Chapter 480: The Grand Alchemy Competition Begins, All Eyes on Luo Chen

Five days later, the first round of the Dao Scion competition finally came to an end. Luo Chen stood beside Tao Wan, his eyes drawn to the glowing rankings suspended before them.

"Fourth?" he asked, his brows arching slightly.

Tao Wan let out a quiet sigh. "Reaching fourth place is the best we could do. It's the result of everyone giving their all. I even had to step in myself once."

Luo Chen followed the direction of Tao Wan's gaze and studied the fighters who had carried the brunt of the battles. Tan Daonan, once ruddy-faced and full of vigor, now appeared unmistakably aged. Rumor had it that he had personally fought Chu Kui, and despite standing at the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment, he had failed to bring the man down. Worse still, he had ended up quite seriously injured. Qi Lingyun and Tan Xiao were in no better condition—Qi Lingyun's right arm hung limp and useless, while Tan Xiao's spirit power flickered erratically, clearly unstable and depleted.

Given all that, managing to push from fifth place to fourth was no small feat. It was likely due in part to Tao Wan taking the field herself and defeating another True Inheritor, Du Changfeng. It was somewhat undignified for a Grand True Inheritor to fight in the opening round, but still, a win remained a win. With this early success, she would have time to observe her opponents and make adjustments before the True Inheritor sword duels of the third round.

She handed Luo Chen a written list. "Here is the detailed ranking. You should take a look."

In truth, there was no need for a written list. Luo Chen only had to look at the height of the various viewing platforms to figure out the top placements. First place still belonged to Dan Yangzi. To hold that rank through relentless challenges showed how formidable his battle prowess truly was. At the very least, his spirit power was robust enough to withstand prolonged depletion.

Second place was taken by He Yuanqing of Yuxuan Mountain, third by Shangguan Yan, fourth by Tao Wan, fifth by Du Changfeng, and sixth by Fu Li...

"I need to reach the top three, Luo Chen. Can you help me?" Tao Wan's eyes blazed with hope as she looked at him.

Judging from the current rankings, reaching the top three would not be easy. The second round was divided into three sub-matches. The top five were considered winners, while the bottom four were considered losers. Only the winners could alter their rankings, and they would be matched against opponents of similar standing. For Tao Wan to climb from fourth to third, she would need to maintain her position within the top three through every round. That was no simple feat.

Yet Luo Chen only smiled faintly. "Just wait for good news."

The moment his words fell, radiant light burst from the central platform. An elderly man with white hair descended from the Celestial Palace. He was none other than an elder of the Grand Alchemy Institute. He swept his gaze around and spoke directly, wasting no time, "Second round, first match. The competition of basic alchemy techniques begins now! Alchemists from all sides, enter the stage!"

Dozens of Tao family cultivators watched with expectation as Luo Chen stepped forward. His figure landed gracefully before a cauldron. He reached out and ran his hand along the smooth surface of the translucent Glazed Child Cauldron, then allowed his gaze to move across the other alchemists stepping onto the stage.

The first was, unsurprisingly, Dan Yangzi. His expression was calm but pale, evidence of the heavy toll the recent string of battles had taken on him. In this condition, he seemed hardly fit for pill refinement.

The second was Xuan Yunzi, also known as He Yun. He answered Luo Chen's glance with a gentle smile, radiating friendliness. Luo Chen recalled the man's background, which was tied to a predecessor's legacy. Out of courtesy, he returned the smile.

Just then, a sudden surge of malice drew his attention elsewhere. Huang Hezi stood around five zhang away, glaring at him with resentment. A voice transmission came through, unrestrained and hostile. "You little thief, I'll make sure Tao Wan sees just how vast the gap is between us!"

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow without replying. To be called a thief so openly was laughable, and such crude disrespect from someone older was hardly worth answering.

At that moment, the Grand Alchemy Institute elder's gaze snapped sharply toward Huang Hezi. "The alchemy competition is about to begin. No whispering, no spirit consciousness voice transmissions. Repeat offenders will be disqualified immediately."

Huang Hezi couldn't help but shiver at the rebuke. Alchemy was never to be interrupted. If spirit consciousness could be unleashed freely, it would make sabotaging others far too easy. Green Pill Valley's alchemy competitions were scholarly contests, not brute-force duels. They were judged on time and pill quality. Such disruptive tactics were absolutely prohibited.

With that brief commotion over, Luo Chen lost interest in anyone else. He had come to this second round with one goal, which was to take the crown. Tao Wan had already given him countless benefits; now, it was his turn to go all out. If she succeeded in claiming the Dao Scion title, his own cultivation would receive a tremendous boost in the future.

