Cinoi stopped at the entrance of the hall while Alm and Bruno were left alone, heading towards where the other disciples were waiting. Each of them stood in front of a small table, like scholars ready to take a test.
The atmosphere was super quiet, and the tension in the air was palpable. As they positioned themselves in a corner, a voice echoed in their minds.
’Are you Raoni?’
They turned toward the source of the voice and saw a young guy among the crowd of nearly a thousand disciples. He was an ordinary-looking human boy, but he exuded a calm vibe with no malice.
"Sorry, who are you?" they asked politely, addressing the boy.
"Shut up! Who said you could talk so loud here?!"
A nearby disciple shouted harshly. He was older and had failed the tests multiple times, which left him in a terrible mood.
Alm and Bruno frowned but took a deep breath, calming themselves. This wasn’t the moment to act arrogant. Silently, they walked around the angry disciple and approached the person who had called them.
Cinoi watched everything from a distance and saw Raoni walk away without responding to the provocation. Seeing him not react, he shook his head in thought. ’This kid is way too shy. That’s not good for us. I’m gonna need to report this to the High Elder.’
As Raoni reached the young man who called him, the young man bowed deeply. ’Sorry for causing you trouble,’ he said with a worried look. ’My name is Alci. My master is someone close to High Elder Zemuo. I’ve taken this test twice; I’m not very talented, but I can help a little.’
Alm and Bruno nodded kindly, and then the young man started sharing what he knew about the previous tests. Alm and Bruno noticed Alci’s vibe reminded them a lot of Almin back in the day. When Alci began talking about pills and herbs, his eyes sparkled with excitement.
He was definitely someone talented who loved alchemy but never had the right opportunity. There was no arrogance in his words; he explained every detail as if he genuinely wanted to help as much as possible.
Minutes passed, and just as Alci finished explaining, a voice echoed through the hall as eight elders entered. "The test will begin soon."
The eight elders wore stern expressions, as if everyone there owed them money. They were in charge of the crucial test, there to ensure no one cheated. Their eyes were as sharp as eagles.
Alm and Bruno headed to a table and sat down.
"Who is Raoni?" one of the elders asked.
"This disciple is present." He quickly stood up.
"Show me your badge. I need to verify it."
The elder growled, then examined Raoni’s badge closely before nodding. "You were added to this test late, so you need to be verified strictly. You don’t need to feel pressured."
Raoni’s eyes sparkled. From the elder’s tone and vibe, he understood that the elder was on his side. Having influential support was amazing; they had barely arrived and had already gained knowledge from a young man and were now counting on the goodwill of a judge.
Unfortunately, these elders could only supervise the test, without directly helping. If someone was caught cheating, they’d be immediately expelled from the sect. The test was one hundred percent fair and didn’t tolerate any fraud.
Soon, scrolls were distributed to all the disciples. Alm and Bruno examined them, and as expected, they were on topics they had studied over the last few days. In fact, the questions were pretty simple.
However, the final question was more challenging. It asked them to list the various medicinal pills that could be refined from the mentioned ingredients. The more pills they listed, the more points they would earn.
Alm and Bruno were extremely annoyed by this question. They hadn’t focused on the formulas, relying on their knowledge of the Dao of the God of Alchemy, which they could access whenever they wanted.
With so many ingredients, there were over ten thousand pill formulas they could write from memory. However, many of those formulas didn’t exist in the sect, and they wouldn’t dare write them down randomly.
They needed to watch what the other disciples were listing, but those seven vigilant elders were like hawks, keeping an eye on every move.
Then, Alm had an idea. Discreetly, he took a small bluish leaf from a common herb. It was so clean and small that he could use it as a mirror to look around. He didn’t want to risk using divine soul, but with it, he managed to see what the disciple who had yelled at him was writing right behind.
’One, two... thirteen in total.’
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Alm could only count that the disciple had written thirteen lines, without being able to read the exact formulas. But knowing the number, he just had to pick the lower-level pill formulas he knew... until Bruno quickly took the lead.
"Ah-choo!"
He suddenly ’sneezed,’ startling the elders and diverting their gazes for a moment. In that brief instant, the leaf Alm was using turned to dust.
"You, what are you doing?" One of the elders suddenly appeared behind them, like a ghost.
"Sorry, the disciple is really humble and still not used to this place. The Qi of the grand Phoenix Cry Sect is super dense, and my nose is sensitive. Forgive me!" Raoni apologized since his sneeze had disturbed the disciples around him.
He couldn’t help it. While Alm was working, Bruno noticed that the elders were starting to get suspicious and were coming up from behind. That’s why he sneezed, to clear any evidence.
"He just got to the sect a few days ago; that’s normal." The elder next to him intervened, helping out. "But if you disturb others again, you’ll be expelled, got it?!"
"Yes, sorry!" Raoni replied, bowing deeply.
