“Second-grade elementary elixir recipe, you just need to follow the recipe to refine it, isn’t that too simple?” A series of voices rang out one after another.
The difficulty of the first round was so great, yet this second round, merely refining a second-grade elixir, as long as one’s spiritual power reached the second-grade elementary level, many people could refine it. It seemed a bit too easy.
“Healing Vein Elixir? Lie Zhi, Mohei, Lengqi, Wusha?” However, when Lin Xiao received this recipe, his brows immediately furrowed.
Because this Healing Vein Elixir existed in the memories of the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor, who had refined it many times. It was an elixir specifically used to treat minor damage to the meridians. Yet, the recipe of the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor didn’t use these herbs at all.
Based on the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor’s experience, he was absolutely certain that the three herbs listed in this recipe, Lie Zhi, Mohei, and Lengqi, when mixed and calcined together, would neutralise each other due to their properties, inevitably resulting in a useless waste pill. This was practically common knowledge in alchemy.
“This second round can’t possibly be this simple, there must be something wrong with this recipe!” Lin Xiao made this judgement instantly.
Immediately, Lin Xiao turned his head to glance at Ye Fenghua and the others on the main platform, their expressions suggesting they were waiting to watch a good show. This only reinforced his conviction.
To doubt the recipe in such a setting required immense courage and confidence. Most spirit controllers would likely follow the rules rigidly, placing too much trust in the Spirit Controller Alliance’s recipe. This was also why many spirit controllers struggled to improve their alchemy skills.
The fact that the competition presented such a test must be intended as a reminder to them, and the fusion of those specific herbs resulting in a waste pill was indeed basic alchemy knowledge. Any spirit controller with a bit of insight would know this.
As his gaze swept towards Ye Yu and the others, Lin Xiao noticed that they too showed contemplative expressions.
A few third-grade spirit controllers also displayed faint traces of suspicion, but ultimately, they dismissed their doubts and prepared to start refining the elixir.
Meanwhile, the lower-grade spirit controllers, after reading the recipe, began mentally simulating the refining process without the slightest hint of suspicion.
With a quiet sneer, Lin Xiao summoned the herbs already prepared in the medicine cabinet. A pile emerged, and with a surge of spiritual energy, he became the first to start refining.
On the main platform, Ye Fenghua and the others were slightly taken aback.
“This chap, he’s not that careless, is he? Starting to refine without even considering if there’s an issue with the recipe…” Ye Fenghua shook his head inwardly, already picturing Lin Xiao producing a waste pill with his first batch of herbs.
At the same time, the disciples in the arena began refining one after another. Only Ye Yu, Feng Huo, and a young man in a black robe remained still, pondering how to perfect the recipe.
It wasn’t until a quarter of an hour had passed that they finally began.
By this time, Lin Xiao, who was familiar with the Healing Vein Elixir, was already nearing completion, beginning to condense the elixir. This test of spotting the recipe’s flaw and knowing the correct formula was, for him, far too easy, something he could resolve in a quarter of an hour.
“Chi!” Just as Ye Fenghua and the others started refining, an elixir successfully condensed.
“How is this lad refining so quickly?” A chorus of surprised voices erupted from the crowd. This was, after all, the second round, which should be somewhat harder than the first. How could someone refine an elixir in just a quarter of an hour?
“No wonder he’s the genius who achieved purple-grade medicinal potency in the first round, condensing an elixir in just a quarter of an hour in the second round.”
“With such speed, it seems this Heimu has a strong chance of ranking near the top. If his spiritual power were one grade higher, he’d surely take the championship.”
“His speed is impressive, no doubt, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. Look at Ye Yu and the others, they hesitated for quite a while before starting to refine…”
Amid the crowd’s admiring chatter, some felt that something about this second round seemed odd, though they couldn’t pinpoint what.
Lin Xiao, however, stood calmly in place, watching the others refine their elixirs with a composed expression, showing no sign of sensing anything amiss.
Seeing that Lin Xiao hadn’t noticed anything and had no intention of refining again, Ye Fenghua, Le Zheng Hongmao, and the others frowned. Could it be that Lin Xiao hadn’t spotted the trick in the recipe and would be eliminated in the second round?
