Chapter 629 - 623: Ten Minutes

On the stone platform, two Alchemists stood facing each other. They both wore the badge of a Sixth Grade Alchemist on their chests. Shen Haoran noticed that it wasn’t just them; in fact, all the Alchemists participating in the competition for Pill Emperor wore Sixth Grade Alchemist badges. Long Aotian and his three companions even had Seventh Grade Alchemist badges. He was the only one wearing a Fourth Grade Alchemist badge, making him stick out like a sore thumb.

Shen Haoran felt rather helpless about this. Ji Wuqing had deliberately made things difficult for him. Even though he had passed the examination for a Seventh Grade Alchemist, Ji Wuqing had found all sorts of excuses not to issue him an Alchemist Badge. Thus, Shen Haoran could only take out his old one. After all, everyone participating in the Pill Emperor competition was an Alchemist, and without a badge, one was not qualified to enter.

BOOM...

While Shen Haoran was lost in thought, a roar echoed from the stone platform below. The two individuals on the platform were now sitting cross-legged on the ground. Powerful Spiritual Thought erupted from their Seas of Consciousness, slowly condensing into the shape of fists before them and striking out at each other.

Once an Alchemist reached the Sixth Grade, their Spiritual Thought could leave their Sea of Consciousness—a feat only they could accomplish. At that moment, the two Alchemists’ Spiritual Thoughts collided, and a violent storm of energy raged across the stone platform. Both of them had only just become Sixth Grade Alchemists, so their power was nearly identical. For a time, they were locked in a stalemate.

On the platform, the battle quickly reached a fever pitch. Before long, the stalemate broke. One Alchemist went on the defensive, while the other began a frenzied assault, quickly forcing the defender into a corner.

"Brother Shen, who do you think will win?" Long Aotian asked calmly, gazing at the two below—one attacking, one defending.

"I know, I know! It’s definitely the one on the attack. Look at him! The other guy is getting pummeled. He has no strength left to fight back!" Before Shen Haoran could answer, Yan Jue eagerly chimed in from the side. She then shot a glance at Shen Haoran with her large eyes, as if showing off.

Shen Haoran simply shook his head. "Not necessarily. I’d wager the one on defense will win." A sharp glint flashed through his eyes as he watched the two clashing below.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Long Aotian asked. ’His thoughts aligned with Shen Haoran’s; the one on the defensive was sure to be the final victor.’

"Although the situation seems favorable for the attacker right now, it’s actually not. The most important thing in a battle is rhythm. Look at the one on the offense—his attacks are fierce and sharp, but they lack any semblance of a rhythm. He’s just wasting his energy. The defender, on the other hand, is as steady as a mountain. He might look passive, but he’s actually the one in control, leading the attacker by the nose. At this rate, the match will be decided within ten minutes!" Shen Haoran said with complete confidence, a self-assured glint in his eyes.

Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, the surrounding Alchemists snorted in disdain. To them, the situation was obvious: the attacker was on the verge of victory. Yet here was Shen Haoran, claiming the attacker was being led by the nose. ’This guy doesn’t know anything,’ they thought. ’He’s just spouting nonsense to show off for Long Aotian.’

Shen Haoran paid no mind to their doubts. In ten minutes, they would see who was right and who was wrong.

’Ten minutes?’ Long Aotian was surprised. He had also realized that Shen Haoran was correct—the defender on the platform was actually in control and would be the eventual victor. But Long Aotian couldn’t tell how long it would take. If the defender really won within ten minutes, just as Shen Haoran had predicted, then his perception was frighteningly sharp.

Long Aotian’s reasons for befriending Shen Haoran were not merely out of admiration. There were many factors at play, such as the aura of the Vermilion Bird Bloodline he sensed from him, and his conflict with the Vermilion Bird Race. If Shen Haoran truly possessed great skill, perhaps he would earn Long Aotian’s genuine respect.

"Nine minutes have passed! Look, the defender is about to lose!" Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, nine minutes were gone. The defender had been forced to the very edge of the stone platform. All the attacker had to do was land one more strike to win the match.

"Tch. He actually bragged that the defender would win in ten minutes. What a joke. Talk about getting slapped in the face!" Seeing the situation on the platform, the surrounding Alchemists looked at Shen Haoran, cold smirks spreading across their faces.

But Shen Haoran remained perfectly calm and unruffled. He watched the two combatants, a confident smile gracing his lips. ’The ten minutes are up,’ he thought. ’It’s time for the outcome to be decided.’

"Whoa, everyone, look!" And just as predicted, in the next instant, the one who had been on the defensive suddenly unleashed his power. A giant hand formed of Spiritual Thought shot out and lunged for his opponent.

The attacker’s expression changed drastically at the sight of the sudden eruption. He tried to retreat, but his earlier, pointless attacks had drained too much of his energy, leaving him unable to dodge the giant hand of Spiritual Thought. His external projection of Spiritual Thought was instantly shattered, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale.

"I surrender!" the attacker said with a bitter smile. ’Victory had been within my grasp, but I fell short at the final hurdle. He was baiting my attacks the whole time, draining my energy. I was still too naive.’

Hearing the surrender from below, the crowd in the stands erupted, staring down in disbelief. They couldn’t believe that the attacker, who had seemed to have the advantage, had lost in an instant. The tables had turned so quickly! Then they considered the time. Ten minutes. Not a second more, not a second less. Shen Haoran’s prediction had been spot on.

"Brother Shen, that was incredible! Your perception is on another level. I’m humbled!" Long Aotian said, looking at Shen Haoran with shock. The battle below had unfolded exactly as Shen Haoran predicted. In that moment, a newfound admiration entered his eyes.

"Just a lucky guess," Shen Haoran replied to Long Aotian’s praise with a faint smile. ’He was sure Long Aotian had seen it too; after all, his power as a Seventh Grade Alchemist was undeniable. He wasn’t as naive as that young lass Yan Jue.’

"Yeah, right. He just got lucky!"

"What’s he so smug about? I could’ve guessed that too!"

Seeing the smile on Shen Haoran’s face, the crowd began muttering under their breath. Clearly, they were still unwilling to admit that he had been right, chalking it all up to his good luck. Shen Haoran, for his part, had no intention of explaining. He felt that arguing with such a crowd would be beneath him.