“You can decide for yourself, but if you switch to a different pill and still lose to Chen Liu, you’ll go back and accept your punishment.” Baili Kesheng’s wicked, bewitching eyes looked slightly cold.
During the alchemy competition, contestants were not allowed to arbitrarily change the pill designated by the judges.
But there was another special rule: if a contestant wanted to switch from a simple pill to one that was harder to refine, the above rule became invalid.
Although the Rongling Pill Chen Liu had chosen was also a third-grade pill like the Zengling Pill, the refining process for the Rongling Pill was dozens of times harder than that of the Zengling Pill, and its success rate was extremely low.
The Zengling Pill could only increase a cultivator’s speed of absorbing spiritual energy.
The Rongling Pill, on the other hand, could not only increase a cultivator’s speed of absorbing spiritual energy but also help temper the spiritual energy within the body and purify spiritual power.
“Rest assured, Master Baili. I will definitely win this match for Haoling Prefecture, and I will win it beautifully,” Chen Liu said, a dark light flashing through his downcast eyes as he gave a confident guarantee.
Then Chen Liu spoke again: “Lord Yunhai, I apply to refine the Rongling Pill!”
Yunhai opened his cold eyes and asked in a cold voice: “Once the pill is changed, you cannot take it back. Are you sure you want to switch to the Rongling Pill?”
Chen Liu looked resolute. “I’m sure. I want to refine the Rongling Pill.”
Yunhai symbolically consulted the two judges, and the result was obvious—the two judges agreed without any surprise.
“Approved. Contestant Chen Liu voluntarily refines the harder Rongling Pill. Two judges, please make a note of it,” Yunhai announced loudly, his voice carrying up to the high platform.
Chen Liu also took out a set of spiritual plants needed for refining the Rongling Pill.
When the people on the high platform heard Yunhai’s voice, they immediately became lively.
The disciples of Haoling Prefecture were even more stirred up as a whole.
“Go Chen Liu! Chen Liu, we’re all rooting for you!”
“Chen Liu, crush those trash from Qingyun Prefecture! The Rongling Pill is a piece of cake for us!”
“Nice one, Chen Liu! You’ve really brought honor to Haoling Prefecture. Those garbage from Qingyun Prefecture, are you dumbstruck?”
“Haoling Prefecture will definitely win! Haoling Prefecture will definitely win!”
…
Faced with Haoling Prefecture’s provocation, everyone from Qingyun Prefecture was so angry their faces turned green.
But they had no way to refute Haoling Prefecture—they were still very clear about their own strength.
Being able to narrowly win the previous round of the sword cultivator competition was already quite good for Qingyun Prefecture.
This round was alchemy, which Haoling Prefecture was good at to begin with. Haoling Prefecture’s alchemy was not just a little bit stronger than Qingyun Prefecture’s.
They only hoped that Chen Liu would not lose too miserably. Of course, even if he lost, they would not blame Chen Liu.
After all, participating in the first round for Qingyun Prefecture required enduring enormous psychological pressure.
Xiao Qingfeng and Rong Zhuofan, however, both had dark expressions. They saw things more clearly than the disciples did.
Haoling Prefecture was truly despicable!
From the way Chen Liu skillfully took out the spiritual plants, it was clear that Haoling Prefecture had prepared everything long ago.
“Old Xiao, did you prepare the spiritual plants needed for Fang Cheng to refine the Rongling Pill?” Rong Zhuofan asked gloomily.
“No. The Rongling Pill is close to fourth grade. Ordinary third-grade alchemists wouldn’t be foolish enough to challenge it, and besides, I don’t even have the Rongling Pill’s recipe!” Xiao Qingfeng said darkly.
Although both the Rongling Pill and the Zengling Pill were used to enhance the speed of spiritual power absorption, the Rongling Pill’s efficacy was immeasurably better than the Zengling Pill’s!
Back then, the Huoyun Sect did have the Rongling Pill’s recipe, but it was stolen in a great fire, and since then Qingyun Prefecture had never had the Rongling Pill again.
“Seriously? Your Huoyun Sect is that useless? You don’t even have the Rongling Pill’s recipe?” Rong Zhuofan did not practice alchemy, so naturally he did not understand the value of a pill recipe.
Xiao Qingfeng could not be bothered with Rong Zhuofan. He could not interfere in matters on the competition field and could only watch Fang Cheng solve it himself.
Xiao Qingfeng could only pray that Chen Liu would make a mistake while refining.
But clearly, the two sect masters’ worries had not infected everyone.
Ning Shiyue smiled brightly and gave Feng Qingran a thumbs-up. “Little Junior Sister, it really has to be you—you even calculated that the opponent would switch to refining the Rongling Pill.”
“Fifth Senior Sister, I secretly asked around about Chen Liu. I heard he’s apparently already a fourth-grade alchemist, but in order to participate in the Douling Tournament, he deliberately hid the fact that he’s a fourth-grade alchemist. Also, Chen Liu’s master is best at refining the Rongling Pill…”
Following the principle of knowing yourself and knowing your enemy and you will never be defeated, Feng Qingran had, as soon as she arrived at Huoling Prefecture, asked the people of Qinghe Tower to investigate information on all the contestants.
Most people’s information could not be found at all.
But for someone as high-profile as Chen Liu, it was relatively easy to investigate.
“He’s a fourth-grade alchemist and still came to participate in a third-grade alchemist competition? How shameless. Little Junior Sister, does this count as cheating?” Ning Shiyue’s bright eyes curved into crescent moons as she considered the possibility of reporting Chen Liu.
“It doesn’t count. We have no evidence.” Feng Qingran’s beautiful eyes glanced around, brilliance flowing.
“Ah! It’s so good to have power and influence. Even this doesn’t count as cheating.” Ning Shiyue felt somewhat disappointed.
In that case, Fang Cheng could only pray for himself.
——————
On the competition field.
When Fang Cheng heard that Chen Liu had switched to refining the Rongling Pill, the hand he was using to prepare the spiritual plants paused slightly. If he continued refining the Zengling Pill, the outcome was obvious.
