The Shocked Crowd

At the very center, on the stone platform.

As Xiao Yan, Old Monster Qing Hua, and others successfully activated the Pill Lightning, the deafening thunder and dazzling colors seemed to become the sole theme of this world. Amidst this extreme external noise and energy surge, the fusion within Lin Ming's Medicinal Cauldron finally reached its most crucial stage.

The life-giving power of Bodhi Treasure Liquid, the Soul Origin Saint Soul Marrow, the domineering Dragon Qi of Dragon Heart Nirvana Fruit, the inextinguishable fire of Phoenix Blood Crimson Flame Flower, the extreme cold of Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow Root, the savage energy of the Eighth Order Monster Core, and the immense basic medicinal power composed of nearly a thousand auxiliary ingredients...

These terrifying energies, with their vastly different and even conflicting attributes, were forcibly blended together under Lin Ming's absolute control of his Spirit Realm Grand Perfection Soul Power and the domineering tempering of the Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame, like Hundred Rivers Return to Sea, and began to move towards a new and unknown balance point with difficulty and determination.

On a stone platform, Xiao Yan, who had just experienced the baptism of the Three-color Pill Lightning, was now staring intently at Lin Ming. He felt the strange fluctuations emanating from the Central Stone Platform, which seemed to freeze or burn the soul. His fists clenched involuntarily, his nails almost digging into his palms.

He knew that the moment to decide the ultimate champion was approaching.

Facing the overwhelming gazes from all directions of the square: some curious, some expectant, some skeptical, some fervent...

Lin Ming paid no attention to it at all. His mind was completely immersed in the grand changes within the small world inside the Medicinal Cauldron.

At one moment, Lin Ming slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the walls of the Myriad Beast Cauldron and looking towards the sky.

There, the once tranquil sky began to gather immense energy at an astonishing speed. An invisible pillar of energy seemed to originate from his Medicinal Cauldron, connecting heaven and earth!

Amidst the terrifying energy fluctuations sweeping across the sky, thick fog began to rise. This fog was not ordinary water vapor, but rather formed by the compression and condensation of pure Heaven and Earth Energy!

They rapidly converged and tumbled, and in less than ten breaths, under the watchful eyes of countless horrified people, they coalesced into an enormous Lei Yun!

As soon as the Lei Yun formed, a thunderous pressure far more vast and terrifying than when Xiao Yan and Old Monster Qing Hua summoned the Pill Lightning descended as if it were a tangible force, making the air in the entire square seem to freeze!

The moment the Lei Yun formed in the sky, everyone present felt their hearts clench and nearly stop beating!

Everyone understood that the appearance of this Pill Lightning, its color and scale, would determine the final winner of this Pill Gathering! It would determine who the champion was! It would determine the priority right to refine the Three Thousand Burning Flame of Heavenly Flames.

Under the intense gazes that seemed to burn with fire, the massive Lei Yun in the sky began to churn rapidly, like a boiling ocean!

The blue and silver colors emerged almost instantly as the Lei Yun formed, coloring the Pill Lightning in two hues! The purity of the colors and the brilliance of the light far surpassed any previous instance!

"Two colors already! Two colors already, so fast!"

Upon seeing the two colors of Pill Lightning that took shape almost instantly in the sky, screams of astonishment rose and fell throughout the vast plaza, filled with disbelief.

However, this is just the beginning!

"It's not over yet! Look! More color is appearing!"

Shortly after the screams subsided, the churning Lei Yun surged violently once more, and then, a vivid, dripping red color, like magma bursting from the earth, quietly emerged!

Finally, under the intense gaze of many eyes, it rapidly expanded and spread. In less than a minute, the area and intensity of that red color became equal to the previous blue and silver colors, standing on equal footing!

"Three colors! We've achieved three colors!"

As the third, dazzling red color emerged steadily, the previously quiet square erupted into a deafening roar of excitement!

Countless people's faces flushed with excitement as they waved their arms. In just one day, they had witnessed the birth of three different types of Three-color Pill Lightning. This spectacular sight, which was only seen once in a century, was something they would remember for the rest of their lives!

Gazing at the three dazzling colors of the Pill Lightning, some of the Pill Tower Elder on the high platform became extremely nervous, their palms sweating profusely.

If Lin Ming's pills ultimately only reach the level of Three-color Pill Lightning, then judging from the color concentration and energy fluctuations, the Three-color Pill Lightning refined by Xiao Yan and the Old Monster Qing Hua definitely have the strength to compete for the championship! The outcome remains unpredictable!

High in the sky, the Lei Yun continued to churn tirelessly, each roll tugging at the hearts of countless people below.

"And there's more! And there's more! More colors have appeared!"

Suddenly, a sharp, rapid scream, filled with extreme shock, rang out from a corner of the square!

Instantly, a clamor of surprise swept across the sky like a tsunami! Countless eyes immediately focused intently, their hearts pounding in their chests!

Sure enough, after the three colors of blue, silver, and red had completely stabilized, a dazzling golden light, like the sun hidden in the thick clouds, finally broke free from its restraints and quietly but firmly released a Lei Yun of incomparably brilliant golden radiance from the deepest part of the churning thunderclouds!

The golden light was initially weak, but in an instant it burst forth, flowing and spreading like liquid gold, quickly taking over a place in the Lei Yun!

Boom!

As they gazed upon the sudden appearance of the fourth color—gold—symbolizing ultimate sharpness and immortality, the entire square erupted in an instant!

Everyone, including the giants on the high platform, the Leader of various forces in the VIP seats, and even the contestants still on the stone platform, all involuntarily stood up from their seats at this moment, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at the extremely beautiful Lei Yun in the sky!

