Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Time froze in this very instant!
The only thing moving was the eight elixirs falling onto the metal tray from Chu Yang's hand, gleaming as they rolled on the tray. A whopping 30 elixirs were on the tray, every one of them round and plump, a faint layer of glow on their exterior.
They were in all sorts of colors and emanated rich and varying fragrances.
Everyone was in a daze as they watched this unfold before them.
n.o.body expected Chu Yang to really be able to accomplish this inconceivable and entirely impossible task!
"He… really… did it!" The high priest and second priest exchanged a look and similarly saw intense disbelief in each other's eyes!
Everyone present was discerning — who wasn't an expert in this field here? How could they not know that this was a task of mammoth difficulty?
Eight types of medicinal herbs in conflicting pairs of medicinal properties; simply refining a pair at a time already required precise control and abundant elixir refining experience! Merely even a hint of carelessness would lead to an explosion!
Even the high priest wasn't very confident in successfully pulling off two pairs at a time. As for three pairs at the same time, it was something that he didn't even dare to think about.
But to think that Chu Yang could actually refine four pairs simultaneously!
With no mistake whatsoever!
Simply from the color and l.u.s.ter, glow, roundness and fragrance of these elixirs alone… one could already tell — premium-grade elixirs for sure! There was no need to appraise them at all!
Simultaneously refining eight conflicting types of medicinal herbs into different elixirs in the same medicine stove…
This was literally a G.o.d-like level of skill!
Those few from the seven Super Clans all wore an expression that looked as if they were newly bereft of their parents…
One couldn't blame them for feeling despondent.
These people, including the three pharmacists sent by the law-enforcement officer, had all already experienced the Medicine Banquet once. This should be a familiar task for them. To be honest, it was not difficult to achieve what they had done.
How could they be eliminated this time when they had already gotten through it the last time?
But the despondent part was… they had already gotten through it before and furthermore, the other party had given them a handicap of half the allocated amount of time. Yet their results did not compare to his anyway.
Not only did the quality of their elixirs fall short in comparison, but even the quant.i.ty was also half of his!
How could these haughty and arrogant pharmacists accept it?
The high priest and second priest immediately instructed people to take an inventory of all the pharmacists' results. The conclusion was as expected.
Chu Yang ranked first!
Be it the medicinal properties, elixir quant.i.ty, potency or the concise manner the herbs were selected.
He was fully deserving of the top position!
Besides, the amount of time he took was the least, and the level of technical expertise he demonstrated all the more dazzling and stunning to everyone watching, leaving them astonished!
First in rank: Chu Yang — a total of 15 poison elixirs within five minutes, each with enough potency to kill a Monarch level expert; a total of 15 Great Nourishment Elixirs, each with enough potency to increase cultivation experience by ten years, strengthening the body, and fortifying the foundation.
Due to the grade of herbs provided, Chu Yang could be considered exceptional to be able to refine a level of poison elixirs able to kill a Monarch level expert.
While the intensity of the poison elixirs refined by the others was also frightening, the most toxic of them could only kill an Emperor level expert at best…
Even though Chu Yang technically took only half the allocated amount of time to complete the task, he did go through the entire duration of five minutes. As such, the duration was still counted as one incense stick's worth.
However, everyone understood clearly that Chu Yang had only used half an incense stick's time to complete his mission! The results were several-fold compared to the amount of time he took!
Even though they were all very unhappy that Chu Yang was the first to rank, they had no choice but to sincerely concede defeat!
Second in place was Xiao Sheng, a Xiao Clan pharmacist.
Followed respectively by the pharmacists from the Ye Clan, s.h.i.+ Clan, Lan Clan, Zhuge Clan, Yè Clan, Chen Clan, Law-Enforcement City, North law-enforcement officer…
The top ten!
The name list was out!
The Sword Spirit was already back in the Nine Tribulations s.p.a.ce. Such a task was beyond simple to an ancient monster like him…
Chu Yang's consciousness returned to his body and he tilted his neck from side to side, stretching his body and rubbing his eyes. When he saw everyone gaping at him, he chuckled and said, "Oh, it's already over? That's fast… It felt like it had already ended before I even did anything…"
What he said was the big fat truth, absolutely words from the bottom of his heart — he didn't make even a single move after all!
But when his words reached the others, it immediately turned that little bit of admiration that had just arisen in them instantly into a mad rage!
It ended before he even did anything?
What nonsense was that!
His hands were already leaving afterimages. Were those on his arms not hands but hoofs?
F*ck, they had never seen such a c.o.c.ky person. Everyone could still tolerate him pretending to be modest after showing off, but surely not like this?
The facial muscles of the high priest twitched a little before he walked over enthusiastically. "Brother Chu is certainly exceptional despite being so young. It was truly an eye-opener watching you refining elixirs earlier."
Chu Yang replied modestly, "That is too high of a compliment from the high priest; I didn't prepare well beforehand and went in hastily, and ended up not being able to perform at my best and almost making a mess out of the whole thing… I am ashamed, how can I be worthy of such high praise from the high priest."
This was also the truth.
He indeed did not do any preparation beforehand, and the Sword Spirit similarly did not perform at his best as well. With the skill of the Sword Spirit, he could easily toss all 30 herbs in at one go and produce 30 elixirs of different properties…
But this honest reply of his was practically explosive, offending all the 'number one' pharmacists present from head to toe in one shot!
The high priest and second priest gaped at him, at a loss as to what to say.
This lad was too arrogant. They couldn't even hold a candle to him at all when he wasn't at his best; if he were to perform at his best… they pretty much could just seal their cultivation prowess and go and jump off a building.
