Ji Luoyu excitedly looked towards Ling Xiao. She had thought everything was over this time, but when she saw the confident smile on the corner of Ling Xiao’s mouth, for some reason, she suddenly felt relieved.
“Damn, he always acts cool. If this guy really beats Tianhai Pearl, I will genuinely admire him.”
Although Dan Qing was extremely unwilling, he despised Tianhai Pearl even more. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
At least for now, he intended to support Ling Xiao.
“Boy, stop pretending to be mysterious. I refuse to believe that with your pills already cracked and no materials left, you can still turn the tables. One must know one’s limits. Do not be too smug, or you will only become a greater laughingstock!”
Tianhai Pearl mocked with a voice full of disdain while controlling the flames in her furnace.
In her view, Ling Xiao was simply refusing to admit defeat and was stubbornly pretending to be impressive.
It was utterly meaningless.
However, Ling Xiao merely smiled faintly.
He did not care about Tianhai Pearl’s mockery. After all, at this stage, let alone Tianhai Pearl, even others probably would not believe he could turn things around.
The Medicine King Sun Ran shouted angrily, “Ling Xiao, do not be stubborn. Acting like this will only make you lose more face! Give up. Do not persist in your wrong path.”
Ling Xiao glanced indifferently at Sun Ran, revealing a cold smile. “Just because you cannot do it does not mean I cannot! How much do you really understand about me?”
Then, he turned to the alchemy platform, waved his hand, and threw the three cracked pills back into the furnace.
A beam of light flew out from his hand.
It was not flame, but the power of the Red Sun.
Using light and heat for alchemy was probably unprecedented since ancient times. There might be followers in the future, but there were certainly no predecessors.
The Medicine King Sun Ran fell silent, staring fixedly at Ling Xiao’s furnace.
Although light and heat were not as powerful as divine fire, they were easier to control, thus preventing the furnace from shattering.
At this moment, Ling Xiao was bathed in sunlight, transformed into a strange figure shrouded in golden light.
This light came from the Red Sun in the sky.
It then passed through his hands and was applied to the furnace.
The temperature could spread more evenly, without concentrating in one spot.
“Alchemy with light and heat is truly a groundbreaking feat. This boy is probably far more formidable than any of us imagined.”
Ji Qing exclaimed.
“Indeed. To absorb the power of the Red Sun requires exceptionally strong soul force. This boy’s soul force is simply terrifying!”
The Changle Ancestor also marvelled.
“Not only that, his body must have been tempered by various heavenly treasures. Otherwise, he could not withstand such high-temperature Red Sun power. This boy’s soul force, inner strength, and physique are all top-tier among his peers.”
Ji Qing’s evaluation this time was even higher. “If his cultivation were not restricted, he could probably refine Profound-grade pills directly.”
Dan Qing and Ji Luoyu stood there, staring dumbfounded at the scene. If it were them, achieving this would be impossible.
Let alone controlling light and heat for alchemy, even communicating with the Red Sun and absorbing its power would be difficult.
Tianhai Pearl’s ugly face appeared very calm, but that was merely a fake mask. Her real expression already showed shock and disbelief.
She had never heard of reversing failure in alchemy.
Was this Ling Xiao about to create a miracle?
She was genuinely starting to panic.
Because if Ling Xiao refined a pill of quality comparable to hers, then with his advantages from the first two rounds, Ling Xiao would inevitably win.
No, I should not fear him.
This guy cannot possibly succeed.
Tianhai Pearl shook her head. She considered many possibilities, but no matter how she thought about it, even if it were her, she could not fuse three failed pills into one pill surpassing Yellow grade!
I must remain confident!
Even the Medicine King Sun Ran could not do this. How could a mere youngster achieve it!
“Sun Ran, do you think he still has a chance?” Ji Qing asked.
“Not the slightest chance! I said it before. This is purely playing with fire and burning himself! Although failed pills can theoretically be fused, it is far more difficult than fusing three intact pills!
If earlier, he had perhaps a twenty percent chance of success.
Now, he has less than a ten percent chance!
Do you think we should bet on this?”
Although the Medicine King Sun Ran admired Ling Xiao for quickly emerging from the shadow of failure, he could not believe Ling Xiao would succeed.
“Is that so? In my view, he still has a chance. Though he may not necessarily win, at least he has not lost his final opportunity.”
Ji Qing smiled.
“Care to wager?”
Sun Ran sneered.
“On what?”
Ji Qing asked.
“If he wins, I will refine a mid-grade Profound pill for you. You can choose what pill, and I will provide the materials myself.”
Sun Ran said, “If he loses, no matter who becomes champion in the end, you must give me that White Tiger Pill Scripture in your possession.”
“Heh, after all this, you have been coveting that book of mine. But why should I wager with you? Ling Xiao has no relation to me.”
Ji Qing smiled.
“So, you lack confidence in him after all?” Sun Ran also smiled.
“Using provocation? Fine, you succeed. I accept this wager!”
Ji Qing declared loudly.
“Good, a deal is a deal. I trust your character, Ji Qing.”
The Medicine King Sun Ran revealed a smile.
He had long coveted the White Tiger Pill Scripture in Ji Qing’s hands, but unfortunately, the other had higher cultivation and greater influence. Seizing it by force was impossible.
So, the only thing he could do was use such tricks to obtain it.
On the square, Ling Xiao continued heating the furnace with light and heat.
But clearly, he was controlling the temperature. Up to now, he had not yet used divine fire, indicating he had not truly begun the fusion.
Fusing the Three Parts Return Essence Pill solely with light and heat was unrealistic.
The reason Ling Xiao dared to compete with a senior like Tianhai Pearl was, of course, his reliance on the divine fire he possessed.
“Rise!”
Moments later, Ling Xiao withdrew the light and heat. A viscous liquid flew out from the furnace. This was the fusion of water and the pills.
Before it could solidify, Ling Xiao’s right hand suddenly emitted Three Flavours True Fire, beginning to calcine the liquid.
Amid the enveloping smoke, the liquid began to solidify gradually.
Not enough!
Still not enough!
Ling Xiao felt that this temperature was insufficient. If it continued like this, before the liquid solidified, the medicinal efficacy would completely dissipate.
