inspire-indiana Chapter 422 Alchemy Competition 0.5
Chapter 422 Alchemy Competition 0.5
The next day, as soon as Cheng Jiu arrived at the competition venue, he felt many eyes on him.
They were all very secretive, not exactly aboveboard. Cheng Jiu knew why she was attracting so much attention today—it was all because of her master; the commotion was just too big.
It was clearly just a matter that wasn't a big deal, but it wasn't a small one either, yet Immortal Lord Qingxu insisted on having Medicine King Valley support her and help her finish up the mess.
That's Medicine King Valley, one of the five major sects. How could Medicine King Valley possibly care about such a trivial matter? It's just a way to silence the gossip.
Bathed in these gazes, Cheng Jiu remained completely at ease, without the slightest discomfort. No matter how bitter she felt about her master's intentions, she had to accept them.
There were many Yunxiao Sect disciples standing on the opposite side. This was their Yunxiao Sect's only protégé, in other words, the number one alchemist of the younger generation in their Yunxiao Sect. If they didn't come to support him, who would?
Like the Dragon Abyss Sect, they were all eliminated in the fifth round when there was no one in front of them.
The Wuji Sect isn't much better; at most, they have one more member than them.
Guiyuan Sect, on the other hand, has six members this time—a full six.
Medicine King Valley, as always, is far ahead of the competition, with fifteen entries, accounting for nearly half.
The rest were all independent cultivators, disciples carefully nurtured by powerful figures from sects and families.
Logically speaking, in previous years, the Longyuan Sect wouldn't have suffered such a devastating defeat. It can only be said that the fifth round really hit these disciples where it hurt, and the Longyuan Sect suffered a silent loss.
Yingyue's defeat was not unexpected, after all, the prediction of her victory was very low from the very beginning of the competition.
After all, that was the only seedling of the Cloud Soaring Sect, and this only seedling naturally demonstrated its strength and resilience.
The energy of the pill-making contest was like a bamboo forest, verdant and sharp as a sword. Senior Sister Yingyue tried her best, but she couldn't cut through the bamboo. Instead, she was struck down by the bamboo forest and her energy was taken away, leaving her with only a few low-grade pills.
Thankfully, they didn't go all out; otherwise, all that would have been left for Yingyue would have been a useless pill.
It was a very authentic alchemy competition, and those around it were still enjoying it.
Although it could be described as a one-sided crushing victory, it was not without its entertainment value. Whether it was the formidable strength of the Cloud Soaring Sect member or Yingyue's continuous counterattacks even in dire straits, the spectacle was dazzling and mesmerizing.
Of course, the heavenly lightning struck as promised, and the pills that had absorbed the Qi of the Bright Moon Pill were round and adorable.
Of course, what's even more adorable than her is its effect: the Fragrance Condensing Pill, which imparts a fragrant scent upon consumption, grants skin as smooth as ice and bones as fine as jade, and allows one to enjoy the cultivation speed of having skin as smooth as ice and bones as fine as jade within a month.
That's the so-called pure body with ice-like skin and jade-like bones, and its speed of absorbing spiritual energy is highly sought after by cultivators without special physiques.
With cultivation accelerators like this, not only female cultivators, but male cultivators of all levels are willing to risk everything.
Cheng Jiu's few Breakthrough Pills were also quite popular in the cultivation world. They could break through the cultivation difficulties below the Nascent Soul Realm. Who doesn't encounter a few obstacles on their cultivation journey?
However, the atmosphere in the arena was too tense, and Cheng Jiu's expression was not good, so no one dared to step forward.
As soon as the competition ended, people surrounded him, offering high prices to buy it.
Unsurprisingly, he was rejected. Most alchemists would choose to have their powerful backers acquire such rare and unique pills.
The main reason is that the spiritual herbs are precious and difficult to collect. Having even one portion is a blessing, which is completely different from other regular pills.
Cheng Jiu also left with Senior Sister Yingyue.
"call!"
The two of them hadn't actually planned to watch other people compete, and even though Senior Sister Yingyue was very open-minded, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
But the commotion not far away caught their attention. They exchanged a glance—something interesting was going on!
At this moment, the arena was completely surrounded by a large crowd of onlookers, making it impossible to move.
Cheng Jiu remembered that this arena seemed to belong to Senior Sister Chaoyan from Medicine King Valley, but he didn't have any recollection of her opponent, who seemed to be a rogue cultivator named Mandala.
It's unbelievable that such a highly poisonous flower as datura can be used as a name. It seems like only small tribes in the southwest would use such a name.
Cheng Jiu exuded a powerful aura, forcefully tearing open a gap in the crowd and pulling Senior Sister Yingyue along as they squeezed through.
