Chapter 96

Chapter 97: Stepping on Dog Shit Luck

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Time flew by, and half a month passed in Chen Mo's relentless practice. On this day, the vast square in the center of Changchun Valley was teeming with people. Of course, the majority were there for the spectacle. Although this was just the preliminary round, it was a matter of great importance, as it would determine who would become the valley master.

"The preliminary round of the Alchemy Competition will now begin. Only the top three will qualify for the final. You must bring your own medicinal herbs and formulas. The selection will be based on the effectiveness and quality of the pills. Pills below the second grade, failed pills, and substandard pills will be immediately disqualified. Changchun disciples, prepare to begin."

With Gu Yue Xiaoguo's command, the square fell silent. His gaze swept across the crowd, and the first person he saw was Chen Mo, who had left a deep impression on him.

He still remembered the day Chen Mo had a duel with another person, and he had been asked by Mu Lingwei to be the judge. To his surprise, this young man had actually refined a super-grade pill.

However, even if it was a super-grade pill, the grade of the medicinal herbs was too low, and it wouldn't stand out in such a competition.

Many of the valley's young talents had come to participate in this alchemy competition, including Lin Junqian, who was the pride of his generation.

Seeing Lin Junqian's skilled and even more refined movements, Gu Yue Xiaoguo felt a great sense of satisfaction. Lin Junqian was his most accomplished disciple, and he believed that with Lin Junqian's abilities, winning the top spot in this competition would be effortless.

As for Jiang Chen, a disciple of Li Zufan, he was slightly inferior.

Lin Junqian, with one hand behind his back, refined the pill with a casual elegance. He controlled a thread of flame with his divine sense, making it move like a red snake climbing a branch, removing impurities as it went. Then, he injected a thread of energy, causing the medicinal herbs to explode in mid-air. The flame surged and receded, leaving only the purest essence at the bottom of the cauldron.

This was the famous Hundred-Filter Holy String technique.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo nodded in approval. With a disciple like this, the future was secure.

Jiang Chen, on the other hand, was also using the Hundred-Filter Holy String technique, his movements equally skilled and fluid, not far behind Lin Junqian.

From the materials and techniques used, it was clear that Lin Junqian was refining a third-grade Flowing Light Pill, which could significantly enhance a warrior's combat power for a short time.

Jiang Chen, however, was refining a Foundation Establishment Pill. Warriors place great importance on physical enhancement, and the Foundation Establishment Pill could cleanse the body and strengthen the constitution, making it more effective in this regard.

Of course, this Foundation Establishment Pill was vastly different from the Yi Jing Pill Chen Mo had used.

From this, it was evident that the competition between the two was intense, each with their own strengths. The first and second places were almost certain to be theirs.

One of the most eye-catching participants was a graceful white-robed girl, who had attracted the attention of the majority of the onlookers.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo's gaze fell on her. She was Ye Lianxiang, not only a princess of the Great Wind Empire but also a genius second only to Lin Junqian and Jiang Chen.

She was refining a third-grade Muscle-Shaping Pill, which could rapidly heal bones and regenerate lost flesh in a short time.

While this pill was slightly inferior to the previous two, her technique was visually stunning. She used the Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow technique, which was a beautiful and intricate method.

She threw numerous herbs into the cauldron, and her delicate fingers played over them like a pianist, causing the herbs to explode, leaving only pure white essence. Her wide white sleeves fluttered like butterflies among black flowers and white fluff, creating a breathtaking scene.

Soon, the essence was transformed into a liquid. Ye Lianxiang's white silk sleeves swept through the cauldron, mixing the liquid and impurities, which then scattered like snowflakes. The flames surged, and the liquid, like a whirlwind, condensed into a fist-sized gray ball. It glowed like a pearl, floating above the cauldron, with the flames caressing it like soft fox tails, creating a mesmerizing sight.

"This is the Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow technique? So impressive!"

"The alchemy is smooth and graceful, accompanied by the beauty of the performer. The pill must be extraordinary!"

"Divine pills, divine pills, the Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow technique is truly profound..."

The audience's praise drew even more attention, and the crowd pressed forward, thinking a fairy had descended from heaven.

While it looked beautiful, Gu Yue Xiaoguo knew that it was a technique of pressing the flame into the herbs and controlling the explosion to separate the essence from the impurities. The saying "outsiders see the spectacle, insiders see the essence" applied here.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo, having seen many great events in his long life, was not moved by this.

The Hundred-Filter Holy String technique was more precise, using divine sense to control a thread of flame and compress it into a fine line. This line of flame was used to separate the essence from the impurities, purifying the essence in the process. The resulting pill, refined by this technique, would have a significantly higher quality and no pill toxicity.

The Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow technique was indeed beautiful and had its own subtleties, but it was essentially a method of pressing the flame into the herbs to cause an explosion, separating more essence. The main advantage was the stability of the pill formation, which also helped to remove pill toxicity.

"Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow" was one such technique, and so was "Stars Surrounding the Moon," which Qiu Xiong was using.

Qiu Xiong's technique was extremely elaborate, and "Stars Surrounding the Moon" was used to its fullest, but it was very slow. Compared to a master, he was far behind, and it was uncertain whether he could even form a pill at this rate.

As for the others, none of them caught his eye.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo's gaze swept around and finally landed on Chen Mo, curious to see what this young man would do next.

What puzzled him was Chen Mo's calm demeanor. He was slowly "grinding" some herbs over the fire using the most basic "One-Back-Two-Return" technique. He seemed indifferent, a stark contrast to his previous enthusiastic self.

Could I have misjudged him?

He focused his mind and observed again.

Chen Mo used the "One-Back-Two-Return" technique to refine the herbs, being very meticulous. The resulting essence was extremely fine and pure. He also seemed to be using some unusual methods to infuse the essence with the surrounding spiritual energy.

Time seemed to pass quickly. After refining the last herb, Chen Mo suddenly covered the cauldron and injected a large amount of spiritual energy, sealing it with mystic energy. The flames in the cauldron then surged.

This seemed similar to the Hundred-Filter Holy String technique, but it wasn't. He had used the "One-Back-Two-Return" technique to refine the herbs but not to form the pill, which seemed a bit childish.

Even if he managed to form a pill, it would only be a second-grade Great Spirit Pill, which would barely qualify. With eighty-one participants, many could produce better formulas.

He would likely end up at the bottom.

But Chen Mo had other plans. He intended to use the technique Mu Lingwei had taught him, combined with the effects of the Green Liquid, to refine a super-grade pill. In this case, even a third-grade ordinary pill would be no match for him.

"Form."

"Form."

At this moment, two clear voices rang out, and the air was filled with the fragrance of herbs. Lin Junqian and Jiang Chen simultaneously submitted their pills to the judges, not looking at each other.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo checked the hourglass; there was still enough time for a cup of tea. However, at this moment, most of the participants began to leave, some reluctantly, but most were persuaded to leave.

In the end, only three people remained on the stage: Qiu Xiong, Ye Lianxiang, and Chen Mo. The others were discussing as they left.

"Brother Ao, I see you are about to form a third-grade pill. Isn't it a pity to leave now?"

"Haha, Brother Wuchang, Lin Junqian and Jiang Chen always vie for the top spots. As for the third place, do you think we can match the Flowing Wind and Tracing Snow and Stars Surrounding the Moon combined?"

As these two spoke, the crowd around them echoed their sentiments.

"Hey, who is that? How can he have such confidence and courage to still be on the stage?" someone asked, and the crowd quickly turned to look in the direction of Chen Mo.

"That... isn't he the disciple Mu Lingwei recently took in, Chen Mo?"

"I heard that last time, Huo Yingfan forced him into a duel and lost, and Huo Yingfan himself went mad..."

"Form!"

At this moment, Chen Mo shouted, his voice so loud that it startled everyone, including Gu Yue Xiaoguo.

He saw Ye Lianxiang, startled, lose control of the flames, and her pill was half-ruined, clearly a substandard product.

Ye Lianxiang, furious, glared at Chen Mo and screamed, "Country bumpkin, why did you shout so loudly? You ruined my pill!"

"I am a country bumpkin, so what's wrong with having a loud voice?" Chen Mo retorted, "Refining a pill requires a calm mind. If a simple shout can affect you, Princess, you need to work on your mental fortitude."

Gu Yue Xiaoguo immediately intervened to stop their argument.

Chen Mo, of course, didn't care about Ye Lianxiang. He had originally planned to inject some Green Liquid at the final stage to refine a super-grade pill. But seeing Ye Lianxiang's failure and Qiu Xiong's struggle, he decided to form an ordinary pill and submit it to the judges.

Gu Yue Xiaoguo looked at the time and announced, "Time's up!"

Qiu Xiong was taken aback; he had just finished refining but hadn't nurtured the pill yet. He could only shake his head and leave. Refining a third-grade pill was very difficult for him.

"Lin Junqian, Flowing Light Pill. Third-grade superior pill, with a near-excellent effect."

"Jiang Chen, Foundation Establishment Pill. Third-grade superior pill, with an ordinary effect."

"Chen Mo, Great Spirit Pill, second-grade inferior pill, with an ordinary effect."

The first and second places were expected, but when it came to the third place, those who had been discussing were almost about to leave but stopped in their tracks, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

"Brother Ao" and "Brother Wuchang" exchanged glances, both thinking: Is Chen Mo just incredibly lucky? A second-grade ordinary pill can make it to the third place? It's more like he barely squeezed in. If I had known, I would have stayed and easily beaten Chen Mo.

Jiang Chen and Lin Junqian exchanged intense glances, while Chen Mo, who had "stepped on dog shit luck," was completely ignored.

...

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