Chapter 159: Duel

The Elders of the Alchemist Guild were all dumbfounded.

The original purpose of the second round's test was to examine whether an Alchemist had the boldness and courage to question the Pill Formula — you just blurted out the answer directly, so what's even the point of testing anymore!

Questioning a Pill Formula does indeed require a measure of courage and boldness. Some traditional Alchemists believe far too much in the orthodoxy of Pill Formulas, so no matter how many times they fail, they find it hard to attribute the cause of the problem to the Pill Formula itself, unable to push the old aside and bring forth the new.

They will only think that they must have made a mistake somewhere in the heat or in the refinement of ingredients — and a person with this kind of mindset is undoubtedly doomed to utter defeat.

And Xiao Yan indeed is not lacking in courage and boldness, but before possessing courage and boldness, Xiao Yan possesses absolute strength!

In the face of absolute strength, everything else can step aside.

Now, hearing Xiao Yan say this, even if the other Alchemists are unwilling to accept Xiao Yan's cheating information, they've already heard it — so what can they do about it?

Liu Ling and the little princess looked at each other, and finally both helplessly shook their heads. Although they might have eventually discovered the problem on their own, for now they could only listen to what Xiao Yan said.

The answer is already known — what else can they do?

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the surrounding Alchemists were stunned. After a long moment, expressions of wild joy gradually appeared on every Alchemist's face. They cast grateful glances toward Xiao Yan, then hurriedly seized the time to begin their refinement.

Watching those contestants who had begun refining with great gusto, Xiao Yan calmly placed the Windwalking Pill on the testing platform for inspection — unquestionably still a perfect pass.

Afterward, Xiao Yan sat in his chair and waited for the sand in the hourglass to run out.

Not long after, a streak of green light shot skyward. Xiao Yan didn't even need to look — it was obviously that mysterious black-robed person. Moreover, judging by the speed, that person had already begun the second refinement before Xiao Yan had even formed his pill, and had known the Thick Earth Mushroom was problematic without hearing Xiao Yan's answer.

Although the other party refined twice, in truth Xiao Yan had also refined twice before completing it. His first attempt at forming a pill also failed — it was just swallowed by Mao Wu, so no furnace explosion occurred.

Half an hour later, the green lights before the little princess and Liu Ling also lit up. The two put their Elixirs into Jade Bottles, exchanged a glance, and both let out a sigh of relief.

The way they looked at Xiao Yan again had completely changed — there was no longer any Battle Intention or hostility in their eyes.

Liu Ling raised his head and glanced at Nalan Yanran's seat in the VIP stands. At this moment, Nalan Yanran's gaze was also fixed on Xiao Yan, not on him.

It was obvious he had lost utterly. Even though the Alchemist Convention had not yet ended, for him it was already over.

After the first and second rounds, some sharp-eyed Alchemists had already discovered that this monster Xiao Yan was a Fourth-Rank Alchemist!

An eighteen-year-old Fourth-Rank Alchemist — this talent completely shattered Liu Ling's pride.

And Xiao Yan hadn't even used a Heavenly Flame!

After the two of them, green lights began to flicker one after another, but the majority were still red glows.

Even though Xiao Yan told everyone the answer, those capable of refining a Third-Rank Pill from a single set of Medicinal Materials were still a minority.

When the hourglass hanging on the wall had completely run out, on the spacious Guang Chang, only a little over thirty people remained. The rest had been completely eliminated in these two rounds.

Over a thousand reduced to just thirty!

But these thirty also represented the most talented generation of Alchemists under thirty in the Jia Ma Empire.

Of course, the vast majority were close to thirty. Someone like Xiao Yan who hadn't even reached twenty — there was only the little princess and that mysterious black-robed person.

"Everyone, today's convention ends here for now. Please, all contestants, rest well tonight. Tomorrow will be the final round of our convention — the crucial match that decides the Champion. So please, everyone, make sure nothing causes you to fail to attend, otherwise it would be a lifelong regret." Fa Ma announced with a loud laugh.

Hearing Fa Ma announce the end of today's examination, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed. He glanced at the Sky — with the current daylight, they could absolutely finish today.

Glancing at the mysterious person's position, Xiao Yan said meaningfully, "So that's how it is — it's that guy."

Xiao Yan didn't mind either. One night of rest is one night of rest — the Champion is still his anyway.

Slowly walking toward the corridor, the frantically screaming girls in the audience kept throwing things at Xiao Yan — mostly love letters filled with sweet words or fresh flowers. The most outrageous was someone who even took off her undergarment and threw it at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan was so startled he quickly ran into the corridor. Women are truly terrifying when they go crazy.

Just as he stepped into the rest room, he saw a large group of people waiting for Xiao Yan — especially three beauties of different temperaments, a beautiful sight that even Xiao Yan couldn't help but look at a few extra times.

"Congratulations, little brother Xiao Yan." Ya Fei offered her light, smiling congratulations.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly and said, "Just luck."

Princess Yao Ye shook her head and said, "If luck alone could grant such strength, I think many people wouldn't need to diligently practice Pill Alchemy every day."

Xiao Yan merely smiled calmly and did not deny it. Glancing around, he noticed Hai Bodong was not present and asked, "Where's Hai Lao?"

Ya Fei said, "Hai Lao left with Elder Jia and Chairman Fa Ma earlier to handle some matters."

Hearing Ya Fei's words, Xiao Yan understood — they had gone to deal with the matter of that mysterious black-robed person.

"Mister Xiao Yan, the Imperial Family will host a banquet later for the Alchemists who have entered the third round. Would you do us the honor of attending?" Princess Yao Ye asked with a slight smile.

Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Princess Yao Ye, but I'm truly too tired today, and there's still the final examination tomorrow, so I'm afraid I won't have time to attend the banquet. I appreciate the princess's kind intentions."

Yao Ye nodded slightly. She knew it wouldn't be that easy to invite Xiao Yan. Tonight's banquet was actually an olive branch extended by the Imperial Family — any Alchemist who made it to the final round was undoubtedly a once-in-a-ten-thousand genius.

Xiao Yan naturally understood this as well, but he had no desire to join the Imperial Family, so he refused directly.

"Let me walk you back." Nalan Yanran suddenly spoke up.

Ya Fei, who knew of the matter between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran, had an extraordinarily expressive look on her face.

Xiao Yan was taken aback, not expecting Nalan Yanran to say such a thing. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. After all, Xiao Yan still had to return to Nalan Mansion to rest and prepare for tomorrow's final round.

In the carriage, the atmosphere was terrifyingly quiet. Apart from the sound of Zhaoguanjia driving up front, the entire carriage was utterly silent.

Even Xiao Yan — who had braved the Soul Path, seized a Heavenly Flame, and battled a Dou Huang — felt a little at a loss.

It was also Xiao Yan's first time being in the same enclosed space with Nalan Yanran, facing her so directly.

It was Nalan Yanran who first broke the awkward atmosphere.

"Would you like to join Yun Lan Sect? You would receive the same special treatment and preferential resources as Elder Gu He." Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan and said softly.

Without any surprise, Xiao Yan shook his head and refused: "I'm sorry, I have no intention of joining Yun Lan Sect."

Nalan Yanran wasn't surprised either — she was only asking.

"Also, could our duel be postponed by a month or two? I'm entering a Cultivation site within the Sect in a few days."

Counting from the day Nalan Yanran originally came to break off the engagement, the three-year period falls right around these few days — just a few days after the convention ends.

(End of this chapter)