"Huh? This young man looks unfamiliar! Are you here to watch the competition?"
Before Jin Bao'er could speak, Li Qingjiu, standing beside her, was already displeased.
"What's it to you?"
He had heard that Sect Leader You was fond of men and was extremely perverse! Let alone the fact that his friend Jin was not a man, even if he were, he shouldn't be coveted by such a vulgar person.
Upon hearing this, You Yitian's face instantly turned ashen. First, he was mocked by an elder, and now he was disrespected by a junior. No one would be able to remain composed. A small mustache bristled with displeasure.
"An elder asks a question, and a junior dares to interrupt? Sect Leader Li's parenting style is truly disappointing!"
He couldn't defeat the elder, but he couldn't defeat the junior?! He had heard that Li Bailuo was very harsh on his own son, even heartlessly sending him out to train alone.
As expected, the next second, Li Bailuo's eyebrows shot up!
"That's not wrong..."
You Yitian chuckled upon hearing this, his tone full of mockery...
"Brat, didn't I tell you not to acknowledge every stray cat and dog? As the esteemed Young Sect Leader! Why are you arguing with a scoundrel like him? Aren't you ashamed?!"
Li Bailuo frowned, his tone not lacking reprimand, but his words clearly implied that You Yitian was no good.
Li Qingjiu, on the other hand, burst into laughter on the spot, signaling with his eyes: "Dad! Well done!"
The sudden turn of events caught You Yitian completely off guard. His face was etched with astonishment, and his body trembled with anger. His face quickly turned dark, and he gritted his teeth, his neck stiff.
"Good... Good! Li Bailuo! You think you're so clever! Let's see what else you can pretend to be later!"
As he turned to leave in anger, he didn't notice a faint white light flash behind him. Jin Bao'er silently put away the Misfortune Talisman in her hand. Although her alchemy skills were mediocre, her talent in talismans was something even her usually strict senior brother had to admit!
Li Bailuo also noticed her small movement. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. It seemed this little girl was also not to be trifled with!
The grand competition soon began. Looking around, there were about seven sects participating. Six people stood in a line at each sect's designated spot. For fairness and impartiality, the entire competition was held in full view of the public, thus greatly testing the participants' mental fortitude.
Jin Bao'er was arranged in the last inconspicuous corner. Looking at the mediocre quality alchemy furnace in front of her, compared to the new and clean ones from other sects, hers looked like salvaged scrap metal from ruins.
Fortunately, the first round was about the success of the pills! The quality of the alchemy furnace didn't matter.
"Tch, where did this little shrimp come from, daring to participate in the alchemy competition? I reckon their Dragon Tiger Sect is truly out of people! Hahaha! They even brought out a kid like this?"
A mocking voice came from the right. Jin Bao'er stood motionless, her cool demeanor completely different from the others, possessing a bit of a sword cultivator's spirit.
"Kid! You'll be crying when you lose later!"
Seeing that she was completely unfazed, a flicker of disappointment flashed in the man's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by arrogance.
"First round of the alchemy competition, begins now!"
As soon as the words fell, everyone present simultaneously reached for the ordinary spiritual herbs next to their alchemy furnaces. Jin Bao'er, however, was slightly surprised.
Why were everyone else's alchemy methods so different from hers? She remembered her master saying to start the fire first, burning out the air in the alchemy furnace. Only after the temperature dropped to a certain level should the spiritual herbs be added. This could prevent the spiritual herbs from fusing with impurities in the furnace.
"Hiss... I didn't expect these trash to be worse than you! The pill cultivators of the Cultivation Continent are finished!"
A cold sneer echoed from her sea of consciousness. Jin Bao'er paused slightly, then quickly became alert.
"Senior, can you hear my thoughts?"
The mysterious person choked, and said coldly with some annoyance.
"I'm not that idle!"
Hearing this, Jin Bao'er slowly relaxed her guard and then proceeded according to her own steps...
This scene was quickly noticed, and the surrounding crowd couldn't help but cast their gaze.
"Is this young man a fool? He's heating the alchemy furnace so hot, the spiritual herbs will probably be ruined as soon as they're thrown in! How can he refine pills?"
"It's over. Although it's not good stuff, it's still spiritual herbs. I can't believe they were wasted like this!"
"What is the Dragon Tiger Sect up to? Letting such an ignorant brat participate in alchemy is simply embarrassing!"
"Damn it, I even bet on them to win. I wonder if it's too late to regret it??"
The audible disgust, aversion, disdain, and mockery did not affect Jin Bao'er's state of mind. She watched intently as the furnace changed color. The originally dirty exterior quickly shed a layer of thick rust, turning completely red.
Time ticked by, and even some people had already succeeded. Jin Bao'er's furnace had only just finished cooling down...
"Dad, Jin... I know Brother Jin's alchemy skills. If he loses later, don't say anything harsh. You're going to lose anyway! You're thick-skinned, so a little embarrassment doesn't matter, but she's a girl..."
His anxious words were interrupted by Li Bailuo's serious spiritual energy fluctuations. His father, who was usually carefree and arrogant, was now staring intently at the competition stage, his aura subtly chaotic.
Li Qingjiu shivered and instantly widened his eyes, stammering with excitement.
"Dad... Dad! You... you you... what is this?"
Li Bailuo turned his head upon hearing this, clearly noticing his own abnormality. He took a deep breath, suppressed the restless spiritual energy within him, and his expression was a mixture of excitement and nervousness!
Sixty years! He had been stuck at the mid-stage of the Transformation realm for sixty years, and now he finally felt a long-lost loosening of his cultivation!
Thinking of this, he looked up at Jin Bao'er's position with complex eyes. Just as that little girl was intently burning the alchemy furnace, he somehow felt a sense of familiarity, as if he saw his own inexperienced self...
It wasn't until the alchemy furnace shed its rust, revealing its clean and new exterior, that he had an epiphany!!
Although it was only a small breakthrough, for someone like him who had been stuck for decades with no progress, it was invaluable!!
Soon, more than half of the participants on stage had submitted their pills, but Jin Bao'er's alchemy furnace remained silent for a long time...
"Could it have burned up? If they don't even know the basic alchemy method, the Dragon Tiger Sect truly has no one left, haha!"
"Who's spouting nonsense? Does this foul smell want to choke people to death?"
The response was not from Jin Bao'er, but from another Dragon Tiger Sect alchemy disciple, Xiao Ranqing. He disdained this young man who had suddenly appeared, but he couldn't tolerate others slandering them!
Their Dragon Tiger Sect was known for its protectiveness, with the Sect Leader at its head...
"It's true. It's just a basic alchemy, and he's being so slow. It's obvious he doesn't know how to do it, and he's wasting everyone's time! Your Dragon Tiger Sect is clearly doomed to lose. Without Han Qing, you are nothing!"