Chapter 577 - 575: Viewing the Sky from a Well

The Yulan Technique was an Alchemy Technique created solely by the Youlan Emperor. It could fully mobilize the Yulan Sacred Fire for Alchemy and was a truly supreme Ultimate Skill. When the two were used in tandem, they completely overwhelmed Medicine King Valley’s Creation Technique!

Compared to the Creation Technique, however, the Yulan Technique had a fatal flaw: it was impossible to pass on. Only someone who possessed the Yulan Sacred Fire could learn this Ultimate Skill and its corresponding Alchemy Technique.

Without the Yulan Sacred Fire, the technique was completely ineffective and could not be performed. This was its greatest drawback.

But none of this mattered to Lin Xuan. ’What does it matter to me if others can’t learn it?’ All he needed to do was prove that Medicine King Valley’s Alchemy Technique wasn’t the best in the world. That was enough!

Under the refinement of this Yulan Sacred Fire, the speed of Nascent Soul Formation increased wildly, drastically shortening the time needed for Alchemy.

This display left the Elders so stunned they were speechless. It took a long while for them to recover, but their eyes still held a look of utter shock.

"Combining the Yulan Sacred Fire with the Phoenix Fire can actually accelerate the Alchemy process... This is simply unbelievable! I’ve never seen an Alchemy Technique like this before!"

"Yes, this is definitely the first time I’ve seen it. The speed of his Alchemy is simply astonishing. It’s significantly faster than our Creation Technique..."

"Have the Alchemy Techniques of the outside world already reached this level? ... It seems we’ve truly lost. Utterly and completely."

...

The Elders’ eyes filled with despair and a sorrowful chill. Their prized Creation Technique had been defeated by an Alchemy Technique from the outside world. Although Long Bin and the others hadn’t fully unleashed the Creation Technique’s potential, one look at Lin Xuan’s Yulan Technique was enough to confirm it surpassed their own.

A chill swept through the hearts of Long Bin and the others. They had hoped to defeat Lin Xuan with the Creation Technique, but now that seemed like a complete fool’s dream.

’His skill is so far beyond ours. What is there left to compete for?’

Utterly dejected, Long Bin and Long Fan both stopped the Alchemy process. Their minds were in turmoil; how could they possibly continue refining Elixir Pills? If they kept going, the probability of failure would skyrocket. All they could do was stand there and watch blankly.

After a full half-day, Lin Xuan successfully refined all ten Elixir Pills. With a low cry from him, the lid of the Alchemy Furnace flew open. Ten perfect Elixir Pills shot out and landed neatly inside a Jade Bottle.

Lin Xuan completed the entire process in one smooth, effortless motion. Just like that, ten Elixir Pills were successfully created, and in half the expected time!

He had actually succeeded. If he had failed, they could have still argued that the Yulan Technique was inferior to the Creation Technique. But now, it was clear that it far surpassed it! To reduce the refinement time by half—what a staggering feat.

In other words, in the time it took them to refine one batch, Lin Xuan could refine two. With such a gap, what was the point of competing? They had lost completely. Even if they didn’t want to admit defeat, they had no choice. They were utterly and thoroughly convinced.

"There’s no need to continue refining. You have won first place in this Alchemy competition. Does anyone object?" Long Xingyun raised a hand to stop Lin Xuan, signaling him to not continue. When the outcome was no longer in question, what was the point of continuing the competition?

At most, the other disciples could continue competing amongst themselves, but Lin Xuan’s part was over. The longer he continued, the more face Medicine King Valley would lose.

Medicine King Valley’s rules were stubborn and archaic, but it was still his home, and a place he managed.

The crowd exchanged glances, and finally, they could only sigh, accepting Lin Xuan as the winner. The competition was supposed to last another three and a half days, yet first place had already been decided. This was completely unprecedented.

But they chose to accept it. The reason was simple: Lin Xuan’s Alchemy skills were too Heaven-Defying. Who could possibly compare?

"It seems we’ve really lost, and lost completely..." A bitter look crossed Long Bin’s face as the pride in his heart crumbled.

Medicine King Valley’s most brilliant Alchemy Technique seemed so pathetic before the Yulan Technique. Their Cultivation was even higher than Lin Xuan’s, yet they still couldn’t beat him. What more was there to say?

"Yes, completely..." Long Fan looked even more miserable. He had made a huge bet. ’Should I honor my promise now, or should I go back on my word?’

"It’s over, just like that?" Lin Xuan was taken aback. He had been about to start on the next batch of Elixir Pills, only to be stopped.

After a moment of silence, he smiled faintly. "No problem. But there is one last thing I’d like to do!"

"And what might that be?" Long Xingyun lifted his gaze and smiled faintly. He was beginning to understand his grandson better, and the young man was quickly winning his favor.

From the Jade Bottle, Lin Xuan took out a Fifth Grade Elixir. He also produced some Five-Colored Spirit Wood Liquid. These were items he always carried with him and would never be without.

He poured some of the Spirit Wood Liquid into his hand, which began to flash with a golden light. He then proceeded to engrave a Third Grade amplification pattern onto the Fifth Grade Elixir!

Again, he moved flawlessly. His formidable Soul Power allowed him to effortlessly carve the Third Grade amplification pattern onto the Fifth Grade Elixir.

After the engraving was complete, Lin Xuan presented the Elixir Pill. The crowd stared at him as if they were seeing a ghost. This was pattern engraving—engraving a pattern on a Fifth Grade Elixir!

An Alchemy Master and a Pattern Master were two entirely different professions, yet Lin Xuan had demonstrated abilities in both, and at an exceptionally high level!

"A Th-Third Grade amplification effect... It can double the effect of this Fifth Grade Elixir! If we score based on effect, that’s at least equal to the score of two Fifth Grade Elixirs..." Long Xingyun gasped. He thought about what would happen if Lin Xuan could engrave a pattern on every single Elixir Pill.

’One batch has ten pills. If he engraves this pattern on all of them, that’s equivalent to twenty pills. What the hell is the point of competing then?!’

No wonder Lin Xuan had requested to be scored based on effectiveness. If they didn’t score that way, the engraved Elixir Pill would still only count as a single Fifth Grade Elixir, not two.

"You also know how to engrave patterns?" Long Xingyun asked, stunned.

"Yes, I do. And with a twofold amplification, this is equivalent to two Elixir Pills..." Lin Xuan smiled faintly, then turned to the dumbstruck crowd. His tone became admonishing as he said, "In the outside world, there are countless geniuses stronger than me, and new Alchemy Techniques emerge endlessly. Medicine King Valley’s Alchemy Technique is excellent, I will admit that, but even more excellent techniques exist outside! If you stay cooped up in Medicine King Valley and never venture out, you will end up like a frog in a well, with a limited view of the sky."

"You may be powerful for now, but when the many experts of the outside world come knocking on your door, you will realize that you are nothing but frogs at the bottom of a well, ignorant of the vast world. If you wish to maintain your pride, you should go out into the world, not hide away in here!"

Lin Xuan’s voice was resounding and powerful. He had gone to these lengths for one reason: to prove that the world outside was the truly brilliant one, and that his mother’s choice had not been a mistake!