Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Though the Han Lin Pavilion had lost four rounds in a row, it was just like a spar in a sect—Mountain River Tiers could lose all four rounds, but once a Sun Moon Tier elite won a single round, the tables would be turned.
Alchemy was like that as well.
The strongest in the Han Lin Pavilion were the two Level Five alchemists. Thus, if they wanted to completely suppress the Han Lin Pavilion, they would have to completely defeat these two Level Five alchemists. Their previous victories would naturally not be wasted, either, as they would prove that the Treasure Forest Pavilion surpa.s.sed the Han Lin Pavilion all the way from Level One to Level Four alchemical pills.
The Treasure Forest Pavilion was really quite ruthless, beating down on the Han Lin Pavilion all the way from the lowest level to the highest. Then, if others wanted to buy alchemical pills, they would definitely consider the Treasure Forest Pavilion at first. There was nothing that could be done, since their quality was higher, after all.
All medicine would have a specific amount of poison. No alchemical pills could be taken in big amounts. So, under the conditions when the number was fixed, they would naturally choose the better quality.
Hence, as long as Treasure Forest Pavilion defeated the two Level Five alchemists of the Han Lin Pavilion as well, then this compet.i.tion would naturally end with a complete victory of the Treasure Forest Pavilion. Furthermore, it was taking place fully in public, and had already continued for half a month’s time. Who in the city did not know about it yet?
Kang Xiu Yuan stepped up, and asked, “Who will be competing with me?”
“I shall!” A middle-aged man walked out. He looked very average, but a powerful scent of medicinal ingredients radiated from him. That was because he had spent many years handling medicinal ingredients and alchemical pills.
“Liang Jinbo?” Kang Xiu Yuan asked in a deep voice.
“Hoho, you recognize me?” the middle-aged man asked.
Kang Xiu Yuan chuckled, and said, “I have long heard of Grandmaster Liang’s great name. I heard that Grandmaster Liang has long become a Level Five alchemist 100,000 years ago, and now should not be very far from Level Six, correct?”
A lofty expression appeared on Liang Jinbo’s face. Alchemy was the same as martial arts. Every step forwards was extremely difficult. Even though he was already a Level Five alchemist since 100,000 years ago, he was still presently on this level. But, how long would it take to go from the low extreme of Sun Moon Tier to the medium extreme?
For someone with slightly better talent, they would need 400,000-500,000 years!
Thus, he had merely spent 100,000 years, and there was hope of his breaking through to become a Level Six alchemist. This was actually very, very extraordinary, and completely deserved to be called prodigious.
“Kang Xiu Yuan, you can be considered a genius of alchemy yourself, so why don’t you bring the Han Lin Pavilion with you and come over to our Treasure Forest Pavilion?” Liang Jinbo extended an olive branch.
Kang Xiu Yuan shook his head, and said, “Han Lin Pavilion is the heart’s blood of us apprentice brothers, and I definitely cannot allow it to collapse!”
“Hoho, then there is nothing else to be said!” Liang Jinbo stretched out his hand. “Come compete, then!”
“Please!”
Liang Jinbo paused for a moment, and then said, “Since the challenge has come from our side, and furthermore, I am a great many years older than you, so I can be considered half a senior, let me then decide what kind of alchemical pill we should concoct.”
There was a lot of s.p.a.ce in this. That was because though alchemical pills might be both in Level Five, there was still a difference of difficulty level. The person who chose first would be at a slight disadvantage, and the person who chose afterward could calmly decide, and make adjustments according to his own abilities.
Kang Xiu Yuan was not stubborn, and the other party had indeed been embroiled in alchemy tens of thousands of years more than him, so he wasn’t taking too much advantage of him here.
“I will concoct the Four Directions Pill,” Liang Jinbo finally said in a deep voice after a moment of consideration.
Kang Xiu Yuan was slightly surprised internally. The Four Directions Pill was one of the more challenging alchemical pills among Level Five alchemical pills. Then, if he wanted to defeat his opponent, he would have to choose a more difficult one. Of course, he could also choose a simpler one, and then hope that Liang Jinbo would make an error and cause his alchemical pill to explode. Then, he would only have to concoct a Level Five alchemical pill, and it would be his win.
