With Liu Xi personally entering the fray—this was no longer a competition, it was a massacre.
How could anyone possibly win?
The elders of the Alchemist Association were practically giddy at the thought of witnessing a 6 Tier Alchemist refine a pill again.
Jia Xingtian, Hai Bodong, and the clan heads were also filled with anticipation. After three years, they were eager to see just how far Liu Xi had grown.
Soon, all eyes in the VIP seats turned toward the three foreign alchemists—Yan Li and his two companions—who had so smugly outperformed the Jia Ma Empire's alchemists in the previous round. In those gazes, there was no longer hostility, only pity.
Their fates were sealed. Once the Grand Assembly ended, there would be no shortage of people eager to erase them from existence. No one would allow these outsiders to leave the Jia Ma Empire alive.
An alchemist's life was precious—but only while he lived.
And with Liu Xi involved, this had now become an internal matter among alchemists.
Qie Mi'er, standing at the front of the dais, exhaled softly in relief. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips as he mentally ran through ways to insert Liu Xi legitimately into the third round. Then, raising his voice, he declared:
"Well then, since all contestants have completed their tests, let us begin the second round of the trials!"
---
At the sound of his voice, Princess Yao Yue drew a deep breath. Her chest rose and fell slightly as her clear eyes swept over the best performers—Liu Ling, Xiao Yan, and several others. Though her tone was soft, her words rang with resolve:
"The championship must remain within our Empire. We will not yield to foreign alchemists!"
As a princess of Jia Ma's royal family, even her usual playfulness was now replaced by the burden of duty.
Liu Ling nodded solemnly. As Gu He's disciple, he carried the ambition to follow in his master's footsteps—and to win the Grand Assembly title.
Xiao Yan merely shrugged. He was here partly because of his teacher's expectations, and partly for the rewards. Whether he won or not didn't matter much to him; no one had forced him to be obsessed with victory.
Qie Mi'er's voice rolled again across the Royal Plaza:
"The second-round recipe is a formal one—an original pill formula our Association spent months compiling. The task is simple: follow the formula and refine the pill successfully!"
In the plaza, the contestants who received the recipes and ingredients exchanged puzzled glances—some confused, but most delighted.
"Isn't this too easy?" someone whispered. "Following the steps exactly, any 3 Tier Alchemist should pass!"
Xiao Yan frowned after inspecting the 3 Tier pill recipe. "Strange… this doesn't seem right."
Within his ring, Yao Chen's Spiritual Power briefly swept over the recipe. He immediately spotted the flaw—but said nothing.
Once a proud Medicine Sovereign who stood at the peak of the continent, Yao Chen couldn't care less about the petty rivalries between small empires. He intended to let this tournament serve as a test for Xiao Yan's alchemy, without interference.
He wasn't the only one who sensed something odd. Not far away, Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue also frowned, uncertain what trick the Association might be playing this round.
Meanwhile, in a shadowed corner of the arena, Yan Li—the disguised prodigy from Chu Yun Empire—was the first to notice the hidden flaw. A knowing smirk spread across his face.
As soon as the alchemists began studying the Wind Walking Pill recipe, many—blissfully unaware—grew excited and lit their flames to start refining.
A few careful ones hesitated longer, scanning the recipe for inconsistencies. Yet after several minutes of finding nothing amiss, they reluctantly began their preparations.
---
On the VIP platform, Xiao Yixian tilted her head, her soft voice brushing Liu Xi's ear:
"Following the recipe exactly… isn't this second round far too simple?"
Her question echoed the crowd's unspoken thought. All around, people leaned forward, eager for the Grand Elder's insight.
Liu Xi turned toward her, his arm sliding naturally around her slender waist. Xiao Yixian's face flushed crimson, her lashes fluttering as she lowered her head—but she didn't resist.
Ignoring the teasing looks cast his way, Liu Xi accepted a backup copy of the recipe from an elder. Without even using Spiritual Power, he skimmed it lazily—his gaze passing over the list of medicinal ingredients.
After a moment, he smiled faintly.
"There's a problem. One ingredient's properties clash with another's. Let's see who notices first."
"Heh… if anyone can actually refine a completed pill following this exact recipe, I, Liu Xi, shall personally call him the strongest alchemist alive."
A murmur swept through the stands as realization dawned.
Jia Xingtian, Hai Bodong, and Miteer Tengshan all exchanged knowing looks. They'd attended many of these tournaments and knew the Association liked to add twists—but not being alchemists themselves, they'd never caught on to the details.
Elsewhere, Nalan Yanran, Ya Fei, and Princess Yao Ye were paying more attention to Liu Xi's intimate gesture than his words, their expressions subtly conflicted.
Not that they were in love with him—it was simply that Liu Xi's brilliance overshadowed every other man present. In his radiance, all others seemed dull and forgettable. If one were to choose a partner, how could anyone compare?
Among the Association elders, the flattery began immediately:
"Grand Elder's insight is truly divine—he saw through our carefully placed trap in one glance!"
"Such wisdom! Truly beyond compare!"
---
In the plaza, however, things were far less pleasant.
More and more alchemists suffered cauldron explosions—twice in a row—leaving the stage in disbelief, muttering in frustration, not knowing what went wrong.
Even Liu Ling, Yao Yue, and Xiao Yan all failed once, their faces grim. Yan Li from Chu Yun Empire also failed his first attempt—but instead of frustration, he only chuckled coldly and began again.
Xiao Yan's talent shone through. After replaying his first attempt in his mind, he quickly realized where the recipe went wrong.
Without hesitation, he reignited his flame. To increase efficiency, he discarded the Thick Earth Ganoderma and refined the remaining eight herbs together to extract their essences.
But without a Heavenly Flame—and with less experience than the cunning Yan Li—Xiao Yan ultimately fell behind.
Yan Li, his grin widening, lifted a finished Wind Walking Pill in triumph.
He swept his gaze over the other competitors and let out a mocking laugh:
"Hahaha… a bunch of useless fools!"
The insult hung over the plaza, heavy and cutting—while in the VIP stands, Liu Xi merely smiled faintly, his eyes calm and sharp as a blade.
(End of Chapter)
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