The crowd buzzed with speculation.
“Nangong Baixue and Ye Chen broke off their engagement, and she’s now the intended fiancée of Qin Xiao, the Young Master of the Ancient Qin Family. But looking at this, Ye Chen is clearly no ordinary person either. Tsk, tsk... this is going to be entertaining!”
“If Ye Chen can deliver a stunning performance in the competition among these genius alchemists, he will definitely make a name for himself across the Southern Wilds.”
“Ye Chen’s biggest disadvantage is his background. Qingzhou is nothing more than a speck of dust, and the Qingcheng Ye Family is just a Quasi-Emperor level power. They can’t even be mentioned in the same breath as the Ancient Qin Family, an Overlord-level Power!”
Everyone was eagerly anticipating Ye Chen’s performance the following day.
***
Meanwhile, in Pill Saint Yunyang’s pavilion.
Pill Saint Yunyang, clad in a grey robe, stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Nangong Baixue. “Baixue, you were too impulsive today. You shouldn’t have spoken up in that setting.”
Nangong Baixue’s face flushed. “Master, I was wrong.”
Pill Saint Yunyang nodded. “It’s good that you recognize your mistake. However, that old ghost Cang Li actually dared to injure you. I am not finished with him!”
Nangong Baixue muttered under her breath, “But Master, I still think that waste Ye Chen was just spouting exaggerated nonsense.”
Pill Saint Yunyang frowned slightly. “You are blinded by hatred now. Whether Ye Chen heard those words from elsewhere or memorized them beforehand, the weight of that statement completely surpasses the Dao discussions of us Heaven-tier Alchemists!”
“Ah?” Nangong Baixue’s mouth dropped open in a perfect ‘O’ shape.
She hadn’t expected her Master to hold such a high opinion of the words.
Pill Saint Yunyang continued, “Regarding Ye Chen, since the engagement is broken, don’t dwell on it. If he truly is a genius, Qin Xiao won’t let him go anyway.”
Nangong Baixue nodded slowly.
***
The next day, the crowd gathered once more at the plaza in front of Pill Peak.
Gu Yuefang, the Pill Peak Peak Master, stepped onto the high platform and spoke slowly. “The next seven days will be dedicated to the Younger Generation Alchemy Competition!”
“The competition will have two rounds.”
“The first round is a contest of spirit herb mastery. The top ten percent will advance!”
“The second round is pill refining, and the top ten will be determined based on the quality of the final pill you refine!”
As his voice faded, the assembled alchemist prodigies grew intensely excited. The geniuses from the Yao Family and the Pill Fragrance Sect, in particular, were itching to prove themselves.
Gu Yuefang then announced the rewards for the top ten.
“The rewards for the top ten are as follows!”
“First place: a Half-Emperor tier alchemy furnace! A stalk of Saint King Tier Beast Fire! One million high-grade Spirit Stones! One hundred Saint-tier spirit herbs…”
“Second place: a Saint King tier alchemy furnace! A stalk of Saint tier Beast Fire! Five hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Stones…”
“Third place…”
The announcement stunned the geniuses. The rewards this time were significantly higher than in previous years.
A Half-Emperor tier alchemy furnace! A stalk of Saint King Tier Beast Fire!
This was the true foundation of the Grand Dao Sect!
Ye Chen was slightly surprised, but his heart remained calm. After all, the first-place prize was far too inferior compared to what his Master had casually gifted him.
Thinking of this, Ye Chen paused. Unconsciously, under his Master’s influence, he had begun to look down on treasures below the Emperor-tier. He quickly reminded himself, “Low-profile. I must remain low-profile.”
Yao Yan’s voice echoed in his jade pendant. “Remember not to expose the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame and the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron when refining pills! If you take out those two supreme treasures, these Heaven-tier Alchemists will probably go insane!”
Ye Chen replied, “Understood. But I don’t have any other alchemy furnaces or spirit fire.”
Yao Yan suggested, “Why not borrow one from Peak Master Gu Yuefang? If you ask your Master, he’ll probably pull out another world-shattering treasure!”
Ye Chen nodded in agreement.
Soon, Peak Master Gu Yuefang announced, “The spirit herb mastery competition begins now!”
With a flick of his sleeve, an immense, shimmering barrier appeared in the plaza.
Gu Yuefang explained, “Everyone who enters will be transported to an independent space. This herb mastery examination was created by dozens of our Heaven-tier Alchemists working together! There are five hundred questions in total, covering the medicinal properties, habits, and grafting of spirit herbs…”
As he finished, Gu Yuefang, Dan Xiangzi, Yao Baili, and dozens of other Heaven-tier Alchemists simultaneously sent brilliant divine light into the barrier. The questions they had each created were merged and inscribed onto jade slips.
Ye Chen looked at Lu Xuan. “Master, I will definitely take first place.”
Lu Xuan gave a faint nod.
Thousands of alchemists stepped into the barrier. Each person found themselves in a space a few yards wide, with a table, a chair, and a jade slip.
Before stepping into the barrier, Nangong Baixue sent a spiritual sense transmission to Ye Chen. “Ye Chen, you better pray you don’t make it to the second round, or you will suffer a miserable death…”
She was determined to cripple Ye Chen during the soul battle portion of the pill refining round.
Ye Chen simply ignored Nangong Baixue and stepped into the barrier.
Above the void, Gu Yuefang, Dan Xiangzi, and the others sat cross-legged, their divine senses monitoring every move of the alchemists within the barrier.
