The next day, the atmosphere at the Alchemist Convention was even more heated than the day before.
Ever since Chen Yang said yesterday that he would publicly refine a sixth-grade pill today, the entire Imperial Capital and Alchemists from nearby areas had rushed over. Even the Alchemists from the Cloud Mist Sect had descended the mountain overnight and made their way to the Alchemist Convention.
"Gu He, I didn't expect you to come as well?" Outside the Royal Square, Fa Ma encountered Gu He, who was being stopped by soldiers.
Today, Gu He wasn't wearing his alchemist robe; instead, he was in plain clothes. The soldiers responsible for maintaining order thought Gu He was just another Alchemist from elsewhere who had come to observe.
To maintain order during the competition, everyone except the Alchemist Convention's judges and VIPs was being kept outside.
"President Fa Ma, you've certainly kept me in the dark!"
"When did a Sixth-Rank Alchemist arrive in the Imperial Capital without you telling me? After all, I am an honorary Elder of the Alchemist Guild."
Gu He looked at Fa Ma with a bitter smile.
"That Great Master has a strange temper, but since you're here, come along with me!"
Fa Ma chuckled and gave a casual excuse to brush him off. Gu He also felt Fa Ma was being evasive, but since Fa Ma was stronger than him and had shown him kindness in the past, he didn't say much and followed him inside.
Soon, as the competing Alchemists arrived one after another, Chen Yang and his group also walked onto the high platform under the escort of Hai Bodong.
"It's him???" Gu He immediately spotted Chen Yang, the Peak Dou Huang expert who had snatched away Yun Yun and the Heavenly Flame.
"Great Master Chen Yang, you've arrived!" Unaware of Gu He's thoughts, Fa Ma greeted him with a smile and paid his respects to Chen Yang.
"That... Sixth-Rank Alchemist is him???"
"If it's him, then it's not surprising!"
Gu He was instantly relieved. This was the man who had drawn his sword and swatted him out of the sky over a minor disagreement; he truly did have a strange temper. Thinking of this, he gave Fa Ma a well-meaning look, which only confused Fa Ma when he turned around.
"Great Master Chen Yang, this is Elder Gu He of the Cloud Mist Sect, and he was previously the only Sixth-Rank Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire." Fa Ma looked at Chen Yang and introduced Gu He.
"Elder Gu He, it has been a long time!" Chen Yang looked at Gu He, his tone neither warm nor cold.
"Greetings... Great Master Chen Yang!" Gu He gave a bitter smile and cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Yang.
"Since you're here, take a seat. Barring any accidents, today should be the day Elder Gu He's prized Disciple wins the championship." Chen Yang walked to the center seat and sat down. Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian took their seats according to yesterday's positions. Fa Ma sat next to Xiao Yan, Gu He sat next to Fa Ma, and Hai Bodong sat next to Xiao Yi Xian.
"Sigh! Although Liu Ling's talent in Alchemy Skill is acceptable, because he is my Disciple, he has become somewhat impetuous over the years. Winning the championship at this Alchemist Convention might not be a good thing for him." Gu He sighed. Although he had a grudge against Chen Yang, he was serious about his attitude toward training Disciples.
"That depends on how Elder Gu He trains him. Whether a sapling grows into a towering tree depends on its own Foundation, but the planter must also show more care!" Chen Yang said with a smile.
The people around them fell silent upon hearing this.
After a moment of reflection, Gu He felt he had benefited greatly.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, felt that Chen Yang's words sounded quite similar to a few lines of classical prose he had once studied.
Yao Lao sighed silently. Han Feng's betrayal was certainly due to his lack of gratitude, but did he himself bear no responsibility?
"Great Master Chen Yang is absolutely right. Once the convention is over, I will certainly teach Liu Ling properly!" Gu He said to Chen Yang with cupped hands.
"Mhm!"
...The convention officially began with Fa Ma's announcement.
Compared to yesterday's repetitive refining, today's Royal Square was a spectacle of a hundred flames blooming at once.
On the outskirts of the square, Wind Attribute Dou King experts had already stabilized the air currents to ensure that not a single breeze entered the arena.
In the center of the arena, both Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue brought out their trump cards and began refining the fourth-grade pills they were best at.
"Tsk... Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue are so young, yet they are already capable of refining fourth-grade pills!" Fa Ma said with emotion.
"He's only good at these one or two types; he's still a bit away from becoming a true Fourth-Grade Alchemist." Gu He shook his head.
Outside the square, some older Second or Third-Grade Alchemists watched Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue refining fourth-grade pills in the center, their hearts filled with immense envy. They had wasted their lives until now, due to both their lineage and their talent.
Some people were destined to remain at this level for their entire lives.
A few hours later, Princess Yao Yue and Liu Ling completed their refining almost simultaneously.
However, Liu Ling's pill was clearly of a higher grade than Princess Yao Yue's. The championship of this Alchemist Convention undoubtedly fell into Liu Ling's hands.
"I announce that the champion of the Seventh Alchemist Convention is—Liu Ling!"
However, compared to Gu He's year, this year's Alchemist Convention felt somewhat ordinary. Everyone was looking forward more to the next segment.
"Next, let us invite Great Master Chen Yang. Will all participants please sit closer to the front? Other Alchemists, do not disturb the participants from observing!" Fa Ma didn't think for a second that Chen Yang was refining pills for the sake of those old fogies whose teeth were about to fall out.
The Alchemists outside had originally thought they would be barred from the venue, but when they realized they would have a chance to watch, they were overjoyed and didn't care about anything else.
Thus, under the maintenance of the soldiers, over three thousand Alchemists flooded into the venue. Chen Yang smiled slightly, stepped into the Void Realm, and with another step, he was directly above everyone.
*Gulp...* Gu He and the Alchemists below swallowed hard.
"Void Trekking... A Dou Zong???"
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