Chapter 261. Those who disobey will be executed!
While Lin Feng and Elder Qiu Ling were secretly communicating, the sand acting as a timer continued to drip.
"I hereby declare the first round of assessment over. Each successful candidate shall receive a task list, a map of the Pill Realm, and a space stone from me!"
As the last grain of sand fell, Elder Qiu Ling abruptly opened his eyes and, with a wave of his hand, closed the spatial passage leading to this location.
This meant that the alchemists still struggling within the environmental space had lost their eligibility to compete!
"As the name suggests, you need to find the medicinal herbs on the list to pass!"
"The map's function is self-evident. Most importantly, this space stone—if you crush it at a crucial moment, it can save your life!"
"Of course, that also means losing your eligibility to participate!"
Elder Qiu Ling slowly walked onto the platform where the tasks were placed, his tone serious as he warned again.
"I remind you, the Pill Realm has been in ruins for a long time, and the Pill Tower has not been cleaned for a long time!"
"Therefore, besides guarding against potential spatial rifts, you also need to be wary of seventh- or even eighth-order magical beasts that may exist within the Pill Realm!"
"Even your fellow travelers may sometimes become your killers!" "
Now, if any of you wish to withdraw, I can give you a chance to leave!"
Elder Qiu Ling raised his aged hand, opening a spatial passage before everyone.
"Even with the existence of spatial stones, every Pill Gathering has a mortality rate. Now, make your choice!"
With that, Elder Qiu Ling slowly closed his eyes, awaiting the alchemists' decision.
The alchemists were clearly agitated, discussing amongst themselves, some showing obvious hesitation.
Half an hour later, people began to enter the spatial passage opened by Elder Qiu Ling and depart. Of course, many more chose to stay.
They wanted to become famous throughout the continent!
After waiting for another quarter of an hour, Elder Qiu Ling's aura suddenly changed, becoming sharp and fierce.
"Good!"
"Since you've chosen to stay, I won't say much more. I wish you all success in your alchemy journey, a smooth passage through the trials, and a journey to the true arena of the Continental Alchemist Grand Gathering!"
"Now, come forward one by one to receive your three-piece set!"
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, our teacher told us to follow you!"
Just then, a charming voice rang in Lin Feng's ears, and he saw Cao Ying leading the genius disciples of the Pill Tower towards them.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, thank you for your trouble!"
After Cao Ying spoke, Dan Chen behind her also blushed slightly and spoke up. This girl seemed to be shy about everything except alchemy.
"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Lin Feng!"
Even Song Qing suppressed his shame and came to the peer who had once humiliated him.
Just now, his teacher, Elder Qiu Ling, had secretly transmitted a message that a Soul Hall Elder at the Dou Zun level was hiding in the second round.
If he wanted to save his life, he had to put aside his arrogance and stay with Lin Feng, a Dou Zun powerhouse.
"As long as you follow my commands after entering the Pill Realm," Lin Feng said, slightly opening his eyes to look at these proud Pill Tower disciples, especially Song Qing, "don't act on your own. I guarantee your safety!"
Having received the Pill Tower's benefits and convenience, Lin Feng, though finding it troublesome, didn't refuse.
However, if Song Qing remained as arrogant as in the original story, even abandoning his teammates, he wouldn't be able to save him, especially given the prior notice. With
that, ignoring the ugly expressions of some Pill Tower disciples, Lin Feng stood up and walked towards Elder Qiu Ling to collect his mission list and map.
As for the space stone, he didn't need it. If someone could kill him in the Pill Realm, any space stone would be useless.
Unless the Profound Pill Ancestor intervened, he had no chance of survival.
"Elder Lin Feng, I entrust the younger generation of the Pill Tower to you!"
"Don't worry!"
After a cursory glance, Lin Feng waved to Elder Qiu Ling and walked towards the spatial passage leading to the Pill Realm without looking back.
Cao Ying and the others immediately followed!
Mu Gu, who was hidden in the shadows, looked rather grim.
"Damn it, with this monster who reached the fourth star level as soon as he advanced to Dou Zun, it seems I have to be careful in the Pill Realm!"
"Boom!"
Violent, chaotic, and abundant.
As soon as he entered the Pill Realm, Lin Feng frowned slightly. The Pill Realm was indeed on the verge of collapse.
Looking up, Lin Feng saw that the place where they landed was a plain.
Looking into the distance, he could see mountains of varying heights nestled in the Pill Realm, with some low-level magical beasts roaming around.
However, perhaps because the Pill Realm was about to collapse, the magical beasts living in the Pill Realm were more or less driven mad by the violent energy.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, what should we do now?"
Not only Cao Ying, but Dan Chen, Song Qing, and the others were also waiting for Lin Feng's instructions. They all knew that a Soul Hall Dou Zun was lurking in this place, and they dared not leave Lin Feng's side at this moment.
Although the Pill Realm was on the verge of collapse, it was still vast and boundless, and their people and spiritual herbs were different. What to do now still depended on Lin Feng, the Dou Zun.
Hearing Cao Ying's question, Lin Feng already had a plan: just like in the original story, find the overlord of this Pill Realm—the eighth-order magical beast Xiong Zhan!
As for whether Mu Gu would harm other alchemists, Lin Feng was powerless to do so, as he was too far away to help!
As for why he didn't follow the secretly marked marks to kill or capture Elder Mu Gu and the others the moment he entered the Pill Realm?
That would be a foolish move!
Now that he knew the Soul Hall's plan and everything was under his control, Lin Feng did not want to cause any changes for the sake of momentary pleasure.
If Elder Mu Gu and the other infiltrated Soul Hall protectors were killed now, causing the Soul Hall to deploy half-saints or even Dou Sheng experts to seize the Three Thousand Burning Flames, it would be a huge loss!
After all, the original story seems to have hinted that even the Void Devouring Flame is somewhat interested in the Three Thousand Burning Flames!
"However, if I just watch so many budding talents in the alchemy world wither away, it will be somewhat detrimental to my future leadership of the Pill Tower!"
Lin Feng rubbed his chin, a thoughtful look in his eyes!
"I've got it!"
A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and with a wave of his hand, the powerful aura of a Five-Star Dou Zun erupted, shaking the shattered Pill Realm!
"Five Elemental Beasts, emerge!"
From the southern volcano, the Immortal Vermilion Bird appeared, its magnificent feathers gleaming, its body wreathed in dazzling flames.
In the western desert, the White Tiger stood atop the Geng Metal mine, its roar tearing through the sky, its sword energy sweeping across the heavens and slicing through everything in its path.
In the endless northern ocean, the Black Tortoise suddenly unleashed its colossal claws, tearing through the heavens, its mad wolves rampaging wildly, engulfing the nine heavens.
In the east, the Azure Dragon of Yi Wood stood in the endless expanse of time and space, its surging life force seemingly eternal!
In the central land, the Qilin, a radiant auspicious beast, nourished all things with each light step!
