Chapter 636: The Crown of Alchemy (2)

The elder then looked at those who had failed, his eyes sweeping over the dejected faces of the alchemists who had been unable to form a pill.

"As for the other participants..."

Their expressions changed immediately, the joy of the finalists contrasting with the disappointment of those who had failed.

The alchemists who had been unable to form a pill lowered their heads slightly, their eyes fixed on the ground. Some gritted their teeth, the frustration evident in their tense jaws.

Others stared at their own cauldrons, still bearing marks from the mistakes made during the refinement, silent witnesses to their failure.

The opportunity to enter the Association with a higher position had passed before them, and they had failed to seize it.

"You demonstrated talent by making it this far into the final." The elder said, his voice softer now.

"Do not consider this competition a complete failure. Every mistake is a lesson, every failure is a step toward success. However, opportunities like this are rare. I hope that all of you will learn from the mistakes made today."

The words were kind, but they did little to diminish the regret weighing upon them. One of the alchemists clenched his fists, his fingers trembling.

"If I had more time..."

Another sighed, a sound that carried the full weight of his disappointment.

"I should have chosen that herb... I knew it was wrong, but I insisted."

A woman remained staring at her own hands, her palms still marked by the heat of the cauldron. She had come so close, so close to success. But close was not enough.

The elder then breathed slowly, his eyes rising toward the crowd.

"Now..." The arena became completely silent once again, anticipation condensing in the air like a cloud about to break.

"The time has come to announce the results."

Tens of thousands of people held their breath, their bodies motionless, their eyes fixed on the elder.

"I will not announce all the results individually. I will only call the five alchemists who achieved the best results in this final."

Everyone’s eyes lit up, a spark of excitement sweeping through the crowd.

"Each of the five must come up onto the stage when called."

The elder raised one hand, his gesture solemn.

"In addition to the rank 6 recipe that was the main prize of this competition, which will be awarded to the winner, the top five will receive additional rewards provided by the Alchemists Association."

The crowd erupted with anticipation, voices rising in a chorus of excitement.

"Finally!"

"It has begun!"

"Who came in fifth?"

"Could Kyrian be among the five?"

"He has to be."

"Not necessarily."

"After that fragrance? Of course he is."

The elder opened a small scroll, his eyes scanning the words written in precise calligraphy. Then he announced, his voice echoing throughout the arena.

"Fifth place."

A pause, the suspense stretching like a tightly drawn rope.

"Alchemist Ren Tao."

A man of approximately forty years old stood among the participants, his movements slow and deliberate.

He had black hair tied behind his head in a simple bun, a square face, and a small scar crossing his right eyebrow, a reminder of some experiment that had gone wrong.

His robe was simple, dark brown in color, and his arms bore several small old burns, marks from years of working with flames and metals.

Ren Tao took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling. Then he walked toward the stage, his steps firm but carrying evident tension. He knew that he had achieved a good ranking, but not as good as he had hoped.

When he arrived before the elder, he gave a respectful bow, his head lowering.

The old man nodded, his eyes sweeping over the alchemist with a professional assessment.

"Ren Tao managed to complete two pills."

The crowd murmured, a sound of surprise and speculation.

"Both are rank 5 pills."

More murmurs, voices rising in comments.

The elder continued, his voice maintaining a neutral tone.

"The average purity was fifty percent."

Ren Tao pressed his lips together, a thin line of tension. Fifty percent was not an exceptional purity, but it was still a respectable achievement, considering the difficulties of the trial, an incomplete recipe, limited time, and unknown ingredients.

"During the reconstruction of the recipe, Ren Tao correctly identified eight of the thirteen original ingredients."

The expressions of some spectators changed, their eyes widening.

"Eight? So he got five wrong?"

"Even so, he managed to form two pills?"

"That isn’t easy. It is a testament to his ability to compensate."

The elder nodded, acknowledging the difficulty.

"Yes. Five ingredients were incorrect. Even so, Ren Tao managed to partially compensate for these mistakes through his flame control and refinement sequence. His adaptation technique is remarkable."

The old man looked directly at him, his eyes penetrating.

"Your result demonstrates a solid foundation. There is room for improvement, but your ability is worthy of recognition."

Ren Tao bowed again, his voice firm.

"Thank you, Elder."

The crowd applauded, the sound growing like a wave.

Ren Tao received his reward, a small cloth pouch containing valuable resources, and descended from the stage, his steps lighter now.

The elder waited until he returned to his position, the silence settling once again. Then he called.

"Fourth place."

This time, a woman stood up, her movements graceful and controlled. She was approximately thirty-five years old, with extremely long black hair tied in a simple braid that fell over her shoulder and dark green eyes that shone with keen intelligence. Her face was delicate, but her expression remained cold and focused, a mask of determination.

Her name was Mei Rulan. She had been one of the participants who used an extremely delicate technique during the refinement, an approach that required patience and precision.

Mei Rulan climbed onto the stage in silence, her steps steady. When she arrived before the elder, she bowed, her eyes fixed on the ground.

The elder looked at the bottle corresponding to her result, his fingers running across the jade surface.

"Mei Rulan refined two rank 5 pills."

She remained motionless, her expression unchanged.

"The average purity was sixty-eight percent."

The arena’s reaction was greater, murmurs of surprise spreading.

"Sixty-eight? Much better than fifth place!"

"Then why didn’t she come in third?"

The elder then spoke, his voice cutting through the speculation.

"The quantity, purity, stability, and proximity to the original recipe were considered simultaneously. It is not merely a matter of isolated numbers.

The crowd understood, the murmurs dying down.

The elder then continued, his voice maintaining its evaluative tone.