Chapter 107: The Fifth Alchemist Grand Meeting
Just as Yao Yan was preparing to refine the Green Lotus Core Flame, the final day of the Fifth Alchemist Grand Meeting, held in the sacred capital of the Jia Ma Empire, arrived.
At the Royal Plaza—
Alchemists, who were rarely seen in such numbers, had now gathered like a disciplined army, waiting for the emergence of the tournament champion. Beyond them stood many powerhouses from various factions, observing the event closely—hoping to scout promising talent for recruitment or future investment.
For the many forces involved, the Alchemist Grand Meeting was essentially a massive talent fair, where one could judge participants' potential and strength by their performance.
Anyone who stood out would undoubtedly be pursued by many factions.
All the alchemists gathered here today had passed the tournament's rigorous selection process. At this moment, they were all sitting cross-legged, adjusting their states. Anyone who had made it to the final round was not only strong but had firm resolve—none wanted to lose at the last hurdle because of a minor mistake.
DONG—
A clear chime of a bell echoed through the plaza.
On the high platform in the VIP section—
The president of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association, Fa Ma, stepped forward and looked down at the crowd with a calm gaze. As the noise gradually subsided, his old yet steady voice rang out to everyone present:
"Everyone, today's test will be the final round of the competition. The winner will become this year's champion. For the sake of all your hard work, go all out!"
As his words fell, the entire plaza erupted. The crowd roared like thunder, their cheers shaking the skies.
In the center of the plaza, a man in coarse robes looked solemnly at the cauldron before him. His gaze was firm. Today, he believed, was the day Gu He would rise to fame. He would not let his ten-plus years of bitter cultivation go to waste!
Following Fa Ma's announcement of the final round's rules, the alchemists below ignited their cauldrons and began refining their pills.
Fa Ma then turned back to his seat. Beside him were the emperor of the Jia Ma Empire, Jia Xing Tian, and Yun Yun Sect's leader, Yun Shan. Both were peak nine-star Dou Huang experts, holding similar status and power to Fa Ma. The three were considered old acquaintances of the same generation.
Jia Xing Tian stroked his goatee with a shrewd glint in his eyes. He glanced at Fa Ma and chuckled. "Time flies. The Alchemist Grand Meeting you established is already in its fifth iteration. Its name has even reached neighboring countries. I imagine the next one will be even grander."
"Haha, this is all thanks to the support of the Jia Ma Empire. Without it, the Alchemist Association alone could not have come this far."
Fa Ma smiled, his old body seeming fragile enough to collapse at any moment.
Jia Xing Tian sighed lightly, as if reminiscing. "I merely offered some convenience. The success is your own doing. But it's true—eight years have passed again."
The Grand Meeting was held every eight years, and each time it grew in scale. Fa Ma still remembered the first event—only a few dozen participants. Now, nearly a thousand alchemists attended, drawing in not only locals but even participants from neighboring nations.
"Time indeed flies. Eight years in the blink of an eye… It's a pity our strength has made no progress. The wall between Dou Huang and Dou Zong really is despair-inducing."
Yun Shan, who had remained silent, slowly opened his eyes. Despite his white hair, he looked youthful and energetic. But his tone carried deep helplessness. He had been stuck at peak Dou Huang for decades—nearly a century.
Jia Xing Tian wasn't far off either. In their youth, both had been geniuses. Jia Xing Tian had even relied on Yun Yun Sect's help to found the Jia Ma Empire.
But now, those once-talented youths were aging men, walking toward the twilight of their lives.
"Dou Zong…"
Jia Xing Tian's eyes were filled with longing, though it remained just that—longing. The gap between Dou Huang and Dou Zong was vast, enough to crush countless geniuses. It was said that only in the Central Plains could one find true strength at the level of Dou Zong.
Fa Ma remained silent. He had no real desire to break through to Dou Zong. His talent in Dou Qi wasn't high, and reaching Dou Huang had already required the support of his fifth-rank alchemist status. Further advancement seemed unlikely.
Rather than cultivate, he hoped to train a few more exceptional alchemists in his lifetime.
Then, Yun Shan suddenly stated, "After this meeting ends, I'll enter a life-and-death seclusion. I won't come out unless I break through to Dou Zong. Yun Yun will take over as the new sect leader of Yun Yun Sect."
His words stunned Jia Xing Tian and Fa Ma. They turned to the cool, elegant woman beside Yun Shan—her composure was as graceful as a figure from a painting.
Yun Shan continued, "Yun Yun has talent and a calm nature. She won't clash with the empire, so I can rest easy in seclusion. And you, old fox, can stop scheming as well."
He glanced playfully at Jia Xing Tian, clearly aware of the old emperor's thoughts but never bothering to confront him.
Yun Shan had always known that in the Dou Qi Continent, strength was paramount. No scheme could stand up to true power. If he reached Dou Zong, could the empire even stop Yun Yun Sect from rising?
"I understand. Don't worry, the Jia Ma Empire will maintain its current relationship with Yun Yun Sect."
Jia Xing Tian hesitated briefly, then nodded. He had no intention of stopping Yun Shan's seclusion. And truthfully, if not for Yao Yan's appearance, he might've been worried. But now, with a genius alchemist like Yao Yan on his side, the threat from Yun Yun Sect no longer mattered.
Yun Shan paused for a moment, then changed the subject. "Where did Hai Bodong go?"
