Beast Fire Obtained

Slowly lifting the furnace lid, a wave of pill fragrance wafted out. Looking at the pill lying inside the furnace, Long Chen's expression changed.

Seeing the instant shift in Long Chen's expression, Chu Yao's heart clenched. Shi Feng and Fatty Yu were also startled.

If they lost, the consequences would be too severe, more agonizing than death. However, Xia Changfeng and the others let out cold laughs upon seeing Long Chen's expression.

"Haha, Long Chen, what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kowtow yet?" Xia Baichi sneered at Long Chen, her face filled with schadenfreude.

Being able to torment Long Chen was even more exciting to her than advancing to Pill Scholar. Her body trembled involuntarily.

Long Chen looked at the pill furnace with a solemn expression, slowly taking out a pill. He said regretfully, "I wanted to keep a low profile so badly, but fate won't allow it."

Only then did everyone see with surprise the plump pill in Long Chen's hand, cursing him in their hearts for being such a show-off.

"This big bad guy..."

Chu Yao's beautiful eyes were filled with surprise. She had been truly terrified just moments ago.

"Heavens, I feel like I'm going to die. If this continues, my heart won't be able to take it," Fatty Yu collapsed powerlessly on the ground.

It was only then that everyone realized they had been tricked by Long Chen, especially Xia Baichi, who felt as if she had been slapped.

"Long Chen, how dare you trick me?" Xia Baichi roared.

"I was just bored, so I thought I'd entertain everyone. Why take it so seriously?" Long Chen said nonchalantly.

"Hmph, Long Chen, even though you've also refined a Blood Condensation Pill, you'll still lose. The pill you refined is only low-grade, while mine is mid-grade."

Xia Baichi raised her hand, displaying the side with the prominent Pill Pattern, making it clearly visible to everyone nearby.

"Miss Baichi's talent is truly remarkable. To be able to refine a second-order mid-grade pill at such a young age is truly admirable," Crown Prince Chu Yang exclaimed in admiration.

Indeed, Pill Scholars this young were extremely rare, perhaps one in several decades. Such talents often had the potential to go further in the Pill Dao.

Long Chen looked at Xia Baichi's mocking expression and said calmly, "Who wins and who loses doesn't seem to be up to you, does it?"

"Long Chen, are you trying to quibble? My pill has a Pill Pattern, yours doesn't. Can't you see such an obvious difference?" Xia Baichi sneered.

"Yours is indeed a mid-grade pill, but the one in my hand is also a mid-grade pill," Long Chen said, tossing the pill in his hand.

Everyone was shocked by Long Chen's statement. However, upon closer inspection, the pill in Long Chen's hand was clearly an ordinary pill. Although it was round, there was no Pill Pattern.

"Mid-grade pill? Hmph, why can't I see it?" Xia Baichi sneered.

"I actually pity you. Your eyes are already blind at such a young age. Who says a mid-grade pill must have a Pill Pattern?" Long Chen sighed.

Long Chen's words caused Wei Cang's expression to change slightly, a hint of shock appearing in his eyes as he stared intently at the pill in Long Chen's hand.

He had already felt that the pill in Long Chen's hand was somewhat strange. After Long Chen's remark, and recalling Long Chen's actions before the pill was formed, he began to feel uncertain.

"Bring the Pill Analyzer."

Following Master Yun Qi's command, a Pill Apprentice respectfully brought a large instrument.

The instrument resembled a platform with a groove in the center for placing the pill, capable of accurately identifying the pill's grade.

"Essence component: 61%. Miss Baichi's pill meets the requirements for mid-grade," the pill apprentice announced the numbers on the instrument.

A pill with an essence component of over 50% was considered low-grade, and over 60% was mid-grade. Xia Baichi's Blood Condensation Pill had just entered the mid-grade category.

"Long Chen, I'm very eager to see your 'mid-grade pill'," Xia Baichi said with a cold smile as she retrieved her pill and faced Long Chen.

She simply didn't believe the pill in Long Chen's hand had reached mid-grade. It didn't even have a Pill Pattern, who was he trying to fool? This was just a dying struggle.

"Then you better watch closely."

Long Chen smiled faintly and handed the pill in his hand to the pill apprentice. Pills that had just been refined had a thin film on them for three hours, which could not be faked.

"Essence component: 63%. Mr. Long Chen's pill meets the requirements for mid-grade," the pill apprentice announced the numbers on the instrument.

"What?"

Xia Baichi was utterly stunned. She didn't even notice her Blood Condensation Pill falling to the ground, her mind a complete blank. She had lost.

Not only her, but everyone was stunned, especially Wei Cang, whose face turned ashen as he looked at the numbers on the instrument.

The entire process was under his supervision, and there was absolutely no possibility of fraud. Long Chen had actually refined a mid-grade pill without a pattern.

Typically, the refinement process already determined the quality of a pill. That's why Wei Cang had prepared a three-hundred-year-old Blood Condensation Fruit for Xia Baichi, believing she was in an invincible position.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so generous as to offer the Flame Leopard Beast Fire as a reward. But now that Xia Baichi had lost, it was no wonder his face was grim.

"No way, Long Chen, you despicable scoundrel! You must have swapped it! You bribed this appraiser! I'm going to kill you!"

