Five days later!
The first round of arena battles came to an end!
Standing before Tao Wan, Luo Chen looked at their ranking.
"Fourth?"
Tao Wan let out a sigh. "Taking fourth is already the best they could manage after giving it their all. Even I had to step into the ring once myself."
Following her gaze, Luo Chen looked toward the main combatants of the arena battles.
Tao Daonan's face was devoid of its former ruddy vitality, and signs of his advanced age had grown even more pronounced.
Supposedly, he had personally fought a match against Chu Kui.
In that battle, even with his ninth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation, he had failed to take down his opponent.
Instead, he had sustained considerable injuries.
Qi Lingyun and Tan Xiao were not in good shape either.
The former's right arm hung limp and useless at his side, while the latter's spiritual power fluctuated unstably, showing signs of severe depletion.
Under such circumstances, managing to fight their way up from fifth place to fourth was truly a feat.
Presumably, it had much to do with Tao Wan stepping onto the stage in person and defeating another true disciple, Du Changfeng.
Still, for a Grand True Disciple to fight in the very first round was undeniably beneath her status.
Of course, a victory was still a good thing!
A higher ranking meant that by the time the True Disciple Sword Contest arrived in the third round, they would have plenty of time to observe their opponents and adjust their condition.
"Here is the detailed ranking list. You can take a look."
In truth, there was no need for a list at all.
Luo Chen only needed to look at the relative heights of the various factions' high platforms to see who held the top spots.
First was still Azure Pill Valley's Eldest Martial Brother, Danyangzi.
Fending off a continuous succession of challengers by himself and still defending first place proved his combat prowess was formidable indeed.
At the very least, his spiritual power was profoundly deep, capable of withstanding prolonged attrition.
Second place belonged to He Yuanqing of Yuxuan.
Third was Shangguan Yan.
Fourth was Tao Wan.
Fifth was Du Changfeng.
Sixth was Fu Li...
"I need to reach the top three. Luo Chen, can you help me?" Tao Wan looked intently at Luo Chen, her eyes brimming with hope.
Judging by the current standings, breaking into the top three was no simple matter.
The second round was split into three trials.
The top five would be counted as victorious, and the bottom four as defeated.
Only victors could improve their rankings.
Furthermore, they would be compared against peers of similar standing.
Tao Wan would need to secure a top-three finish in every single trial just to nudge her current fourth-place ranking up by one spot.
It would be extraordinarily difficult!
Yet Luo Chen merely gave a faint smile.
"Just await the good news!"
As soon as his words fell, dazzling light erupted from the central high platform.
A white-haired elder descended from the Heavenly Palace.
It was none other than an elder from the Grand Alchemy Court!
Surveying the surroundings, he dispensed with pleasantries and spoke plainly:
"The first trial of the second round, the Fundamental Alchemy Contest, begins now!"
"Alchemists of all factions, take the stage!"
Beneath the expectant gazes of the Tao clan's dozen-plus Foundation Establishment cultivators, Luo Chen leapt out from the crowd and drifted lightly down before an alchemy cauldron.
Reaching out, he stroked the seemingly transparent Glazed Child Cauldron, his eyes sweeping across the other alchemists who were stepping onto the stage one after another.
The first was none other than Danyangzi.
The man wore a solemn expression, his face faintly pale; the grueling gauntlet of matches had evidently taken a heavy toll on him.
Such a state was hardly suitable for refining pills!
The second was Xuan Yunzi He Yun.
Meeting Luo Chen's gaze, the man offered a gentle, friendly smile.
Recalling Xuan Yunzi's lineage, which might be tied to his previous body's fortunate encounter—a transmission of sorts—Luo Chen smiled amiably in return.
Right then, he sensed a wave of malice.
Turning his head, he saw Huanghezi standing just thirty paces away.
The man was glaring at him with bitter resentment.
A transmission came through without the slightest attempt at concealment.
"Little thief, I will let Tao Wan see the immense gulf that lies between you and me!"
*Calling me a thief? You really are an old scoundrel who acts without an ounce of dignity!* Luo Chen's brow twitched, and he did not bother replying.
The very next moment, the Grand Alchemy Court elder's glare fell sharply upon Huanghezi.
"The alchemy trial is at hand! No whispering or spiritual sense transmissions are permitted."
"Any further offense will result in immediate disqualification!"
Reprimanded so sharply, Huanghezi could not help shivering.
Indeed!
Distractions were the greatest taboo during alchemy.
If participants were allowed to project their spiritual senses without restraint, wouldn't it be trivial to sabotage others?
Azure Pill Valley's alchemy contest was a contest of skill, not brute force.
What mattered was speed and the grade of the resulting pills.
Underhanded tricks were strictly forbidden.
With that interruption out of the way, Luo Chen did not bother looking at anyone else.
In this second round, his aim was to take first place.
Having accepted so many benefits from Tao Wan, he had to give his all.
If she could truly secure the position of Dao Seed, it would undoubtedly be of tremendous help to his future cultivation.
