Once pill refinement began, failures gradually increased.
As plumes of black smoke rose one after another, people among the one hundred and twenty participants began to withdraw continuously.
Their faces showed no anger, only helplessness and regret.
In the first two rounds, they might have found excuses claiming they were unaccustomed to those topics, but the final round was purely a contest of strength.
Failing three consecutive attempts meant, for them, simply that their strength was insufficient.
They could blame no one else.
The great waves wash away the sand!
Survival of the fittest!
Though it seemed just a small Pill Refinement Conference, it was also a brutal selection process. Those lacking strength could not reach the end.
Those who did reach the end were inevitably the absolute elite.
Previously, many had not understood why a half-hour rest period was needed before the final round test.
Now they finally realised that the difficulty of this round was truly immense.
The consumption was astonishing too. Many alchemists’ faces had turned unsightly.
Even though alchemists generally had far better physiques than ordinary martial artists, such high-intensity operation was still somewhat unbearable for them.
“Putting aside that fellow Ling Xiao for now, I completely don’t understand what he’s doing. Between Tianhai Pearl, Dan Qing, and Luoyu, who will win? All are true yellow-rank pills. Once refined, how do we judge which is better?”
The Changle Ancestor anxiously looked at Ji Qing and asked.
Though he still had some faith in Ling Xiao, the problem was that he utterly failed to comprehend what the fellow was up to, so he could only ignore him for now.
“There are many judging factors. First, naturally, is quality. Whoever has the better medicinal effects wins the championship. Second is speed. If quality is equal, the faster one wins. If neither can decide it, then we look at actual effects. This is more complex to judge, but it’s not impossible.”
Ji Qing explained, “However, the last scenario is basically unlikely to occur. After all, for Dan Qing and Ji Luoyu, the success rate for true yellow-rank pills is far too low. That Tianhai Pearl is different. From what I see, her success rate for true yellow-rank pills should be over ninety percent!”
“Ninety percent! Then isn’t it all over?”
The Changle Ancestor was utterly stunned.
He had originally hoped that Dan Qing and Ji Luoyu could defeat Tianhai Pearl if Ling Xiao proved useless, but now it seemed things were not so simple.
Boom!
At that moment, a plume of black smoke rose from Ji Luoyu’s pill refinement platform. The muffled sound also indicated her first refinement had failed.
“It’s over!”
The Changle Ancestor shook his head and sighed bitterly.
He saw that inside Tianhai Pearl’s furnace, everything was perfectly stable. Moreover, judging by her relaxed demeanour, there would definitely be no issues.
In that case, Ji Luoyu would certainly fall behind in speed.
Though she quickly instructed preparations for a second set of materials, as long as Tianhai Pearl did not fail, she could not catch up.
“Sister Luoyu, don’t worry. I will definitely defeat that Tianhai Pearl.”
Dan Qing shouted to Ji Luoyu, his heart inevitably filled with pride.
He finally had a chance to play the hero.
Ling Xiao was messing around, while Ji Luoyu had failed in her first refinement.
Only he was now neck-and-neck with Tianhai Pearl.
Ji Luoyu gave a bitter smile and said, “Brother Dan Qing, focus on your refinement. All our hopes rest on you.”
Hearing this, Dan Qing felt even lighter inside, as if he had already claimed the Pill Refinement Conference championship and could look down on everyone.
But he did not relax.
If he also failed in refinement at this moment, he would lose immense face, so he could not fail.
While he concentrated fully on his refinement, over at Ling Xiao’s side, the second pill had already been completed.
“Prepare this set of materials for me as well.”
Ling Xiao beckoned to the assistant alchemist and handed over the formula he had prepared.
“What on earth is that kid up to? He wouldn’t be refining another high-grade yellow pill, would he? What meaning is there in that?”
The Changle Ancestor was in complete despair.
In the spectator stands, many who had previously placed high hopes on Ling Xiao and worshipped him fervently now began looking at him with contemptuous eyes, their mouths rather foul.
“Get lost, you worthless trash! What rubbish Heavenly Emperor of the Heavenly Dynasty, absolute garbage!”
“Yes, exactly, a real waste. I thought you were so amazing, but in the end you’re only refining such trash pills.”
“Get lost, I don’t want to see you!”
If the verbal abuse was not harsh enough, someone in the crowd actually threw eggs and rotten vegetable leaves at Ling Xiao.
This problem was serious.
Smack!
An egg hit the protective barrier and shattered.
Though it did not strike Ling Xiao, it was undoubtedly an insult to him.
“I warn you only once. Anyone who dares curse me again will have their tongue cut out! Anyone who dares throw anything at me again will have their arm chopped off!”
Ling Xiao’s icy gaze swept fiercely over the spectator stands, then he said coldly, “What pills I refine is none of your damn business. If you don’t want to watch, then get lost yourselves and stop farting there!”
Perhaps because Ling Xiao’s fierce reputation had spread recently, many people shut their mouths and put away the items they had intended to throw.
After all, no one wanted their tongue cut out or an arm severed while still alive.
However, there were always those with great nerve.
In this world, there were always some who paid no heed to others’ words.
“Screw you, so what if I curse you? Just a mere martial artist from the Heavenly Dragon Continent daring to call himself Heavenly Emperor. I bet everything on you after you won the first two rounds. If you lose this time, I’ll kill you!”
As he spoke, the man casually hurled a cabbage stalk towards Ling Xiao.
He was a disciple of Changle Immortal Island. He did not believe Ling Xiao would dare act against him in front of the Changle Ancestor.
Moreover, this Pill Refinement Conference was hosted and organised by Changle Immortal Island. Unless Ling Xiao no longer wished to continue in this world, he absolutely would not dare.
Yet he was wrong.
He understood Ling Xiao far too little.
At this moment, if he did not kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, more people would follow suit.
Ling Xiao had already warned these people. He had given them a chance, but unfortunately they did not know how to cherish it.
While others were tense with refinement, he actually broke through the protective barrier, charged into the spectator stands, and with a single hand chop, sword qi flashed across.
He simultaneously severed the tongue and arm of that Changle Immortal Island disciple.
“Ah~~”
A miserable scream echoed through the square.
It instantly silenced the originally noisy Changle Square.
Blood!
Crimson fresh blood!
Yet Ling Xiao had already returned to his pill refinement platform.
The third set of materials had also arrived.
“Ancestor, that kid has gone too far. He actually attacked!”
Changle Immortal Island’s top alchemist frowned. No matter how much he admired Ling Xiao, he could not tolerate Ling Xiao injuring a Changle Immortal Island disciple in front of so many people.
“He clearly knew Ling Xiao was that kind of person yet still went to provoke him. He deserved it!”
The Changle Ancestor’s words left the top alchemist somewhat stunned.