"Go and convey my will!"
Lin Feng stood on the earth, his body swaying slightly, and the energy of the five elements spontaneously revolved around him, seemingly praising this Venerable of the Five Elements!
"Roar!"
As if hearing Lin Feng's will, the Five Elements Sacred Beast roared to the sky once more and flew towards the five directions of heaven and earth.
In the instant it took to the sky, it instantly expanded into a huge phantom hundreds of feet long, traversing back and forth across the entire Pill Realm.
"Within the Pill Realm, no killing is permitted!"
"Those who disobey will be executed!"
Lin Feng's booming voice echoed wherever the Five Elements Sacred Beasts passed, leaving many newly landed alchemists horrified at the sight.
Even Xiong Zhan, a demonic beast king deep within the Pill Realm possessing a trace of the Ancient Void Dragon bloodline, wore an extremely grim expression.
"Five-Star Dou Zun!"
"Roar!"
"Pass down the order: during these alchemists' trials, no killing is permitted!"
"Those who disobey will bear the consequences!"
"Roar!
" "Who exactly is this powerful figure?"
"If I'm not mistaken, this powerful figure should be Lin Feng, the chosen one of the Pill Tower, who achieved four-star Dou Zun in a single day!"
"No, he's already a five-star Dou Zun!"
"Hiss!"
"Terrifying!"
Many alchemists gasped in shock, the rapid cooling seemingly accelerating the Pill Realm's decay, even the void resounding with a strange sound.
"Is this the power of Senior Brother Lin Feng?"
In a corner of the Pill Realm, Xiao Yan, who was collecting the Thousand-Year Earth Essence and the even higher-grade Earth Core Soul Marrow, looked at the Five Elements Sacred Beasts patrolling the sky, a hint of longing in his eyes.
"If I had Senior Brother Lin Feng's strength, perhaps I could save my father!"
"We're abandoning this operation to hunt down the Pill Tower alchemists in the Pill Realm!"
Deep in a mountain range, a dozen gray-robed figures looked grim, especially the leader, Elder Mu Gu.
Looking at the terrifying demonic beast in the sky, especially the aura it had just unleashed, he knew that even if all of them attacked together, they wouldn't be a match.
"However, even if your strength surpasses mine, so what?"
Mu Gu raised his pale face, which had become pale from years of hiding within the Soul Palace, his old face full of disdain.
"Just a mere junior. When the real alchemy competition begins, I'll show you what despair truly means!"
A
strange, inexplicable laugh echoed through the mountains, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, startling countless low-level magical beasts.
After the Five Elements Sacred Beasts had patrolled for half an hour, Lin Feng withdrew them into his body, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and after a brief period of meditation, slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at the many shocked geniuses of the Pill Tower before him, he said calmly,
"With my warning, even that old fellow Mu Gu will absolutely not dare to make a move again. You can all go and find the spiritual herbs for the mission!"
With that, Lin Feng sped off in a certain direction.
"This…"
The many geniuses of the Pill Tower exchanged glances, unsure what to do.
"Ying'er, Junior Sister Dan Chen, fellow junior brothers and sisters, since Lin Feng has left, why don't we act together?"
After Lin Feng's departure, Song Qing, who had been silent until now, finally revealed his intentions.
"Song Qing, Senior Brother Lin Feng has already said that after his intimidation, absolutely no one in this Pill Realm will dare to kill."
"Everyone's tasks and spiritual herbs are different. Once we're no longer in mortal danger, let's split up and hurry up!"
"Also, we're not very familiar with each other, please just call me Cao Ying!"
However, facing Song Qing's warm greeting, Cao Ying seemed completely unappreciative. After saying a few rather cold words, she turned to Dan Chen behind her and said,
"Junior Sister Dan Chen, how about we have a competition to see who completes the second round of tasks first?" As soon as she
finished speaking, Cao Ying seemed to know Dan Chen's shyness. Without waiting for her reply, she called out to the Cao family members and left in one direction.
After the Cao family members left, Dan Xuan of the Dan family also politely greeted Song Qing and the others, and then left without hesitation with Dan Chen.
Seeing this scene, Song Qing's face was extremely gloomy, and he was furious.
"Fellow junior brothers, would you like to team up with me?"
Hearing Song Qing's question, the remaining geniuses of the Pill Tower exchanged glances. Although they didn't say it outright, their disdain was palpable.
"Senior Brother Song Qing, we think Senior Sister Cao Ying's words make a lot of sense, so we won't trouble you with your help!"
As soon as the words fell, the many geniuses of the Pill Tower transformed into dozens of orbs of light, shooting off in twos and threes in a certain direction.
Clearly, these geniuses of the Pill Tower were aware of Song Qing's temper. Having been intimidated by Lin Feng earlier, they were unwilling to follow behind Song Qing and become his punching bags.
After all, whose teacher wasn't also a teacher of the Pill Tower?
Besides, even if they wanted to join forces, Senior Brother Lin Feng, Senior Sister Cao Ying, and Senior Sister Dan Chen were all far superior.
Song Qing? Heh, just a clown!
"Ah!"
After everyone had gone far away, Song Qing could no longer contain his anger and roared to the sky.
Although the Pill Realm is damaged, it is still the world created by the founder of the Pill Tower, a world opened up by the most powerful figure below the Dou Di level, and it is vast and boundless!
Even though the Pill Tower has tried its best to reduce the difficulty of finding spiritual herbs in this vast world, many alchemists are still baffled.
However, compared to previous Pill Realm assessments, this year, thanks to Lin Feng, there were no casualties!
Some clever alchemists even used this opportunity to trade with the intelligent magical beasts that had received orders, exchanging pills of different grades for their own mission herbs.
Of course, this was within the rules of the Pill Tower!
After all, in the upcoming third round of assessments, alchemists would have to bring their own herbs!
As the instigator, Lin Feng had naturally thought of this method long ago. He was currently traversing space, heading towards the King of the Pill Realm.
"What kind of monsters have I encountered in the Pill Realm this time? When will I, Old Bear, be able to return to the outside world?"
Inside a cave, a burly human man sighed deeply.
"If you hand over all your elixirs, I can take you out now!"
"Who goes there!"
Xiong Zhan suddenly roared, his aura of a wild, kingly power surging outwards, his face filled with vigilance.
Chapter 262. The Grand Alchemy Competition officially begins!
Beneath the swirling waterfall, ancient giant trees flourished, and many extinct ancient spiritual creatures seemed to be found here.
This was the territory of Xiong Zhan, the king of the alchemy world!
"Master Lin Feng, these are spiritual fruits that have grown for over a thousand years, left behind by my ancestors. Please enjoy them!"
The majestic and domineering Bear King outside was now respectfully introducing spiritual creatures to a human. If the many magical beasts of the alchemy world saw this, they would be dumbfounded.
However, if they could sense the vast energy deep within Lin Feng's body, they would lower their proud heads like Xiong Zhan.
