BXBX NOVEL Chapter 167: 12) The alchemy contest
She was renowned for her keen eye in identifying subtle nuances within alchemy pills that others often overlooked.
She even possessed some powerful eye.
Starting with... Her gaze fell upon Bai Lung\'s pill, the gleaming silver orb, which still shimmered with hidden potential.
Her eyes narrowed, sensing something the previous grandmaster had missed.
She delicately picked up the pill, holding it between her long, slender fingers, and closed her eyes. A moment later, a soft hum resonated from the pill, a faint but noticeable vibration in the air.
"Interesting... very interesting," she murmured. Her eyes snapped open, filled with a gleam of newfound understanding. "This is no ordinary pill for spiritual awareness."
"A pill that enhances spiritual awareness, Hmm!? Not really it\'s more than that..." she murmured, echoing Lao Wei\'s previous assessment.
"But there\'s something more…" Her eyes glimmered with interest as she inspected the intricate patterns on the pill\'s surface.
Suddenly, her expression shifted. "Ah, this is not just for spiritual awareness. There\'s a hidden formation within this pill, woven so subtly that even advanced practitioners would miss it..."
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"W-What!? A hidden pattern!?"
"Not ordinary but a spiritual awareness pill!?"
"wow! That junior has a lot of potential..."
The crowd murmured in astonishment, and even Bai Lung, who had been silent all this time, opened his eyes slightly, acknowledging the praise with the faintest of smiles.
It was free experience, but for certain these experience weren\'t near enough for him to level up.
"This formation," Master Zhang continued, "is designed to amplify the user\'s perception in battle. It allows them to sense not just spiritual fluctuations, but also emotional changes and minute shifts in energy... It\'s as if the user gains a hyper sixth sense and it is also great for gaining vision and boost the ability of Seers,"
Her tone turned more impressed.
"And the method used… Ingenious. Bai Lung must have employed a technique that involved controlling the pill\'s energy flow using a dual-refinement process... one that stabilizes the spiritual awareness properties while embedding the hidden formation,"
She turned to the other grandmasters. "This is a rare method. I give this pill a 9.5 out of 10. It would have been perfect if not for the slight imbalance in the energy flow. But that could easily be adjusted with a bit more time..."
The crowd erupted in whispers, and Bai Lung remained calm, his expression unreadable.
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Next, Master Zhang moved to Prince Qin\'s pill. The golden capsule gleamed with a regal aura, but she frowned slightly as she picked it up. "A pill to amplify magical abilities," she repeated, her voice steady.
"Impressive in concept, but…"
Her fingers glowed once more as she infused the pill with her spiritual energy. She winced slightly, as if sensing something off.
"There\'s an overconcentration of fire essence in this pill," she said, her voice calm but firm. "While it does grant an immense boost to magical powers, particularly fire-type techniques, the balance is skewed. The user could suffer from internal injuries if they are not a fire-attribute practitioner..."
"Haha! That\'s a dog poop!"
"Holy cow!"
Prince Qin\'s expression faltered slightly as the crowd murmured in response laughing at his pills.
"It\'s a flashy pill, to be sure," Master Zhang added. "But too specialized and not well-rounded enough to suit a wider range of users. I give it 6 out of 10."
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Next, Master Zhang approached Li Huan\'s humble brown pellet.
She held it up, and the crowd seemed unimpressed at first, but her face softened as she examined it closely.
"This pill… It may appear ordinary, but there\'s a depth of wisdom here," she said softly.
"Its subtlety is its greatest strength,"
She turned to the crowd. "This pill won\'t grant you explosive power, but it sharpens the mind and clears the heart, allowing the user to see through illusions and make sound decisions even in the heat of battle."
Her voice took on a tone of admiration. "This is a pill for scholars, for those who value intellect over raw strength. Its purity is exceptional. I give it a solid... 8 out of 10."
