Inside the vast alchemy hall.
Two Tier 2 alchemists were wholly engrossed in refining the Colored Chrysanthemum Pill.
One looked solemn, yet composed.
The other was intently focused, though the slight twitching of his brow betrayed his internal nervous tension.
The surrounding onlookers remained in "hushed silence," none daring to disturb them.
It was called silence.
In truth, many among them were secretly transmitting their voices via spiritual sense.
With Luo Chen's formidable soul, even without deliberately eavesdropping, the conversations among the Early and Mid Foundation Establishment cultivators fell clearly upon his ears.
"Tsk, tsk. Yisheng took up the duty of overseeing the Yuanzhao Kingdom for ten years, yet who would have thought his alchemy hasn't slipped in the slightest!"
"Far from slipping—just look at how he employs the Pure Heart Hand, unhurried, calm, and effortlessly fluid."
"You're not wrong, it really is impressive. If it were up to me to process that Cliff-parting Chrysanthemum, I'm afraid I couldn't manage it to that degree."
"And what of Tao Yichen?"
"No good. His hands are far too rigid, weighed down by artisan clumsiness!"
"Sticking strictly to the book, terrified of ruining the medicinal herbs, yet completely missing the optimal window for the medicinal properties to harmonize."
"In my view, Tao Yichen's alchemy is already a whole tier behind Yisheng's!"
"Here comes the crucial part—watch how they handle the Five-Colored Chrysanthemum!"
...
The alchemy contest proceeded in high tension.
Luo Chen watched for only a brief while before his brows inadvertently furrowed.
*Does this Tao Yichen even deserve to be called a Tier 2 alchemist?*
He felt utterly surprised!
The man's skill was excessively inferior.
Could it really be that he had indulged so heavily in mundane clan affairs that his alchemy had suffered a drastic decline?
Yet that didn't seem right either!
Back when Tao Yisheng had discussed alchemy with him, he had sounded knowledgeable and plausible.
Yet when it came to actual practice, he had made mistake after mistake.
From this, it appeared that Azure Pill Valley's assessment for Tier 2 alchemists was surprisingly lax?
Sweeping his gaze over the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivators who watched with rapt interest, Luo Chen suddenly had a realization.
*Perhaps it's not that they are too poor, but that I am too strong?*
Indeed!
In the eyes of ordinary folk.
Those alchemists who occasionally managed to refine one or two Tier 2 pills were already hailed as Tier 2 alchemists.
Just as Qing Yuanzi had relied on the pill-nurturing technique to take a shortcut, miraculously nurturing a Tier 3 pill by sheer luck, yet shamelessly boasted that he was a Tier 3 alchemist.
Compared to these so-called "Tier 2 alchemists"...
Luo Chen's entire repertoire of alchemy had been forged and honed through tens of thousands of successfully formed pills.
Even when it came to Tier 2 pills!
He had refined at least two or three thousand of them!
And most of those were high-grade and peak-grade pills, which boasted the highest difficulty of refinement.
By comparison, others naturally did not hold a candle to him.
*Of course, there is always a mountain higher than a mountain, and a sky beyond the sky. These two alchemists of the Tao clan don't even rank within the wider Azure Pill Valley, having never even received a bestowed Daoist title.*
*One can imagine that the Seven Azure Pill Prodigies must be individuals of genuine talent and erudition.*
*I must not underestimate the world's heroes!*
After sighing inwardly, he shook his head subconsciously.
Having reached the Great Perfection of Spirit Clarifying Evil Dispelling, he was now capable of dividing his mind three ways.
Though his thoughts had wandered widely just now...
He had kept a portion of his attention fixed upon the two contestants in the center of the hall.
Consequently, he had grasped the progress of the Colored Chrysanthemum Pill's refinement in meticulous detail.
Seeing his reaction, Tao Wan beside him inquired curiously via spiritual sense transmission, "What is it? Is something amiss?"
Luo Chen replied casually, "Failure is imminent."
"Whose?"
"Both will fail!"
Upon hearing this, Tao Wan could not help but show a hint of suspicion.
She was not a master alchemist herself.
However, having grown up within a grand alchemy sect, she possessed a fair eye for assessing the progress of a pill refinement.
"Tao Yichen might well fail, but my younger brother's every step has been virtually flawless. That clearly looks like an imminent success!"
Not only her.
Virtually all the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in the hall with any discerning eye had already noticed the vast gulf in alchemy skill between Tao Yisheng and Tao Yichen.
Particularly on Patriarch Tao Daonan's side.
Many of them were now wearing anxious, panicked expressions.
Murmurs of voice transmissions silently converged toward Tao Daonan.
Yet although Tao Daonan's expression was grim, he remained composed and did not speak to interfere.
The refinement continued.
A short while later...
