Chapter 1669: Eyes Bulging with Shock
Yan Zhenhuai couldn't be more surprised by Yan Qingsang's actions. At the same time, he was concerned. He hoped the younger genius knew what he was doing, or he'd be asking for humiliation.
Yan Qingsang had become the center of everyone's attention. Even the top geniuses looked at him with bafflement.
Had the unreliable kid from House Yan lost his mind? The first question was plainly very difficult. Clearly it was meant to intimidate the contestants. How dared he raise his hand? Did his boldness stem from ignorance?
The crowd looked on with different expressions. Some scoffed derisively, some expected him to make a scene. Others considered him with a frown, trying to discern if he knew the answer, or had raised his hand in panic. Yet others shut their eyes and ignored him completely.
Yan Qingsang slowly got to his feet beneath their scrutiny.
He cleared his throat in an exaggerated fashion and smiled. "Autumn is the season of killing. There aren't a lot of spirit herbs that can meld with the Bonemending Sunflowers during this period of time, but there are still a handful of them. Flowercide Grass and Heart Crabapple come to mind. Autumn Reedgrass is another. There are other possibilities, but these three are the best options. What do you say, Senior Ziju?"
The thing about Yan Qingsang was that he was insensitive to the outside world. Given the circumstances, he was still able to grin and ignore the others' gazes.
Jiang Chen rather appreciated that quality about him. A strong mentality could be counted as one of Yan Qingsang's positives.
Back in the Jade Revel Lodge, he had spoken up against everyone at the table despite Xiahou Xi's forceful attitude. Now, even with all eyes on him, he was standing boldly and answering the question without fear, unperturbed by all the attention he was getting. He'd even asked Sir Ziju Min for his opinion, not something that every youth could do.
Many young people feared the seniors and experts like vicious beasts. Even if they weren't afraid, they remained respectful. Thus, Yan Qingsang's performance was rather surprising.
Even Yan Zhenhuai gave him another scan of careful consideration. This young man suddenly seemed like a stranger to him. Was this the Yan Qingsang he knew?
As the top genius of the younger generation, he knew better than anyone how ordinary the house's foundation in pill dao was. They were definitely mediocre when compared to the other big factions in Eternal Divine Nation. And Yan Qingsang had never shown any talent in pill dao whatsoever.
Why had he been able to respond to the first question before anyone else, and looked so confident when doing so? Had he not been taking a wild guess?
For some reason, Yan Zhenhuai had a feeling that the boy wasn't making things up as he went.
The other members of House Yan looked at him doubtfully. They were of different minds about him.
Some of them were thinking of the greater good of House Yan and hoped that Yan Qingsang wasn't messing around. Others hoped that Yan Qingsang would make a fool of himself. The more he embarrassed the family, the better.
Yan Jinnan was of course among the latter. His relationship with Yan Qingsang had always been poor. He secretly envied Yan Qingsang for splurging fifty million to partake in the contest, because he himself couldn't afford to do the same.
More importantly, a part of the fifty million came from the stones he'd lost to Yan Qingsang at the jade festival.
That intensified his resentment for Yan Qingsang. He wanted nothing more than for the latter to make a fool of himself. They were both youngsters of House Yan, so why should Yan Qingsang be able to do something that he couldn't do?
The other factions were more aligned and straightforward in their thinking. They were curious if Yan Qingsang's answer was the right one. They turned their attention to Sir Ziju Min.
Obviously they didn't want House Yan to be the first to win points. Any other faction would be acceptable, but not that house. They hadn't taken House Yan seriously to begin with. It was there solely to fill a spot and to be the cash cow of a hundred million sky spirit stones.
Therefore, no one wanted Yan Qingsang to be right, House Xiahou included. Even though the latter were the organizer and weren't participating, they looked down on House Yan.
The pill sovereign became the center of attention.
Originally, he'd his eyes half-closed as if in meditation, but he suddenly widened his eyes, a keen light shooting out of his eyes at Yan Qingsang, due to the boy's answer.
"Master, Yan Qingsang was only spouting off nonsense, wasn't he?" Xiahou Ying asked quietly.
Ziju Min sighed. "He was a hundred percent correct. I didn't expect him to know about Autumn Reedgrass. How extraordinary!"
Surprise rippled through the crowd. Had House Yan just made a lucky guess and earned the first ten points?
The moderator from House Xiahou had no choice but to announce, "First question, ten points to House Yan!"
It was a dramatic turn of events. The least regarded house had been the first to win ten points.
Even Yan Zhenhuai gaped at Yan Qingsang in surprise. For the moment, he didn't know how to react.
"Good job, Qingsang," he marveled. "You've got some tricks up your sleeve!"
Yan Qingsang grinned. "I'm just lucky! I encountered some opportunities in Bluesmoke and gained knowledge of pill dao from the heritage found in a piece of ancient jade. I didn't expect it to be of use! What a happy coincidence."
The others fell silent. A venomous glint flashed through and instantly vanished in Yan Jinnan's eyes.
Ten points on House Yan's scoreboard while the other factions were still at zero seemed far out of the realm of possibility. Yan Qingsang felt like he was in a dream as well. He hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly.
He even hadn't noticed when Jiang Chen's eyelids had first moved. He came to his senses only after being prompted several more times. He'd been panicking a little, but when Jiang Chen transmitted the answer, and he blurted it out without thinking.
Yan Qingsang sat down in delight after a correct answer. He wanted to say something to Jiang Chen, but Jiang Chen messaged him, "Focus. Don't get distracted."
It wasn't the first time he ended up benefitting from Jiang Chen, so he collected his thoughts and calmed his excitement.
He had a feeling that Brother Shao Yuan had urged him to participate in the contest with winning in mind. Shao Yuan wouldn't have joined in with a hundred million stones just for fun.
Yan Qingsang felt even more driven.
"Listen carefully to the next question. Here is the recipe of a pill. It's the right recipe, but two of the supplementary spirit herbs are problematic. Raise your hand when you find the two flaws. Remember, once you raise your hand, you must give your answer immediately, or it'll be considered cheating and you'll get ten points deducted! Therefore, peruse carefully before you raise your hand."
With a wave of his hand, a virtual scroll appeared in the air. Lines of text materialized on the scroll. It was a pill recipe.
Jiang Chen scanned it and smiled to himself. It was an ancient pill recipe, and an uncommon one at that. The pill was rarely used. Only pill grandmasters who had nothing better to do would study this.
As a pill grandmaster in his past life, Jiang Chen had had a lot of free time. He'd read more books than he could count and there wasn't a pill recipe in the world that he didn't know.
He recognized the recipe immediately.
The answer came easily to him as his gaze swept through the text. He threw Yan Qingsang a pointed look.
Yan Qingsang wasn't paying attention to the recipe. His sole focus was on Jiang Chen. He knew there was no use for him in looking at the recipe. He wouldn't be able to understand it even if he spent ten years studying it. Brother Shao Yuan was the only thing he could depend on.
As soon as Jiang Chen's eyelid moved, he raised his hand without hesitation.
That created an uproar. Frustration exploded because of him.
What was going on? Was Yan Qingsang determined to stir up trouble? Couldn't he let the others have some fun? How were they going to get a chance to win if he continued like this?
What mattered most was if he could give the right answer. Would he make another lucky guess? No one could be that lucky, could they?
"Again?" Xiahou Ying was surprised. She looked at him frostily from only the corner of her eye, her tone irritated.
Yan Qingsang cackled, paying no attention to her doubt.
He turned to Ziju Min. "This is the recipe for the ancient Bluespirit Pill. It can be used to enhance spirit energy. It possesses a cleansing quality for those who use methods of a particular element. The two flaws exist in the use of Watercharm Seed and Cleansing Grass. The names of the two ingredients may seem perfect for Bluespirit Pill from the name, but in truth, the two herbs are too potent for a refining pill like it. That's my answer." He bowed dramatically to Ziju Min after delivering his words.
Chapter 1670: The Way of Balance
Yan Qingsang's performance was so striking it amazed even Ziju Min. He stared at Yan Qingsang deeply, unable to believe his ears.
"Your name is Yan Qingsang, isn't it?" he asked after a deep breath.
"Yes, this junior is Yan Qingsang."
