135: Fourth-grade, one-patterned cinnabar

The more you stare at time, the faster it slips away.

The sand in the hourglass trickled down, with less than half an hour left.

The tense atmosphere in the square was so thick you could wring water out of it.

Those who failed retreated dejectedly to the side, while most of the successful ones also looked pale, having expended considerable mental energy, clutching their freshly made, still-warm Medicinal Pills, eagerly awaiting inspection.

Yet, the attention of everyone was still largely fixated on the figure at the center.

Lu Yu stood there, not even a shadow of a Pill Furnace beside him.

Only the cyan-blue Pure Lotus Heavenly Clear Fire hung quietly in mid-air, slowly rotating.

At the center of the fire lotus, a dark golden and a golden-yellow energy were entwined by countless fine, almost imperceptible cyan fire threads, separated yet faintly connected, maintaining an extremely delicate balance.

His eyes were closed, beads of sweat sliding down his cheeks, gathering into a small drop at the tip of his chin before dripping "plop" onto the bluestone, leaving a small dark stain.

His face was somewhat pale, clearly showing immense mental exertion.

This method of forming pills without a Pill Furnace in the Void Realm, while flashy and attention-grabbing, also consumed an unusually large amount of energy.

But his breathing was exceptionally steady, his hands held in a virtual embrace before him, his fingers trembling ever so slightly from time to time. With each tremor, the rotation rhythm of the fire lotus underwent an almost imperceptible adjustment.

"What is he doing? Just standing there like that?"

In the back row of the observation seats, a young Cultivator couldn't help but mutter softly.

"Those two clusters... they haven't moved for almost an hour."

"Don't speak nonsense if you don't understand!"

An older Cultivator nearby, who seemed to know a bit about Alchemy, scolded in a hushed voice, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the field.

"This is called 'Nurturing the Pill with Fire'! Look at those two energy clusters—aren't their colors purer and more restrained than before? The medicinal potency is gradually fusing and transforming under the continuous gentle warmth of the flames! This is far more sophisticated than forcibly fusing them with intense fire!"

"But it also consumes more mental energy. One slip in control, and all previous efforts are wasted!"

"But... he doesn't have a Pill Furnace! Relying solely on that fire lotus to hold it up, can it work?"

The young man still felt uncertain.

The older Cultivator couldn't answer either, only shaking his head: "Usually, those who do this are mostly high-level Alchemists refining low-grade Medicinal Pills, showing off their skills. As for him... perhaps this is the miraculous nature of the Immortal Fire?"

On the high platform, the expressions of the several big shots varied.

Yan Mo unconsciously tapped his fingers on the armrest of his seat, his gaze deep.

Void Realm Alchemy, while not common, does exist.

But that's a technique attempted only by Grandmasters of Alchemy above the seventh grade, after achieving the 'Transforming Void into Reality' Realm in their flame control.

What cultivation level does this kid have?

Nascent Soul Stage! Even with an Immortal Fire... this level of daring and control is truly astonishing.

The gaunt old man from the Pill Tower, his white eyebrows tightly furrowed, muttered under his breath, seemingly rapidly deducing Lu Yu's peculiar approach of "Using Yang to Guide Yang, Refining Dragon Blood with Fire."

As he deduced, he shook his head, feeling it was too risky and radical. Yet, looking at the two unnervingly stable energy clusters in the field, he had to admit that this kid seemed... to have some real skill.

Over at Xiao Yan's side, it was time for the final pill retrieval.

The Pill Furnace wrapped in the Purple Abyss Earth Core Fire hummed and vibrated, with strands of purple light seeping through the cracks of the lid. A rich, yet sharp, barrier-breaking medicinal aroma had already spread, causing nearby competitors in the Alchemy areas to involuntarily sniff.

"Condense!"

Xiao Yan shouted softly, his hands forming seals and abruptly retracting!

The furnace lid shot into the air, three purple-gold streaks of light "whooshed" out, caught mid-air by a jade bottle he had prepared, and drawn into his hand.

The Medicinal Pills in his hand were still warm.

He looked down to see three purple pills, the size of longan, lying quietly in his palm. The pills were smooth and round, and on the surface of one, there was faintly a clear ring-like pattern!

Though the pattern was very faint, just a shallow line, it was undoubtedly a pill pattern!

The four-grade pill "Purple Soul Barrier-Breaking Pill"—he had actually refined it with a pill pattern!

Though it was only the lowest one-pattern pill, it was still a pill pattern!

It signified that the pill's quality had reached a theoretical extreme for its current grade!

For ordinary Medicinal Pills, if only inferior quality is produced, not only will the effects be minimal, but the numerous pill toxins hidden within will cause considerable suffering.

So, if an Alchemist produces inferior-quality pills, it would be very embarrassing—essentially ruining their own reputation.

As for ordinary pills, after consumption, they can unleash about fifty percent of their medicinal efficacy.

Reaching good quality allows about seventy percent efficacy, while pure quality fully blends the efficacy, extracting about eighty percent of the medicinal potency from the herbs.

Perfect-quality pills naturally extract every bit of medicinal efficacy from all the ingredients, condensing them into a pill that achieves one hundred percent efficacy, with pitifully few pill toxins!

As for pills that truly condense a pill pattern, they are no ordinary pills; they are blessed by the pure energy of heaven and earth, capable of unleashing at least one hundred and fifty percent of their inherent efficacy!

Moreover, there is not a trace of pill toxin in such pills, making them the purest pills between heaven and earth!

So, even the lowest one-pattern pill has significantly higher efficacy than perfect-quality pills, representing a rare and sought-after Alchemy experience!

Refining a pill with a pill pattern is also the lifelong aspiration of countless Alchemists!

Xiao Yan looked at the one-pattern, four-grade pill in his hand, feeling a surge of wild joy, unable to hide a hint of pride on his face.

As if he had already seen himself as the champion of this second round!

He looked up, first casting a provocative glance toward Yan Linger's side.

Above Yan Linger's Pill Furnace, the small Golden Crow phantom let out a long cry, transforming into specks of golden light that vanished into the furnace.

She also uttered a soft shout, and the furnace opened, releasing the pills!

Similarly, three pills, red as fire, with one clearly encircled by a faint golden pattern!

The four-grade "Blazing Sun Soaring Pill"—she had also refined a one-pattern pill!

Two top Prodigies had almost simultaneously completed their pills, both refining Peak four-grade pills with pill patterns!

Such achievements would have been enough to secure the top two spots in any previous Alchemy Convention!

The sidelines immediately erupted in exclamations of awe and applause.

"Incredible! Young Master Xiao Yan truly lives up to being a Pill Tower Prodigy!"

"Saintess Yan's Golden Crow Fire Control Technique is indeed miraculous, able to refine a pill pattern as well!"

"It seems the top three this time must include these two!"

Listening to the praise around him, Xiao Yan felt even more elated.

Subconsciously, he turned his gaze toward the direction that annoyed him the most—Lu Yu's side.

At this glance, the smug smile at the corner of his mouth stiffened slightly.

Lu Yu remained as before, eyes closed, holding the fire lotus, looking relaxed and composed.

As if completely unaware that he and Yan Linger had already completed their pills and refined pill patterns.

Putting on an act! Keep it up!