High atop the stage.
Employing the Origin Cultivating Hand at only the Practiced level, Luo Chen processed the Guiyuan Cicada Slough at an exceptionally sluggish pace.
His speed was exceedingly slow!
He moved with meticulous caution, as if terrified of ruining this Tier 2 material.
Under the guidance of the Origin Cultivating Hand, wisp after wisp of primordial qi began peeling away from across the cicada slough, slowly converging toward its very center at the abdomen.
Deprived of its primordial qi, the slough's once golden, lustrous outer skin gradually faded into a dull, dusty gray.
As he performed the alchemy technique of the Origin Cultivating Hand, Luo Chen reaffirmed his thoughts in his mind.
"Relying purely on intuition, the method to solve this Tier 2 demonic beast material would be the one I initially conceived. Using Scarlet Flame Lingzhi as a foundation to burn away the azure star poison, supplementing it with polar cold jade smoke, and neutralizing it with Tianqing Aloe. The resulting spiritual fluid would then match the two supplementary materials required to treat the Guiyuan Cicada Slough.
"Yet that is merely an opportunistic shortcut—plausible on the surface, but fundamentally flawed!
"While the neutralized spiritual fluid might yield an acceptable outcome, it could never attain that azure-sky clarity.
"Anyone truly versed in pharmacology would inevitably steer clear of that deceptive intuition!
"The order Danyangzi chose for adding his herbs demonstrates that he, too, recognized this trap. Hence, he chose the second path—the safest and most reliable one.
"Introducing the Scarlet Flame Lingzhi and Tianqing Aloe first takes advantage of alchemy's most common principle of water and fire complementing each other, establishing a gentler environment for the medicinal properties to volatilize.
"Yet according to my deductions, while safe, this method sacrifices speed!
"The genuine method of processing—and the optimal one—is precisely mine!"
With a single thought, Luo Chen directly withdrew a piece of blue smoke jade.
He paid no heed to the now-gray cicada slough that looked as though it had already been ruined in the cauldron.
Instead, he executed the Folding Jade Hand at Great Perfection. In just a few swift, decisive motions, he extracted that faint wisp of eerie blue smoke from within the jade.
Because Luo Chen had remained standing completely motionless earlier, he had become the sole anomaly among the nine competitors.
Consequently, the moment he began moving, many eyes were already fixed upon him.
Setting aside whether placing the Guiyuan Cicada Slough in first was right or wrong, the scene of him handling the blue smoke jade was laid bare in all its brilliance before everyone present.
That Folding Jade Hand, devoid of the slightest trace of earthly coarseness, was so practiced, so effortless, and so graceful.
It was as if he were not extracting a wisp of blue smoke from within stone, but rather that a hazy, ethereal mist had naturally materialized under the gentle warmth of sunlight.
*Gulp!*
Someone in the crowd swallowed subconsciously.
Numerous Azure Pill Valley disciples stared blankly at those slender fingers.
What a pair of flawless hands!
What immaculate alchemy skill!
In the distance, atop the Tao family's high platform, Tao Daonan and his grandson Tao Yichen exchanged stunned glances.
"What level of mastery has this Folding Jade Hand attained?"
Entering the sanctum? Peak of refinement? The absolute pinnacle?
As a moderately gifted Tier 2 alchemist, Tao Yichen said in sheer disbelief, "This has already reached supernatural mastery! I have only ever seen Elder Xingyun demonstrate such skill during her occasional lectures at the Grand Alchemy Court."
Elder Xingyun!
She was the head of one of the Grand Alchemy Court's three halls!
In all of Azure Pill Valley, she was an alchemy master second only to Qingdanzi, having brought her foundational alchemy techniques to the realm of perfection.
A full third of the pills produced in Azure Pill Valley came from her hands.
How could Luo Chen, a mere Tier 2 alchemist, possess such attainment?
It was not just the grandfather and grandson who were shocked; the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivators who possessed some knowledge of alchemy were equally astounded by this display.
Only Tao Yisheng, though delighted, wore an expression that showed he took it completely in stride.