"Hmm, Xiong Zhan, go and find the spiritual herbs on these, and then I'll choose half of your collection!"
Lin Feng casually tossed out his task list, stating his requirements.
"If your collection satisfies me, I can introduce you to the Ancient Void Dragon Clan!"
"What!?"
Xiong Zhan's face was filled with shock, because he possessed a trace of the Ancient Dragon Bear bloodline, and the Ancient Dragon Bear was a branch of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.
Only then did he realize how heavy Lin Feng's promise was!
"Master Lin Feng, I, Xiong Zhan, offer you my entire collection. I beg you, Master, to allow me to return to my ancestral lineage!"
Not only could he leave this damned Pill Realm, but he could also trace the main lineage of his bloodline. Xiong Zhan felt that today was truly his lucky day!
"That depends on your performance!"
"Master, please rest here for a moment. I, Xiong Zhan, will be right back!"
After Lin Feng nodded, Xiong Zhan could no longer contain his excitement. He tore through the void and went to find the spiritual herbs that Lin Feng needed.
Lin Feng slowly got up and came to Xiong Zhan's cave, collecting the top-grade spiritual herbs that were rarely seen in the outside world and had even become extinct!
When he touched a few pieces of jade-like stones, Lin Feng slowed his movements and carefully examined them in his hands.
"Gastrodia Jade Essence? These few pieces are enough to exchange one for the Earth Core Soul Marrow with Xiao Yan, and the rest would be enough to advance Cai Lin and the others' soul power to the Spirit Realm!"
Lin Feng stroked his chin, a hint of regret in his eyes.
"Unfortunately, my soul power has already reached the peak of the Spirit Realm. Even if I were to refine it into a Pill Spirit Elixir, its effect on me would only be a slight increase in spiritual energy!"
"Fortunately, there are still two huge masses of soul essence that I can absorb!"
Thinking of the two masses of soul essence suppressed within his soul sea, a fiery glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes.
"I just wonder if, after completely absorbing them, I can reach the Heaven Realm soul!"
"That's the most important condition for a ninth-grade alchemist!"
"Boy, hand over the Heavenly Spirit Jade Vine you possess!"
In a mountain range somewhere in the Pill Realm, Xiong Zhan, his face icy, stared at the young man surrounded by five- or six-colored flames not far ahead, his eyes flashing with killing intent!
"This spiritual herb is an unclaimed possession of the Pill Realm. Once it's in my hands, Xiao Yan, there's no reason for it to be forcibly taken!"
Looking at the terrifyingly powerful figure radiating the aura of a Dou Zun, Xiao Yan was puzzled as to why this person dared to risk being killed to attack.
However, he had no time to think too much at this moment, and unleashed the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations he had obtained from the Burning Flame Valley.
"Heavenly Flame Three Transformations!"
"First Transformation, Bone Spirit Transformation!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan's aura, initially at the eight-star Dou Zong level, instantly swelled to the peak of the nine-star Dou Zong level.
"Second Transformation, Sea Heart Transformation!"
"Third Transformation, Fallen Heart Flame Transformation!"
Knowing the vast difference between a Dou Zong and a Dou Zun, Xiao Yan instantly unleashed the next two transformations in succession, his aura breaking through that terrifying barrier and reaching the peak of the one-star Dou Zun level.
Seeing this, Xiong Zhan narrowed his eyes slightly, his aura becoming even more violent.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, was increasingly puzzled. The Heavenly Spirit Jade Vine, in terms of energy alone, wasn't a particularly powerful spiritual object. What use did Xiong Zun have for it?
"Human brat, normally I, Old Bear, would let you off easy!"
Xiong Zhan's voice grew increasingly low and hoarse, his aura becoming more and more violent, causing the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) to surge violently.
"However, this spiritual herb is one of Master Lin Feng's tasks. Today, even if it means serious injury, Old Bear will obtain it!"
"What?" "
Hold on, Xiong Zun! Is this what Master Lin Feng looks like?"
Xiao Yan hurriedly took out a portrait from his storage ring. It was the image of Lin Feng he had obtained from the Han family.
Ever since Lin Feng advanced to the four-star Dou Zun realm in Saint Pill City in a single day, all the major and minor forces in Central Continent had copied his portrait, ensuring that their纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families who are spoiled and dissolute) knew it, lest it bring great disaster upon their families.
"Who are you to Master Lin Feng?"
Upon seeing the portrait, Xiong Zhan also realized something was amiss.
"The Master Lin Feng you speak of is indeed my senior brother!"
Noticing the respect this powerful figure showed Lin Feng, Xiao Yan had a vague idea.
"So we're family! It's true what they say, 'No fight, no friendship'!"
Having almost gotten into a fight with Master Lin Feng's junior brother, Xiong Zhan's heart skipped a beat, thankfully the misunderstanding was cleared up.
"This
gentleman," "You may simply call me Xiao Yan, Xiong Zun!"
"Young friend Xiao Yan, please follow me to the cave, so I may apologize!"
"You're too kind, Xiong Zun!"
Saying this, Xiao Yan followed Xiong Zhan's steps, extremely curious about the territory of the Pill Realm King.
The two figures sped towards Xiong Zhan's territory, one after the other. At the speed of a Dou Zun, they arrived at their destination in less than a quarter of an hour.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, you've arrived!"
Seeing their arrival, Lin Feng, who was using his soul power to perceive the workings of the Pill Realm with his hands behind his back, slowly turned around, looking at the two approaching, and revealed a smile.
This Pill Realm truly lives up to its reputation as a small world created by the founder of the Pill Tower, especially now that it's on the verge of destruction and its space has become extremely unstable.
This allows Lin Feng to easily observe the principles of its internal operation. In short, within just a quarter of an hour, his understanding of space has increased by a whole dimension.
If compared to the inheritance left in the old Dragon Emperor's blood essence, it even reaches a level comparable to the enlightenment of a typical Ancient Void Dragon at the third or fourth level of the Dou Zun realm.
If Lin Feng were to seclude himself here for a year or two, and combine that with the spatial insights he gained from refining the Dragon Emperor's essence blood, perhaps his mastery of space could reach the level of a peak ninth-level Dou Zun.
Of course, Lin Feng wouldn't be so unwise. Leaving aside the imminent opening of the Creation Saint's ruins, he had to go to find the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit for Zi Yan.
Even if he refined pills outside, just relying on the numerous pill lightning bolts, his cultivation level would undoubtedly improve by a certain extent within a year!
With a higher Dou Qi realm, he would certainly be able to comprehend the essence of space more quickly.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, you live too comfortably!"
Looking at Lin Feng's luxurious clothes, and the still-warm spiritual tea on the stone table in front of him, wafting with spiritual
energy, even his soul, which had reached the peak of the Mortal Realm, felt a slight boost after just one sip.
Thinking of himself, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Comparison is truly infuriating!"
