Before Gu Zuo could think about it clearly, the results of the competition between Qiu Qian and that dainty young girl were out.
Qiu Qian produced seven medicinal pills, and the young girl had fearsomely produced nine pills. Based on the rate of successful pills, that young girl was even better. At this time, the product grades of the pills were compared. Qiu Qian had five high grade pills, and the young girl only had four. Following this, Qiu Qian’s remaining two pills were both mid grade, and the young girl had three mid grade pills and two low grade pills.
Altogether, the young girl refined two more pills than Qiu Qian, but they were both low grade pills. However, Qiu Qian refined one more high grade pill than the young girl, and the young girl refined one more mid grade pill than Qiu Qian. Hence, based on the product grades of the medicinal pills, Qiu Qian was better.
Looking at the comprehensive performances again, Qiu Qian and the young girl were judged to have reached a draw.
Gu Zuo also felt the same.
If the young girl only had eight pills and hadn’t reached the limit, or if Qiu Qian had refined one more mid grade pill, Qiu Qian would’ve won. If the young girl had refined one more high grade pill, then the young girl would’ve won.
Unfortunately, none of that happened. As such, it was forced to a draw.
Qiu Qian wasn’t too pleased with this performance. He was even stronger than Zhu Hong, but Zhu Hong won. He, however, could only tie with his opponent. He really felt that this was less than ideal — Of course, that girl’s strength was also very powerful, so he actually wasn’t too discontented.
Xu Lingxiu also wasn’t particularly satisfied. Currently, there were two matches with one win and one tie. Their advantage wasn’t clear at all.
Furthermore, after the two bouts of sparring between mid-level pharmacists, the third round would be the turn of the high-level pharmacists — After all, this was to test the levels of all pharmacists, and all pharmacists of different ranks had to take the stage.
Li Yunquan and a beautiful woman who looked thirty-something years old both walked out. After greeting their counterparts, they each sat at their respective pill cauldron.
There weren’t any signs of aggression amid their movements. After they sat down, the lingering qi energy surrounding their bodies appeared even more charming than those youthful and vigorous pharmacists just a while ago.
Gu Zuo looked at the actions of these two high-level pharmacists, and earnestly watched each and every one of their movements, as well as the circulatory vestiges of those medicinal powers.
This kind of spar was very useful to him, and could let him accumulate some experience.
And no matter how few, such experiences were never unwanted.
The medicinal pills that high-level pharmacists refined were ones that were suitable for Immortal Realm martial artists to take.
The one that Li Yunquan refined was called the Lotus Heart Pill. After taking it, it could briefly raise an Immortal Realm martial artist’s perception, aiding their understanding of high-level martial skills. However, the medicinal power was limited. The higher the grade of the comprehended martial skill, the shorter the timeframe’s effects.
The one that the beautiful woman refined was called the Martial Path Pill. Contained within it was a type of realization for martial artists. After taking it, there was a certain probability in one’s comprehension to those martial skills left behind by other martial artists.
These two types belonged to the more commonly used medicinal pills of Immortal Realm martial artists, but the medicinal ingredients were all very rare. In particular, the main ingredients Nine Heart Lotus, which promoted intelligence, and the following Martial Path Stone, were both very precious.
Of course, refining the pills was especially difficult. Even within the range of medicinal pills used by Immortal Realm martial artists, they were rather challenging pills to make.
But it seemed that the beautiful woman and Li Yunquan were both doing okay. Their movements were very adept.
After less than an hour passed, the smells within those pill cauldrons became very rich. The pill cauldrons buzzed and shook. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and those pill cauldrons issued a long droning noise. The medicinal pills within the cauldrons made whooshing noises and immediately burst out!
The two used pill receiving seals.
Following which, Li Yunquan unfolded his hand. In his palm was a single fiery-red medicinal pill. The qi waves were luminous and the qi energy was mysterious.
This was a high grade Lotus Heart Pill.
After that, the beautiful woman also unfolded her hand. What appeared in her palm were actually two deep-blue pills. The color and luster was serene and indistinct like a cold spring. However, of the emitted qi energies, there was a strong one and a weak one.
This meant that there was one high grade Martial Path Pill and one low grade Martial Path Pill.
The outcome was clear and easy to see.