*Hmph, this is nothing!*
*Brother Luo's alchemy arts have only just revealed the tip of the iceberg!*
Tao Wan glanced at Tao Yisheng, who carried himself as if he alone were sober while the world was drunk, but she did not reprimand him as she had in the past.
Instead, she let out a massive sigh of relief.
If Luo Chen's other alchemy arts were just as formidable—no, even if they were only half as proficient—then even if he failed to finish processing the Guiyuan Cicada Slough, he would still have plenty of time to handle the other four ingredients.
In that case, relying on his processing speed and the quality of the finished materials, securing a spot in the top five or even the top three would not be much of an issue.
Yet thinking up to this point, she could not help feeling a bit aggrieved.
*If he is this skilled, why didn't he go from easy to hard to establish an advantage first?*
…
All the commotion, the discussions, and the inner turmoil outside the arena had nothing to do with Luo Chen.
He simply went about processing the medicinal ingredients within the Glazed Child Cauldron in an orderly fashion.
Having finished processing the blue smoke jade, a wisp of jade smoke enveloped the dusty-gray Guiyuan Cicada Slough.
Only then did Luo Chen exhale slightly.
*What 'easy to hard'? The test given this time is clearly meant to be tackled from hard to easy!*
*If you don't take care of the most troublesome herb first, the difficulty will only multiply down the line!*
*Whoever drafted this prompt is truly insidious.*
While muttering to himself, he reached out and summoned the Scarlet Flame Lingzhi.
Just as Danyangzi had done at the start, he processed it with the Cloud Transforming Hand.
A fiery cloud condensed from medicinal essence slowly took shape.
Then, roasted by the earth fire, it turned turbulent and furious.
At this moment, Luo Chen split his focus in two, utilizing the Washing Brook Hand to strip away the tough outer skin of the Tianqing Aloe like reeling silk from a cocoon.
Next, he did not release all of its medicinal essence at once.
Instead, he released it in measured increments.
One pulse, then another.
Two ingredients that should have balanced each other in water-and-fire harmony wound up with fire overpowering water because Luo Chen introduced the aloe bit by bit.
As if provoked, the fire flared ever stronger!
The massive cloud of flame relentlessly scorched the Guiyuan Cicada Slough enveloped in jade smoke within the Glazed Child Cauldron.
The originally dusty-gray slough gradually turned pitch-black.
A pungent, scorched odor uncontrollably drifted outward.
On the stage, the other alchemists caught the scent as well.
Subconsciously, several of them stole intermittent glances at Luo Chen.
Shangguan Yan was ranked third, and Tao Wan fourth.
Thus, Huanghezi, the alchemist under Shangguan Yan, stood closest to Luo Chen.
He was also the first to smell that burnt odor.
*Failed?*
*Haha, a greenhorn after all. Ignorant of pharmacology, acting entirely on reckless impulse.*
*Without neutralizing spiritual fluid, how could you possibly process the Guiyuan Cicada Slough properly!*
Luo Chen's "failure" put him in an exceptionally bright mood.
So much so that his speed in refining herbs picked up noticeably.
In his view, as long as he fused the four ingredients into the appropriate spiritual fluid, dealing with the Guiyuan Cicada Slough would be as easy as turning his hand.
Failure?
No, there were three portions of each medicinal herb. He had ample time to brew a fresh batch of spiritual fluid.
Seeing Luo Chen's "failure," the others showed little emotion on their faces.
Those of a kinder disposition merely cast him a look of sympathy.
Off to the side, Xuan Yunzi glanced at Luo Chen.
Then, he looked down at the herbs he had brewed halfway in his own cauldron, a contemplative expression settling on his face.
Gradually, his expression shifted between light and shadow, uncertain.
Suddenly!
To everyone's astonishment, Xuan Yunzi waved his hand and cast a Cleansing Art, completely sweeping away all the medicinal herbs within his Glazed Child Cauldron.
This abrupt scene sent a massive shockwave rippling through all the spectators.
At the second platform, He Yuanqing rose in fury, slamming his hand onto the table.
"Bastard, what in the world are you doing?"
Before his words could fully fade, an icy gaze fell upon him.
A vast Core Formation aura, condensed into a sharp beam, bore down directly and crushed him back into his seat.
