Chapter 289: The Alchemy Competition
Yao Dan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as he announced, "Now that the appetizers have concluded, it's time for the main event of the Medicinal Canon. All confident participants, please enter the arena."
"Hahaha! I've long heard of the Medicinal Canon's fame. Today, I will undoubtedly claim the title of the continent's top alchemist," Soul Xuzi declared arrogantly as he appeared in the center of the arena like a ghost, his laugh filled with hubris and audacity.
"Hmph!" Elder Wanhuo snorted coldly, meeting Soul Xuzi's gaze without backing down. "Our Yao Clan prides itself on its alchemical prowess. The title of the continent's top alchemist naturally belongs to us."
As Elder Wanhuo entered the arena, the Yao Clan members erupted in cheers. After all, this was their home ground, and they firmly believed that the title should remain with the Yao Clan.
"Although this old man has no great desire for such titles, it would be a disgrace to let it fall into the hands of the Soul Clan," said Shennong Elder, floating in the air. He held a deep disdain for the Soul Clan's methods of capturing souls and harming alchemists.
Moreover, Soul Xuzi was notorious for betraying his master and almost killing the patriarch of the Pill Tower.
"With so many alchemical masters gathered here, I, Xiao Tian, am also eager to see how my alchemy skills measure up," Xiao Tian said with a light smile as he flashed into the sky.
"Soul Xuzi," Xiao Tian said, deepening his gaze at the young upstart he had heard about.
Soul Xuzi responded, "Although your dou qi talent is strong, your alchemy skills might not necessarily surpass mine."
"Since everyone is here, let's begin. I've been looking forward to this," Soul Xuzi said coldly. With a wave of his sleeve, a vast expanse of black flames surged out, forming a massive black cauldron in front of him. A strange devouring force emanated from the cauldron.
"Void Swallowing Flame?" Elder Wanhuo and Shennong Elder both frowned upon seeing the black flames.
Xiao Tian, however, was not surprised. This was merely a sub-flame of the Void Swallowing Flame.
Soul Xuzi looked at the three and said, "Summon your flames. My Void Swallowing Flame is eager to consume them!"
"Let's see if you have the skill to devour our flames," Elder Wanhuo retorted, releasing a pale black whirlwind from his sleeve that rotated rapidly in mid-air. The wind emitted an intense heat, composed of countless tiny flames.
"Nine Nether Wind Flame!" Xiao Tian instantly recognized the flame. It ranked tenth on the Heavenly Flame List, even higher than Yao Lao's Bone Chilling Flame.
"Old Wanhuo, your mastery of the Nine Nether Wind Flame has truly reached perfection," Shennong Elder laughed as he tapped his staff, causing a green liquid flame to rise and expand into a sea of green fire. This flame was the Life Flame, ranking fifth on the Heavenly Flame List.
Unlike other flames, the Life Flame possessed incredible life-giving properties rather than destructive power. It could make seeds grow into medicinal herbs in a short time, making it ideal for alchemists. Additionally, its life energy extended the lifespan of its possessor.
Seeing the Life Flame, the crowd's eyes burned with envy. Few could resist the allure of a long life.
"Life Flame! Shennong Elder, you are truly fortunate," Elder Wanhuo said enviously. The Life Flame was highly intelligent and could disguise itself as various medicinal herbs, making it nearly impossible to detect.
"Just a lucky find," Shennong Elder said with a smile, stroking his beard. He then looked at Xiao Tian and asked, "Xiao Tian, I've heard you possess the legendary Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. Is this true?"
"Indeed," Xiao Tian nodded, and a small flame figure appeared from his body.
"What's this? A flame spirit?" The crowd was shocked, especially the alchemists who almost drooled with envy. A flame spirit could greatly enhance the success rate of alchemy.
"Xiao Tian, you've truly outdone yourself. I once tried to tame that flame and nearly got burned," Shennong Elder said, shaking his head in admiration.
Elder Wanhuo looked puzzled and asked, "I sense other flames in this flame spirit. Xiao Tian, do you possess more than one Heavenly Flame?"
Xiao Tian replied proudly, "Indeed, I have also obtained the Green Lotus Core Flame, Sea Heart Flame, Fallen Heart Flame, Bone Chilling Flame, and the Three Thousand Burning Flame."