The elder waved his sleeve, and stacks of medicinal materials appeared neatly before Luo Chen and the other contestants, some familiar and others strange. His voice rang out once more. "The first match will test your basic alchemy skills. You must refine the materials before you. There are three portions of each, but only one finished product is required. To qualify, it must meet the standard written on the sheet provided. Victory will be decided by speed. Begin now!"

Almost instantly, three second-tier alchemists sprang into action. The moment they recognized the familiar herbs laid out before them, they began working without hesitation. It was a common tactic to start with the easier ingredients first. Doing so not only built confidence but also saved precious time.

Yet six others remained still, Luo Chen among them.

Of the five materials, he had worked with four before. They were first-tier Luminous Star Grass, first-tier Azure Aloe Vera, first-tier Redflame Ganoderma, and second-tier Blue Jade Smoke. The last material he had never refined personally, though he had studied it thoroughly in alchemical manuals and diagrams. It was the Returning Origin Cicada Husk.

Despite its name, the husk was not related to ordinary cicadas. It was the molted shell of a second-tier demonic beast, and its resemblance to a cicada was merely superficial. Refining it was not especially difficult. There were at least three different alchemical techniques that could handle it individually with decent results. However, meeting the Grand Alchemy Institute Elder's requirement of producing a clear and translucent result with the primal essence intact was another matter entirely. At a minimum, it required two additional first-tier ingredients to balance it out and achieve that result.

Luo Chen frowned slightly.

Green Pill Valley didn't provide supplementary ingredients? But why would the elder set an impossible task?

His gaze swept across the remaining four ingredients, and their properties surfaced clearly in his mind. Luminous Star Grass carried toxicity. Azure Aloe Vera was gentle and known for its potent healing effects. Redflame Ganoderma was fiery and aggressive, often scorching weaker herbs with its fiery essence. Blue Jade Smoke contained Jade Smoke; it was the key component for Jade Dew pills, and it was extremely cold in nature.

What if I start with Redflame Ganoderma as the base, letting its heat burn away the toxins of Luminous Star Grass... then draw in the icy Jade Smoke from Blue Jade Smoke to cool the blend... and finally temper the extremes with the mellow properties of Azure Aloe Vera? Wouldn't that replicate the effect of the missing supplementary herbs needed to refine the Returning Origin Cicada Husk properly?

No... This way, there will still be some internal contradictions. It's close, but ultimately flawed. But what if I process them all at once? Hmm...

A vague yet clear solution began to form in Luo Chen's mind. He glanced around. Of the six who hadn't moved earlier, three had now begun. Only Luo Chen, Dan Yangzi, and Xuan Yunzi remained still, each lost in deep contemplation.

Not long after, Dan Yangzi finally made his move. His first action was to stew the Redflame Ganoderma over earth fire, refining it with the Cloud Transformation.

The sight confirmed Luo Chen's earlier conclusion. This first round was not simply a contest of alchemical technique; it was also a test of herbological knowledge. The key to solving such problems lay in drawing analogies and applying knowledge from outside the immediate discipline.

Even so, the sequence of ingredients chosen by Dan Yangzi did not seem entirely optimal.

***

As one of the most prestigious alchemy sects, Green Pill Valley had long cultivated a deeply rooted culture centered on alchemy. Even disciples with no particular talent in the craft were still required to study its basic theories during the Qi Refinement Realm. Whether or not they aspired to become alchemists, this knowledge was considered essential preparation for the many pill-related tasks that arose within the sect.

Because of this, even though the second round of the competition lacked the flash and spectacle of combat, with no explosions or dazzling lights, many disciples still came with great enthusiasm, eager not to miss a single match.

This first contest was well understood. Everyone knew it would involve the processing of medicinal ingredients. The task was not especially difficult, since many wealthier Qi Refinement disciples often practiced such exercises in private.

When the five materials were revealed by the Grand Alchemy Institute elder, the crowd began murmuring at once.

"Psssh!"

A hiss broke the silence, followed by a wave of chatter.

"What kind of question is this? These herbs are way too tricky!"

"Right? Of the three first-tier herbs, Luminous Star Grass is poisonous, Azure Aloe Vera has an incredibly tough exterior, and Redflame Ganoderma is too hot. If they're not careful, they'll get burned!"

"Nah, those three are still manageable, just time-consuming. The real challenge is the two second-tier ones. One is a mineral, the other comes from a demonic beast. Both can be used in pills, but refining them is a nightmare."

"I've heard of Blue Jade Smoke. You need Jade Fracture to extract the inner essence, right? At minimum, you need to be proficient in Jade Fracture to get even a trace of vapor."