A sharp, audible pop echoed from inside the bronze cauldron.
All eyes snapped toward it, only to see Tao Yichen's face turn utterly ashen and devoid of color.
"I... I failed."
With that muttered phrase, his entire body seemed to tremble.
"Sigh..."
A heavy sigh escaped Tao Daonan's lips.
He did not blame the man.
Originally, Tao Yichen had possessed some talent for alchemy; he had not only passed Azure Pill Valley's theoretical examinations, but had even managed by luck to refine a Tier 2 pill.
Later, however, finding alchemy work far too repetitive, mind-numbing, and an impediment to his cultivation, he had given up on pursuing further mastery.
Instead, he had poured his energy into handling the Tao clan's internal affairs.
If he had hardened his heart back then and forced him to deepen his studies in alchemy...
Would they be in such an embarrassing predicament today?
Shaking his head, his gaze shifted to Tao Yisheng.
*Could it be that he truly can succeed on the first try?*
Everyone's gaze, including that of the defeated Tao Yichen, converged entirely upon Tao Yisheng.
In the past, under the scrutiny of so many eyes, he might have panicked.
His alchemical hand seals might have warped under pressure.
However, during that year in the Luotian Association's Alchemy Hall, during ordinary pill refining sessions, Qu Lingjun, Mi Li, and others had frequently stood beside him to watch.
He had grown accustomed to being observed.
In fact, when refining simple Tier 1 pills, he could even afford to multitask and offer a few pointers.
At this moment, surrounded by the crowd's watchful gaze...
He remained completely unhurried, seeing through the final closing steps of the Colored Chrysanthemum Pill.
Witnessing this, Tao Wan felt a surge of gratification within her heart.
That once impetuous younger brother of hers had truly matured considerably over the past decade or so.
He was already displaying the composure of a grand commander—unmoved even if Mount Tai were to collapse before his eyes, unblinking even if an elk leaped out at his flank!
*He should succeed, shouldn't he?*
She murmured inwardly.
...
Amidst everyone's anticipation, Tao Yisheng formed the final incantation hand seal.
The earth fire receded, and the bronze cauldron quivered slightly.
A pill fragrance blending the scents of chrysanthemum and orchid washed over the hall.
"A success?"
"No, wait!"
"There's a faint scent of scorching!"
"This is..."
Tao Yisheng, whose face had just lit up with joy, visibly soured the moment he drew forth three pills displaying only shades of cyan and yellow.
Right at this moment...
Tao Daonan's voice rang out in timely fashion.
"Colored only in cyan and yellow, failing to display three colors. This pill has failed to form properly; it is nothing more than a ruined waste!"
Almost simultaneously...
Tao Wan's lovely eyes snapped toward Luo Chen.
The latter merely shrugged and spread his hands.
His gesture made it clear: *Though I guessed correctly, it has nothing to do with me.*
Tao Wan nodded and withdrew her gaze.
Just as he had predicted, it had indeed failed.
However, even failures came in different tiers!
She looked keenly at Tao Daonan.
"Tao Yichen's refinement collapsed halfway, failing even to reach the final stage of pill formation."
"Though Yisheng also fell short, he produced two-colored chrysanthemum pills, showing that his alchemy far surpasses Yichen's."
"The superior and inferior are already distinct. The Patriarch should be ready to render his decision regarding the position of Clan Head!"
Most of the people present...
Even many of the Foundation Establishment True Cultivators standing on Tao Daonan's side, nodded subconsciously.
Indeed, the disparity in their alchemy skills was obvious!
Then this seat of Clan Head...
Unexpectedly!
"Hahaha!"
An aged burst of laughter rang out amidst the crowd's astonishment.
Tao Daonan pointed at the defective pills in Tao Yisheng's hand and declared, "He who journeys a hundred li has only covered half the way at ninety! Before reaching the finish line, what difference is there between him and one who has just set out?"
"That is not how the matter should be framed," Tao Wan said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Tao Daonan shook his head. "Then how should it be framed? Take these three defective pills and Yichen's pile of shapeless dross outside to sell to others. Would yours fetch more spirit stones just because you were closer to success?"
"No, both are equally worthless!"
"A ruined pill is a ruined pill!"
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone was startled.
Yet beneath their shock, they could find no flaw in the reasoning.
No outsider would part with their hard-earned spirit stones to buy a defective pill simply because an alchemist's skill was higher.
Therefore, judged strictly by the outcome, both Tao Yisheng and Tao Yichen were failures.
Where was there any superior or inferior to speak of!
Many agreed with this logic.
Among them was even Luo Chen.
When he had refined the Jade Marrow Pill in the past, he had suffered countless failures, accumulating tens of thousands of spent jade marrow beads alone.
Yet no one had ever paid high sums to buy those defective rejects.
