Chapter 415: Alchemy Challenge 3

Shen Xu and Xuanyuan Yan looked over and saw that, at some point, the ingredients table had been divided into two sections.

At a glance, each section had several wooden, jade, and porcelain boxes.

However, compared to previous challenges, the number of materials was pitifully small.

’Level eight materials are scarcer after all.’ Shen Xu thought as he walked to the table.

After arriving, he picked up a wooden box, opened it and saw the contents.

’Level eight blue cedar leaf.’ He thought.

The blue cedar leaf was a secondary material used to refine the ice crystal pill.

Looking at it, Shen Xu saw the leaf was in good condition, but it was a little young, and the blue wasn’t as deep as he liked.

’Check the others first.’ He thought and began opening the other boxes.

In this way, Shen Xu chose his materials for refining the ice crystal pill, and when he was satisfied, he moved to the next section.

There were fewer materials for refining the soul fixing grass than those for refining the ice crystal pill.

However, this was expected since soul-related grasses were rare even in the Tianxuan continent.

As before, Shen Xu chose his materials carefully but subconsciously narrowed his eyes when he opened the last jade box.

’They actually hid a soul-eroding worm in the soul fixing grass.’ He thought, and his heart filled with unprecedented anger.

When they were exploring the forbidden zone in the Tianqi continent, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan encountered the soul water river.

As a result, both practised their soul power to a point where using it became second nature.

Otherwise, if he were just using spiritual sense to check the materials, Shen Xu would never have noticed the soul-eroding worm in the soul fixing grass.

[What’s wrong?] Zhen Yuan transmitted after sensing Shen Xu’s anger.

[There is a soul-eroding worm in the soul fixing grass.] The double replied and sensed an answering anger.

Although Shen Xu had designed a pill to kill the soul-eroding worm, this didn’t stop the two from being angry.

After all, as far as the rest of the world knew, being infected with the soul-eroding worm was a death sentence for cultivators.

’Xuanyuan Yan is really ruthless.’ Shen Xu thought, picked the grass, but secretly trapped the worm in the jade box before sending the jade into the space.

’Xuanyuan Yan, since you are being ruthless, I will show you no mercy.’ He decided and walked to his worktable.

Shen Xu originally wanted to start with the soul fixing pill.

However, after thinking about it, he began working on the ice crystal pill.

Since he couldn’t use spiritual water to cleanse the grasses, he began the difficult tasks of removing impurities from the materials.

Fortunately, after the spiritual planting challenge, Shen Xu had reacquainted himself with the manual process and was much faster this time around.

Cleaning materials…, removing impurities…, extracting the essence…., merging the essences…, forming pills…, removing pills from the furnace.

Each person had three sets of materials for refining the ice crystal pills.

However, Shen Xu refined all three in one furnace but only used two shichen to collect twenty-four pills.

Of the twenty-four, four were perfect grade, sixteen were top grade, and four were high-grade.

’Not bad.’ He thought and subconsciously glanced at Xuanyuan Yan.

Xuanyuan Yan had already refined one furnace and was working on the second.

Seeing this, Shen Xu smiled, bottled his pills, and sat cross-legged to rest.

“Monster.” A spectator muttered.

“How can he refine ice element pills so easily and quickly?” Another asked.

“I can’t believe he refined perfect grade pills. How is this possible?”

“Can the sect master’s wife refine perfect-grade pills?” Someone asked in a conspiratorial voice.

“I heard the master of the alchemy association refined a level six perfect grade pill seven thousand years ago, and the whole association celebrated for ten days.” A female cultivator said and suddenly burst into laughter.

“I wonder if the alchemy association will be embarrassed when they learn that Shen Xu refined four perfect-grade pills in just two shichen.” She continued.

“It’s a little embarrassing when you put it like that.”

“It’s indeed embarrassing, but this is not a good thing for junior brother Shen.”

“What do you mean?”

“The alchemy association is notoriously petty. I won’t be surprised if they move against junior brother Shen.”

