Chapter 150: It’s Not Me, I Didn’t Do It, Don’t Make Things Up
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
On the elevated stage, the elders of the sect watched with different thoughts running through their minds. Meanwhile, the disciples on the alchemy stage were entirely focused on their tasks. Even Wang Qian, who usually cared the most about others’ opinions, was deeply engrossed in handling the spiritual herbs in front of him.
The disciples of the Alchemy Hall were seasoned in handling spiritual herbs, and not a single one made a mistake. As the first disciple opened the alchemy furnace and began adding the herbs in order, the rest of the Alchemy Hall disciples followed suit, entering the next, and most crucial, stage of the process. The red glow of the flames reflected off their faces, their expressions firm and their eyes filled with focused intensity.
For Yu Zhao, this was the first time witnessing over four hundred people refining pills simultaneously, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. What struck her even more was seeing Mu Ye, someone she was familiar with, handling the spiritual flames in her palm with a calmness that belied her usually lively and cheerful demeanor. It was as if she had transformed into a completely different person. Anyone could see the deep passion she had for alchemy. Yu Zhao couldn’t help but feel a deep respect.
The Sect Master and elders of the Green Wood Sect were also pleased with the performance of the Alchemy Hall disciples. The sect, known for its expertise in alchemy, placed great emphasis on nurturing the Alchemy Hall disciples, so much so that even the selection of the next sect leader would only come from among these disciples. The disciples had certainly lived up to the expectations and teachings of their elders.
However, this posed a dilemma. From their current performance, both Mu Ye and Wang Qian were excellent, and a few other disciples had also shown remarkable talent. Selecting a future sect leader candidate from among them would be a daunting task. Fortunately, they still had time to consider their options.
Three days passed quietly. Aside from a few disciples who made errors that led to their furnaces exploding, the rest managed to refine their pills without major issues. By this point, the differences among the disciples began to show. Disciples like Mu Ye and Wang Qian, who were experienced and had solid foundations, appeared calm and composed, while others were starting to show signs of strain.
The disciples from the Medicine Hall and Martial Hall couldn’t help but discuss among themselves, speculating on who would ultimately emerge as the winner. Most were betting on Wang Qian, not because of his popularity or acknowledged strength, but because of a recent incident where Mu Ye had a dispute with the Medicine Hall. Word had spread that someone had tampered with her spiritual herbs, and she had almost been late for the examination, which led many to believe that her state of mind might have been affected.
However, Mu Ye had many friends in the Green Wood Sect, and some still firmly believed in her. As the debate continued, Wang Qian suddenly made a bold move.
With a shout, his spiritual power surged, and the flames in his palm flared up, engulfing the entire alchemy furnace. The elders were taken aback. In alchemy, controlling the fire was crucial—too little fire and the herbs wouldn’t refine properly; too much and the medicinal properties could be destroyed. The fire had to be kept at a precise, balanced level.
Wang Qian increasing the fire so suddenly could easily cause the medicinal properties in the furnace to fail. Even if he completed all the steps, the resulting pills could be nothing but duds.
“No, wait! Look at Wang Qian’s hand! There seems to be a talisman in his palm. Could he be attempting a second refinement?” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
Second refinement was a technique used to purify the pills further by removing impurities. Even the most successfully refined pills could still contain some level of toxins. To achieve near-perfection, some master alchemists would perform a second refinement before the pills were fully formed. However, this technique was extremely difficult, with a success rate of less than one percent, which is why few would dare to take such a gamble.
Yet, today, Wang Qian had the audacity to try this high-risk move during such an important examination, earning him the respect and admiration of many. If he succeeded in completing the second refinement, the title of sect leader would almost certainly be his.
Unnoticed by anyone, Yu Zhao had slipped in among the Medicine Hall disciples and listened to their excited analysis of the significance of Wang Qian’s second refinement. Her eyebrows arched slightly in surprise. It seemed that the special alchemy technique recorded on that fourth-grade pill formula was indeed the second refinement method that Wang Qian was using.
If Wang Qian dared to use it now, he must have at least a seventy to eighty percent chance of success, if not absolute confidence. A month ago, Mu Ye might have struggled to respond to Wang Qian’s technique. But Wang Qian would never have guessed that his father’s efforts to sabotage Mu Ye had actually given her a blessing in disguise—leading her to find a pill formula that suited her even better and to develop a unique alchemy technique of her own.
Nothing is set in stone; anything could still happen.
A bead of sweat rolled down Wang Qian’s temple. His expression was tense as he suddenly pressed his right hand, still controlling the flames, against the alchemy furnace. The furnace began to shake violently.
With a puff, a wisp of black smoke spewed from the furnace in front of him, and the shaking gradually subsided. Wang Qian’s face lit up with joy. He quickly reduced the flames, and a faint medicinal fragrance began to waft from the furnace.
He had succeeded!
The second refinement was complete!
“Excellent!” Elder Wang shouted in excitement, slapping his thigh so hard that his grin nearly stretched to the back of his head. “Qian’er will definitely be the next sect leader now!”
“Congratulations, Elder Wang!”
“Wang Qian’s performance today was outstanding. Elder Wang, you’ve raised a fine son!”
“Elder Liu, congratulations as well!”
Praise poured in like a tide, directed at Elder Wang and Elder Liu. Elder Wang cupped his hands, nodding toward everyone with a smug look, and then turned to Elder Lotus with a sly grin. “Elder Lotus, don’t you have anything to say?”
Elder Lotus’s face remained expressionless. “Wang Qian’s second refinement technique is impressive.”
One thing was certain—Elder Lotus might be blunt, but she wouldn’t stoop to denying Wang Qian’s strengths.
Elder Wang was taken aback by her acknowledgment, but then his smugness grew. “Elder Lotus, I was only trying to do Mu Ye a favor by suggesting she withdraw earlier. At least she wouldn’t lose too badly.”
“Losing isn’t disgraceful. What’s disgraceful is surrendering without a fight. Don’t you understand something so simple, Elder Wang?” Elder Lotus retorted, her tone dripping with disdain.
“You…”
“Look, what is Mu Ye doing now?” Elder Wang’s retort was cut off by an excited voice from the side.
All eyes turned to Mu Ye, who had her hands on both handles of the alchemy furnace, spinning it rapidly. The disciples and elders of the Green Wood Sect, from the Sect Master down, were all dumbfounded. Wang Qian’s second refinement method was something they could at least follow, but what Mu Ye was doing was something they had never seen before.
“Elder Lotus, is this some new technique you’ve developed?” someone asked, baffled.
Elder Lotus was equally confused and immediately denied it, “It wasn’t me, I have no idea, don’t make things up.”
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Everyone stared at her with suspicion, their expressions clearly saying, “Really? We don’t believe you.”
Elder Lotus could only smile bitterly. The truth was, she genuinely didn’t know. For the past month, she had been preoccupied with trying to find a way to detoxify Master Qing Yan’s disciple and had paid little attention to her own disciples. This wasn’t to say she was neglectful; rather, Mu Ye’s current level of alchemy had already reached the limits of what Elder Lotus’s cultivation could achieve. Without a breakthrough in her cultivation, it would be difficult for her to improve further.
But what Elder Lotus hadn’t expected was that in just one month, her disciple had undergone such a profound transformation that even she, as a master, felt a sense of unfamiliarity and surprise.
Had she underestimated her own disciple all this time?