"You've correctly answered two questions in a row. Where does your knowledge of pill dao come from? Has House Yan been hiding deep foundations in pill dao all along?" Curiosity had flared to life about this sudden competency. The two questions might not seem particularly difficult, but they took a stunning amount of experience and understanding to answer correctly.
"Senior Ziju, it's happenstance that I'm able to answer the two questions. Some time ago, I went to the Bluesmoke Isles for the jade festival and received some heritage from ancient jade. One of them was from a pill dao senior, which contained many of his memories about pill dao. Therefore..."
The crowd broke into a furor of discussion. Jealousy flashed through the expressions of those assembled. How ridiculously lucky this genius was!
If he'd inherited the memories of a ancient pill dao master, didn't that mean he would dominate the contest?
Ziju Min didn't know what to say.
No wonder this young man was performing so well. The goddess of fortune had smiled upon him. However, that put him in a difficult position. If Yan Qingsang continued the way he was, it would be a heavy blow to everyone else's ego. It would be an utter slaughter.
Not even Ziju Min dared say he was better than an ancient pill dao master, let alone these young geniuses. Curiosity yet flared. "What level is the master whose memory you inherited at?"
"Just a pill emperor," Yan Qingsang responded humbly. "He hadn't yet reached empyrean realm."
Lower than empyrean realm? Ziju Min relaxed slightly, but he wasn't going to just take Yan Qingsang's words for it. He gave the boy a once over. "Are you sure he was just a pill emperor?"
"I'm sure. I wanted it to be an empyrean expert's memory, but if that were the case, I wouldn't be able to refine his heritage." Yan Qingsang played the part of a disappointed man perfectly.
His reasoning was convincing. If the level of the heritage had been too high, Yan Qingsang, who hadn't reached empyrean realm himself, wouldn't be able to fully take it all in.
"Alright, you answered the second question correctly." Ziju Min had no further comments. If it was just heritage from a pill emperor, at least he wouldn't end up dominating the entire contest.
House Xiahou was stuck between a rock and a hard place given the circumstances. The one faction they didn't want to see winning was performing the best so far. The other factions had had no opportunities to even answer the first two questions. It would be ridiculous if things continued as was, and they would risk offending the other factions. If the contest ended up benefiting only House Yan, it would be a slap to the face for the others.
House Yan had nothing to lose, like a dead pig that didn't fear hot water. House Xiahou, on the other hand, was in the stage of rapid growth. Naturally, they didn't want to make enemies and cause the other factions to turn on them.
Therefore, Xiahou Ying barely stopped herself from warning Yan Qingsang to restrain himself. She even thought about kicking him out.
The birthday celebration was a way to increase her value. Top geniuses had been invited to boost her fame, and she could make use of the opportunity to build relationships with them to lessen the tension between House Xiahou and other factions.
Yan Qingsang was a nobody in her eyes. No one from House Yan was to be taken seriously, not even the most remarkable Yan Zhenhuai, let alone the lesser Yan Qingsang.
The problem lay not in Yan Zhenhuai, but in House Yan as a whole. Xiahou Ying was a proud woman. She despised House Yan and wouldn't for her life consider any of its members a potential partner.
That was why Yan Qingsang's performance upset her so much.
Nonetheless, she knew it wouldn't do for her to kick House Yan out now. That would make the two houses' relationship completely unsalvageable. Additionally, people would see her as nothing but a snob. That would be detrimental to her efforts to build a good image.
She threw Yan Qingsang a pointed look, warning him to read the room and show some restraint.
He pretended to not notice her at all.
Yan Zhenhuai gave him a thumbs-up. "Good work, Qingsang. Don't feel pressured. Show everyone what you've got!"
He realized that even he himself could only play sidekick in the contest. He wasn't that talented in pill dao, but as the top genius of House Yan, he took his responsibility to the family seriously.
He knew if Yan Qingsang stood out too much, the other factions would be offended. At this moment, however, House Yan couldn't afford to let any opportunities slip by if they hoped to recover their status.
They had to make a showing even if they would offend House Xiahou and other factions. It was imperative that they recovered their reputation and rise again. If they missed this chance, there would be increasingly few opportunities such as these. Thus, Yan Zhenhuai would sooner cheer on Yan Qingsang than stop him.
The one most depressed and perturbed was Yan Jinnan. He was sitting right across from Yan Zhenhuai and could clearly see how differently the top genius was looking at Yan Qingsang now. Clearly, Yan Qingsang was now solemnly considered an equal.
Who among the youths in House Yan had ever won such respect from Yan Zhenhuai?
Yan Jinnan's heart was filled with venomous thoughts. He couldn't be more jealous.
Jiang Chen appeared to be meditating, but he was silently taking in the reactions of every member of House Yan. Yan Jinnan was undoubtedly the most hostile.
He'd have to pay more attention to that one in the future. This young man was narrow-minded prone to jealousy. He didn't care about the honor of the family, and felt no sense of belonging. He wouldn't hesitate to betray his house if it came down to that.
The other youths were equally fairweather. The only exception was Yan Zhenhuai. He lived up to his title as the top genius in House Yan. He was a dependable young man.
Jiang Chen silently evaluated the scions. He was planning on staying in House Yan for a long time, so he had to gain a basic understanding of everyone.
Members of the other factions kept looking at House Yan's table. This house was now a strong opponent in the contest. Jiang Chen kept his eyes open and his ears keen. He knew people were getting antsy because of Yan Qingsang. He was on high mental alert.
He told Yan Qingsang to answer two questions in a row because he wanted him to take the initiative and intimidate the others. With that accomplished, there was no need for them to keep going at full speed.
If they didn't let other people have an opportunity to answer, the contest wouldn't go on. And if the other factions gave up prematurely, their efforts would be in vain.
Therefore, when Ziju Min announced the third question, Jiang Chen played dumb even though he knew the answer. His eyelids remained motionless.
Yan Qingsang stared at him doggedly, his shoulders trembling slightly in preparation to raise his hand. He was a little disappointed to see a genius from the Jade Lake Sect answer the third question and receive the ten points.
Jade Lake Sect had a good foundation in pill dao compared to other sects in Eternal Divine Nation. Their success wasn't that surprising.
Everyone had been distracted when the third question was announced. They were nervously waiting to see if Yan Qingsang would once again answer immediately. Almost all of their attention was on him. Thus, they were highly surprised when he didn't say anything or show any reaction.
Once again, they lost their chance to answer before they realized it.
With it, however, brought relief. At least Yan Qingsang's impetus had been interrupted. Twice was coincidence, but third time was a pattern. If he did it again, the others would completely lose their confidence.
Fortunately, that hadn't happened and the contest could go on.
His silence gave the others hope. They regained motivation and shifted their focus back to Master Ziju Min.
Yan Zhenhuai wasn't disappointed. It was normal for Yan Qingsang to not have an answer. It would be rather ridiculous if he could answer everything. Even though he wanted his clan brother to continue dominating the contest, he was realistic enough to stop himself from expecting too much.
Every genius present was remarkably talented. Other than those absent due to closed door cultivation, almost every talented youth in Eternal Divine Nation was in attendance. They were anything but mediocre.
When the the fourth question was announced, Jiang Chen still knew the answer. But once again, he played dumb and didn't give Yan Qingsang a chance to wow the crowd.
As long as he played dead, the genius could only remain silent.
The fourth question was answered by a genius from House Feng, one of the seven biggest houses. That put House Yan at the top with twenty points, followed by the Jade Lake Sect and House Feng.
Yan Qingsang keeping silent twice made the others relax their guard. He'd just been lucky enough to encounter two questions he happened to know. So he'd inherited the memories of an ancient pill emperor. So what?
It seemed that an ancient pill emperor was no better than an average pill expert.
Chapter 1671: The Trinonary Sages' Puzzle
Everyone restored their original expectations for Yan Qingsang. He was just a two-bit character in House Yan after all! There was no need to pay him much attention.
After every question, Ziju Min secretly focused his attention in Yan Qingsang. When the young man failed to reply time and time again, he felt rather disappointed. He'd thought there was an opportunity to excavate a pill dao genius. Perhaps the youth really had just been lucky.
