122 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

Chapter 122 - The Rampaging Dragon Maiden As the conversation lingered, a figure could be seen from afar, surrounded by a group of people approaching steadily. Unlike cultivators, alchemists rarely resort to using spells. Unless they are traveling or refining medicine, they lead their lives no different from ordinary people. When the figure became clearer, it was revealed to be a kind-faced Taoist dressed in purple. People surrounding him were asking questions loudly. "Zhang Dan Shi, how can the Bitter Cold Pill be preserved for long periods?" "Zhang Dan Shi, we are out of sea anemone leaves for the Barrier Breaking Pill. Can fresh leaves be used as a substitute?" The string of unending questions gave Bai Fan a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of journalists from her past life incessantly pursuing celebrities. A true spectacle of being in the limelight. Zhang Dan Shi, the person being addressed, merely smiled kindly and reassured the crowd, "If you have questions, please wait for the conference to discuss further." Once the crowd had entered, passersby like Bai Fan were promptly barred from entering. The entrance to the Dan Identification Conference was on the opposite side, bustling with alchemists from all over East Continent. Anyone wearing an alchemist’s robe was immediately surrounded by people bombarding them with questions. Those asking questions were often beginners like Bai Fan or assistants from alchemy rooms, such as fire tenders or herb gatherers—individuals with low cultivation potential who had no choice but to hope for a future in alchemy. Conversely, those with high cultivation aptitude practiced alchemy purely out of interest. Alchemy is a costly path, requiring immense dedication. You might invest countless spirit stones only to end up as an ordinary alchemist. Bai Fan listened from one side to the other, uncovering many issues she had never considered before. She had always followed the recipe blindly and had never thought of improving or creating new elixirs. These alchemists seemed brimming with innovative ideas, opening a new door for Bai Fan. At that moment, she finally understood why Hui Hao Zi had brought her here. He had opened a door and guided her into a realm she had never seen before. She even felt a tinge of regret for missing her path in alchemy. Just then, the gold bead on her forehead suddenly heated up, pulling her thoughts back swiftly. She came to her senses, realizing that the path of cultivation was the true path. Alchemy, no matter how advanced, was merely a sideline. She could not let it sway her from her primary goal of enhancing her cultivation. As time went by, the chatter gradually subsided. A person dressed in Taoist attire came forward to announce. "Everyone, please be quiet for a moment. I am the host for this Dan Identification Conference. Seated below are the high-level alchemists from various sects of East Continent, and an inspector from the Heavenly Dao Alliance." Upon hearing this, a commotion erupted below with people murmuring. "What business does the Heavenly Dao Alliance have here? What does it have to do with our Dan Identification Conference?" "Who knows? As long as the conference is held as usual, it's fine." Hearing the mention of the Heavenly Dao Alliance again, Bai Fan was visibly startled. She thought about how vast their influence was, with their presence known in both the South Continent and East Continent. The entry criteria for this conference were notably simple: anyone with alchemy skills could participate, but they had to provide their own materials and furnace. Initially, regional preliminary rounds were held. Bai Fan, carrying her own furnace, registered her name. During the refining process, a black-clad official observed each preparation. Since their cultivation was on par if not superior to Bai Fan's, no one dared to mess around, especially under the watchful eyes of high-tier alchemists in the front row. Bai Fan initially felt nervous refining in front of so many people, but she gradually adapted. Since she was refining simpler elixirs, her high success rate quickly garnered attention. Even Zhang Dan Shi, who was conversing with others on a high platform, took a few extra glances at Bai Fan—as it was rare for an alchemist below the yellower rank to achieve such success rates. Geniuses emerge every year, but maintaining excellence consistently is rare. Many fade into obscurity over time, so initial promise alone doesn't guarantee sustained success. After Zhang Dan Shi shifted his focus back to conversations, the other high-level alchemists were indifferent to the preliminaries, their interest solely in the later rounds. However, the inspector from the Heavenly Dao Alliance continuously scanned the young participants, though his purpose remained unclear. After the first round concluded, Bai Fan easily advanced to the next stage. Hui Hao Zi originally intended for Bai Fan to simply observe the event. He never anticipated her participating, considering her a novice who barely brewed a few Qi Refining Pills, unaware of her impressive completion rate. The early