Chapter 633 - 627: The Pill Emperor Contest Begins

"Alright, this exchange is over!" Ji Wuqing announced coldly, stepping forward just as the atmosphere turned awkward. She could see that if this went on, Shen Haoran and Bai Shaohong were about to clash. The power of two Seventh Grade Alchemists was not to be underestimated. Besides, an Alchemist’s contest was about Alchemy, not Spiritual Thought. Shen Haoran and Bai Shaohong’s true battlefield was not here—it was the fight for the title of Pill Emperor.

Hearing Ji Wuqing’s announcement, the faces of those who had been hoping to see Shen Haoran humiliated fell with disappointment. Bai Shaohong, however, breathed a sigh of relief. The moment he realized he’d done so, though, his brow furrowed. ’I’ve unconsciously started seeing Shen Haoran as an opponent who could actually threaten me.’ The thought made him incredibly displeased.

When the exchange ended, the group that disliked Shen Haoran immediately swarmed Bai Shaohong to start sucking up. Ordinarily, Bai Shaohong would have enjoyed the flattery, but after they had tried to stir up drama earlier, he was filled with nothing but disgust for them. With a cold snort, he turned on his heel and left, not bothering to give them a single pleasant glance.

"What’s wrong with Eldest Young Master Bai? He looks a little angry!" one of the Alchemists asked, looking completely bewildered as he watched Bai Shaohong’s retreating figure.

"Maybe it’s because he didn’t get to teach Shen Haoran a lesson. Vice Hall Master Ji is such a killjoy. She should have let Eldest Young Master Bai go up there and teach Shen Haoran a good lesson, show him how powerful we Demon Race Alchemists are!"

"Yeah, that’s right!" the other Alchemists chimed in.

"Tsk. You got the cold shoulder after all that ass-kissing, and you’re still this pleased with yourselves?" Shen Haoran scoffed at their words. He casually clasped his hands behind his head, started whistling a soft tune, and strolled out of the Testing Hall with Yan Jue and Long Aotian, leaving the pack of Alchemists to gnash their teeth in frustration.

The formal competition for the title of Pill Emperor was scheduled to begin the next morning. All the Alchemists who had passed the first round of screening would gather in the Central Square of the Medicine Hall Headquarters for a true contest of Alchemy. The victor would be granted the title of Pill Emperor by the Medicine Hall, along with a handsome reward.

After leaving the Medicine Hall, Shen Haoran returned to the small alley with Feng Li. Although the twenty major branch halls had shown some of their strength in the Testing Hall today, it was ultimately just an exchange. Most participants hadn’t used their full power. While Shen Haoran’s current strength meant he didn’t fear them, it was still wise to prepare. After all, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Looking over the list of participants Feng Li had provided, Shen Haoran circled several key names. The greatest threat was Feng Miaoke. Though he and she had a history, the power she’d displayed in the Testing Hall proved she was worthy of her reputation as a Demon Level talent among the Demon Race’s younger generation of Alchemists. With the Vermilion Bird Bloodline flowing through her, her control over flames had reached a state of absolute perfection. When it came to Alchemy, she would be completely in her element.

Next were Long Aotian, Bai Shaohong, and Yan Jue. All three were Seventh Grade Alchemists who had achieved the rank long ago. With the deep foundations of their families backing them, their advantages over Shen Haoran were immense. Even though they had only revealed the tip of the iceberg in the Testing Hall, Shen Haoran could still get a general sense of their power.

Finally, there were Tian Ruyi, Wu Daotian, and the yet-to-appear Saint Child of Holy Light City. Tian Ruyi always gave Shen Haoran a strange, ethereal feeling that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. As for Wu Daotian... ’How should I put it...’ Although the man seemed a bit dimwitted, his power was undeniable; he was definitely at the level of a Seventh Grade Alchemist. Lastly, there was the Saint Child of Holy Light City. He hadn’t made an appearance, but anyone who could pressure both Yan Jue and Long Aotian couldn’t be a weakling.

And last but not least were the Alchemists who had performed exceptionally well in the first round, as well as a few independent Alchemists who had also caught Shen Haoran’s eye. All in all, this competition for Pill Emperor was far more intense than what Feng Li had described of previous years. It seemed that if he wanted to claim the title of Pill Emperor, Shen Haoran would have to put in a lot more effort.

At that thought, Shen Haoran wasted no more time. He immersed his Heart Spirit in his Sea of Consciousness and began to meticulously study the Alchemy Dao from his Alchemy Inheritance. Whenever he came across something he didn’t understand, he would ask Elder Yan for guidance. Although it was said that improving one’s Alchemy required finding the right path through countless failures, that rule didn’t apply to Shen Haoran. With the inheritance of the Alchemy Dao and a living fossil like Elder Yan to guide him, Shen Haoran could avoid many detours.

The night passed uneventfully. Shen Haoran remained immersed in his Sea of Consciousness, and time flew by in the blink of an eye. The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight washed over the magnificent city, all of Central City instantly exploded with excitement. Countless streams of people flowed like rivers into the sea, all converging on the Medicine Hall Headquarters. Fortunately, the Medicine Hall had long been prepared to receive these spectators; otherwise, there would have been no way to accommodate so many people.

At this moment, Shen Haoran, led by a Medicine Hall Elder, arrived at the grand hall where the participants were gathered. There were no fewer than a thousand people standing in the hall, all of them Alchemists who had passed the first round of tests.

The moment Yan Jue saw Shen Haoran arrive, she leaped onto him, clinging to his neck like a koala. The gesture left Shen Haoran feeling rather embarrassed as the surrounding Alchemists stared at him with curiosity. They had all heard of Yan Jue’s renown, and seeing her act so affectionately toward Shen Haoran, they all began to wonder about his identity.

DONG! DONG! DONG...

Just then, a series of deep chimes echoed. Following the sound, numerous figures flew out from the Medicine Hall and stood suspended in mid-air. These were all Elders of the Medicine Hall, their power at the Spirit Emperor Level. Ji Wuqing and Hao Ran were among them. Standing beside her were four other elders, who must have been the other Vice Hall Masters of the Medicine Hall.

Once the Medicine Hall Elders had appeared, one of them called out to the heavens in a resonant voice, "Let us welcome the Patriarchs of the Four Great Divine Beast Families!"

As the voice faded, four beastly roars echoed from the four corners of Central City. Immediately after, four streams of different-colored Spiritual Power surged up from those corners, coalescing into the forms of a Vermilion Bird, a Cyan Dragon, a White Tiger, and a Black Tortoise. They streaked like lightning toward the sky above the Medicine Hall. A moment later, four figures appeared in everyone’s line of sight. They were none other than the Patriarch of the Vermilion Bird Clan, Feng Qingwu; the Patriarch of the Cyan Dragon Clan, Long Xiaotian; the Patriarch of the White Tiger Clan, Bai Zhennan; and the Patriarch of the Black Tortoise Clan, Yan Shi!

The moment the four of them appeared, a terrifying pressure rained down from the heavens, warping the very space around them. Everyone below felt the immense pressure and could not help but look up in awe. These were the Patriarchs of the Demon Race’s Four Great Clans, the ultimate power of their race. They were Spirit Emperor Powerhouses, each one having achieved the Spirit Emperor Tier.

’So, those are Spirit Emperor Powerhouses?’ Shen Haoran mused, looking up at the four figures in the sky. The corners of his lips curled with a hint of fighting spirit. ’A Spirit Emperor... I’d love to see for myself just how terrifying these legendary powerhouses really are...’