Xiahou Ying was very pleased at Yan Qingsang's now lackluster performance. House Yan trash is just trash after all. He lucked out on the previous answers, but he's wilted now. Yan Qingsang is just an ant, so I suppose it wasn't easy for him to even make the showing he did at the beginning. Glad he knows his place, hmph…
She had no desire to see Yan Qingsang perform with any degree of excellence.
They were now on the seventh question. Jiang Chen's strategy of playing dead hadn't changed. If Yan Qingsang was too showy in the competition and garnered unwanted attention, that would be a tremendously bad thing.
His friend needed some time out of the limelight to cool off. Some reverse acceleration was necessary. It was ultimately a disadvantage for Yan Qingsang to attract outside scrutiny.
Jiang Chen's silence for five questions in a row made the Yan genius anxious, but the young man was largely helpless about the affair.
There was no reaction for the eighth question either. Now that Jade Lake Sect had answered three questions correctly, they'd obtained thirty points, surpassing House Yan as current first place.
House Feng, House Beigong, and the Starlight Sect had managed to answer one question each. House Yan was second place with twenty points.
No one was particularly surprised at Jade Lake Sect taking the lead. The sect had deep pill dao foundations.
It seemed that Yan Qingsang had bumbled upon the right answer twice in a row, but he had nothing more to show after that. Finally, House Yan was behaving like everyone expected. Wasn't this more their real speed?
Yan Jinnan's clouded mood began to brighten once more. He gazed at Yan Qingsang mockingly.
"Looks like your luck's run out, Qingsang," he smiled. "I'm glad you didn't manage to scam me into putting stones out."
Yan Qingsang glared back with a roll of his eyes. "I can do whatever I want because I have money to. You're both useless and poor. What can you do other than making snide comments? Worthless!" He spared no courtesy whatsoever for Yan Jinnan.
Yan Zhenhuai furrowed his brow as well. "Be quiet, Jinnan. The house's reputation and name is at stake, and the only thing on your mind is making fun of others?"
Yan Jinnan played innocent. "I just think Yan Qingsang was being malicious from the start, Brother Zhenhuai. He intentionally wanted to drag us into it to scam our stones!"
"So? Did you put any in?" Yan Zhenhuai retorted icily.
Yan Jinnan had nothing to say to that.
"If not, then shut up and watch. Even if you don't want to cheer for the house, you shouldn't lose us face by behaving like this." Yan Zhenhuai was thoroughly disappointed by Yan Jinnan.
How could a person like that be counted among the house's geniuses? Internally, he struck Yan Jinnan's name from his list of family hopefuls.
"Enough. Everyone, please be quiet. Here is the ninth question. This is a question about spirit herb combinations. We will provide twenty-seven kinds of spirit herbs. You may combine any number of them as you like. If you can create three recipes, you may raise your hand to answer."
Images of twenty-seven spirit herbs appeared before the audience.
Jiang Chen swept his eyes across them. His brain computed all the possibilities at a rapid pace and quickly found what he was looking for. However, he turned to Yan Zhenhuai this time. "Brother Zhenhuai, raise your hand to answer. I'll answer it."
According to the rules, only two were allowed to raise their hands from each faction, but the actual answer could be given by anyone present.
Yan Zhenhuai blinked, but raised his hand without hesitation upon seeing Jiang Chen's serious manner.
Jiang Chen wanted to answer himself so as not to sell out Yan Qingsang. If Yan Qingsang were to answer this question, his performance would be too incredible to ignore. It was better that he take the flak for this one.
The speed with which Yan Zhenhuai raised his hand defied everyone else's expectations. The rest of the crowd was still knee-deep in serious research, attempting to come up with their first recipe. Were House Yan's members going to utterly defy expectations today?
Ziju Min glanced at Yan Zhenhuai with mild surprise.This genius hadn't gone to the ancient jade festival. Thus, there was no heritage to explain his potential skill. Had he solved this difficult question that quickly? If he'd relied on his own strength, then his pill dao talent was terrifying indeed.
Yan Zhenhuai smiled serenely under the collective gazes of the crowd. "I raised my hand, but Brother Shao Yuan here will be answering. Come, Brother Shao Yuan." He inclined his head ever so slightly at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen stood up with his own smile. "Master Ziju," he cupped a fist, "this question is a famous puzzle from the ancient times. Its name is the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle."
"Oh?" Ziju Min's eyes lit up. "How do you know this?"
The pill immortal was shaken up internally. To tell the truth, he hadn't heard of the name at all before. He had only seen fragments of its description in an ancient tome, specifically relating to someone else's thoughts on its study. The puzzle was an extremely difficult one, and Ziju Min had thought it impossible for anyone to come up with the answer.
He had put it forward largely to test the waters. And yet, this young man had blurted out the name of the puzzle straightaway.
"Can you give the three pill recipes the question asks for?" Ziju Min said.
"If three, they'd be the elementary ones. The Sumeru Pill, the Windgrace Pill, the Violet Fragrance Pill… these are quite easy to refine. Please review them, Senior Ziju."
Ziju Min drew a sharp breath. The three pills mentioned were only basic combinations in the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle?
In the fragments Ziju Min had read, only five combinations had been recorded. But the young man's tone made the actual number sound much greater than that!
The pill sovereign mused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Your three recipes are correct. Where did you find out about this Sages' Puzzle, if I may ask?"
Jiang Chen smiled easily. "My ancestral heritage is somewhat related to pill dao. My family has researched the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle for generations. Just like its name, there are twenty-seven combinations in all!"
Ziju Min was paralyzed in shock. Twenty-seven combinations?
This… this was beyond his comprehension. As a pill immortal, he was one of the foremost authorities of pill dao in Myriad Abyss Island. He'd never heard of such a thing though. Twenty-seven spirit herbs could create twenty-seven pills? Was the puzzle truly this complex?
"Are your words true?" Ziju Min gazed at Jiang Chen.
"Absolutely." Jiang Chen smiled. "But we seem to be getting off-topic. Question nine only asked for three of those recipes."
He could clearly see Ziju Min's interest in the Puzzle. It was likely that the older man didn't know much about it. His reaction wouldn't be like this otherwise.
"Your answer is more than fine, my young friend. Another question outside the contest, though. Where does the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle come from?" Ziju Min persevered shamelessly.
"Legend has it that the puzzle was created by an ancient master over several centuries. Twenty-seven spirit herbs can be combined into twenty-seven different kinds of pills. Apparently, no one's broken that record since. If someone can come up with the twenty-eighth, he would surely leave his name in history."
In the heavenly planes, this puzzle was a rather famous one. If there were only rumors and fragments in Divine Abyss Continent, that meant the continent was a level far lower than the heavenly planes.
The other factions' geniuses were perplexed by Jiang Chen's eloquence. And where had this fellow come from? Since when did House Yan have someone like this? They'd never even heard of someone called Shao Yuan.
But his appearance and words marked him as someone extraordinary. His scholarship and manner distinguished him that much at least. Was this the rise of another difficult opponent?
Everyone came to the sudden realization that House Yan's score had risen once more. It was in first place along the Jade Lake Sect now, both factions having thirty points each.
It looked like they'd prematurely discounted House Yan with Yan Qingsang's silence. Though there still wasn't a peep out of Yan Qingsang, this Shao Yuan had come out of nowhere to earn another ten points. House Yan could very well end up in the top three.
The house probably wouldn't get first place – there was the Jade Lake Sect after all – but beating the other factions didn't seem particularly unlikely. Almost half of the questions were done. House Yan led ahead by a considerable margin.
Some factions hadn't earned any points at all yet.
Ziju Min considered Jiang Chen thoughtfully for quite a while before nodding lightly. "Thank you for sharing, little friend. If I may, I'd like to consult you about this afterwards."
The word 'consult' from Ziju Min astonished his collective audience. The other geniuses glanced sidelong at Jiang Chen, unable to process what they had just witnessed.
Xiahou Ying was one of the few who scrutinized Jiang Chen closely the most. Clearly, his display had piqued the girl's curiosity.
Jiang Chen curved his lips, then returned to his seat.
Yan Zhenhuai was very pleased about the increase in House Yan's points.
Yan Qingsang grinned excitedly as well. He wasn't at all upset by Jiang Chen's show of skill. He could guess easily enough that Brother Shao Yuan had done so to protect him.
