Ch183 Patterned Pill

Sun Ling freezes in place, and her eyes widen in shock when the invisible energy ripples through her.

Many other arrays fall down, and disciples that were nearly done with their crafts yell out in anger.

The crowd around me all focuses on the strange burst’s source.

“What was that? It felt kind of good…”

“I don’t know, it felt like when those spirit grade physiques clash in the arena sometimes.”

“Weird, it came from that Chen Clan disciple. The Eternal Qi Gathering Pill Master! The one who wasted his family fortune and couldn’t even make a pill higher quality than low grade…”

“What kind of trick is he trying to pull? He’s eliminating his competition with an artifact burst like that! Ha! He should have used it way sooner!”

Speculation about what happened changes tones fast, but I focus on the fact that every single alchemist in the courtyard is feeling their bodies and staring wide-eyed at the source.

I’m at a distance, so for some it’s hard to tell, but for the alchemists up close that hold the acquired alchemy physique, I’m positive they’ve all just had their physiques slightly tweaked by the vibrations that rippled through them.

It is just like when I practice above my cultivation array or give in to my martial spirit instincts. A far more natural and efficient concept just altered the way they think ever so slightly.

The most prominent change is within the short young vice peak master quickly making her way across the event platform.

Sun Ling’s soul twists in curiosity and disbelief as she makes her way to the beginner area.

She stops in front of Chen Yilin’s furnace, and an unmasked smile forms on her face.

Her eyes light up when she begins pulling the pills out one by one, and all of the chatter in the crowds quiets down.

By the time she’s halfway through, the whispers pick up again.

“Are those high grade pills? Look how pristine white they are.”

“Yeah, they are, but I thought Chen Yilin was a 4th level qi refiner. How is that possible?”

“I work at the pill hall. He’s never handed in anything better than low grade!”

Sun Ling stops at the 9th pill, holding it up in front of her face.

“For completing a beginner pill recipe, one point… for managing to concoct over half of your pills at the high grade requirement, that is an additional three points… and for doing so at only the 4th level of qi refining, I’d like to grant you another point. Does the audience agree?”

She looks out to the crowd for the first time, then her eyes glance down into the furnace, her heart beating much faster in her chest.

“She really granted him five points? For qi gathering pills? Are you serious?”

“He is a 4th level qi refiner, it would have been impressive if he even made mid grade pills. Nine high grade pills is definitely impressive.”

“It’s still not a barrier breaking pill! He may have five points, but you can’t put him in the lead!”

Many are having trouble believing what they’re seeing, but the fact that it doesn’t actually alter the top rankings keeps anyone from disagreeing with Sun Ling.

The Vice Peak Master reaches into the furnace one last time and pulls out the tenth pill.

It is just as pristine white as all the others, but there is a subtle raised layer of invisible energy around its outside.

From a distance, it’s almost impossible to see.

Yet, those with their spiritual senses probing this pill all gasp when they see it.

“What is it? It looks no different than a high grade pill! What’s the big deal?!”

“No! Look closer!”

“A Patterned Pill!”

“What? What’s a patterned pill?”

“A white vine pattern! That’s what appears when an alchemist creates a perfect grade pill!”

“How is that possible? I’ve never heard of a qi refiner concocting a perfect grade pill. Even if it’s only a qi gathering pill, that’s impossible! A Perfected Stage Foundation Establishment pill master would be the bare minimum… There’s no way!”

“Yeah! There’s no way! He’s cheating! It’s impossible!”

Sun Ling stares at the tiny white orb in her fingers.

There is, in fact, a single white vine pattern wrapping around the pristine white pill. It is imbued with a subtle invisible aura that is heavier than the pill beneath it.

The Vice Peak Master gulps, and her hands start to shake as she looks down at the exhausted disciple sitting in a puddle of his own sweat.

“Junior Chen Yilin, may I test if your pill is genuine?”

He shows a thin smile and bows his head while staying seated. “Please, Senior Sun, it would be my honor.”

The small woman tosses the pill in her mouth without hesitation and closes her eyes.

The warm invisible aura in the air fades away, and Sun Ling processes the qi.

I see her physique and soul tremble, and the faint amount of vibrations within the pill pattern dissolve and cycle through the qi in her cultivation technique.

She takes in a deep breath and nods, smiling even wider. “Indeed, it is legitimate. A perfect grade pill! I’ll award you one additional point for your concoction. That will be six points total! You have to be the winner… How could I give the prize to anyone else?”

Sun Ling closes her eyes again, and both of her physiques tremble in response to the lingering aura left behind in the pill’s patterns.

A stern man’s voice echoes through the silence from the far side of the event’s arrays.

“You’re manipulating the results so you don’t have to grant our Ye Clan the cauldron!”

“Yeah, do you really expect us to believe a 4th level qi refiner can concoct a pill not even your grandfather can?”

Both of the Ye brothers sneer and look away from the woman toward the crowd, still quite in shock.

Their gazes slowly twist into jealousy and disbelief after hearing these words.

Members of the crowd try to gain favor from these Ye Clan Disciples.

“Yeah, wait a minute! She even ate the pill to hide the proof. I swear I didn’t even see a pattern on that pill. It was just a pure white qi gathering pill!”

“I knew I wasn’t crazy. That’s what’s going on? The Vice Peak Master is rigging the event?”

Some voices of disciples that clearly saw the pill’s patterns are drowned out, and they step back in the crowds.

The majority of disciples yelling have no physiques at all, as they did not feel the strange wave of vibrations.

Almost every alchemist in the event stays silent, as they’re certain that was no ordinary high grade pill, but the Ye brothers grin to themselves as this young woman’s reputation is being challenged.

Sun Ling’s gaze turns sharp, and she releases a wave of her foundation establishment aura into the air while stomping the ground.

It isn’t very strong compared to fighting focused cultivators, but it is enough to force the front few rows to kneel and bow their heads on instinct alone.

“Every array formation has a recording crystal at its center. Every disciple was searched, their storage rings confirmed, and their robes cleared of all goods with the Law Enforcement Hall’s help. If anyone would like to review the crystals after the event to see for themselves, they can confirm the legitimacy of this event!”

Murmurs still come out from the back of the crowd, calling Chen Yilin a cheater, so Sun Ling yells out again.

“My word is final! Do not disrespect disciples just because you don’t believe it’s possible for yourselves to accomplish what they have done. You’ve all witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime pill craft, and you wish to ruin your chance for enlightenment to keep your fragile egos intact! He’s won my event, and he’s won the tier 2 furnace. I, Sun Ling, have decided to bestow my Authority token on this junior disciple, Chen Yilin! If I hear another false claim about his feats today, I will take it as you directly challenging my own integrity. Understood?”

The short woman grits her teeth, her cheeks slightly pink in anger, looking through the crowd to mentally note disciples that were causing trouble.

A grin forms on my face, and I turn to leave.

Other disciples in the crowd try to move closer to the front, as this drama is just beginning.

There will be an award ceremony, and the crowd is far from in agreement on the end result.

I’ve seen everything I wanted to and have confirmed that my investment in this middle-aged man has begun to pay off.

I slip away from the crowds and begin walking further down the mountain path, away from the growing commotion.

I pull out the booklet outlining upcoming side competitions and their personalized notes.

One other event I certainly want to watch is on the other side of this peak. It is the weapon forging event. It is said to take much longer than the alchemy trials and will be finishing up right before the main combat peak’s fighting tournament begins.

There are still a few hours until then.

So, I take the next turn in the well-made paths and make my way toward the cliff ledge flattened out in between both.

It is where the combat peak’s own hosted side tournaments are, including the archery event I signed up for.