Experts Emerge One After Another
The once clear blue sky has lost its clarity, as if it were completely obscured by a huge piece of Ink-Colored Silk.
The deep rumble of thunder was not a discontinuous boom, but a continuous roar, rolling in from the depths of the clouds, as if a massive boulder was crushing down on the clouds. Each tremor made the air between heaven and earth tremble, and the heavy weight on people's hearts made it almost impossible to breathe.
Thick, dark clouds piled up in layers, with occasional flashes of silver light at the edges, only to be swallowed up by the deeper darkness in an instant. The oppressive atmosphere made tens of thousands of spectators in the square subconsciously hold their breath, their fingertips turning white with tension—this was no ordinary thunderstorm, but a trial for Alchemist, the most terrifying baptism before the pill was born.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted, as if God had lashed out with a furious whip.
Thick, dark clouds were torn open, creating a massive gash. A bolt of Silver Lightning, as thick as a bucket, carrying Destructive Aura, hurtled down. Within the lightning, Dragon Phantom could be seen swirling. Wherever it passed, the air was scorched and distorted, emitting a sizzling, burning sound.
The target of this Pill Lightning was none other than White Jade Stone Platform slightly to the left of the center of the square!
On the stone platform, a middle-aged man with white hair and beard stood proudly.
He wore a long purple robe embroidered with Pill Pattern, which fluttered and rustled even without wind. The man's face was as solemn as iron, and the veins on his forehead bulged slightly, clearly indicating that he had pushed his Soul Power to its limit.
His hands moved with incredible speed, leaving only afterimages as he unleashed a series of profound hand seals, chanting, "Dou Qi Gang, Cauldron's Heavenly Thunder Defense!"
Before he finished speaking, a surge of powerful Cyan Dou Qi erupted from his body, converging above his head into a pillar of light about ten feet thick. At the top of the pillar, a lifelike Green Giant Hand condensed, carrying undeniable power as it met the silver Pill Lightning head-on!
"Bang--!"
The thunderclap and the beam of light collided violently, and terrifying Energy Ripple spread outward from the point of impact. The Protective Light Screen around the stone platform instantly lit up with pale blue light patterns, but it was still shaken violently and almost shattered.
The spectators at the edge of the square could even feel a wave of air rushing towards them, making their clothes flutter. The middle-aged man trembled violently, took a half step back, his throat bobbed slightly, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood, but he forced it back down, leaving only a glaring red stain on the corner of his mouth.
But instead of fear, his eyes blazed with intense light.
In the Black Medicine Cauldron before him, a pure white pill, radiating a warm glow, was slowly floating. Its rich, almost tangible Medicinal Fragrance spread like a clear spring, dissipating the oppressive atmosphere and invigorating many nearby Alchemist, who were filled with amazement.
"Haha! I did it! I've finally refined a Seventh Grade Intermediate pill!"
The middle-aged man suddenly raised the pill and laughed wildly to the sky under the watchful eyes of the crowd. His laughter was filled with the ecstatic relief of a great weight lifted from his shoulders, as well as the excitement that had been suppressed for many years.
He spent three years collecting medicinal herbs and half a year in seclusion practicing the formula for this elixir. Now, on the stage of the Pill Gathering, he has finally crossed this long-standing threshold.
A commotion erupted in the square, followed by enthusiastic applause; no one criticized his outburst.
On this continent, a single Mid-Grade Seventh-Rank Pill is enough to save a family on the verge of extinction, and the Alchemist who can refine it will be treated as an honored guest by all forces wherever they go, enjoying the most lavish treatment. However, such success is not unique in the sky at this moment.
The current Pill Gathering has now entered its most crucial second half.
The number of flames still rising on the stone platform, upon careful counting, was only thirty-six.
This means that after more than ten days of grueling and fierce competition, only the final thirty-six contestants are still meticulously preparing their most skilled and highest-grade elixirs!
These thirty-six people are undoubtedly the elite of the elite, truly possessing great abilities. Among them are naturally the highly anticipated Xiao Yan, Cao Ying, Song Qing, Dan Chen, and others, as well as Lin Ming, who occupied the Central Stone Platform from the very beginning and was regarded by countless people as the strongest contender for the Pill Gathering Champion!
It's worth mentioning that in the original timeline, the Elder Mu Gu from the Soul Hall who refined the Four-color Pill Lightning and almost won the championship had already been killed by Lin Ming back in the Pill Realm, and didn't even have the qualifications to come to this final competition. This made the situation of this Pill Gathering completely different from what many people expected.
On the edge of the stone platform, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. The continuous thunder in the sky was automatically filtered by his powerful Soul Power, failing to disturb him in the slightest. All his attention was focused on the pitch-black Medicinal Cauldron in front of him.
At this moment, within the Medicinal Cauldron, Fused Exotic Fire burned fiercely, the intense heat causing the walls of the Black Demon Cauldron to glow slightly red. And at the center of that flame, a round object the size of a pigeon egg was spinning rapidly.
This round object is the Pill Prototype formed by combining the pure medicinal power of hundreds of herbs. Compared to ten days ago, its volume has shrunk several times, and its shape has become more rounded and full, radiating a restrained and profound luster.
