Chapter 427: The Best Background
Hui Yue noticed that his children had caused quite a commotion, but he did nothing to stop it. The more powerful he became, the better it would be. Even if this strength was gained because of his children's abilities rather than his own, Hui Yue did not mind in the least. If anything, he was proud of his two children, and to know that others looked at them with reverence was enough to make him proud.
"Let’s celebrate that I made it to the next part of the contest!" Hui Yue laughed to the children who hugged him, and they nodded their heads. Their eyes were filled with excitement, and none of them noticed the uproar that was caused because of their rush to get to their father by using flying swords.
Wang Ju Long stood away smiling brightly. A tender expression was on her face as she looked at her family. Taking a few steps forward she reached them, and hand in hand, Hui Yue, Wang Ju Long, and the two children were the first to depart.
The four went to the same restaurant they had been to before and once more they spent the entire night enjoying delicious food and drinking exquisite wine. The children were loud and talkative today. They talked about how nervous they were when he had failed the first pill, and how mad they were at the person who let their cauldron explode.
Hui Yue, who had been deeply focused at the time had been completely shocked by the sound and therefore failed. Though, now that he had made it to the finals, he was no longer mad about it. Instead, he picked up the jade bottle containing the medicinal pill which had fail to reach the perfect level.
Opening the bottle, a heavy medicinal odor filled the VIP room that the family had occupied. Hui Yue looked at the pill for some time then he gave it to Jo who looked surprised as she accepted it.
"This pill is a fourth-tier pill that will be of great use to you," Hui Yue said with a smile. "It’s a pill containing Yang energy. The energy within is not as vigorous as the pills you purchased at the auction, but it is not too bad either." Hui Yue said smilingly. Hearing what he said, Jo's face was filled with a smile as she held the pill to her bosom as though it was a priceless treasure.
As the sun rose in the sky, Hui Yue and the family left the restaurant. It had been open all night taking care of both regular customers and random ones who suddenly felt like popping in. At the ground-level dancers had entertained the customers all night while in the upper-floors it was quiet for people to hold their private conversations.
"We have a few hours before it is time for the final test," Hui Yue mused for a bit while looking around at the street in front of the restaurant. "I would like to go to the markets once more." He considered out loud, and the others quickly agreed with him. "I need some more ingredients. No one knows what pill we will have to concoct for the third test, but if I don't even have the materials for it, then I will clearly not win." He said honestly, and the others did not disagree as they all started moving towards the many marketplaces.
Walking through one marketplace after another, they found many herbs that he might use, and he was excited to constantly increase his stockpile of flowers.
As the sun crept further and further over the sky, they made their way to the square in front of the Alchemist Guild, and much like the day before, the large stage in the middle now only had seven tables. A large group of both cultivators, alchemists, and random commoners were standing all over the square, eager to watch the final third test of the annual alchemist’s contest.
As Hui Yue arrived with his family, everyone made space so that they could get close to the stage; no one was willing to block their way. Hui Yue separated from them and went towards the entrance to the Alchemist Guild where three of the seven alchemists had already gathered. Zhong Hei was one of them, and his eyes were filled with hostility as he saw Hui Yue and his entire family. He no longer even attempted to have a friendly demeanor in front of Hui Yue.
Time went by slowly, and one contestant after another appeared in front of the Alchemist Guild. All of them were more and more excited and nervous about to what the final test could be.
This year's contest had been very different from the ones before it, and the difficulty of the tests had been much higher as well. The final test was definitely going to be very hard, and no one could even imagine what pill they would ask them to concoct.
As time went by, the woman also appeared and as always headed towards the stage with the seven finalists behind her.
"Today is the final contest of our alchemist’s contest for the new alchemists of this year and this year we have have had some outstanding youngsters," the woman started, her voice booming through the entire area. "Because of this, we have had some difficulties deciding on the contents of today’s contest should be, but we finally agreed. Each contestant will have ten hours to concoct their most outstanding pill. The one who creates the best pill will win!"
As her voice boomed, shocked expressions appeared both on the stage and on the audience in the stands. This was supposed to be a test of the most outstanding alchemist, but now, this test was no longer such a test, but in the minds of many something to see which of the contestants had the most outstanding backing.
To gain amazing formulas, one needed an outstanding master. One could not obtain heaven-defying formulas unless they had a stroke of luck like Hui Yue had or they came from an outstanding family.
The many experts who had waited ten years to participate today felt like they had been cheated. Never before had a test during the annual alchemist’s contest been like this before, and they were sure it would never be like this again. Though this year, due to the amazing talents that had shown up, the men and women behind the contest could not think of anything else besides wanting to see who was the best.
Hui Yue while looking at the others saw both despair and hope, but while looking at Zhong Hei he saw him smirking, and he instantly understood that this young man had been given some rare formulas from the Frozen General. Formulas which were far more outstanding than the ones ordinary people would have.
