Pill Gathering Finals, Each Displaying Their Skills

Dawn pierced through the clouds, rousing Sacred Pill City from its slumber. Today, the atmosphere in Myriad Medicine Plaza was even more explosive and solemn than in the previous days. The final round would determine the strongest alchemist among the younger generation on the continent!

At the center of the plaza, the original thousand stone platforms had been removed and replaced with five hundred more spacious, better-equipped individual alchemy stations. Each station was furnished with a high-quality Standard Medicine Cauldron and a stable Earth Fire vent. Of course, no one would interfere if an alchemist preferred to use their own Medicine Cauldron and flames.

The Viewing Platform had long since filled to capacity. The three giants of the Alchemist Tower, the heads of the Five Great Families, and powerful figures from every faction all focused their gazes below. Xiao Chen and Han Yue remained on the Han Family's viewing platform. His calm gaze swept across the arena, lingering briefly on Xiao Yan, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and several contestants with extraordinary auras.

Xuan Kongzi stood before the Main Platform. His aged gaze swept over the five hundred spirited alchemists below as his voice echoed throughout the venue:

"The final round of the Pill Gathering—alchemy!"

"The rules are simple. Within three days, refine the highest-grade, highest-quality pill you can manage! Bring your own Medicinal Ingredients!"

"The final rankings will be jointly determined by us and the elders of the Alchemist Tower based on the pills' grade, quality, refining difficulty, and success rate!"

"Begin!"

There was no unnecessary chatter. The moment the word "begin" fell, the finals officially commenced!

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

In an instant, flames of every shape and color rose simultaneously from all five hundred alchemy stations! The temperature across the plaza soared once more, and scorching waves of heat warped the air. The sight was utterly spectacular.

After a brief period of thought, most alchemists quickly settled on the pills they would refine and began processing their ingredients. Most chose sixth-tier or even low-grade seventh-tier pills they were most confident in, striving for reliability.

The several highly anticipated geniuses, however, appeared far more composed.

Cao Ying did not immediately begin. Her peach blossom eyes swept over the ingredients before her, and her red lips curled into a confident smile. With a flick of her jade-like hand, a pitch-black Medicine Cauldron covered in Nine Nether Demon Patterns appeared on the stone platform. It was clearly a Medicine Cauldron of extremely high quality! Then, pitch-black Nine Nether Wind Flame rose up, emitting an eerie aura that seemed capable of devouring everything.

"What is she planning to refine? Judging by those prepared ingredients, it seems to be something extraordinary..." someone murmured.

Every medicinal ingredient Cao Ying took out was a rare treasure difficult to find in the outside world. Several of them even emitted astonishing energy fluctuations. They were clearly among the finest of seventh-tier pills!

"It's the high-grade seventh-tier Yin-Yang Life Soul Pill!" someone knowledgeable exclaimed. "This pill can repair injuries to the soul and is even effective on Dou Zun experts. It is extremely difficult to refine! Cao Ying actually dares to challenge such a pill?!"

An uproar broke out! High-grade seventh-tier—this was already a height many veteran master alchemists could scarcely reach! Cao Ying's ambition was plain for all to see!

On the other side, Dan Chen's little face was still somewhat pale, but her gaze was exceptionally focused. The Medicine Cauldron she used was moon-white, and its quality was equally remarkable. She did not summon any particularly powerful flame, instead using a gentle pale-silver beast flame. Yet when she began processing the ingredients, her Soul Power at Mortal Realm Grand Perfection was like the finest carving blade, perfectly extracting the essence from every ingredient. Her technique was so delicate that it left onlookers in awe. She had chosen a mid-grade seventh-tier pill called the Taiyi Soul Spirit Pill. This pill placed extremely high demands on Soul Power, making it perfectly suited to her strengths.

At Xiao Yan's stone platform, he took a deep breath. In his palm, the greenish-brown Green Lotus Core Flame alternated with the invisible Heart Flame power of the Fallen Heart Flame. He was still using the dark-red Myriad Beast Cauldron he had acquired from Jia Nan Academy. His gaze was resolute. The pill he chose was not the safest low-grade seventh-tier formula Yao Lao had prepared for him, but a mid-grade seventh-tier formula called the Poria Green Pill! This pill could help Dou Huang experts stabilize their realm and enhance their potential, and it was equally difficult to refine.

"Kid, you've got guts!" Yao Lao's approving voice sounded in his mind.

"I can't keep living under my brother's and teacher's wings forever." Xiao Yan grinned, his eyes blazing. "This time, I'll carve out a future with my own strength!"

No longer hesitating, he unleashed his Soul Power and controlled the two flames as he began the complex refinement.

Time slowly passed amid the tense and fierce atmosphere.

Alchemists continually left the arena in dejection after failing to purify their ingredients or suffering explosions during fusion. Those who remained were all people of unwavering will and exceptional skill.

The first day passed amid everyone's initial ingredient purification and fusion.

On the second day, pill refinement entered its most critical stage. The fusion of medicinal liquids, the balance of energy, the condensation of a pill's embryonic form... every step was filled with risk and challenge.

Boom!

At one alchemy station, the flames spiraled out of control and the Medicine Cauldron exploded. An alchemist vomited blood and was severely injured before being carried away.

Immediately afterward, a muffled blast sounded from another stone platform. Although the cauldron had not exploded, the medicinal liquid inside had already blackened. The refinement had failed.

