Three days later, at the central square of Ten Thousand Medicines Valley.
Word of the Pill Dao Exchange Gathering had long since spread throughout the valley, and the square was livelier than usual. Alongside the participating cultivators were many representatives of various factions who had come expressly to observe. Dozens of pill refinement platforms had been set up in the center of the square, each equipped with a full set of pill refinement tools and an assortment of medicinal herbs, clearly prepared for the gathering.
When Xiao Yan arrived at the square with Su Xiaoxiao, Lin Qingxue was already standing beside the main seat, her white robes standing out among the crowd. Liu Chengfeng stood beside her, his expression still somewhat sour, but there was greater wariness in his gaze when he looked at Xiao Yan. Clearly, the lesson he had received last time had made him rein himself in considerably.
Mo Chen had also arrived and was talking with several cultivators from the Pill Region. When he saw Xiao Yan, he gave him a friendly smile and a nod.
"Big Brother Xiao Yan, there are so many people!" Su Xiaoxiao said, looking at the densely packed crowd and tugging nervously at Xiao Yan's sleeve.
"Don't be afraid. We're only here to have a look." Xiao Yan patted her hand and swept his gaze across the square.
Most of the cultivators in the square had impressive presences, and many carried a rich medicinal fragrance, clearly marking them as masters of the Pill Dao. Xiao Yan even sensed several faint but formidable fluctuations of spiritual power. Clearly, true great powers were hidden among the crowd.
"Quiet, everyone!"
Lin Qingxue's voice rang out. Her cool, clear tone seemed to carry a certain magic, instantly subduing the clamor in the square.
"Thank you all for attending the Pill Dao Exchange Gathering at this year's Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering." Lin Qingxue looked around the square. "The purpose of this gathering is to exchange insights into the Pill Dao and improve together. Today, we have prepared three rounds: identifying medicinal herbs, purifying medicinal liquid, and refining pills within a time limit. Those who perform exceptionally well overall may receive a Thousand-Year Purple Heart Lotus provided by the Hundred Herbs Hall."
"Thousand-Year Purple Heart Lotus!"
A stir ran through the crowd. The Purple Heart Lotus was the principal ingredient in high-grade healing pills and was worth a fortune, enough to tempt many alchemists.
A glint of determination to win flashed in Liu Chengfeng's eyes. His pill refinement skills were unmatched among the younger generation of Green Wind City, and he believed taking first place would be no problem. Mo Chen also nodded slightly, evidently interested in the Purple Heart Lotus as well.
"The first round, identifying medicinal herbs, begins now!"
At Lin Qingxue's command, several Hundred Herbs Hall disciples carried dozens of trays covered with black cloth onto the platform. Each tray held a medicinal herb. Some were strangely shaped, while others gave off an eerie presence.
"You may come forward and identify them. Write the names, medicinal properties, and uses of the herbs on paper, and hand in your answers in a quarter of an hour."
The cultivators immediately surged forward and gathered around the trays to examine them closely. Xiao Yan went over with Su Xiaoxiao, who held the Illustrated Guide to Medicinal Herbs and studied the herbs with great interest, comparing them to the illustrations.
Xiao Yan swept his gaze over the herbs on the trays. Most were common mid- to high-grade herbs, with a few rarer ones here and there, but with his experience as a grandmaster of medicine refinement in his previous life, he had no difficulty identifying them.
"This is Heart-Corroding Grass. It looks remarkably like Heart-Nourishing Grass, but there are fine black lines on its rhizome. It's highly poisonous, and eating it by mistake can corrode the heart meridians."
"That's a Moon Soul Flower. It only blooms on the night of a full moon and can nourish the soul, but it must be paired with Sunlight Grass, or it will damage one's foundation."
Xiao Yan casually commented on several herbs. His voice was not loud, but the nearby cultivators heard him clearly. Several alchemists who were identifying the herbs froze when they heard him. After a closer look, they found that the herbs were exactly as he had described, and their gazes toward Xiao Yan gained a measure of admiration.
Liu Chengfeng also heard Xiao Yan's words, and his expression shifted slightly. He had not expected Xiao Yan's knowledge of medicinal herbs to be so profound, even surpassing his own.
A quarter of an hour later, everyone handed in their answers. After several senior alchemists judged them, the results were announced.
"Three people received full marks in the medicinal herb identification round: Mo Chen, Liu Chengfeng, and Xiao Yan!"
The result was no surprise. Mo Chen hailed from the Pill Region, and Liu Chengfeng was the young master of the Hundred Herbs Hall, while Xiao Yan's performance had made many people see him in a new light.
