"My heavens, I never thought I would see a Alchemy phenomenon in my lifetime..."
"This is madness, what kind of freak is this...?"
The onlookers were all stunned.
The city lord and Wu Qingfeng along with other big shots suddenly stood up, their eyes filled with shock they could no longer hide.
"It's… it really is a Alchemy phenomenon..."
The city lord murmured, unable to react for a moment.
A Alchemy phenomenon was a legendary special event, representing a pill that had reached a whole new level—beyond the reach of even top-grade pills.
Its medicinal effects were astonishing.
"How is this possible! System, could Song Wanníng's talent really be this strong? I don't believe it! I activated the system's Alchemy Holy Body; I should be stronger than her..."
Xiao Heyun stared blankly at the dissipating phenomenon, filled with unwillingness. He was the protagonist of a system-backed transmigration story—how could he possibly be surpassed by a native, especially a woman?
A woman who should have been part of his harem.
"Host, your holy body development is incomplete and you do not practice diligently, so naturally you can't compare to her...
If you had won over any of the target girls, it wouldn't have come to this..."
At the end of the day, Xiao Heyun was both incapable and lazy.
The system was puzzled why its host was such trash.
Xiao Heyun felt stabbed in the heart by the system's words. He clenched his fists silently, jealousy plain in his eyes.
Wu Qingfeng felt his blood surge, his face alternating between pale and flushed.
This time… the Guhan Sect had won completely.
The Medicine King Sect had lost badly.
Only Huo Jinchuan and the demon clan young master remained calm, as if they had already predicted this result.
After a long moment, the official finally snapped back, shouting excitedly, "The pill is finished!"
He cautiously approached, seeing a milky-white spirit pill lying inside the furnace. His pupils shrank slightly.
The spirit pill was flawless, looking like jade, and was about half the size of a normal Spirit-Refining Pill.
He carefully took the pill out and personally brought it to the city lord.
Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed wide on the pill.
Only after the city lord inspected it carefully and nodded did the crowd finally relax, their eyes filled with admiration. No one expected to witness the legendary phenomenon just by watching the competition. If word spread, countless pill masters would be envious to death.
"The champion this time has been chosen. It is none other than Song Wanníng from Guhan Sect!"
As the city lord announced the result, a roar of cheers erupted from the crowd.
Song Wanníng's champion title was well deserved. No one disputed it, everyone accepted it wholeheartedly.
A group of influential figures flocked to the Fourth Elder, praising Song Wanníng nonstop. After all, such a genius might be someone they would need in the future. They wanted to build good relations.
The elder of Canglan Sect took the opportunity to verbally jab at the Medicine King Sect and Qingyun Sect, angering Wu Qingfeng and Gu Yan to near breaking point. Yet they could not argue, the facts were clear, and their previous behavior made them look like fools.
On the stone platform, Song Wanníng looked pale. Refining this Spirit-Refining Pill had drained her mental energy.
She swallowed a pill, then packed up the immortal furnace, feeling more grateful to Dao Qing than ever. Without the immortal furnace, she could never have managed this. Even the initial pill liquid's wild surges would have overwhelmed a normal pill furnace. With the result settled, Song Wanníng looked toward Xiao Heyun and the demon clan young master.
The competition was over, and they would all enter the Central Region together.
"Three of you may rest for now. Meet at the city lord's mansion tomorrow at noon for the Central Region Dan Sect gathering!"
The city lord was very pleased, carefully storing the precious pill.
This time she had gained big—just this pill alone was worth far more than all the medicinal herbs combined.
She left with Huo Jinchuan and others, walking away slowly.
The cultivators around still lingered, their eyes eagerly fixed on Song Wanníng.
Song Wanníng politely cupped her fists and quickly stepped down from the platform. Not daring to linger, she immediately headed toward the inn.
The Fourth Elder smiled happily, following slowly behind, deftly deflecting those trying to get close.
Song Wanníng was exhausted and needed rest without disturbance.
...
Wu Yang City buzzed all night with talk of Song Wanníng's Alchemy phenomenon.
As for Xiao Heyun...
People almost forgot he had even participated; no one mentioned him from start to finish.
Xie Qinglan became obsessed with worshiping Song Wanníng. Her favorability toward Xiao Heyun dropped further, making him nervous and nearly angry enough to collapse.
He was genuinely scared now. His mind grew tense, his spirit shaken, no longer calm and confident as before.
Meanwhile, the demon clan young master remained calm as ever. Before noon the next day, he even took the initiative to wait for Song Wanníng at the inn.
After bidding farewell to the Fourth Elder, Song Wanníng pushed open the door and saw the demon clan young master standing in the hall.
He wore black robes. The sunlight streamed in, casting a mysterious yet immortal aura around him. He raised his eyes and looked at Song Wanníng by the railing, her red dress flowing. A slow smile curled on his lips.
"Together?"
Though posed as a question, it felt more like an invitation.
Song Wanníng raised an eyebrow. "Alright."
She came down from upstairs and strode over to the demon clan young lord. The two headed toward the city lord's mansion together.
"Wow, so the demon clan young master is waiting for Song Master?"
"Tsk, does he want to kidnap our Song Master to refine pills in the demon clan?"
"..."
The crowd fell silent.
Xiao Heyun came down from upstairs as well.
Seeing the pair walking side by side so well matched, jealousy surged through his heart like a raging river. He passed those chatting with a dark expression and quietly followed behind them.
Unexpectedly, they were chatting happily as they walked, looking very close.
"What's so good about that guy? Why does she treat him so well?"
Xiao Heyun was unhappy and confused.
From the start, Song Wanníng's attitude toward him was distant, growing worse over time.
"She's just a shallow woman attracted by the demon clan young master's status. Women are all like that!"
He bitterly complained to the system as if all women who didn't like him were shallow and vain.
The system got fed up and cut off contact. It increasingly regretted being bound to such a worthless host. If it could, it wanted a new host...
Once the thought arose, it was hard to suppress.
If Xiao Heyun continued to be so useless...
...
At the city lord's mansion, Huo Jinchuan and others sat in the hall talking with the city lord.
Seeing the three approaching, the city lord happily waved to them.