Given his current strength, Xiao Tian was not afraid to reveal his collection of Heavenly Flames or the existence of the Flame Mantra.
"So, you have cultivated that mysterious technique," Soul Xuzi said, his eyes flickering with cold light and greed. The Soul Clan knew about the Flame Mantra through their spies. Xiao Tian's rapid growth was undoubtedly linked to this technique.
Yao Dan retracted his envious gaze and said, "If everyone is ready, let's begin the alchemy competition."
At his words, Elder Wanhuo, Shennong Elder, and Xiao Tian all summoned their alchemy cauldrons.
Positioned at four corners, they began their preparations.
Shennong Elder waved his sleeve, scattering countless seeds into the sea of green fire. Under the Life Flame's influence, the seeds quickly grew into medicinal herbs, a sight that left the crowd in awe.
Xiao Tian similarly scattered numerous medicinal herbs into his cauldron, purifying them all at once with his flame spirit's help.
"He intends to refine so many ingredients at once?" Even the Yao Clan's Dou Saints were astonished. This was a daunting task even for a ninth-tier alchemist.
Xiao Tian, with the help of his flame spirit, was the first to complete the purification and began condensing the pill. The fusion of thousands of medicinal essences generated immense energy, causing his cauldron to tremble.
Shortly after, Soul Xuzi also finished purifying his ingredients. He raised his hand and shouted, "Heaven and earth, heed my command!"
A fierce wind rose, and a vast amount of energy poured into his cauldron, absorbed by the Void Swallowing Flame.
"He's using the power of heaven and earth to refine a ninth-tier Mystic Pill?" The crowd gasped.
"Hmph!" Elder Wanhuo snorted, "Heaven and earth, gather!"
The Yao Clan members cheered as their elders drew in the power of heaven and earth.
"Since you're all refining Mystic Pills, I can't fall behind," Shennong Elder laughed, gathering the power of heaven and earth as well.
"I can do it too," Xiao Tian said, drawing in an immense amount of energy.
The four competitors absorbed vast amounts of energy, stunning the audience. No one expected all four to refine ninth-tier Mystic Pills.
However, the energy of this place was insufficient for all four to succeed. If they all failed, no one would win, but no one would lose either.
Three days passed, and the energy in the vicinity was nearly exhausted. The Yao Clan had to seal off the herb fields to prevent the plants from withering.
"There's not enough energy within ten thousand miles. This won't work..." Many alchemists frowned.
"Ten thousand miles isn't enough? Then I'll go beyond," Xiao Tian said with a smile, extending his soul force to draw energy from further away.
The influx of energy left everyone speechless.
"Can he control energy from over ten thousand miles away?" "Does Xiao Tian possess an Emperor-level soul?"
At that moment, all eyes turned to Xiao Tian.
"Hmph!" Soul Xuzi slapped his cauldron, sending three black flame pillars towards the other three cauldrons, forming devouring black holes.
"Soul Xuzi, how dare you!" Elder Wanhuo and Shennong Elder yelled, attacking the black holes with their flames, only to have their flames partially devoured.
"You can't stop the Void Swallowing Flame," Soul Xuzi sneered, increasing the devouring force.
"You're not the only one who can devour," Xiao Tian said, summoning the Devouring Ancestor Symbol, creating a massive black hole that swallowed the smaller ones and targeted Soul Xuzi's cauldron.
"Devouring power? How do you have it?" Soul Xuzi exclaimed, realizing Xiao Tian must have destroyed the Soul Hall to obtain it.
"Indeed, I destroyed the Soul Hall," Xiao Tian admitted.
The revelation stunned everyone. The Soul Hall, backed by the powerful Soul Clan, had been annihilated by Xiao Tian.
"You ruined our plans. The Soul Clan will destroy you!" Soul Xuzi threatened.
"I'm not afraid," Xiao Tian said, directing his flame spirit and the Devouring Ancestor Symbol to attack the Void Swallowing Flame's sub-flame.
The combined power of multiple Heavenly Flames overwhelmed the sub-flame, leading to Soul Xuzi's downfall.
"You'll pay for this!" Soul Xuzi's voice echoed as true Void Swallowing Flame engulfed the area, indicating the arrival of the real threat.
(End of Chapter)