"That's strange, doesn't that cicada thing require two supplementary materials? Did the elder forget or...?"

While the discussions carried on, three of the nine alchemists on stage moved at once. Their fluid motions revealed a high level of confidence in handling the given ingredients.

"Classic strategy, starting with the easy ones first!" someone exclaimed. "Classic wisdom from past alchemy tournaments."

"Looks like those three have done their homework on past competitions."

"Wait, why haven't the other six made a move?"

The sight of six alchemists standing motionless immediately drew every eye.

At the center of the stage, the Grand Alchemy Institute elder watched the nine contestants. He inwardly cursed the three who had rushed ahead.

Fools.

Then his gaze shifted to the six who remained still, and he gave a small nod.

At least some of them have real insight. They aren't misled by the so-called wisdom of past tournaments. In alchemy, there is no such rule as "easy to hard." There is only one true principle, and that's following medicinal logic. I wonder who among these six will be the first to solve the problem of Returning Origin Cicada Husk.

Dan Yangzi has immense natural talent; his intuition alone should be enough to solve it. Huang Hezi is old and experienced; he should manage to figure something out as well. As for the Returning Origin Cicada Husk, the usual supplements aren't there, but the four other ingredients can form at least three different valid combinations. Let's see which one they discover.

His gaze passes over Luo Chen. Seeing him hesitate while still glancing about, the elder scoffs inwardly.

Typical rogue alchemist with poor foundations and no real pharmacological grounding. Just lucky enough to have earned a Dao title. At such a critical moment, he can't solve the problem and tries to peek at others instead? He's worse than a fool, pretending to understand just to try and steal someone else's solution... Does someone like this even deserve to be in Green Pill Valley's competition?

Instinctively, the elder had already taken a strong dislike to Luo Chen, and by extension, his distaste extended to Tao Wan, who had invited Luo Chen. He shot them a cold and disdainful glance.

Tao Wan didn't notice this look. All her attention was on Luo Chen. When three of the nine moved, she stayed calm, reassured by the fact that several others, including Luo Chen, had yet to act. Even when Dan Yangzi became the first among the six to make his move, her composure did not falter.

Senior Brother's terrifying talent in alchemy places him foremost among the Green Pill Valley's Seven Prodigies.. If he wasn't already in line for the Dao Scion title, he would have long since been granted an exception and appointed as an elder of the Grand Alchemy Institute...

However, when she saw Xuan Yunzi, Huang Hezi, and two others begin refining their materials one after another, she grew a little uneasy.

Behind her, the cultivators from the Tao family could no longer suppress their complaints.

"What is Dan Chenzi doing up there? Does he even know how to refine pills? Is he just standing there to embarrass us? If he really can't do anything, at least work on one of the herbs!"

"Family Head, didn't you tell him about the tricks and patterns of this competition?"

Tao Yisheng's face flushed red. He ignored everyone and turned around with a shout, "Silence! Luo Chen's alchemy techniques are beyond anything you people can imagine. Just shut up and watch."

And with that, he added coldly, "Noisy fools!"

Perhaps it was due to the support of both Tao Wan and the patriarch, but in recent days Tao Yisheng had gradually begun to show the bearing of a true family head. Under his rebuke, even the older Initiates could do nothing but glare in frustration and hold their tongues.

Earlier, Tao Wan had felt uneasy as she listened to the murmurs from behind. A trace of resentment had even flickered in her heart.

If you're really struggling, why not just start with the common ingredients?

However, her brother's inexplicable and overwhelming faith in Luo Chen had gradually rubbed off on her. Her gaze lingered on Luo Chen's back, and without realizing it, her slender fingers curled into a tight fist.

You've got this... right?

***

At that moment, the earth fire roared from its vent atop the high platform, blazing with fierce intensity. The ingredients being processed released exotic fragrances that filled the air, making nostrils flare involuntarily. Of the nine second-tier alchemists present, eight had already begun their work.

Luo Chen remained the only one motionless, which made him the unwilling focus of every gaze. The attention he drew was not the admiration reserved for a hero but the ridicule meant for a fool.

Then, beneath countless watching eyes, the corners of his mouth lifted. To a chorus of startled gasps, he tossed the Returning Origin Cicada Husk straight into the Glazed Child Cauldron.

Cries broke out instantly.

"What is he doing?! Has he lost his mind? That's the hardest material, shouldn't it be saved for last?"

"It's not even about the order! There's no supplementary material. Does he mean to destroy the Returning Origin Cicada Husk?"

But at that moment, the very Grand Alchemy Institute elder that looked down on Luo Chen with absolute contempt suddenly widened his eyes in shock.

Hey, don't tell me...