Chapter 1040 - Purple Pill Runes

Everyone eagerly awaited the assessment of the Profound Cloud Sect's pills. For centuries, the Sect had reigned supreme in alchemy, their dominance uncontested. People had grown accustomed to seeing them lead in this segment every decade.

However, the sudden emergence of a blue-tier pill from the Liu Clan had cast a shadow of uncertainty over this year's commerce fair. For the first time in generations, the outcome was no longer a foregone conclusion.

"This is odd. The pill runes from the Profound Cloud Sect's pill don't appear as pure as those from the Liu Clan," murmured a grandmaster alchemist seated among the crowd.

At a glance, the difference was negligible, but under closer scrutiny, it was impossible to ignore.

The Liu Clan's pill runes were tightly condensed, forming what appeared to be a single, unified entity.

In contrast, the Profound Cloud Sect's pill, though adorned with many pill runes, showed signs of looseness and fragmentation. The pill runes lacked cohesion.

After about a minute, the crystal sphere finally stopped, and a faint blue hue shimmered across its surface. Though it reached the blue grade, it was pale and diluted.

On the other hand, the Liu Clan's pill had produced a deep, radiant blue. The difference between the two was glaring and impossible to ignore.

There would be no disappointment if there were no comparisons. Years ago, a pale blue-tier pill from the Profound Cloud Sect would have caused an uproar.

But today, the entire plaza fell silent.

The Profound Cloud Sect elder quietly picked up the pill. Though the pill had reached the same grade, the disparity in quality was undeniable. The Liu Clan had outclassed them.

And while the difference appeared as just a single grade on paper, bridging that gap was no simple task.

"This year just got interesting. The alchemy competition is more intense than ever," whispered some of the guests.

Everyone understood that today would shift the balance of the alchemy market.

For years, the majority of cultivators who visited the Spirit Jade Pavilion had come for the Profound Cloud Sect's pills.

However, if the Liu Clan could mass-produce pills of the quality they had just displayed, it would deal a devastating blow to the Profound Cloud Sect. A loss in sales of that scale would cripple their operations.

"Patriarch, do you think the Liu Clan's sudden improvement in alchemy has anything to do with the Heavenly Dao Society?" asked an elder from the Yuan Clan. It wouldn't be surprising if the Heavenly Dao Society were behind it.

"Very likely. We received word from the Wang Clan that the pills produced by the Heavenly Dao Society are of unusually high quality," Yuan Huaiguang said, his brows furrowed.

Yuan Zilong and Yuan Ziping were both his sons, and it was only natural that they held prominent positions in the Yuan Clan, given that their father was the patriarch.

"I doubt it. The Heavenly Dao Society has only existed for a year, and most of its members came from the Southern Province. How could such a barren place produce such prodigies?" another elder scoffed. In their view, the rise of a force like the Heavenly Dao Society required generations of effort.

Small forces, such as the Heavenly Dao Society, were easily numbered in the thousands across the Central Plains.

"Because of him," Yuan Huaiguang said, his gaze settling firmly on Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie had seen everything and remained indifferent. He continued chatting casually with Xu Lingxue and the other ladies, unconcerned by the attention.

The elder from the Profound Cloud Sect returned to his seat. They earned second place overall, just behind the Liu Clan.

While second place still gave them a chance to secure a partnership with the Spirit Jade Pavilion, everyone knew that a lower ranking came with diminished value. When prices were equal, people would always choose the product with higher quality.

The Wang Clan stepped forward, continuing the assessment. Known for their expertise in spiritual talismans, their alchemy skills fell short of the Profound Cloud Sect's, though they remained formidable. They submitted a pill that reached the green tier.

"This year's competition is unusually fierce. That's already the fifth pill with a green pill rune," someone commented in the crowd.

The assessment drew to a close as the judges finalized the rankings. The Liu Clan secured first place, followed by the Profound Cloud Sect. The Wang Clan, the Scarlet Dragon Cult, and another rising force filled the third through fifth spots.

The remaining participants were mostly lesser-known clans that had only recently gained influence. They submitted pills of average quality that failed to stand out.

Now, only one participant remained—Bi Gongyu.

"It's the Heavenly Dao Society's turn." The crowd fell silent, cutting off all idle chatter around the plaza, and all eyes locked on Bi Gongyu.

"Stop wasting our time. How could a small force possibly produce a noble alchemist?" someone scoffed, drawing laughter and sneers from others.

"Get lost!" Members of hostile factions raised their voices in unison against the Heavenly Dao Society.

The three clans, along with the Profound Cloud Sect, Scarlet Dragon Cult, and Five Elemental Gate, harbored deep resentment toward Liu Wuxie and his faction.

Bi Gongyu ignored the taunts. With a calm expression, he dropped his pill into the crystal sphere.

As the pill entered, the sphere began to spin. A dazzling array of pill runes surged onto its surface, flickering with intense brilliance.

"What's going on? Why are there so many pill runes?" The crowd gasped in waves as more people rose from their seats, craning their necks for a better look.

Elder Long Chen's eyes gleamed as he stepped forward. He had a strong feeling that this pill wasn't ordinary.

"Look! The pill runes are covering nearly the entire sphere!" someone exclaimed. Even the blue-tier pill produced by the Liu Clan had only managed to cover about two-thirds of the surface. But Bi Gongyu's pill had almost engulfed the entire crystal sphere.

"Such density..." Qu Su stood up, his face twisted in shock.

The pill runes pulsed violently on the surface, then extended beyond the sphere itself.