Chapter 1672: Fierce Contention
When Jiang Chen sat back down, he felt unified attention from several fronts concentrate on House Yan once more. The factions that hadn't thought much of the house were considering it with wary eyes a second time.
The Jade Lake Sect had proceeded at its own pace before, but its members were clearly troubled now. They glanced in House Yan's direction with some regularity from time to time.
Jiang Chen knew that lying low previously had earned him a brief reprieve. It wasn't going to be easy to fool their opponents any more. Now that House Yan had thirty points, the other factions would view it as a rival to surpass regardless of his efforts.
Still, it wasn't a worrying development. As long as they proceeded according to plan at a decent tempo, things would remain under control.
As the dark horse of the competition, House Yan unavoidably became the focus of attention. Without Jiang Chen's active participation, they had no advantage in the proceeding questions.
Because he wanted to contain their momentum, Yan Zhenhuai and Yan Qingsang were forced to poorly combat the pill geniuses by themselves. Whenever they had an inkling of what the answer could be, others had often already taken spoken it.
Sixteen questions came and went.
Jiang Chen acted only once more after the ninth. House Yan now stood at forty points. The Jade Lake Sect on the other hand, had reached fifty points in a valiant attempt at victory.
These two were the frontrunners in the competition. The third-highest total among the other factions had at most twenty points. It seemed quite difficult for anyone else to contest either leading party's position.
Only four questions remained. It was time for Jiang Chen to mount a counterattack in the eleventh hour.
Ziju Min was mildly surprised at House Yan's lackluster performance. He was a bit suspicious; given their ability before now, their score should've been much higher. Were they hiding their strength?
He himself was quickly scared by the thought flickering through his mind. Hadn't House Yan been synonymous with mediocrity a short while ago? Why did he think it was hiding its ability?
"Question seventeen is about the fire used to refine pills…" Ziju Min went on.
Jiang Chen blinked without hesitation. Yan Qingsang raised his hand instantly. Because it had been a while since he'd done so, everyone else blinked as well.
Whenever Yan Qingsang raised his hand like this, his answer generally carried a lot of certainty behind it. Certainty that Jiang Chen gave him, of course.
When he cleanly gave the correct answer once again, Ziju Min pondered him thoughtfully, then turned to Jiang Chen, then to Yan Zhenhuai. House Yan's youths were absolutely pretending to be out of their element. One of them had to be an expert in pill dao.
But which of the trio was it? Yan Zhenhuai was the most likely candidate, then the young man named Shao Yuan. Yan Qingsang was the least likely.
Of course, there was another possibility as well. If the ancient jade that Yan Qingsang had dug up in Bluesmoke was extremely valuable and contained a heritage beyond pill emperor, then…
Ziju Min didn't know the actual reason. However, he was sure that House Yan had hid its own strength. It was showing vestiges of its true ability only now.
Only three questions remained. House Yan and the Jade Lake Sect were tied at fifty points each.
Among the remaining factions, two were at twenty, three more at ten, and two hadn't gotten any points at all. First place wasn't the only position in jeopardy, third place looked rather uncertain too.
It was impossible for the other factions to catch up, and many were beginning to regret having participated in the first place. Some cursed House Yan for feigning incompetence.
That house had seemed rather reluctant about buying in with a hundred million in the beginning — it had seemed an exorbitant sum to them. But now, it seemed that House Yan's geniuses had intentionally taken that attitude. It'd been a front to mask their incredible ability.
Even the Jade Lake Sect's geniuses were having similar doubts. However ,the sect had ever been proud of its pill dao skills. Even if they had any suspicions, they wouldn't raise them – out of contempt, if nothing else.
Besides, there was nothing in the rules about using a bit of trickery to conceal one's capabilities. A contest like this often saw the application of some strategy.
"The last three questions are before us. Please focus on what I'm about to say. They will determine your final ranking! Both first and third place are up in the air right now." Ziju Min reminded everyone.
He didn't really need to; his entire audience was aware of what was at stake. Everyone wanted to take home the last three questions – even a faction with zero points could get third place if it got all three right.
Though the prize was only a hundred million sky spirit stones, at least that meant there wouldn't be any loss of capital. Furthermore, it was honorable enough to take the bronze here.
As for first and second place, even the most optimistic of factions knew it was impossible numerically. It was a fight between House Yan and the Jade Lake Sect.
The sect was a rather odd one. Among the three sects, it had a perfect male-female ratio. Each male disciple it took in was always accompanied by a female one. Thus, it had the occasional moniker of 'Yin Yang Sect'.
Of course, that didn't mean its disciples were allowed to intermingle freely. In order to become dao partners, interested students had to pass rigorous trials from the sect as well as meet a number of criteria. Additionally, compatibility of all kinds had to be appropriate to garner the sect's approval.
Its standards were even stricter on any outsiders. It was almost impossible to become the dao partner of anyone from the Jade Lake Sect, whether male or female. It kept a very tight grip on all its disciples.
Therefore, the faction that attracted the most animosity in Eternal Divine Nation wasn't House Yan, but the Jade Lake Sect.
House Yan was disliked solely because it was weak. Such a thing was common to humans in general. One would not earn respect without strength. The Jade Lake Sect, on the other hand, was disliked because it was completely unreasonable.
Even though Xiahou Ying was full of reasons for hating House Yan, she nevertheless found herself at a bit of an impasse. How were the other factions doing so terribly?
Why were these two at the top of the chart? Why couldn't another power win the competition?
Among the factions in attendance today, she disliked House Yan the most; but she positively despised the Jade Lake Sect. She felt that it was far too arrogant. Only House Xiahou had the right to act like that! The sect didn't deserve anything.
Thus, she had good reason to be upset – at least in her own eyes.
The tense struggle for placement continued.
The sect was ready for a brawl. Its desire to take first was quite intense. Its so-called foremost genius, Pang Wei, warned Yan Zhenhuai with a veiled glare that he didn't want any competition for the accolade.
Yan Zhenhuai ignored the threat entirely. House Yan was inferior to the Jade Lake Sect to a certain degree, but that didn't mean he was going to give up in this kind of situation. It was a golden opportunity for the house to make its name known. There was no reason for him to be scared witless by the anemic attempt at intimidation.
He wasn't going to give up either the six hundred million prize for first place or cede the potential glory accorded to his house.
"Qingsang, Brother Shao Yuan, Jade Lake's Pang Wei warned us just now to try to curb our momentum. I think he and his buddies want us to concede. Don't mind him! Do whatever you need to win. I will personally take responsibility for anything that ensues."
Yan Qingsang was furious when he heard. "Are those bastards trying to keep us down too? House Yan isn't at the point of being a public enemy yet, right? They go too far!"
Jiang Chen smiled slightly. "Calm down, Brother Yan," he advised Yan Qingsang. "The more they engage in this kind of behavior, the more fearful they are. This is an opportunity for us."
There wasn't much time for them to discuss, but Yan Zhenhuai's attitude set the tone for their ensuing actions. They were going to give it their fullest!
Now that Jiang Chen knew what the leading youth from House Yan thought, he had nothing to be worried about. He would secure a decisive victory for House Yan in the final three. House Yan needed the honor from this victory to solidify its status. If the house became socially precarious, he would find it hard to make his way in Eternal society as well.
Though he didn't particularly like the house, he had to be on House Yan's side for Huang'er's sake.
Question eighteen was another about pill recipes.
This time, an incomplete recipe was presented for perusal. Some supplemental spirit herbs were missing, and the geniuses were supposed to figure out exactly which ones.
This question was actually very difficult. If the answering person was unfamiliar with the recipe and attempted to come up with the answer on his own, it'd be almost as difficult as ascending to the skies.
But for Jiang Chen, any question that related to pill recipes was a freebie for him. He indicated that Yan Qingsang should raise his hand without hesitation.
The genius was becoming better and better at working with Jiang Chen. He complied incredibly quickly, but the Jade Lake Sect had matched his speed this time. Pang Wei had raised his hand almost simultaneously. Now this was a tricky dilemma.
The others looked on at the two vying factions with some interest. Because they had no chance at winning first place, they found it far more enjoyable to watch the show.
