Pill-Making Contest, Beast-Strength Pill

Han Xian proudly raised his head. "Three days ago, I had already entered the third grade."

"You've entered the third grade?" Most of the anger on Old Man Huo's face vanished at once as he looked at Han Xian in surprise and delight.

His achievement as a Third-Grade Alchemist at around twenty years old naturally could not compare to Xiao Yan, who was only a little over twelve. But people could not be compared with monsters. Among ordinary people, Han Xian's accomplishments were unquestionably outstanding.

Seeing Han Xian's eyes filled with doubt and hostility toward Xiao Yan, Old Man Huo smiled. "Does one become a Third-Grade Alchemist so easily? If you, Han Xian, do not believe in another's accomplishments, then others naturally have no reason to believe in yours."

Han Xian's eyes rolled as he said, "Let's have a contest. Then who is real gold and who is mere sand and stone will be clear at a glance."

Old Man Huo nodded and clicked his tongue. "If you each refine third-grade pills, and one of you happens to draw a formula you are familiar with, I'm afraid the other will feel unconvinced. I have a fourth-grade Beast-Strength Pill formula here, one that can be clearly read twice. You two will compete in refining this Beast-Strength Pill."

"A fourth-grade pill?!" Han Xian sucked in a cold breath. Having only just broken through to the third-grade alchemist level, there was only one possible result if he tried to refine such a pill: failure.

"Beast-Strength Pill..." Xiao Yan was instead somewhat delighted.

The Beast-Strength Pill was a pill far more advanced than the Force-Accumulating Pill, though slightly inferior to the fifth-grade Dragon-Strength Pill. Their effects belonged to the same category: both could increase the consumer's strength for a short period, differing only in the intensity of their medicinal effects.

Old Man Huo smiled. "Since it is the same formula, what will ultimately be compared is the quality of the finished pills."

Hearing this, Han Xian's confidence surged. Even if he could not refine it well, could he really refine it badly?

Xiao Yan smiled faintly. Being able to obtain a fourth-grade pill formula for free—how could he possibly refuse such a good deal?

In the Jia Ma Empire, a formula that could be clearly read with soul power was an exceedingly rare treasure.

Seeing that both were eager to give it a try, Old Man Huo said, "Whichever of you wins in the end may choose two items from among my collection."

"Choose two treasures from his collection!" Han Xian's eyes immediately widened.

Alchemists held an exceedingly noble status. In order to obtain pills they desired, many people were more than willing to spend money like water, and Canaan Academy's instructors and elders were no exception.

One could easily imagine how abundant the collection of the highest-ranked alchemist in Canaan Academy must be. Obtaining even one item would be an enormous gain for him.

He had heard that the department head had recently acquired Beast Flame from a sixth-rank Magic Beast. As his Alchemy Art improved, this was precisely the item he needed.

"I'll reserve this reward in advance!" Xiao Yan smiled and declared loudly.

An alchemist's collection was usually extremely plentiful, and many alchemists in Canaan Academy possessed Beast Flame. Old Man Huo might well have a similar collection.

Though the Five-Ring Flame-Separation Technique was strongest when performed with multiple Strange Flames, Strange Flames were difficult to find and difficult to control. Beast Flame was the more realistic option.

Xiao Yan currently possessed one type of Beast Flame. Having come to Canaan Academy, he had also intended to rely on this region to gather some Beast Flame for later use.

Han Xian shot Xiao Yan a chilling look. Dream on...

"Since both of you are so confident, go refine them at Alchemy Plaza. Don't blow up my place in a moment." Old Man Huo smiled.

The three went downstairs and arrived at the plaza behind the building. Old Man Huo took a scroll from his Storage Ring. "Which of you will read it first?"

"I will!" Han Xian immediately answered.

Old Man Huo nodded. "All right, you will read the formula first."

Han Xian accepted the scroll, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began using soul power to read its contents. This was his first time encountering a fourth-grade formula, and its complexity far exceeded his expectations.

Old Man Huo narrowed his eyes as he watched Han Xian. A person's soul power could also be judged from how they read a formula, and soul power was of the utmost importance to an alchemist. From the moment the formula was read, the contest had already begun.

Xiao Yan sat to one side and closed his eyes to rest. This was also his first time refining a proper fourth-grade pill like the Beast-Strength Pill, but he was exceedingly confident. This was one of the great advantages the Palm-Heaven Bottle could offer him.

