Chapter 36: Chapter 36 – Merit?
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation |
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Ao Yan had initially intended to remove Jiang Xiaobai from the stage. However, after witnessing the scene that unfolded, she took a deep breath and ultimately decided against it.
Regardless, the contest had already begun. Interrupting it would undoubtedly be seen as a sign of disrespect for Five Lotus Mountain.
It wasn’t that Ao Yan doubted Jiang Xiaobai; she just felt uncertain.
Even though Jiang Xiaobai could craft the Hua Qing Pill, it didn’t necessarily mean he was a capable alchemist!
Even dragons like Longgu didn’t want to quarrel with Five Lotus Mountain. Seeing no other option, Ao Yan could only gaze anxiously at Jiang Xiaobai while venting her frustration out on Ao Cheng.
Ao Cheng shrieked in pain, leading the crowd to give him a wide berth.
The Third Elder watched from the sidelines with narrowed eyes, his gaze on Jiang Xiaobai filled with complexity.
Less than half a month ago, this guy was still just a mortal…
On the high platform, the materials had been prepared. Just as things were about to begin, Jiang Xiaobai’s mind echoed with a voice from the system.
“Congratulations on triggering a choice.”
“Option one: Win the competition, awarding a strand of Virtue.”
“Option two: Lose the competition, granting a piece of the Primordial Spirit Treasure.”
Both of these rewards were extremely tempting.
The virtue could help refine the Virtue Saint’s Form, an object coveted by even Saints. The Primordial Spirit Treasure was also a rare and valuable item.
After some hesitation, Jiang Xiaobai ultimately chose the first option.
This time, his role wasn’t to play second fiddle to Kong Yuhuai. Instead, he had come to steal the spotlight from the unexpected contender!
“The alchemy competition begins now!”
With Elder Jiang’s proclamation, the competition officially started.
Both participants immediately began crafting their pills.
Kong Yuhuai ignited light-blue flames. The grade of the flame was evident at first glance, and it would provide considerable assistance to his alchemy.
In contrast, Jiang Xiaobai was merely utilizing a basic Fire Control Skill.
When the white flame sparked to life, the stands erupted into uproarious laughter.
“Ahaha, he dares to challenge our Prince with this?”
“The most basic Fire Control Skill, you say? This will probably fail at alchemy.
By the time his furnace heats up, the Prince will have already succeeded.”
“He’s here to make a fool of himself. I really wonder what’s going on in his head.”
Mocking comments like these continued on, as the dull white flame was genuinely shocking to everyone.
Ao Yan, who was in the crowd, turned beet red. She too felt a wave of embarrassment.
The two people on stage simply weren’t comparable.
“Does this guy look confident?” thought Ao Yan, baffled.
She had heard about Kong Yuhuai. He was one of the most exceptional members of Five Lotus Mountain’s younger generation, his abilities essentially matched those of the elderly daoist elders!
Jiang Xiaobai’s match against such an individual seemed both questionable and unenviable. Regardless, Ao Yan refrained from comment. She knew Jiang Xiaobai well; he was unlikely to participate in anything he wasn’t confident about.
However, she suspected Ao Cheng was behind this.
Glaring at Ao Cheng, Ao Yan warned, “You just wait until we get home. I’ll teach you a lesson!”
She then lightly slapped the back of Ao Cheng’s head.
Ao Cheng held his head in pain, looking wronged. However, his eyes shone with excitement as he watched Jiang Xiaobai.
He somehow felt that even if Jiang Xiaobai couldn’t win, he wouldn’t perform poorly.
He found this feeling rather peculiar and couldn’t articulate it.
On stage, both contestants had completed their preparations. Kong Yuhuai had begun throwing in herbs according to the recipe, his actions deliberate and stable.
The audience, the majority being disciples from Five Lotus Mountain, were paying close attention to Kong Yuhuai’s conduct, hoping to learn something.
The elders of Five Lotus Mountain, seated as referees, nodded incessantly as Kong Yuhuai showed off his formidable alchemy skills.
In contrast, Qin Ming’s actions appeared incredibly simplistic. Right from the start, he dumped all spiritual herbs into the furnace at once. His expression remained indifferent, showing no signs of feeling that his method was inappropriate.
“Is this guy really an alchemist?”
“Do people really make pills like this, throwing all the herbs in together? If this is considered successful alchemy, I’ll eat my hat.”
“Ah, dingbat. It’s clear there’s no suspense in this competition. Our Prince will undoubtedly win.”
The audience continuously ridiculed Jiang Xiaobai. After one look, they didn’t want to continue watching, feeling it was a waste of their time.
It would be better to observe how the Prince crafted his pills.
As time passed, everyone felt increasingly relaxed. They all believed Kong Yuhuai would clinch the first round effortlessly.
After ten minutes, both participants simultaneously opened their furnaces.
A rich aroma of medicinal herbs wafted into the air.
“The pill has formed. I request that the Elders verify it!”
Staff members were on standby to retrieve the pills from the furnace. The disciple responsible for fetching Jiang Xiaobai’s pill had a look of contempt. He hadn’t even approached the furnace yet, but he could already envision the scene of a furnace filled with herbal residue.
But to his surprise, Jiang Xiaobai had actually succeeded in making a pill!
“You…”
The disciple stuttered in amazement and fetched the pill in disbelief. The audience was also stunned.
He actually managed to create a pill?
Both of the contestants on stage disregarded the whispers and noise from the audience, standing aloof as they waited for the results of the first round.
The pill they were tasked with making in the first round was the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The first to be evaluated was Jiang Xiaobai’s pill.
“Impressive. The pill is well-formed, radiating pure medicinal energy. It’s a pity that it falls slightly short with minor flaws. However, it retains almost 90% of its original medicinal essence. Not to mention, your speed was remarkable. This technique you’ve displayed is quite creative. Did you discover it yourself?”
After seeing Jiang Xiaobai’s Foundation Establishment Pill, Elder Jiang couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. A pill with such purity wasn’t something that could be made by an alchemist who hadn’t immersed himself in the Dao of Alchemy for hundreds of years.
Hearing such positive comments, the audience was dumbfounded.
“Are you kidding me? His technique was incredibly crude. How could that have resulted in a successful pill?”
“So it wasn’t just that he managed to make a pill, but the pill retained nearly 90% of the original herb’s potency?”
Many people wore skeptical expressions; they simply did not believe. Considering the quality of this pill was remarkably high, they began to become alarmed for the success of the Prince.
Elder Jiang then proceeded to evaluate Kong Yuhuai’s Foundation Establishment Pill, and a smile appeared on his face.
“The Prince’s alchemy has improved considerably. With roughly 95% of the original herb potency preserved in the pill, it reminds me of the grace exhibited by the Sect Leader in his prime. Your future prospects are incalculable!” Elder Jiang stated sincerely.
Hearing this, Kong Yuhuai elegantly smiled, “Apologies, Brother Jiang. It seems I have a slight advantage.”
“No matter. As long as you don’t go easy on me in the next round.” Jiang Xiaobai laughed heartily, not minding that he had lost the first round.
Onlv then did the crowd breathe a sigh of relief.
Xu Nianliang settled his emotions before turning to Ao Cheng smugly, “What did I tell you? I knew our Prince was going to win.”
“Tsk, it’s just the first round, ” grunted Ao Cheng dismissively. His gaze remained trained on the stage.
“Alright, let’s move on to the second round of crafting the Primordial Pill!”
No sooner had the outcome for the first round been decided than Elder Jiang announced the start of round two..
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