Elder Zhao's authoritative gaze swept across the hall, taking in the dejection on the faces of the eliminated candidates and the relief on those who had passed. He withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "The first round tested your broad knowledge and meticulousness. This second round will examine your true core ability as a pill refiners—the genuine skill of turning the worthless into treasure!"
Pointing to the tables before them, his tone suddenly turned stern: "The rules are simple—using the hundred types of medicinal powders before you, refine a single Qi Condensing Pill. Furnaces must be your own. The highest quality pill produced will determine this round's champion!"
"Boom!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the remaining students erupted into an uproar, their clamor even drowning out the sound of burning furnaces.
"What? Refine pills from these powders?"
"Are you joking! Several of these ingredients are problematic! The Three-Leaf Soul-Binding Flower powder is mixed with deadly poison—how are we supposed to refine that?"
"Exactly! And that so-called 'Blazing Flame Fruit' powder has almost completely lost its spiritual energy—it's just an empty shell. If this goes into the furnace and disrupts the energy balance, an explosion is inevitable!"
"This is literally an impossible task!"
Complaints and doubts rose one after another. Though the Qi Condensing Pill was only a mid-grade first-tier pill and not particularly complex, all present students had refined it before and knew exactly how demanding it was regarding energy balance. A tad too much would make it overbearing, a tad too little would render it feeble. Now they were expected to refine it from a pile of powders mixed with "counterfeit products" and "inferior additives"—the difficulty had just switched from normal mode straight to hell mode.
Even Chen Haoran, who had remained relatively composed earlier, now turned pale with sweat beading on his palms. This wasn't pill refining anymore—this was gambling with their lives! The slightest mistake could lead to furnace explosions that might take them out with it.Meanwhile, atop the high platform, Wei Linger curled her lips into a confident sneer. She glanced at Li Mengze's calm expression, her disdain growing stronger. "Keep pretending! Let's see how long you can keep that up!"
While others feared furnace explosions, she had no such concerns. With a wave of her delicate hand, a crimson furnace exquisitely carved with phoenix patterns landed with a resounding "boom." This was clearly no ordinary furnace—its body emitted faint spiritual energy fluctuations, unmistakably a rare top-grade magical implement.
"Hmph, a bunch of country bumpkins who've never seen real quality," Wei Linger thought arrogantly as she basked in the admiring gazes around her. "So what if some ingredients were tampered with? Before my 'Crimson Phoenix Furnace,' even the most violent medicinal energies must submit to me!"
She had no intention of painstakingly purifying and separating ingredients like an ordinary pill refiner. In her view, that was the clumsy work of fools. True masters crushed all challenges with absolute strength!
"Begin!" she cried sharply, a golden-red flame leaping from her palm into the furnace. The heat was so intense it made the surrounding air sizzle and distort. With another flick of her sleeve, a clever force lifted all hundred porcelain bowls simultaneously, sending their contents cascading into the Crimson Phoenix Furnace like rivers merging into the sea.
"Heavens! Is she insane?"
"Adding all hundred ingredients at once? Is she refining a pill or concocting an explosive?"
The spectators gaped in shock, their hearts pounding. Even Elder Zhao on the high platform frowned disapprovingly—such brute force methods were practically asking for trouble!
Wei Linger ignored the gasps around her, her hands swiftly forming mysterious seals. The Crimson Phoenix Furnace trembled violently, emitting muffled thunder-like sounds as the energies inside reached frenzied levels.
"Thinking of exploding? Did I give you permission?" Wei Linger seemed to have anticipated this. A crystal-clear jade pendant at her chest suddenly glowed brightly.
"Hum!"
Upon contacting the furnace, the pendant emitted a clear chime, its gentle radiance spreading like ripples to envelop the raging furnace. Miraculously, the violently shaking furnace stabilized instantly.
"It's a Heart-Protecting Spirit Jade!" exclaimed a knowledgeable noble scion. "A second-tier defensive treasure capable of withstanding a full-powered strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator! And she's using it to stabilize a furnace?"
