Chapter 323: A Contest of Foundations, A Pure Clash!

Longevity Starts from Being an Alchemy Grandmaster, Main Text Volume, Chapter 328: A Contest of Foundations, A Pure Clash! In the huge alchemy hall.

Two second-tier alchemists were concentrating on refining the Colorful Chrysanthemum Pill.

One had a solemn expression but was not lacking in composure.

The other was focused, but from the trembling of his brow, one could see his inner tension.

The onlookers all around were "quiet," not daring to disturb them.

Saying they were quiet.

In reality, many people were secretly communicating via spiritual sense.

With Luo Chen's powerful soul, even without deliberately eavesdropping, the conversations of some early and mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were clearly audible.

"Tsk tsk, Yisheng led the mission to guard the Yuanzhao Kingdom for ten years; I didn't expect his alchemy skills to not have fallen behind at all!"

"Not just not fallen behind, look at his application of the Heart-Mind Hand, unhurried and skillful."

"You don't say, it really is. If it were me processing this Cliff-Leaving Chrysanthemum, I'm afraid I couldn't reach this level."

"Looking at Tao Yichen instead?"

"No, the craftsmanship is too heavy!"

"Every step is by the book, afraid of ruining the herbs, but he missed the best timing for the medicinal power to fuse."

"In my opinion, Tao Yichen's alchemy skills have already fallen a level compared to Yisheng!"

"The key point is coming, let's see how he processes the Five-Colored Chrysanthemum!"

……

The alchemy competition was still proceeding tensely.

Luo Chen only watched for a while before his brow furrowed inadvertently.

"This Tao Yichen, is he worthy of being called a second-tier alchemist?"

He was greatly surprised!

The other party's level was excessively poor.

Could it be that the other party really had a significant decline in alchemy level because of indulging in trivial matters?

But that's not right!

Back then, when Tao Yisheng discussed with him, he also spoke quite well.

But when actually operating, he made mistakes everywhere.

From this, it can be seen that the Green Pill Valley's review of second-tier alchemists seems very loose?

Sweeping his gaze toward the other excited Foundation Establishment True Persons, Luo Chen suddenly had thoughts.

"Perhaps it's not that they are too bad, but that I am too strong?"

That's it!

In the eyes of the world.

Those alchemists who occasionally refine one or two second-tier pills can be called second-tier alchemists.

Like Qing Yuanzi, relying on the Pill Nourishing Technique, taking a shortcut to luckily nurture a third-tier pill, didn't he also boast about being a third-tier alchemist?

Compared to these so-called "second-tier alchemists."

Luo Chen's alchemy skills were honed through the hard work of refining thousands of pills.

Even for second-tier pills!

He had also refined at least two or three thousand of them!

Most of which were high-grade and top-grade pills with the highest refining difficulty.

In comparison, others naturally don't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as him.

"Of course, there are people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. Like these two alchemists of the Tao family, they don't even rank in the entire Green Pill Valley, and haven't even obtained an imperial Dao title."

"It is conceivable that the Seven Sons of the Green Pill must be people with true talent and learning."

"I must not underestimate the heroes of the world!"

After sighing in his heart, he subconsciously shook his head.

Now, his "Bright Spirit Breaking Evil" was at Great Perfection, and he could already achieve one mind with three uses.

He had had many reveries before.

But he always kept a portion of his attention on the two people in the field.

Therefore, he understood the refining progress of the Colorful Chrysanthemum Pill quite thoroughly.

Tao Wan beside him saw this.

Curiously asked via spiritual sense transmission: "What's wrong? Is something amiss?"

Luo Chen said indifferently: "It's going to fail."

"Who?"

"Both failed!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Tao Wan couldn't help but show a look of suspicion.

She herself was not a brilliant alchemist.

But having grown up in a great alchemy sect, she still had some eye for judging pill refining.

"Tao Yichen might fail, but my younger brother's every step can be called perfect; it's clearly a sign of imminent success!"

It wasn't just her.

The other Foundation Establishment True Persons in the field, as long as they had some discernment, had already discovered the huge gap in alchemy levels between Tao Yisheng and Tao Yichen.

Especially on Tao Daonan's side.

Many people now showed panicked expressions.

Even more spiritual sense transmissions gathered silently toward Tao Daonan.

However, Tao Daonan, although his expression was ugly, still maintained composure and did not speak to interfere.

Alchemy was still continuing.

A moment later.