He wanted to see Hai Bodong once more before seclusion—to say goodbye. As Yun Yun's teacher, he didn't want to leave things unsettled. Yun Yun was only a seven-star Dou Wang. He had to plan ahead.
Jia Xing Tian was just about to change the subject when he suddenly sensed a chilling aura approaching rapidly—like an oncoming blizzard.
Yun Shan and Fa Ma felt it too.
Fa Ma chuckled. "Here he comes~"
Even his usually closed eyes opened slightly as he looked into the distance.
"Quite the entrance…"
Jia Xing Tian sighed. He grew more conflicted, sensing that Hai Bodong would spill the news about Yao Yan. If Yun Shan learned of Yao Yan's existence, there was no way he'd continue his seclusion.
Soon, Hai Bodong landed on the high platform in a streak of light. His arrival drew much attention—but when his identity was recognized, the interest quickly faded.
The circle of Dou Huang experts was clearly a league apart.
That much was obvious from the seating arrangements.
Yun Shan looked at Hai Bodong's high-spirited appearance with mild surprise. When he sensed his aura, he couldn't help but ask, "You broke through?"
"Mm."
Hai Bodong nodded curtly, sweeping a glance across the old faces. A smile tugged at his lips. He'd thought he'd have to visit them one by one, but they were all conveniently gathered here for the Grand Meeting. That would save him the trouble.
Fa Ma gave Hai Bodong a sniff, eyes narrowing. "You smell like rare medicinal pills. What have you been hiding?"
As a veteran fifth-rank alchemist, Fa Ma's senses were sharp. The scent on Hai Bodong was potent and layered—but Hai Bodong wasn't an alchemist, so where had it come from?
Hai Bodong didn't play coy. He leaned lazily against the railing and casually began sharing everything: Yao Yan's age, talent, background, strength…
When he finished, he added, "The young master is planning to establish a faction, using the Snake-People Tribe and the Jia Ma Empire as his foundation. The tribe has already agreed. All that's left is the empire."
As he finished—
Fa Ma couldn't help but exclaim, "A not-yet-seventeen-year-old sixth-rank alchemist? Hai Bodong, are you sure?!"
His eyes were wide open now, staring hard at Hai Bodong. He felt like his century-long journey in alchemy had been a waste. He knew geniuses existed—but this was outrageous!
"Don't believe me? Ask Jia Xing Tian."
Hai Bodong was clearly pleased by Fa Ma's reaction. He turned to the emperor with a smirk.
Under their stares, Jia Xing Tian fell silent. After a pause, he finally said, "It's probably true. I haven't seen him refine pills personally, but Hai Bodong's sudden breakthrough—and what happened with the Snake-People Tribe—speaks volumes."
Yun Shan's expression twitched. He suspected that if he had gone into seclusion earlier, Jia Xing Tian would've kept this secret forever.
"A genius alchemist from Central Plains…"
Fa Ma muttered bitterly. His eyes drifted to the bustling alchemist tournament below, suddenly overcome by helplessness. Compared to Yao Yan, the so-called "young alchemists" below—many approaching thirty—felt laughable. The most advanced among them was only fourth-rank.
If they knew about Yao Yan… many would likely give up alchemy altogether.
Hai Bodong shook his head. His expression was somewhat conflicted as he said softly, "He's more than a genius—he's a monster. He should be seventeen now. I saw him grow from Da Dou Shi to Dou Ling. Before I left, he was already a seven-star Dou Ling. In another month or two, once he refines the heavenly flame, he'll likely break through to Dou Wang. And that's just his Dou Qi level. His physical body is the truly absurd part—he can go toe-to-toe with Queen Medusa, relying only on his flesh!"
Yao Yan was a walking blow to everyone's pride—on all fronts.
Yun Yun's lips were tightly pressed. Her fists clenched. The calm, detached state of mind she usually maintained was shattered by Hai Bodong's words.
She too had once been praised as a genius.
But now, compared to Yao Yan, she felt ridiculous.
All her former pride and confidence felt worthless. At twenty-four, she had only just reached seven-star Dou Wang. Yao Yan, at seventeen, was already about to become one—and he was a sixth-rank alchemist. The gap was soul-crushing.
Yun Shan fell silent. He understood the implications. If Hai Bodong's words were true, then Yao Yan represented an unprecedented opportunity. But he wouldn't make a decision based on secondhand accounts.
He needed to meet Yao Yan himself.
Jia Xing Tian was also quiet. As the emperor, he wasn't about to bow to someone else—especially since Yao Yan didn't yet possess world-dominating strength. All he had was potential. Handing over the empire for a few promises? Not happening.
Better to maintain friendly ties for now.
"If he really has the talent you claim, I'm willing to step down and let him be president of the Alchemist Association."
Fa Ma was the most straightforward of them all. His eyes gleamed as he said firmly: as long as Yao Yan could prove himself, the entire association could be his. After all, alchemists only acknowledged those stronger than themselves.
"No rush. Think it over. Once he comes out of seclusion, you'll likely meet him. When that happens, he'll offer something you can't refuse—like the Breaking Sect Pill."
Hai Bodong had read all three men clearly and said this calmly.
Breaking Sect Pill.
Just those three words made Jia Xing Tian and Yun Shan freeze. For peak Dou Huang experts, the pill was fatally tempting—especially for old men like them. It meant breakthrough. It meant extended life.
In that instant, none of them cared about the alchemist tournament below anymore. Not even Gu He's excellent performance could draw their attention.
Their minds were fixed on one name—
Yao Yan!
(END CHAPTER)
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