The pill competition continued.
Before the finals, all alchemists were divided into nine batches for the first two rounds of competition. This meant that nine matches would be held over nine days before the finals commenced.
Bai Shengyi was scheduled for the sixth match, and Hong Ni for the seventh.
As soon as Hong Ni woke up that morning, he noticed that the purplish-red patterns on his arm had spread even further.
Someone from the Xile Sect rushed over to invite him. "Alchemist Hong Ni, our Senior Sister Xuelan is in so much pain that she cannot move. The Sect Master is at his wit's end and has asked this junior to bother you. Could you perhaps examine Senior Sister Xuelan first?"
To show respect to Alchemist Hong Ni, the person who came was a junior disciple under Rong Bugui.
Thinking of the scene he had witnessed in Rong Xuelan's courtyard that morning, he couldn't help but shudder.
Rong Xuelan wasn't just in pain and unable to move; she was like a lump of mud, her body threatening to fall apart with the slightest movement. She had been screaming in agony until she passed out.
Moni was even more miserable than her. With no one to attend to him, he was on the verge of death.
However, these two individuals often colluded within the sect. No one held a good opinion of them. If it weren't for their master's sake, people would have likely gloated openly in front of Rong Xuelan.
"I've already said that Miss Rong's condition can only be cured if Bai Shengyi obtains the Snow Lotus Flower and the Saint-tier Spring Replenishing Flower. I still have to compete. That's all," Hong Ni said perfunctorily and led the people towards the competition venue.
However, from the end of the first round to the end of the second, he could hear people everywhere talking about Bai Shengyi.
"Why isn't Alchemist Bai here today?"
"Yes, if she were here to help detoxify again, I wouldn't need to go back and ask my senior brother for help. My senior brother charges at least from ninth-tier spirit herbs. Compared to that, I'd rather pay three thousand top-grade spirit stones."
"Who isn't?" another person chimed in. "You're better off having your own senior brother. If I can't get rid of the pill toxin, I won't even know who to turn to with spirit stones!"
"Exactly!"
People around him kept agreeing.
"Alchemist Bai is truly amazing, she's practically a savior to people like us!"
Someone even asked Hong Ni, "Senior Brother Hong Ni, don't you think so?"
Hong Ni's expression turned grim.
"Senior Brother Hong Ni, what's wrong? Could it be that the pill toxin hasn't been completely removed?" Yue Liujin asked with concern.
If she hadn't known that Alchemists Qianyang and the others would never make mistakes in the competition procedures, she would have already called for help.
Yue Liujin also hailed from Dongyang Mountain and was deeply in love with Hong Ni. She had come to participate in the Divine Enlightenment Grand Gathering following him.
She herself did not possess talent in alchemy. With the full support of her master over the years, she had barely managed to become a fourth-tier alchemist and did not even make it past the second round this time.
However, precisely because of this, she always felt a bit more favorable towards those who could refine pills, especially handsome men and beautiful women.
"I'm fine," Hong Ni replied impatiently.
A flicker of hurt crossed Yue Liujin's eyes, but she still said with concern, "If you feel unwell, please remember to tell me. I'll ask my master to get the Bright Moon Pill."
Hong Ni's eyes lit up.
He and Rong Bugui had originally planned that once Bai Shengyi failed her competition, they would use Mo Hanshuang to detoxify Bai Shengyi and threaten her into detoxifying them and handing over the Snow Lotus Flower. Even if Bai Shengyi succeeded, the three of them could poison her companions and jointly force her.
But they never expected Bai Shengyi to achieve a great victory, stepping on Mo Hanshuang to gain fame!
Even the people from Yueqing Mountain treated her with great courtesy. At this point, Qi Xingchen hesitated.
When Rong Bugui and he were preparing to continue their original plan, they were personally warned by Yue Bufan.
Hong Ni remembered Yue Bufan's chilling expression and still felt lingering fear.
He patted his chest and spoke to Yue Liujin with a gentler tone, "Junior Sister, are you referring to the Bright Moon Pill that can even expel demonic energy?"