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, do you have any Tianma Jadeite Essence here?"
Shaking his head, he dispelled the bitterness in his mind. Senior Brother Lin Feng had always been stronger than him, but he had always been trying to catch up.
"Bear Lord happens to have a few in his collection. Do you need them?"
Lin Feng took out a piece of Tianma Jade Essence from his storage ring and tossed it directly to Xiao Yan.
"If I'm not mistaken, you probably want to prepare Pill Spirit Elixir to advance to the Spirit Realm Soul stage, right?"
Although it was a question, Lin Feng's tone was one of certainty.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng is right. I do want to advance to the Soul Realm in this Pill Realm. Only in this way can I advance to the top ten in the third round of the competition!"
Thinking of the information his master's wife in black robes had given him, Xiao Yan's eyes revealed a hint of fervor.
"This Tianma Jade Essence is yours. In exchange, give me the Earth Core Soul Marrow left over after you've prepared the Pill Spirit Elixir. I have other uses for it!"
Although he was puzzled as to why his senior brother Lin Feng, who had already reached the Spirit Realm, wanted to prepare Pill Spirit Elixir again, Xiao Yan did not refuse.
He took out the Earth Core Soul Marrow from his storage ring, took out the portion he needed, and then handed the rest to Lin Feng.
"Lord Xiong, I'll need to borrow your cave for a while!"
Seeing Xiao Yan clasping his hands in greeting, Xiong Zhan quickly waved his hand, indicating that it was fine to do as he pleased!
Although he wasn't an alchemist, from their conversation, he knew that Xiao Yan was about to break through to the eighth-grade alchemist, and therefore deserved respect.
Moreover, even disregarding alchemy, Xiao Yan's combat strength was no less than his own!
Watching Xiao Yan enter the cave, Lin Feng had no particular thoughts, continuing to drink with Xiong Zhan before the waterfall while simultaneously multitasking, experiencing the laws of the Pill Realm.
Time gradually passed, and on this day, the booming voice of the Pill Tower's Grand Elder began to echo in the Pill Realm.
"Attention all contestants, today is the last day of the second round of assessments. All contestants who have not yet completed their tasks must do so as soon as possible and return to the plaza to confirm their entry into the third round!"
The Grand Elder's voice echoed three times in the Pill Realm before slowly fading away.
Our lucky Xiao Yan seemed to know his chance had come, as a powerful soul fluctuation suddenly emanated from his secluded cave.
"Buzz!"
The invisible soul power transformed into waves of light, sweeping outwards in all directions. Even Xiong Zhan's expression turned solemn .
Of course, this initial entry into the Spirit Realm was insignificant to Lin Feng.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, the second round of assessment will be over in an hour!"
Seeing Xiao Yan standing in the sky, seemingly sensing the difference in the Spirit Realm soul, Lin Feng interrupted his spellcasting!
Xiao Yan looked somewhat embarrassed. It was a habit of his; although not intentional, he always preferred to make a grand entrance, even though Senior Brother Lin Feng was more like the protagonist in the story.
"Lord Xiong, the Holy Pill City is currently hosting the Continental Alchemist Grand Gathering, and the defenses are quite tight. Although, given my status, it wouldn't be impossible for me to take you out directly."
Lin Feng waved to Xiao Yan, signaling him to stabilize his realm as soon as possible, then turned to Xiong Zhan and explained.
"Although the Ancient Dragon Clan is currently in Saint Pill City, they don't want news of their emergence. I can only take you out after the tournament!"
"Master Lin Feng, just remember that! As long as I can return to the Dragon Clan, I, Old Bear, am willing to wait even a few more years!"
Xiong Zhan's rugged face showed a completely submissive attitude towards Lin Feng's arrangements, his thick eyebrows and large eyes filled with longing to return to the Ancient Dragon Clan.
"In that case, Lord Xiong, just wait for my message!"
With that, Lin Feng and Xiao Yan, who had already emerged from seclusion, didn't linger. They created a spatial wormhole, leading directly to the outside world!
Around the Saint Pill City square, hundreds of thousands of spectators had waited for a long time without showing any impatience.
In fact, as time passed, the atmosphere became increasingly noisy.
From the very first round, people had been paying close attention; from the eliminated alchemists, they could tell how difficult this competition was.
When the thousands of alchemists who had passed the second round of trials appeared, the discussion reached its peak, the clamor resounding throughout the heavens and earth!
Countless stone platforms had risen from the plaza, hovering in mid-air, each isolated to prevent external interference.
"Silence!"
Upon the appearance of the numerous alchemists, Xuan Kongzi, atop a high platform, uttered a soft shout, his aura as a peak Ninth-Rank Dou Zun leaking out, instantly silencing the vast plaza.
Hundreds of thousands of eyes were fixed on Xuan Kongzi on the platform; in such a situation, those with weak wills would find even speaking extremely difficult.
"Having passed the first two rounds of selection, the remaining alchemists are undoubtedly among the most elite and powerful in the entire continent!"
Xuan Kongzi first acknowledged the thousands of alchemists below, then his expression turned serious.
"However, the upcoming third round of assessment will truly test an alchemist's alchemy skills!"
Xuan Kongzi suddenly raised his right hand, a fanatical glint in his eyes.
"Next, I invite you to display the most powerful alchemy skills of your lives, and with your thunderous alchemical roars that resound through the heavens, decide the title of the continent's number one alchemist for the past thirty years!"
"Now, I declare the Alchemy Competition officially open!"
"Boom!"
Xuan Kongzi's words caused a complete uproar. The roars of hundreds of thousands of spectators shook the heavens, and even the thousands of participating alchemists could hardly contain their excitement!
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Thousands of alchemists displayed their unique abilities, some revealing colorful wings of battle aura, others soaring through the air, and still others leaping directly onto their chosen stone platforms. The
simultaneous flight of thousands of figures was a highlight of the alchemy gathering, and many savvy businesspeople took out their recording stones to capture the moment.
Chapter 263. The curtain rises!
On the plaza, thousands of alchemists simultaneously brought out their cauldrons, and various strange flames rose almost at the same time.
Although the audience of Holy Pill City had witnessed this scene more than once, it still moved them deeply. Even
the weakest among those who reached the third round of the competition was a peak fifth-grade alchemist; with their wealth, acquiring a sixth-grade beast fire was not difficult at all.
This meant that there were at least a thousand beast fires on the field, all at least of the sixth grade—truly terrifying.
Some top-tier alchemists, and some well-known seventh-grade alchemists, possessed beast fires that reached the seventh or even eighth grade.
Among them, the fires wielded by the Pill Tower and other prodigies were exceptionally powerful and dazzling.
For example, Cao Ying, known as the "Little Demoness of the Cao Family," even managed to condense a Blood Demon Flame using the Cao family's substantial resources.
