Revealing Brilliance

Right now, the alchemists from the other branch pavilions were still identifying the spirit herbs one by one, but Yang Lingtian only glanced at them before looking away.

This unusual behavior led the audience to believe that Yang Lingtian couldn't even identify the spirit herbs.

"That kid is definitely a fake alchemist; he just glanced at them and started scribbling on the paper."

"Haha, I bet in his eyes, all the spirit herbs look the same, and he can't tell them apart at all."

Several minutes later, Yang Lingtian stopped writing.

He had not only identified all the spirit herbs but also written out a Tier 2 pill formula.

Originally, he wanted to write a Tier 3 or 4 pill formula, but he figured that if a Tier 2 formula could get him a perfect score, why bother writing a higher-tier one?

All the alchemists on the scene were still continuing to identify the herbs, but Yang Lingtian was just sitting there doing nothing.

At this time, jeers rang out again: "What's he doing? Why isn't he moving?"

"Could it be that he can't identify a single spirit herb, so he's planning to give up?"

"I knew it; he's probably not even an apprentice alchemist."

"I bet he'll break the record for the lowest score in the history of the Alchemy Grand Competition: zero points."

Even the judges on the field and Wu Xulong off the field were puzzled.

This first part of the competition only had one hour, and time was precious; every second had to be fought for.

But Yang Lingtian was good; he only took a look at the beginning and moved his pen a bit.

Now, he was just sitting there as if in a daze, not moving at all.

"Damn it, what is this kid doing!" Wu Xulong began to feel anxious inside.

Feng Qiulin's face was even more smug, as if he had already seen the Tianchen City branch pavilion losing all face.

Soon, an hour passed.

The test papers of more than two hundred alchemists were collected and handed to the judging panel.

One test paper after another passed through the hands of the judges, who scored and recorded them on the spot.

Master Qin Qi specially took Yang Lingtian's paper and looked at the answers written on it.

The usually calm he revealed a look of surprise.

"Perfect score, it's actually a perfect score!" Master Qin Qi exclaimed in shock, losing his composure for a moment.

Immediately, everyone present heard it and looked at the excited Master Qin Qi.

Many of them were seeing Master Qin Qi so excited for the first time.

The perfect score that Master Qin Qi accidentally shouted out surprised everyone present, and they began to speculate.

"What, someone got a perfect score?"

"In previous competitions, the best score in this first part was only eighty points, but this time, there's actually a perfect score?"

"This is the first time in the history of the Alchemy Grand Competition that someone has gotten a perfect score in the first part; who could it be?"

"Needless to say, it must be one of those Tier 4 alchemists."

The other judges also looked at Master Qin Qi's paper, which said Tianchen City branch pavilion.

They couldn't help but change their expressions.

"This, how is this possible? He actually got a perfect score."

"He wrote all sixty kinds of spirit herbs correctly, and he even wrote out a Tier 2 pill formula!"

With their eyesight, they knew that there was no problem with this pill formula without even refining it.

This made them feel incredible; even the Tier 4 alchemists from several branch pavilions had only written out Tier 1 pill formulas.

And in the history of the Alchemy Grand Competition, no one had ever configured a real Tier 2 pill formula in the first part.

This had to shock them greatly.

What shocked them even more was that they saw Yang Lingtian only glanced at the spirit herbs in the box after the start of the competition and moved his pen a bit.

He didn't even use an hour, and he still managed to get a perfect score.

It was really unbelievable!

Master Qin Qi also knew that he had lost his composure.

After calming down, he wrote a perfect score on Yang Lingtian's paper and recorded it.

More than ten minutes later, all the scores had been completed, and the next step was to announce the top ten scores.

The scores were announced from tenth place onwards.

The host, holding the list, was also shocked by the scores written on it and stood there in a daze for a moment.

He was surprised in his heart: "Heavens, it's really a perfect score; Yang Lingtian of the Tianchen City branch pavilion actually got a perfect score."

Then he calmed down and began to say: "Okay, the first part of the Alchemy Grand Competition has ended."

"Next, I will only announce the scores and test papers of the top ten."

"Tenth place, Liuwu City Branch, score of 50."

"Fifth to second place have the same score, namely Hulong City Branch..., score of 80."

As soon as the words fell, the audience was shocked.

"The second to fifth place are the four branches with Tier 4 Alchemists, but the first place isn't one of them."

"Witnessing history! This perfect score didn't come from one of those four. Does that mean a new Tier 4 Alchemist has appeared in another branch?"

"Not necessarily. Some veteran Tier 3 Alchemists have more knowledge than Tier 4 Alchemists, and their experience is richer."

"Then which branch got the perfect score for first place?"

The branch masters and alchemists of these four branches also looked suspicious.

None of their four branches managed to get this perfect score, so which other branch could have gotten it?

While everyone was still puzzled, the host paused and continued.