In the mortal world, pill formulas in the Southern Heavenly Region mainly used high-age medicinal herbs, while formulas in the Chaotic Star Sea mainly used various demon cores. On the Dou Qi Continent, however, the two were organically combined. In most cases, both medicinal herbs and Magic Cores were required.

Because of this difference, even a fourth-grade pill such as Qi-Gathering Powder required only fifty-year Ink-Leaf Lotus as its oldest herb, while another herb, Spirit-Gathering Herb, needed only twenty years of growth. They could easily be ripened with the Palm-Heaven Bottle.

In order to explore formulas and increase his strength, Xiao Yan had used the Palm-Heaven Bottle to ripen a great number of medicinal herbs, including many rare treasures. When it came to refining medicinal ingredients, Han Xian could not compare with him, much less in the final fusion experience.

While Han Xian was reading the formula, news of the two competing in pill refinement spread without wings. Before long, a crowd had gathered around the plaza.

The Alchemy Department students all knew Han Xian's talent well. Now that he was competing with a fourth-grade pill, even if he ultimately failed, they believed Han Xian's failed product would still be of higher quality.

Ruo Lin frowned. "Wasn't Xiao Yan supposed to be recruited into the Alchemy Department? Why are they competing in pill refinement?"

Xiao Xun'er smiled faintly. "Geniuses always draw some doubts, just as commoners wonder why the emperor does not use a golden hoe to farm. I believe that no matter what they compete in, Brother Xiao Yan will definitely win!"

Seeing Xiao Xun'er support him so calmly, without the coy affectation of an ordinary girl, Ruo Lin was inwardly astonished.

Hu Gan, who had sat with Old Man Huo during the selection competition, as well as two highly respected elders, also quickly rushed over upon hearing the news.

Clad in gray robes, Hu Gan said in some surprise, "You moved quickly enough."

Old Man Huo chuckled without concealing anything. "Though I had someone bring Han Xian here, the Beast-Strength Pill contest was outside the plan. I originally only wanted them to compare third-grade pills, but that Han brat reached the third grade, so I simply took the chance to test their potential in Alchemy Art."

"Third grade already." Hu Gan was somewhat surprised. Reaching the third grade so quickly was rare among alchemists.

Of course, this was still far behind Xiao Yan. He wondered what level Xiao Yan's Alchemy Art had reached now, and whether, like his Dou Qi strength, it had also broken through and improved.

Though Hu Gan found it somewhat inconceivable, when it came to Xiao Yan, it was not entirely impossible.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Han Xian slowly rolled up the formula and handed it back with a solemn expression. "A fourth-grade formula truly is extraordinarily complex. This time, Han Xian can only give it his utmost effort."

"Young people should challenge their limits." After confirming that the formula was intact, Old Man Huo handed it to Xiao Yan.

Taking the formula, Xiao Yan did not hesitate to read it with soul power. He had to take a good look at exactly how a fourth-grade pill was refined.

Watching Xiao Yan read the formula, Han Xian sneered inwardly. This pill was incomparably complex. Unless he were given several more years to deepen his understanding of Alchemy Art, along with strength raised to the Dou Spirit Realm, he could not refine it.

Even an Alchemy Department elite like him was already in this situation, much less Xiao Yan, who had come from some wild, unorthodox path.

What surprised Han Xian was that the ugly expression he expected did not appear on Xiao Yan's face. Instead, he saw a smile.

A moment later, after reading all the contents of the formula, Xiao Yan returned it to Old Man Huo.

"You finished reading it so quickly?" Old Man Huo asked in surprise.

"Of course." Xiao Yan nodded firmly. "A fourth-grade formula is indeed profound."

Old Man Huo examined the formula in his hand and confirmed that its contents had become somewhat blurred, making it impossible to clearly obtain any further information from it. Only then did he look at Xiao Yan in shock.

Han Xian had taken far longer to read the formula than Xiao Yan. This Xiao Yan possessed such powerful soul power!

Old Man Huo put the formula into his Storage Ring and waved his arm. The flat ground suddenly rose, forming two stone platforms previously used for Alchemy Department assessments. Immediately afterward, a batch of materials appeared atop them.

"Since you have both mastered the formula, prepare to begin refining. I will provide each of you with three sets of materials. Whoever can use those three sets to refine the best finished pill will be the victor."