Xia Baichi suddenly screamed, lunging at Long Chen like a madwoman. A look of disgust appeared on Long Chen's face. If she dared to come closer, he would kick her away.

"Baichi, stop! Don't be foolish!" Wei Cang grabbed Xia Baichi and berated her sternly. He knew he had suffered an unexpected defeat today.

With so many eyes watching, if he went back on his word, he would have no face left to show. Thus, he stopped Xia Baichi.

Xia Baichi struggled as if she had gone mad, still held by Wei Cang, and shouted loudly, "You old pervert! What did you say when you were playing with me in bed yesterday? Didn't you say you would definitely leave the Flame Leopard Beast Fire for me? Give it to me now!"

Xia Baichi's shrill voice echoed throughout the entire venue, audible to everyone. Many people shook their heads upon hearing it.

This Wei Cang was truly pathetic, unbecoming of a master. Rumors of his lechery had circulated before, but now, after Xia Baichi's accusation, everyone looked at him with contempt.

"Slap!"

Wei Cang's face turned purple with anger. He slapped Xia Baichi unconscious, saying, "Baichi is stimulated and talking nonsense. Take her away."

After Xia Baichi was taken away, the entire scene fell silent. Long Chen glanced at Wei Cang and extended a hand, saying, "Hand it over."

Wei Cang's expression was extremely ugly, and his heart was bleeding. This Flame Leopard Beast Fire was extremely precious, and he had indeed intended to keep it for Xia Baichi.

But he never expected to fail in his scheme today and end up losing his own treasure. He hadn't disgraced Master Yun Qi, but instead, he had lost his precious item. However, with so many people watching, he couldn't possibly go back on his word.

"Here."

Pa

Long Chen reached out and took the bottle. Seeing a ball of flame dancing within, he couldn't help but let out a cheer.

"Haha, thanks!" For the first time, Long Chen felt that this old man had a little bit of charm.

"Can you tell me how you did it?" Wei Cang felt a sense of injustice; he had lost so unfairly this time.

Long Chen hesitated for a moment, but seeing Master Yun Qi also cast an encouraging gaze, Long Chen smiled and said, "Considering your filial piety, I'll kindly tell you."

"This is a secret pill refining technique I saw in the Ke Gu Handbook. It mentions a method. When the pill is about to form, make a small opening, use Soul Force to lock in the medicinal essence, and expel some impurities, forming a secondary purification. Do you understand now?"

"Ke Gu Handbook? Are you referring to the Ke Gu Pill King?" Wei Cang was startled.

"I don't know. I saw it in a book. You can look for it yourself," Long Chen shook his head. However, Long Chen wasn't telling the whole truth.

To avoid suspicion, he had read many handbooks from the guilds, and he had indeed seen a description of this technique. However, Long Chen's method wasn't exactly the same. The handbook mentioned making one opening, while Long Chen made two. One opening expelled impurities, and the other absorbed the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth. Otherwise, if the Spiritual Energy in the furnace was insufficient, it would be impossible to condense the pill. If only one opening was made, it would be like letting air out without letting any in. Even with strong Soul Force, the result would be a furnace of ashes instead of a pill.

Long Chen bowed before Master Yun Qi. Master Yun Qi nodded. Long Chen's performance today had completely exceeded his expectations. He also admired Long Chen's courage to gamble with his life. Now that Long Chen had the Beast Fire, once he refined it, his Pill Fire would surely be ten times stronger. With a powerful Pill Fire to support him, coupled with his strong Soul Force, Long Chen's path of pill refining would be smooth sailing.

Long Chen walked up to Chu Yao. Looking at her charming face, he almost couldn't help but pull her into his embrace. After their confession today, both of them had broken through the barrier between them, and their hearts had drawn closer.

"I promised you, and I will definitely do it. Trust me," Long Chen said in a low voice.

Chu Yao nodded obediently. Looking at Long Chen's determined face filled her with warmth; she felt she was no longer alone.

Long Chen gave a slight bow to the Empress Dowager and walked off the stage, returning to his seat. Along the way, he attracted everyone's attention. Especially the young girls, their eyes were shining. Long Chen's performance today was too wild, pointing at Master Wei Cang's nose and scolding him, which they found both novel and exciting. Later, on the pill refining stage, he displayed such composure and ease, effortlessly turning the tide in an extremely unfair situation. They had never encountered someone like him before; he was full of novelty. As Long Chen walked past them, many bold girls sent him flirtatious glances.

When Long Chen returned to his seat, Fatty Yu and the others were incredibly excited.

"Brother Long, you're too strong!"

"Hehe, now that I have the Beast Fire, I'll be in charge of your advancements to Blood Condensation from now on." Seeing their concern, Long Chen was touched. Although he was on stage, he had paid attention to every move below. Therefore, Fatty Yu and the others' expressions had all fallen into his eyes. Fatty Yu and the others' cultivation wasn't high, and as Long Chen's strength grew, they could no longer provide him with any help. However, when Long Chen was at his lowest, they had stayed by his side. Long Chen cherished this bond deeply.

As the few of them were talking, a sudden cheer startled Long Chen and the others. Shi Feng laughed heartily:

"The show is about to begin!"