On the stage, Tao Yisheng's complexion turned somewhat pale.
He could not accept this outcome, nor could Tao Wan.
"In my opinion!"
Tao Daonan continued smoothly.
"Yisheng is still too young after all. The seat of Clan Head should go to Yichen, who is experienced, mature, and prudent."
Tao Yichen was his own grandson!
Letting him become Clan Head was no different from Tao Daonan continuing to govern the clan himself.
Tao Wan sneered, glanced at Tao Yisheng, and spoke slowly, "Since you say that failing to succeed is entirely a failure, why not continue refining? Today, a definitive result must be decided."
"I see no necessity for that!" Tao Daonan frowned.
"No, it is entirely necessary!" Tao Wan looked around at the crowd, her tone chilling. "Do you wish to hear people outside say that the Clan Head of our Tao clan was chosen from between two failures?"
Chosen from between two failures?
Wouldn't that still make him a failure!
Under Tao Wan's icy glare, no one could mount a counterargument for the moment.
Or rather, the Foundation Establishment True Cultivators on Tao Wan's side had no intention of objecting in the first place.
They voiced their support in unison, demanding that the alchemy contest continue.
Even those on Tao Daonan's side could find no valid reason to oppose it.
A Clan Head was different from a Patriarch.
The latter was responsible for ancestral worship, bloodline lineage, and matters of clan etiquette and hierarchy, positions usually held by venerable, elderly seniors of high prestige.
However, the former was responsible for managing all matters, great and small, both internal and external.
What it required was youthful vigor, capability, and formidable strength.
He represented the face of the entire family!
It could even be said that outsiders looking upon this individual would see the rise, fall, honor, and disgrace of the great clan behind him!
Such an office could not bear the initial stain of being labeled a "failure."
Seeing that no one raised any objections...
Tao Wan turned abruptly. "Have you both rested enough?"
"Continue refining!"
"Neither of you is permitted to stop until a Colored Chrysanthemum Pill is successfully produced."
"Whoever refines it first shall be the new Clan Head of our Mount Xiaonan Tao clan!"
Without a word of protest.
Tao Yisheng naturally directed the medicine apprentices to prepare fresh raw ingredients for him, ordered the fire tenders to clear the earth fire channels, and had the cauldron cleaners scrub the bronze vessel clean of the grime left behind from the prior refinement.
His practiced ease made it seem as though he had undergone this very process countless times.
All of this had been hammered into him during the past year when Luo Chen had put him to work as a laborer in the Luotian Association.
On the other side, Tao Yichen struggled to gather his spirits, clumsily imitating similar tasks.
Before long...
The earth fire roared back to life!
The refinement began anew!
Only then did the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere sparked by their fierce confrontation gradually begin to ease.
Without drawing notice, Tao Wan cast several secretive glances toward Luo Chen.
In her heart, she felt a profound wave of emotion.
Today's contest for Clan Head was an idea that had struck her only after witnessing Tao Yisheng's recent transformation and learning of the substantial improvement in his alchemy.
Yet within it...
She had also harbored another intention.
Namely, to casually test Luo Chen's true capabilities!
Regarding Luo Chen's alchemy attainments, she had only heard her younger brother's boasts and Tantai Jin's occasional words of mild praise.
Though she had later gathered intelligence on him and learned of his reputation as Danchenzi...
A lingering doubt had persisted in her heart.
Vying for the seat of Dao Seed was an extraordinarily arduous undertaking.
She could not afford to fall in the second round!
If Luo Chen failed to live up to his reputation, she would not hesitate to switch candidates at the eleventh hour, even if it meant replacing him with a Tier 2 alchemist comparatively weaker than Huanghezi.
However...
In this internal alchemy contest of the Tao clan, Luo Chen had already demonstrated the discerning eye of an alchemy master!
When everyone had believed Tao Yisheng was poised to succeed...
He had foretold the impending failure before anyone else!
*Even with the discernment we gained growing up immersed within a grand alchemy sect, we couldn't tell.*
*Yet he called it with a single remark.*
*Behind such superior judgment lies boundless confidence in his own alchemy mastery!*
*In this manner, whether Yisheng succeeds or fails, my objective has already been fulfilled!*
As these thoughts crossed her mind...
The expression on the woman's face grew increasingly serene.
This sight fell into the eyes of Tao Daonan across the room, causing his mood to turn unconsciously irritable.
*If this continues, Yichen will lose sooner or later!*
...
The Tao clan's internal alchemy competition carried on.
Following the first failure, the second failure arrived before long.
After a brief respite, under Tao Wan's insistence, they pressed on.
One day!
Two days!
Even though ample time for rest was granted between attempts, for these sheltered clan cultivators who were used to comfort...
Such prolonged alchemy was still an ordeal to which they were ill-suited.
