Blatant Boast

The crowd burst into a flurry of discussion, and Wu Xulong immediately felt he had lost all face.

Yang Lingtian stepped forward at that moment and said calmly as ever, "That's right. I'm an alchemist."

"This time, I'll also claim first place for Tianchen City in the Alchemy Competition. Just wait and see!"

As soon as his voice fell, even more jeers rang out.

"Damn, who gave him that confidence? He's unbelievably arrogant."

"What a braggart. He wants first place? I say he'll take last place!"

"He's young, and his talent isn't bad, yet instead of learning something useful, he learned to brag. He's gotten carried away!"

Wu Xulong also felt that Yang Lingtian had gone too far and no longer wanted to stay there.

He then grabbed Yang Lingtian and flew toward the inn, leaving behind the onlookers who were still chattering away.

After returning to the inn, Wu Xulong's expression remained extremely unpleasant. With a hint of reproach, he said to Yang Lingtian,

"Young Master Yang, didn't I tell you to be careful when you're outside?"

"If I had arrived any later and you had really fought with the Tянxiong Family just now, I wouldn't have been able to save you after you offended them."

Yang Lingtian said indifferently, "I didn't make the first move. But if they dare to attack me, I won't show them any courtesy."

"I already said it. If others don't provoke me, I won't provoke them."

"But if they dare to provoke me first, I'll definitely strike back."

Wu Xulong shook his head and sighed. "It seems you're still young and hot-blooded!"

"You'll understand once you stumble. In this world, the weak are prey to the strong, so you have to be careful in everything you do."

"Forget it. The Alchemy Competition begins tomorrow. Don't go out anymore. Get a good rest."

With that, Wu Xulong returned to his room.

Yang Lingtian hadn't taken today's incident to heart, but it had stirred up quite a bit of controversy in the imperial capital.

Rumors were spreading everywhere outside: the Tianchen City Branch of the True Elixir Pavilion had issued a bold challenge, declaring that it would claim first place in this Alchemy Competition.

For a time, every branch heard the rumor.

However, they all treated it as a joke.

The next morning, Wu Xulong came to Yang Lingtian's room very early after waking up.

Although he had already told Yang Lingtian about the competition rules and some general information along the way, he still wasn't reassured and went over everything again.

"Ling Tian, let me explain it to you one more time!"

"This Alchemy Competition is divided into three parts. The first is identifying medicinal ingredients, the second is pill refinement, and the third is identifying pills."

"The first and third parts are each worth one hundred points. The second part is worth two hundred points. The rankings will be determined according to the total score from all three parts."

"Ling Tian, you're still young and haven't seen as much as those old fellows."

"So you may score relatively few points in the first part, identifying medicinal ingredients, and the third part, identifying pills. But you're a Tier 3 Alchemist now."

"Many of those old fellows are only Tier 2 Alchemists. You have an advantage. As long as you do your best to score points in the second part, which carries the most weight, you basically won't come in last."

Yang Lingtian had long since memorized all of this. He nodded and said, "I understand. Don't worry. I'll score highly in all three parts and help you claim first place in the overall score."

Wu Xulong smiled faintly, taking Yang Lingtian's words as nothing more than empty boasting.

As long as they didn't come in last or finish among the bottom ten, Wu Xulong would be satisfied.

As for the top ten, he didn't even dare imagine it—not even in his dreams.

After all, among the more than two hundred branches, four had fourth-tier alchemists, while more than fifty branches had Tier 3 Alchemists.

The competition was extraordinarily fierce, and all those people were veteran alchemists.

Soon, Wu Xulong brought Yang Lingtian to the venue of the Alchemy Competition.

At the center of the venue stood a gigantic square, surrounded by a sea of people.

The viewing area near the center of the square was packed with seated spectators. Only people with distinguished status and considerable influence were qualified to sit there.

Many major families had sent representatives to watch the competition.

Even the prominent families of several nearby major cities and the imperial royal family had sent important figures. The occasion was nothing short of grand.

More than two hundred tables and chairs stood in the center of the square, each marked with the name of a branch.

An Alchemy Furnace of fairly high grade had been placed in front of every table and chair.

Above them stood the judges' platform, occupied by people from the main pavilion—the judging panel.

An elderly man sat among the row of seats on the judges' platform. He was Master Qin Qi, a Tier 5 Alchemist from the main pavilion, and he served as the chief judge.

Master Qin Qi held a lofty position. Not only was he a peak Golden Core expert, he was also one of the few Tier 5 Alchemists in the entire Star-Moon Dynasty.

The entire Star-Moon Dynasty had only a handful of Tier 5 Alchemists. They were exceedingly rare, and even the royal family treated him with considerable respect.

Seated on either side of Qin Qi were several fourth-tier alchemists from the main pavilion, all of them at the peak of the fourth tier.

They were veteran fourth-tier alchemists, far more experienced and powerful than the fourth-tier alchemists from those branches.

The fourth-tier alchemists from those branches simply couldn't compare. These people were also part of the judging panel.

At that moment, the host walked onto the platform and began his opening remarks.

"Today is the True Elixir Pavilion's once-every-ten-years Alchemy Competition. I won't say more."

"Now, all alchemists from the various branches are invited to enter the venue and take their seats."

"In a moment, we'll begin the written examination for the first part: identifying medicinal ingredients."

