Kyrian kept his eyes fixed on Sun Hao from the moment the nobles pointed him out. Kyrian watched as he began to work.
Among hundreds of participants, he stood out not because of exaggerated movement, but because of the absolute absence of waste.
Every gesture was minimal, precise, almost as if the cauldron and the flames were natural extensions of his body.
Kyrian observed everything with cold, analytical attention, his crimson eyes capturing details that most people in the stands would not even dream of perceiving.
Sun Hao ignited two flames simultaneously. One red-orange, stable, and hot, to heat the black jade cauldron.
The other, pale blue, thin like a line, to refine the ingredients at the exact moment.
It was a dual-flame technique that required extreme mental control and an immense Qi reserve.
The blue flame circulated inside the cauldron like a living thread, burning impurities without touching the vital essences of the herbs.