The other elder shot a cold glare, but Raoni stared back without showing any fear. The elder was experienced and wouldn’t be fooled by a kid. Seeing Raoni’s fearless expression, he didn’t say anything more. The suspicion was only temporary.
The test resumed, and Alm and Bruno stayed cautious. They wrote down twenty-six pill formulas, exactly double what the disciple who had reprimanded them had listed.
The participants had two hours to answer the questions. Alm and Bruno finished way ahead of time but waited until the end to turn in their scrolls along with the others.
"What?!"
When the elder grabbed Raoni’s scroll and read his answers, he was absolutely stunned.
"Haha, excellent!" The elder next to him laughed. Alm and Bruno knew that this meant they’d probably come in first place in the test.
However, the results weren’t announced immediately. Instead, everyone was led to a large lounge, where over a thousand alchemy furnaces were set up, along with a vast selection of herbs.
This was the practical test, and after it, everything would be decided. Most of the participating disciples had done this test countless times before and were used to the scene.
However, when they arrived at their spots and read what was written on the scroll about the furnace, many expressions changed drastically.
"Impossible!"
Many exclaimed in shock. This time, the test didn’t require a specific pill; in fact, any pill could be refined at the disciple’s choice. However, the evaluation focused on the quality of the pill, with a clear criterion: the pill had to be at least a Treasure Pill, with at least two rings.
"Let the refining begin!" An elder announced the start of the test, and almost all the disciples fell into despair.
Pills were divided into three levels: Spiritual Pills, Treasure Pills, and Unmatched Pills. The quality was defined by the rings they had, which could range from zero to twelve.
Spiritual Pills were those that even alchemists from ascending planets could create, in various numbers of rings. Treasure Pills could only be produced by elders from divine alchemist sects or highly talented disciples.
As for Unmatched Pills, they were practically legendary. They were supreme pills, with their own spirituality, almost as if they were alive. Over time, they could even develop a form of intelligence.
These pills didn’t even need to be consumed; they emitted a medicinal aura that could be absorbed gradually. The effect of this aura was equivalent to that of a Treasure Pill with twelve rings, and it could be enjoyed countless times without running out. They lasted millions of years until their spirituality was completely consumed.
The twelve-ring Unmatched Pills were the peak of the universe. They were called Celestial Pills.
However, the heavens only allowed one Celestial Pill of each type to exist between heaven and earth. There couldn’t be two identical pills with the same effect. A new one could only emerge when the first one was consumed and disappeared from the world.
There was, however, a suicidal method to change this rule: if someone created a pill identical to the existing Celestial Pill, a celestial punishment would fall on the creator. If he survived, the new pill would be recognized, and the original would start to wither until it vanished from this world. In the end, only one Celestial Pill could exist.
"Disciple concedes."
Immediately, several disciples raised their hands and gave up on the test.
According to the normal standards of the universe, a Treasure Pill could only be refined by an elder. However, in the third largest alchemist sect in the universe, these standards had been challenged.
The sect’s test varied in difficulty. Sometimes it was easier; other times, harder. But the exam happened every two months, so failing once wasn’t a disaster. They could try again.
The disciples who gave up just lamented their bad luck and started preparing for the next attempt. Trying to refine a pill at this level was unthinkable. Their spiritual power and Qi couldn’t handle such exhaustion, and fainting in the middle of the process would be humiliating.
The remaining alchemists wore bitter expressions. They stayed because running away was an even greater humiliation. Even remaining in the competition, almost everyone was sure they wouldn’t be able to complete the task.
Alci was about to get up and give up, but a message sounded in his mind: ’Trust me; I’m a sensitive person, and I feel the celestial luck around you. Choose to make a Yin Earth Pill and try to refine it. You’ll make it.’
This practical test didn’t stop the disciples from talking or sending messages. Alci turned to Raoni, who was distant, and his eyes widened at what he had just heard. After thinking it over, he clenched his fists and nodded positively, trying to hide the growing nervousness in his chest.
Bruno cracked a slight smile. That kid seemed desperate to pass the test, and he deserved a shot at some resources and recognition. After all, he had helped them, and now it was time to give back.
All the disciples started manipulating the fire laws, heating their furnaces. Their movements were incredibly synchronized, like they were following a choreographed dance.
When the competitors began refining their ingredients, Alm and Bruno acted deliberately slowly, pretending to be nervous. To avoid drawing attention, they mimicked an alchemy technique that made no sense at all.
The Elders watched with suspicion, frowning. "What the hell is he doing? Is he really an alchemist?"
Alm and Bruno didn’t catch that comment, but ironically, the elder was absolutely right. What he didn’t know was that both of them had knowledge of the Dao of the God of Alchemy and were millennia-old beings who had once reached the peak of divine cultivation.
They had no practical experience with that Dao, but they had the complete theory; it was like having a very detailed instruction manual—they just needed to read it and try to replicate it. To be safe, they chose the simplest pill recipe possible. It was such a basic pill that any apprentice in the ascending world could easily prepare it at the start of their studies.
