Chapter 97: It's My Home Turf Now!

"Cough, cough!"

At this moment, Xu Nian coughed a few times, then spoke: "The refining time is four hours; you may all begin refining now."

"Time waits for no one."

As his words fell, Duan Ran hurriedly took up the pill formula, her divine sense scanning it, committing the refining method to memory, then began simulating the refining scene in her mind.

Mi Lifu, on the other hand, slapped his palm on the alchemy furnace, let out a sharp shout, and struck several talismans into it, clearly intending to bring out his trump card.

This alchemy round was very difficult; they all had to go all out.

Meanwhile, Yu Changsheng frowned slightly, picking up the main ingredient of the Body Tempering Pill, the Blood-Weeping Fruit.

"A Second Rank Middle Grade spirit fruit; with my alchemy level, fusing it into spiritual liquid is not hard, the key still lies in time and pill formation."

It is well known that the Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique's refining speed is the slowest among Yu Ding Peak's many alchemy techniques; to produce a finished pill within four hours one must increase speed, but doing so would lose the Three-Fire Refinement's special trait — high pill formation rate!

Moreover, the Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique is not something you can just speed up whenever you want! "Troublesome, ah; let's start with the auxiliary ingredients first."

After reading the pill formula, Yu Changsheng immediately felt the difficulty.

He placed the auxiliary ingredients into the alchemy furnace one by one, and for these auxiliary ingredients he did not use the Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique to refine them, because time could not be wasted! "Just use different alchemy techniques to refine the auxiliary ingredients into pill liquid first, then finally use the Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique to decoct the Blood-Weeping Fruit; only then is there a chance to form pills within four hours!"

"There is no chance for failure."

Although Xu Nian gave each person two sets of materials, few of the alchemists present could refine twice within four hours, so this also demanded precise timing of failure; if the first failure came too late, the chance to refine a second furnace would be lost! "This round is my home turf, hehehe."

Hu Liang scanned the other three, the corner of his mouth cracking into a smile, feeling pleased with himself.

He had not refined many Body Tempering Pills, but in terms of experience he was still richer than the few present; at least he had successfully formed pills several times, the refining process was already clear, no need to attempt blindly.

"Watch how I defeat you all."

Hu Liang ignited the fire, threw the main ingredient into the furnace, formed a hand seal and pointed a finger; the flames in the furnace wrapped around the Blood-Weeping Fruit! Ensuring the fruit's outer skin remained intact, then using divine sense to guide the flames into threads, continuously melting the fruit flesh and pit inside, locking the essence tightly within the outer skin, waiting until the other auxiliary ingredients were refined, then piercing the outer skin to fuse the pill liquids! This is the Body Tempering Pill's refining process.

Xu Nian stood in mid-air, watching the four alchemists' performance; when his gaze swept to Hu Liang, he nodded proudly.

Worthy of being his disciple; in just a few minutes he entered the state; as long as he steadies this process, pill formation is not difficult.

As for Duan Ran and Mi Lifu, they will likely find this stage harder to cross.

"That kid called Yu Changsheng also has a couple of tricks; he knows how to exploit his own advantages."

"Just don't know how much of that old fellow's Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique he has learned."

Xu Nian looked at Yu Changsheng, smiled faintly; to refine a Body Tempering Pill within four hours greatly tests fire control skill.

And the other party is merely a Qi Refining cultivator; his magic power is inferior to Hu Liang's, his divine sense also inferior to Hu Liang's; in this match he cannot imagine how his disciple could lose.

"If by fluke he passes, then the fifth round will follow — same-realm pill comparison; that is very unfavorable to my disciple; best if he falls here."

Xu Nian thought secretly, but would not make any moves; as an alchemist he also has pride, and disdains using other means to deal with a mere Qi Refining cultivator.

"So hard to control, but fortunately my divine sense is strong enough; refining a Second Rank pill can be handled completely; otherwise even the main ingredient would be hard to process."

Yu Changsheng exhaled a breath, having already sent the Blood-Weeping Fruit into the furnace to refine.

The refining process was much like Hu Liang's, but his flame was obviously weaker than Hu Liang's Virtual Fire Alchemy Technique.

Here he adopted Still Fire Pill Refining, using divine sense to send the still fire directly into the Blood-Weeping Fruit's interior, treating the spirit fruit as a small furnace, then pouring the various auxiliary ingredient liquids into it, finally condensing the spirit fruit into a pill. This refining is more difficult than Hu Liang's, yet suits Yu Changsheng better.

"Now it's just a matter of whether time permits."

Yu Changsheng sat cross-legged before the furnace, calmed his mind, formed hand seals, controlled the fire.

Outside, the watching disciples were already arguing heatedly; the betting market was stuffed full of spirit stones.

"This round is completely tailor-made for Hu Liang; Hu Liang is sure to win, I'm telling you, everyone follow my bet, absolutely guaranteed profit!"

"Everyone trust me; that Beast Taming Peak alchemist has some skill; he'll definitely hold steady; bet once, win for life!"

"I think Hu Liang's win probability is higher; he should be the first to form pills; as for the second to form pills, I'm even more optimistic about Mi Lifu; Spell Technique Peak's talisman assistance in alchemy yields twice the result with half the effort, not comparable to other alchemists!"

"That Yu Changsheng uses the Three-Fire Refinement alchemy technique; whether he has time to form pills is uncertain; you actually bet on him, crazy for money."

"This round Hu Liang will definitely overtake and become first!"

"Hurry up and bet, betting closes after one stick of incense!"

Hearing the Inner Sect disciple calling the market open, the disciples present placed bets on Hu Liang, but some also bet on Duan Ran and Mi Lifu.

As for Yu Changsheng, those who believed in him were few; even though his previous rounds had already exceeded everyone's expectations!

Time passed bit by bit.

Xu Nian stood in mid-air, watching Hu Liang's movements, murmuring: "A bit impatient, but forming two or three pills should still be fine."

This pill comparison round has no requirement on pill count; as long as pills form it counts as success.

His eyes were sharp; from mid-air he could clearly discern the degree of Hu Liang's fire control.

"Duan Ran will likely fail." Xu Nian's gaze fell on Duan Ran, passing a death sentence.

As for Mi Lifu's side, because he did not understand Spell Technique Peak's talismans, yet from the joy on the other's face he could tell pill formation should be no problem.

The remaining one, Yu Changsheng.

Xu Nian stroked his beard, couldn't understand, truly couldn't understand.

Because Yu Changsheng just sat there quietly, not even forming hand seals to cast spells to control the furnace, just slowly decocting the pill with the Three-Fire Refinement; the situation inside the furnace he could not easily discern, nor could he use divine sense to scan, otherwise it would disrupt the alchemy, and Gongsun Yang would be the first to not let him off.

"Time is almost up; pill formation is likely impossible." Xu Nian shook his head.

"Formed!" Hu Liang laughed loudly; as many predicted, he was the first to form pills, lifting the furnace lid to reveal two round Body Tempering Pills inside!

Although the pill quality was not great, they were genuinely refined!

"Not bad, two Body Tempering Pills, medicinal effect meets the standard; I'll score you thirty points!" Xu Nian smiled: "After you go back, refine more."

And just as his words were not yet finished, Yu Changsheng extinguished the flame, clasped his hands together and rotated the furnace.

"Pill formed!"

(Chapter End)