The Bright Moon Pill was a ninth-tier spiritual elixir, hailed as the elixir of immortality in the cultivation world. Regardless of whether a cultivator had qi deviation, a ruined dantian, or was poisoned, a single pill could restore them to their original state.
To date, in the Divine Enlightenment World, only Yue Liujin's master, Daoist Fengming, could refine it. However, it was said that the pill's formula was extremely extravagant. Even Daoist Fengming only had three pills.
He was worried about how to get Bai Shengyi to detoxify him, and unexpectedly, Yue Liujin could obtain the Bright Moon Pill from Daoist Fengming!
Truly, heaven was helping him!
"Yes," Yue Liujin smiled. "Senior Brother Hong Ni, if you're fine, could you accompany me to visit Alchemist Bai?"
She blushed slightly with embarrassment. "I don't know why, but yesterday, as soon as I saw Alchemist Bai, I felt a sense of kinship and wanted to befriend her."
Hong Ni frowned slightly.
But thinking of the Bright Moon Pill, he said, "Alright, let's call Young Master Qi along and go together."
At that time, perhaps out of respect for both Qishan Pavilion and Dongyang Mountain, Bai Shengyi and the others would not dare to speak carelessly in front of Junior Sister Liujin!
Of course, if Yue Liujin and Bai Shengyi became good friends, it would be best if Bai Shengyi could detoxify herself. Then he would even get a Bright Moon Pill for free!
The more Hong Ni thought about it, the more his heart fluttered. He immediately said to Yue Liujin, "Let's go now."
...
The accommodation at the Divine Enlightenment Academy was quite lively today.
"Let me count, this is already the thirteenth sect that has sent calling cards?"
Qin Sanxiang looked at the various calling cards and clicked his tongue, curiously asking, "Jing Fei, Feng Wuya, is the third-tier pill that Captain refined really that miraculous? It's all over the outside world."
Feng Wuya exclaimed dramatically, "That's not it, but Mo Hanshuang deserves it. Who told him to try and scheme against Shengyi?"
"He was likely sent by the Xile Sect specifically to deal with Shengyi," Jing Fei said gravely. "The Xile Sect probably won't give up easily. We need to be careful during the finals."
He seemed distracted, lost in thought.
The few of them stood together, speaking in low voices. Wei Menglong stood alone in a corner with his arms crossed, looking unhappy and his expression obscure. Some of the seeded participants felt a bit sorry for him and主动 spoke to him, but he impatiently brushed them away.
"Go, go! Don't bother me!"
The person who spoke to him immediately turned angry and walked back to his companion.
"He doesn't deign to play with us. He's too proud."
"I don't know what he's so arrogant about. He didn't even get past the second round. If it weren't for Senior Brother Jing Fei helping him, he probably wouldn't have survived."
"Stop talking, stop talking. Look at his eyes, like he wants to kill someone. No wonder even Zhengping doesn't bother with him anymore."
Qi Zhouzhengping was famously a delicate and beautiful man among the seeded participants. Although his cultivation was high, he was very delicate and frail. He usually had fair skin and looked even more delicate than a woman, but he was very approachable and not at all like a prince.
At this moment, Qi Zhouzhengping, who was being discussed by everyone, looked at his senior brothers and sisters with a puzzled expression.
"The Xile Sect also sent us a calling card."
Qin Sanxiang was about to refuse as before, but Bai Xia reminded him, "Why don't we still send it to Captain to see? Perhaps Captain has other arrangements?"
"That makes sense."
Thinking that the Xile Sect was somewhat special, Qin Sanxiang sent someone to inform Bai Shengyi.
Upon hearing this, Bai Shengyi replied meaningfully.
"Let them in."
Qin Si asked, "Are you going to settle the score?"
Bai Shengyi smiled and said, "How can that be called settling the score? I'm just poor again and want to chat with Sect Master Rong, is that not allowed?"
Bai Shengyi looked at Qin Si's smiling face and pretended to sigh, "Alas, who told me to deplete my family fortune to make this hair accessory for my treasure! I'm so poor! If only I could get rich overnight!"