With a broad wave of the Grand Alchemy Court elder's sleeve, sets of medicinal ingredients, some familiar and some strange, were laid out neatly before Luo Chen and the others.
"The first trial is a contest of basic alchemy arts: decomposing and simmering materials. Each material has been provided in three portions."
"You need only produce one finished sample of each. However, it must meet the corresponding standards to be considered qualified!"
"The specific criteria are written on the paper before you."
"The victors will be decided by speed!"
"Begin!"
Almost in an instant, three Tier 2 alchemists sprang into action.
Faced with ingredients they recognized, they went straight to work.
Moving from easy to difficult not only built confidence, but could also shave off a bit of time.
Yet on the stage, six participants did not rush, instead taking their time studying the five ingredients set before them.
Luo Chen was among them.
Of the five ingredients, he had worked with four before.
Tier 1 Zhanxing Grass, Tier 1 Azure Aloe, Tier 1 Scarlet Flame Ganoderma, and Tier 2 blue smoke jade.
The remaining one was something he had never handled with his own hands, though he had learned of it through various compendiums and alchemy manuals.
It was called the Guiyuan Cicada Slough.
It was the molted shell of a Tier 2 demon beast. Although called a cicada slough, it did not actually come from a cicada or bird, but merely resembled one in shape.
Processing this material was relatively simple; there were at least three standalone alchemy techniques capable of doing so.
However, if one wished to satisfy the Grand Alchemy Court elder's standard of 'clear as the azure sky, vital essence intact,' those ordinary methods would fall short.
At the very least, it required two additional Tier 1 supplementary herbs to neutralize it before such an effect could be achieved.
Luo Chen's brow furrowed slightly.
Azure Pill Valley hadn't provided any of those auxiliary herbs, had they?
Yet how could the elder set an impossible test?
His gaze swept over the other four ingredients.
Their various medicinal properties surfaced in his mind one by one.
Zhanxing Grass was toxic.
Azure Aloe was mild in nature and had exceptional wound-healing properties.
Scarlet Flame Ganoderma possessed domineering medicinal potency, its scorching heat often used to incinerate other secondary materials.
Blue smoke jade contained jade vapor, one of the primary ingredients for concocting Jade Dew Pills, and its nature was exceedingly frigid.
*If I use the Scarlet Flame Ganoderma as a foundation to burn away the toxicity of the Zhanxing Grass, complement it with the frigid jade vapor, and neutralize it with Azure Aloe, the resulting spiritual liquid should be roughly equivalent to the two supplementary herbs needed for the Guiyuan Cicada Slough, wouldn't it?*
*No!*
*Done that way, there would still be internal conflicts; it would only look right on the surface.*
*What if I process them simultaneously?*
A solution began to take shape in Luo Chen's mind.
Glancing across the stage, he saw that of the six who had initially held back, three had now begun their work.
Only Luo Chen, Danyangzi, and Xuan Yunzi remained still, deep in thought.
Then, Danyangzi made his move!
His first action was to simmer the Scarlet Flame Ganoderma with earthfire, employing the Cloud Transforming Hand to work it.
Seeing this, Luo Chen finally felt certain of his deduction.
As expected!
This first trial was not merely a contest of raw alchemy technique.
It was also a test of pharmacology.
Sometimes, one had to draw analogies and use stone from another mountain to polish jade!
Even so, Danyangzi's order of introducing the herbs did not seem to be the optimal solution.
***
As a premier sect of the alchemical dao, Azure Pill Valley had an exceptionally rich culture surrounding pill crafting.
Even disciples who lacked innate alchemical talent would usually study relevant alchemy fundamentals during the Qi Refinement stage.
Even if they never became alchemists, they needed the knowledge to handle the valley's myriad alchemy-related sect missions.
Consequently, even though this second round lacked the dazzling, earth-shaking clashes of combat, many disciples had eagerly gathered to watch, reluctant to miss a single moment.
This was only the first trial.
Everyone knew what it entailed: processing medicinal ingredients.
Such work was not considered overly difficult.
Wealthier Qi Refinement disciples frequently practiced it in private.
Seeing the ingredients provided by the Grand Alchemy Court elder, the crowd broke into hushed murmurs.
"*Hiss!*"
Someone drew in a sharp breath in awe.
Immediately after came a flood of chatter.
"The test this time is brutally hard!"
"Indeed. Among the three Tier 1 herbs, Zhanxing Grass is highly toxic, Azure Aloe has a rock-hard rind, and Scarlet Flame Ganoderma possesses violently domineering medicinal potency. Every single one demands meticulous care, taking an immense amount of time!"
"Those three aren't the worst—they just take time. Look at the two Tier 2 materials! One is a mineral, the other a demon beast material. Though both can be used as medicine, processing them is exceedingly intricate."
"I know about blue smoke jade. Don't you need the Folding Jade Hand to draw out the precious jade vapor within?"
"You need at least an intermediate mastery of the Folding Jade Hand just to extract a single wisp of jade vapor."
"Strange... Doesn't processing the Guiyuan Cicada Slough require two auxiliary herbs? Did the elder forget to provide them?"