Gu Yuefang commented, “This set of questions involves an extremely wide variety of spirit herbs. It’s a huge test of these disciples’ alchemy foundation, and it’s the most difficult exam in centuries.”
Dan Xiangzi nodded. “Indeed. If anyone can answer eighty percent or more of these questions correctly, their spirit herb mastery is considered qualified below the Heaven-tier!”
Yao Baili turned his attention to the Yao Family geniuses. Their answering speed was quite fast.
A moment later, Dan Xiangzi suddenly exclaimed, “Look at Ye Chen!”
Everyone immediately shifted their divine senses to Ye Chen’s space.
They were all stunned. Ye Chen was selecting answers almost without hesitation.
Elder Cang Li remarked coolly, “I only fear that speed means nothing if the answers are all wrong.”
Gu Yuefang was speechless. Since Ye Chen hadn’t left the barrier yet, they couldn’t check his answers.
Yao Baili mused, “At Ye Chen’s speed, he’ll probably finish in half a day, right?”
Dan Xiangzi nodded. “About that.”
Half a day later, Ye Chen walked directly out of the barrier and returned to Lu Xuan’s side.
Lu Xuan asked, “How was it?”
Ye Chen replied, “One question was incorrect. I answered all the others correctly.”
Lu Xuan nodded, unsurprised.
But the others were utterly shocked. He really finished in only half a day?
Yao Baili checked the Yao Family geniuses; the fastest one had only completed a third of the questions.
Dan Xiangzi shook his head internally, noting that the Pill Fragrance Sect disciples were still deep in thought.
Elder Cang Li’s face was grim. “Let’s see what this kid’s herb mastery is like. Ye Chen actually dared to say that a question I set was wrong?”
Dan Xiangzi and the others immediately retrieved Ye Chen’s jade slip.
A moment later, everyone was dumbfounded. Except for one question marked “This question is incorrect,” all other answers were correct.
Dan Xiangzi gasped, “Ye Chen’s spirit herb mastery is actually this terrifying?”
Cang Li’s face was cold. “Let me see what’s going on. Ye Chen, you, come here.”
Ye Chen immediately walked over.
Cang Li demanded, “What is wrong with this question?”
Ye Chen smiled. “Senior, the Dream Dew Flower, Flame Grass, and Three-star Grass, when combined, produce a liquid called Star Dew Liquid! If Star Dew Liquid mixes with the Ghost Mushroom, it will wither and die within three days.”
This statement caused a collective pause.
Cang Li looked displeased. “Are you questioning my spirit herb mastery?”
With a flick of his sleeve, Cang Li conjured the Dream Dew Flower, Three-star Grass, Flame Grass, Ghost Mushroom, Spiny Moss, and the Blood Thorn Branch, making them float in the air.
Cang Li’s spiritual seals shifted, and he immediately grafted all the spirit herbs onto the Blood Thorn Branch.
Dan Xiangzi and the others gathered around.
Cang Li channeled his spiritual power to accelerate the Blood Thorn Branch’s growth.
In the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the grafted spirit herb had experienced three days’ worth of growth.
Instantly, the Blood Thorn Branch bloomed, radiating a dazzling light.
Cang Li scoffed, “See? There’s no problem at all…”
Before he could finish, the Blood Thorn Branch’s momentary splendor faded. It withered immediately, and a white, thick liquid with a faint, fishy smell oozed from its branches.
Cang Li was utterly dumbfounded.
Dan Xiangzi and Yao Baili looked at Ye Chen in profound shock. “Ye Chen, how did you know that?”
There were countless spirit herbs in the cultivation world. Even the Yao Family’s vast Herbal Scripture, which was considered boundless, hadn’t recorded every single one. When it came to grafting spirit herbs, it tested not only mastery but often required hands-on experimentation.
That was why Dan Xiangzi and the others couldn’t judge the question’s validity themselves, yet Ye Chen knew the answer!
Gu Yuefang smiled faintly, growing increasingly satisfied with Ye Chen.
Meeting their gaze, Ye Chen simply said, “I read about it in an ancient text.”
Cang Li frowned. “Bring out your ancient text. I want to see it.”
Ye Chen paused slightly. This knowledge came from the Pill Emperor’s Memories he received—how could he possibly produce a physical book?
Seeing Ye Chen’s difficulty, Gu Yuefang coughed. “Ahem… Fellow Daoist Cang Li, that ancient text involves some secrets. Let’s leave it at that.”
Elder Cang Li’s expression flickered between dark and light, but he ultimately did not press the issue.
Yao Baili smiled warmly at Ye Chen. “Very impressive. I look forward to your performance in the pill refining round.”
Soon, Ye Chen returned to Lu Xuan’s side.
Two days later, disciples began to emerge from the barrier one after another.
Nangong Baixue also came out early. Dressed in an elegant long gown, her face was slightly flushed with sweat, and she returned to the Supreme Profound Sect’s area, feeling quite satisfied with her performance.
She glanced over and frowned slightly. “Huh? How did that waste Ye Chen come out before me?”
Someone nearby replied, “Ye Chen only took half a day to complete the exam and exit the barrier!”
Nangong Baixue pursed her lips and chuckled. “Heh. As expected of a waste. Half a day? He probably didn’t even finish reading the questions! I bet it looked like a heavenly scripture to him.”
The person corrected her, “No! Ye Chen answered every question correctly and even pointed out an error in Elder Cang Li’s question.”
Nangong Baixue’s face twisted in disbelief, and she shrieked, “Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could that waste possibly do that?”