"What a waste! Such sacrilege!"
With the Heart-Protecting Spirit Jade's powerful suppression, Wei Linger proceeded without restraint. Channeling all her spiritual energy into the furnace, she forcibly merged the hundred medicinal energies together through sheer brute force.
"Li Mengze, are you watching?" she thought haughtily, casting a glance at that figure, her heart swelling with triumph. "This is the gap between us! Before my absolute strength and resources, your petty cleverness is nothing but a joke!"
Compared to Wei Linger's earth-shaking spectacle, Li Mengze's corner was remarkably quiet. He too had taken out a furnace—a simple bronze one that appeared quite ordinary, even somewhat worn. It was the very furnace his father had gifted him. The shabby appearance formed a stark contrast to Wei Linger's luxurious Crimson Phoenix Furnace—like comparing a street stall to high-end luxury goods.
"Pfft, is this guy seriously using that piece of junk?"
"Won't the furnace collapse from the energy backlash before he even starts?"
Undisguised mockery came from all around. Li Mengze seemed not to hear, unlike Wei Linger's rushed approach. He extended a finger, lightly tapping the rim of each porcelain bowl in turn before closing his eyes.
In his perception, everything became different. The "emotions" of each medicinal ingredient manifested clearly in his mind's lake—the gentle vitality of the Dragon's Blood Vine powder, the aloof chill of the Ice Soul Grass powder, and the uncomfortable dark aura emanating from the poisoned Three-Leaf Soul-Binding Flower powder.
Wasn't pill refinement ultimately a conversation between man and medicine? These ingredients were all products of nature, each with its own character. Forcing them together would only provoke violent resistance. Only by following their natures and guiding them accordingly could they willingly merge into miraculous pills. This was the "Druidic Art of Alchemy" his father had taught him—rooted in harmony with nature.
Opening his eyes, a soft cyan flame kindled in his palm—gentle yet lively, like a dancing life force. Instead of dumping all ingredients at once, he carefully guided wisps of powder into the furnace with spiritual sense, like a master embroiderer working thread by thread in a particular sequence.
First went the mild supplementary ingredients, their energies forming a gentle, accommodating "field" within the furnace. Then came the more potent primary ingredients, invited in like honored guests. As for the tampered ingredients, he handled them with particular finesse.
He guided the Blazing Flame Fruit's last vestiges of fire energy to perfectly counterbalance the Ice Soul Grass's chill, creating a delicate cycle of heat and cold that acted like a miniature millstone, gradually purifying impurities from other ingredients. The most deadly Three-Leaf Soul-Binding Flower powder he didn't even touch—with deft control, he separated and discarded it entirely.
"What's he doing? Why is he throwing away ingredients?"
"Is he crazy? Without that primary ingredient, how can the Qi Condensing Pill form?"
The baffled onlookers couldn't comprehend Li Mengze's methods. Only he knew that the Three-Leaf Soul-Binding Flower was Elder Zhao's greatest "trap"—the Qi Condensing Pill could be refined without it! This tested not just a refiner's purification skills but their understanding of pill formulas—whether they'd be constrained by available "materials" and forget the "essence" of alchemy.
Time passed minute by minute.
"Pill completion!" Just as the incense was about to burn out, Wei Linger's sharp cry rang out. With a slap to her furnace, the lid flew open, releasing a rich medicinal aroma that instantly filled the air. Three dragon-eye-sized, perfectly round crimson pills tumbled out into a waiting jade vial.
"Top-grade Qi Condensing Pills! And... they actually have six pill patterns!" a student exclaimed in shock.
Six pill patterns! This represented extremely high quality even among first-tier pills. Ordinary refiners considered three or four patterns their limit.
Wei Linger lifted her snow-white chin like a proud peacock, holding the jade vial as she stared challengingly at Li Mengze. "Li Mengze, what can you possibly compare with this?"
Elder Zhao approached to examine a pill, nodding approvingly. "Not bad. Though your methods are somewhat crude, producing six-pattern Qi Condensing Pills from such materials proves your solid foundation and profound energy. You deserve to be this round's champion."
