“Is that the woman who was once defeated by you in medical skills, and then committed suicide?”
Ji Qing asked.
“Indeed, it is her. Back then, on the White Tiger Continent, only she and I competed for the title of Medicine King. She lost and chose suicide. I never expected her to return.”
The Medicine King Sun Ran said with a somewhat gloomy expression, “Dan Changle, immediately halt the alchemy convention. No one can win against that person unless I take action myself.”
“Hold on!”
Ji Qing shook his head and said, “Perhaps it is not as bad as you imagine. No matter how formidable she is, at the time of her death, she was merely a low-grade Profound alchemist. At most, she could refine low-grade Profound pills, but with a low success rate.
So, if my guess is correct, she will choose a pill of comparable grade to the Three Parts Return Essence Pill.
As long as Ling Xiao does not lose, even if it ends in a draw, relying on his advantage from the previous two rounds, he should still win.”
The Medicine King Sun Ran roared, “Do you truly believe that Ling Xiao can refine the Three Parts Return Essence Pill? Do you truly believe in that boy?”
“Besides this, there is no other way. Do not forget, our rules do not prohibit assistance from martial souls.”
Ji Qing reminded him, “For that Tianhai Pearl, that woman has already become her martial soul. We cannot stop it, otherwise, if word gets out, we will become a laughingstock.”
“What Ji Qing says is correct. Our Changle Immortal Island cannot afford to lose face like that.”
The Changle Ancestor also shook his head.
“Humph, if that person takes the championship, Changle Immortal Island will lose even greater face. Do you truly intend to continue?”
The Medicine King Sun Ran asked coldly.
“Of course we continue.”
The Changle Ancestor nodded and said, “I believe in Ling Xiao. Since he could neutralise my poison, he must have a way to refine the Three Parts Return Essence Pill!”
Boom!
At that moment, a plume of black smoke suddenly rose from Ling Xiao’s alchemy platform.
Although the three pills did not shatter, they cracked almost simultaneously and then fell onto the bluestone slab.
He failed?
The faces of the Changle Ancestor and Ji Qing instantly turned ashen.
Ling Xiao had actually failed just like that?
The Medicine King Sun Ran sneered coldly and said, “I told you long ago. Fusion alchemy is not something a youngster like him can attempt. Even I dare not claim a fifty percent chance of success. He has simply dug his own grave.”
“Perhaps he already knew that Tianhai Pearl would refine a pill of equal quality. To win, he had no choice but to do this. There was no other option.”
Ji Qing sighed and said, “This child has good observational skills, but unfortunately his luck is poor. All his efforts have come to nothing.”
The Changle Ancestor also shook his head helplessly. Were they really going to let a sea clan member stand there and mock them today?
“Hahaha, boy, I had some slight expectations for you, but I never thought you would be so incompetent. It seems the champion of today’s alchemy convention belongs to none other than me!”
Tianhai Pearl burst into an extremely excited and triumphant laugh.
Seeing Ling Xiao fail was nothing more pleasing to her.
After all, Ling Xiao had already used up his three chances. Once he failed, he would be directly eliminated, with no opportunity to turn things around.
“Ling Xiao, you fellow, dropping the ball at the critical moment. Since you cannot do it, just watch me.”
Dan Qing, however, felt somewhat excited.
Ling Xiao’s failure had created a stage for him to shine.
“Alas.”
Ji Luoyu merely sighed.
She had not expected this outcome, yet she could only focus on continuing her own alchemy.
Time passed minute by minute.
Ling Xiao stood there, his right hand supporting his cheek, seemingly deep in thought.
“More than ten minutes have passed. That fellow is done for. He still resents us for criticising him, but he only has himself to blame for not living up to expectations.”
“Exactly. He is not even as good as Dan Qing or the Little Medicine King, let alone compared to that Tianhai Pearl.”
“What a pity. A hero has instantly turned into a coward.”
Whispers began again among the crowd. People seemed to have forgotten the fellow whose tongue had been cut off earlier.
This time, however, Ling Xiao said nothing and took no action, because he had no time for such distractions.
The final round was very special. As long as one did not choose to leave, one would not be forcibly eliminated, so he actually still had a chance to turn the tide.
But he still needed to think about exactly how to do it.
“Success!”
At that moment, Ji Luoyu’s excited voice rang out.
The top-grade Yellow pill she had refined was finally complete, releasing an intoxicating medicinal fragrance.
“Worthily the Little Medicine King. Under immense pressure, she still managed to refine a top-grade Yellow pill!”
“Much better than that Ling Xiao!”
At this point, only four people remained on the competition field: Ling Xiao, Tianhai Pearl, Dan Qing, and Ji Luoyu.
The others had either successfully refined their pills, but only high-grade Yellow pills, or although they too had top-grade Yellow pills, the quality was clearly inferior to Ji Luoyu’s.
Or they had failed all three attempts and left the alchemy platform themselves.
Now that Ji Luoyu had finished refining, she breathed a sigh of relief, left the alchemy platform, and went to the VIP seats to watch the rest of the competition.
Another ten minutes passed.
Dan Qing’s top-grade Yellow pill was also successfully refined.
Unfortunately, he had nothing to be happy about. He finished ten minutes after Ji Luoyu, and the efficacy was likely comparable, so he definitely would not take first place.
He left the alchemy platform feeling rather dejected, muttering under his breath, “Ling Xiao, it is your fault for delaying me so long. If you cannot beat Tianhai Pearl, then just die.”
“Beat me? With him?”
Tianhai Pearl sneered disdainfully.
Although the pill she was refining took much longer than Dan Qing’s, its quality and grade were higher.
Moreover, everything was proceeding steadily.
She believed the championship today was hers for certain.
“Youngster, do you want Master to help you? After all, that little girl over there is also cheating.”
At that moment, the voice of Ling Xiao’s master, Yuan Zun, sounded in his mind.
“No need. Even if I lose, I must complete this trial with my own abilities. Otherwise, it would hold no meaning.”
Ling Xiao gently shook his head. He understood Yuan Zun’s good intentions and knew that if Yuan Zun acted, he could surely turn defeat into victory and succeed in fusion alchemy.
But he could not do that.
Relying on others for help the moment he encountered difficulty would only cause him to continue sinking on this path.
This time, either he failed and became a pitiful figure mocked by others, carrying this humiliation as he continued striving forward!
Or he succeeded, breaking through his shackles, advancing his alchemy skills to the next level, and making his mindset even tougher.
This was a hurdle.
If he crossed it, naturally everyone would rejoice.
If he could not, then he could only accept it.
“Hahaha, it is over. Everything is over. In at most another quarter of an hour, my pill will be complete. All of you will become my defeated opponents. Pathetic land races, a bunch of trash!”
Perhaps because she had reached the final stage and passed the most difficult moment, Tianhai Pearl laughed loudly.
The Medicine King Sun Ran was about to say something when suddenly a clear voice rang out.
“Is it not a bit too early to celebrate now?”
This voice was the one Tianhai Pearl hated most.
It came from Ling Xiao.