"Silvermoon's Pill it is," Hui Yue said with a sigh. He felt tremendous pressure. To create such a pill in ten hours meant he really could not afford to make the slightest mistake. The pill was, after all, a high-ranked one which originated from a heavenly realm.
Standing at the table, Hui Yue and the others were waiting for the woman to tell them to start. Some were filled with despair and unwillingness; others were filled with excitement.
"Let the final commence!" The words finally sounded out, and Hui Yue found his cauldron and placed it on the table. After rummaging through the Universe Box, he found the various herbs he needed and placed them on the table as well.
Many of the experts in the audience frowned as they saw that Hui Yue's herbs did not look like any they recognized. The many herbs all seemed unnatural, and soon people started murmuring about what kind of herbs they were. Most people had a natural understanding of herbs because they often went to pick them, and mercenaries earned a lot of money from selling herbs. Due to this Hui Yue caused most of the people to watch him. While watching their expressions grew strange as they saw the blue flame which appeared within the cauldron.
It was not only the audience who was shocked, but Zhong Hei's heart also leaped as he saw the blue flame, and the woman who was supervising the exam narrowed her eyes in surprise. Everyone who was alchemists knew that they had two types of flames. Alchemists used a red and a green flame. The red flame was used for refining while the green was used to protect the materials after having refined them. The green flame was used to merge the many materials together. Never before had they seen a blue flame.
While this test had seven participants four of them were gritting their teeth and creating common pills and three were eager to show the off the pill formulas they had acquired. But of these seven, the entire audience was staring at the very focused Hui Yue.
Hui Yue, aware of the fact that everyone would watch him, and he did not mind at all. Instead, he focused fully on the Silvermoon's Pill. He focused on refining the many ingredients as his flame constantly changing temperature. The green flame constantly protected the perfectly refined medicinal pastes.
Hour after hour went by as herb after herb was refined and not even a moment of relaxation was allowed. Everyone needed to fully focus on the pill they were creating, but it was hard for the audience to fully understand just how difficult this round of pill creation really was.
Hui Yue had concocted Silvermoon's Pill before, quite a few times in fact, and thus he knew where he had to be extra cautious. Although Hui Yue was worried, he soon fell into a trance. In this trance, he made everything as he before. Each herb and each merger of the pastes, everything worked perfectly, but even still it took a very long time before the pill was perfected.
By the time the pill was perfected nine hours had gone by, and Hui Yu could now breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Even if Zhong Hei had a great formula, Hui Yue highly doubted that it could defeat the pill of a heavenly realm. A pill which allowed for the consumer to become a King ranked expert from nothing.
Hui Yue placed the pill within his pill bottle of jade and was now staring at the rest of the experts. Four had finished before him, but two were still refining.
After another hour everyone finished the pills, and they were stored away in their jade their bottles.
"Come forward and tell me which pill you have concocted!" The woman called out, and everyone did as she commanded.
"My pill is the fifth-tier pill of Golden Dawn, a pill which allows for the consumer to regenerate a severed limb."
"My pill is the fourth-tier Pill of Destruction, a pill which allows for the consumer to go berserk. It increases one’s strength but lowers their intellect."
Another two pills were introduced before it was Hui Yue's turn.
"This is the seventh-tier Silvermoon's Pill... It’s a pill which allows for the consumer to jump from the Disciple rank to the King rank."
The moment he spoke everyone went silent. No one said anything before the woman's eyes landed on Jo and Lao and everyone else suddenly started looking at them. Their hearts shook, and their eyes filled with fear. A pill which could make a King ranked expert? This was simply too heaven-defying, too dangerous!
"We will need to test this pill," the woman said and moments after a maid from the Alchemist Guild was called forth. "Be aware that the pain from forcefully opening two dantians is insanely painful, so if she is not strong enough she will fail." Hui Yue warned, and another afterwards another person was chosen instead. It was a servant who had insane perseverance, but incredibly bad talent. He was now a Disciple, but his dream was to break into the middle dantian.
After steeping up, he took the pill and found a spot on the stage to meditate. After sitting for a few minutes, he then popped the pill into his mouth. Consuming the pill, waves of energy started crashing around him. He was like a whirlwind, and one could feel how his energy was constantly increasing. His aura was chaotic but grew stronger and stronger. No sound could be heard from the entire audience that sat stunned watching in silence. Nothing other than the pained groans from the servant who was feeling like his body was being ripped apart could be heard. Yet, even so, he could feel his cultivation rising rapidly and because of this he preserved. He wished to become stronger!
Watching the perseverance the man on stage showed, no one dared to speak. Shock, fear, and greed was visible in the eyes of every person present as they slowly came to understand that this pill was actually as outstanding as he said.