"No sense of propriety!"
"No sight of the truth!"
"No regard for the greater situation!"
Three successive rebukes turned He Yuanqing's face pale, a drop of cold sweat dripping down onto the floor.
Beside him, Chu Kui took in a sharp, startled breath.
He subconsciously looked toward the white-haired Grand Alchemy Court elder overseeing the competition stage.
The might of a Core Formation cultivator was truly terrifying.
Pursing his lips, Chu Kui said with a chuckle, "True Disciple He, we had best watch the match obediently!"
Fighting through the palpitations in his chest, He Yuanqing straightened his posture.
He forced a smile and cupped his hands toward the elder.
"This disciple acted rashly."
"Hmph!"
The Grand Alchemy Court elder gave a soft grunt, choosing not to pursue the matter further.
With sound-isolating formations in place, outside noise could not disturb those inside.
Earlier, it was simply that He Yuanqing had gone too far.
Roaring so loudly!
Who knew whether his abrupt movement had distracted this junior?
Turning his gaze back toward Xuan Yunzi, the elder's eyes revealed a look of appreciation instead.
"Decisive when it matters, refusing to be misled by past mistakes.
"Though he must start from scratch, he now walks the correct path. He will surpass those who have gone astray and catch up from behind!
"This boy possesses remarkable talent!"
He had already made up his mind.
Once the grand alchemy competition concluded, he would invite Xuan Yunzi to pursue further studies in the Grand Alchemy Court.
At such a young age, the young man would certainly become an alchemy master in the future!
If someone like Xuan Yunzi, who had turned back from a stray path, was already considered a great talent in his eyes, then what did that make Luo Chen, who had been charging along the correct path from the very beginning?
*What a pity that he is merely a rogue cultivator from outside with an unclear background. Furthermore, these are troubled times; otherwise, he could easily have become a guest elder of our Grand Alchemy Court.*
Watching Luo Chen execute various alchemy arts without a trace of earthly coarseness, the more the Grand Alchemy Court elder admired him, the more regretful he felt.
Such a figure was practically a natural-born prodigy, born purely for the Dao of Alchemy!
*Still, the only consoling thought is that our sect already possesses an unpolished jade of its own.*
He cast an unobtrusive glance toward where Danyangzi stood.
After looking up at Luo Chen just once, Danyangzi had returned to focusing intently on his own task.
Luo Chen walked the most optimal path, yet Danyangzi was on the correct path as well.
It was merely that his route was comparatively slower.
In truth, it was not even truly slow!
It was primarily because the second round restricted Danyangzi from utilizing his natal true fire.
Otherwise, even if the road was long and obstructed, he could still have covered immense ground in a single day.
*Wait, this boy's foundation is far too solid!*
*Earlier, his Folding Jade Hand reached supernatural mastery. I assumed he had immersed himself in that technique for years to achieve such skill, and let it pass.*
*Why are this Cloud Transforming Hand and Washing Brook Hand just as immaculate?*
*He is about to process the final herb, the Azure Star Grass. He couldn't possibly have mastered the Pure Heart Hand as well…*
Beneath the elder's expectant yet astonished gaze, Luo Chen cast a Traction Art.
A spirit grass gleaming with azure starlight gently floated above the Glazed Child Cauldron.
At this moment, Luo Chen manipulated the earth fire with one hand to scorch the Guiyuan Cicada Slough.
With his other hand, he formed an incantation gesture.
Pure wood spiritual power, driven by the Pure Heart Hand, effortlessly slipped into the Azure Star Grass with calm ease.
In the next instant, droplets of starlight drifted downward.
This was not the refined medicinal essence of the Azure Star Grass; rather, it was the azure star poison that alchemists across the world discarded like worthless dross!
Watching that starlight fall into the cauldron, countless onlookers erupted into an uproar!
Instead of taking its essence, he took its poison.
What on earth was this alchemist doing?
Yet in the following breath, an extraordinary and breathtaking sight inside the transparent glazed cauldron left everyone dumbstruck.
The starlight entered the cauldron and landed upon the pitch-black cicada slough.
A wisp of azure smoke suddenly arose.
Immediately after, the blackened slough began trembling violently.
