Chapter 82: The Supreme Pill Master (Part 10)

"I see."
After speaking with the Ghost Valley Pill Emperor, Su Chen understood why the two had appeared in the Central Region.
Since leaving the Dragon Sky Dynasty,
the Ghost Valley Pill Emperor had no lingering attachment to it and joined the Pill God Palace at the invitation of an old friend.
He was now an elder of the Pill God Palace.
The small Dragon Sky Dynasty had limited the Ghost Valley Pill Emperor's growth.
Su Chen speculated.
Perhaps the Ghost Valley Pill Emperor was worried about his junior brother, fearing that if he left the Dragon Sky Dynasty, the royal family would take action against Su Weichang.
After all, a pill refiner who could summon a large number of powerful individuals with a wave of his hand,
and with a criminal record,
it was hard not to arouse suspicion.
"The old man..."
Su Chen sighed inwardly.
The old man was probably buried somewhere long ago.
Guigu gave Su Chen many more instructions about the Pill God Palace.
Then he left with Song Wanqing.
Before leaving, Song Wanqing once again issued a challenge to Su Chen.
The Central Region Alchemy Conference had not yet begun.
During his time at the Pill God Palace, Su Chen had seen geniuses from various regions.
Even alchemy prodigies from beyond the region had come to participate in this grand event.
Among them were many young geniuses who were already sixth-grade alchemists, and Su Chen had even heard of a new alchemy prodigy emerging to participate in this grand alchemy event.
This alchemy prodigy must be at least seventh-grade!
Su Chen hadn't seen any martial arts geniuses from the Central Region, but alchemy geniuses were countless. Looking across the Five Regions of Tianxuan, it was truly a golden age!
Su Chen began his seclusion; he wanted to refine a seventh-grade pill before the Alchemy Conference began!
Knowing Su Chen's determination, the Myriad Manifestations Pill Master naturally offered his full support, personally instructing Su Chen in using the Nine Nether Profound Fire to refine pills.
...
Six months later, on the eve of the Alchemy Competition.
Many alchemists who had been in seclusion emerged.
Su Chen also emerged.
The rules for this Alchemy Competition were announced by the Pill God Palace.
Unlike the Alchemy Competition of the Dragon Sky Dynasty.
This Alchemy Competition, jointly organized by the Ten Great Alchemy Holy Lands, was a major event for the entire Tianxuan Domain.
Several Saint-level experts had created a space containing various rare treasures, medicinal herbs, pill formulas, and even ancient secret techniques.
Each item was subject to restrictions.
Alchemists needed to obtain these items through their alchemy skills to participate in the final assessment!
Su Chen saw the last rule:
[During the Alchemy Competition, all alchemists are prohibited from using any martial arts or cultivation! All items can only be obtained through alchemy skills!]
Noble alchemists do not need to fight.
Alchemists only need to focus on alchemy.
Martial artists have more to consider.
The prohibition against using force left Su Chen with a sense of regret.
Soon, everyone headed towards the secret realm for the alchemy assessment.
As time drew nearer,
three extremely terrifying figures appeared, their faces obscured, as dazzling as the sun. Each wore a golden-glowing chest pendant.
The Myriad Manifestations Alchemist explained, "That sun-shaped chest pendant is the mark of a Ninth-Rank Alchemist Saint. It contains the power of an ancient saint, which can be used at any time. Every Alchemist Saint is a treasure of the Heavenly Profound Domain; their loss is unacceptable!"
Su Chen exclaimed in amazement.
Such methods, such profound resources... truly worthy of being called the Holy Land of Alchemy.
A single Pill Saint's chest pendant is more valuable than an ancient Saint weapon!
With the combined efforts of three Pill Saints, the passage to the Ancient Pill Domain was opened, and alchemists eagerly rushed in.
Su Chen and the alchemists from the Prison Suppression Holy Land also entered the Ancient Pill Domain.
The Ancient Pill Domain
The world stretched as far as the eye could see, like a naturally formed microcosm. Medicinal herbs rarely seen outside were everywhere, as abundant as weeds on the ground.
It was practically a pristine world untouched by outsiders!
Seeing no alchemists from the Prison Suppression Holy Land around him, Su Chen immediately understood that he had randomly landed in this world.
His immediate priority was to collect the medicinal herbs needed for the final battle. Su Chen didn't linger long and began exploring the Ancient Pill Domain.
The alchemy competition jointly organized by the Ten Holy Lands was naturally no simple matter. It not only severely tested alchemists' knowledge of medicinal herbs but also their adaptability. Not everyone could easily gather the necessary herbs for refining pills.
Su Chen searched for five consecutive days and finally found a sixth-grade medicinal herb called Star Essence Grass, the main ingredient for refining the sixth-grade pill, Star Essence Divine Pill. Just as Su Chen was about to pick it, the assessment restriction was triggered.
[Participant Su Chen: Do you wish to participate in the sixth-grade medicinal herb Star Essence Grass assessment? Passing the assessment will grant you Star Essence Grass.]
Su Chen nodded and then entered a new space.
The space contained an alchemy furnace and Star Essence Grass. Su Chen needed to refine a pill using the Star Essence Grass.
Sixth-grade pills were not difficult for Su Chen. The formula for the Star Essence Divine Pill was also recorded in the Prison-Suppressing Holy Land. In less than five days, Su Chen refined a Star Essence Divine Pill.
[Contestant Su Chen has passed the assessment and successfully obtained a Star Essence Grass.]
Su Chen disappeared from the mysterious space, the Star Essence Grass within his grasp.
However… Su Chen felt something was amiss, and his face darkened.
The Star Essence Divine Pill he had painstakingly refined… hadn’t come out with him!
Were they treating him like a slave?
“As expected, those alchemy holy lands aren’t so kind. A pill-refining trial, making heroes from all over the world work for them… truly a clever tactic!”
Su Chen admired it inwardly.
All the cunning he had accumulated over several lifetimes probably didn’t even amount to a tenth of what those old fogies from the alchemy holy lands possessed.
However, Su Chen looked at the Star Essence Grass before him.
There were benefits, too.
Putting away the Star Essence Grass, Su Chen continued searching for other alchemy ingredients. He needed to refine an extremely special seventh-grade pill; a single sixth-grade herb wouldn’t be enough.
Su Chen continued his search for ingredients.
Time flew by, and three months passed.
The Ancient Pill Domain is vast; in three months, Su Chen had only traversed the tip of the iceberg.
During this time, he encountered other alchemists, vying for medicinal herbs, with Su Chen ultimately emerging victorious each time.
Following information gleaned from an alchemist, Su Chen arrived at a canyon engulfed in flames.
There were a fair number of alchemists here, and Su Chen even spotted a familiar face.
Bai Qingyu of the Azure Jade Holy Land.
Bai Qingyu was currently confronting another alchemist.
“The Eastern Domain? Nothing but a land of barbarians!”
“You think you're worthy to compete with me for the Flaming Sun Flower?”
“I'm telling you, all the medicinal herbs in the Blazing Fire Valley belong to my Danyang Holy Land!”
"If you know what's good for you, get out of here! Otherwise, my Danyang Holy Land will disqualify you from even participating in the final assessment!"
Bai Qingyu's face flushed red.
The many Eastern Region alchemy geniuses behind Bai Qingyu were furious.
Danyang Holy Land, one of the alchemy giants in the Central Region, on par with the Pill God Palace.
The geniuses of Danyang Holy Land didn't take the entire Eastern Region seriously at all.
PS: First update. There are two more updates to come; I'll finish writing them as soon as possible and release them around 9 or 10 PM tonight. (●'◡'●)