That flame was formed from the blood of at least a thousand high-level fire-attribute magical beasts; according to Lin Feng's understanding, even the lowest-ranking beast was at least of the fourth grade. With
a deafening boom
, a jet-black flame suddenly appeared in the hand of a pale-faced middle-aged man.
The strange flames held by thousands of alchemists in the plaza instantly trembled, seemingly submitting to him!
"Xuan Kongzi, I've secured the championship of this year's Alchemist Conference!"
After the strange flame appeared, Elder Mu Gu glanced calmly at Xuan Kongzi and the others on the high platform.
As a long-time rival, Mu Gu knew that the moment his aura was exposed, Xuan Kongzi and the others must have already discovered his identity.
"However, at this Alchemy Conference, the Pill Tower cannot expel alchemists for reasons other than alchemy!"
"The strange flame appears, all flames submit!"
Many observant spectators exclaimed in shock, hundreds of thousands of breaths instantly drawn out, and even the air itself seemed to heat up.
No wonder the audience was shocked. Even the alchemists who were struggling to stabilize their beast fire, though their faces were grim, clearly showed how precious the exotic fire was to them through their yearning eyes!
The reaction of Xuan Kongzi and the others on the platform was unexpected for Mu Gu. They seemed to ignore him, their expressions remaining calm, as if they considered him insignificant!
"Hmph, Xuan Kongzi, do you really think you can defeat me with your few brats from the Pill Association?!"
Feeling slighted, Mu Gu's face darkened. He turned and swept his gaze across the surrounding alchemists, considering them all trash!
"Boom!"
Just then, the beast fire that had been stabilized in the hands of the alchemists suddenly erupted again.
However, those with experience looked towards the direction of the strange fire's worship.
There, a resolute-faced alchemist held a strange, multicolored flame in his hand!
However, even the most knowledgeable passersby couldn't identify which strange fire it was.
Only Elder Mu Gu on the high platform and Xuan Kongzi, who was hosting the competition in the distance, knew that this was the exclusive secret technique of one of their "old friends"!
"Yao Chen!"
Mu Gu's already gloomy face became even more unsightly, as if he was recalling something from many years ago.
"You old bastard, you're still alive and have even taken on a disciple! Today, I'll make him lose miserably!"
"Is this Yao Chen's newly accepted disciple?"
A hint of surprise appeared in Xuan Kongzi's eyes. In his perception, this young alchemist's strange fire seemed to be formed by the fusion of multiple strange fires.
More importantly, the aura on his body, which was not yet fully stabilized, was that the Spirit Realm?
"I didn't expect that little guy Xiao Yan would obtain such a great opportunity in the Pill Realm this time, raising his soul power to the Spirit Realm. It seems that he might achieve good results this time!" Xuan Yi ,
standing to the side, was also somewhat surprised. Not long ago, Xiao Yan was still at the peak of the Mortal Realm, but now he had already advanced to the Spirit Realm.
"However, it's still too difficult for Yao Chen's disciple to defeat Mu Gu and win the championship with his current alchemy skills alone!"
Tian Lei Zi, though surprised by Yao Chen's sharp eyes, still didn't have high hopes for him winning the championship.
"Hahaha, no matter how things develop, as long as Lin Feng is there, I'm at ease!"
Xuan Kong Zi suddenly stroked his beard and smiled. This was the most relaxed competition he had ever presided over.
Although some people from the Soul Palace were secretly causing trouble, they were all intimidated by Lin Feng, so he could rest easy!
"Indeed!"
Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi, as well as many powerful elders beside him, showed expressions of approval.
"I didn't expect that after losing the Sea Heart Flame opportunity, that old fellow Mu Gu actually obtained a wisp of the Void Devouring Flame!"
Lin Feng stood in the very center of the thousand-square stone platform, observing the many alchemists without leaving a trace, especially lingering on Mu Gu for a while.
Or rather, on the black flame in Mu Gu's hand that emitted a devouring aura!
As for why Lin Feng was so confident, saying it was a secondary flame rather than a secondary flame, it was because the Void Devouring Flame was currently at least at the peak of an eight-star Dou Sheng.
His secondary flame required at least a Dou Sheng level expert to enter his body. With Mu Gu's physique at only four or five stars Dou Zun, let alone refining and using it,
it would be completely burned away the moment he touched it!
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan in the corner also showed surprise. He had originally thought that his strange flame, after multiple fusions and which had already faintly entered the top eight of the Strange Flame Ranking, would definitely be the champion in this competition!
However, after the black flame appeared, his strange flame, after multiple fusions, actually felt a threat!
Although it wasn't very strong, it still shocked Xiao Yan quite a bit.
"Fine, as long as I perform to my full potential, that's enough. Even the teacher said that Senior Brother Lin Feng's alchemy skills are quite formidable, even among the older generation!"
"I just need to get into the top ten and secure a spot to subdue the strange fire!"
In another corner, an elderly man who had concealed his identity watched the strange fires in Xiao Yan and Mu Gu's hands, his eyes burning with even greater fervor.
"Boom!"
Just then, the beast fires in the hands of many alchemists erupted once more, truly a series of twists and turns!
A green flame slowly floated in Lin Feng's hand, enveloped and swirling within a blue lotus—it was the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame!
"Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame!"
"I didn't expect this year's Alchemy Competition to be so intense. Even before it started, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame and two other unknown strange fires had already appeared!"
"Indeed, it seems this year's Alchemy Conference is bound to be spectacular!"
"Everyone, quickly take out your projectors and record this! I have a feeling this conference will exceed our expectations!"
"Senior is absolutely right!"
As the old man finished speaking, many spectators quickly took out their prepared projection stones to record the scene.
Those who hadn't brought projection stones were quite disappointed. However, where there's demand, there's opportunity. Many shrewd merchants had already prepared massive quantities of projection stones, and
they immediately raised prices to ten or even twenty times the usual amount.
Even so, demand still couldn't meet supply. No one had expected such a spectacular scene to unfold right from the start of the Pill Gathering.
In the center of the enormous plaza, thousands of stone platforms floated steadily in mid-air. Thousands of alchemists, all at least at the fifth-grade level, brought out their various and unusual medicinal cauldrons.
Thousands of beast flames shone brightly, yet subtly submitted to three different directions, as if a supreme fire spirit resided there!
There, the emerald-green Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, the Void Devouring Flame radiating a devouring aura, and Xiao Yan's multicolored flame, fused with the Burning Technique!
How could such a scene not stir the heart!
Of course, logically speaking, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame could never rival the latter two.
However, at this crucial moment, how could Lin Feng allow himself to be underestimated?
The continuous flow of Five Elements Battle Qi caused the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame to erupt with the might of a Battle Venerable, incredibly suppressing many of the strange flames ranked higher than it. After
the numerous alchemists stabilized their beast fires and observed that no strange flames had reappeared, they all took out their prepared medicinal herbs, preparing to begin refining medicine.