This thought made them both worry for him.
“Hmph, refining Lie Zhi, Mohei, and Lengqi together results in a waste pill, and he can’t even see that? I overestimated him!”
Observing Lin Xiao’s demeanour, Ye Yu couldn’t help but show a look of disdain, silently mocking him in his heart.
“What an idiot!” The black-robed youth also let out a mocking sneer. With his knowledge, those three herbs would absolutely produce a waste pill. Yet Lin Xiao had refined it without a second thought, even seeming proud of his speed. The youth couldn’t help but feel a mix of contempt and schadenfreude.
“There are two sets of herbs and plenty of time left. I’ll just refine two elixirs, one according to the recipe, and one based on my deduction!”
On the other side, a clever spirit controller came up with this strategy: after refining one elixir according to the recipe, he’d refine a second based on his own reasoning. Surely one of the two would be correct, which should be enough to pass.
At this point, Ye Yu also successfully condensed his elixir. He was confident his method was correct and saw no need to refine a second one.
Soon, the other spirit controllers finished refining one by one, many of them beaming with joy, inwardly remarking how easy this second round was.
After half an hour had passed, all the spirit controllers had successfully condensed their elixirs. Their hopeful gazes turned towards the judges’ position.
Sweeping his eyes over the smug youths in the arena, Ye Fenghua spoke, his tone calm, “Perhaps you all think the second round was rather easy, but I must tell you that this stage tested your basic alchemy knowledge. The recipe given to each of you was flawed. Lie Zhi, Mohei, and Lengqi, when mixed together, produce a waste pill. This is fundamental alchemy common sense. So, those of you who followed the recipe exactly as it was, there’s no need to come up for inspection, they’re all waste pills.”
“What?”
At that moment, a large group of participating disciples were dumbfounded. The elixirs they’d refined according to the recipe were all waste pills?
“Don’t believe me? Then bring your elixirs forward for testing. Only those that pass are deemed successful, the rest of you are eliminated,” Ye Fenghua said.
“I don’t believe it!” Several disciples stepped forward one after another, testing their elixirs on the judging stone in front of the referees. The stone showed no reaction, proving their elixirs were waste pills that failed to pass.
“It’s, it’s really a waste pill?” At another spot, a young man stood dazed, his face filled with disbelief and deep disappointment.
“To think, after preparing for so long, I’d be stopped at the second round…”
After testing their elixirs, a group of youths left the arena in regret. They had indeed followed the recipe, and their elixirs were indeed waste pills. They had lost this round.
Lin Xiao was slightly stunned too. As expected, it was an issue with the recipe. Those with weaker foundational alchemy knowledge had all been weeded out.
“Hahaha, Heimu, are you stunned? Are you shocked? Refining so quickly, did you think you were impressive?” At this moment, Ye Yu strode over with a loud laugh, openly mocking him, then took his own elixir for testing. The testing stone lit up, his elixir passed.
“What a waste of spiritual energy on someone like you!” The black-robed youth also passed by Lin Xiao, tossing out a scornful taunt.
“So what if you have spiritual energy? You still can’t even pass the second round!” Wu Gong gave Lin Xiao a harsh, contemptuous glare, feeling utterly satisfied inside.
“Is that so?” Seeing their reactions, a mocking smile curled at the corners of Lin Xiao’s lips. He then walked towards the testing stone.
“Hmph, rushing to refine according to the recipe and still not giving up? Wait until the results come out, let’s see how you…”
“Chi!” Before Wu Gong could finish, the testing stone lit up, and the referee’s voice immediately rang out, “Elixir qualified, passed.”
“What?” Wu Gong was instantly dumbfounded. Ye Yu and the black-robed youth froze in place. Heimu’s elixir had actually passed?
“How is this possible? Referee, can you check his recipe to see if it’s the same as ours?” After a moment of shock, Wu Gong called out in suspicion.
Finishing the refinement in a quarter of an hour and it not being a waste pill, this was hard for him to believe. Ye Yu and the black-robed youth also showed doubtful expressions. After all, Lin Xiao had refined far too quickly in this round.