Within that enormous Lei Yun, four dazzling lights—blue, silver, red, and gold—intertwined and yet remained distinct, making the entire Lei Yun resemble the clouds where gods resided in legends, a magnificent sight, yet radiating a terrifying divine might that could destroy everything!

Four colors!

It's Four-color Pill Lightning!

Countless people stared in disbelief at the scene, their minds blank. Four-color Pill Lightning! This legendary level of Pill Lightning, which had almost never appeared in recent Pill Gathering, had actually descended today!

However, what they didn't know was...

At this moment, within the Chaos- colored Pill Prototype inside Lin Ming's Medicinal Cauldron, the several enormous and distinct auras had only partially merged according to Lin Ming's inner vision!

The life-giving power of Bodhi Treasure Liquid, the Saint Soul Marrow Soul Power, and the domineering energy of the Dragon Phoenix Monster Core are still colliding and merging most fiercely, far from reaching final balance and perfection!

Only when all these powerful, world-destroying auras are completely, perfectly, and seamlessly fused together can Lin Ming's pill be considered a true Pill Formation!

At that time, to what terrifying degree will the color of the Pill Lightning increase?!

As the Pill Gathering reached its final moment, the most spectacular and unexpected scene of the entire event unfolded!

At this moment, looking at the Four-color Pill Lightning that had completely coalesced above Lin Ming, and feeling the vast heavenly might contained within it, which far surpassed his own Three-color Pill Lightning, Xiao Yan's calm and composure could no longer be maintained and shattered completely.

A complex and indescribable emotion welled up inside him, making his face turn exceptionally pale.

"Four-color Pill Lightning... In the end, I still can't surpass him? I tried my best and used all means to only reach three colors... Am I destined to become his foil?" A deep sense of powerlessness, mixed with intense resentment, almost devoured him.

"If he wins the championship, will anyone else have a chance with the Three Thousand Burning Flame?" Thinking of the Heavenly Flames he so desperately wanted, Xiao Yan's heart sank even further.

Even the teacher, Yao Chen, once remarked that Lin Ming was an exceptional individual, appearing only once every tens of thousands of years, and his words seemed to suggest that he didn't believe he could surpass him...

"Is losing to him really not shameful? Or is it that, deep down, the teacher has already decided that I have no chance of beating him?"

All sorts of chaotic and bitter thoughts coiled and gnawed at Xiao Yan's mind like venomous snakes, causing his mind to tremble violently. So much so that the Bone-Growing Blood-Melding Pill in the Medicinal Cauldron in front of him, which had just undergone the baptism of Pill Lightning and should have been stabilized, emitted a slight but dangerous ripple due to the intense fluctuations in the alchemist's state of mind, and its energy showed signs of instability.

This sudden energy fluctuation was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, instantly jolting Xiao Yan out of his near-desperate and dazed state!

He bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain instantly clearing his eyes. Then, deep within those eyes, which had been filled with despair and resentment, a more intense and stubborn light ignited like wildfire!

That's a stubborn refusal to accept fate! It's a tenacious spirit of not giving up and not believing in destiny!

"No! I, Xiao Yan, have faced countless life-and-death situations on my journey. When have I ever given up so easily?! The Pill Lightning hasn't dissipated, the elixir isn't ready, and my methods aren't complete. It's too early to judge victory or defeat now!"

A fierce determination emanated from Xiao Yan's very bones. He suddenly looked up, his gaze Deadly Land as he looked at the Four-colored Thundercloud in the sky, then glanced at the pill in his Medicinal Cauldron that had dimmed slightly due to his mental fluctuations.

Then, under the gaze of countless astonished eyes, Xiao Yan suddenly made a move that surprised everyone.

He suddenly thrust one of his hands into the remaining pillar of energy in front of him, which was still connected to the pills and the Lei Yun in the sky, and had not yet completely dissipated!

"What is he trying to do?!"

A gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd, and countless bewildered, even horrified, gazes instantly fell upon Xiao Yan. It seemed he wasn't about to give up so easily; did he intend to forcefully reverse the already fait accompli?

Now that the pill is complete, the Pill Lightning has subsided, and its medicinal properties are basically stable, what methods can Xiao Yan use to improve the quality of the pill and reverse the situation? Could he possibly remelt the pill and start over?

Not to mention the incredibly advanced techniques required, the time left is simply not enough for him to refine another pill of even higher quality!

Upon seeing Xiao Yan's actions, Xuan Kongzi, Tian Lei Zi, Xuan Yi, and the others on the high platform were also slightly taken aback, their brows furrowed. Clearly, they were extremely surprised and puzzled by Xiao Yan's almost insane behavior.

They also couldn't imagine what Xiao Yan could do to change the predetermined outcome at this crucial moment, when the pill had already taken shape and the Pill Lightning was about to dissipate.

However, unlike their doubts, Yao Chen, Xiao Yan's teacher, shuddered the moment he saw Xiao Yan insert his palm into the energy pillar. A look of understanding flashed across his eyes, followed by deep worry and a hint of barely perceptible relief.

"This foolish boy... he's trying to forcibly draw upon the lingering power of the Pill Lightning and the remaining energy in the world, risking a 'Spirit Ascension'..." Yao Chen murmured to himself, his voice filled with utmost solemnity.

"This method is extremely dangerous, placing a tremendous burden on the soul. One wrong move and the result is the destruction of the elixir and injury to the soul... However, this ruthless spirit and determination to not lag behind truly befits a disciple of Yao Chen..."

He knew perfectly well that Xiao Yan had been pushed to the limit by Lin Ming's overwhelming Four-color Pill Lightning, and was willing to take a huge risk to fight it out, refusing to admit defeat!

All eyes were fixed on Xiao Yan, who had plunged his hand into the pillar of light, his face contorted with madness and stubbornness. The atmosphere in the entire plaza became incredibly tense and suffocating at that moment.