Amidst the chatter, three of the nine alchemists on stage had begun working without hesitation.
Their practiced movements proved their ample confidence in handling the limited materials.
"Moving from easy to difficult is a time-tested truth summarized from countless past alchemy competitions!"
"Those three seniors clearly studied the records of previous tournaments."
"Wait, why haven't the other six made a move?"
On the high stage, six alchemists stood motionless.
This sight instantly drew the crowd's attention.
Standing in the center of the platform, the Grand Alchemy Court elder let his gaze sweep across the nine.
Looking at the three who had moved first, he cursed inwardly, *A bunch of fools!*
His eyes moved to the remaining six, and he nodded in secret approval.
*At least they have some discernment and weren't misled by the so-called experience of past tournaments. In the path of alchemy, there is no such thing as moving from easy to difficult; there is only the supreme principle of acting in accord with pharmacology.*
*I wonder which of these six will be the first to devise a method for the Guiyuan Cicada Slough?*
*Danyangzi's alchemical talent is extraordinary, and he acts on raw intuition; this certainly won't stump him.*
*Huanghezi is advanced in years and possessed of vast experience; he should be able to work out a sound method as well.*
*Though I gave no auxiliary herbs for the Guiyuan Cicada Slough, the other four ingredients can be combined in at least three different ways to resolve its medicinal properties. It all depends on which approach they comprehend.*
His eyes drifted toward Luo Chen.
Seeing that the young man was glancing at the others even while pondering, the elder's brow creased.
*A rogue cultivator alchemist through and through. Unsound fundamentals, ignorant of pharmacology, having lucked into a Daoist title and nothing more.*
*At such a critical juncture, unable to devise a solution, he resorts to peering at how others solve it?*
*This isn't just foolishness; it is far worse—feigning competence while seeking to steal the fruits of others' labor... Does someone like this even deserve to enter my Azure Pill Valley's alchemy tournament?*
In his heart, the Grand Alchemy Court elder took an intense dislike to Luo Chen.
By extension, his displeasure extended to Tao Wan, who had invited Luo Chen.
He cast her a distant, cold, and contemptuous glance!
Tao Wan did not notice the look.
At this moment, all her attention was fixed entirely on Luo Chen.
When three of the nine had started immediately, she had remained unfazed, because several others had remained motionless alongside Luo Chen.
Seeing Danyangzi become the first among the remaining six to act, her heart remained calm.
The Eldest Martial Brother possessed terrifying talent in alchemy, standing at the very pinnacle of the Seven Sons of Azure Pill.
Had he not occupied the position of Dao Seed, he would have long since been invited to enter the Grand Alchemy Court as an elder.
However...
When she saw Xuan Yunzi, Huanghezi, and two others begin channeling earthfire to simmer their ingredients one after another, she began to squirm in her seat.
Behind her, the cultivators of the Tao clan could no longer suppress their dissatisfaction.
"What on earth is Consecrated Elder Danchenzi doing?"
"Does he even know how to refine pills, or is he just standing up there to make a fool of himself?"
"If nothing else, he should at least process whatever materials he can!"
"Clan Head, did you fail to share the tricks and insights of the alchemy tournament with him beforehand?"
Tao Yisheng's face flushed red.
Ignoring their discontent, he turned around and barked in a low voice:
"Shut your mouths!"
"Brother Luo's attainments in alchemy are far beyond anything you could imagine. Just watch!"
At the end, he tacked on harshly, "Noisy fools!"
Perhaps bolstered by Tao Wan and the clan head, Tao Yisheng had gradually begun to display the nascent authority of a true clan leader.
Under his scolding, the Foundation Establishment True Cultivators who were senior to him could only glare back, falling silent.
Listening to the muttering behind her, Tao Wan had indeed felt uneasy.
She had even felt a trace of resentment toward Luo Chen, thinking that he might as well process the common materials first.
Yet her brother's strange, unshakeable confidence in Luo Chen seemed to rub off on her.
Staring at Luo Chen's back, her slender fingers curled unconsciously into a fist.
*You know what you're doing... right?*
***
Up on the high platform.
Earthfire surged forth from the vents, blazing fiercely.
As various ingredients were processed, their peculiar fragrances mingled in the air, making noses twitch.
Of the nine Tier 2 alchemists, eight were already hard at work.
Luo Chen, the sole participant who had yet to lift a hand, became the focal point of every gaze in the arena.
Not as a hero, but as a clown!
Under the gaze of the entire assembly, the corners of his mouth suddenly curved upward.
Amidst a chorus of gasps, he tossed the Guiyuan Cicada Slough directly into the Glazed Child Cauldron.
"What is he doing?!"
"Has he lost his mind? That's the hardest material of them all! Shouldn't it be saved for last?"
"It's not just a matter of order—there are no auxiliary herbs! Does he intend to destroy the Guiyuan Cicada Slough completely?"
At that exact instant, the eyes of the Grand Alchemy Court elder—who had looked upon Luo Chen with utter disdain—suddenly widened.
*Could it be?!*
Chapter 337