Fortunately, the effect and type of the pill weren’t judged, just its quality and level. However, they couldn’t be complacent. The High Elder and the others would only pay attention to Raoni if he proved to be valuable.
Suddenly, without anyone noticing, a pill in that young man’s stomach began to pulse with two active Yin and Yang tattoos. An intense heat emerged, grabbing everyone’s attention in the test.
"Hmph, what a flashy trick. He’s wasting soul power and Qi," some nearby disciples scoffed, feeling the heat radiating from Raoni.
By logic, everyone there was talented enough to refine the medicinal ingredients without much trouble. The real challenge would come when it was time to condense the pill, where many would exhaust their power.
The final step—the pill’s condensation—consumed immense energy and control over the flames. Normally, alchemists would save at least fifty percent of their strength for that final burst of energy.
Knowing this, the disciples chose simple pills. However, trying to create a Treasure-level pill would consume over two-thirds of their energy just in the refining process.
Raoni, on the other hand, was literally burning his Qi to create a powerful flame. There was no way to maintain that until the end, and everyone saw it as a reckless decision that only made his situation worse. Even knowing his chances of success were slim, he wanted to at least grab some attention.
The Elders looked at him like he was a complete fool. Given the level of heat they felt and observing his cultivation, they deduced that was the maximum limit of his power. His actions seemed nonsensical, and no one understood what he was trying to accomplish.
Inside, Alm and Bruno were quietly laughing.
They knew what they were doing: deliberately calling attention to themselves. They used the fire laws to expand their area of influence, covering several meters around them, affecting hundreds of nearby disciples.
This wouldn’t interfere with other furnaces, so it wasn’t against the rules; it just created heat that bothered the disciples. But, stealthily and imperceptibly to the Elders and disciples, Alm and Bruno activated Wuji.
The entire sect was a true pill paradise, where natural and pure Qi was abundant. It didn’t take much effort to extract it from the ground, and the surrounding fire laws diverted everyone’s attention. Quickly, it accumulated in their furnace, enriching the pill to the max.
Since the Elders were alchemists and not cultivators, their senses weren’t sharp enough to notice. It was as easy as stealing candy from a child.
The pills they instructed Alci to make were the same as theirs. A simple pill meant only to fertilize the land, useless to common cultivators. But natural and subtle energy was also accumulating in his furnace; something unbelievable was about to happen.
Alci was within the influence area of the flames. He obviously felt something different invading his furnace. Although he didn’t know what it was, he trusted Raoni’s words and continued his work.
A sudden boom came from one furnace. The Elders immediately looked at Raoni, who had just poured all the medicinal powders into his furnace and sealed it.
"He’s already sealed the furnace?"
The surrounding disciples were dumbfounded. No one had even refined half of the medicinal ingredients.
"Hmph, exhausting your energy faster than everyone else? Is that what you call a show?" sneered a nearby disciple.
The allied Elder shot a stern look at the disciple but didn’t intervene. As long as no one tried to maliciously distract them, the competition supervisors wouldn’t interfere.
Raoni lowered his head, ignoring the insult, behaving like a model student, obedient. It was crucial to maintain that image. In the distance, Cinoi shook his head in disapproval.
When the fastest disciples finally finished refining their ingredients and prepared to seal their furnaces, another boom echoed from Raoni’s furnace.
"He... he’s already done?!" Incredulity swept over everyone.
Only then did they realize that while his flame was unnecessarily intense, his energy hadn’t weakened. On the contrary, it surged like a tsunami, making his flame even more powerful. No wonder he finished the process so quickly.
The disciples who had mocked him now stared at him in silence, dumbfounded.
Even the Elders overseeing the test were astonished. Although Raoni showed no technique or control, his spiritual power and Qi were vast, practically infinite—something rarely seen in an alchemist of his level.
The deafening sound continued, as if a monstrous creature was trapped inside the furnace, struggling to break free.
"Now is the critical moment!"
Several disciples were already fixated on him. The fluctuations coming from Raoni’s furnace began to decrease, but the more experienced ones knew that was just the calm before the storm, the darkness that precedes the light. Ninety-nine percent of the pills that failed were destroyed at this stage.
*CRACK!*
Alm and Bruno’s furnace shook violently, and a terrifying energy surged from within it. If the alchemist wasn’t strong enough to contain this frenzied energy, all their effort would be in vain. Even if the pill formed, it would be of inferior quality, a complete waste.
Then Raoni acted. With a quick, precise move, his heavy hand struck the furnace, sealing it with overwhelming force. He seemed like an unshakeable mountain, completely dominating the situation.
"Heavens! How does he still have energy for this?!" Surprise was etched on everyone’s faces, both disciples and Elders.
The next few minutes were absolute silence...
Until finally, everything stopped. Raoni slowly opened his furnace, revealing a single medicinal pill, perfectly rounded, resting calmly inside. He looked at it for a moment and couldn’t help but shake his head, frustrated.
"Damn... I failed. Just one ring..."