Going with Xiao Ya’s proposal, the first to start were the five grandmasters who used Yuan Qi flames. They hastily took out their flames and gave a sign of gratitude at the other grandmasters.
Although they were ranked among the best alchemists in Tianyu Empire, Zhuo Fan showed up with his heaven-defying refining skill that made them look as common as muck.
This was clearly showed through the yawns of the crowd.
Their refining resulted in three high and two mid 5th grade pills. Not one could go higher than 5th grade.
The third round had such a grade as the target. Showing it now, in the finals, robbed them of any chance at getting the first place.
They knew of their limits but chose to do it anyway so they could catch the eyes of some powerful clans.
Grinning, Yan Fu patronized, “Master was right after all. Letting those idiots go first was a total waste of time.”
He threw Liu Yizhen a side glance and sneered, “Lu old man, weren’t you bragging about using your 4th level beast flame to freakin press us all down into making a 5th-grade pill?”
“He-he-he, I have no intention to be Pill King. Just getting ahead of a twerp like you and washing away the disgrace is enough.” Liu Yizhen said as he caressed his beard.
Yan Fu seemed to have heard the biggest joke ever, “Ha-ha-ha, old man, losing is losing. What are you doing tacking that cocky tone? Not to mention, my beast flame is stronger than yours. And you still think of besting me?”
“Humph, alchemy isn’t based on flame alone. Last time I lost in terms of speed, but when it comes to refining abilities, I am above you, twerp.”
Liu Yizhen’s hand burned with his beast flame as he threw in all kinds of ingredients. Yan Fu had a constant sneer on his face.
As seconds trickled by, the scarlet flame blazed constantly, illuminating Liu Yizhen’s hard red face. Suddenly, Liu Yizhen spat a blood arrow into the flame.
The fire exploded and a scarlet pill twirled in the air before he caught it.
Liu Yizhen ignored the blood on his mouth as he gasped. He glowered at Yan Fu and revealed a crazy smile as he showed the pill.
“Brat! Tell me, what grade is this?”
Yan Fu stared at the old man and gnashed his teeth in reply. But Xiao Ya yelped, “Grandmaster Liu refined a high 6th-grade pill!”
[Say what?]
The audience was in an uproar. Grandmaster Liu was a 5th-grade alchemist, but he actually managed to refine a 6th-grade pill. This was something not even a fresh 6th-grade alchemist could pull off.
Was it really all because of the 4th level beast flame? Could it be…
Whoosh~
Yan Fu cut their second-guessing short by letting his blue flame out. The raging tongue of flame shined in his pair of eyes as if they themselves contained a deep fire within.
Whoosh~
Ingredients flew into it one after another, refining and mixing. He did it with such practiced ease that it looked no different than eating, earning no few praises.
Zhuo Fan was too awesome earlier, so Liu Yizhen and Yan Fu’s limelight got smothered. People now bore witness to a youth, who, while not as freakish as Zhuo Fan, was by all intents and purposes a genius of alchemy.
He was indeed an expert alchemist hailing from Pill King Hall!
Suddenly, Yan Fu also bit his tongue and spat blood essence. It fused with the blue flame in a blink.
Liu Yizhen’s pupils contracted as his weak body trembled. His lips parted but no words could come out from the sheer shock that grasped his mind.
Whoosh!
The fire vanished and a bluish pill shined. He grabbed it and showed it to Liu Yizhen. Yan Fu was pale and blood dripped from his mouth, painting a gruesome image when coupled with his smile, “Old man, tell me, what grade is this?”
Looking closely, Liu Yizhen shook his head sullenly. He was now too dejected to even reply.
Yan Fu let out an unrestrained laughter.
Xiao Ya flicked closer and looked in shock, “Young master Yan Fu refined a low 7th-grade pill!”
[What?!]
The audience exploded. [There was now another 7th-grade alchemist in the Pill King Hall besides Vicious Pill King? And one so young at that?]
At the side, Tao Danniang couldn’t help sucking her teeth.
[They’re both insane. They have no shot at becoming the Pill King with Vicious Pill King around so why still refine with blood essence? Is their grudge so deep to warrant such illogical action?]