The hundreds of thousands of spectators also gradually lowered their voices at this moment, to allow the contestants on stage to perform at their best and witness this rare grand event on the continent.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Numerous high-grade spiritual herbs flew out, and under the influence of such a massive amount of medicinal herbs, even the energy of heaven and earth in this thousand-foot-wide plaza surged several levels in an instant.
Even some lower-level Battle Masters and Battle Warriors in the audience, who had come with their elders, were affected by this and actually broke through a realm!
From the quantity and strength of the spiritual herbs the alchemists produced, many spectators could vaguely distinguish the alchemy skills of each individual!
For example, Xiao Yan, Mu Gu, and the others each produced no fewer than a hundred different kinds of pills.
Lin Feng's display was even more extravagant; with a wave of his hand, nearly a thousand kinds of spiritual herbs appeared.
The sheer number of herbs seemed to form a river of spiritual herbs, surrounding him and highlighting the extraordinary nature of his alchemy skills!
The surrounding alchemists were all astonished by this scene, some even losing their composure and nearly exploding their cauldrons!
"Damn it! Alchemists aren't competing on brute force! Even I can't use so many spiritual herbs to refine pills at once, let alone a junior like you!"
Mu Gu, having witnessed this, immediately turned extremely ugly.
The other alchemists also reacted differently, but all were filled with shock.
"Xuan Kongzi, what is Lin Feng doing?"
On the high platform where the presiding official was located, Xuan Yi could no longer sit still upon seeing this scene.
"Incredible! Incredible!"
Xuan Kongzi didn't respond directly, only exclaiming repeatedly, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.
The audience outside the arena was even more shocked. Even the most senior figures, who had witnessed more than one alchemy gathering, had never seen such a terrifying scene.
Thousands of eyes were drawn to the river of spiritual herbs floating in front of Lin Feng at this moment, and they didn't even dare to breathe, as if they were afraid of affecting Lin Feng's performance.
However, Lin Feng, sitting on the stone platform, seemed completely unaffected. With a wave of his hand, he instantly threw the entire river of spiritual herbs into the medicine cauldron.
The reason for this was that the Heart of the Earth had a function of magnification and shrinking, which allowed him to contain the river of spiritual herbs without affecting the alchemy process.
"Bang!"
After everything was ready, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, which had been quietly floating in Lin Feng's palm, suddenly shone brightly and went straight into the medicine cauldron.
The alchemy begins!
On the vast plaza, thousands of top alchemists competed, dazzling flames crisscrossing as spiritual herbs crackled and sizzled.
In this arena, under the spotlight and with the potential to make a name for themselves across the continent, the alchemists remained calm, each methodically refining their most familiar pills.
However, the refining process was slower than ever before, as they feared even the slightest mistake!
Time slowly passed amidst the crackling of the burning herbs, several days slipping by.
After several days, some pills were naturally produced, as among the thousands of alchemists were a few fortunate fifth-grade alchemists who had passed the test.
The emergence of fifth-grade pills naturally didn't take long.
Although refining pills at this point meant they had no chance of winning, they were already mentally prepared, considering it a valuable experience for the next time.
As for the rules of the Pill Tower, each person could only participate in the Continental Alchemist Pill Tower Grand Gathering, also known as the Pill Gathering, once in their lifetime!
Actually, the rules weren't very strict. As long as you were shameless enough to participate, the Pill Tower wouldn't say anything.
Among the thousands of alchemists, many were middle-aged or even white-haired; this wasn't their first time participating in the Pill Gathering.
After slowly suspending their refined pills for hundreds of thousands of spectators to admire for a quarter of an hour, these alchemists consciously took their leave.
However, as they passed by those alchemists still refining pills, the envy in their eyes was hard to conceal.
They knew these were alchemists whose skills surpassed their own.
As for why they didn't subtly influence them, well, these alchemists weren't stupid.
The hundreds of thousands of spectators were watching closely; if they made any underhanded moves, they would have nowhere to hide on the Dou Qi Continent afterward!
No one dared to consume the pills refined by a despicable alchemist, and this was the reason for their pride.
Sometimes, pride signifies nobility, a disdain for petty deeds.
It can only be said that the arrogance of alchemists has its endearing aspects!
Of course, on the other hand, there's the fact that the three giants and eight powerful elders on the high platform, if they deem you cheating or maliciously interfering with others' alchemy competition,
will forever bar you from the sacred Pill Tower!
And on the Dou Qi Continent, unless you are the absolute top-tier expert, being rejected or even despised by the Pill Tower is practically the end of your life.
After numerous fifth-grade alchemists produced their pills, it seemed to signal the arrival of a new era for pill production, with many fifth and sixth-grade pills appearing one after another.
A rich medicinal aroma immediately filled the entire plaza, and the spectators who had been watching the refining process for days were invigorated by the fragrance.
They knew that the final competition had finally begun!
Chapter 264. The champion of the Danhui competition, Cao Ying!?
One after another, alchemists, regardless of grade, hung their successfully refined pills high above their stone platforms, allowing hundreds of thousands of eyes to scrutinize them.
Although the plaza was a thousand feet wide, the Pill Tower, as the organizer, had naturally considered this, utilizing spatial principles during its construction.
Furthermore, the higher one's cultivation level in Dou Qi, the stronger one's physical abilities become.
Combined with the unique design of the audience seating, anyone at the Great Dou Shi level could clearly sense the state of the alchemists on the platforms.
"Boom!"
With some succeeding, others inevitably failed!
On this stage under the spotlight, some alchemists, in order to gain more attention, chose to take a gamble, refining pills they weren't entirely confident about.
Or, under this immense pressure, even pills they were usually certain of succeeding with became difficult to refine!
In such cases, the probability of the cauldron exploding was extremely high.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Seemingly influenced by the previous man, three earth-shattering explosions of the cauldron rang out in succession, one after another, quite a spectacular sight!
As numerous fifth-grade pills were successively produced, sixth-grade pills followed closely behind, and the energy between heaven and earth gradually surged violently.
The fragrance of herbs on the plaza became even stronger. Of course, some alchemists who were already struggling to maintain the fusion of their pills were now in a state of panic!
"Boom!"
Under such violent energy, some alchemists still managed to explode their cauldrons again. Judging from the grade of the energy, it seemed to have reached the level of a mid-grade sixth-grade pill, which was quite a pity!
However, alchemists who could reach the sixth-grade level were still quite skilled. Most of them managed to stabilize their pills and successfully refine them!
Primary sixth-grade, mid-grade sixth-grade, advanced sixth-grade!
The further time went, the higher the grade of the pills produced became, and in the later stages, cauldron explosions only occurred occasionally.
During this period, some alchemists made mistakes, but all the alchemists who came were well-prepared, bringing at least three batches of pills!
After a brief adjustment of their mindset, they immediately started again, which was not a big deal.
On the seventh and eighth days
, the pills that appeared became increasingly high-grade as time went on.
