Above the azure sky, a howling wind roared, dark clouds gathered, and over ten bolts of Dan lightning struck simultaneously, creating a scene reminiscent of apocalypse.
Yet, the crowd watching the terrifying spectacle of Dan lightning raging in the sky showed no fear, only anticipation and curiosity.
The elixir had been refined; now it was time to admire the masters' combined skills in combating the Dan lightning.
Almost everyone's eyes turned to the lone old man on the stone platform. The ripples of eighth-grade Dan lightning far surpassed those of seventh-grade, making it far more challenging to deal with.
But what followed left them speechless with astonishment. The old man, with a swift movement of his powerful body, rose to his feet, unfazed by the raging Dan lightning. Surging Dou Qi erupted from his body, causing the surrounding space to tremble.
The next moment, with a flick of his withered hand, the space before him was ripped apart like paper, and the terrifying Dan lightning, hurling down like a torrent, was buried in the void.
A Dou Zun master!!!
Countless people were moved, yet upon reflection, it seemed perfectly natural.
Only a veteran like him could face the eighth-grade Dan Lei with such composure.
"I didn't expect it to be Old Man Qinghua."
On the high platform, Xuan Kongzi and the others were slightly startled as they watched the gray-haired old man finally emerge. They exchanged a look of frustration.
"This old fellow is truly desperate for a strange fire. This is his third time participating in the Alchemy Conference, but his skill hasn't improved much. I think it was the Four-Colored Dan Lei last time." Xuan Yi nodded gently, his interest instantly waning after the mystery was solved.
"Qinghua's lifelong wish is to subdue a strange fire. He and Yao Chen spent years in that haunted place called the Meteorite Icefield, but in the end, Yao Chen still managed to obtain the Bone Spirit Cold Fire. Now that he has a chance to obtain the Three Thousand Flames Flame, he naturally wants to give it a try." Tian Leizi took over the conversation, revealing some of the secrets.
They were no strangers to Old Man Qinghua and could understand his actions.
Unfortunately, they still had no hope.
Above, the calm demeanor of the old man Qinghua against the elixir thunder made the other contestants' methods pale in comparison.
When the alchemists were finished, only the three figures in the triangle remained on the stone platform:
Chen Guan, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen.
The dark clouds quietly dissipated, yet the rumble of thunder continued to echo throughout the heavens and earth.
This bizarre scene amazed many, but those with more experience could discern that the thunder was not originating from the heavens, but from the three men's medicine cauldrons.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed, and before anyone could avert their gaze, a powerful wave of energy suddenly surged from Dan Chen's stone platform like lightning. With this surge of energy, the dark clouds in the sky quickly recondensed, and countless silver snakes darted in all directions.
Another eighth-grade elixir!
With the old man Qinghua's success as a model, it was easy to discern the rank of Dan Chen's elixir.
For a moment, the timid Dan Chen became the center of attention.
Many wondered if she could surpass the older generation of alchemists.
Even the focused Chen Guan and Cao Ying cast their gazes in her direction.
Dan Chen's ability to refine an eighth-grade elixir wasn't surprising to them. What intrigued them more was that, given Dan Chen's frail constitution, refining an eighth-grade elixir was already at her limit, as evidenced by her slightly pale complexion.
But how could she, in such a state, face the elixir thunder?
Under the gaze of the crowd, Dan Chen's face was stern, her fair hands moving swiftly.
The next moment, a jade-like "bowl" materialized in her hands. As Dan Chen's hand seals solidified, it surged against the wind, rapidly expanding.
In a matter of moments, a vast bowl of light, several feet in size, had formed, completely protecting her and the cauldron.
Boom!
Dan Lei responded with a roar, fiercely striking the bowl. However, no matter how hard it tried, it could not split it open, ultimately fading away.
"Two-colored Dan Lei, the Dan family has produced a brilliant talent, a true giant!"
"Although she may not be as good as that senior, she's young enough to be proud of herself."
"Hmph, what's so great about that? If my son Song Qing were here, he would definitely not fall behind!"
Some were amazed, while others were sour grapes.
The Dan family simply smiled upon hearing this, paying no attention.
Don't bother with the family of a dead son...
The Dan Lei arrived quickly, and it faded even faster. Dan Chen successfully concluded, and only two people remained on the stone platform.
When someone mentioned that these two were actually senior and junior brothers, the competition became even more intriguing.
Would it be the Cao family's enchanting woman who would prevail, or would this previously "unknown" junior brother who would dominate the competition?