Originally, for such a distinctive medicinal pill, one could only produce a single high grade pill. However, the beautiful woman used some unknown method, or her skill really was even higher, to produce two pills. Although the other pill was low grade, it was still the beautiful woman’s win.
In other words, it was Danyun City’s win.
Gu Zuo secretly sighed.
This time was okay. Everything had been drawn to a tie.
Li Yunquan forced a smile, and apologized to Xu Lingxiu: “This Li miscalculated.”
Although Xu Lingxiu was haughty, he didn’t really believe that it was totally Li Yunquan’s fault. He only said in a cold voice: “Next match, I’ll go.”
Li Yunquan nodded his head, his tone carrying a bit of praise: “Junior Sect Brother Xu is naturally the best.”
Gu Zuo heard Xu Lingxiu’s words, and understood in his mind.
The little prince wanted to settle victory and defeat personally… Correct. One shouldn’t look at his young age, because his level was definitely above that of the previous Zhu Hong and Qiu Qian. Presently, everything was tied, so it was only natural that the little prince wanted to act.
…In any case, for the time being, Gu Zuo was just here to buy soy sauce.
Gu Zuo had seen Xu Lingxiu’s pill refining method many times, and there was no need to doubt his excellence. So, who was his opponent going to be? The first three matches should’ve been mostly to sound them out. The medicine refining experts in the City Lord’s Mansion shouldn’t have been limited to the levels just now — After all, this place was the home field of the City Lord’s Mansion.
Sure enough, a charming and handsome young man soon walked out from the opposite side. He wore a full-body white robe, and his face was like fine jade. He had the air of an elegant young master, and his temperament gave people a scholarly kind of feeling.
A moment ago, no one had paid any attention to him. Now that he formally showed himself, everyone then realized that there’d been such a distinguished character here.
At this instant, that white-robed young man looked at Xu Lingxiu. He reached out a hand to give a polite gesture.
Xu Lingxiu nodded at him. His expression showed a trace of concern.
Gu Zuo was somewhat curious.
Could it be that this person had a special identity?
The next moment, the two sat down and exhibited their methods.
Gu Zuo kept an eye on Xu Lingxiu and discovered that the medicinal ingredients he’d selected were the ones for the Steadfast Heart Pill… And the Steadfast Heart Pill truly was the one that Xu Lingxiu was the most familiar with. It should’ve been the easiest one to refine here.
However, Gu Zuo had already seen Xu Lingxiu’s process of refining the Steadfast Heart Pill who knows how many times. At this time, he wasn’t interested all that much. Instead, his attention was on that white-robed young man.
And Gu Zuo recognized the pill the white-robed young man was refining based on those medicinal herbs.
That type of pill… The medicinal effects were especially powerful. By continuously taking this pill, it could allow a martial artist to recover from a state of qi deviation. It was called the Enlightenment Pill.
The degree of difficulty in refining the Enlightenment Pill was no less than that of the Steadfast Heart Pill. In addition, the Enlightenment Pill’s medicinal herbs were even more precious than the ones for the Steadfast Heart Pill. Its effects were also broader than the Steadfast Heart Pill’s. If this white-robed young man was able to refine a high grade pill, then it could be said that Xu Lingxiu would lose!
But the remaining pharmacists also didn’t know that the white-robed young man was refining such a rare medicinal pill. They could only see that the young man’s techniques were no less abstruse, his movements flowed no less smoothly, and his reactions to the interior of his pill cauldron were no less slower than that of Xu Lingxiu.
Xu Lingxiu was indeed very outstanding. However, his excellence definitely didn’t stifle that white-robed young man — He was equally outstanding, and even his bearing was no worse than Xu Lingxiu’s!
Li Yunquan revealed a complicated expression: “Xin Bailin, twenty years old, a near high-level pharmacist… He is City Lord Xin’s most outstanding son and is the strongest powerhouse on the path of medicine refinement among the younger generation in the City Lord’s Mansion. He’s also the person with the best medicine refining aptitudes among the younger generation in Danyun City. He’s similarly a quasi Golden-Level pharmacist. I didn’t think he’d show up. Junior Sect Brother Xu is in danger.”
Gu Zuo was puzzled: “His current rank should also be mid-level pharmacist, right?”
