Failed Attempt

Green flames surged from the fire vents, their scorching heat radiating through the cauldron walls into the air and baking the surrounding space.

Xiao Yan wiped away the sweat on his head and collected the medicinal liquid refined from the last ingredient into a Jade Bottle. The Bluestone Platform where he stood was already covered with more than a hundred medicine bottles of various sizes.

Most of the people present were rather confused. In their view, Xiao Yan had refined more than a hundred medicinal ingredients in one go, as though he were preparing to refine some high-grade pill with an incomparably complex process.

"This little fellow actually refined all four sets of ingredients first. It seems he isn't very confident in the pill he's refining this time. Still, this method can indeed help one quickly familiarize oneself with the formula and improve the success rate of pill refining." Fa Ma noticed the pattern in the arrangement of Xiao Yan's ingredients and nodded slightly.

"He's only a Dou Shi. Can his stamina hold up?" Jia Xingtian asked doubtfully after hearing Fa Ma's explanation.

"That depends on him. There's no rule in this competition saying he can't use other methods to restore his condition," Fa Ma said with a chuckle.

Just as Fa Ma had implied, Xiao Yan took a Jade Bottle from his Storage Ring and poured out a green pill.

A faint pill fragrance drifted across the plaza. The Alchemists around Xiao Yan immediately felt refreshed upon smelling it, and even the fatigue from refining pills faded somewhat.

"As expected of a Fifth-grade Pill. Even its fragrance has such an effect." Xiao Yan smiled lightly and placed the pill in his mouth.

Bang! Not long after Xiao Yan swallowed the pill, a powerful energy fluctuation suddenly burst forth from within his body, puffing up his clothes.

"What potent medicinal properties! The Dou Qi and Soul Power I lost earlier have actually been restored in an instant!" Xiao Yan clenched his fists, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.

Having returned to peak condition, Xiao Yan no longer wasted time and directly entered the pill fusion stage of refining the Crimson Firmament Spirit Pill.

The Green Lotus Core Flame rose once more. Once the Heat Control was about right, Xiao Yan's hands moved swiftly, pouring bottle after bottle of Medicinal Liquid into the Medicine Cauldron. Once that was done, he pressed both hands against the Medicine Cauldron and closed his eyes.

Soul Power shot out from between Xiao Yan's brows and streamed into the cauldron, instantly enveloping all the Medicinal Liquid within. He controlled them as they began to fuse, precisely catching every minute reaction that arose during the process.

As time passed, waves of Energy Ripples began appearing within the Medicine Cauldron, while wisps of pill fragrance drifted out.

"There's hope!" Seeing the Medicinal Liquid gradually gather into a mass, Xiao Yan could not help feeling excited.

Fa Ma had kept his attention fixed on Xiao Yan from beginning to end. When he saw the phenomenon occurring inside Xiao Yan's red Medicine Cauldron, a trace of delight appeared on his face.

"He's refining a Fifth-grade Pill!" Fa Ma's eyes widened, his tone carrying a hint of excitement.

No wonder he wasn't refining the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill. He was actually preparing to refine an even higher-grade pill. Good lad!

The people seated in the front rows were all startled and hurriedly looked in the direction the old man was watching. They saw columns of blue smoke slowly rising from the six fire vents of the Medicine Cauldron.

"Colored Pill Fragrance and Energy Ripples—these are the characteristics of a Fifth-grade Pill!" Mitchell's eyes were also filled with delight.

If this young man truly succeeded, he would be an unparalleled genius unlike any seen in the history of alchemy in the Jia Ma Empire!

"This fellow is truly remarkable." Nalan Yanran sat upright in the VIP seats, staring intently at the scene as a flush appeared on her face.

"Mm, not bad. Pill Formed!" At that moment, a Young Girl seated to Xiao Yan's left nodded calmly and lightly patted her Medicine Cauldron with both hands. Dark Red Flame swept out from within, carrying a white pill as it burst from the fire vent.

Liuli reached out and caught the pill in her hand. A strange pill fragrance spread in all directions, refreshing the heart and mind.

"What a rich pill fragrance. Even among Fourth-grade Pills, this should be considered above average!" Some spectators knowledgeable about pills sighed upon smelling it.

"She formed the pill so quickly. This student from Jia Nan Academy is truly extraordinary."