The atmosphere of failure spread like a plague, placing immense psychological pressure on the remaining alchemists.

At Cao Ying's station, the Nine Nether Wind Flame coiled around the Medicine Cauldron like a docile black serpent. The medicinal liquid inside churned, already beginning to condense into a black-and-white pill embryo that emitted strange soul fluctuations. Fine beads of sweat had appeared on her forehead. Clearly, refining the Yin-Yang Life Soul Pill was no easy task even for her.

Dan Chen's side appeared to be progressing rather smoothly. The embryo of the Taiyi Soul Spirit Pill had already formed, radiating a gentle soul glow. However, her little face grew increasingly pale, and her body trembled faintly. Her soul consumption was clearly enormous.

Xiao Yan clenched his teeth, dividing his Soul Power into several streams as he carefully balanced the relationship between the two Heavenly Flames and the medicinal liquid. Refining the Poria Green Pill required extremely precise control over flames. Had he not devoured the Fallen Heart Flame and gained some understanding of Heart Flame power, he would likely have failed long ago. Even so, he found it exceptionally taxing.

On the Viewing Platform, Xiao Chen watched silently. He could clearly sense everyone's condition in the arena. Cao Ying's dominance, Dan Chen's purity, and the struggles of several other dark horses... As for Xiao Yan, he was seeking a breakthrough at the very limit.

Pressure is the best catalyst. Xiao Chen thought. He had no intention of interfering. This was a trial Xiao Yan had to undergo.

The second day ended amid unceasing failures and the joy of a select few successes. Fewer than a hundred alchemists remained in the arena!

The third day—the final day of the finals!

Everyone's hearts rose to their throats.

When the first ray of morning sunlight fell, an unusual phenomenon appeared first at Cao Ying's stone platform!

Her black Medicine Cauldron shook violently. Above its lid, pillars of black-and-white energy shot into the sky, intertwining in midair to form an enormous Yin-Yang taiji diagram! A pill fragrance that soothed the soul spread through the air!

"A pill phenomenon! It's a pill phenomenon triggered when a seventh-tier pill is completed!"

"She succeeded! A high-grade seventh-tier Yin-Yang Life Soul Pill!"

The entire venue erupted! Cao Ying was the first to complete her pill! And she had even triggered a pill phenomenon! This had practically secured her an extremely high ranking!

Cao Ying withdrew the Nine Nether Wind Flame and looked at the black-and-white pill in her palm, the size of a longan. A relieved smile appeared on her bewitching face. Her gaze unconsciously turned toward Xiao Chen's direction, carrying a faint trace of imperceptible expectation.

Soon after, movement came from Dan Chen's stone platform as well. A gentle silver pillar of light rose up, and within it, countless tiny specks of soul light seemed to dance. Its pill fragrance was not as rich as Cao Ying's, but it was purer.

The Taiyi Soul Spirit Pill was complete! It had also triggered a pill phenomenon!

On the Viewing Platform, the Dan Family Members were ecstatic.

Afterward, several more people successfully refined seventh-tier pills, but none of them managed to trigger a pill phenomenon.

Everyone's gazes inevitably turned toward the last few stone platforms where pills had yet to be completed. Xiao Yan was among them!

Xiao Yan's stone platform was now enveloped in intertwined greenish-brown and transparent flames. The Myriad Beast Cauldron shook without rest, while the energy fluctuations within were incomparably violent, as though something was about to burst out of the cauldron!

His face was pale, and he had even bitten his lips until they bled. His Soul Power was nearly exhausted. The difficulty of refining the Poria Green Pill had exceeded his expectations. At the final moment, a slight deviation had appeared in the balance between the two Heavenly Flames, and the energy was on the verge of spiraling out of control!

"Kid, hold steady! Focus your mind and forcefully compress it with your Soul Power! Circulate the Fen Jue with all your strength!" Yao Lao's anxious voice rang out repeatedly.

Xiao Yan's eyes were bloodshot. With a low roar, he poured every last bit of his Soul Power and Dou Qi into the Medicine Cauldron without reservation!

"Condense for me!"

Bzzzz—!!!

The Myriad Beast Cauldron let out a wail of unbearable strain, and its lid was violently blasted open!

A pillar of interwoven green and red light, carrying vast life force and scorching Heart Flame power, shot straight into the sky! Within the pillar, a longan-sized pill, green and red all over and marked with flame-cloud patterns on its surface, spun rapidly!

The pill phenomenon appeared once more! The Poria Green Pill was complete!

Although its pill phenomenon was not as grand as Cao Ying's or Dan Chen's, the immense energy contained within the pill and its unique Heart Flame aura made even the three giants on the high platform glance over in surprise.

"I succeeded..." Xiao Yan looked at the completed pill. His body went limp, and he nearly collapsed to the ground, but an incomparably brilliant and proud smile appeared on his face. He had done it! Through his own strength, he had refined a mid-grade seventh-tier pill!

At this point, every contestant in the Pill Gathering finals had completed their refinement!

Next came the most thrilling moment of judgment! Who would overpower all rivals and claim the championship of this Pill Gathering?

Everyone turned their gazes toward the Main Platform, waiting for the final ruling of the three giants.

As Xiao Chen looked at Xiao Yan below, exhausted yet bright-eyed, a gratified smile also appeared on his face.

Brother Yan, you've finally begun to truly spread your wings and soar.