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**
As the contestants pressed the red button—
The massive bluestone platform suddenly trembled slightly. The testing device that had protruded earlier retracted once again.
Then, from the smooth stone surface, a large array of neatly arranged medicinal ingredients and a scroll of a pill formula slowly rose into view.
This time, the pill formula was a proper, orthodox one.
Tier 3 pill: Wind Walking Pill.
Effect: After consumption, it allows the user to temporarily become highly attuned to the wind attribute energy in the world, thereby enhancing their movement speed.
According to the pill formula, refining the Wind Walking Pill requires the fusion of nine different medicinal ingredients—not many, but not few either.
It was a very standard Tier 3 pill.
As their Soul Power scanned the formula, the contestants rapidly grasped the intricate data and details.
Various precautions for the refining process were also meticulously recorded. And as the content was extracted, the handwriting on the scroll began to blur slightly.
Clearly, this pill formula had been crafted rather crudely—it could only be read two or three times before becoming unusable.
Fortunately, as long as the alchemist had reached the Tier 3 level and possessed a detailed formula, combined with the two full sets of ingredients provided by the competition, refining this pill wouldn't be too difficult.
Precisely because of that, many contestants felt a little puzzled.
This round of the assessment… was too simple.
As long as one was a Tier 3 Alchemist and exercised a bit of caution—unless they were incredibly unlucky—they should be able to pass without too much trouble.
But… could it really be that simple?
In a remote corner of the plaza, a gray-robed youth looked at the scroll in his hand and sneered. "Just a cheap trick. Is this really all the Alchemist Association of the Jia Ma Empire can muster?"
He had seen through the hidden trap within the pill formula almost instantly.
Meanwhile, atop the central bluestone platform, Xian'er was also examining her pill formula. It didn't take her long to notice the hidden problem.
One of the ingredients had an attribute that clearly clashed with the elemental nature of the Wind Walking Pill.
A faint smile played on her lips. She cast a glance at Xiao Yan, who was not far away and had already started lighting his flame to begin the refinement process, showing no signs of having noticed anything wrong. Her brows furrowed slightly.
But then she relaxed again, choosing not to bother with him and instead focused on lighting her own flame and beginning her refinement.
If Xiao Yan couldn't even make it through this round, then he didn't deserve to be her opponent in the first place.
…
After reading the pill formula, most of the contestants looked quite pleased by how easy this round seemed to be.
They quickly lit their flames and began preparing the medicinal ingredients.
Of course, among so many alchemists, there were naturally some more cautious and observant individuals. The sudden simplicity of the assessment made them uneasy.
However, after studying the formula for a long while and still finding nothing wrong, they could only shake their heads helplessly and proceed with the refinement.
Even Liu Ling and the Little Princess furrowed their brows slightly before starting their fire and refining the pill.
They were certain it couldn't be that simple—but they couldn't find the problem either.
As everyone began refining again, the noise from the spectator stands gradually died down.
In the VIP section—
Fa Ma stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed intently on the gray-robed youth in the remote corner of the plaza.
Watching the boy's practiced and skillful movements during the refining process, Fa Ma couldn't help but be astonished—this level of technique surpassed even some of the Elders in the Alchemist Association.
"Such proficiency… It's impossible to have acquired this without decades of deep immersion in the craft."
He frowned slightly and sighed, turning his gaze toward the group of four where Xian'er stood. He murmured, "Let's hope those four youngsters can pass this round too. You kids better not get careless…"
…
Time ticked by slowly.
Many of the more capable contestants had already successfully extracted the essence of the nine required medicinal ingredients.
Some of them hesitated for a moment, then clenched their teeth and poured the refined essences into their cauldrons, beginning the final fusion and pill-forming phase.
Xian'er and the gray-robed youth did the same.
Only Xiao Yan and his two companions were moving more cautiously this time. Concerned about any unexpected problems, they held back, refining at a steadier pace and choosing to observe first.
Another short while passed. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.
"Doesn't look like anything's wrong."
The three exchanged glances. Each retrieved the refined medicinal essences that were still being nurtured in their cauldrons and carefully stored them in jade bottles.
Just as the three of them were about to throw the refined medicinal essences into the cauldron to begin fusing the pill—
An unexpected incident occurred.
Boom!
A muffled sound rang out.
Everyone turned their eyes toward the source of the noise.
On a bluestone platform not far from the center, an alchemist stood there, stunned, blankly staring at a pile of pitch-black ash being expelled from the bottom of his cauldron.
It was unmistakably the residue from a failed pill refinement.
"How is that possible? I followed the formula exactly. Why did it fail?" the alchemist muttered in confusion.
Receiving no answer, he eventually chalked it up to a mistake in managing his flame control.
He quickly cleaned out the ashes, and with practiced ease, began refining his final set of ingredients.
Xiao Yan and his two companions narrowed their eyes.
"Something's not right."
After a while, still without answers, Liu Ling and the Little Princess decided to go ahead and begin the fusion of their materials.
But Xiao Yan didn't move. Ever cautious, he chose to observe for a little longer.
…
As more time passed—
One muffled explosion after another began erupting from various cauldrons across the plaza. More and more alchemists started to fail.
Those who failed stared in bewilderment at the pitch-black ash falling from their cauldrons, their expressions full of confusion and disbelief.
By this point, with so many failures, everyone realized—there was definitely a problem somewhere.
Yet clearly, even the alchemists who failed had no idea what exactly had gone wrong.
Whispers began to spread through the audience.
Boom! Boom!
Two more muffled explosions echoed out—Liu Ling and the Little Princess had failed as well.
Now, even a fool could tell—something was seriously wrong.
On the platform, everyone stood there like stunned chickens, wide-eyed and staring at one another, too afraid to act recklessly.
For those who had already failed once, only one final chance remained.
Not long after—
Boom!
Another muffled sound.
That same Tier 3 alchemist who had failed earlier also failed his second fusion attempt.
His face darkened as he stared at the black ash spilling from the bottom of his cauldron.
Just then, the jade mirror on his stone platform suddenly lit up with a bright red glow.
Both sets of materials had been used up—he was now officially eliminated.
Watching his outcome, some of the remaining contestants who were still stubbornly considering a second attempt immediately froze, too scared to waste their final chance.
The eliminated Tier 3 alchemist left with a face ashen as death. Even from afar, people could faintly hear his bitter mutterings: "Damn it… How could I fail again? I managed the flame perfectly… so why wouldn't the essences fuse?!"
Watching him leave, the others grew even more cautious. No one dared to act rashly anymore.
Only Xiao Yan finally began fusing the refined essences to attempt pill formation.
He needed to personally feel out just what exactly was causing all the failures.
All eyes turned to him. With no better option, everyone pinned their hopes on him—hoping he might uncover the problem.
Under countless gazes, one essence after another flowed into his cauldron and fused together smoothly without any resistance.
But…
Xiao Yan's face suddenly changed.
The flame in the cauldron flared wildly—then came a muffled sound from within.
Boom—
Ash-black residue scattered from the bottom of the cauldron.
"Sigh…"
A collective sigh of disappointment rose from the crowd.
Xiao Yan opened his eyes, his mind rapidly recalling the previous fusion process.
After a moment of silence, his gaze shifted sharply to the pill formula scroll on the stone platform. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his hand clenched tightly.
He muttered under his breath, "Damn it… So it really is a problem with the pill formula."
He'd faintly sensed the issue.
Those old bastards from the Association—this was just like them, always playing tricks like this.
"Heh… a bunch of worthless fools."
In the silent plaza, a mocking, low laugh suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned their heads, eyes blazing with anger.
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