"The second round is medicinal liquid purification!" Lin Qingxue continued. "We have prepared equal portions of Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng for each participant. Whoever can purify its medicinal liquid to the greatest purity within half an hour will be the winner."
Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng was an extremely troublesome medicinal herb. The energy it contained was impure and mixed, making it exceedingly difficult to purify; the slightest carelessness could ruin its medicinal properties.
The cultivators each collected their spirit ginseng and purification tools and began concentrating on the task. Only the sounds of burning flames and boiling medicinal liquid remained in the square.
Xiao Yan did not rush to begin. Instead, he first carefully examined the Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng's grain and the flow of energy within it. After a while, he took out a jade bottle, placed the spirit ginseng inside, added several auxiliary medicinal herbs, and slowly heated it with a Heavenly Flame.
Rather than using brute force, he used the Heavenly Flame's properties to precisely guide the flow of energy inside the spirit ginseng, driving out impurities bit by bit. The Netherworld Core Flame danced a ghostly blue in his palm. Its temperature was not high, yet it possessed an immensely powerful purifying force. When the mixed, impure energy met the ghostly blue flame, it melted away like ice and snow beneath the sun.
The alchemists nearby looked surprised when they saw Xiao Yan's technique.
"What flame is he using? It's so pure!"
"That purification technique is so exquisite! He's making the utmost use of every trace of energy in the herb!"
"It seems Xiao Yan isn't just powerful. His pill refinement skills are extraordinary too!"
Liu Chengfeng and Mo Chen also noticed Xiao Yan's technique, and both grew solemn. Sweat beaded on Liu Chengfeng's forehead. He was using a traditional purification method, and although it was fast, he could not completely remove the impurities. Mo Chen, meanwhile, closed his eyes and concentrated, wrapping the spirit ginseng in his spiritual power and sorting through its energy bit by bit. His technique was exquisite, but it could not match the ease with which Xiao Yan handled the difficult task.
Half an hour later, the purification ended.
Everyone handed their purified medicinal liquid to the judging alchemists, who used a specially made jade mirror to test its purity. When they tested Xiao Yan's jade bottle, the mirror burst with dazzling light, illuminating the entire square.
"The purity... it actually reached one hundred percent!" the judging alchemist exclaimed involuntarily, his face full of disbelief.
One hundred percent purity meant that the medicinal liquid contained not the slightest impurity, something exceedingly rare even in the history of the Pill Dao!
A deathly silence fell over the square. Everyone was too stunned by the result to speak. Liu Chengfeng's face went deathly pale, and he nearly dropped the jade bottle in his hand. Mo Chen also opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Yan, his gaze filled with shock and a trace of admiration.
"Xiao Yan wins the second round!" Even Lin Qingxue's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor. She looked at Xiao Yan, a glimmer of wonder flashing in her eyes.
Xiao Yan took it in stride. He had been able to accomplish this easily in his previous life, and with the Netherworld Core Flame to assist him now, it was easier still.
"The third round is timed pill refinement!" Lin Qingxue took a deep breath and composed herself. "Whoever refines the highest-quality pill using the medicinal herbs provided here, within the time it takes one incense stick to burn, will be the champion of this gathering!"
This was the most crucial round. It tested not only an alchemist's technique and spiritual power, but also their ability to adapt on the spot.
The cultivators selected their herbs and began preparing to refine pills. Xiao Yan chose several common medicinal herbs, intending to refine a batch of Qi Recovery Pills. Although Qi Recovery Pills were only mid-grade pills, refining supreme-quality ones placed great demands on one's control over heat and energy.
Liu Chengfeng chose the herbs needed to refine the high-grade Spirit Concentrating Pill, evidently intending to stake everything on one attempt. Mo Chen chose to refine Heart-Clearing Pills, his expression calm, evidently confident of success.
An incense stick was lit, and the pill refinement officially began.
Flames blazed toward the sky across the square, and the fragrances of various medicinal herbs spread through the air. Xiao Yan formed hand seals, and the Netherworld Core Flame enveloped the pill furnace. The flame's temperature was precisely controlled within a delicate range, while the herbs were added to the furnace one after another in the proper order, slowly melting and blending together in the flames.
His movements flowed like clouds and water, without the slightest hitch. He seemed to have become one with the pill furnace and the flames, making him a pleasure to watch.
By comparison, Liu Chengfeng seemed somewhat impatient. His flames flared and faded, and the energy within his pill furnace was extremely unstable. Mo Chen, on the other hand, proceeded steadily, his spiritual power highly concentrated as the medicinal fragrance wafting from his furnace grew richer and richer.
