Chapter 32
From the entrance of the arena enters a middle-aged man wearing a blue robe with a large lotus flower insignia. His stride is full of grandeur and dignity with his long hair fluttering through the wind. The man is Hu Ao, an elder of the Floating Lotus Alchemy School which is trying to recruit Qin Lou as an inner disciple or even a core disciple of the school and had a plan to poach her as one of his personal disciples. But he didn't know that when he was tending his for some business outside his old master would suddenly take a liking to her and would poach her first publicly for that matter.
The old man in front of Qin Lou's table is actually Hu Ao's master, a solitary but legendary figure in the Floating Lotus Alchemy School or even in the outside world. He is called by many names, but he is known to many as the Saintly Alchemist. This is due to his ability and self-made skill to copy, deduce, and make new pills out of any available ingredient or medicinal stuff through the use of spiritual sense. Hu Ao's master's goal is to pass down this ability of his to his disciples, and Hu Ao has the greatest talent out of all as he already gasps almost 70% of it after a long and arduous time of practice and experiments. Though he lacks some aspect like part of deduction and analyzing, he still became famous because of it. This skill is truly in need of a greater amount of concentration and talent, and the key is the almost perfect control of spiritual sense which Qin Lou now possesses.
"Hu Ao! What are you saying? I, your own master is going to take her as my disciple, what that has got to do with you? Don't tell me you are going to fight me with this, you ungrateful brat. Ha! You're still too young to face this old man's awesomeness." The old man said with a smug look.
After hearing their discussion the people around the arena was shocked.
"Wait a minute! That's elder Ao's master? You mean he's that… that Saintly Alchemist, Lu Hao Duang?"
"Holy shit! I can't believe that I would see the Saintly Alchemist today! This is too freaking amazing!"
"People say that he is too domineering, it's true I guess… he would even fight with his own disciples."
People began to have their eyes wide open as they loudly whisper to each other and exclaiming some words of disbelief. Even the contestants could not believe their eyes that they are in the presence of the Saintly Alchemist. As everyone was discussing this Qin Lou's heart was in turmoil, who would not feel that way. As in front of her stood a legendary figure in the alchemy world. This old man would be considered as the God of alchemists in the land of cultivators, one of her idols.
"Master, it's not that I would fight with you. But, I propose that we should let her be the one to decide which one she would like to be her master." Hu Ao said as he arrived near the old man on the stage.
Hu Ao then looks at Qin Lou with admiration in his eyes. He truly made the right judgment as she even caught his master's attention which is truly rare. Even the current young genius of the alchemy school, Xing Meng, who his master just saw as a good student, could not even make his master ask to be his disciple. This means that Qin Lou had enough talent to be like him, Hu Ao or even better.
"We meet again young one." Hu Ao said as he nods towards Qin Lou.
"It's my honor to see both seniors..." Qin Lou said as she saluted towards the two.
In this situation, Qin Lou didn't know what to say as she just stares at the two towering figures in front of her. One was a famous elder of the Floating Lotus Alchemy School, while the other has a far more illustrious background as the Saintly Alchemist and is well known throughout the whole cultivation land. Qin Lou is a little at lost and excited at the same time because, although she is good at many things, alchemy is her favorite. Making pills and experimenting would always make her happy. It was her source of comfort after experiencing the setbacks in her life. The world of alchemy is too vast and the truly wonderful with its possibilities endless.
But in this situation not everyone is happy.
"This is impossible… I can't believe that even the Saintly Alchemist would be interested in her. Who is she? She's just a newbie that didn't even get a chance to concoct pills before. She would always fail again and again… now she wanted to soar like a phoenix? In her dreams… I would clip your wings for dreaming too high."
As these things are happening, in the front area of the stage stood a young man with black ink hair which is neatly divided and his handsome face has a hint of cruelty on them. Right now his face is looking a little scary as he is glaring daggers at Qin Lou. This young man is the famous young prodigy of the Floating Lotus Alchemy School, Xing Meng.
Although his status in the school is already high, because of his characteristic of wanting to be always in the limelight he would always join the alchemy contest and shame those below his talent in alchemy. He is always acting like a big brother and lecture them with a hint of shaming so that those people would not rise up again to challenge him. The school just let this be as it would also provide students some form of a hurdle so that they would work hard to improve.
Now that someone is in the limelight instead of him, Xing Meng's heart is unsatisfied. So he gritted his teeth and walks forward.
"Elders, this junior came to offer his greetings to both seniors." Xing Meng cupped his hands in salute to both Hu Ao and Lu Hao Duang.
Upon seeing him the two elders just nodded their heads. Seeing that the two didn't bother to talk to him, Xing Meng felt a little shamed. But he gritted his teeth, he will show these two elders that he Xing Meng is the true genius and not this masked woman.
"Seniors, if I may. The competition is not yet done, you both can see more of her talent after the pill concoction is over right? That way you can see who the real talent is and who the fraud is." Xing Meng suggested with a hint of sarcasm which is almost not evident in his voice, as he bowed in respect.
"Hmm… you do give a nice suggestion young man. I think your master is too proud to have a disciple just like you." old man Lu Hao Duang said as he squinted his eyes in suspicion but still go with Xing Meng's suggestion.
Elder Ao just nodded his head as both elders walked up to the judges' stand and take their seats. The rest of the people on the whole arena began to discuss as to what was the result of the refining and why would the two well-known people from the famous alchemist school be fighting over Qin Lou.