rounds involved following given formulas, where scores were based on completion rates and quality, giving Bai Fan ample attention for her impressive performance. People began speculating about her origin and background. "I've never seen this person before. Her completion rate and quality are quite astonishing." "These are just the early rounds—we can't conclude anything yet." "Last time there was someone similar, yet the later rounds focus on talent. An alchemist isn’t just a production machine." Others seemed to consent silently to the last statement, eager to see Bai Fan’s upcoming results. Bai Fan, with her keen ears, overheard the discussions. She knew they weren't wrong—she was not yet adept at improving formulas or creating new ones. Nonetheless, she resolved to try. After all, miracles might happen. Round after round, many contestants were eliminated, leaving only about fifty. In the eyes of the high-level alchemists, even this number seemed excessive; they awaited the final ten. Bai Fan buried herself in refining, struggling with new formulas while observing others' practiced techniques. Occasionally, she stole glances to memorize the necessary herbs, gradually collecting them. Days passed, narrowing down to twelve competitors. Bai Fan narrowly clung to the edge with each elimination as her counterparts neared her success rates. "My advantage seems to be dwindling." "Besides that veiled female practitioner, most left are sect alchemist disciples, while we fringe individuals are mostly out." "Isn't there still one female practitioner?" "We don’t know who she is. Getting this far must be pure luck." "I hope she makes the top ten; otherwise, I'll lose hope myself. Decades of alchemy, and only a few furnaces left in my pocket. If I don't earn a scarlet rank, I might retire to a small temple." Bai Fan continued refining, sweat trickling down her forehead. She dared not pause as others worked ceaselessly. Her furnace glowed hotly, emitting white vapor. The lengthy refining tested their mastery over pill fires. Those who couldn't control their spiritual energy wasted their potential, failing to sustain the needed fire for a good batch. Days later, the twelve competitors looked pale. One even fainted from exhaustion. The sound of someone collapsing startled Bai Fan. She nearly lost hold of her furnace but regained control in time, avoiding an early exit. However, the refining was far from over—everyone’s furnaces started trembling as if about to explode. Bai Fan was puzzled. "What is causing this sudden surge?" Her furnace was like a balloon about to burst. Any more and it would. Yet, she could not reduce the flame; it was a critical moment. As her furnace breathed in and out, Bai Fan felt her flame diminish slightly. Others seemed fine, but she faced issues. "Indeed, my spiritual control wasn’t precise enough," Bai Fan regretted not restraining her energy earlier. Just then, a loud blast came from the front—someone’s furnace had exploded. Consequent blasts followed. By the time Bai Fan's furnace went, she'd lost track of the count. Ultimately, only two remained, managing to complete their concoctions. They were a male and a female, standing side by side like a pair of celestial twins, their robes identical. "The remaining are disciples of the Xuange Palace." "It's Wen Qiu Yue and Yu Wen Bin." "Another Xuange Palace victory.” Bai Fan gazed at the shattered fragments in front of her with a pang of regret. That furnace was a gift from Hui Hao Zi—now that it had exploded, she'd have to face the next stage of the competition without it. In this contest, the two disciples from the Xuange Palace tied for first place. Bai Fan unexpectedly made it into the top six, as if she had just gone from frequently failing to suddenly passing with flying colors. It felt as though she was floating on clouds, filled with contentment. There were eleven participants moving to the next stage, meaning everyone made it through except the one who fainted. They were all led to the front, where Bai Fan stood on the edge, feeling somewhat self-conscious and wanting to be as inconspicuous as possible. When the high-level alchemists turned their attention to them, Zhang Dan Shi was surprised to see Bai Fan among the top ten. His interest was piqued by this newcomer. Outside the Dan Identification Conference, familiar figures strolled down the street. It was none other than Li Lian Sheng and several disciples from Qingxu Sect, having traveled across continents. Observing the bustling mundane city, they spoke in admiration. "Didn't expect such a place to exist in this world. I've heard the sect leader speak of the immortal cities in the South Continent." "Look at all those people over there. I wonder what they're doing. Should we take a look?" Li Lian Sheng stopped the disciples eager for the excitement, saying, "We’re here to find a place to stay, not to enjoy the festivities. It's already getting late." With a hint of disappointment, the disciples took one last look before sensibly searching for an inn. Li Lian Sheng glanced briefly at the banner that read "Dan Identification Conference." ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ (￣ｏ￣)