Chapter 530: Boring Alchemy, Enjoyable Sleep!
After all the dramatic displays of flames, the alchemists on the field finally entered the refining phase.
For Xiao Yan and many others, this process was extremely monotonous.
Once the ingredients were thrown into their cauldrons, all that remained was waiting as time slowly ticked away.
Even refining a sixth-tier pill wasn't something that could be completed in a day or two. The process was intricate and time-consuming.
For alchemists without Beast Flames or Heavenly Flames, melting down medicinal ingredients took even longer.
Naturally, those refining lower-tier pills had a much easier time, but they also fell behind in overall skill.
As a result, no one knew exactly how long this competition would last.
However, for the spectators, this was far from boring.
Alchemy was the most revered profession on the Dou Qi Continent.
Even those who didn't understand the intricacies of the craft were eager to see which alchemist was worth befriending.
Of course, relationships depended on status.
A Dou King trying to befriend a seventh-tier alchemist? That was laughable even a sixth-tier alchemist would barely acknowledge their existence.
Every remaining contestant had already surpassed countless others.
Even those eliminated in the early rounds would soon find themselves highly sought-after by major factions.
While the alchemists busied themselves refining their ingredients, the spectators waited eagerly, anticipating the birth of a champion.
They knew that the final moments of the competition would be the most exciting part.
But for now, they had to endure the monotony of the refining process.
Alchemy required patience.
Especially for high-tier pills, where ten days, half a month, or even longer could be spent on a single attempt.
This wasn't unusual in alchemy circles.
And given that the audience consisted mostly of powerful figures, they had the patience to wait.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.
The sky above the floating platforms remained eerily calm so calm, it was unsettling.
No explosions.
A testament to the skill of these high-level alchemists.
At their level, they couldn't afford even the slightest mistake.
A single misstep could cause a cauldron explosion, forcing them to start over from scratch.
However, by the seventh day, the first booms echoed through the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One after another, cauldrons detonated, shattering the peace.
Some alchemists were sent flying, their weeks of effort instantly wasted.
It was infuriating for those nearby.
The fiery shockwaves from these failures disrupted the focus of others.
This was why most alchemists preferred to work alone even the smallest distraction could ruin everything.
For those who failed early, their competition was over.
They either left in defeat or were eliminated by default.
Meanwhile, others successfully produced pills but they knew they had no chance of winning.
The longer the refining process, the higher the tier of the pill.
Anyone who finished early was doomed to rank at the bottom.
Still, many forces took notice of them.
Even failures at this level were considered valuable talents.
Among the remaining contenders, Cao Ying and Dan Chen stood out.
Both were brilliant alchemists, and their striking beauty made them even more captivating.
Aside from them, several old monsters also attracted attention.
And, of course
Bone You Sheng and Xiao Yan.
Their powerful flames immediately put them among the top contenders.
Many believed the most intense showdown would be between them.
However, in contrast to these high-profile figures, one individual stood out for a different reason
Wu Tian.
He had done nothing.
He was still lying down, fast asleep, wrapped in a thick blanket.
Unlike the others, who were completely focused on their cauldrons, he was relaxing comfortably.
And he wasn't alone.
A small Swallowing Python was curled up beside him, occasionally flicking its tongue.
While everyone else was suffering through the long, exhausting process of alchemy, he was simply enjoying himself.
To Wu Tian, alchemy wasn't difficult at all.
So why bother rushing?
Why waste energy when he could just sleep?
He was even using this time to train his soul power multitasking at its finest.
Time continued to pass.
By the tenth day, people started noticing something.
"Wait… That guy still hasn't started refining his pill?"
"Ten days?! He's just been lying there?!"
"Not even changing position?"
"Are you blind? He's changed sleeping positions multiple times."
"Seriously?! Who pays that much attention to another man?"
"Shut up! You wouldn't understand!"
"Huh? Are you…?"
"That's right! I'm Elder Bai Yin Xing from the Yin-Yang Pavilion!"
"Ah… My apologies, Elder!"
"But still if he keeps sleeping, does that mean he's given up?"
"Are you sure? Look at his expression he's completely at ease."
"Meanwhile, the others are stressed out, worried about their progress."
"I think he's waiting once everyone else is done, he'll start."
"A clever strategy! No one will be around to disturb him once they've all finished."
"But… wouldn't that make him the last target? Won't people try to interfere?"
"That's the real question. Maybe he has a trump card?"
"Definitely. He's on par with Cao Ying in status. He must have something special."
As the discussions continued, more alchemists failed or gave up entirely.
Many had spent over ten days refining, only to realize that they weren't going to win.
Some panicked at the last moment, causing their cauldrons to explode.
Others pushed through, but their pills turned out subpar forcing them to accept defeat.
At this stage
Only the strongest contenders remained.
Xiao Yan.
Bone You Sheng.
Cao Ying.
Dan Chen.
And a few other elites.
They were all completely focused on their pills.
Meanwhile, Wu Tian was still asleep.
(End of Chapter)
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