Chapter 227: Easy Advancement (2)

[A/N: We are just a few more golden tickets away from reaching another milestone!!]

A stream of ordinary crimson Earth Fire slowly rose, enveloping the Alchemy Furnace.

"Earth Fire? He’s actually using Earth Fire?" In the VIP seats, Ye Qingfeng looked as if he had seen the world’s biggest joke and immediately mocked Mu Qing:

"Old Ghost Mu, you’re not doing a very good job as a Master! You can’t even be bothered to get your Disciple a decent Beast Flame?"

"Refining pills with Earth Fire is Innately a step behind. How can he compete with others?"

Hai Yan and Wang Shishan also chimed in: "Exactly. It seems the Taiyi Holy Land has truly declined, unable to even provide some decent resources."

Mu Qing, however, remained composed and waved his hand dismissively:

"What do you know? I have absolute confidence in my Disciple. To a true Master of the Dao of Alchemy, even grass, wood, bamboo, and stones can be medicine, and ordinary Earth Fire can refine Top-Grade Spirit Pills."

"Just you wait and see. The Medicinal Pills my Disciple refines will definitely not be inferior to those of your three precious juniors."

"Hmph, still talking big!" Ye Qingfeng and the other two didn’t believe him at all, thinking Mu Qing was just trying to save face.

In the square, Chen Chuan seemed oblivious to the surrounding discussions and gazes.

His techniques were skillful and his movements fluid; processing ingredients, putting them into the Alchemy Furnace, controlling the heat—every step was incredibly precise, as if he had practiced them ten million times.

Under the seemingly gentle burning of the Earth Fire, the ingredients quickly melted and were purified, and a medicinal fragrance began to faintly waft out.

Time passed bit by bit.

Suddenly, the Alchemy Furnace where Chen Chuan was located vibrated slightly, the lid opened, and a round, translucent pill emitting a dense medicinal fragrance and a shimmering treasure light shot out, landing in the Jade Bottle in his hand.

He was actually the first to complete the pill!

"So fast?" Everyone was startled.

Seeing this, Mu Qing was immediately overjoyed and shouted triumphantly at Ye Qingfeng and the other two:

"See that? See that? That’s my Disciple’s speed. Your three juniors are still dawdling over there. If your skills are lacking, just admit it. What’s with the delay?"

Ye Qingfeng’s face darkened as he argued: "Alchemy is about the quality of the pill. What’s the use of speed? Quality work takes time. Being so impatient, the quality of his pill certainly won’t be very high."

"Exactly, maybe it’s just a barely formed Low-Grade pill and he was just lucky to be fast." Hai Yan and Wang Shishan quickly chimed in, but a trace of unease flashed deep in their eyes.

Soon, other contestants also completed their pills one after another.

Ye Wuhen, Su Yingxue, and Feng Lingxiao finished almost at the same time, their faces filled with confidence.

Several Holy Sons and Saintesses of the Myriad Medicine Sacred Land also collected their pills in succession.

Finally, Yao Xian flicked her jade-like hand, the Alchemy Furnace opened, and a pill with a similar flowing luster flew out, its fragrance particularly refreshing.

Next, a senior Elder of the Myriad Medicine Sacred Land inspected the quality of the pills one by one.

The inspecting Elder started with the other contestants; most were Low-Grade or mid-grade, with an occasional High-Grade appearing, drawing bursts of praise.

When the inspecting Elder reached Chen Chuan, Chen Chuan calmly handed over his Jade Bottle.

The Elder took it, poured out the Saint Breaking Pill, and examined it closely.

The pill’s surface was smooth as a mirror with layers of pill halos; it seemed as if misty Qi was flowing within, its medicinal power contained yet ready to burst forth.

The Elder’s pupils suddenly constricted, an expression of disbelief appearing on his face, his voice trembling slightly: "Taiyi Holy Land, Chen Chuan, Saint Breaking Pill, Grade: Top-Grade!"

"What? Top-Grade?"

Boom!

The entire square instantly erupted in an uproar, all eyes focusing on Chen Chuan.

Using Earth Fire, being the first to finish, and he actually refined a Top-Grade Saint Breaking Pill?

This simply overturned their understanding!

The confidence on the faces of Ye Wuhen, Su Yingxue, and Feng Lingxiao instantly froze, turning red and white in turns.

They had exerted all their effort only to refine High-Grade Saint Breaking Pills, thinking they were excellent, yet they were so easily surpassed by the person they had mocked yesterday.

An indescribable sense of shame and anger welled up in their hearts.

The faces of the Holy Sons and Saintesses of the Myriad Medicine Sacred Land were equally unsightly; their highest was also only High-Grade.

The inspecting Elder continued; when he announced that Ye Wuhen, Su Yingxue, Feng Lingxiao, and several Myriad Medicine Holy Sons and Saintesses were all High-Grade, the crowd’s reaction was already much more subdued.

Until the Elder reached Yao Xian.

Yao Xian had a calm expression as she handed over her pill.

After careful inspection, the Elder announced loudly: "Myriad Medicine Sacred Land, Yao Xian, Saint Breaking Pill, Grade: Top-Grade!"

"Great! We still have Senior Sister Yao Xian!"

"I knew Senior Sister Yao Xian wouldn’t lose!"

The Disciples of the Myriad Medicine Sacred Land immediately breathed a sigh of relief, bursting into enthusiastic cheers.

Although Chen Chuan’s performance was unexpected, they still had Yao Xian, their pillar of stability.

First place would still belong to their Myriad Medicine Sacred Land in the end!

In the VIP seats, Mu Qing was already laughing so hard he couldn’t close his mouth, slapping his thigh as he spoke to the ashen-faced Ye Qingfeng and the other two:

"Well? You three old fogies! Now you know who was blind! A Top-Grade Saint Breaking Pill refined with Earth Fire—can your Disciples do that?"

"I’ve definitely won this bet! Get your Origin Stones ready; if you’re short by even one, I won’t let you hear the end of it."

The faces of Ye Qingfeng, Hai Yan, and Wang Shishan were incredibly ugly, as if they had swallowed flies.

Ye Qingfeng still stubbornly argued:

"Hmph, it’s only the first round; it was just good luck. Later, when refining Holy Son King Rank pills or even higher, that will be the real test."

"Didn’t Saintess Yao Xian also refine a Top-Grade one? The other Geniuses of the Myriad Medicine Sacred Land haven’t given their all yet. Old Ghost Mu, don’t celebrate too early."

Despite their words, when the three exchanged glances, they all saw a lingering trace of panic in each other’s eyes.

This Chen Chuan really didn’t seem simple.

The first round ended with only a hundred people remaining.

The presiding Elder’s voice rang out again, signaling the start of an even more intense competition:

"The second round begins! The pill to be refined is the Holy Son King Rank ’Reversal Holy Spirit Pill’! Only those who reach Low-Grade quality may advance."