The crowd, feeling the jostling, was naturally unhappy, but upon seeing the culprit, they all involuntarily fell silent.
They couldn't afford to offend a direct disciple of the Guiyuan Sect; her master was still watching from above.
Cheng Jiu arrived at the edge of the ring without any trouble and naturally saw what was happening on the ring.
Senior Sister Chaoyan lay on the arena with her eyes closed, her face still glowing with an abnormal purple aura.
Across from her, Cheng Jiu and Ying Yue's eyes lit up; they had never seen a young lady like her before.
With his dashing appearance, mysterious attire, and honey-colored skin adorned with various totems, he exuded an air of mystery, antiquity, and elegance, like a high priest emerging from the rainforest.
If they had seen someone with such outstanding temperament and appearance, they would definitely remember them.
So, is this person among the thirty-five who advanced?
Cheng Jiu and Ying Yue exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes reflecting the same unfamiliar and bewildered expression.
Okay, so where did this guy come from?
Then there's Senior Sister Chaoyan, who clearly looks like she's been poisoned. Only Cheng Jiu is puzzled, and the surrounding audience is also very confused.
How could the fairy Asagao have fallen ill and collapsed in the blink of an eye?
Asagao's ability to control poison was evident to all during the hunting battles.
Logically speaking, it shouldn't be that easy to get infected!
However, no matter how many ideas one has, it's all in vain now. Senior Sister Chaoyan, who has been poisoned, is destined to be unable to complete the rest of the competition.
disuse.
After the referee made the announcement, Senior Sister Xueyuan went up to the stage and placed her delicate hand on Senior Sister Chaoyan's wrist.
His handsome brows furrowed, feeling helpless and at a loss for where to begin. This was truly...
Senior Sister Xueyuan looked up at the opposite side. The mysterious woman had not left and had obviously stayed behind to detoxify.
Senior Sister Xueyuan slightly stepped aside to make way for her, and saw the mysterious woman squatting down next to Senior Sister Chaoyan, with a pink and tender... insect in her palm.
Yingyue held Cheng Jiu's hand tightly, which explained why the surrounding audience had no interest in the woman on stage.
"He really does have the skills of an old friend! I didn't expect that old fellow would actually send his successor!"
When Elder Huoyan saw the familiar style, he couldn't help but sigh. Just because the people below didn't know it didn't mean that the two old monsters above didn't know it. Moreover, Mandala's master was quite famous in the cultivation world.
Elder Du Qing's face darkened. Unlike Elder Huo Yan, he simply couldn't stand that lineage that used poison. What kind of alchemist was someone who only dealt with insects?
"I thought that old woman looked down on this place. I wonder which place she borrowed a spot from to smuggle her apprentice over here."
Elder Du Qing's tone was not without sarcasm, and Elder Huo Yan's lips twitched slightly upon hearing it.
How could an old man as rigid and serious as Elder Duqing call that woman an old woman? Could the rumors be true?
"You weren't actually almost captured by those hidden strongholds back then, were you?!" Elder Huo Yan was an old man who loved gossip. Thinking of those rumors, and with the person involved still by his side, it would be a shame not to ask.
"Nonsense!" Elder Duqing scoffed.
"I heard that it was that hero who rescued you, and you even fell in love at first sight and wanted to become his wife," Elder Huoyan continued.
"Let's have a fight!" Elder Du Qing stood up, the Seven Star Blade in his hand gleaming with a cold light.
"Bullying an alchemist, you have no martial ethics!" Elder Huo Yan knew he had gone too far when he saw this and was already preparing to run away.
There are differences between alchemists. For example, he could never beat this guy, Du Qing.
But with such a strong reaction, could the rumors be true?
Du Qing has never had a partner all these years.
Elder Du Qing's face flushed. Many thoughts flashed through his mind, some sweet, some bitter, but finally settled on a shameless woman.
That shameless old woman! She deceived me both physically and emotionally, and she's irresponsible!
What Elder Huoyan said was actually true, but it lacked a premise: Elder Duqing went to the Hidden Village at the invitation of the village's leader to treat his beloved youngest son.
Du Qing, an elder who rose to fame at a young age, was handsome and possessed superb alchemy skills. He replicated the ancient elixir formula that had been lost for a long time, thus curing the hereditary disease of the hidden village.
With the youngest son of the Hidden Village leader recovering, the leader also began to have designs on him. This young, handsome man with superb alchemy skills looked like he had a bright future ahead of him.
Why aren't these young people from their hidden village?
The leader of the hidden village had many beautiful daughters, so he decided to arrange a marriage between them.
So, at the thank-you banquet, the leader of the hidden village used a love potion on the young Elder Duqing. At that time, Elder Duqing never imagined that such a method would be used.
We were caught completely off guard and fell!