But if his opponent was not confident, would he say that he would be concocting the Four Directions Pill at a time like this?
He paused for a while, and then said, “Then I, too, shall concoct the Four Directions Pill.”
Both of them were concocting the Four Directions Pill, so it would be even simpler to compare. Whoever had the cauldron that contained more successfully concocted alchemical pills would naturally be the victor, and if the number was the same, they could still compare the quality of the pills.
“Then, let’s begin!” Both began to first prepare their ingredients.
The Treasure Forest Pavilion had come prepared, so they naturally brought ingredients with them, and Kang Xiu Yuan was the owner of this place, so he was naturally extremely fast in picking out his ingredients as well. Not long afterwards, the two of them both said “begin”, and began to concoct their alchemical pills.
Separating and purifying the ingredients, and then starting the fire. The two soon entered into the most important process of alchemy.
Ling Han merely took a look, and then shook his head.
With his judgement as the Alchemy Emperor, he could already discern that Kang Xiu Yuan was no match for Liang Jinbo.
Kang Xiu Yuan’s talent in alchemy was indeed not inferior to the other’s, and even surpa.s.sed him. However, the latter had stayed on the level of Level Five alchemist 100,000 years longer than him, and this was a very, very big gap.
A thought flashed in Ling Han’s head, and he walked towards Yun Yong w.a.n.g.
“Stop right there!” When they saw a young man so boldly walk over, the people from the Han Lin Pavilion hurriedly blocked him from pa.s.sing.
Yun Yong w.a.n.g looked over when he heard the commotion. He looked Ling Han in the eyes for a while before he softly issued a sound in surprise, and asked, “Have we met before?”
This man’s gaze actually gave him a familiar feeling. Furthermore, those eyes contained too much and too complicated emotions.
Ling Han lowered his eyes slightly, and then smiled as he asked, “I would like to join the Han Lin Pavilion. Is that all right?”
Yun Yong w.a.n.g was surprised—this young man actually wanted to join the Han Lin Pavilion? Couldn’t he see that the Han Lin Pavilion was presently in dire straits? And he actually still wanted to join? Strange! He asked, “You are an alchemist as well?”
Ling Han cracked a smile, and said, “I have learnt a few years.”
Just a few years?
Yun Yong w.a.n.g paused for a while, yet nodded, and said, “All right!”
A friend in need was a friend indeed. Ling Han actually wanted to join the Han Lin Pavilion at this time like he was providing help in their hour of need, giving him much comfort! Thus, whatever Ling Han’s abilities in alchemy, he would accept his kindly intentions.
“Young man, how should I address you?” he asked further.
“Ling Han!”
“What!?” Yun Yong w.a.n.g exclaimed in spite of himself, and almost jumped up. This person actually shared the same name as his master who had pa.s.sed away? Previously, he had felt as if Ling Han was familiar to him, and now added with this name, ripples involuntarily rose up in his heart.
Unfortunately, no matter how he looked, he did not discover what similarities this Ling Han in front of him had with his master. Moreover, before he had headed to the Immortal Realm, his master had already vanished for a few hundred years. He should have indeed died.
‘It is probably just a coincidence,’ he thought.
Yun Yong w.a.n.g could not help but ask, “Ling Han, where are you from?”
“Joint Peace Planet,” Ling Han answered.
He did not reveal his ident.i.ty. Firstly, there were too many eyes and ears here. If he revealed that he had come from the Lower Realm, then it would very possibly reach the ears of the Five Sects, who would target him ahead of time. Secondly, now that 10,000 years had pa.s.sed, he did not know if there had been any change in these two disciples.
This change was referring to the bottom line of good and evil.
He had to observe them first.
Yun Yong w.a.n.g was slightly confused. The Immortal Realm was too big. If they weren’t traders, the majority would stay on a single planet for their whole lives, what more when the Joint Peace Planet was a whole two years’ journey away from this place at the normal speed of a stars.h.i.+p. It could not be more natural that he had not heard of it before.
“Oh!” He nodded, and showed a hint of disappointment. However, his heart was now at peace. He focused on watching the compet.i.tion between Liang Jinbo and Kang Xiu Yuan. This involved the future of the Han Lin Pavilion.