The voice belonged to the Dan Elder, a figure that Shen Xiang would never forget. Her statement sent shockwaves through the No. 8 Courtyard. The Tai Dan Academy comprised eight small courtyards, with the Tai Dan Wang Academy above them, accessible only to those worthy of the title of Dan Wang!
"If you fail, all the benefits you receive at Tai Wu Sect will be given to Yao Haisheng," the Dan Elder sneered.
Yao Haisheng felt a rush of joy; he could tell that the Dan Elder was deliberately helping him.
Shen Xiang smiled faintly. "That's fine. If I secure the first place, not only will I gain access to a prestigious place, but I might also take on an apprentice."
"You'll never win. I've been first for five consecutive years! You're still far from that!" Yao Haisheng scoffed, picturing Shen Xiang's dismal defeat.
The entire Tai Wu Sect was aware of the Dan Elder's grudge against Shen Xiang. However, since Shen Xiang entered the inner sect and gained substantial resources, the Dan Elder's actions were intended to cut off his path to further resources. Yet no one expected that Shen Xiang would agree to such terms.
"Youngsters are always so competitive; one day you'll regret it," Wu Kaiming mused after hearing the news. "I wonder, Dan Elder, why are you still targeting him? He's trying to win your favor and even generously offered you two Qingxuan Fruits. Why not give him a break?"
The Dan Elder snorted. "That kid hasn't suffered. I need other materials to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, and his Qingxuan Fruits are the rarest I've searched for endlessly. I have no choice but to accept! If he were genuinely trying to appease me, he wouldn't ask me to help refine pills for his two little lovers!"
Wu Kaiming agreed that the Dan Elder had indeed been put at a disadvantage in this case.
"I must make him submit to me. If he comes to beg, apologizing and admitting his mistakes, I might even take him as my apprentice!" The Dan Elder declared before disappearing in a flash.
"What a stubborn woman; she probably won't get married," Wu Kaiming chuckled helplessly.
The alchemy competition would commence in three days at the No. 8 Courtyard. During these three days, Shen Xiang remained in seclusion. Others believed he was preparing, but he was actually studying the Spirit Patterns in the alchemy manual.
"Mingyao, Youyou, you both should be familiar with these Spirit Patterns! They hold profound mysteries that can unleash unique powers. What do you think would happen if I skillfully engraved these patterns onto pills or incorporated them during the refining process?" Shen Xiang asked.
Su Mingyao and Bai Youyou were taken aback. They had never considered such a question, as they viewed alchemy merely as blending various herbs into pills.
After taking a deep breath, Su Mingyao replied, "I don't know, but it's worth a try! However, this requires a very strong divine sense to quickly engrave Spirit Patterns during pill formation. For internal engraving, an even greater divine sense is necessary."
"Exactly, and suitable Spirit Patterns are essential! My master once mentioned that some ancient spirit symbols had effects similar to pills. For instance, placing a spirit symbol on a person's dantian could rapidly replenish their true qi, and placing it on their arm would enhance their strength," Bai Youyou added.
Shen Xiang felt a surge of excitement. If this were successful, he could significantly enhance the effects of his pills, potentially reaching the same efficacy as using rare herbs without needing them. However, he currently possessed too few Spirit Patterns.
Three days passed with Shen Xiang making no significant progress, as the Spirit Patterns were exceedingly intricate, requiring immense concentration to analyze, memorize, and master—something not achievable in such a short time.
The alchemy competition was an annual event, while a larger competition occurred every ten years, where not only Tai Wu Sect alchemists participated but also those from across the Tai Wu State.
Many showed little interest in watching the competition, as it could be quite dull, except for the grand event every ten years, which was spectacular and lively, often revealing humorous blunders.
"Shen Ge, you got this! We'll be here waiting for you in ten days!" Cloud Little Knife felt a wave of anxiety for Shen Xiang, recalling how he had insisted Shen Xiang would undoubtedly secure first place. If Shen Xiang lost, it would be his fault.
The Dan Elder approached, coldly stating, "Shen Xiang, I'll supervise your alchemy process. I've heard you just won a thousand True Qi Pills. If you cheat, you'll be caught!"
Shen Xiang sighed helplessly. "Dan Elder, I still have seven hundred True Qi Pills left. I gave one hundred to Cloud Little Knife, and sold two hundred to Zhu Rong and Zhang De. I'll hand over the seven hundred pills to you for safekeeping, so you won't accuse me of cheating later."
Shen Xiang readily presented seven boxes, surprising the Dan Elder. When others learned that Shen Xiang carried seven hundred True Qi Pills, jealousy surged through them. They dared not target Shen Xiang, knowing that even if they were stronger, any wrongdoing would be reported to Tai Wu Sect, which would spell disaster for them.
The Dan Elder opened each box, confirming the seven hundred pills before placing them in her storage bracelet. Only those of her rank had access to such exquisite storage artifacts.
The Dan Elder was genuinely curious about how Shen Xiang managed to refine True Qi Pills, as she didn't believe someone his age could do so.
The competition began with each participant assigned a room, each monitored by a disciple. The entire refining process was transmitted to the Elder Courtyard, where several elders closely observed to prevent any cheating.
Shen Xiang learned that the fastest alchemists could produce a batch of True Qi Pills in an hour and a half. However, he knew he could use the Flame Dragon Alchemy Furnace to produce two batches in half an hour. To avoid raising suspicion, he planned to refine one batch in just over an hour, allowing him to work at a comfortable pace.
When the Dan Elder inspected Shen Xiang's Flame Dragon Alchemy Furnace, she noted its beauty and quality but failed to see anything special about it. Only the one who recognized it as his could discern its true value; otherwise, Meng Bo wouldn't have taken such risks with it in the past.
"Dan Elder, how long does it take you to refine True Qi Pills, and how many do you typically produce in one batch?" Shen Xiang inquired.
"The fastest is an hour and a half for two batches, with a maximum of six pills per batch, though it takes longer," the Dan Elder answered, pride evident in her tone. This was her noteworthy achievement; alchemists of their level didn't often refine low-tier pills, often closing themselves off to work on high-tier ones.
If they were to refine higher-tier pills, they usually entered seclusion. The Dan Elder hadn't entered seclusion in years, primarily because she was gathering medicinal materials.
The competition's materials were provided by Tai Wu Sect, but failures incurred costs for the materials. Thus, everyone would proceed cautiously, avoiding haste. Shen Xiang, equipped with his remarkable Flame Dragon Alchemy Furnace, could refine at any speed he desired. At his maximum, he could produce three batches in half an hour.
Seeing Shen Xiang skillfully handling the herbs without even needing to look, processing multiple portions simultaneously with precise measurement and speed, was astonishing. This level of expertise was typical only of those who had refined many times before, and even among Tai Wu Sect, only a handful of older masters could match his pace.