"Ying'er, these two factions raised their hands at the same time. Can you come up with an idea to decide who should answer?" As a senior, Ziju Min found it inconvenient to show any bias. He belonged to the Eternal Sacred Ground and had no inherent favoritism toward any of the factions. He didn't want to make a decision that would anger either one.
Chapter 1673: Challenging Authority
Xiahou Ying didn't want to make the decision. She didn't like either of the two. One she detested, the other she hated. Neither was her choice of a winner.
She shook her head after some hesitation. "You should be the one to decide, teacher."
Seeing that she didn't have an opinion, Ziju Min nodded after a pause. "If that's the case, they'll both write down their answers on paper. If both turn out to be correct, they'll each get ten points. If either answers incorrectly, we'll subtract ten points from the wrong one."
Xiahou Ying considered the solution viable. She nodded. "As you say, teacher."
Ziju Min smiled faintly and turned to Duan Zhiyuan, national advisor of Eternal Divine Nation.
"What do you think, Advisor Duan?"
Duan Zhiyuan was deferential to Ziju Min. He smiled. "Since it's about pill dao, Brother Ziju should be the one in charge. I'm here merely as a guest. It'd be inappropriate for me to intervene."
Ziju Min chuckled. "Advisor Duan is an important guest. Your opinions matter a great deal."
"Haha, I'll listen to Brother Ziju." The advisor was pleased that Ziju Min respected his opinion and naturally wasn't going to argue.
Having made the final judgement, Ziju Min gave them each an ink brush and sheet of paper. They were required to write down the correct answer as quickly as they could, putting in the right supplemental spirit herb to complete the recipe.
Jiang Chen took the brush and started writing immediately. He finished in no time.
Pang Wei was quick to write down his answer as well.
The two of them handed in their answers at almost the same time.
Ziju Min checked Pang Wei's first. He gave it a quick glance and then read it carefully again before nodding slightly. His satisfaction was evident.
His expression and action made the sect geniuses brighten up visibly. They looked at their top genius with delight and congratulated him.
Pang Wei's lips quirked up into a confident smile. He was certain he had answered correctly. What he wanted to know was how the young man from House Yan had done.
If he gave the wrong answer, House Yan's score would forty points and the sect's at sixty. The gap thus widened, the Jade Lake Sect only needed to answer one of the two remaining questions correctly to secure their victory.
Pang Wei calmly looked at Ziju Min. He possessed the strong presence and unhurried confidence of a top genius. The closer it got to the end of the contest, the more resilient he became, and the more potential he was able to tap into.
Jiang Chen didn't pay any attention to this show of confidence. No matter how good the other was, he posed no threat.
Jiang Chen had never admitted defeat to anyone in pill dao. Not now, not ever. He was even more composed than Pang Wei was.
Or perhaps Pang Wei's calmness was partly an act, a front that a genius like him put up for the outside world. Whereas Jiang Chen's calmness came from the inside, from the bottom of his heart. A mere Jade Lake Sect wasn't enough to make him lose his composure.
Ziju Min put away Pang Wei's answer and picked up Jiang Chen's. He frowned when he unfolded the piece of paper. His reaction didn't escape anyone's eyes.
The sect members perked up. There was obviously something wrong with House Yan's answer.
Meanwhile, members of House Yan froze with panic. Yan Qingsang's nervousness was especially apparent.
Ziju Min read over the answer again, a bemused look flashing through his eyes. It seemed that he wasn't sure how he should judge the answer. In the end, he sighed and shook his head, putting down Jiang Chen's piece of paper.
His gaze swept through the crowd before he threw a regretful glance at House Yan.
"The Jade Lake Sect takes the eighteenth question. Ten points to them. House Yan's answer is wrong. According to the rules, they'll have ten points subtracted."
Raucous cheers broke out from the Jade Lake table.
At House Yan's table, everyone other than Yan Jinnan slumped in disappointment. Yan Zhenhuai and Yan Qingsang were especially affected. It was too much for them to take.
Jiang Chen seemed to have anticipated the result. His lips curved into an amused smile as he stood up and cupped his hands. "Master Ziju, may this humble one say something?"
Ziju Min looked over at him, a little surprised. "What do you have to say, young man? If you disagree with my judgement, you must present a convincing argument. Otherwise, it'll be against the rules."
Jiang Chen smiled lazily, his calm eyes fixed on Ziju Min. "Master Ziju, I do have some questions about your judgement. In my opinion, there isn't a better recipe than the one I gave. I don't understand why you'd choose a different answer over mine."
Ziju Min was shocked. Everyone else in the room was equally stunned.
Had this young man from House Yan, who bore a different surname, lost his mind? No one in Eternal Divine Nation dared question Ziju Min's judgement. In the realm of pill dao especially, he was considered the unequivocal authority. The young man's boldness was both admirable and absurd.
Pang Wei huffed and said coolly, "Who are you? What role do you play in House Yan? You're in no place to question Master Ziju!"
He was plainly offended by Jiang Chen's reaction. He was just as confident in his answer and was naturally upset when it was suggested that his answer wasn't the best one.
Jiang Chen gave him a faint smile. "I so happen to be qualified to question this answer. Why are you so angry? Do you have a guilty conscience?"
"A guilty conscience? Me?" Pang Wei laughed. "You're insane. Is this how you try to make a name for yourself? Don't you see how deplorable your methods are?"
Jiang Chen didn't spare him a glance. This man didn't deserve his attention. Instead, he turned to Ziju Min with a smile.
"You will be the final judge, Master Ziju, but allow me to say something. To make a Mirage Introspection Pill, the best spirit herb to complete the recipe is Silverstripe Grass. Greenhorn Grass and Illusory Spirit Grass rank lower. Those two are decent options as well, but not the best." Jiang Chen explained eloquently, ignoring the odd looks cast his way and Ziju Min's changing expressions.
Ziju Min had to recover from his shock before he took a deep breath and asked, "Can you explain why you consider Silverstripe Grass the best option?"
He felt as if the rug had been pulled out from beneath his feet. Pang Wei had answered with the Illusory Spirit Grass, which he himself considered the best option as well. It was also the one single correct answer the entire pill dao community on Myriad Abyss Island agreed on.
Were there really so many alternatives that worked even better? Why had no one on Myriad Abyss Island ever brought up the possibility?
He couldn't determine if he should believe Jiang Chen.
"A theoretical debate means nothing. I'll give you the facts. If Silverstripe Grass is used to refine a Mirage Introspection Pill, the success rate is guaranteed to exceed ninety percent, and the likelihood to produce a supreme rank pill is higher. As for Illusory Spirit Grass or Greenhorn Grass, the success rate is at most sixty percent, while the likelihood of producing a supreme rank pill is only ten percent. Master Ziju agrees with at least the last, correct?"
"You say that success rate using Silverstripe Grass is over ninety percent? How about the chance for a supreme rank pill?"
"Thirty to fifty percent. Provided that the pill refiners are at the same level, Silverstripe Grass is bound to get better results. There's no doubt about that."
"Are you certain?"
"A hundred percent," Jiang Chen responded decisively.
Pang Wei scoffed. "You can lie all you want. The success rate won't be higher just because you say so. You're insulting Master Ziju and challenging the Eternal Sacred Land's authority!"
Jiang Chen laughed derisively. "That's a clumsy attempt at putting words in my mouth. Have you forgotten that the Jade Lake Sect is one of the biggest factions in Eternal Divine Nation, and that you're the alleged top genius of your sect? Your pettiness disappoints me. I respect authority, but I respect the truth more."
Respecting authority, but respecting the truth more.
Many were captivated and upon further reflection, felt that his words made a lot of sense.
After a while of deep thought, Ziju Min turned to Duan Zhiyuan. "This is a difficult dilemma, Advisor Duan. What do you think we should do?'
"You are the pill dao authority, Brother Ziju. We'll do as you say."
Ziju Min sighed. "If I make my judgement without basis, I'm afraid our two young talents will feel insulted and bitter. Experience is the best teacher. Let's have them refine the pills here and now."
The declaration flabbergasted the crowd. The two participants were going to refine the pill now? How exciting!
Since an agreement wasn't forthcoming, they were now given the opportunity to prove themselves in practice.
