Chapter 180: The Third Match Begins

"The time is about right, I shall excuse myself first," Fama said to the group as he watched the sun nearing its zenith.

The others had no objections and began to sit and wait for the competition to start.

Fama walked unhurriedly before the group of contestants and announced the competition rules in a loud voice.

Upon hearing this strange rule, all the contestants were stunned for a moment.

Good heavens! Providing one's own medicinal herbs to refine pills? This is quite a test of financial resources! If one does not carry medicinal herbs on their person, no matter how strong their alchemy skills are, even a clever housewife cannot cook a meal without rice!

Subsequently...

"Now, the competition begins!" Following Fama's announcement, many alchemists prepared to ignite their cauldrons and refine pills.

As the competition reached this stage, no one held anything back, and one by one, they brought out their trump cards.

A variety of high-grade pill cauldrons and colorful, extraordinary-looking flames provided a visual feast for the many spectators.

The most outstanding among them were naturally the few who had performed exceptionally well in the first two rounds. This included that Second Grade Alchemist from the Chu Yun Empire in everyone's eyes.

"It seems that in this final round, no one is hiding anything anymore!" Xiao Yan naturally understood the reason for the scene before him.

Soon, Xiao Yan cast his gaze toward two people in the arena. Although most people paid more attention to the noble-born Princess Yao Yue of Jia Ma and the Pill King's disciple Liu Ling, his targets were those two fellows who had been hiding their identities.

However, Xiao Yan did not need to actively observe; Yan Li and Xiao Wu Yue also brought out their true skills in public.

Yan Li first summoned a pitch-black flame, which was on par with, or even slightly superior to, that of Yao Yue and Liu Ling.

Meanwhile, Qiu Shan—the alias of Xiao Wu Yue—smiled disdainfully. He was quite clear about this clown from the Chu Yun Empire and looked down on him entirely; such strength could only be used to bully the young.

Subsequently, the entire audience watched in astonishment as the Third Grade Alchemist named "Qiu Shan" summoned a deep blue flame, and instantly, the momentum of all the other flames in the arena weakened significantly.

"What is going on? Where did this alchemist come from?" The crowd discovered in shock that this person seemed to have always kept a low profile, almost like a transparent figure.

"Damn it!" Yan Li cursed gloomily, "Where did this guy pop out from?"

"Teacher, what kind of flame is this?" Xiao Yan asked solemnly. Although the power of this deep blue flame was not as great as his Green Lotus Core Flame, it was certainly not weak.

"Haha~"

At this moment, the people watching from the second floor were astonished, looking at Xiao Zhan, who had remained calm throughout, and said, "The alchemist sent by the Clan Leader is truly extraordinary!"

"This is likely a flame from a Seventh Rank Magical Beast!" Fama, who was more sensitive to flames as an alchemist, speculated.

"President Fama has a sharp eye!" Xiao Zhan complimented.

"This is a flame from the Deep Sea Nether Python, a Seventh Rank Magical Beast. My Xiao Clan spent quite a bit of effort to kill this beast back then."

Regarding Xiao Zhan's explanation, everyone just listened and left it at that; a mere Seventh Rank Magical Beast, was that even a matter to people like them?

"Teacher, this guy is indeed not simple." After hearing Yao Lao's introduction, Xiao Yan also became cautious. Being able to produce a Seventh Rank beast fire was not something an ordinary person could do!

"Hmm." Yao Lao first responded, then comforted him: "Rest assured, his beast fire is still no match for your Green Lotus Core Flame."

Subsequently, Xiao Yan also summoned that pale cyan flame, and for a moment, all the other flames lowered their heads in the direction of Xiao Yan.

When the Exotic Fire emerges, ten thousand fires bow!

"Good fellow, he is worthy of being the Clan Leader's son; he can even subdue an Exotic Fire," Xiao Wu Yue praised in his heart.

Although he was very unhappy that his spotlight had been stolen so suddenly, he knew there was no help for it; the suppressive power of an Exotic Fire over other flames was incomparable.

Otherwise, there would not be so many alchemists obsessed with Exotic Fires for their entire lives.

Yet, he did not lose confidence; Xiao Wu Yue was full of confidence in his own alchemy.

Sensing the intense gaze coming from "Qiu Shan," Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. Had this guy set his sights on him?

"Haha!" Yao Lao laughed, "Little Yan, it seems you have been noted by that one!" Yao Lao did not have any particular thoughts about it.

There was no malice in Xiao Wu Yue's eyes, only the pure competitive spirit of encountering an opponent; Yao Lao quite welcomed this.

Alchemy only progresses through constant sparring. He had originally thought this would be a one-sided slaughter by Xiao Yan, but who would have thought there would be such a big surprise!

"Enough, time to prepare for pill refinement!" Xiao Yan shook his head, took out his medicinal herbs, and began to prepare. This time, he intended to refine a Fourth Grade Peak Pill—the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill.

This was a prescription given to him by Yao Lao, and he had succeeded a few times. Moreover, because he possessed multiple powerful flames simultaneously, the quality of the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill he refined was extremely high.

After an incense stick of time, Xiao Yan checked the medicinal herbs to ensure everything was correct and prepared to refine the pill.

Suddenly, Yao Lao spoke up to stop him, "Little Yan, wait, the pill that person is refining is not Fourth Grade."

"What?" Xiao Yan said in surprise, "Not Fourth Grade?"

"Purple Jade Flower, Sky Rainbow Grass, Demon Spirit Fruit..." Yao Lao looked at the terrifying quantity of medicinal herbs "Qiu Shan" had taken out, his heart sank, and he said sternly:

"Fifth Grade Medicinal Pill, Hongyuan Pill!"

On the viewing platform, Fama also recognized the pill Xiao Wu Yue was preparing to refine; after all, the prescription for the Hongyuan Pill was relatively common, so it was not hard to identify.

"It really is a Fifth Grade entry-level medicinal pill!" Fama said with deep emotion.

"It seems I am truly past my prime, about to be surpassed by a junior."

"A Fifth Grade medicinal pill?" The others were also watching Xiao Wu Yue's area intently; opportunities to observe the refinement of a Fifth Grade medicinal pill were rare.

However, Xiao Yan had no time to worry about this now; he only knew that if he could not refine a Fifth Grade medicinal pill, the championship of the Alchemist Grand Meeting would be lost.

He did not harbor any illusions that the other party could not refine a Fifth Grade medicinal pill; in an occasion like this, if one did not have some certainty, bringing it out would only make one a laughingstock!

As his thoughts raced, Xiao Yan's expression hardened. With a wave of his sleeves, he put away the medicinal herbs in front of him.

This unusual action caught the attention of others. Many had already prepared to start; was this Yan Xiao going to give up?

"Oh?" The group on the second floor quickly realized what was happening and were extremely astonished, "Is this little fellow actually going to refine a Fifth Grade medicinal pill as well?"

A kid under twenty years old with a cultivation level of only a Great Dou Shi was actually going to cross two major realms to refine a pill. Regardless of the success rate, this courage won the favor of everyone.

Xiao Zhan revealed an "as expected" expression; this kid definitely still had a backup plan.

On the plaza, Xiao Yan once again took out a large pile of medicinal herbs; at the very least, the quantity was not in the slightest inferior to Xiao Wu Yue's.

The latter, who had been keeping an eye on Xiao Yan, felt a surge of joy in his heart and curled his lips into a smile, "Finally, it's not so boring anymore!"