"Each table has a box containing sixty kinds of spirit herbs."

"The alchemists must identify the names, characteristics, medicinal effects, and so on of these spirit herbs, then write them on paper."

"Each correctly identified spirit herb is worth one point, for a total of sixty points."

"The remaining forty points will come from using these spirit herbs to formulate a pill recipe on the spot, then submitting the recipe to the judging panel for assessment."

"The judging panel will determine whether it qualifies. If there are any objections, the pill will be refined on the spot."

"If it is judged to be a useless pill recipe, it will receive zero points. If it is judged to be an ordinary pill recipe, it will receive ten points."

"If it is judged to be a first-tier pill recipe, it will receive twenty points, while a Tier 2 Spirit Pill recipe will receive forty points."

"Are all the alchemists from the branches clear on the rules?"

As soon as his voice fell, the spectators outside began discussing animatedly.

"The most difficult part should be formulating a new pill recipe on the spot."

"I heard that in the previous few competitions, only those fourth-tier alchemists managed to formulate first-tier pill recipes within the allotted time."

"Every pill recipe requires a long period of testing before it can be formulated successfully. Trying to create a new recipe in such a short time is extraordinarily difficult."

"That's right. Most Tier 2 Alchemists score zero in the pill-recipe formulation section."

Just as everyone was still discussing, Feng Qiulin, who was seated in the viewing area, suddenly stood up.

"I'm reporting someone!"

"I'm reporting the Tianchen City Branch for desecrating the sacred Alchemy Competition of our True Elixir Pavilion!"

Everyone turned toward Feng Qiulin, while Wu Xulong, the branch master of the Tianchen City Branch, immediately sensed that something was wrong.

This nemesis of mine is causing trouble again. He quickly stood up and shouted sternly, "Feng Qiulin, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Feng Qiulin revealed a malicious grin and continued, "Everyone may have heard a rumor yesterday."

"The alchemist from Tianchen City made a bold declaration in front of everyone that he would claim first place in the Alchemy Competition."

"And the person who made such a bold declaration is actually an eighteen-year-old boy who claims to be a Tier 3 Alchemist."

"The Alchemy Competition is such a grand event, yet Tianchen City sent a brat to participate, just to make up the numbers."

"How can the Alchemy Competition be treated like child's play? This person is also shamelessly boastful."

"Could it be that anyone, no matter how worthless, can participate in our Alchemy Competition? This is simply an insult to the reputation of our True Elixir Pavilion."

"I suggest expelling this unknown alchemist from Tianchen City. As for the rankings, they can go straight to last place."

As soon as his voice fell, the viewing area erupted in an uproar, and people began whispering among themselves.

The crowd's gazes also turned toward the tables and chairs belonging to the Tianchen City Branch in the center of the venue. Sure enough, they saw a young boy there.

"I heard that rumor yesterday too. Someone was boasting in the street that he would claim first place in the Alchemy Competition. I thought it was just a rumor."

"When I heard it, I treated it as a joke. I didn't expect someone to actually be so arrogant."

"Hmph, he's only eighteen. How could he possibly be an alchemist? And a Tier 3 Alchemist at that? He must think we're fools!"

"That's right. What does this Tianchen City Branch think the Alchemy Competition is? They just brought some random person up here to compete."

Faced with the crowd's jeers, Wu Xulong's expression became extremely ugly, while Feng Qiulin wore a smug look.

Yang Lingtian, however, remained calm and unruffled from beginning to end.

His voice was loud yet composed as he said, "That's right. I did say that I would claim first place in the Alchemy Competition."

"I'm speaking based on my strength. There isn't the slightest exaggeration in what I said."

"Every branch has the right and obligation to participate in the competition. How could you, Feng Qiulin, drive someone out just because you look down on people with your dog's eyes?"

"When did the True Elixir Pavilion come under the control of your Mingkai City Branch? Do you, Feng Qiulin, really have the authority to point fingers here?"

His words once again caused an uproar.

"Damn, who gave him that confidence? He actually dared to declare at the grand assembly that he would claim first place."

"I've never seen anyone this arrogant in my entire life. He doesn't even blush when he spouts such outrageous boasts."

"Hmph, he'll get what's coming to him in a moment. This is going to be a good show."

At that moment, Master Qin Qi also cast a sidelong glance at Yang Lingtian, and his expression changed slightly.

This young fellow is so young, yet he's facing such a grand occasion and the mockery of so many people.

He still hasn't panicked in the slightest. He's completely calm and composed, with a bearing that doesn't seem like something a young man his age should possess!

Still, those words are indeed too outrageous. Yet he looks so confident. Interesting, interesting.

Then Master Qin Qi's voice suddenly rang out. In his deep, resonant voice, he said, "Enough."

"Whom a branch sends is its own freedom. There's no need for anyone else to interfere."

"It's getting late. Let's begin the competition."

As soon as Master Qin Qi finished speaking, the entire venue fell silent.

After all, Master Qin Qi possessed tremendous prestige, and no one present dared disobey his words.

Once Master Qin Qi had finished speaking, the host announced the start of the competition, and the alchemists began identifying the medicinal ingredients.

Yang Lingtian opened the box and took only one glance. With his mastery of alchemy, he recognized the spirit herbs at once.

He then picked up his pen and began writing the names and specific uses of the spirit herbs on the paper—the so-called examination paper.