Time passed bit by bit, and more than half the incense stick had burned away.
"Condense!"
Mo Chen was the first to give a low shout. His pill furnace jolted, and three perfectly rounded Heart-Clearing Pills flew out, crystalline throughout and emitting a faint green glow. They were high-quality pills!
"Excellent! Young friend Mo Chen really is formidable!" Cries of admiration rang out from the crowd.
Liu Chengfeng's expression grew even uglier. He sped up his movements and eventually refined three Spirit Concentrating Pills as well, but they were only of middle quality.
Just then, Xiao Yan also stopped. He gave the pill furnace a light pat, and five Qi Recovery Pills flew out. They were golden all over, with a faint sheen flowing across their surfaces. Their medicinal fragrance was rich and pure, and Pill Patterns could faintly be seen emerging on them!
"Supreme-quality pills! And supreme-quality pills with Pill Patterns!" the judging alchemist exclaimed once again.
Pill Patterns were exceedingly rare even among supreme-quality pills. They meant that a pill's medicinal effect had reached its utmost limit, and that it might even develop a faint intelligence!
To refine supreme-quality Qi Recovery Pills bearing Pill Patterns from ordinary herbs in the time it took one incense stick to burn-such mastery of the Pill Dao was beyond the comprehension of everyone present!
The incense burned out, and the pill refinement ended.
Lin Qingxue stepped forward and personally handed the Thousand-Year Purple Heart Lotus to Xiao Yan, sincere admiration in her eyes. "Mr. Xiao Yan, you truly deserve this."
Xiao Yan accepted the Purple Heart Lotus and nodded. "Thank you."
Mo Chen also stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Brother Xiao Yan, my mastery of the Pill Dao cannot compare to yours. You have my admiration."
Liu Chengfeng looked at the Purple Heart Lotus in Xiao Yan's hand, his eyes full of unwillingness, but he could no longer utter a single word of provocation.
Just as everyone thought the gathering had come to a successful close, a cold, sinister voice suddenly came from the back of the crowd. "Hmph, they're nothing but unorthodox tricks. Are they worth showing off so much?"
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw an elderly man in black robes slowly step forward. His face was gaunt, his eyes were sinister, and he gave off a faint, intermittent smell of blood that clashed sharply with the medicinal fragrance around him.
"It's Old Freak Blood Fiend!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "Wasn't he banned from attending the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering by the ten great factions? How is he here?"
Old Freak Blood Fiend had a thoroughly foul reputation in the Southern Region. He was said to be skilled at refining medicine using living people, and his methods were cruel. The major factions had put out warrants for him, yet unexpectedly, he dared to appear here.
Lin Qingxue's expression darkened. "Blood Fiend, this is no place for you. Leave at once!"
"Leave?" Old Freak Blood Fiend let out a strange, sinister cackle. "I heard there were quite a few fine medicinal herbs at the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering, so I came especially to take some. That Thousand-Year Purple Heart Lotus in particular is just right for refining my Blood Soul Pill!"
His gaze fixed greedily on the Purple Heart Lotus in Xiao Yan's hand as he approached step by step.
"You have a death wish!" Seeing this, Liu Chengfeng immediately brought out the Hundred Herbs Ruler. "Blood Fiend, today I'll carry out heaven's justice and rid the world of a scourge like you!"
Clearly, he wanted to use this opportunity to regain face.
Old Freak Blood Fiend snorted coldly and casually waved a hand. A dense blood mist gushed out, and the howls of countless vengeful souls could faintly be heard within it. In an instant, it enveloped Liu Chengfeng's Hundred Herbs Ruler.
"Ah!" Liu Chengfeng screamed. The medicinal fragrance on the Hundred Herbs Ruler was swiftly corroded by the blood mist, and he himself was also touched by it. His arm instantly turned pitch-black; he had clearly been afflicted by a deadly poison.
"You couldn't withstand a single blow." Old Freak Blood Fiend glanced disdainfully at Liu Chengfeng before fixing his gaze on Xiao Yan again. "Brat, hand over the Purple Heart Lotus, and I can give you a quicker death."
Xiao Yan's gaze turned cold. He could sense that Old Freak Blood Fiend's strength had actually reached High-Grade Origin Emperor, and that the presence he gave off was somewhat similar to the Blood Shadow Cult's sinister energy. Both carried a taint of darkness and blood.
Another person connected to the Lord of Darkness? Xiao Yan wondered silently as a Heavenly Flame quietly circulated within him.
The sudden crisis shattered the gathering's peaceful atmosphere, and the mood in the square instantly grew tense. Everyone knew that a fierce battle lay ahead.