Chapter 49
They're Displeased
The Alchemists' Association alchemy seminar—besides being an event where high-level alchemists would debate and exchange knowledge—was also an event that gave opportunities for unknown alchemists to display their work.
There were many alchemists who used to be nameless before, but after bringing research and work to present here, they became famous and received much honor.
That made alchemists seeking fame and fortune bring out their own work to display for people to view today, hoping it would catch the eye of famous masters or interest the public.
At a display booth not far from the entrance, a young man was feeling excited. He was extremely lucky since the lottery results gave him this golden location near the entrance.
The Alchemists' Association's space allocation for displaying work was extremely fair. Besides some areas already designated, the remaining space where outsiders or shops could sell things was divided by lottery from everyone who signed up together.
Naturally, the most desired location was the entrance gate area, where anyone entering the event had to pass through.
This young man had traveled to display his research since yesterday. He stayed up all night to prepare this booth to be interesting. He was studying "refining cauldrons that could reduce pill refinement time the most."
He'd created many test refining cauldrons. He guaranteed his cauldron could reduce alchemy refining time by more than one-third.
Don't think one-third was small, since some pills took days, months to refine, or even the pill Bai Fanxian recently refined with her body took over ten thousand years to refine.
Reducing it by over three thousand years was not a small amount.
Besides that, if it was used industrially, that meant more production in the same time.
So besides research, his booth also had over ten refining cauldrons he'd created on display. Many were boiling pills until hearing bubbling sounds from the cauldrons.
He also had tests. In the middle of his booth were 7 cauldrons with different characteristics for interested people to try testing and comparing with cauldrons he'd created.
Since morning, quite a few people were interested in his booth. Several people tested with him and got satisfactory results. Some business owners left business cards for him too.
While looking for people to enter the booth, two young women came to stop in front. He was about to go greet them but was startled because many gazes were staring his way.
Both young women had such beautiful faces he forgot to breathe. They also had cold demeanors and sent out strange pressure that made people not dare approach. As the owner of the work, though, the young man had to gather courage and walk over.
"Interested in refining cauldrons?" He smiled awkwardly while asking. One young woman was reading the presented information without putting it down, while the other seemed completely uninterested.
"Is this your research?"
"Yes. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me anytime..."
Being able to talk about his own work, the young man puffed up his chest a bit proudly. Besides that, the other side was beautiful women. He wanted to impress her.
"...These cauldrons."
The young man was waiting to hear praise from her, but when he heard the next sentence, his blooming smile froze stiff.
"Can't be used at all..."
Here it comes!
Huang Zihuan who was watching the situation raised his hand to his forehead. Since seeing Grandmaster Bai's displeased face earlier, the elderly butler could guess what would happen!
"Wh...what?"
The young man's mouth twitched. He asked back in disbelief.
"You think your created cauldron is excellent? The yang power in your cauldron is so high it's almost exploding—no wonder pills finish quickly..."
"...But have you ever tested the effectiveness of refined pills? The properties probably disappeared by almost one-third, right?"
Bai Fanxian recited at length in a calm tone. Xie Suyao, who'd only just seen her elder sister speak a sentence this long for the first time, stared with gaping mouth!
Uncle Huang sighed. What would happen had to happen.
At least Grandmaster Bai didn't add emotion like when typing replies in threads. The fierceness and ferocity hadn't appeared to see yet. She still remained the beautiful and sublime lady as always. It seemed the saying that online personas often differed from real ones was quite accurate.
Even if the content was full of displeasure and criticism like before!
"D-don't talk nonsense!" The young man furrowed his brows. His loud voice drew all the attention from people on the street to turn and look.
"Do you know that refining cauldrons are like another world?"
Bai Fanxian moved her finger. One of his cauldrons floated to her. This scene could draw amazed sounds from surrounding people and was another confirmation that Bai Fanxian was a real Grandmaster!
The young man who realized who this young woman was gulped loudly. His face paled. Was he going to be rude to a Grandmaster-level being!?
"A perfect world must consist of yin and yang in equal amounts. Refining cauldrons are the same. The best refining cauldron in the world is one with perfect balance between yin and yang—half each."
Bai Fanxian waved her hand. That cauldron opened its lid. The surrounding people sensed the tremendous heat spreading from inside.
"Your created cauldron has yang reaching nine parts. For Tier 1 and 2 pills it can still barely force refinement. But for Tier 3 and above pills, there's no way."