After a few awkward coughs, they announced the name list of the top ten and distributed another tablet each to the ten who had pa.s.sed the semi-finals.
This tablet was proof of entering the finals!
This time, Chu Yang watched the entire process of engraving his name onto the tablet with an eagle eye. Please, please… do not engrave his name as Lin Zhongri again… That would truly be… very f*cked up!
Then, the Medicine Valley used a special communication device to announce the results of the semi-finals.
Countless people's jaws dropped at Chu Yang ranking first!
The finals would be held one month later!
"Chu Yang is first!" At the temporary Law-Enforcement headquarters, when the Dharma Supreme heard the news, he smiled wryly and murmured, "Is the legacy of the Divine Doctor this amazing?"
Then he sent out directives at once. "The Ling Clan has said one thing and done another. Let Ling Fengyun give me a satisfactory explanation himself!"
He continued, "Send a copy of Chu Yang's data to each of the Nine Super Clans!"
In the dark, someone nodded and sprung into action immediately.
His hands clasped behind his back, the Dharma Supreme paced a couple of steps, his eyes deep and unreadable as he muttered, "I wasn't able to see through it, but don't tell me that even he couldn't? It would be for the better that he comes over earlier too."
A flicker crossed the Dharma Supreme's eyes, as if he had made a decision. He shook his head slightly, letting out a soft laugh. "Such a headache."
Then his figure suddenly flashed, and slowly disappeared from this dimension.
Leaving no trace behind.
While Chu Yang was at the compet.i.tion, the Orchard Palace was bustling.
Dong Wushang and his dark saber displayed their invincible prowess and suppressed the joint efforts of Rui Butong and Mo Lei'er, cutting a mighty and awe-inspiring figure. Zi Xieqing observed for a long time before she finally said, "Brother Yue, be that fellow's sparring partner and teach him a few moves. Just be careful not to accidentally kill him."
Yue Lingxue complied and went up against Dong Wushang. It immediately became Dong Wushang's turn to be repressed to the max; turning from awe-inspiring into a punching bag instantly!
However, Dong Wushang naturally had a sense of valiance and fort.i.tude in him; the more he suffered a setback, the more courageous he fought on, his dark saber as if blessed by divine intervention. The moment he was pushed back, he would charge forward again. Yue Lingxue happened to have been so idle that he was about to fall asleep, and Dong Wushang's fervor got his spirits up so much that he went on to give him a good round of abuse.
On the other side, Feng Yurou was sparring with Rui Butong and Mo Lei'er. Slightly differing from the situation on the other side, while Rui Butong naturally continued being a punching bag, Mo Lei'er got to take it a little easier.
Mo Qingwu did not remain idle either, and was hard at practice too.
Wu Qianqian was acting as Mo Qingwu's sparring partner right now.
The two of them were more or less familiar with each other by now, their behavior affectionate whenever they were together.
Wu Qianqian's current cultivation level was far higher than Mo Qingwu, so she was entirely in her element taking the role of Mo Qingwu's opponent.
However, Wu Qianqian's Teachers, the Feng and Yue couple, received a lecture from Zi Xieqing. She pointed out that Wu Qianqian's foundation was far lacking in comparison to Mo Qingwu's, a far cry from the rock-solid foundation that Ning Tianya and Bu Liuqing had laid for Mo Qingwu.
Although Wu Qianqian had no trouble raising her cultivation level right now, her development in the future might not amount to much if her foundation remained as it was.
Feng Yurou and Yue Lingxue nodded, expressing that they had been enlightened.
However, one sentence of Zi Xieqing's left them incredibly repressed —"With Qianqian's apt.i.tude and the foundation you have laid for her, she will not have any problem sinking the heavens and breaking through the void. However… have you not considered what comes after that? With such a weak foundation, how can she survive in the imperial palaces of the Nine Heavens where experts are aplenty? Isn't that a complete waste of Qianqian's inborn Extreme Yin body?"
Her words left their heads spinning.
The two of them had been working hard toward the end-goal of sinking the heavens and breaking through the void too. This foundation that they had laid for their disciple easily surpa.s.sed that of their own, and it had already taken all that they had to even achieve it.
Yet, coming from Zi Xieqing, sinking the heavens and breaking through the void was no more than just the starting line…
However, her words also pointed out the most valuable point about Wu Qianqian's apt.i.tude — her inborn Extreme Yin body!
This was different from one that was nurtured after birth!
"Also, even if she cannot practice your Moon Breeze As One Technique for now, surely you should impart to her the oral formula in advance nevertheless? If something untoward happened to the two of you, wouldn't the skill be lost?"
Zi Xieqing's words made the Feng and Yue couple exchange a wry smile.
This big sis was really fearless, daring to speak whatever came to her mind with no reservations whatsoever.
Even telling it to their faces that if the two of them were to die, the technique would be lost…
However, in the days that followed, the two of them also stopped raising Wu Qianqian's cultivation level, choosing instead to focus on solidifying her foundation. Everyday's training made Wu Qianqian piteous beyond imagination.
But this led Zi Xieqing to discover something very special about Wu Qianqian — this young girl, no matter how tough or tiring the training, would never utter a single word of complaint!
Perspiration drenched her body and she was so fatigued that she could throw up blood, but her eyes remained crystal clear and her will resolute!
This characteristic was practically the same as Chu Yang!
This determination of hers was truly astonis.h.i.+ng!
Just as the form of the Dharma Supreme vanished…
"The Dharma Supreme has left." In the Orchard Palace, Zi Xieqing gazed at the far heavens thoughtfully and said impa.s.sively, "To think that he would leave Tianji City at this time!"