As the Pill Prototype shrank and condensed, a powerful energy fluctuation, which even Xiao Yan himself found quite astonishing, began to take shape within it. The strength of this energy had already surpassed the realm of ordinary Seventh Grade Peak Pill, officially stepping into the realm of Tier 8!
"Bone-Growing Blood-Melding Pill..."
Xiao Yan murmured to himself, a burning determination flashing in his eyes. This pill, one of the three conditions for his teacher Yao Chen's resurrection, was something he hadn't been able to refine on his own back then, and had to seek help from the Pill Tower. But now, he was not only going to refine it by himself, but also to forcibly elevate its quality to the Tier 8 rank!
Suppressing his excitement, Xiao Yan quickly steadied his mind. This was the crucial stage of Pill Condensation; the energy within the pill was extremely active and unstable. Any slight disturbance could lead to catastrophic consequences, leaving no room for distraction. He carefully manipulated the flames, like the most patient craftsman polishing the world's most precious work of art.
While Xiao Yan was focusing all his efforts on Pill Condensation, the remaining contestants on the other stone platforms also wore solemn expressions, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Before Cao Ying, the Blood Demon Flame Fire churned, and the Pill Prototype faintly revealed an eerie blood-red color. Within it, countless tiny Soul Light seemed to struggle and roar, emitting Soul Fluctuation that drew attention.
Dan Chen's purple flames were much gentler, but the pills inside the cauldron exuded an exceptionally pure and harmonious Life Aura, like a Spirit Seed containing the creation of heaven and earth.
Song Qing's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his hands, which were controlling the Seventh Order Molten Gold Lion Beast Fire, trembled slightly. Clearly, refining Tier 8 Medicinal Pill was an enormous burden for him, and he was already at his limit.
Many more people were gradually turning pale, and their breathing was becoming weak and unstable. This kind of high-intensity consumption, which required maintaining a high level of concentration and precise output of Soul Power for more than twenty days, was a huge torment for them.
"Bang!"
At this extremely tense moment, a deep yet clear explosion suddenly rang out from somewhere in the sky!
The sound wasn't loud, but it struck the hearts of every Alchemist was still persevering like a heavy hammer. Everyone's heart sank, and their gazes instantly focused on it.
On a stone platform, a middle-aged man stared blankly at the slightly trembling Medicinal Cauldron in front of him. From within the Medicinal Cauldron, there were faintly chaotic and out-of-control energy fluctuations, as well as a burnt smell.
Clearly, at the crucial moment of Pill Condensation, he suffered an irreversible accident.
"How could this be... how could this happen..."
The middle-aged man muttered to himself, his eyes instantly bloodshot, filled with disbelief and despair. He had toiled for nearly twenty days, expending countless efforts and rare medicinal herbs, and success was just around the corner, only to fail at this final step! Such a devastating blow, like falling from the clouds into the abyss, would be far too cruel and unbearable for any Alchemist.
As the middle-aged man collapsed into a daze, his expression blank and desperate, a murmur of regret rippled through the square. Success and failure seemed so stark and merciless at that moment.
Some rejoiced, some grieved; some reached the pinnacle, while others departed in despair. The Pill Gathering, this stage that gathers the highest honors of Alchemist on the continent, has never been a place for mere comedy. The cruelty of competition was vividly demonstrated in this resounding explosion.
However, regarding the successes and failures, the cheers and sighs of the outside world, Lin Ming, sitting on the Central Stone Platform, seemed to be in another world.
He has successfully passed through the most dangerous energy imbalance stage after adding Bodhi Treasure Liquid and Saint Soul Marrow. At this moment, his mind is not relaxed at all, but rather more focused.
All his thoughts were focused entirely on the Myriad Beast Cauldron in front of him.
Inside the cauldron, the Chaos- colored medicinal liquid had long since disappeared, replaced by a nascent Pill Prototype about the size of a longan, its entire body displaying an indescribable Chaos color.
The surface of this nascent form is not smooth, but rather covered with countless intricate, naturally formed, and mysterious patterns. These patterns sometimes reveal the Bodhi Treasure Liquid Emerald Green, sometimes shimmer with the Starlight Soul Light of the Saint Soul Marrow, and sometimes conceal the domineering and ferocious Dragon Phoenix Power and the Magic Core...
The various powerful and distinct forces were not simply superimposed, but rather, under the forceful fusion and guidance of Lin Ming 'Spirit Realm Grand Perfection Soul Power, they achieved a subtle yet powerful new balance!
A strange pressure, far exceeding that of ordinary Tier 8 Medicinal Pill, was slowly emanating from this Pill Prototype. It seemed to be drawing upon not only the Heaven and Earth Energy, but also vaguely touching upon some deeper level of rules.
Lin Ming knew that the moment he fused all these different and powerful forces together without any distinction would be the final moment of Pill Formation.
Pill Condensation, Pill Formation, and... the earth-shattering Pill Lightning that will follow!
His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and his Soul Power was like the most intricate spider web, firmly controlling every slight change in the Pill Prototype. For that promise, for the woman he had grown up with, this pill, into which he had poured all his heart and soul, had to succeed!
The most crucial moment is about to arrive.