Bai Fanxian threw the cauldron back. It floated to place in the original spot before she concluded:
"Maybe even high-level Tier 2 pills wouldn't survive either?"
When she finished speaking, she walked away with Xie Suyao, leaving confusion for the young man and crowd.
Boom!
Suddenly, one pill cauldron he was refining for demonstration exploded! Unmelted materials scattered out, startling people. The young man just realized that cauldron was the one he was using to demonstrate refining high-level Tier 2 pills, wasn't it!?
Both the young man and crowd looked after the direction Bai Fanxian walked away with trembling feelings in their hearts.
After that, the situation that occurred was like the same film reel replaying. No matter which booth Bai Fanxian entered, not long after there would be screaming sounds following.
Sometimes it became sounds of materials shattering. Sounds of bodies hitting the floor from booth owners fainting. Or excited sounds like someone had a new door opened for them.
"Your pill formula is interesting... but won't the materials be too rare?"
"Change fermented ginseng extract to dragon tongue tree leaves. This elixir's potency should increase by about three times."
The booth owner ran to the shop next door. He bought materials and came back with handfuls to test as Bai Fanxian said. The instant results came out, he cried thanks with joy.
"That's right! Thank you, Grandmaster Bai!"
"Your timing theory is slightly off. The variance doesn't depend on time, but on where you are in the world."
"Height differences and environment all affect it. So it's not timing theory, but spatial theory instead."
"Thank you for opening my eyes, Grandmaster Bai!"
"Your materials haven't fully grown yet. The problem isn't with fertilizer. The water you pour has too much acidity. Change the water source or growing location would be better."
Bai Fanxian could use words fitting the era from studying many books. The shop owner listening quickly grabbed a notebook to jot down attentively.
It was a problem that had bothered him for a long time.
"Your pill can't be used..."
"Your equipment should be changed..."
"Your materials here are wrong..."
"This theory isn't correct..."
These sentences became sentences the crowd would hear the instant Bai Fanxian walked into any booth. Even though at first those booth owners would act huffily displeased, after listening to the young woman's words until the end, they found...
It hit the point perfectly!
And could solve their lingering problems in one go too!
The crowd started wondering about this young woman's background. Some alchemists didn't pay any attention to cultivation world news at all. They only cared about alchemy science. Word-of-mouth storytelling made them learn this young woman was a Grandmaster-level cultivator!
One of the supreme beings!
That made them treat her with respect. Rumors of the young Grandmaster walking in and out demolishing display booths spread throughout the event until everyone paid attention.
They wanted to see her in person once. The street in the front event area became crowded and full of people, making newly arrived people not understand at all what was happening.
Was this year's event a bit too lively?
"Grandmaster Bai is truly amazing!"
"That's the 34th booth she's walked into..."
"Judging from this level of knowledge, could Grandmaster Bai be an alchemist too?"
"Quite possible. But there's no name for her in the Alchemists' Association."
"Right. I can't find it either. But her ability seems to exceed Tier 3 alchemist masters..."
"Crazy. Are you saying she's a Tier 4 alchemist?"
"In this era, apart from Grandmaster Lu Qing, no one has reached that level…"
"True, but don't forget she's also a Grandmaster! Her Grandmaster cultivation level's enough to comfortably refine Tier 4 elixirs!"
Rumors about Bai Fanxian and the possibility she was a Tier 4 alchemist became a hot topic everyone discussed. Even the Alchemists' Association itself was very interested in this matter. They sent people to invite Bai Fanxian to talk privately.
Beyond those who admired her, though, there was another group who were displeased.
They were those who called themselves "Empress's Fans."
Or rather—alchemists who greatly admired and worshipped Alchemy Empress!
Though at first they debated the possibility that Bai Fanxian was Alchemy Empress, it was quickly dismissed. When Alchemy Empress answered questions, she was filled with ferocity and arrogance many times more than Bai Fanxian!
Especially when she scolded them as "Fools!" or "Idiots!"—those who got berated instead felt some happiness overflowing from their bodies!
Though Bai Fanxian had some similarities, their Empress was far more savage than her!
From observation, Bai Fanxian never let such words slip out. What she showed was only displeasure and a calm tone that looked sublime!
And she was stealing their Empress's spotlight. Walking around demolishing booths like demolishing threads—shouldn't their Alchemy Empress be the one doing this?
They were displeased.
Very displeased!