Pang Wei was displeased. "Illusory Spirit Grass is accepted as the best option, Master Ziju. This man rejects conventional wisdom and questions authority. He's leading the others astray. I believe there's no need for us to waste time validating his theory. Not every disagreement is worth the time."
He'd been announced the winner of this round. It'd be a slap to his face if the result was to be changed.
Besides, he didn't think that there would be a better option than Illusory Spirit Grass. The convention had been established through generations of practice. It was the one true answer on Myriad Abyss Island. It was laughable that this young man dared say this wasn't the best choice.
Chapter 1674: A Contest of Practical Application
Pang Wei's reaction irked Ziju Min. As the authority from the Eternal Sacred Land, he was the one who made the rules for the contest and was entitled to make judgement calls as he saw fit. As a young genius, Pang Wei should've listened instead of questioning him.
"Pill dao never stops advancing," he remarked noncommittally. "Truth is not a constant. If you can prove through practice that the Illusory Spirit Grass is the best choice, your victory will be unquestionable. That will also be in line with the purpose of the contest. You're the host and the star of the day, Ying'er. What do you say?"
Though Xiahou Ying didn't like either of the two factions, she was immensely put out with Pang Wei for his arrogance. That he'd dared to question Ziju Min's decision was especially upsetting.
Ziju Min was her master, the organizer of the pill dao contest and the rulemaker. How dare Pang Wei not understand the situation?
"You make the rules, teacher. You have the final say." She'd never intended to speak up for House Yan, and she wasn't. She just wanted to knock some sense into Pang Wei.
Pang Wei looked at her, then at Ziju Min's serious expression. The pill dao master didn't seem inclined to change his mind.
With a soft sigh, Pang Wei cupped his hands at Ziju Min. "My apologies for my loss of composure, Master Ziju. You're right. We'll get to the truth through practical application. I'll expose this man for the prancing clown he is!"
He didn't dare direct his frustration at Ziju Min. Instead, he shifted the focus of his ire to Jiang Chen. There wasn't much else he could do before the crowd's eyes. Killing intent exploded in his eyes. "You better behave yourself, brat. If I know that you've wasted our time on purpose, you'll get what you deserve."
Jiang Chen snorted silently. He'd gotten tired of rote threats like that.
Surprisingly, it was Yan Zhenhuai who scoffed back. "Who're you trying to intimidate, Pang Wei?"
As the top genius of House Yan, Yan Zhenhuai was obligated to protect the family's interest. Jiang Chen was fighting for the house's sake. It would be remiss of him if he didn't take a stand in support. Besides, he wasn't scared of Pang Wei.
The crowd grew excited to see the two geniuses go head to head. They watched with rapt attention, hoping the two of them would fight it out.
It was unrealistic to expect a fight to break out here. Once the two of them left the premises however, there was no telling what would happen.
Pang Wei sneered and threw Yan Zhenhuai a contemptuous glance. "Watch yourself, Yan Zhenhuai. You people from House Yan are welcome to come at me together. I'll take all of you on myself."
Jiang Chen intervened before Yan Zhenhuai could respond. "Arguing with petty men like him only brings us down to his level, Brother Zhenhuai. Let me teach him a lesson through pill dao."
It wasn't a harsh comeback, but it was enough to render Pang Wei speechless. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
Yan Qingsang broke into hearty peals of laughter. It was cathartic just to see Pang Wei's face turn beet red with anger.
Pang Wei leveled a frosty stare at Jiang Chen. He was already imagining how his opponent as a dead man.
That didn't faze his target at all. Jiang Chen shrugged. "Pang, are you too scared to take on the challenge?"
"Alright, enough with the quarrel," Ziju Min cut in. "All the ingredients have been prepared. You've been given the same materials except for the Illusory Spirit Grass and Silverstripe Grass. The cauldrons you're going to use are the same as well. You may check them yourselves."
Jiang Chen quickly checked his materials to make sure nothing had been compromised. The cauldron was especially important to examine. If the cauldron was faulty, it'd be impossible for him to win.
He sent out some tongues of fire to heat up the cauldron. Once he was sure it functioned normally, he put it down, waiting for Ziju Min to signal for the start.
The senior nodded. "Alright, you may start. Remember, you only have two hours, which is about the time it'll take for you to refine a cauldron of Mirage Introspection Pills."
Jiang Chen started without hesitation.
Heat the cauldron. Build the fire. Add in ingredients. For him, refining pill was as easy as eating and sleeping. Besides, this particular pill wasn't particularly difficult to make. He didn't use any special tricks. Instead, he did everything by the book.
Even with the same method, different people would produce different results.
Jiang Chen's way wasn't anything special, but he did everything with practiced ease. Even though he'd purposefully hidden his true ability, his performance caught Ziju Min's attention.
This young man has a solid foundation in pill dao. Not everyone at his age can possess such practiced skill.
He must've put in a great deal of effort to reach this level of sophistication.
Jiang Chen focused on nothing but the task at hand when he was refining pills. He ignored everyone's glances and worked step-by-step at his own pace.
Ziju Min shifted his focus between Jiang Chen and Pang Wei. Most of the time though, he was looking at Jiang Chen.
There were no surprises forthcoming from Pang Wei. Everyone on Myriad Abyss Island refined the same Mirage Introspection Pill with the same Illusory Spirit Grass and the same method.
The Silverstripe Grass was the only new factor of interest. What were the necessary steps? When should it be added? How should the temperature be controlled?
Every detail was crucial. It was often what determined if a pill would be refined successfully.
Jiang Chen didn't notice that Ziju Min was learning his techniques by observing him. This method was nothing special, thus he didn't care at all if someone stole the technique from him.
After about thirty minutes, Jiang Chen completed the preliminary combination of all the ingredients. Now it was time to refine the pills, the most important stage.
The quality of execution during this stage would determine the success rate. If everything was executed perfectly, the likelihood of producing supreme rank pills would be significantly higher as well.
He focused wholly on controlling the cauldron and the Mirage Introspection Pills within.
One… two… three… The pills were translucent and had an attractive glow to them like longan fruits. They lay inside the cauldron like embryos within a mother's body.
He cast his eye to the inside of the cauldron, feeling the pills settle into their shapes. His heart remained as calm as still water.
After three quarters of an hour, his cauldron started humming, a sure sign of success. He smiled in delight and gradually lowered the intensity of the fire, allowing the cauldron to cool down.
A dull rumble came from within. The fire extinguished in the next moment. The refining process had come to an end.
With the cauldron now quiet. He slapped the table lightly, making the lid of the cauldron leap into the air.
Pills that resembled pieces of white jade flew out of the cauldron one by one. The refinement was a success!. Each translucent pill was shaped like a heart. They were endearing and appealing. The pills fell onto a jade plate like marbles, making a staccato of pleasant clinks.
Everyone turned towards the sound and counted the pills. Ziju Min widened his eyes slightly to see that thirteen pills had come from Jiang Chen's cauldron.
Every single pill was perfectly shaped and had a beautiful lustre. It was obvious that the pills were of supreme rank. Even the pickiest critics wouldn't be able to find any flaws. Everything about the pills was perfect.
Ziju Min was swayed. He glanced at Jiang Chen pointedly, his heart filled with shock. He was now ninety percent sure that Silverstripe Grass worked better than Illusory Spirit Grass. Even if he'd refined the pill himself, he could produce at most ten to twelve pills to a cauldron.
Jiang Chen produced thirteen at once! If he'd only exceeded expectation in quantity of the pills, there would be nothing to boast about. But the thirteen pills were all of supreme rank. That was a remarkable demonstration of his ability.
Pang Wei had proceeded to the end of the refining process as well. His cauldron was humming lowly. However, the sound coming from his cauldron was a clear enough indication that the result wasn't as good.
His pills were soon finished. There were nine of them, which wasn't bad. However, the pills he produced were clearly lesser than Jiang Chen's in all aspects including size and color.
Comparisons were odious. No one could say that Pang Wei hadn't done well, but he couldn't rival Jiang Chen in pill dao in any way.
The crowd watched in awe. The winner was obvious. The contrast between the pills was striking. Even the best of Pang Wei's nine pills couldn't rival the most flawed of Jiang Chen's.
