The viewers around also shook their heads, inwardly feeling pity for Huang Xiaolong.
In the beginning, they had thought that, with Huang Xiaolong’s abilities, especially after he displayed the Pill Refining Hundred Divine Beast Diagram, his chances of winning the bet were slightly higher than Xiang Mingzhi’s.
But now...!
Did Huang Xiaolong still have a chance to turn the tide and snatch a win?
As time drew closer to the one-hour time limit, with merely few minutes remaining, no one believed that Huang Xiaolong would be able to pull a miracle and win the bet. Even the Ascending Moon Old Man’s brows were slightly creased as he watched from his seat on the host stage, faint disappointment could almost be detected in his eyes.
He had assumed based on his understanding of Huang Xiaolong that this little disciple of his definitely had full confidence in winning the bet. Only in those circumstances would Huang Xiaolong make such a bet, this was also the reason why the Ascending Moon Old Man permitted his bet with Xiang Mingzhi.
But now it seems like his disciple had miscalculated!
He had underestimated the Azure Dragon Divine Fire!
“Perhaps I should have told him clearly how powerful the Azure Dragon Divine Fire is!” A trace of regret reared its head in the Ascending Moon Old Man’s heart for not telling Huang Xiaolong about the might of the Azure Dragon Divine Fire, he was afraid Huang Xiaolong would be overburdened by pressure.
It seems his decision was wrong...
At this time, a High Deacon of the Alchemist Grandmaster Association brought the Exalted Divinity Pellets that Xiang Mingzhi had refined up to the host stage for Lin Pinghai and the association Elders to verify.
A moment later, after the Elders had finished checking the pellets, their mood was heavier than before.
“Xiang Mingzhi, eight Exalted Divinity Pellets, top grade. The refining time is fifty minutes!” Lin Pinghai announced the result to the crowd.
The instant Lin Pinghai’s voice ended, the crowd was in an uproar.
Top grade!
There were four grades of medicinal pellets; low, mid, high, and top. Top quality Exalted Divinity Pellets could be considered the highest grade of sacred grade divine pellets in the galaxy!
Hundred of thousands of years passed, there was yet someone who could refine higher quality sacred grade divine pellet than top grade Exalted Divinity Pellet.
When the Azure Dragon Institute Principal heard Lin Pinghai announce the result, he finally relaxed and a radiant smile bloomed on his face.
“Master! Hahaha, it’s Junior Brother’s victory for sure! Junior Brother’s win! That Hailstone Treasure is ours!” Ceng Chu laughed obnoxiously, unbridled and everyone in the square heard what he said clearly.
Xiang Mingzhi turned to look at Huang Xiaolong, undisguised pride and complacency on his face, “Huang Xiaolong, you heard the verification result, right? Do you still want to continue refining?” His hand extended out across space, wanting to pull the Hailstone Treasure and Xuanji Treasure toward himself.
However, with a casual flick, the Ascending Moon Old Man cut off Xiang Mingzhi’s action.
At the receiving end of the Ascending Moon Old Man’s force, Xiang Mingzhi’s Qi Sea roiled violently from the backlash. He looked angrily at him, “Ascending Moon Old Man, the Alchemist Grandmaster Association has agreed to the bet conditions earlier. Now, in front of so many masters, are you trying to go back on your word?!”
All around, masters from different forces were frowning, their stares fixed on the Ascending Moon Old Man.
The old man issued a strange chuckle, “Boy, the competition has not ended.”
Xiang Mingzhi sneered despite his black face, “Fine, I’ll wait till the competition ends, let’s see if you can still come up with more excuses.” Finished saying that, Xiang Mingzhi threw a mocking gaze at Huang Xiaolong, who was still refining.
The crowd shook their heads. In their eyes, the Ascending Moon Old Man’s action was superfluous where in fact the old man just wanted to save some face. After all, anyone could tell that Huang Xiaolong was bound to lose!
At this point, there were less than five minutes to the one-hour time limit.
Just as everyone was shaking their heads, all of a sudden, rumbling sounds came from the sky above. The originally bright clear sky abruptly darkened, as black clouds gathered above them. Silver lightning streaked endlessly among the growing black clouds.
