Finals, Killing!

Self-selected topic?

The densely packed spectators in the stands were astonished.

In ordinary pill-refining competitions, the topic was basically set by the organizers. Even in the finals, rankings were determined by who refined the higher-grade pill.

But this time, they were judging the pills' value?!

That meant...

The pill's tier did not necessarily need to be high; what mattered was its overall value?!

The value of a Ninth Grade Core Condensation Pill could even exceed that of a Fifth Grade or Sixth Grade Profound Origin Pill!

Because Ninth Grade pills were things one could only hope to encounter by chance. Ordinary people could not afford to swallow them; they were generally bought by major sects, great clans, or second-generation immortals to eat like "candy beans"~

That was why their prices had remained sky-high.

"She... she actually made it into the finals?"

Duan Qingyao was even more shocked.

She knew that Xiao Ling'er possessed great talent in pill refinement, but Xiao Ling'er had only been learning for a short time. She had never expected her to reach such a level already!

Even if she were eliminated now, she would still be a genius pill refiner found only once among a hundred thousand pill refiners!!!

If she went one step further...

"Moreover, a self-selected topic is actually an advantage for her!"

"The benefits of hiding her abilities before should be about to show themselves."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Her heart and mind trembled, unable to conceal her excitement.

"Let's choose a Third Tier Profound Origin Pill. As for the grade, I'll do my best."

After a brief consideration, Xiao Ling'er decided to refine a Profound Origin Pill.

The pill she was most familiar with was the Core Condensation Pill, followed by the Profound Origin Pill.

The Core Condensation Pill was too low-tiered. Even if she refined a Ninth Grade one, its value would still fall short. The Profound Origin Pill was different. As long as she performed well, her chances of taking first place would not be low!

"She does indeed have a chance of taking first, but the only one I can't see through is that fellow who looks none too bright."

Liang Danxia agreed, but she remained doubtful.

Still, she was certain that fellow was absolutely not as simple as he appeared.

Yet she could not say what exactly was unusual about him.

Xiao Ling'er felt the same.

She did not believe that fellow had advanced every time by luck alone.

And besides...

"We'll know once we try."

"Mm, good. Just do everything within your power and leave the rest to fate."

"After all, it would not be suitable for you to use the Earth Core Demonic Fire here. Refining a Profound Origin Pill is the best choice."

A moment later, the fourth round began!

The spectators were especially fired up.

"Look, that's the current Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan! Who would have thought his pill-refining skills would be so astonishing as well? Judging by the materials he's using, is he attempting a Fifth Grade pill?!"

"Hiss, impressive! Huo Yun'er, the young lady of the Fire Virtue Sect, has also chosen a Fifth Grade pill!"

"The others are all making Fourth Grade... no!"

"There are two making Third Grade pills too!"

"That young girl, who knows what insignificant sect she came from? She barely scraped through each round before this, all stumbling and fumbling along. Her luck was good. And that kid who clearly isn't too sharp relied entirely on luck. The fact that those two chose Third Grade pills proves it."

"Clearly, they lack confidence. Otherwise, they would have chosen at least Fourth Grade pills!"

"Then the champion should emerge between the Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan and Huo Yun'er."

Someone spoke grandly.

All twelve were busy refining pills.

Xiao Ling'er's movements remained unfamiliar.

The cautious Iron Fool was still flustered and scrambling about.

But the other ten were completely focused, their movements flowing like drifting clouds and running water.

However, once more than half the time had passed, eight of them frowned slightly.

"Damn it!"

Someone glanced around and muttered, "Those two are both refining Fifth Tier pills, yet they're so proficient?"

"If they manage to form their pills, then even if my refinement goes smoothly, I'm afraid I won't be able to enter the Top Three."

"If we don't interfere, defeat is inevitable. But if we can make his furnace explode..."

He then looked toward the others.

He discovered that quite a few of them were also looking around, occasionally meeting his gaze.

A moment later, they nodded in tacit agreement.

Before this, they had already contacted one another in secret and worked out a countermeasure.

At that moment, they had finished extracting their medicinal ingredients. All that remained was controlling the heat and waiting for the pills to form.

Thus, they could spare some attention.

