Chapter 135

(Second update!!! Please subscribe automatically!!!)

The many experts of the Heavenly Venerable Imperial Court naturally knew of Xu Chen's alchemy skills.

They only knew that Xu Chen seemed to be merely a Seventh-Rank Alchemist.

Could it be that Xu Chen had already advanced to the Ninth Rank in such a short time?

The heroines were stunned; it seemed unlikely for an ordinary alchemist.

But Xu Chen, a genius alchemist capable of refining over a hundred Seventh-Rank spiritual medicines simultaneously.

Perhaps, it was truly possible.

Di Zhentian, having consumed a healing elixir, spoke with a gloomy face: "You, Xu Chen, are you worthy to compete with our Empire's Ninth-Rank Alchemist?" Xu Chen replied: "Is your skin itching again?"

Di Zhentian sneered: "You are in the martial arena now; do you think you can still injure me?" In an instant, Di Zhentian returned to his arrogant and wild demeanor, his gaze showing no regard for Xu Chen whatsoever.

Xu Chen's eyes shifted slightly, and the Death Mark was instantly triggered within him.

As the mark activated, flesh and blood within Di Zhentian's body instantly crumbled. "Pah!"

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from Di Zhentian's mouth once more.

His face turned even paler, and his aura grew even more feeble.

He clutched his chest, breathing frantically, feeling waves of excruciating pain in his chest while cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

Xu Chen's expression remained calm; his guess had been correct, for this Di Zhentian was a rat in a filthy gutter.

Without applying some means, this rat would not be afraid.

At this moment, the people of the Undying Empire did not suspect Xu Chen of using secret tricks.

After all, Di Zhentian had just been crushed by Xu Chen; vomiting blood now was only natural. Xu Chen said indifferently: "You trash, you are quite tough." Di Zhentian's face darkened: "Where is my elder brother?"

Upon hearing this, Di Tiandan instantly appeared, clasping his hands and saying: "Your Highness, I am here."

Di Zhentian took a deep breath and said: "You must win this alchemy competition."

Di Tiandan smiled: "Your Highness, rest assured. I, a proper Ninth-Rank Alchemist, have never lost a match." Having spoken, he released an aura of early Eighth-Rank and instantly darted onto the martial arena.

At this moment, the medicinal herbs for alchemy had already been prepared for him and Xu Chen in the arena. The referee said: "Alchemist Di, please inspect the herbs to ensure there are no errors or omissions."

After glancing over them, Di Tiandan said indifferently: "It will do, no problems. However, I will use my own cauldron."

The referee said: "Very well."

Since neither side had restricted the type of cauldron beforehand, the referee could not say anything now.

Upon hearing this, Di Tian Dan let out a cold sneer.

Then, with an air of arrogance, he took a golden cauldron from his storage ring.

As soon as this cauldron appeared, a terrifying aura quietly flowed from it, permeating the surroundings.

Faintly, golden light rippled across the cauldron, making it look extraordinarily sacred.

Soon, someone recognized the name of this cauldron: the Golden Glazed Furnace!

This cauldron ranked seventy-sixth on the continent's list of the ninety-nine greatest cauldrons.

As everyone knows, any cauldron that makes it onto the cauldron ranking is undoubtedly one of the most powerful cauldrons in the world.

The Golden Glazed Furnace is a ninth-grade supreme-grade cauldron, and its value is likely worth ten million high-grade spirit stones.

Di Tian Dan relied on this Golden Glazed Furnace to dominate the Immortal Empire and became the empire's strongest alchemist.

In the entire Immortal Empire, if he claimed his alchemy skills were second, no one would dare claim to be first.

Therefore, the moment Di Tian Dan produced this cauldron, he sneered at Xu Chen: "Your useless cauldron is utterly ordinary; how dare you compare it to my Golden Glazed Furnace?"

Xu Chen scoffed, "Only a worthless alchemist relies on cauldrons and flames to refine pills."

Upon hearing this, Di Tian Dan laughed: "You're quite good at showing off, but once I refine a ninth-grade supreme-grade elixir, you'll only be able to tremble."

"Whoosh!"

As he spoke, he had already ignited his azure-blue flame.