By the eighth day, the lowest grade of the pills that appeared was high-grade sixth rank, such as the Royal Extreme Pill.
With so many top-grade pills appearing, the fragrance of medicine in the air had become extremely strong.
However, experienced viewers who had watched several pill gatherings knew that these were just appetizers; the main event was yet to come!
In the blink of an eye, the third round of the pill-refining competition had been going on for half a month, and many viewers had not left.
Even some juniors at the Great Battle Master level brought their own pills for fasting, not wanting to miss any of the appearances of top-grade pills.
Those spectators who had reached the Dou Huang or even Dou Zong level watched intently, observing the situation on the field.
"Rumble!"
On this day, low-lying thunderclouds suddenly gathered above the Pill Tower, the muffled thunder gradually stirring the emotions of the crowd.
"This is... the first Grade Seven pill has been created!?"
Hundreds of thousands of spectators looked up at the thin thunderclouds in the sky. Although these thunderclouds were somewhat... well, small, they had still reached the Grade Seven level.
"Hahaha, this old man has finally refined a Grade Seven pill!"
A joyful, weeping voice rang out. Everyone looked towards the sound and saw an elderly man with white hair, gazing at the thunderclouds in the sky, his eyes filled with tears.
Seeing the alchemist's joyful tears, the crowd understood somewhat.
The profession of alchemist, requiring the element of wood within fire, already excluded most people.
Besides that, it also demanded an understanding of pharmacology and a talent for sensing soul power.
The latter two can be summarized as the speed of soul power improvement.
If one's soul power reaches the Spirit Realm, the unparalleled memory alone allows for rapid learning, understanding, and mastery of pharmacology, naturally leading to a rapid improvement in alchemy skills.
This is why alchemists enjoy teaching geniuses; rather than teaching, it's more about imparting experience. Geniuses only need a vague direction, and they will naturally progress on their own!
However, with the scarcity of Soul Forging Techniques in the present day, most alchemists can only improve their soul power through breakthroughs in realms, the accumulation of time, and the extremely fortunate encounter with rare and precious materials!
Therefore, this old man's ability to break through to the seventh-grade alchemist realm at such a young age truly demonstrates that he has dedicated his entire life to the art of alchemy.
Of course, while this senior's story is moving, the hundreds of thousands of spectators here are not here to see his solo performance.
And the remaining hundreds of alchemists would not give up their opportunity to showcase their skills!
Most only glanced at him and then ignored him, continuing to concentrate intently on sensing the progress of the pill refining within their own cauldrons. The birth of the
elixir
by the aged seventh-grade alchemist seemed to trigger a chain reaction, with thunderclouds gathering in the sky and lightning flashing continuously!
The alchemists' methods of dealing with the pill lightning were dazzling, with various brilliant fighting techniques and secret arts being unleashed without restraint, making it a highlight of the Pill Gathering. For the
next few days, at least three to five bolts of pill lightning fell almost daily, though these were at most mid-seventh-grade lightning.
The true alchemy masters continued to steadily refine their most prized masterpieces to date. Several
more days passed in the blink of an eye; the third round of the Pill Gathering had now lasted nearly twenty days .
The energy gathered in the thunderclouds above the alchemists ' alchemy ... More importantly, there were hundreds of thousands of spectators watching for nearly twenty days. Such a scene could only occur at the Pill Tower's most prestigious alchemist gathering on the continent. "The quality of the alchemists participating this year is much higher than in previous years!" On the high platform, Xuan Kongzi looked at the thunderclouds that appeared from time to time in the sky, his old face full of smiles.
"Yes, not only alchemists from the outside world, but also many talented juniors within my Pill Tower are still refining pills."
"In my opinion, aside from that monster Lin Feng, the most dazzling figures at this Pill Gathering are undoubtedly the outstanding juniors of my Pill Tower!"
After Xuan Kongzi spoke, the many nameless but powerful elders beside him also smiled broadly.
However, to their surprise, Xuan Kongzi did not respond, but instead turned his gaze to the two elders and a young man in the arena.
"This Pill Gathering is truly a gathering of hidden talents!"
Suddenly
, a dazzling bolt of pill lightning transformed into a massive lightning serpent, pouring down from the sky. A huge thundercloud condensed in the sky, its size exceeding all the pill lightning that had condensed in the previous ten days!
"This is... a high-grade seventh-rank pill!?"
Many passersby with keen eyesight stared in disbelief at the powerful thundercloud in the sky.
The sky above the Pill Tower had been intermittently obscured by thunderclouds, with lightning bolts raging. Even at night, the pill lightning sometimes illuminated the area!
However, the previous pill lightning was clearly on a completely different level compared to the current seventh-grade pill lightning!
Its powerful energy seemed to tear the heavens apart.
Fortunately, the alchemist who refined this high-grade seventh-grade pill was not only skilled in alchemy but also possessed considerable strength, reaching the level of a high-level Dou Zong.
Therefore, although the high-grade seventh-grade pill lightning was powerful, it did not gain much advantage in its hands.
After this alchemist, who was somewhat famous in Zhongzhou, refined the high-grade seventh-grade pill, more than a dozen strong energy fluctuations emanated from the remaining twenty or so stone platforms.
Judging from their appearance, they were probably at least high-grade seventh-grade!
Among them, the energy fluctuations of the pill refined by Song Qing, the disciple of the Pill Tower's Grand Elder Qiuling, were the strongest!
It can only be said that he truly deserves to be called a prodigy of the Pill Tower. Many discerning passersby noticed that the pill lightning above Song Qing's head contained extremely powerful energy, almost as if it were about to give birth to a second color.
However, what surprised everyone was that although he had refined a top-grade seventh-rank pill,
Song Qing's face showed no joy whatsoever; in fact, it was extremely gloomy, as if he was quite dissatisfied!
"Brothers, does anyone with great knowledge know why Song Qing is behaving this way?"
Song Qing's unusual behavior naturally aroused the curiosity of some people, so they whispered among themselves.
"Hehehe, our Elder Song Qing, the disciple of the Pill Tower's Grand Elder, is usually extremely arrogant. However, I wonder if you can see the other prodigies of the Pill Tower? They are still refining pills!"
Among these hundreds of thousands of spectators, there were naturally all-knowing passersby. As soon as the younger brother spoke, someone concealed their identity and explained.
Pointed out by the passerby, everyone looked in the direction of the voice and indeed saw several flames still burning fiercely on the stone platform in the square.
Among them were Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and Lin Feng, all of whom were prodigies of the Pill Tower.
"Hehe, moreover, according to my inside information, Song Qing was once kicked out of the library by Lin Feng, who was also a prodigy of the Pill Tower."
"And Cao Ying, whom Song Qing was pursuing at the time, actually studied with Lin Feng in the library for several months."
"Hehehe, everyone, do you think there's nothing fishy going on here? How can Song Qing's face be any better right now?"
"Hahaha, I didn't expect this!"
"Hahaha."