As they nodded, all of their spiritual senses surged, and they simultaneously used a secret technique capable of disrupting others' spiritual senses and causing errors in their control.

They were all at least at the Third Mysterious Origin Realm, with some even at the Fourth Cave Heaven Realm.

When they suddenly struck together, though their attack could neither be seen nor touched, it immediately affected Huo Yun'er and the Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan, leaving them with splitting headaches!

Xiao Ling'er and Iron Fool were caught in the spillover as well, both feeling as if their heads were about to split apart.

"Ah!!!"

"I'm dying, dying, dying."

Iron Fool cried out, grabbed his pill furnace, and ran without looking back.

How sinister!

Xiao Ling'er frowned. Caught off guard, she had nearly suffered a heavy blow. Fortunately, Liang Danxia immediately shielded her. With her assistance, the spiritual sense attack posed no problem at all.

To the others, Xiao Ling'er's face merely turned pale before returning to normal.

In the stands, Duan Qingyao glared furiously, deeply worried.

"Hmm?"

At the same time, the Great Cultivator of the Dao Harmony Realm frowned and was about to intervene. "Such despicable tactics—did they think I was blind?"

At that moment, Huo Yun'er and the Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan, both attacked for no reason at all, were enraged.

The Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan in particular suddenly stepped forward and said in a low voice, "I will settle this myself!"

The Great Cultivator of the Dao Harmony Realm frowned slightly upon hearing this, but did not intervene immediately.

Huo Yun'er was equally furious. "You're courting death!"

With an angry shout, she slapped her storage pouch and instantly summoned more than a hundred magical artifacts and spirit artifacts. Then she spat out a mouthful of orange flames. The next instant, all those spirit artifacts activated, erupting with terrifying might as they swept toward the four people targeting her!

Rumble!

The surrounding stone platforms exploded one after another. The eight were stunned. "How dare you attack?! This is a pill-refining competition!"

They had only acted in secret, and besides, the law did not punish the masses. At worst, they would be disqualified. They would lose if they competed normally anyway, so they might as well give it a try... yet these people had actually gone straight for the kill?!

"Vermin!"

Huo Yun'er could not be bothered to argue with them. Her assault grew even fiercer.

"You have quite the nerve, woman."

The Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan chuckled. He was even more astonishing. His gaze flashed like lightning, and the Feather Crown atop his head glowed. Without any visible movement from him, he easily suppressed the spiritual sense assault.

"You have chosen the path to death."

He stood up. The pill furnace behind him rumbled. It had not exploded, but he had lost a measure of control over it.

Yet he paid it no heed. Instead, he looked toward the Great Cultivator of the Dao Harmony Realm. Seeing that the other party truly did not intervene, he smiled and muttered, "At least you know what's good for you. They dared attack this Divine Son, so they have already chosen the path to death. If you dared interfere, my Feather Clan... heh."

Then, he spoke with a cold smile.

"Pill refinement is this Divine Son's hobby."

"But..."

"Killing is this Divine Son's talent."

Boom!

At that moment, he erupted completely. His terrifying aura swept in every direction, instantly changing the expressions of the four who had attacked him.

"So strong!"

"This is bad! Attack together, or we'll all die!!!"

"Kill!"

A great battle erupted...

Divine light blazed brilliantly. At that moment, the Third Divine Son of the Feather Clan displayed extraordinarily terrifying Combat Power. Even one against four, he overwhelmed them, forcing the four into peril after peril within moments.

Then, with a single punch, he blasted one of them apart, turning him into a skyful of blood mist.

Bang!

The pill furnace he had been controlling exploded as well...

"This is bad!!"

Terror filled their hearts.

In the stands, someone rose to his feet and cried out, "Referee! Where is the referee? Is fighting and killing actually allowed in a pill-refining competition?!"

The Great Cultivator of the Dao Harmony Realm merely sneered. "When they attacked, you played deaf and dumb. Now that they are being killed in return, you're hopping about in outrage. Disgusting."

"If they dared act, they naturally had to bear the karma."

"But they merely interfered, while that demon is carrying out a slaughter..." That person grew even more anxious.

The Great Cultivator of the Dao Harmony Realm looked at him coldly. "If you refuse to accept it, then go ahead and interfere."