Chapter 535: The Emergence of an Eighth-Tier Pill! The Monstrous Talent of Dan Chen!
With more eliminations and others voluntarily stepping down, only ten people remained on the platform.
Time had proven to be the best filter among the remaining competitors, all except the "pretender" Wu Tian possessed extraordinary auras.
Each of them wore a badge signifying their rank as mid-tier seventh-grade alchemists or higher.
But the most striking among them was a single figure the only one wearing the badge of an eighth-tier Alchemy Grandmaster!
This man was a true old monster, one of the most formidable hidden alchemists in all of Central Plains.
While the other veteran alchemists had only reached the high-tier seventh grade at best, this elder stood leagues above them.
Previously, he had masked his aura, making him seem unremarkable, but some knew that it was thanks to him that they had made it out of the Pill Realm alive.
This unfamiliar eighth-tier alchemist was a gray-robed elder, his face deeply wrinkled like the peel of an aged orange, with a sickly yellowish hue.
Clearly, he was a formidable figure not only a Dou Zun but an exceptionally powerful one.
Despite his unappealing appearance, his warm, benevolent smile resembled that of an old village elder.
"Hehe~ Never thought it would be Old Qing Hua…"
On the high platform, Xuan Kong Zi and the others were momentarily stunned as they finally recognized the elder among the crowd. They exchanged helpless glances.
It was clear that this man was from their era, and he had utterly discarded his pride to compete with these juniors.
Still, he was a dark horse in this competition. If he won, it would mean one less victory for the Soul Hall a result they would gladly welcome.
"This old fox is truly shameless… Judging by the fluctuations in his cauldron, he's refining an eighth-tier pill!"
Xuan Yi, her beautiful face full of resignation, sighed.
"Hehe~ This old man, like us, has always dreamed of obtaining a Heavenly Flame."
"Back in the day, he spent years alongside Yao Chen in that wretched place, trying to claim the Bone Chilling Flame, but ultimately left empty-handed. He still hasn't obtained one after all these years. He must have entered this competition in another attempt to get one."
Tian Lei Zi, familiar with his old friend's obsession, couldn't help but sympathize.
Last time, he had faced Yao Chen.
This time, he was up against Yao Chen's master.
His fate was sealed he was destined to be a stepping stone.
Some things could not be forced, no matter how desperately one tried. Perhaps he had sensed the presence of Soul Hall members, which was why he was going all out to refine an eighth-tier pill.
Xuan Kong Zi shook his head in exasperation before shifting his gaze toward another platform.
There, a young man in black robes Gu You was quietly refining a pill.
A powerful Half-Saint was patiently participating in this competition.
But he had no choice entering the Star Region wasn't easy, even for a Dou Sheng.
Furthermore, no one knew what lay within.
If he followed the proper channels, the Pill Tower wouldn't be able to interfere.
Even if he obtained the Three Thousand Burning Flame, they would have no justification to stop him.
"This guy has been hiding his aura the whole time, and even his appearance has been altered. Who exactly is he?"
Xuan Kong Zi frowned deeply as he watched.
Xuan Yi furrowed her delicate brows and sighed.
"Definitely another shameless old monster… Not only did he come, but he even disguised himself. Despicable!"
"Hehe~ No matter how much he hides, once his pill takes form, he won't be able to conceal his aura. The truth will be revealed soon enough!"
Tian Lei Zi's words made the other two nod in agreement.
Once a pill reached completion, it would summon Dan Thunder.
At that moment, the pill's energy fluctuations would inevitably expose its creator.
Even a Dou Sheng wouldn't be able to hide their identity.
This was the nature of alchemy there was no escaping it.
In the vast blue sky, a fierce wind howled, followed by a sudden explosion of thunder!
"Boom!"
A crimson lightning bolt tore through the sky.
Moments later, a deafening roar of thunder erupted, releasing an immense wave of energy that coalesced above one of the platforms!
"Look! A peak-tier seventh-grade pill has emerged!"
The crowd erupted in excitement.
Seeing such a pill was even more thrilling for them than it was for the alchemists themselves.
This was the true climax of the Pill Gathering!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Before the commotion could settle, multiple energy fluctuations erupted in the sky.
Silver lightning bolts slithered across the heavens like countless serpents.
In an instant, the clouded sky was split open, revealing blinding flashes of light.
The terrifying display sent shivers down the spines of all who witnessed it.
Such a scene… was beyond anything they could have dreamed of.
These pills were all high-tier seventh-grade.
Which meant they had all been refined by members of the Soul Hall.
Their overwhelming prowess solidified their dominance in Central Plains.
However, the crowd remained oblivious to their true identities.
Instead, they assumed these were hidden geniuses who had only now emerged.
In less than ten minutes, four high-tier seventh-grade pills and one peak-tier seventh-grade pill had been refined.
These pills, appearing one after another like common vegetables, left the spectators in stunned silence.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes unblinking, afraid they might miss a single moment of this historic spectacle.
At that moment, five bolts of Dan Thunder appeared in the sky.
A sight so rare that most would never witness it in their lifetime.
The already dense crowd erupted into chaos, their cheers mingling with the rolling thunder overhead.
In that instant, the deafening roar of lightning echoed throughout the entire Pill Region.
Five bolts of Dan Thunder struck down simultaneously!
The sky trembled under the sheer force of the collision.
Of the remaining five competitors, only Wu Tian had the leisure to watch the spectacle unfold.
The others were too focused on their own cauldrons, terrified of losing concentration.
On one particular platform, Dan Chen remained seated in meditation.
Her exquisite face, now deathly pale, evoked a sense of pity.
Her body had always been frail.
If not for her powerful soul, she would have collapsed long ago.
But she had endured she had made it this far!
"It's almost done!"
Her eyes locked onto the cauldron.
Her slender fingers weaved intricate seals, pouring vast amounts of soul energy into the pill within.
Soul-nourished pills thrived on this energy.
And it was precisely this energy that allowed a pill to ascend to a truly monstrous level eighth-tier!
"Poof!"
As her hand seals shifted, her already pale face turned red before she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
The blood fused with the pill inside the cauldron.
"Boom!"
An earth-shattering wave of energy erupted!
The cauldron, built to withstand Heavenly Flames, violently shattered.
A ten-meter-tall pillar of emerald fire shot straight into the sky!
The moment it reached the heavens, the silver lightning in the clouds recoiled in fear, scattering to avoid it.
Then, just moments later…
A massive thundercloud, nearly a hundred meters wide, began to form.
But what shocked everyone the most was…
This time, the thunderclouds were not just silver but a mix of blue and silver!
"Two-colored Thunderclouds!!!"
"An eighth-tier pill?! What a monstrous genius!!!"
(End of Chapter)
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