The sudden change in weather stupefied the crowd.
“What’s happening?!” Chen Ye stared dumbly at the dark sky above.
The black clouds gathered at an increasing speed, and very soon, they covered the entire square. The lightning swimming among the black clouds grew thicker and more condensed, transforming into lightning flood dragons.
Those lightning flood dragon assembled above Huang Xiaolong, exuding incredible pressure.
In the next second, before anyone could react, the lightning flood dragons rained down on Huang Xiaolong as if they found a point to vent their anger. More accurately, they bombarded the Exalted Divinity Pellets that Huang Xiaolong was refining.
Everyone was dumbstruck watching this. This scene was too inexplicable.
However, on the host stage, the Ascending Moon Old Man jumped to his feet in excitement, even his voice was shaking, “Could it be... the legendary pill tribulation!!”
Hearing the Ascending Moon Old Man’s words, Chen Ye, Lin Pinghai, and all the association Elders looked blankly at Huang Xiaolong.
Pill tribulation?!
According to legend, only a heaven-defying pellet would trigger pill tribulation!
One could barely remember how many tens of thousands of years this legend had been passed down for until today, but no one had ever seen it with their own eyes, raising doubts if it really existed. Even the Ascending Moon Old Man had only read old records about it from the Thousand Worlds Sect’s collection.
The present masters, old monsters, and Ancestors were trembling. They too knew some information related to this legendary pill tribulation.
Seeing that the numerous lightning flood dragons were about to land on his Pill Refining Divine Beast Diagram, Huang Xiaolong punched upward at the sky with both fists. Consecutive thunderous booms resounded high in the air.
Under the force of Huang Xiaolong’s fists, the lightning flood dragons shattered into tiny drops of lightning rain, assimilating into the divine beasts diagram.
When every drop of lightning rain disappeared into the diagram, the dark clouds above began to disperse, once again revealing a clear blue sky.
From the center of the divine beast diagram, resplendent rays pierced the sky, followed by a lilting sound.
This was the sound of successful pill condensation!
When the pleasing tone ended, the divine beast diagram disappeared. Shiny pellets emitting an alluring fragrance flew out.
In an instant, the fragrance filled the entire square. Every individual in the crowd quivered, feeling refreshed down to their soul. Their gazes changed when they looked at the dozen divine pellets.
Ignoring these people’s reactions, Huang Xiaolong collected all the pellets into his hand. Holding twelve Exalted Divinity Pellets in his hand, Huang Xiaolong walked to the host stage, coming to a stop in front of Lin Pinghai.
“Elder Lin, please verify them.” Huang Xiaolong spoke calmly.
Only at this moment did Lin Pinghai recover from his daze. With a serious solemn face, he received the twelve Exalted Divinity Pellet on a tray before moving toward the other Elders to verify them together.
In Lin Pinghai and the Elders’ sight, inside every single Exalted Divinity Pellet was a lightning flood dragon flickering in and out. Moreover, the amount of spiritual energy inside them was shocking.
Everyone waited with bated breaths for the result.
Xiang Mingzhi’s complacent expression had already been replaced with grimness, his victorious smile was nowhere to be seen. The unease from earlier once again rose in his heart, even stronger.
Qin Yi’s brows furrowed deeply watching everything.
A short moment later, Lin Pinghai and the Elders were done with the verification. Lin Pinghai took a deep breath as he tried his best to control his excitement, “Huang Xiaolong, twelve Exalted Divinity Pellets, surpassing top grade and reaching the legendary tribulation grade. Moreover, it qualifies as rank one tribulation grade. [1] Time: fifty-minutes!”
Tribulation grade, surpassing top grade pills!
His words were like undulating waves of thunder in the audience’s ears, as if tribulation lightning ltruck the crowd.
Xiang Mingzhi was already bloodlessly pale, barely having the strength to support himself. There was a loud buzzing noise in his brain that wouldn’t stop.
Although Huang Xiaolong used eight minutes more than him, their bet was based on the pellet quality to determine victory, and Huang Xiaolong’s final result was rank one tribulation grade, then...!
1. This is referring to the number of lightning dragons inside the pills. One dragon > rank one, two dragons > rank two, etc.