Dao of Alchemy Grand Competition qualifiers: a first victory
Little B, do you want to see what you're saying?
I, Lu Ping, am a humble person.
Lu Ping silently complained.
Then, I decisively chose A.
[You chose A.]
You bowed slightly to Liang Yishou.
"Fellow Daoist Liang, my name is Lu Ping. I will take the lead in attacking, and you will take the lead in defending. How does that sound?"
[Liang Yishou wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead and glanced at you.]
["From Central Region?"]
Surprisingly, there was no disdain in his tone.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, this alchemy battle within the Taiyan Formation is no child's play."
"I don't care whether you focus on offense or defense, I just want stability."
"As long as the defense holds and the game drags on to a draw, we'll have accomplished our mission."
You understood what he meant.
He did not seek merit, but only to avoid mistakes.
[A typical workaholic mentality in the workplace.]
You didn't say anything more, you just nodded.
[Thump--!]
[A bell tolls, and the selection process officially begins.]
[In mid-air, a giant water mirror appeared, its surface densely covered with the names of thousands of medicinal herbs.]
[A flash of light, and one hundred medicinal herbs were randomly selected and suspended in the medicinal pool at the center of the array platform.]
["Drug selection begins!"]
[The four participants take turns, each choosing one herb at a time, for a total of ten herbs per person.]
The two people opposite them, a gaunt old man and a young woman in red, were both veteran Alchemists from the merchant guild.
[In the first round, the gaunt old man made the first move, directly seizing a top-grade poisonous herb called "Bone-Eroding Flower".]
The young woman in red followed closely behind, taking away a Potent Poison Catalyst.
[It's your turn.]
[Liang Yishou stability, successively secured three common antidotes in the following rounds of combat: Clear Spirit Leaf, Hundred-Turn Vine, and Rootless Water.]
These three ingredients are the core of the "Minor Restoration Detoxification Pill" and also the most reliable defensive combination.
[When it was your turn to choose, your gaze swept across the pool of medicine.]
[As the rounds progressed, instead of targeting the most potent main poisons, you each took a different approach, acquiring several unconventional auxiliary ingredients.]
[Heartbreak Grass, Snake Saliva Fruit, Yin Wind Vine...]
[Until the very last round, you raised your hand and grabbed a "One-Step Grass".]
[The appearance of this medicine caused a commotion in the stands.]
"One-Step Grass? Has this kid gone mad?"
"This stuff is extremely potent and clashes with other poisonous herbs, making it very likely to cause an explosion!"
"In the first few rounds, he only got some uncommon auxiliary ingredients, not even a main ingredient. What is he going to refine? A hodgepodge?"
The gaunt old man opposite him let out a sneer upon seeing this.
Even Liang Yishou couldn't help but frown.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, your choice of herbs... is too risky."
[In the main seat of the stands, Yan Xuanyao stopped holding the Fire Jade Gallbladder.]
He looked at the medicinal herbs in front of you, his gaze darkening.
[Options pop up.]
[A: Reassure your partner that everything is fine.]
[B: Maintain the aloofness of a master, no explanation needed.]
[C: Ascending into the air, in a calm tone, he addressed everyone in the arena, "I'm not targeting anyone in particular, I'm saying that everyone here is trash."]
Something's not right. Something's extremely wrong.
Lu Ping could no longer tell whether it was Little B or Little C who eloped.
It was Little C who lured Little B away.
Lu Ping decided to let the two of them play by themselves.
He chose A.
[You chose A.]
[You said calmly,]
"Fellow Daoist Liang, your strategy for selecting herbs this round was excellent."
"Once the Minor Restoration Detoxification Pill is successfully refined, we'll have won half the battle. I certainly won't hold them back."
[The Flattery has taken effect.]
[Workwear Thugs, in effect.]
[Liang Yishou thinks that although your strength isn't great, your judgment is excellent; you actually understood his strategy.]
Although he disagrees with your choice, he's still willing to lend you a hand, so you don't lose too badly.
[Drug selection complete.]
"Open the furnace!"
[On both sides of the array platform, four Azure-Pattern Bronze Cauldron simultaneously emitted alchemical flames.]
[The two people opposite them moved with practiced skill, throwing one spirit medicine herb after another into the cauldron, where the aroma of herbs and the fumes of poison began to fill the air.]
Liang Yishou, also covered in sweat, began refining the three main antidote ingredients.
[Only you stand before the bronze cauldron, motionless.]
[Instead of rushing to start a fire, you probed the Great Expansion Alchemy Formation beneath your feet with your Divine Sense.]
[You are deduce the direction of the Spirit Veins within the formation.]
The Spirit Veins of the Taiyan Formation simulate the meridians of the human body.
What you're looking for is the weakest point and the fastest-flowing node in this "meridian".
[Half an incense stick's time has passed.]
[The old man's Poison Pill is already beginning to take shape.]
[Liang Yishou's Detoxification Pills also emitted a pleasant fragrance.]
The people in the stands had already started shaking their heads.
"That kid must be terrified, right?"
"Those from the Central Region probably haven't even seen anything like this before."
[A moment later, you opened your eyes and finally made your move.]
[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]
[Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement, effective.]
[I Love Working, effective.]
[You slammed your hand on the cauldron's handle. Earthfire. Before you could even finish your Method Formula, your Spiritual Power swept up the One-Step Grass, crushed it, and tossed it into the cauldron.]
[Next came three auxiliary herbs, which were almost thrown in close to the flame.]
[You precisely neutralized the potent medicinal properties of the One-Step Grass, and then perfectly neutralized them with the other auxiliary herbs.]
[Not long after, a jet-black Pills appeared in your palm.]
[His pill-forming speed is at least 30% faster than anyone else on the field!]
[With a flick of your finger, the jet-black Pills transformed into a streak of light and shot into the core of your own formation!]
[Boom!]
[Formation Technique activated.]
[The Great Expansion Alchemy Formation suddenly lit up.]
A black aura of energy, following the Spirit Veins of the Formation Technique, spread towards the opposite side at an astonishing speed!
"So fast!"
"How could it be so fast?!"
[Normally, it takes at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn for the elixir to spread to the opponent's battle platform.]
[But your inner energy, imbued with the "one-step-to-death" swiftness of the One-Step Grass, is ridiculously fast!]
[In less than half an incense stick's time, the black mist had already reached the Alchemist opposite!]
[The gaunt old man's Poison Pill was only half-formed when this sudden surge of pill energy invaded his body.]
His face turned pale, his Spiritual Power instantly became chaotic, he groaned, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
[Meanwhile, the young woman in red beside him had only finished refining the Detoxification Pill halfway through. Seeing her companion being poisoned, she panicked and her hand trembled, causing the fire in the furnace to go out of control.]
["Bang!"]
["Bang!"]
[With two muffled explosions, the two Alchemists opposite him simultaneously coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground, exhausted.]
You win.
Clean and efficient, utterly devastating.
[Battle Ended.]
[From the moment you light the oven to the moment the other person's oven explodes.]
[Liang Yishou had just shaped the Detoxification Pill in his hand when he stared blankly at the two people opposite him emitting black smoke, then turned to look at you.]
The entire training ground was completely silent.
[There were no cheers, no gasps.]
[All the Alchemists in the merchant guilds are looking at you like you're a monster.]
[Options pop up.]
[A: Quietly withdraw and step aside.]
[B: Walks to the edge of the platform and shouts, "Who else is there?!"]
[C: Approaching the old man who was exploding the furnace, he handed him a business card: "Professional alchemy instructor, guaranteed to teach and learn, tuition fee 320,000."]