Tao Yichen, having witnessed yet another failure, had eyes devoid of light, looking completely broken in spirit.
Only Tao Yisheng, though pale from the extensive expenditure of spiritual energy and prolonged exertion of spiritual sense...
Had eyes that burned with a bright, incandescent glow that only grew sharper.
Tao Wan, who had been closely monitoring the progress, suddenly caught a subtle cue.
She looked subconsciously toward Luo Chen.
She saw him give her an almost imperceptible nod.
In an instant, her eyes lit up.
This time, barring any accidents, Tao Yisheng would succeed!
Seemingly driven past the limit of his endurance by the repeated failures and the unbroken stalemate, Tao Daonan could no longer bear it.
Such a prolonged impasse was plainly a challenge to his authority.
"Enough!"
"There is no need for this farce to continue any longer!"
Tao Wan looked coldly toward him. "The victor has not yet been decided. Why shouldn't it continue? Moreover, a farce? Does the Patriarch believe that selecting a Clan Head for our Tao family is a farce?"
Tao Daonan's face darkened. "Tao Wan, there is no need to provoke me with words. You orchestrated this whole spectacle simply to rally the family's strength to contend for that Dao Seed seat, didn't you?"
"And what if I did!"
Tao Wan raised a brow, refusing to yield an inch.
Tao Daonan froze.
He had not expected her to admit it so openly and unapologetically.
For a moment, he genuinely did not know how to handle her.
Suddenly!
His gaze shifted toward Tao Yisheng, who was in the middle of refining.
"I am the Patriarch; the authority to appoint the Clan Head is mine by right. This farce ends now!"
As he spoke, a surging wave of spiritual energy erupted outward.
At the same time...
A similarly formidable wave of spiritual energy detonated from Tao Wan's body.
The two forces instantly collided, locking into a dead heat!
This was the purest clash of foundational cultivation, stripped of all combat techniques and intricate spells.
What it tested was purely whose realm was higher, whose spiritual energy was purer and more vast.
After about three breaths...
*Bang!*
Tao Daonan's face turned pale. The beard on his face and the Daoist robes on his body whipped violently backward, as if struck by a gale.
Tao Wan took a step forward, unleashing an overwhelming and confident aura.
"You are old!"
"You should have stepped down and yielded your seat long ago!"
"Under your leadership, the Tao clan is destined for decline!"
"Now, the Tao clan ought to be led by my brother and me toward its pinnacle!"
Each word struck like thunder, crashing into the old man's heart and mind.
*Boom!*
Tao Daonan's spiritual energy fluctuation instantly shattered, collapsing beyond any hope of resistance.
He staggered backward in disarray, taking several steps to steady himself.
Almost at the exact same moment...
A refreshing, secluded chrysanthemum aroma permeated the alchemy hall.
Beneath Tao Yichen's despairing gaze, Tao Yisheng leaped forward and extended a hand toward the bronze cauldron.
Three pills flew out and landed squarely in his palm.
Cyan, yellow, and white—three colors radiating in harmony, designating them as Tier 2 low-grade!
"Sister, I did it! I finally did it! Hahaha..."
Clutching the three pills, Tao Yisheng's pale face flushed with boundless excitement and joy.
Tao Wan cast a subconscious glance toward Luo Chen, who had stepped back behind the crowd, before speaking in a resonant voice:
"Congratulations!"
"Everyone, why have you not greeted the Clan Head of the Tao clan!"
The Foundation Establishment True Cultivators of her faction immediately called out, "Greetings, Clan Head!"
The remaining Foundation Establishment True Cultivators exchanged bewildered glances.
Yet after Tao Wan's sharp gaze swept over them, they ultimately forced out the words with great reluctance:
"Greetings, Clan Head!"
A radiant smile broke across Tao Wan's face. Turning her gaze back to Tao Daonan, she asked:
"Patriarch, now that our Tao clan has a new Clan Head, shouldn't a clan assembly be convened to announce this to all?"
His beard disheveled and his expression dark as stagnant water, Tao Daonan cast a venomous glare at the sister and brother.
"It shall be convened tomorrow!"
With that, he flicked his sleeves and stormed away.
In this battle for Clan Head, he had lost.
He had lost both to Tao Yisheng and to the formidable Tao Wan.
He had never imagined that Tao Wan's strength had reached such heights, matching him head-on in a pure contest of foundational cultivation without yielding an inch, and even overpowering him with absolute force.
Under the watchful eyes of all...
Everyone knew that Tao Daonan had suffered a crushing defeat.
From this day forward, his prestige was gone.
Stepping out of the alchemy hall...
The glaring sunlight spilled onto his face, causing his vision to blur momentarily.
When he opened his eyes again, Tao Daonan felt an overwhelming sense of loss.
*Have I truly grown old?*
Chapter 328