On the side where the judges sit, a large stone stele suddenly emerge from below and the names of those who passed appear with their current refinement result, and on that stone stele, only five names appear. But what shocked them all was the name at the top of the stone stele. Upon looking Shin Jiao, who is keeping quiet beside Qin Lou, almost had his eyes drop. Although he knows that she passed but without his instrument, he could not clearly judge the purity of the refined material. He could try using his short range spiritual sense but he only got it not too long and couldn't fully use it well. So he was too amazed at the ability of the senior alchemists at gauging the purity without touching the material.
"I can't believe she could reach that high in purification… 95%... that is way too absurd right?" Shin Jiao said to himself in disbelief.
He actually thought that she failed when she stopped. The only reason might be, is that she cannot refine it anymore purer as her spiritual flame is at its limits already.
While other people are discussing with amazement especially the alchemist in the crowd. It is known that the purer the refining is the harder it would get. It does not only include the strength of the flame but also one's spiritual control and understanding with the material. The longer it takes, the harder it is to concentrate.
"No! This can't be true!" Xing Meng eyes are also wide in disbelief as his name is only second.
"This is… impossible right? This can't be true." Xian Jian Feng is also unable to trust what he is seeing.
At the bottom of the stage, in a hidden corner a person wearing a hooded cloak. A figure of a woman inside the cloak clenches her fist really hard with her eyes red in jealousy. She had schemed for a while now but none of them works so far. Now that Qin Lou had attracted everybody's attention it would be hard for it to make her move. But she would not give up, she could not accept that Qin Lou would once again rise up.
Shin Jiao was looking at the large stone stele and noticed a name, Susu Ling. This is the name of the young woman whom he had a good impression. Seeing that she was able to refine up to 86% made Shin Jiao a little amazed, not only does she abhor injustice, she is also good in alchemy. Seeing that she also have an impressive background, Shin Jiao is making some plan on his mind. As he is new to this world and wanted to spend his time learning more and gaining knowledge having someone to support him would not be a bad idea. But of course, he needed to be careful as the rules of this world are different.
The people down belong is in commotion, as some discussed the names in that stone stele and others devise their plans, this is especially to those that belong to merchants families hoping to rope in at least one of them. But not everyone has a good intention, some of the people in the crowd have their eyes on these alchemists not wanting any of them to grow as it would cause greater threat for them.
The old man with a long white beard stood facing the remaining contestants who are already standing behind the 5 tables in the front. As usual, the gaze of the elder scanned through them once more but he double checked Qin Lou's table as he could not believe that there was an array formation which he didn't see in there. Seeing this Shin Jiao now hesitated, because if he did it again there may be a chance that Qin Lou would be disqualified from the contest, and shamed. Even with the support of the two elders, she would still get hurt because of him. So he just decided to just be vigilant.
"This is the final part of the alchemy contest. Your task is nothing but simple. You have already refined your choice of medicinal plant, now you must create a new pill or medicine out of that medicinal plant. The higher the grade of the medicine the better… Good luck!"
After the old man said that he returned to his seat and everyone's attention was drawn to the 5 people. Although Shin Jiao is standing beside Qin Lou people can't seem to see him and just treated him as air. On the stage the 5 began to busy themselves as they prepare the remaining materials they would use to concoct their pill. Shin Jiao and Qin Lou began to also move, Shin Jiao prepares the herbs and the mixture, while Qin Lou started to slowly heat the furnace. The Ganoderma that Qin Lou refined is now in liquid form and they already put it in a small container.
Unknown to them a sinister eye is watching them closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike. It waited patiently as the eyes almost never even blink. Then all of a sudden it lit up as a devilish smile appear on its lips. Then a very small and thin object suddenly flew really fast towards the small opening of the pill furnace. This happened during the time when Shin Jiao took something and his eyes are not in the furnace, and Qin Lou looked back to grab something.
That small opening beside the furnace is an intake valve for the air which is used to make the furnace's flame stable and in turn control the temperature. It is a very important part of the furnace because if there is any blockage, it would cause the furnace to explode. And would be a little disastrous for the alchemist, but they cannot do anything to protect it except only defensive formation arrays.
"Hehe, let's see how you escape this now." The person said as its sinister eyes disappear as well as its figure.
Meanwhile above the stage, Hu Ao was about to move upon seeing that there is an object that flew towards the furnace. He wanted to stop it but all of a sudden an old hand held him down. Although the speed of that object is too fast, for people like Hu Ao and some of the late-stage gold core experts, they can still notice it.
"Let's just see what the lass would do." Hu Ao's master Lu Hao Duang said calmly.
"Umn… but master I won't let you accept her as your disciple. I would lose face if a junior like her would have the same position as me… Let me just accept her as my disciple, it's the same thing as accepting you as her grand master. Plus people would criticize her if she enters the school with you as her master. They would say that she entered our school because she won your favor. That would be a little detrimental for her… right master?" Hu Ao said trying to convince the old man.
He knows that the old man has a very stubborn personality, so his strategy is to trick the old man. As a long time personal disciple of this Saintly Alchemist, he knows the heaven-defying ability of his master. He also knows his weakness, and that is losing face to others. The reason why his master would not always go out and would rather spend his time researching on pills is that he wanted to leave a legacy before his ascension or death. He wanted to solidify his prestige to all the land with the use of his knowledge and legacies.
As the two are talking, an explosion was suddenly heard. The two subconsciously look at the stage and saw that one of the contestants had his pill furnace exploded as the pill didn't successfully form. His face was ashen and his hair is standing with some electricity jumping from now and then.
"That guy is refining a lightning summoning pill. It is used as a very powerful attack pill or a cultivation pill for those with lightning roots. Does he think he could improve lightning pill a stage? Haha, truly ignorant." An elder on the judges' stand said as he shook his head.
But before anyone could comment, another furnace exploded.