This was high praise indeed. A triumphant smile spread across Wei Linger's face—she could already picture the shock and defeat on Li Mengze's usually calm face.
But she was disappointed. Li Mengze continued working unhurriedly, the cyan flame in his furnace dancing as gently as ever. He seemed completely immersed in his own world.
"Playing mysterious!" Wei Linger snorted inwardly at that handsome, serene face, though she couldn't explain the inexplicable irritation rising in her chest.
Then, suddenly—a dramatic change!
Li Mengze's plain bronze furnace emitted a clear, resonant hum like the cry of a dragon or phoenix, echoing throughout the hall. A brilliant cyan light burst from the furnace's seams, shooting skyward to dye the clouds above the training grounds jade-green!
An indescribable herbal fragrance instantly overwhelmed Wei Linger's medicinal aroma. Just one whiff left everyone feeling refreshed, their spiritual energies invigorated.
"What... what kind of pill aroma is this?"
"Heavens! Pill energy manifesting as rainbows! Only legendary supreme-quality spirit pills can trigger such heavenly phenomena!"
Elder Zhao could no longer maintain his composure. He sprang from the high platform, dashing to Li Mengze's side to stare at the bronze furnace, his breathing becoming rapid.
"I lost? Impossible!" Wei Linger's smile froze as she stared dumbfounded at the soaring light, then down at her own six-patterned pills that now seemed dull by comparison.
Li Mengze gazed at the pill quietly floating inside his furnace, a satisfied smile appearing. With a gentle tap—
"Ding!"
A crisp sound rang out as a single jade-green pill flew out, hovering above his palm. The pill was crystal clear like carved emerald, without a trace of fiery energy—only an aura of pure, concentrated life force. And upon its surface swirled nine profoundly mysterious golden patterns!
The patterns writhed like dancing dragons and snakes, resembling celestial script—just one glance could shake one's soul.
Nine... nine pill patterns!
The hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Everyone seemed petrified.
"Nine-patterned... divine pill..."
For first-tier pills, nine patterns represented supremacy! This was no longer just a pill—it was legend! The pinnacle of alchemy!
"Hahaha! Excellent! Truly excellent!" Elder Zhao looked at Li Mengze with completely changed eyes. "A prodigy! A true prodigy! The future of our Songling Prefecture—no, the entire Great Yu Dynasty's alchemy rests with this young man!"
His aged face flushed with excitement as he grabbed Li Mengze's shoulders, laughing heartily: "Li Mengze! From this day forth, you are pre-selected as a core disciple of the Royal Alchemy Hall! No—this old man will personally petition to appoint you as 'Chief Royal Youth Alchemist'!"
Elder Zhao's proclamation of "prodigy" made Wei Linger's face alternate between green and white. Her fingers clutching the jade vial turned pale from excessive force, joints cracking audibly. Her phoenix eyes, once filled with arrogance and amusement, now burned with shock, humiliation, and unwilling fury.
Why?
Born into royalty, she'd been heaven's favored daughter since childhood—using a second-tier top-grade Crimson Phoenix Furnace, stabilizing it with a Heart-Protecting Spirit Jade even Foundation Establishment cultivators coveted, consuming top-grade spirit pills and ingredients. Yet today, before everyone's eyes, her proud alchemy had been utterly crushed by some nobody from who-knows-where using a shabby bronze furnace!
That cyan radiance, those nine glaring divine patterns—each felt like a stinging slap across her face.
"Just you wait!" Wei Linger ground out through clenched teeth. Unable to stay any longer, she stamped her foot and stormed off surrounded by her entourage.
Feeling that gaze that seemed ready to devour him alive, Li Mengze wore a wry expression. 'Dodged today, but not tomorrow.' He'd wanted to lay low, but reality had other plans. Not that he feared confrontation—no life, ancient or modern, had ever been smooth sailing for even the greatest immortals. The true path lay in braving the storms.