"Now, I will announce the winner of the first part of the Alchemy Competition."

"Tianchen City Branch, with a perfect score of one hundred!"

As soon as these words came out, many people were stunned.

"What, did I hear correctly? First place is Tianchen City Branch?"

"Are you kidding me? That unreliable young alchemist from Tianchen City got a perfect score?"

Even Wu Xulong couldn't believe that Yang Lingtian had gotten a perfect score in the first part of the competition.

But he had clearly heard the host say the name of their Tianchen City.

The Alchemy Competition was an extremely serious event, so he naturally didn't think the host was joking.

He had no choice but to believe that Yang Lingtian had really gotten a hundred points for their branch.

Wu Xulong was secretly delighted: "This kid really wasn't bragging. With these hundred points, even if we screw up later, we won't be at the bottom."

On the other hand, Feng Qiulin looked jealous and incredulous.

In the end, he couldn't help but shout, "Impossible! There must be a mistake! How could Tianchen City Branch get first place!"

"Are you questioning the rigor of the main branch's judging panel?" the host said sternly.

"I wouldn't dare, I just think it's too incredible to get a perfect score," Feng Qiulin said quickly.

"Even if he could get the first sixty points, he couldn't possibly get a perfect score on the subsequent formula configuration."

"You have to know that there's no way a new Tier 2 Spirit Pill formula could be configured in an hour, even a Tier 4 Alchemist couldn't do it."

"I suspect something fishy is going on. Tianchen City must have done something."

Seeing his nemesis Feng Qiulin still putting down Tianchen City, Wu Xulong couldn't hold back.

He retorted, "Feng Qiulin, do you know what you're saying?"

"How could the dignified main branch allow a small branch to cheat? Are you questioning the main branch's ability to handle things?"

"Alright, since there's a disagreement about this Tier 2 formula, let's refine it on the spot," Master Qin Qi interrupted the conversation.

After all, many people on the scene couldn't tell whether a Tier 2 formula could really refine a Tier 2 Spirit Elixir.

Sometimes, the judging panel could also be mistaken.

They might see that the formula could be refined into a Spirit Elixir, but when it was actually refined, they would find that something was missing, resulting in a waste pill.

That's why even Tier 4 Alchemists only dared to write Tier 1 formulas, to be on the safe side.

And the main branch had set a rule that if anyone questioned a new formula.

Then they would need to refine a real Spirit Elixir on the spot using that formula.

To prevent anyone from cheating, the main branch would send an alchemist to refine it.

Soon, a Tier 3 Alchemist from the main branch began to refine the elixir according to the formula written by Yang Lingtian.

A full hour later, the elixir was completed.

At this time, Yang Lingtian, having waited too long, complained inwardly: "That was really slow, it actually took an hour."

"If I refined it myself, I would throw all the spirit herbs in, and I could refine a Tier 2 Spirit Elixir in less than ten minutes."

After the Tier 2 Spirit Elixir was refined, it was passed to the alchemists present for inspection.

All the alchemists confirmed that this was indeed a new type of Tier 2 Spirit Elixir, thus silencing everyone.

But the shock in their hearts had not yet subsided.

The branch masters below were still whispering, all inquiring about the background of this young alchemist from Tianchen City.

After all, the sudden appearance of such a powerful and young alchemist aroused their great curiosity.

Now everyone was even more looking forward to the next performance of the Tianchen City Branch.

"That kid claimed to be a Tier 3 Alchemist, it seems like it's probably true."

"After all, anyone who can concoct a Tier 2 pill formula on the spot must be extraordinary."

However, Feng Qiulin still didn't believe it, and continued to question along with the surrounding branch pavilion Masters, "I think he just got lucky."

"This Tier 2 pill formula must be a newly researched formula that someone else came up with, and he just happened to know it, and the materials he used just happened to have those sixty spirit herbs."

Although this was also possible, the chance was too slim, and the other branches all shook their heads and remained silent.

Soon the second part of the competition was about to begin.

The second part was the real pill concoction, and the time had come to test the true level of pill concoction.

The first part of the competition only tested the alchemists' understanding of various spirit herbs.

It was possible for some older, more knowledgeable alchemists to get higher scores in the first part.

But their pill concoction level might be very average.

At this time, Feng Qiulin still taunted Wu Xulong, "Wu Xulong, don't get cocky."

"The second part is the most important, worth two hundred points."

"Being able to get high scores in the first part of the competition doesn't necessarily mean that your actual pill concoction level is high."

"Looking at that young man, he definitely doesn't have much pill concoction experience, he'll definitely be at the bottom in this part."

Wu Xulong glared at Feng Qiulin: "Hmph, worry less about others and worry more about yourself, be careful that you're the ones at the bottom."

The host first announced the competition rules, and then they began to concoct pills.

The rules of this part of the written test were that the time was only three hours, and they could only concoct once.