a gentle nod of praise.
In a sense, this fellow's talent for alchemy was indeed quite impressive, not much behind Song Qing.
If he could hone his skills a bit more, he might even become a master.
Boom!!!
As Chen Guan pondered, another earth-shattering explosion suddenly erupted.
It was the sound of pill thunder, but this time, it carried an incomparably strange aura.
With this sound, the previous dozen or so pill thunders seemed to suddenly lose their luster, their light shrouded, drawing everyone's gaze towards them.
"An eighth-grade elixir has appeared!"
Eyes locked on the alchemist, only to discover he was unfamiliar. Surprisingly, no one in the crowd could recognize his identity.
This unknown eighth-grade alchemist was an elderly man with gray hair and a face as pale as orange peel. Clearly, he was also a veteran. Despite his unattractive appearance, a gentle smile graced his features, making him at least more pleasing to the eye than Elder Mu Gu.
Time is the ultimate sifting tool, washing away the dross from the thousands of contestants, leaving behind only the truly formidable.
"Who is this person? I've never seen him before." "
It must be an old fellow we're familiar with. He's clearly altered his appearance to conceal his aura, but the elixir has already formed. Next, he'll need to deal with the elixir thunder, so he won't be able to hide any longer."
"These old fellows are truly shameless. They know it's unkind of them to enter the competition with their identities, yet they still come..."
Atop the podium, the three giants of Danta chatted helplessly, curiosity lingering in their eyes.
I'm curious to see who this old acquaintance who has a sense of shame but not much will be?