A crisp, audible explosion sounded in the copper cauldron.

All eyes gathered, and what they saw was Tao Yichen's pale, bloodless face.

"I, failed."

A mutter, his body seemed to be trembling.

"Sigh..."

A sigh came from Tao Daonan's mouth.

He did not blame the other party.

Originally, Tao Yichen had some alchemy talent, not only passing the Green Pill Valley's theoretical assessment but also luckily refining a second-tier pill.

But later, he disliked alchemy work for being too repetitive, too numb, and delaying cultivation, so he gave up continuing to refine it.

Instead, he put his energy into handling the Tao family's internal affairs.

If he had been ruthless back then and forced him to continue his alchemy studies.

How could there be such embarrassment today?

Shaking his head, his gaze fell on Tao Yisheng.

"Could it be, he can really succeed in one go?"

Everyone's gaze, including the failed Tao Yichen, was focused on Tao Yisheng.

If it were before, under the spotlight, he might have panicked.

Perhaps his alchemy movements would have deformed.

But in that year at the Luo Tian Society's Alchemy Hall, Qu Lingjun, Mi Li, and others would follow him from time to time when he was refining ordinary pills.

He had already become accustomed to being watched.

Even, if he were refining simple first-tier pills, he could still be distracted and offer a few words of guidance.

At this moment, under the gaze of the crowd.

He remained unhurried, maintaining the final finishing work of the Colorful Chrysanthemum Pill.

Seeing this, Tao Wan couldn't help but feel a bit of relief in her heart.

Her own impulsive younger brother seemed to have truly grown a lot over the past ten years.

He already had a bit of the demeanor of a great general who remains calm when Mount Tai collapses before him and does not blink when a deer jumps on his left!

"Should be successful, right?"

She muttered in her heart.

……

Under everyone's anticipation, Tao Yisheng cast the final spiritual spell.

The earth fire receded, and the copper cauldron trembled slightly.

A medicinal fragrance like chrysanthemum and orchid rushed toward them.

"Success?"

"No!"

"There is a trace of burnt smell!"

"This is..."

Tao Yisheng, who was originally happy, saw his face change visibly when he took out the three pills that were only cyan and yellow.

Just at this moment.

Tao Daonan's voice sounded at the right time.

"The color is cyan and yellow, not reaching three colors; this pill is not a finished product, a waste pill!"

Almost at the same time.

Tao Wan's beautiful eyes stared at Luo Chen.

The other party shrugged and spread his hands.

Indicating that although he guessed right, it had nothing to do with him.

Tao Wan nodded and withdrew her gaze.

Just as the other party had predicted, it really failed.

But, failure also has grades!

She looked at Tao Daonan burning with intensity.

"Tao Yichen's alchemy collapsed halfway, not even completing the final pill formation step."

"Although Yisheng also failed, he refined a two-colored Colorful Chrysanthemum Pill, which shows his alchemy skills are far higher than his."

"The difference is already clear; Patriarch, you should have made a decision about the position of Patriarch!"

Most people present.

Even including many Foundation Establishment True Persons standing on Tao Daonan's side, nodded subconsciously.

Indeed, the difference in alchemy skills between the two sides was already clear!

Then this position of Patriarch...

Unexpectedly!

"Hahaha!"

An aged laugh sounded amidst everyone's astonishment.

Tao Daonan pointed at the waste pill in Tao Yisheng's hand and said: "He who travels a hundred miles is halfway there at ninety! If you haven't reached the finish line, what's the difference from just starting?"

"That's not how you say it." Tao Wan's eyes narrowed slightly.

Tao Daonan shook his head, "Then how should it be said? You take these three waste pills and Yichen's pile of unformed waste and go sell them to others. Just because you are closer to success, can you sell them for more spirit stones?"

"No, they are equally worthless!"

"A waste pill is a waste pill!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.

But while shocked, they felt there was nothing wrong with it.

Others won't buy your waste pill with their hard-earned spirit stones just because your alchemy skills are higher.

Therefore, according to the results, Tao Yisheng and Tao Yichen were both failures.

How could there be any difference in level!

Many people agreed with this philosophy.

Among them, even Luo Chen was included.

When he refined Jade Marrow Pills back then, he failed countless times, and the accumulated Jade Marrow waste beads alone numbered in the thousands.

Yet no one spent a high price to buy those defective products.

On the stage, Tao Yisheng's face also became somewhat pale.