The black gradually receded.
Gray-white shifted into blue, followed by a sudden shiver, until finally it turned as clear and bright as the azure sky, thin as a cicada's wing!
The vast primordial qi that had been sealed at its very center now poured out unreservedly, permeating every single corner of the wing.
With a gentle beckon from Luo Chen, the flawlessly processed Guiyuan Cicada Slough slowly drifted toward the white-haired elder of the Grand Alchemy Court.
This scene looked extraordinarily like a butterfly breaking from its cocoon, or a cicada's song heralding summer—achieving ultimate brilliance after a long dormancy!
With a complex expression, the old man looked at the slough in his hand, completely devoid of any impurities.
"Clear as the azure sky, primordial qi fully preserved—a perfect product!
"Time elapsed: half an hour!
"The first alchemist to finish processing the Guiyuan Cicada Slough is Danchenzi!"
Luo Chen smiled faintly and did not linger.
Instead, he lowered his head and began processing the remaining three herbs.
The reason it was three rather than four was that he had already completed the Azure Star Grass during that final step of extracting its poison.
At times, herbal processing could indeed be carried out simultaneously.
Discarding the dross while extracting the essence!
When Luo Chen became the first to hand in a finished material, silence fell over Pill Valley.
And when the Grand Alchemy Court elder declared it acceptable—no, a perfect product—the entire valley erupted into a frenzy!
"He succeeded?"
"How is that possible! He was refining blindly, so how did he end up with a perfect product?"
"You must be joking!"
"Do you really think an alchemist who executes the Cloud Transforming Hand and Pure Heart Hand with supernatural mastery would refine herbs blindly?"
"Senior Brother, it's fine to fool others, but fooling yourself is pointless."
"As much as I hate to admit it, this Senior named Danchenzi seems to have attained alchemy skills surpassing even our Eldest Martial Brother."
"No, I don't believe it! Eldest Martial Brother is flawless!"
Whether Eldest Martial Brother was flawless remained to be seen.
Yet everyone knew that Luo Chen had used a multitude of flawless alchemy arts to produce a flawless Guiyuan Cicada Slough.
Atop the Tao family's high platform, the cultivators exchanged glances before bursting into a chorus of exuberant cheers.
Being the first to successfully process the most difficult Guiyuan Cicada Slough—everyone understood what that signified!
Given the basic alchemy arts Luo Chen had displayed earlier, handling the remaining ingredients would be as effortless as turning his palm.
Amidst the crowd, Tao Yisheng felt immense pride!
He swept his gaze across the Tao family's Foundation Establishment cultivators, every one of whom met his eyes with approval.
Their looks seemed to say: *We're convinced!*
*The Clan Head's judgment was truly extraordinary!*
"Sister…"
Before he could claim credit, Tao Wan spoke from ahead without looking back: "After the first match concludes, there will be a brief rest period. Go fetch the Youran Incense crafted by our Tao family ancestor and deliver it for Luo Chen's use."
Tao Yisheng froze.
Beside him, Clan Head Tao Daonan subconsciously protested, "But wasn't that prepared for your True Disciple Sword Contest? Only three sticks crafted by the ancestor remain."
Tao Wan kept her eyes fixed intently on Luo Chen, yet her voice had grown composed and confident under the weight of immense assurance.
"If Luo Chen secures an absolute advantage in this second round, my entry into the top three is practically guaranteed.
"Rather than coveting a bit of recovery during the sword contest, it is better to help him win this second round. That way, I will have far more time to rest.
"It serves both his interests and mine!"
Tao Daonan came to a sudden realization.
He had nearly penny-pinched his way into losing a fortune!
Without another word, Tao Yisheng did not even stay to watch the rest of the trial. Taking two Foundation Establishment members of the clan with him, he rushed directly toward Mount Xiaonan outside Azure Pill Valley.
The Tao family's Youran Incense was crafted using an exceptional method and required equally unique storage conditions.
It could not be kept in a storage bag; rather, it had to be constantly nourished with a secret technique to preserve its medicinal potency.
And while the spectators outside the arena were boiling with excitement, earth-shaking changes were already underway inside the competition grounds.
Chapter 338