Ziju Min didn't even have to announce the results. Everyone could see with their own eyes who was the winner.
Chapter 1675: A Lock on the Championship
But, Ziju Min wasn't going to be so careless. He took pills from both and examined them over and over again before letting out a long sigh.
Pang Wei's failure wasn't solely his own, but Myriad Abyss Island's as a whole. The general understanding of the Mirage Introspection Pill had been flawed.
However, rather than disappointed, Ziju Min was very excited. That truth was found in experimentation was absolutely true.
"Haha, I didn't expect today's pill dao battle to yield such unexpected results. You've taught me a lesson, Shao Yuan. Who would've thought that the Mirage Introspection Pill would have such wondrous possibilities... so Illusory Spirit Grass wasn't the best choice for it all along, eh? You've done a great favor for the pill dao world at large. This is a deed of great merit."
"Not at all, Master Ziju," Jiang Chen smiled. "I don't deserve such high praise."
There was nothing else that needed to be said right now. The Pang Wei who'd been nothing short of ferocious moments ago was now drooping. All of his arrogant disdain had disappeared.
He had been shocked into submission by the unexpected results. Nothing here was proceeding according to his understanding.
It was at this time that Yan Zhenhuai suddenly clapped lightly with a laugh. "Brother Shao Yuan, you were absolutely right. Actions speak louder than words in an argument. You've certainly taught someone a lesson in pill dao, and I'm sure he'll be much more well-behaved from now on."
It was just as Yan Zhenhuai had said. Pang Wei was petrified in stupefaction. Saying anything more at this juncture would only leave opportunities for others to attack him bywith He wanted to dive into a fissure in the ground.
"It seems that question eighteen must be rescored," Ziju Min judged. "However, Pang Wei's answer isn't strictly wrong. It's just that House Yan's surpasses his. The ten points will go to House Yan instead, but the Jade Lake Sect won't be deducted any points for the question."
Jiang Chen had no issue with this decision. In fact, he would have been fine if Ziju Min had given both parties ten points for the question. There were two more questions in which he had every confidence that he would defeat his opponent by.
Pang Wei froze at Ziju Min's declaration. His mouth moved a little, but nothing came out. He was too embarrassed to argue further. The Jade Lake Sect was collectively mildly upset and dissatisfied with this outcome. However, most of their enmity went towards House Yan.
Though House Yan wasn't in most of the other factions' good graces, it was difficult to comment about a question that it'd won with raw skill. Still, it was mildly strange that the house had gotten to this point in the first place. Since when had House Yan's pill dao improved by so much?
This incredible reversal excited everyone on House Yan's side. Yan Qingsang was especially animated: gesturing and waving wildly. Jiang Chen returned to his seat coolly, as if he'd done nothing at all of consequence. His composure slightly embarrassed Yan Qingsang.
With the last question, House Yan had surpassed the Jade Lake Sect in the rankings. It was at sixty points. The sect occupied second place, with fifty points. The other factions' point totals remained as they were.
Only two questions remained. The contest was heating up into the most intense stage. Things were even clearer now: if the Jade Lake Sect couldn't take the next question, but House Yan could, first place would be decided beforehand.
Thus, both parties solemnly prepared themselves for the problem to come. This would be the deciding point in the match.
The battle for third place was dampened by the tension for first. All eyes were gathered upon the two factions vying for the win. Ziju Min was a key focal point as well. He was the master of the questions, after all.
"Question nineteen is about spirit herb lore. This is an ancient question that I came across in my travels overseas. I've studied it for a long time and finally come upon some knowledge regarding it. Please listen well..."
Jiang Chen nodded to himself when he finished listening to the question. This question was indeed a remarkable one. It was rather esoteric and complex.
Ziju Min didn't elaborate as to the question's every detail. A small piece was sufficient for his purposes: the younger geniuses found it more than difficult enough.
This was a question about the cycle of five elements among spirit herbs. How should five spirit herbs be arranged to create a beneficial cycle so that all of them might grow faster with their peers' influence?
It asked about an ancient puzzle that Jiang Chen had studied in his previous life; the level of his research was several times deeper than the scope of Ziju Min's question. Thus, he had the answer already while the Jade Lake Sect was still confused about it. He smiled, motioning for Yan Qingsang to answer.
Yan Qingsang raised his hand with practiced ease.
The sect was uniformly demoralized by the gesture. Clearly they'd formed some kind of emotional reflex with Yan Qingsang raising his hand. Whenever he did so, bad news for them followed.
Jiang Chen stood up to answer the question once more without reservation.
The answer shocked Ziju Min once more. His question wasn't particularly intricate, but the young man named Shao Yuan provided an answer that was beyond its breadth. In fact, its wisdom gave him a few flashes of inspiration.
He'd finally realized that this young man was perhaps the real mastermind behind House Yan's preposterous performance.
When Ziju Min announced the results, the sect's geniuses were paralyzed into capitulation. They hung their heads like defeated roosters.
After question nineteen, House Yan had seventy points. The Jade Lake Sect had only fifty and had been forced into second place. Third place was undecided as of yet.
However, since both House Yan and the Jade Lake Sect had no need to answer the twentieth question. Ziju Min lowered its difficulty accordingly so that the other factions might have a chance to compete.
House Feng finished third in the end, bringing a close to the lengthy pill dao competition.
As the biggest dark horse, House Yan won first place in an almost incomprehensible display of prowess. Though the Jade Lake Sect had been favored to win, it could only look on as the honor was snatched from its fingers and given to another.
Ziju Min sighed. "I'm both pleased and worried about the results of this competition. I can see that many of the factions are lax about pill dao as a discipline. However, there were some pleasant surprises as well. The Jade Lake Sect has always been steadfast about its pursuit of pill dao, and House Yan has been an incredible find today. I haven't seen a show as amazing as this in a long time! Nor a young man as promising, truthfully."
Jiang Chen shook his head internally. He could see that Ziju Min was a sentimental man without much guile to him. But these words of his were simply too much… or perhaps he really did just want to praise House Yan's younger generation?
Given the current circumstances, the number of enemies House Yan made today was directly proportional to the gravity of Ziju Min's praise.
"Ying'er, would you like to say a few words?"
It was nominally Xiahou Ying's birthday party, so Ziju Min deferred to the star of the event.
"That's fine, teacher." Xiahou Ying was a bit upset. She hadn't wanted either House Yan or the Jade Lake Sect to win.
Ziju Min had no idea of her biases though. He announced the results after a slight smile.
The weight of six hundred million spirit stones was heavy in House Yan's hands. Yan Zhenhuai was more reserved about it, but Yan Qingsang made no attempt to hide his good cheer.
Yan Jinnan was green with envy. He found it hard to accept it even now. How come Yan Qingsang was suddenly hogging all the attention? The other youth who'd been slightly inferior to him in every respect had surpassed him in more ways than one. In fact, Yan Qingsang was several strides ahead now.
Psychologically speaking, Yan Jinnan couldn't accept this.
Now that the pill dao contest was over, initiative at the banquet returned to House Xiahou's hands.
As an observer, Jiang Chen watched as show after show was acted out in their honor. Every one of them had the same purpose: to heighten Xiahou Ying's existence. She was given plenty of opportunities to show off.
At the conclusion of the banquet, she had become quite familiar with the geniuses in attendance, thus accomplishing her initial purpose perfectly. She had little interest in the rest of House Yan's young people, but she was strangely courteous to Jiang Chen. She invited him several times to sit with her at the host's table.
Jiang Chen didn't fall for her tricks. He used his need to accompany his brother as an excuse to decline the numerous inquiries.
Xiahou Ying's attempts at socializing rarely failed, but her inability to draw forth the winner of the pill dao contest was an exception. This made her somewhat disgruntled.
What's the reason for his pride? I just wanted to test whether it was possible to steal him from House Yan. If he's so stubborn about it, he can stay there to choke and die!
Malice and disgruntlement filled her heart.
Chapter 1676: Master Ziju Min's Invitation
The rest of the banquet was a stage for all the best geniuses of the prominent factions. Most of them were also expert hands at socializing, and worked together to raise the atmosphere to new heights.
Abnormally, Jiang Chen laid low and observed from the side.