The crowd gasped again, their voices echoing through the surroundings, with many unable to hide their astonishment at what they were witnessing.

Even the cultivators hovering in the air began drifting closer for a better view, but the Spirit Jade Pavilion chose to turn a blind eye to them.

Pill runes nearly covered the crystal sphere's surface, leaving only faint glimpses of its interior visible through the dense, glowing patterns.

"Purple! Deep purple pill runes!" someone from the crowd suddenly gasped.

Everyone turned in shock as the crystal sphere lit up with brilliant purple pill runes. Not only were they unmistakably purple, but their quality was exceptionally pure, without any trace of impurity.

No one had seen a purple-tier pill in their lifetime, and many had nearly forgotten that such a tier even existed.

The crystal sphere gradually slowed its rotation, and the intense radiance of the purple runes grew so bright that it stung the eyes. When the sphere finally came to a halt, silence swept across the venue.

Someone hissed sharply, sending a ripple of unease through the crowd. Even high-level Earth Profound Realm experts stood frozen, their faces twisted with disbelief.

First-grade spiritual pills were not difficult for Earth Profound Realm cultivators to refine, but none of them could claim the ability to produce pills that emitted pure purple pill runes.

That was the true gap in skill. Regardless of the pill's grade, the pill runes determined its quality.

If someone sold a purple-tier pill at the same price as an ordinary first-grade spiritual pill, no one else would be able to compete unless they slashed their prices, effectively destroying their profit margins.

Everyone from the Profound Cloud Sect felt a cold chill crawl down their spines.

First, the Liu Clan had revealed a blue-tier pill. Now, the Heavenly Dao Society has unveiled a purple-tier pill.

If either of those products were to enter the market, the Profound Cloud Sect would lose its entire market share overnight.

Of course, neither the Liu Clan nor the Heavenly Dao Society could produce enough pills to supply every cultivator in the Central Plains, even if they combined forces. The region was too vast, the daily demand for pills reaching tens of billions.

However, that was assuming the Heavenly Dao Society would stop growing by not recruiting and training new alchemists.

However, if they continued to expand and refine their operations, a shift in power across the entire continent was inevitable.

"That's impossible! The crystal sphere must've malfunctioned! How could purple-tier pills exist?!" A Wang Clan's disciple cried out, trying to cast doubt on the crystal sphere.

However, his doubt only drew disdainful snickers from the surrounding crowd. The crystal sphere had been in use by the Spirit Jade Pavilion for countless years, and there had never once been an error.

"I agree! There must be something in the pill that confused the crystal sphere!" The Yuan Clan's disciples rose to their feet to support the Wang Clan.

"They must've cheated! I demand to have them thrown out to set an example!" the Profound Cloud Sect's disciples shouted in unison.

Purple-tier pills had vanished for so long that they had become a myth, and they couldn't believe it was real.

However, the majority of the people present remained silent. After all, the rarity of purple-tier pills didn't mean they didn't exist. This was an ordinary commerce fair, and experts at the Heaven Profound Realm could refine such pills.

"A bunch of frogs in a well. How pathetic," Liu Wuxie said coldly as he stood up, mocking those who doubted the result.

"Liu Wuxie, you're courting death!" An elder from the Profound Cloud Sect rose to his feet, ready to kill Liu Wuxie.

If not for the Spirit Jade Pavilion's intervention, a bloodbath would have broken out on the spot. But despite the accusations hurled, there was no concrete proof.

With that, the alchemy assessment concluded. The Heavenly Dao Society took first place, earning the highest score in the segment. If nothing unexpected happened, they were all but guaranteed a partnership with the Spirit Jade Pavilion.

This outcome meant that the remaining sects would now be second in line for consideration.

"The first assessment is over," Elder Long Chen announced. "The scores are in, and we will now prepare for the next assessment."

"Hold on!" a voice cut through and interrupted Elder Long Chen.

A man in his thirties approached from a distance, walking into the plaza.

"Shi Yuan!"

Everyone's expression changed at the sight of the man. The Wang Clan watched with glee, while the Heavenly Dao Society looked outraged.

"Elder Shi, what do you have to say?" Elder Long Chen asked in an irritated tone.

Though he disliked Shi Yuan, there was nothing Elder Long Chen could do. Shi Yuan was the Pavilion Master's close confidant, personally nurtured by him, and had earned the Pavilion Master's favor despite his mediocre cultivation.

"I suspect the Heavenly Dao Society is cheating!" Shi Yuan claimed, looking at the Heavenly Dao Society with a sinister smile.

After all, he had nearly lost everything, including his cultivation, thanks to the Heavenly Dao Society, and his resentment naturally ran deep.

"If that's the case, Elder Shi, do you have any evidence of them cheating?" Elder Long Chen asked. If the Heavenly Dao Society had cheated, he wouldn't hesitate to expel them permanently.

The crowd turned to Shi Yuan, eyes fixed on him as they waited for his answer.

"I know for a fact that the members of the Heavenly Dao Society have low cultivation, and their pills don't sell. If their pills are of such high quality, why don't they have a market? I suspect they must have acquired the pill elsewhere and brought it here solely for the show. In reality, they can't refine a purple-tier pill," Shi Yuan declared with certainty, accusing the Heavenly Dao Society of cheating to strike a partnership with the Spirit Jade Pavilion.

"Agreed! I also have doubts about the Heavenly Dao Society's pills," a Wang Clan disciple echoed Shi Yuan's claim and voiced his agreement.