Li Huan remained expressionless, though a slight gleam of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
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Finally, she came to Gu Changgee\'s dazzling, iridescent crystal. As she picked it up, her brow furrowed slightly. "A pill to boost alchemical abilities," she said, eyeing Gu Changgee carefully. "But there\'s more to it…"
She infused the pill with her spiritual energy, and her face hardened. "This pill contains a secondary property... It is an accelerant. It forces the user\'s spiritual energy to move faster than normal. In theory, this would enhance alchemical abilities, but at great risk..."
Her voice grew colder.
"It could cause spiritual exhaustion if used improperly. This pill is dangerous, not just for the user but for those around them. I give it 9 out of 10 for its creativity and effectiveness, but I cannot overlook the recklessness in its design... These should be forbidden for master level or below alchemists,"
Gu Changgee smiled, unbothered by the criticism, though there was a glint of something darker in his eyes.
She basically meant to say if someone isn\'t quite perfect in making pill it might have bad effect.
As for wang, she have him 1 out of 10 and didn\'t used her spiritual energy to check the pill.
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And lastly,
The third grandmaster, Master Yuan, a burly man with a thick beard and a deep, booming voice, now stepped forward.
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He is known for his practical approach to alchemy, he wasted no time in getting to the heart of each pill\'s essence.
He approached Bai Lung\'s pill with a serious expression.
"Master Zhang was right. There\'s more to this pill than meets the eye," he said, holding the silver orb with appraising eyes "But there\'s something else,"
He infused the pill with his own spiritual energy and smiled, his eyes twinkling.
"Bai Lung, you\'ve hidden another layer within this formation. Not only does it enhance awareness, but it can also amplify the user\'s spiritual defense. This pill doesn\'t just make you more aware.... it shields your mind from spiritual attacks and can also help in alchemy by increasing focus"
The crowd gasped, realizing just how complex Bai Lung\'s pill was.
"This pill would be invaluable in battle, allowing a cultivator to stay sharp while resisting mental intrusions. A brilliant strategy..."
He gave a hearty laugh. "You\'ve outdone yourself, Bai Lung! I give this pill a perfect 10 out of 10 for its innovation and multi-layered complexity."
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Next, Master Yuan picked up Prince Qin\'s golden pill. He glanced at it, then at Prince Qin, and sighed.
"A pill for magical amplification, but as my colleague said, it\'s too specialized..."
He infused it with energy and nodded. "Powerful, but imbalanced. It\'s a dangerous pill for those who don\'t control fire, and even those who do might find themselves overwhelmed by its raw energy. I give it 2 out of 10 because I can sense some strong Pill poison on this pill,"
Prince Qin clenched his fists but said nothing, his regal mask slipping just slightly.
To think this pill contains pill poison when the furnace was totally unused before.
With that being said,
Master Yuan then examined Li Huan\'s pill. "Ah, the scholarly approach. I appreciate this," he said with a nod of approval. "It\'s not about raw power, but wisdom and clarity..."
He held the pill and infused it with his spiritual energy.
"It\'s perfect for long battles where strategy matters more than brute strength. I give it 9 out of 10... It can also be used for cultivation during crucial breakthrough,"
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When he came to Gu Changgee\'s crystal pill, he sighed heavily. "Flashy, dangerous, and risky," he said bluntly.
"It\'s a gamble. This pill will either make the user a genius alchemist for a brief time or leave them drained and vulnerable..."
He shook his head. "It\'s too risky for my taste. I give it 8.5 out of 10."
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Finally, he picked up Wang\'s white tablet. He smiled warmly. "Simple, honest, and full of heart," he said. "It may not be powerful, but it\'s a testament to perseverance. I give it 3 out of 10."
Prince Qin: "..." ( for real!? )
Imagine working hard to make a good pill and losing against boiled water.
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With that, all three grandmasters had completed their evaluations.
The tension in the air was thick as everyone awaited the final verdict because the one who had the final say was Saint Alchemist.
All five contestants were side by side while Saint Alchemist looked at them with a nod.
"Y-You... You all have done well," His voice shook lightly as he knew Wang wasn\'t that great.
However, he understood Wang did what he could do.
It\'s a pity small fish are eaten by big fish in the ocean.