Li Yunquan looked to Gu Zuo, and gave him face with an explanation: “Correct. He is still a mid-level pharmacist. However, he’s already infinitesimally close to a high-level pharmacist. He even once refined medicinal pills suitable for Immortal Realm martial artists. Only, because success rate was low and the product grade was also low, he couldn’t reach the corresponding criteria to be called a genuine high-level pharmacist.
He continued: “In addition, his strength is also only Xiantian stage seven. Usually, to become a true high-level pharmacist, one must be stage nine or higher. But it’s because of this that people could see his terrifying potential… While he is a mid-level pharmacist, some mid-level pharmacists with profound qualifications could still be compared to him, but once he promotes to the degree of a high-level pharmacist, he’ll probably be able to sweep them all away.”
All along, Gu Zuo had only heard people say that Xu Lingxiu’s aptitudes were extraordinary. He didn’t expect that he’d hear about such a person in Danyun City. His interest was suddenly piqued: “Then, if Senior Sect Brother Xu promotes to the degree of a high-level pharmacist…”
Li Yunquan’s expression was a little embarrassed. He spoke with some diction: “With regards to aptitudes, Junior Sect Brother Xu is naturally not inferior to Xin Bailin. However, Junior Sect Brother Xu is a few years younger than Xin Bailin.”
Gu Zuo instantly understood.
If Xu Lingxiu was in the same age group as Xin Bailin, then they would’ve definitely strove against one another. However, the two were both exceptional talents. As a result, while their ages had a difference of three years, these three years weren’t an ordinary three years. The time available in three years would cause a very large discrepancy…
In that case, Xu Lingxiu really would lose this round, wouldn’t he?
The matter wasn’t beyond everyone’s expectations. After the two of them swiftly finished refining pills, the outcome was readily clear.
According to normal circumstances, Xu Lingxiu’s speed should’ve been slower than Xin Bailin’s. However, during this time period, the number of Steadfast Heart Pills that Xu Lingxiu had refined was extremely large. He could handle it with his eyes closed. So, he was able to achieve a draw with Xin Bailin in terms of time.
As for the formed pills, Xin Bailin had created a high grade Enlightenment Pill. Xu Lingxiu, however, had made a mid grade Steadfast Heart Pill. Although this mid grade pill was very close to high grade, it was still merely a mid grade.
This kind of conclusion was basically obvious at a glance.
Xu Lingxiu had lost.
Because of a hair-line difference, he was outdone by Xin Bailin.
It went without saying that Xu Lingxiu always had a long face. Right now, he still had a long face.
If it was another person, he firmly believed that he absolutely wouldn’t have lost. Yet, Xin Bailin was different. Xin Bailin was strong enough that he should’ve been able to have a fierce battle with him — But he lost because of age, and that made him particularly unresigned to the loss.
However, losing was losing. Xu Lingxiu was unwilling to lose, but he wouldn’t take defeat in poor grace.
Presently, they had one win, two losses, and one tie. There was still one more match. If they lost again, then it was a defeat. If they tied, then it was also a defeat. Only if they won could it become a draw.
Xu Lingxiu’s gaze fell onto Gu Zuo.
He naturally knew that Gu Zuo’s level was pretty good. Moreover, he had greater potential than Zhu Hong and Qiu Qian. However, it hadn’t been long since he obtained that medicine refining hand seal. He was also pretty young. Would he be able to achieve the results Xu Lingxiu hoped for?
While slightly restraining his thoughts, Xu Lingxiu looked to Gu Zuo: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, the following match can only be left to you.”
Gu Zuo promptly answered: “This one knows.”
Xu Lingxiu paused: “…You’re sure you can do it?”
But Xu Lingxiu understood right away that he was asking too much. Gu Zuo didn’t know what kind of person his opponent would be. What was the point in discussing assurances?
Gu Zuo answered honestly: “I’ll try my best.”
He didn’t predict the outcome of this pill battle at present, but… He definitely wouldn’t lose.
No matter what kind of person his opponent would be, he wouldn’t lose.
With this kind of thinking, Gu Zuo had already stood up and arrived before the pill cauldron.
He caught sight of his opponent. Unexpectedly, it was… Xin Qiu?
As it turned out, he was also a mid-level pharmacist.
T/N: I was notified that the next couple of chapters are “normal-length”, so the updates will be coming faster than usual.
Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
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