Chapter 30: The Competition Begins
At dawn, as golden sunlight pierced through the tranquil night, the golden rays slowly illuminated the entire Dan Region, painting everything in brilliant hues. The Holy Pill City, the core of the Dan Region, shimmered under the radiant light, appearing even more prosperous than usual.
In an alchemy chamber beneath the Pill Tower, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes. Thanks to the Spirit Recovery Pill, the exhaustion from days of intense alchemy practice had been swept away, leaving him energized and full of vigor.
"This round of rigorous alchemy training has refined my soul further. Even my previously unstable Dou Qi has become slightly more condensed."
Feeling the strength coursing through his body, Xiao Yan leapt out of bed, stretching hard. His joints popped with a satisfying series of crackles.
"Ah, refreshing!"
With a contented exhale, Xiao Yan stowed away his cauldron and prepared to head to the competition venue.
A Bustling Arena
While this youth competition was significant, it was far from the grandeur of the legendary Pill Gathering. Even so, when Xiao Yan arrived at the competition square, it was already bustling with a lively, roaring crowd.
"Look at that young man! He already has Dou Qi wings at his age. His talent is absolutely monstrous!"
"Judging by his appearance, he's only around fifteen or sixteen. To be at the Dou Wang level at that age, he's destined to rise as a bright new star."
Two onlookers, munching on meat buns, whispered to each other.
"You country bumpkins, that's the disciple of Yao Zun zhe (Medicine Master Yao Chen). With Yao Chen's fame and power, it'd be shocking if his disciple were anything less than extraordinary."
The chatter was quickly interrupted by another striking figure a beautiful, alluring girl in a red dress.
"Look, it's Cao Ying, the Cao Clan's prodigy!"
"She's already reached the Dou Wang level too? Truly a monster!"
"If I could marry her, it'd be like reaching the heavens in a single step!"
"Ha, keep dreaming! Someone pour cold water on this guy to wake him up. And if you've got diabetes, stand back you don't want to taste the sweetness."
"Let me handle it! My pee's yellow!"
The Arrival of the Pill Tower Elder
"DONG!"
A resonant chime reverberated through the square, silencing the bustling crowd. The deafening chatter diminished, replaced by a reverent hush as all eyes turned to a towering stone platform the spot where the high ranking members of the Pill Tower were expected to appear.
Moments later, the sound of rushing wind drew attention skyward, where several figures descended from above.
Xiao Yan scanned the arrivals, noting that among the Pill Tower's Three Great Elders, only Xuan Kong Zi, the eldest, had shown up. Clearly, while this competition was significant, it didn't compare to the Pill Gathering in importance.
Xuan Kong Zi Speaks
"Haha! I am Xuan Kong Zi, and on behalf of the Pill Tower, I warmly welcome you all, young alchemists," Xuan Kong Zi said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd of youthful participants. "You are like the rising sun, the future of the continent's alchemy world!"
The participants were predominantly young, with most still bearing traces of childishness on their faces. The youngest, a twelve year old boy clutching a bottle of magical beast milk, wore a fine robe emblazoned with the insignia of a second tier alchemist.
The oldest participants were just 18, barely adults, yet already displayed the badges of fourth tier alchemists on their chests.
Despite their youth, no one dared underestimate them. Beyond their prodigious talents, these young alchemists came from powerful backgrounds, with fathers or grandfathers likely being high ranking alchemists themselves.
The Rules
"Thank you for traveling from across the Dan Region and even beyond to participate in this competition," Xuan Kong Zi continued. "I'll keep this brief. The rules are simple: each of you will select materials and refine the pill you believe demonstrates your best skill.
The highest tier pill with the best quality will win the championship.
This year's reward is an eighth tier pill, the Nourishing Soul Heaven Pill!"
"What?!"
The announcement caused an uproar in the crowd.
The Prize: Nourishing Soul Heaven Pill
The Nourishing Soul Heaven Pill was renowned for its ability to nourish the soul. Consuming it could enhance a young alchemist's spiritual aptitude and significantly aid a seventh tier alchemist attempting to break into the eighth tier.
This kind of treasure would make even seasoned seventh tier alchemists green with envy.
Even Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel tempted.
While the Xiao Clan might have some eighth tier pills in its treasury, Xiao Xuan had prohibited Xiao Yan from using clan resources to enhance his abilities, forcing him to rely on his own efforts in the outside world. Thus, this pill was extremely enticing to him.
The Competition Begins
"The time has come. You may now select the materials for your chosen pill. The Pill Tower will provide each of you with two free sets of materials for any pill below the seventh tier."
As Xuan Kong Zi finished speaking, several Dou Wang level attendants stepped forward, each carrying a tray with a red sheet of paper for participants to write down their chosen pill.
Rivalries
Not far from Xiao Yan, Cao Ying cast him a frosty glance.
"Xiao Yan, I will defeat you this time." Her voice was cold, filled with determination.
"Why so serious? We're just competitors, not enemies," Xiao Yan replied casually, waving her off.
"You're right we're not enemies. But I stand by my words. I will defeat you!" Cao Ying's face softened slightly, but her narrow, enchanting eyes still burned with fierce resolve.
"Heh, then prepare for me to rub your face into the dirt," Xiao Yan teased with a sly grin, ignoring Cao Ying's fiery glare as he turned toward the soft spoken Dan Chen nearby.
Warm Smiles
"Dan Chen, best of luck!" Xiao Yan offered her a warm, sunshine filled smile.
Bathed in the golden morning light, his handsome features and pristine white robe glowed radiantly. His playful air mixed with his roguish charm, earning admiring glances from many onlookers.
Dan Chen blushed, her gentle peach blossom eyes filled with caution but also a hint of trust.
"T Thank you. You too," she replied softly, her face growing redder.
Xiao Yan's Choice
Ignoring Cao Ying's scowl, Xiao Yan turned serious as a Dou Wang attendant approached him with the red tray.
Picking up the pen, Xiao Yan wrote down five bold characters:
"Xiao Yan: Imperial Extreme Pill!"
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