He had no interest in the daughter of the hidden village leader and resisted fiercely. The hidden village leader wanted to befriend him and was also his savior, so he didn't dare to force him to do anything. So the situation remained deadlocked.
With the Love Gu in hand, there's no fear that Elder Du Qing won't comply.
Elder Duqing had been imprisoned for an unknown number of days, tormented by the love potion, his body and mind suffering double torment. He didn't know how many more days he could endure.
At this moment, a mysterious woman descended from the sky, like a savior, rescuing him from dire straits.
She helped him break free from the love curse and took care of him meticulously for several months.
Elder Duqing was initially ungrateful, as he was also seething with anger. He had come with good intentions to save people, but had been tricked. How could he not hold a grudge against such an ingrate?
But the woman was too gentle and too tolerant; no matter what he did, his bad temper remained unchanged.
Elder Duqing gradually realized that he had gone too far. The one who had done wrong was the leader of the Hidden Village, so why was he venting his negative emotions on him for no reason?
Once his attitude changed, and after spending a long time together, he felt that the person in front of him suited his taste in every way. At this time, Elder Duqing's heart had not yet been awakened to love, and he was not opposed to finding a Daoist partner.
Judging from his father's saying that he's a womanizer and falls in love with every woman he meets, he should find a partner who suits his heart.
Then he confessed his feelings. She seemed quite surprised by his confession. She didn't reject him, but just had a mysterious smile on her lips.
The next day, he was no longer in the Hidden Village, but appeared in the mountains and forests thousands of miles away.
Although Elder Duqing was puzzled, he assumed that the leader of the hidden village had come to terms with it and, being rational, did not dare to go back, but instead returned home.
He decided not to argue with the leader of the hidden village, but instead went home to prepare a generous dowry and went to the hidden village to propose to his beloved.
They were then told that there was no such person in Hidden Village.
Elder Duqing thought the leader of the Hidden Village was lying, so he had the leader give him a severe beating and made the leader summon the entire Hidden Village.
And he really didn't find his sweetheart!
Elder Duqing certainly didn't think it was a dream, but the fact that the other party was not there, or even refused to see him, already made the implications quite clear.
Elder Duqing was heartbroken for a long time after returning that time.
Then, at a gathering of alchemists, he attended with a senior rogue cultivator.
Then, he saw his beloved, one of the top ninth-grade alchemists. According to seniority, he should call her "Grandma"...
So she was the ancestor of the Hidden Village!
No wonder she treated him so well and worked so hard for him back then; it turns out she was atoning for her unfilial children.
You can imagine Elder Duqing's feelings at that time: anger, shame, and extreme embarrassment, especially the thought that he had actually confessed his love to her and even brought betrothal gifts to propose marriage. Just thinking about it made Elder Duqing wish he could disappear into the ground.
Especially the senior who brought him to the party, who took him to greet the other party.
The moment Elder Duqing uttered the word "Grandma," he felt as if he had lost all face in his entire life on that one day!
It took him several days to recover, and by then, some busybodies had already heard about the scandal, which spread like wildfire throughout the cultivation world.
Elder Du Qing: "..."
I had no thoughts at all; I just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Time has passed, and now, has Elder Duqing emerged from this situation?
Judging from his strength and cultivation level, you can tell he has already transcended that level.
It was just a bit of youthful infatuation and affection; with more experience, I've come to see things more clearly.
But this doesn't change the fact that this remains Elder Duqing's unspeakable weakness and embarrassment.
The old guys who know these things have either ascended to heaven or died, and there are very few left, but unfortunately, there is one right next to him!
Elder Duqing: It's all retribution!
Mandala, a saintly maiden of the hidden village, was taken in as a disciple by that person when she was young. She is skilled in poisons, especially insect poisons, which are abundant in the southwest.
Senior Sister Chaoyan also suffered from a lack of understanding, which is why she was taken down by the other party without any precautions.
"That one can be considered to have a successor!" Elder Duqing put down the Seven Star Blade that he had been eyeing with predatory intent.
Elder Huoyan then mustered up the courage to move back. Fortunately, Du Qing hadn't lost his mind, otherwise, being chased in front of so many people would have made him lose face!
"What a stroke of luck!" Elder Duqing never had a kind word to say about Hidden Village.
"Sigh, everyone seems to have found a disciple they like. I think that old guy from the Guiyuan Sect has three good disciples too!"
Elder Huoyan glanced at Yingyue, Anqi, and Wensishu. People at their level wanted nothing more than a successor who could perfectly pass on their knowledge. He thought his own disciple was good, but that didn't stop him from thinking that other people's disciples were even better!
Elder Du Qing glared at the other party, reasonably suspecting that the other party was deliberately trying to provoke him.
He's the kind of guy who gets more childlike the older he gets!