"But, brother, Lin Feng, the prodigy of the Pill Tower, and Cao Ying, the little vixen of the Cao family, stayed in the library for several months, didn't anything happen between them?"
After the crowd privately mocked Song Qing, someone finally noticed the trick in this guy's words.
As soon as these words came out, many viewers who had originally focused on Song Qing also became curious.
"Hehehe, I naturally know what happened next, but,"
the mysterious passerby's tone changed, becoming somewhat intriguing.
"The following content involves the private affairs of two alchemy masters from the Pill Tower. If it leaks out, I might die a violent death in the street."
"So, we need to pay more!"
"Tch."
The audience wasn't stupid. Even if something really happened between these two prodigies, would it be up to an old man like you to know?
Maybe even the conflict between Song Qing and Lin Feng was fabricated by this old man.
"Everyone, you must believe me. My information as a passerby has never been wrong!"
No matter how this passerby tried to explain, the audience ignored him and instead put away their storage rings.
"Song Qing's alchemy skills are still a notch below Cao Ying and Dan Chen!"
On the judges' platform, Elder Qiu Ling looked at the thunderclouds above Song Qing's head and sighed, his old face full of regret.
"Elder, there's no need to worry. We are aware of Cao Ying and Dan Chen's talent in soul power."
Xuan Kongzi, as the apparent head of the Pill Tower, naturally had to speak up at this time.
"In terms of alchemy alone, Song Qing is not much different from Ying'er and the others. As long as his soul realm enters the Spirit Realm in the future, he can naturally enter the eighth rank!"
Elder Qiuling, having received Xuan Kongzi's reassurance, remained silent. As someone with experience, he knew that Xuan Kongzi was merely comforting him. For
ordinary people to improve their soul realm is not so simple. Among the dozen or so present, the three giants possessed the most outstanding talent.
However, even they spent decades crossing this threshold.
With Song Qing's talent, it would naturally take even longer.
"What worries me even more is Song Qing's personality!"
Elder Qiuling didn't say this aloud; he still wanted to save face for Song Qing in public.
After Song Qing and the others received the pill lightning, they, as before, suspended their pills above their heads for the many spectators to admire.
Alchemists who had reached the seventh rank or higher, after stepping down from the stone platform, handed their pills to the judges.
At this continent-wide alchemist tournament held every thirty years, only pills reaching grade seven or higher are qualified to compete for the top ten.
In fact, according to the records of the Pill Tower, during the time of its founder, the lowest-ranking pills in the top ten were grade eight, five-colored.
At that time, even the legendary Medicine Clan, an imperial clan renowned for its alchemy prowess, would send their young prodigies to participate in the Pill Tower's alchemist competition.
The Pill Tower at that time could be considered to have reached its peak in alchemy!
After Song Qing and others produced their grade seven pills, several other high-grade grade seven pill lightning appeared among the remaining alchemists.
Judging from their energy intensity, they were slightly inferior to Song Qing's pills.
It seems that although Song Qing is extremely arrogant, he has the right to be accepted as a disciple by the Pill Tower's Grand Elder.
However, even the relatively weaker alchemists, Dan Chen and Cao Ying, have reached the Spirit Realm in their soul cultivation.
Compared to them, Song Qing was just a hair's breadth away. After all, eighth-grade pills were aimed at Dou Zun experts.
As for seventh-grade pills, well, unless they were special pills like the Blood-Generating Bone-Melting Pill, Dou Zun experts wouldn't treat them with any special regard.
In fact, those rogue Dou Zun cultivators without family backing wouldn't hold seventh-grade alchemists in much respect.
"Rumble!"
Just then, a powerful pillar of energy, nearly ten feet in size, suddenly rose from the stone platform beside them.
Everyone hurriedly looked up and saw the figure of a rather shy-looking young girl.
However, at this moment, her face was pale, her eyes were very firm, and her hands were rapidly changing hand seals, as if she was trying her best to suppress something.
"Bang!"
Sure enough, after a huge sound, the high-grade pill in front of Dan Chen exploded incredibly.
Fortunately, the Dan family knew that Dan Chen's Dou Qi cultivation was not high, and had prepared many protective artifacts for her. A colorful halo slowly rotated around her.
Normally, this miraculous scene would naturally arouse the curiosity of the crowd. However, in the face of the thunderclouds in the sky, everything paled in comparison!
For the thunderclouds were actually a mix of blue and silver!
"Two-colored thunderclouds, an eighth-grade pill has been born!!!"
Hundreds of thousands of spectators, watching the dazzling blue and silver thunderclouds above Dan Chen's head, held their breath for a moment, seemingly unable to believe that a young girl had actually refined an eighth-grade pill!
"Boom!"
After a brief silence, the scene erupted in cheers. Hundreds of thousands of spectators stood up, wanting to see the birth of an eighth-grade pill up close!
"I never imagined that the geniuses of the Pill Tower would reach such a level in alchemy! It's truly terrifying!"
"Yes, terrifying indeed!"
"..."
"However, how can this young girl, who hasn't even reached the Dou Zong realm, possibly withstand such terrifying pill lightning?"
One of the men spoke up, and everyone began to worry about Dan Chen.
"Indeed, in my observation, without the Dou Zun realm, it would be extremely difficult to withstand this pill lightning."
"Although this Pill Gathering has no rules, alchemists must withstand the pill lightning themselves. How will this young girl cope?"
At this moment, a rogue Dou Zun cultivator slowly spoke, further amplifying everyone's concerns.
The azure and silver thunderclouds collided continuously, and thick lightning snakes danced wildly in the sky. Before the earth-shattering pill lightning descended, this terrifying celestial phenomenon alone was enough to intimidate all powerhouses below the Dou Zun level!
"Rise!"
Just then, a delicate shout suddenly came from a certain stone platform. The hundreds of thousands of spectators who had been watching the situation immediately noticed that Cao Ying, the little enchantress of the Cao family and disciple of Xuan Kongzi, the giant of the Pill Tower, slowly rose.
Her expression changed from its usual charming look to something very serious. Her hand seals changed rapidly, and then she slammed her palm onto the medicine cauldron in front of her.
"Boom!"
After a crisp sound, a beam of energy several meters thick shot into the sky from her medicine cauldron.
However, Cao Ying's medicine cauldron was clearly better, showing no sign of exploding!
"Azure, silver... another Grade 8, two-colored pill has appeared!"
"Wait! There seems to be a third color!"
Among the hundreds of thousands of spectators, some with exceptional eyesight could see that as the azure and silver pill lightning collided over a hundred meters long, a red color, representing the third color, slowly emerged.
However, perhaps because the pill's spiritual essence was not much different from that of a Grade 8, two-colored pill, this red color was extremely faint.
Nevertheless, this could still be called a Grade 8, three-colored pill!
"A Grade 8, three-colored pill! Could it be that the champion of this pill competition is Cao Ying, the little vixen from the Cao family?"