Liuli placed the refined Condensing Crystal Pill into a Jade Bottle and looked around, only to find that she was the first to finish refining a pill. It was no wonder; after all, not everyone possessed her ability for Synchronous Refinement of Medicinal Ingredients.

After indulging in a small humblebrag in her heart, Liuli set the medicine bottle on the Bluestone Platform, then sat cross-legged and carefully watched Xiao Yan refine his pill.

At that moment, Xiao Yan's expression was solemn. Although the pill fragrance from his cauldron was growing increasingly intense, he showed not the slightest bit of joy.

"Ah, the fusion at the tenth step was too fast. The medicinal properties haven't been neutralized yet. This attempt is going to fail." Liuli carefully observed the fusion within his Medicine Cauldron and sighed softly.

The guidance Gongsun Sanbu gave Liuli in alchemy skill had always adhered to one principle: practice made perfect. Whenever he gave Liuli a pill formula, he would basically require her to refine it at least fifty times. Liuli had always hated this long and tedious process, but she was unable to leave the family's alchemy room. Thus, she would more or less draw simple pictures on her Medicine Cauldron to entertain herself whenever she was truly bored.

Therefore, she could tell at a glance which step Xiao Yan had gotten wrong, because she had made the same mistake herself. It had taken her several attempts before she discovered the problem.

Sure enough, half an hour after Liuli spoke, Xiao Yan's red Medicine Cauldron trembled slightly, and the floating green pill fragrance abruptly stopped.

A muffled sound came from within the Medicine Cauldron. The Medicinal Liquid that had only recently fused instantly exploded, turning into powder that fell to the bottom of the furnace.

"Did it fail?" Xiao Yan stared blankly at the residue for a moment before smiling bitterly.

However, he was not discouraged. This had only been a preliminary attempt, after all. If he had truly succeeded in one try, that would have been sheer luck. Even some Fifth-grade Alchemists would not dare guarantee a success rate above fifty percent when refining Fifth-grade Pills.

"Mr. Yan Xiao, don't be discouraged. There's still a chance!" Hearing the disappointed sighs throughout the venue, Yao Yue turned and comforted Xiao Yan. Her pill had already entered its final stage, so sparing a bit of attention did not matter.

Xiao Yan shook his head at her, indicating that he was fine.

"Heh, I thought all that fuss earlier was for something earth-shattering. Who would have thought trash was still trash? It seems I overestimated you." At that moment, Yan Li's honey-coated mouth began mocking Xiao Yan again. "I advise you to give up! No matter how capable you are, the pill you refine this time can never surpass mine. This championship belongs to me!"

Liuli looked speechlessly at the laughing Yan Li. The kid had some skill, but there was clearly something unusual about his brain.

However, her immediate priority was figuring out how to remind Xiao Yan where he had gone wrong.

"Hey! You're so annoying! He at least caused some commotion and was only a little short of success. Look at you—after all this time, there's not even a peep from that broken pot of yours. Even stewing chicken gives off a smell!" Liuli's eyes darted as she suddenly pointed at Yan Li and scolded him.

Many people present froze, turning their gazes toward Liuli.

This bright-eyed, fair-toothed Young Girl had actually started cursing?

"You! What are you? You refined a Fourth-grade Pill that looks like a rat dropping, and you think you're worthy of speaking to me?" Yan Li was admittedly quite skilled at arguing and insulting people. His words were so unpleasant that many Fourth-grade Alchemists throughout the venue felt offended.

Xiao Yan finally could not help looking at Liuli. He was rather curious what expression this Young Girl would show after being mocked like that.

"Mr. Yan Xiao, there's no need to speak up for me. I can handle this myself!" Liuli suddenly turned toward Xiao Yan, crossing her two index fingers in front of her pink lips in a gesture for silence.

However, Xiao Yan saw a different meaning in the way her beautiful eyes blinked rapidly.

"Ten!" Liuli parted her lips slightly and silently formed the word.

Xiao Yan fell silent in thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled in understanding and nodded at her.

The Young Girl seemed to let out a breath of relief. Turning back, she shouted at Yan Li, "I won't argue with someone as uncivilized as you!"

After saying that, she lowered her head. Her rather petite body was hidden behind the Bluestone Platform as she secretly giggled.

Meanwhile, Yan Li, having been used as a tool, still foolishly believed that Liuli had been unable to argue with him. He kept muttering things like, "A little brat dares challenge me?"