Yan Zhenhuai on the other hand, was reasonably well-known and accepted. Many geniuses were more willing to make his acquaintance. His talent was ranked highly among the younger generation in Eternal as a whole – regardless of his affiliation and house.
House Yan was declining, but Yan Zhenhuai was on the rise.
Yan Qingsang had no interest in putting himself in the middle of the activity. He was content to converse by Jiang Chen's side.
The banquet concluded amidst a bustling atmosphere. Jiang Chen and Yan Qingsang readied themselves to leave. If courtesy wasn't a consideration, the former would've left a time ago.
"Young friend, may I have a moment?" As he strode out of House Xiahou's gates, a voice called out behind him. Jiang Chen knew it was Ziju Min from the sound alone.
Since the older man was his senior, Jiang Chen paused with a sincere smile. "Master Ziju, were you calling for me?"
"Haha, there's no need for so much pleasantries. I still have quite a few questions regarding the pill dao contest earlier. Will you do me the honor of giving me a bit of your time?"
Jiang Chen traded a glance with Yan Qingsang. His friend pushed him a little. "Go, Brother Shao Yuan. Master Ziju is a well-respected master. If you can receive a bit of his wisdom, or better yet, become his disciple, you'll have a wonderful future ahead of you."
He was only half-joking. If Jiang Chen and Ziju Min forged a strong relationship, House Yan would benefit as well. At the very least, it would receive Ziju Min's help to a certain extent. If conflict arose in the future, asking for assistance from the Eternal Sacred Land was an option.
Ziju Min understood the ramifications of his words much as Yan Qingsang did. He maintained a silent smile until the other youth disappeared. "After you, my young friend."
"No, no, please go ahead." Jiang Chen responded with equal courtesy.
They turned a corner to find an opulent carriage, drawn by four magnificent spirit beasts, parked in an open area.
"Come on in," Ziju Min stepped to the side to let Jiang Chen in first.
A single command sent the carriage airborne. The vehicle soared high into the clouds, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.
Not long after it did, several young geniuses pondered the shadow of the departed carriage. "It looks like Master Ziju Min has invited House Yan's young foreign-surname genius."
"Is it his lucky day?? A personal invite from the senior can only mean promising prospects." The ones discussing it were filled with envy.
Clearly, they were quite desirous of Ziju Min's overture. The pill immortal was a giant in Eternal Sacred Land, at least in the pill dao department. He had a lot of authority everywhere in Eternal Divine Nation.
The young man must have been truly incredible for the senior to see value in him, going so far as to personally take him away!
"I guess it makes sense. That guy was the entire reason House Yan won six hundred million sky spirit stones and first place in the pill dao contest, right?"
"What I want to know is where he comes from. Have any of you heard about him before?"
"How could we have? I think Yan Qingsang brought him back from the Bluesmoke Isles."
"Yan Qingsang is too dumb to have brought someone back like him. That can't be right!"
"Hard to say. Myriad Abyss Island has its fair share of mysteries. You get used to it after a while."
"Heheh, I've always felt that the newcomer is too enigmatic to be at home in House Yan. Maybe he's only using the house as a springboard. Now that a pill dao master from the Eternal Sacred Land has taken an interest in him, he won't possibly stay with House Yan in its current downturn. He's going to fly elsewhere!" Although there were multiple voices in this conversation, the main theme was the deep envy they felt for Jiang Chen's current treatment.
Within the beast carriage, Jiang Chen was perfectly quiet. He answered every question Ziju Min voiced with impeccable accuracy. However, he said not a word beyond what was required.
He wasn't pretending to be deep and mysterious, but because he knew it was dangerous to speak too much. Being unfamiliar with Ziju Min, he didn't know the man's personality or habits.
It was easy to make a misstep by being unnecessarily eloquent.
Rather than bringing Jiang Chen to Eternal Sacred Land, Ziju Min brought him back to his personal residence.
"Do you know why I took you here rather than the sacred land, young Shao Yuan?"
"Perhaps you don't want me to go there, senior."
"Haha, It's not that. Eternal Sacred Land has very strict conditions surrounding it. Once you enter, it's difficult to come back out."
"Is it really that extreme?" Jiang Chen smiled.
"Well, rather than extreme… the sacred land doesn't easily allow outsiders. Anyone who enters either becomes an heir or a servant. It's almost impossible to leave without any consequences."
Jiang Chen understood the gist of what the senior was getting at. The Eternal Sacred Land's objective for doing this was likely to maintain its mystique.
"Alright, back to more important things. Friend, does the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle really have twenty-seven combinations? If so, how many have you learned?"
Ziju Min was an avid scholar, deeply in love with pill dao as a whole. He was intensely curious about anything he took an interest in. This was the main reason he had invited only Jiang Chen in the first place.
"Did you ask me to come here solely for the puzzle, senior?" Jiang Chen cracked a wry smile.
"Haha, please don't misunderstand, young friend. I simply wanted to make a few inquiries in the pursuit of knowledge. If it's inconvenient for you, I won't push you about it."
"Oh, it's not related to convenience or anything. I just didn't expect you to be so… inquisitive, Master Ziju. May I ask the reason why?"
"I've always been fascinated with studying these ancient puzzles. Alas, my available sources of information on them are few and far between. Sometimes, I have no opportunities to do so at all. If you share what you know with me, I will owe you a tremendous favor."
Jiang Chen smiled slightly. "I don't see why not."
Taking a minute to sort out his thoughts, he dictated, "All twenty-seven combinations of the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle have been passed down through my ancestors. I know them all, but I feel that it's just a distraction, for entertainment only. I don't see any special meaning in it."
"What? You know all twenty-seven?" Ziju Min was exhilarated. He had thought the young man capable of seven, eight, or perhaps a dozen or more. That all twenty-seven combinations were available were shocking indeed.
Without further ado, Jiang Chen put his head down and wrote with the brush and paper near him. It didn't take long for him to scrawl out every combination. "Master Ziju," he handed the older man the paper, "all twenty-seven are here. I owe my heritage for giving me such esoteric knowledge, of course."
"No need to be humble, my friend. I have only the deepest respect for your pill dao knowledge. Your description of the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle proves it all the more. You were also quite familiar with the five elements' spirit herb riddle, I recall."
Jiang Chen sighed. "I happened to have learned about it in the past, that's all."
His modesty only made Ziju Min appreciate him all the more.
"Young man, there's no need to hold yourself back like this before me. Genius is the only thing I esteem, no matter where you're from or what background you have. Your pill dao ability and foundational skills you displayed while refining pills mark you as superior to every other youth in Eternal Divine Nation. This isn't empty flattery at all. I've been an empyrean rank pill sovereign for countless years, always observing and seeking out juniors with potential for success. I must say once again that though Eternal has its fair share of competent martial dao talent, it's sorely lacking in the pill dao department."
Ziju Min looked rather sad when he discussed the present circumstances. His dissatisfaction with Eternal Divine Nation's current pill dao state was obvious.
However, this had nothing to do with Jiang Chen.
"I don't have a propensity for poaching people, young man. Still, I have very high hopes for your future in pill dao. If you feel yourself bored by House Yan one day, with no room for further improvement, you can come find me. I may not be the absolute authority in Eternal Sacred Land, but my words are reasonably hefty. I can carve out a spot for you anytime."
This a formal invitation from Ziju Min.
"All is currently well enough at House Yan, Master Ziju. I don't have any plans to leave right now. However, pill dao has never had walls or divides. If there is anything you need from me at all, Master Ziju, please contact me at your leisure. I will do whatever you ask, as long as it is within my power."
Of course Jiang Chen knew what status Ziju Min possessed in the sacred land. But he was deeply aware that once he entered it, he would have to leave House Yan and Huang'er behind. He would very likely be excommunicated.
Naturally, that was undesirable. He'd only been apart from Huang'er for several hours, but his concern for her was already mounting with painful speed. Going into the Eternal Sacred Land was a prospect too horrifying to imagine. He didn't want to be forced to remain for a few years, only to find upon exiting that something had happened to Huang'er in the interim. What would he do then?
No matter how attractive it was to others, Jiang Chen was completely unmoved. He had come to Myriad Abyss and Eternal Divine Nation not to climb the societal ladder here or to enrich himself, but to rescue his beloved!