Cao Ying listened to the discussions below, and a knowing smile filled her ears.
Turning her head to meet Chen Guan's gaze, Cao Ying slammed the lid of the tripod with her jade hand.
With a crisp sound, a rich medicinal fragrance, no less potent than that of the old man Qinghua, immediately filled the air.
"Junior brother, I'm faster than you,"
he chuckled. Cao Ying leaped into the air, a glass-like shuttle-like shadow darting from his brow. Fast as lightning, he proactively plunged into the swirling dark clouds overhead, destroying the source before the pill thunder could descend.
His speed was so swift that many people couldn't even discern the true rank of this eighth-grade elixir.
"Four-colored pill thunder… The young people these days don't give us old folks any respect at all."
The old man Qinghua shook his head and sighed, clearing up countless people's doubts.
With his keen eyesight, he could see it clearly.
Although his elixir also summoned four-colored pill thunder, the first one was dim. In contrast, Cao Ying's four colors were crystal clear.
This situation proved that this virgin girl from the Cao family, in her early twenties, had surpassed him in alchemy. This moved Old Man Qinghua, who had devoted most of his life to this path, to awe. "
I just want to obtain a strange fire, why is it so difficult? "
Fortunately, with his finished product, placing in the top ten was a sure thing; there was still a chance!
"Senior, you're joking. Cao Ying is just lucky ,"
Cao Ying said, multitasking as she simply dealt with the Dan Lei.
She wasn't being modest; she was well aware of her own limitations. Without the blessing of those few grains of Yuling Dust, she would at best be slightly better than Danchen, hardly reaching the level of four-colored Dan Lei.
Old Man Qinghua shook his head slightly, smiling without saying anything.
At their level, they understood more clearly that there was no such thing as luck; it was simply the result of unintentional actions.
However, seeing Cao Ying handle the Dan Lei so easily, Old Man Qinghua became even more interested in Chen Guan.
Cao Ying's actions undoubtedly conveyed a message: an eighth-grade elixir with four-colored elixir thunder wasn't enough to win the championship at this alchemy competition!
Chen Guan sat alone on the stone platform, a moment truly the center of attention!
Despite being stared at with embarrassment, Chen Guan remained unfazed, neither sad nor happy, continuing to brew the elixir in the cauldron.
Time ticked by, and in the blink of an eye, half a day had passed.
Finally, Chen Guan, sitting in silence, opened his eyes, his hand seals rapidly shifting, then suddenly concentrating, and shouting softly.
"Rise!"
With a flick of his sleeve, he slammed the cauldron, sending the lid flying. A column of light shot out, soaring into the sky.
At that moment, clouds gathered at the edge of the sky, and in the blink of an eye, cyan and silver thunderclouds emerged.
This was just the beginning. In just a few breaths, red thunderclouds impatiently emerged, their perfection almost tangible!
Immediately following, a rich golden hue, a noble purple, a clear ocean blue…
"Hiss… six-colored thundercloud!"
"Not over yet!"
Accompanied by the exclamations of the crowd in the square, another vibrant orange light emerged.
"Seven-colored thundercloud!"
At this moment, even the three giants, Xuankongzi, Tianleizi, and Xuanyi, couldn't help but breathe slightly faster.
They were witnessing an unprecedented miracle!
However, just when everyone thought it was over, a flash of crimson gradually appeared within the swirling tribulation clouds, rapidly expanding until it finally settled to about half the size of a normal cloud.
The vast sky was filled with thunder.
Watching the swirling tribulation clouds begin to stabilize, Chen Guan folded his hands behind his back, a trace of regret in his eyes.
It was a pity that he hadn't mastered Yao Chen's unique spiritual ascension technique. Otherwise, this pill would have become the pinnacle of eighth-grade elixirs!
Chen Guan sighed inwardly, but the crowd in the square had no idea what he was thinking.
At this moment, they only knew that this was a scene they would never forget!
When they witnessed the miracle, there were no cheers, no shouts. The entire square was completely silent.
They had become numb!
Eight-colored Pill Thunder!!!
This was an unprecedented level in the history of the Alchemy Conference!
Even the previous session, when Medicine Venerable rose to fame and was known as the most prestigious, had never reached such a level!
On the stone platform, Chen Guan stood with his hands behind his back, his alchemist robes fluttering in the whirring energy. He raised his head slightly and watched the surging Pill Thunder, his eyes gleaming.
At this moment, he was the single-minded focus!
The Alchemy Conference had not yet concluded, but everyone knew that this young man was the uncrowned king!