Losing a drop of blood essence meant an injured vitality that could persist through years. If one was careless in their recovery, it could lead to permanent damage, worse would be stunted cultivation.
An alchemist would never use such a method unless the situation was dire.
[Vicious Pill King did it to barely qualify. You two, however, the hell you just up and harmed yourself for some simple refining?]
Tao Danniang cursed them inside but was in fact hesitating.
She was a 6th-grade alchemist who should’ve had no problem with these two. But god knew what got into them, using their blood essence to refine. Yan Fu even managed to land a 7th-grade pill.
If she too didn’t bleed, Yan Fu would win. [What goddamned face will I have left then?]
Gnashing her teeth and stomping, Tao Danniang’s eyes flashed with resolve and the green flame appeared in her hand.
[I’ve been at this even before you were born. You think I have lost my touch?]
Ingredients spiraled inside the flame. When it was almost done, she also bit her tongue and spat a blood arrow.
When the flame died out, Tao Danniang’s weak body reached for the pill with a gleeful smile.
“Heavens! It’s a mid 7th-grade pill!”
Xiao Ya’s outcry agitated the crowd. Only Yan Fu and Liu Yizhen looked at her puzzled.
“Old hag, we decided on settling our accounts from the imperial capital alchemy competition. So what are you trying to pull?”
Ugh!
Tao Danniang almost spat blood in anger. But seeing the two of them confused, her face went red and tried to cover it with a snort, “I’ll have you know that there is a mountain beyond a mountain as there’s someone above another. You too have a long way to go. Don’t let yourself caught up in thinking only you two exist in this contest. You need to set your eyes further into the distance. There are many adversaries ahead.”
Tao Danniang sighed and through this lesson, she recovered her bearing.
But the two weren’t grateful in the least.
“Old hag, we focused on each other because we wish to settle a score. How does this have anything to do with you?”
Yan Fu raised an eyebrow and spoke vaguely, “You think we don’t know of mountains beyond mountains and someone above another? Aren’t they clearly master and that brat? What’s the point of even saying it?”
Liu Yizhen nodded in full accord. [These two are prime examples. What are you trying to teach us?]
Tao Danniang sank into silence, lost for words.
Seeing the two of them sporting wise gazes, she was itching to kick them. [You think I’d waste blood essence to uphold my reputation if it weren’t for you two morons doing it first in your dumb fight?]
[I wanted out of this awkward situation with my name intact, but you bastards aren’t even giving me that.]
[Speaking of which, I can expect it from this prick, Yan Fu, since he’s from Pill King Hall. But what of you, Liu Yizhen? So old and you don’t know how to show some respect?]
Tao Danniang gnashed her teeth in rage.
But no one cared about her.
At this moment, all eyes were on Vicious Pill King. Despite this round being a showdown between ten contestants, it was in fact between only two.
Squinting, Vicious Pill King stared hard at Zhuo Fan.
Whoosh~
With an evil laughter, the Bone Soul Truefire reemerged. He was in no hurry to throw ingredients in, choosing to spit blood essence again.
“Master, no!” Yan Fu cried.
Vicious Pill King already did this in the third round, harming himself. If he did it again then he would be left with scarring injury, or worse, die from severe trauma.
But Vicious Pill King no longer cared.
How often did he meet a real opponent? To defeat Zhuo Fan, his greatest adversary, he was willing to do everything he could, even pay with his life.
Vicious Pill King then threw ingredients in the flame, getting it refined in an instant in the Bone Soul Truefire, mixing along with his blood essence.
Suddenly, Vicious Pill King spat blood essence again.
This shocked even Tao Danniang. [Has the old man lost it? It may increase the pill’s grade greatly but it will also threaten his life.]
Vicious Pill King hardly cared. His eyes filled with endless madness…
Yan Fu fell to his knees, with tears streaming down his cheeks, “Master, what happened to you…”
Whoosh~
Only now did the ever relaxed Zhuo Fan open his eyes, watching Vicious Pill King with an even gaze.
But noticing Zhuo Fan watching him, it got Vicious Pill King even more excited…