He couldn't accept this result, and Tao Wan couldn't accept it either.

"In my opinion!"

Tao Daonan's words continued.

"Yisheng is still too young, and this position of Patriarch must be left to the experienced and steady Yichen."

Tao Yichen was his own grandson!

Letting him be the Patriarch was no different from Tao Daonan himself holding the family power.

Tao Wan let out a cold snort, glanced at Tao Yisheng, and said slowly: "Since you say not succeeding is failure, then why not continue refining? We must have a result today."

"I don't think there's any need for that!" Tao Daonan frowned.

"No, it's very necessary!" Tao Wan looked around at the crowd and said sternly: "Do you want to hear outside in the future that our Tao family's Patriarch was chosen from two failures?"

Chosen from two failures?

Wouldn't that still be a failure!

Under Tao Wan's stern gaze, everyone was unable to refute for a while.

Or rather, the Foundation Establishment True Persons on Tao Wan's side didn't want to refute at all.

They shouted in unison, supporting the continuation of the alchemy competition.

Even on Tao Daonan's side, they couldn't find a reason to oppose it.

Patriarch and Clan Leader are different.

The latter is responsible for sacrifices, bloodline inheritance, etiquette, and hierarchy, and is often held by elders with high prestige and advanced age in the family.

But the former is responsible for all the big and small internal and external affairs.

What is needed is youth and promise, and what is needed is powerful strength.

It represents the face of a family!

It can even be said that when outsiders see you, they know that behind you is a great family of prosperity and decline!

This identity cannot be stained with the label of "failure" from the beginning.

Seeing that no one had any intention to oppose.

Tao Wan turned her head suddenly, "You've rested enough, right!"

"Continue refining!"

"If you can't refine the Colorful Chrysanthemum Pill, you are not allowed to stop."

"Whoever refines it, that person will be the new Patriarch of our Little South Mountain Tao family!"

No more words.

Tao Yisheng naturally directed the medicine apprentices to help him prepare new raw materials, asked the fire workers to clear the earth fire channels, and asked the pill cleaners to clean the copper cauldron stained by the previous alchemy.

His skillful appearance was as if he had experienced this situation many times.

These were all things he had been tempered to do as a laborer at the Luo Tian Society for a year under Luo Chen's orders.

On the other side, Tao Yichen also barely gathered his spirits and did similar work.

Before long.

The earth fire burned again!

Alchemy started again!

Only then did the atmosphere, which had become tense due to the tit-for-tat, gradually become relaxed.

Tao Wan glanced at Luo Chen several times without being noticed.

In her heart, she felt quite emotional.

This struggle for Patriarch today was a thought that suddenly popped up after she saw Tao Yisheng's recent changes and learned that his alchemy skills had greatly improved.

But in this.

It also contained another idea of hers.

That was to simply test Luo Chen's capabilities!

Regarding Luo Chen's alchemy attainments, she had only heard her younger brother boast about it and heard Tantai Jin praise it slightly a few times.

Although later, she collected information about the other party and learned that Luo Chen also had the title of Danchenzi.

But in her heart, there were always some doubts.

Her struggle for that Dao Seed position was already an incomparably difficult thing.

She must not fail in the second round!

If Luo Chen's name didn't match his reality, she wouldn't mind changing generals before the battle and replacing him with a second-tier alchemist who was relatively weaker than Huang Hezi.

However.

In this internal Tao family alchemy competition, Luo Chen had already shown an eye comparable to an alchemy master!

When everyone thought Tao Yisheng would succeed.

He had predicted the future of the other party's failure in advance!

"Even our eyes, which come from a great alchemy sect and have been immersed in it since childhood, could not judge it."

"Yet he stated it in one word."

"Under the excellent eye is the incomparably confident alchemy attainment!"

"In this way, regardless of whether Yisheng succeeds or not, my goal has already been achieved!"

These thoughts flashed through her mind.

The expression on the woman's face also became more and more composed.

This scene fell into the eyes of Tao Daonan opposite, making his mood become impatient unknowingly.

"If this continues, Yichen will lose sooner or later!"

……

The Tao family's internal alchemy competition was still continuing.

After the first failure, the second failure arrived quickly.

After a simple rest, under Tao Wan's insistence, it continued.

One day!

Two days!

Even though sufficient time was given for rest in between, for these pampered family cultivators.

Such long-term alchemy refining still made them somewhat unaccustomed.

Like Tao Yichen, looking at another failure, his eyes were dull, looking like his heart was dead.

Only Tao Yisheng, even though his face became pale due to squandering spiritual power and excessive use of spiritual sense.

But his eyes were bright and shining, becoming brighter and brighter.

Tao Wan, who had been paying attention to the progress, suddenly moved her ears.

She subconsciously looked at Luo Chen.

Only to see the other party nod slightly to her imperceptibly.

In an instant, her eyes lit up.

This time, if there were no accidents, Tao Yisheng would succeed!

It seemed that because of the successive failures, the constantly deadlocked atmosphere made Tao Daonan unable to endure it any longer.

Such a deadlock was clearly a challenge to his authority.

"Enough!"

"There is no need for this farce to continue!"

Tao Wan looked at him coldly, "Victory or defeat has not been decided, why can't it continue? And, farce? Does the Patriarch think that our Tao family choosing a Patriarch is a farce?"

Tao Daonan's expression was gloomy, "Tao Wan, you don't have to use words to provoke me. You did this just to consolidate family power to compete for that Dao Seed position, right?"

"So what if I did!"

Tao Wan raised an eyebrow, not giving an inch.

Tao Daonan's expression stagnated.

He didn't expect the other party to admit it so openly.

For a moment, he really didn't know how to handle the other party.

Suddenly!

His gaze turned to Tao Yisheng, who was refining pills.

"I am the Patriarch, and I have the power to appoint the Patriarch. This farce should end!"

While speaking, a majestic spiritual energy fluctuation instantly vented out.

At the same time.

A powerful spiritual energy fluctuation also erupted from Tao Wan's body.

The two clashed instantly, and for a moment, they were deadlocked!

This was the purest contest of foundations, containing no combat methods or exquisite spells.

What was being compared was who had a higher realm and whose spiritual power was more pure and vast.

After about three breaths.

Bang!

Tao Daonan's face turned pale, his beard and Dao robe seemed to have been swept by a gale, all flying backward.

Tao Wan stepped forward, and a powerful and confident aura erupted.

"You are old!"

"It was long past time to abdicate and let the worthy take over!"

"Under your leadership, the Tao family is bound to decline!"

"Now, the Tao family should be led by us siblings to reach the peak!"

Every word and sentence was like a thunderbolt, continuously bombarding the old man's heart and mind.

Boom!

Tao Daonan's spiritual energy fluctuation instantly collapsed, unable to form any resistance.

He himself staggered back several steps in embarrassment.

Almost at the same time.

A refreshing chrysanthemum fragrance spread from the alchemy hall.

In Tao Yichen's desperate gaze, Tao Yisheng leaped up and reached out to beckon the copper cauldron.

Three pills fell into his hand.

Cyan, yellow, and white, reflecting each other, ranked as second-tier low-grade!

"Sister, I succeeded! I finally succeeded! Hahaha..."

Holding those three pills, Tao Yichen's pale face was filled with excitement.

Tao Wan subconsciously glanced at Luo Chen, who had retreated behind the crowd, and then announced loudly:

"Congratulations!"

"Everyone, why don't you hurry up and meet the Patriarch of the Tao family!"

The Foundation Establishment True Persons of her lineage immediately shouted "Meet the Patriarch"!

While the other Foundation Establishment True Persons looked at each other in dismay.

But after being swept by Tao Wan's sharp eyes, they still reluctantly shouted that sentence.

"Meet the Patriarch!"

Tao Wan showed a brilliant smile, looking at Tao Daonan again at this moment.

"Patriarch, our Tao family has a new Patriarch, shouldn't we hold a family meeting to announce this!"

Tao Daonan's beard was messy, and his face was as gloomy as water.

He looked at the two siblings with hatred.

"Hold it tomorrow!"

After speaking, he flicked his sleeves and left.

He lost this struggle for Patriarch.

It was a loss to Tao Yisheng, and also a loss to the powerful Tao Wan.

He never expected that Tao Wan would be so powerful now, clashing with him head-on in foundation, without falling behind at all, and even forcefully suppressing him.

Under the eyes of everyone.

Everyone knew that Tao Daonan had lost very thoroughly.

From now on, he had no prestige left.

Walking out of the alchemy room.

The dazzling sunlight shone on his face, and he actually felt dazed for a moment.

After opening his eyes, Tao Daonan felt somewhat lost.

"Am I really old?" ===== CHAPTER 324 =====