The moment this flame appeared, the crowd in the heavens and earth erupted in shock.

"This... isn't this the legendary Blue Heart Heavenly Flame, one of the famous strange flames?"

"The Blue Heart Heavenly Flame ranks seventieth on the list of the ninety-nine strange flames!"

"My heavens! How did Di Tian Dan manage to obtain both such a perfect cauldron and such a flame?"

For a moment, many alchemists from the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty could not help but show expressions of envy.

This was truly too powerful.

Di Tian Dan himself was a ninth-grade alchemist, possessing both the Golden Glazed Furnace and the Blue Heart Heavenly Flame.

Furthermore, it was rumored that this person had once been just a hair's breadth away from successfully refining a ninth-grade supreme-grade elixir, which would have triggered a nine-colored heavenly tribulation.

With his current advancement in strength, refining such an elixir should be even easier.

Sensing the awestruck gazes of the crowd, Di Tian Dan's expression became even more arrogant, and his inner confidence grew stronger.

He sneered, "A brat with milk still on his lips; although your cultivation talent is outstanding, in alchemy, I will utterly crush you."

Having finished speaking, Di Tian Dan began placing herb after herb into the Blue Heart Heavenly Flame within his cauldron.

With steady precision, he employed his techniques to refine each herb into liquid essence.

The crowd watched Di Tian Dan and found that he indeed made no single mistake.

Over five hundred herbs were refined by Di Tian Dan in an orderly manner, with not a single one causing any problems.

"It is rumored that Di Tian Dan was already a fifth-grade alchemist at the age of thirteen."

"Now, at only forty-something, he has become the legendary ninth-grade alchemist; truly extraordinary."

Many alchemists from the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty could not help but sigh at this moment.

Although they were unwilling to admit it, the facts were right before their eyes, and they had to acknowledge them.

Di Tian Dan was indeed an outstanding figure among alchemists, even a peerless prodigy. The ninth-grade alchemist beside Luo Shen could not help but ask, "Your Majesty, can Xu Chen really refine a ninth-grade elixir? We do not mean to look down on Xu Chen, but not long ago, he could only refine seventh-grade elixirs. He is only seventeen years old; with such a young age, we are worried..." The Empress waved her hand: "Do not worry. Since Xu Chen said he would step forward, there must be his reasons. Moreover, do we have any other choice now? Among the younger generation, Xu Chen is the most outstanding alchemist." Upon hearing this, many alchemists from the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty sighed deeply. Indeed, they were the elders, and there were no ninth-grade alchemists among the younger generation of the dynasty. Now, they could only pin their hopes on Xu Chen.

Just a second later, they were shocked to find that Xu Chen still seemed completely motionless.

He had not ignited a flame, nor checked any elixirs; he was just sitting there, somewhat bored, watching Di Tian Dan refine elixirs.

Xu Chen let out a yawn and said, "A mid-ninth-grade alchemist; his skills in all aspects are acceptable, passing the standard."

Whether it was his fire control, his refining technique, or his proficiency, Di Tian Dan was quite good.

This meant that there was a reason this person could achieve such accomplishments at such a young age.

Di Tian Dan sneered aloud: "Keep pretending. Once I finish refining the elixir, what will you do? The elixir I refine this time will undoubtedly be a ninth-grade supreme-grade one." Xu Chen also smiled: "Although your technique is acceptable, it is not perfect and cannot reach the level of a ninth-grade supreme-grade elixir."

Merely acceptable technique is not enough; one needs perfect technique.

Di Tian Dan, you are still too immature; your elixir will at best be a ninth-grade superior-grade one." As he spoke, Xu Chen's tone was full of disdain.

A mid-ninth-grade alchemist daring to attempt refining a ninth-grade supreme-grade elixir.

Di Tian Dan sneered, "Keep pretending. Once I finish refining this elixir, what will you do? The elixir I refine this time will undoubtedly be of the highest Ninth Grade." Xu Chen also smiled, "Your technique is passable, but it is far from perfect and cannot reach the highest Ninth Grade."

Di Tian Dan sneered: "Better than you, since you dare not move a muscle right now." Upon hearing this, Xu Chen immediately stretched: "Mainly because I have no interest; it's boring."