“I wonder if fellow Daoist Shen is already a member of the alchemy association.”

“All alchemists are members of the alchemy association. The question is whether he is just an ordinary member or an elder.”

“But seriously, why can Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan produce perfect-grade goods so easily?”

“Could it be their inheritance?”

“I also think they have superior inheritances. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so simple to produce such high-quality results every time.”

“They may have superior inheritances, but I think talent is the deciding factor.” A male cultivator said and quickly continued.

“It’s said that those two found the divine ascension grass when they had just stepped into cultivation. This shows they have heaven’s favour and strong luck. Such favoured people would definitely have extraordinary talent.”

“Speaking of heaven’s favour…” Someone started and subconsciously looked at the sky before continuing.

“Why is no one discussing the previous crisis? I remember the threatening clouds appeared after young sect master Xuanyuan suggested enslaving Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan as her servants.” He said.

“The clouds indeed appeared after the young sect master issued her request, but is it realistic to think that the way of heaven was angry because of this?”

“The way of heaven may favour certain cultivators, but it has never shown such blatant protection. I think the threat may have been a coincidence.”

“A coincidence? The clouds appeared after the young sect master’s request and disappeared after she withdrew the condition. What coincidence is so convenient?”

“This…”

In the end, no one was willing to admit that heaven’s favour for Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan was so blatant.

After all, cultivating was going against the sky, and it was a little disconcerting to know that the way of heaven had opened the easy mode for Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan while everyone else was struggling in hell mode.

“It seems the young sect master will lose miserably in this challenge.” Someone said, and the surrounding cultivators nodded in agreement.

Xuanyuan Yan was a good alchemist and had produced one top-grade pill, three high-grade pills and four mid-grade pills in her first furnace.

However, comparing her to Shen Xu was the same as likening mud and the clouds; the difference was big and devastating.

After resting for half an hour, Shen Xu stood and began working on the soul fixing pills.

Because of his good control of soul power, Shen Xu refined ten perfect-grade pills and fourteen top-grade pills.

This result was unexpected and devastating.

After all, soul-related grasses were rare, and alchemists lacked enough materials to perfect their art.

However, Shen Xu had the Chaos Flame space and had transplanted countless soul-related grasses.

As a result, his ability to refine pills with soul power was even stronger than that of refining with qi.

’Xuanyuan Yan, I wouldn’t have been so harsh if you didn’t insist on being ruthless.’ Shen Xu thought, his eyes filled with indifference.

Since he had finished ahead of time, the double sat and began replenishing his qi and soul power.

Seeing this, the spectators shook their heads and looked at Xuanyuan Yan with pitying eyes.

“I don’t know if the young sect master can withstand this beatdown.” Someone asked, but her eyes were filled with schadenfreude.

“Junior brother Shen and fellow Daoist Zhen are the true definition of mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people. Competing with them is like trying to use glass to break a diamond.”

“I think the elders should no longer allow them to compete within the sect.”

“I think so too. It’s too demoralising.”

“I suddenly want to see them deal with those hypocrites from the Hanging Garden sect.”

“The Hanging Garden sect has become more powerful over the years and is almost catching up with our Tianxuan sect. It would be good if we set junior brother Shen and fellow Daoist Zhen on them. It’s time they learned their place.”

“Are you treating fellow Daoist Zhen and junior brother Shen as vicious monsters?” Someone asked, and the surrounding cultivators looked at each other with awkward expressions.

At some point, they had stopped seeing the two people as humans and began treating them as vicious monsters or powerful weapons that could be pointed at others.

“Fellow Daoist Zhen and junior brother Shen are not vegetarians. It’s best not to offend them.”

After that, the surrounding spectators turned to the stage and continued watching the challenge.

However, the outcome of the first two tasks had already been determined, and everyone was just going through the motions.

Time passed, and Xuanyuan Yan finished the tasks with an hour to spare.

After collecting her pills, she clenched her hands and forcibly suppressed the humiliation in her heart.

’It doesn’t matter. Everything will be fine when I win the third task.’ She thought.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep