"Okay, let’s give it a try." Luo Yunyi nodded.
After starting the alchemy, Luo Yunyi was amazed to discover he felt the flow of energy within the pill furnace but still couldn’t fully control the energy cycle inside.
The previous retreat in West Pole City had deepened his understanding of the interdependence of the Five Elements, and he was able to comprehend how they cycle, but he still felt something was missing.
This time, with Chi Yu, he seemed to have gained more insight into the synergy of the Five Elements.
...
Tianmiao spent the whole day wandering around the city, shopping, and eating.
Since Yan Rui had developed an interest in alchemy, she was holed up in the room every day practicing. Sometimes, her shouts could be heard, and occasionally faint sounds of explosions emanated from her room. Clearly, the pill furnace had blown up. Nonetheless, the little devil did not give up; she became more determined with each setback.
The Magic Tournament began soon.
Luo Yunyi and his friends signed up for the competition.
At the Magic Tournament, they encountered Xue Ziping from the Dao Yan Sect again. Upon seeing Luo Yunyi and his group, his eyes shone as he searched for Tianmiao’s figure. He was initially startled to see an ordinary-looking woman standing next to Yan Rui, then it dawned on him that she must be the disguised Heavenly Maiden.
Indeed, such a beauty would surely attract much trouble without a disguise. The disguise was well done, very well done indeed. I must perform impressively at the Magic Tournament, rise dazzlingly, and make the beauty look at me differently, forgetting the previous embarrassment. Xue Ziping secretly vowed.
The first round of selection was simple, involving the creation of the simplest healing pills. The same herbs and pill furnace were provided, and participants had to use the open flame supplied by the organizers for the alchemy.
Ultimately, the number and quality of the elixirs produced determined the winners.
In the first round, Luo Yunyi and the three of them passed. Yan Rui barely made it through. A total of a hundred were selected, and she was precisely the hundredth.
It wasn’t an exaggeration when Xue Ziping claimed he had considerable research in the Alchemy Dao; he ranked third in the selection. The first and second were eminent figures in the alchemy world. For someone his age to rank third was indeed impressive.
When the rankings were announced, upon hearing he was third, he looked at Tianmiao as if presenting a treasure, but saw Tianmiao was smiling at Yan Rui.
When will the fairy smile at me like that? Xue Ziping mused.
The second round demanded much more, due to the creation of more advanced and difficult elixirs.
Luo Yunfei was eliminated in this round; after all, expecting a sword cultivator to suddenly grasp alchemy was truly challenging.
With Chi Yu’s help, Luo Yunyi passed easily. Xue Ziping’s ranking remained commendable.
Yan Rui was again the last one to pass, just narrowly.
The second round culled the initial hundred down to just twenty-five, with Yan Rui being the twenty-fifth.
Her youthful face stood out among the crowd. Many recognized her as Yan Rui, the little demon of Chengtian Sect.
The other disciples of Chengtian Sect were also stunned.
"Isn’t that the little junior sister?"
"Yes, it’s her, without a doubt."
"When did little junior sister learn alchemy?"
"She didn’t learn, right? She practiced swordplay as a child, always being beat and forced by the Second Elder’s wife to learn. Never heard of her learning alchemy."
"So she’s just learned?"
"As impressive as this? We’ve all been eliminated, yet she’s still there."
Other Chengtian Sect disciples that also passed looked at Yan Rui standing among them, feeling incredulous. They thought perhaps she was just lucky? However, having succeeded twice already, could it merely be luck?