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Translator: StarReader
Editor: CutieBinkie
Proofreader: Papatonks
Bang~
The fire dragons slammed into each other, making the boiling medicine flowing through them fly out and combine.
In mere moments, Zhuo Fan had done the impossible, refined the ingredients, combined them and formed the pill.
As the last fire dragon slammed, its fire slowly faded to reveal a round scarlet pull. Zhuo Fan was finished.
Hum~
The pill sent ripples around, burning as hot and bright as the sun itself. The audience basked in its aura with every release, filling their veins with power.
“T-this is an 11th grade pill?”
Meng Feitian and Xue Dingxian, the two grandmasters, were dumbstruck. All they could do was stand there like some fools, forking their jaws as their attention was robbed from the flames in their hands; their own refining ruined. The spectacle had blown their minds.
The rest didn’t fare any better, looking dazed and bug eyed.
[You’re telling me that grand display was alchemy? You can do that? Why haven’t we heard it before?]
Shangguan Qingyan, next to Zhuo Fan, was just as overwhelmed. She didn’t know, nor see, an alchemist being so flashy in his refining. Only Zhuo Fan could make something as insipid as alchemy into a show.
Sure enough, her eyes looked at him with a hazy gaze. He was an alchemist, she knew that from before, but not to this amazing extent.
Like all pills were in the palms of his hands, waiting to just open them to show to the world.
Zhuo Fan made a sign and the small sun fell in his palm as he declared, “Top 11th grade pill, complete!”
Pa!
Baili Jingwei jerked so hard on the stage from his weak knees that he almost fell down. He ignored demeanor as he made a mad dash for Zhuo Fan and gently received the pill, scanning every side of this genuine 11th grade pill.
“Sir Gu…”
Baili Jingwei’s lips quivered, overwhelmed by the act and the result. He was seeing Zhuo Fan like a second father, his hands shaky.
The guards were stunned. Being Baili Jingwei’s personal guards for many years, not once had they witnessed the wise Prime Minister lose his cool.
Only before such an incredible alchemist did this man show such an absurd reaction.
Baili Jingwei grabbed Zhuo Fan’s hands, after reining in some of the excitement, and declared, “Sir Gu, you’re a miracle! Now that you’re an 11th grade alchemist, reaching the peak of 12th grade is only a matter of time. It’s western lands’ loss for driving you away. But now that you’re in the central area, it’s truly great…”
Baili Jingwei sounded a little crazed, his eyes teary.
Zhuo Fan’s eyes shook as well, for a different reason.
[This kid doesn’t cherish talents, he loves ’em.]
If it was anything to go by, his poor life was safe when Shangguan clan’s plan went bust. All that left was to incite the two camps into a war so he could cast his line.
Zhuo Fan grinned, certain that the fight would end up with him showing himself and coming out on top.
“Sir Gu, please come on up. You are the undisputed king of this competition!” With a flourish, Baili Jingwei bowed and invited him up above all in this competition.
Zhuo Fan waved his hands, “Sir, please, this is only the second round. It’ll be up to the Sword King’s decision in the final round.”
“With sir’s glorious talent, Sword King Feiyun will definitely appreciate you.” Baili Jingwei was elated, smiling from ear to ear, “Even throughout the central area, there are but a few 11th grade alchemists, even fewer of sir’s age. You’re exactly the talent Sword Star Empire needs. In less than a century, sir will become the best alchemist in the world. Your worth can’t be measured!”
Zhuo Fan grinned inside.
[I got him so good, he starts praising me.]
He couldn’t help feeling pride inside.
Since the guy was so nice and imposing, he found it hard to even try to refuse. So he walked with Baili Jingwei on stage, under the revered gazes of the audience.
Shangguan Qingyan was flushed from the glory.
Shangguan Yulin though, was another story. Watching the situation taking the opposite turn he wished for, he was gnashing his teeth and howling inside.
He was the main here! But then that sub turned out to slip into the enemy camp first. If he hesitated now, then he might be eliminated.
He could already see the scorn and piercing looks as he dragged his feet back to the clan. How would everyone else see him then? The fake nephew ended up being better than the real thing. How would his uncle take it?
[No! I have to do it better than him! There’s only one way to kick him off his high horse and into his grave, to let the manor kill him for me!]
But before that, he had to get in himself.
Shangguan Yulin ignored everything as he focused his all on the burning flame in hand. He threw 10th grade ingredients one after the other, swearing to make his best pill yet.
The candidates around stared stunned.
[I say, what’s got into you, brothers? Why is every refining you guys do akin to a duel? What’s your beef with this pill anyway?]
The men didn’t care much anyway. With Zhuo Fan having given them a goal to reach, and seeing Baili Jingwei’s reaction, they knew the second round was based on pill grade.
They started their own process then, throwing in the best ingredients they had in hope of passing.
The two grandmasters were dumbstruck for a long time now, then their eyes looked complicated, “Wait, Grandmaster Gu!”
The mere making of an 11th grade pill had upended their view of Zhuo Fan. Also obvious how he was better than them.
Zhuo Fan smiled at the two, “What is it, seniors, do you have any more advice?”
“Uh, we’d never be so presumptuous as to be Grandmaster Gu’s seniors.”
The two were frantic and ashamed, “Grandmaster Gu, has sir made the 11th grade pill with your own 11th grade ingredients?”
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, but shook his head, “Why would I? With the manor giving us ingredients, why should I pay out of my pocket?”
“But the highest grade the manor offered was 10th!”
“What of it?”
Zhuo Fan chuckled, putting on the airs of an ascendant, “All herbs have spirits. In a right match, their grade will rise, while in a poor one, it will fall. My pill array drew on the world’s energy to integrate the spiritual nature of the ingredients. So why can’t it make an 11th grade pill with 10th grade ingredients?”
[Why can’t it?]
The two were too lost for words.
[Isn’t that convenient to you. ‘Why can’t it.’]
[To you it’s easy, but others didn’t even think of it. In fact, this is unheard of. Sir Gu’s talent is not just that of an alchemist, but of a grandmaster among grandmasters. To make it sound so easy, he’s truly the pinnacle of his generation!]
The two bowed heavily and walked.
Baili Jingwei asked, “Grandmasters, where are you going?”
“We don’t deserve that title.”
The two sighed, “We now realize that there’s always someone better out there. We lack training. We’ll be entering seclusion and study upon alchemy. Fame and glory is not for us. We hope the next time we come out, we’ll be able to catch up a bit to Grandmaster Gu!”
The two laughed and sighed.
“Old man, should we still compete? “
“What competition? Since we’re both lacking, are we to see who sucks the most?”
“True, competing now sounds like a joke, ha-ha-ha…”
Watching their backs, Baili Jingwei took a deep breath.
“Uh, was it something I said? Is that why the two grandmasters are leaving?” Faking innocence, Zhuo Fan turned to Baili Jingwei.
Baili Jingwei smiled and bowed, “Sir’s amazing talent has opened their eyes. I’ve never seen Old Meng look so carefree. Sir’s talent has turned the two grandmasters into believers, into making them cast away fame and wealth, returning to their pure fascination with alchemy. I’m sure that decades later the two grandmasters will be even more amazing.”
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