With an elixir like this, I could easily refine an eighth-grade one, and for a ninth-grade one, I could even form the elixir with a single thought." In his past life, he was an Immortal Emperor, refining Immortal-grade elixirs, and he had created countless techniques himself.

Now that he has advanced to the ninth grade, the technique of forming an elixir with a single thought can be used immediately. Di Tian Dan sneered again: "You make me laugh; just keep dreaming here." Having finished speaking, Di Tian Dan said no more and immersed himself fully in the alchemy process.

On the side of the Immortal Empire, they also looked at Xu Chen with expressions of mockery.

"Is this kid stupid? Forming an elixir with a single thought? You must be dreaming."

The Empress and other female protagonists also clicked their tongues. "Forming an elixir with a single thought?"

Now that he had advanced to the Ninth Grade, he could employ the One-Thought-Elixir-Formation technique. Di Tian Dan sneered again, "You've made me laugh. Just keep dreaming." With that, Di Tian Dan said no more and immersed himself completely in the elixir refining.

Just like this, roughly three days passed.

The rough form of Di Tian Dan's elixir had already been refined, even showing a faint trend of transforming into a complete elixir.

After a quarter of an hour, the elixir was completely formed.

A rich fragrance of elixirs immediately emanated from the pill.

Just like that, roughly three days later.

The embryonic form of the Di Tian Elixir had already been refined, even showing a faint tendency to transform into a complete pill.

After a quarter-hour, the pill fully took shape.

A thick fragrance of elixir immediately rose from the pill.

First to appear was the seven-colored pill fragrance, signifying the elixir was at least a mid-grade ninth-rank pill.

Immediately after came the black pill fragrance, indicating this was still a high-grade ninth-rank pill.

If only the final wisp of white pill fragrance could be summoned, it would forge a supreme-grade ninth-rank pill and draw down the Pill Tribulation.

Pity. After waiting a full quarter-hour, that wisp of white fragrance never appeared. Di Tiandan's face shifted slightly. "How could this be?"

He had used the Golden Light Glazed Furnace and the Blue Heart Heavenly Flame, yet still could not elevate the pill's quality? Xu Chen sneered, "If not for the Golden Light Glazed Furnace and the Blue Heart Heavenly Flame, you, a mid-stage ninth-rank alchemist, would you even dare to attempt forging a high-grade ninth-rank pill?

But you are indeed trash. Had it been me, it would have been a supreme-grade ninth-rank pill without fail. A noob like you might as well hand over the Golden Light Glazed Furnace and the Blue Heart Heavenly Flame to me." Di Tiandan gritted his teeth. "What arrogance? For three whole days, you forged nothing. Are you proud of that?"

Di Zhentian sneered again. "Xu Chen, the alchemy contest lasts only three days. It is nearly over. You are about to lose."

The many alchemists of the Tianzun Imperial Court sighed quietly. Xu Chen was far too arrogant.

So arrogant he did not even begin, as if he were still forging seventh-rank pills.

They did not know that forging ninth-rank pills required vast amounts of time!

He had lost. He was certain to lose.

Xu Chen's expression turned serious. "How can a frog in a well speak? Next, I shall show you what it means to form a pill with a single thought."

"Voom!"

Having spoken, Xu Chen, before the stunned gazes of the crowd, tossed more than five hundred ninth-rank medicinal herbs into an ordinary pill furnace.

In fact, it took only a few breaths to refine all the spiritual herbs completely into medicinal liquid.

This speed was several times faster than forging seventh-rank pills.

Next, before the bewildered eyes of the onlookers, the medicinal liquid instantly formed the雏形 of a pill.

Finally, the pill雏形 suddenly solidified into a finished pill.

A thick pill fragrance radiated outward, spreading across the entire arena.

In the end, nine strands of pill fragrance gathered together. Dark clouds gradually enveloped the sky above, and sunlight swiftly vanished.

Countless flickering lightning bolts leaped and danced within the dark clouds, roaring and exploding.

The tribulation for a supreme-grade ninth-rank pill was about to descend.

Seeing this, everyone in the entire martial arena stood utterly dumbfounded.

— Author's Notes —

PS: Two updates!!!