374: Eight-color, eight-grade elixirs

Time continued to pass, and the finals had entered their latter half.

The sight of Pill Lightning, which was rarely seen in the past, had now become commonplace above this square.

Every day, several or even more than ten bolts of lightning would tear through the sky, announcing the birth of another Alchemy Grandmaster's masterpiece.

The number of Alchemists who could persist until this point, with flames still burning fiercely in their Medicine Cauldrons, had drastically decreased.

From the initial thousand-plus people, only about forty remained on the stone platforms.

These remaining forty-plus individuals, without exception, had auras as profound as an abyss and Soul Power fluctuations as vast as the sea.

Each of them, if placed in the outside world, would be a giant in the Medicine World, capable of establishing their own sect and commanding respect even from a regional overlord!

The pills they refined were at least high-grade seven, and the vast majority were even Eighth Grade Pills!

The atmosphere in the square had gradually shifted from initial fervor to a solemn reverence.

The audience held their breath, their gazes sweeping across the few remaining dozens of stone platforms, witnessing this peak confrontation representing the highest level of alchemy on the Fighting Qi Continent.

Above the high platform, the gazes of the Dan Ta Three Giants also became more focused.

Their attention was naturally concentrated on these last few dozen people.

Especially that black-robed man, Jiang Donghua, whose face was almost too young!

Venerable Xuan Kong, Fairy Suxin, and Venerable Yan, their eyes met from time to time, silently exchanging messages through Soul Power.

"This person is truly not simple."

Venerable Xuan Kong frowned slightly, looking at Jiang Donghua's steady posture, like an old monk in meditation, and the slow-gathering medicinal power fluctuations within his Medicine Cauldron, which even made him feel a trace of trepidation.

"Such a young face, yet possessing such unfathomable Soul Power realm and alchemy attainments. His true age is probably far beyond his appearance."

Fairy Suxin nodded slightly, a hint of inquiry in her gentle eyes.

"The pill he is refining has potent and overbearing medicinal power, held back but not yet released. Once it forms, the Pill Lightning it draws will likely be extraordinary. Observing his technique, it's unique, unlike any known alchemy school."

Venerable Yan, with his most fiery and direct personality, stared at Jiang Donghua, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he transmitted his voice.

"The most suspicious thing is his background! Such a figure, yet he was completely unknown in Zhongzhou before this?"

"He seems to have appeared out of thin air! Moreover, he is refining an Eighth Grade Pill. Alchemists of this caliber are few and far between on the continent; how could our Pill Tower not have a record of him?"

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity and vigilance.

"Do you think he might be someone secretly cultivated by the Hall of Souls?"

"The Hall of Souls has been active frequently in recent years, recruiting powerful individuals from across the continent. It's not impossible for them to have secretly cultivated an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster! Perhaps they sent him to participate in the Pill Gathering with ulterior motives?"

At this conjecture, the expressions of Venerable Xuan Kong and Fairy Suxin both changed slightly.

The Hall of Souls and the Pill Tower had a tense relationship; if this person was indeed sent by the Hall of Souls, then the situation would become complicated.

Jiang Donghua, of course, had no way of knowing about the Soul Power communication on the high platform.

He was currently fully focused on the final stage of medicinal power fusion within his Medicine Cauldron, oblivious to everything outside.

However, if he were to know that he, a dignified Venerable Donghua who had swept all before him and maintained a calm demeanor, was being suspected by the Dan Ta Three Giants as a spy for the Hall of Souls simply because of his overwhelming strength and mysterious background... he would probably be so enraged that he'd spit out a mouthful of old blood on the spot!

This was an enormous injustice!

He was an enemy of the Hall of Souls, and now he was being suspected of being one of them?

Who could he even complain to about this!

Of course, Jiang Donghua was still in the dark about all of this for now.

He was simply proceeding steadily with the final steps of pill refining according to his own rhythm.

Time continued to pass.

Another two days went by.

When the finals reached their thirteenth day, only a handful of stone platforms in the square still had burning flames!

While the other top Alchemists were still struggling to maintain the final medicinal power fusion and proceeding with extreme caution, a sudden change occurred at Jiang Donghua's stone platform!

"Om—!"

The green wood king cauldron in front of him suddenly emitted a low hum, and the plant patterns carved on its body seemed to come alive, emitting a faint green glow!

An indescribably vast medicinal power, like a sleeping giant dragon awakening, erupted from within the cauldron!

Immediately after, the sky above underwent a sudden change!

The originally clear sky darkened at a visible speed!

Heavy dark clouds gathered from all directions, rolling and surging, and the low rumble of thunder, like ancient war drums, pounded in everyone's hearts!

A heavenly pressure, far more terrifying than any previous Pill Lightning, enveloped the entire square!

"Pill Lightning! Someone is about to form a pill again!"

"Such terrifying pressure! Whose is it this time?"

"It's that black-robed young man! He's finally about to succeed!"

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Jiang Donghua!

The Pill Lightning began to gather color!

The first color — crimson! Like rolling magma!

"One color! It's one-colored elixir lightning!"

Someone exclaimed.

The second color — orange-yellow!

Like the profound depth of the earth!

"Two colors! It's two-colored elixir lightning!"

The exclamations grew louder.

The third color — emerald green! Full of vibrant life!

"Three colors! My goodness, three-colored elixir lightning!"

Some people in the stands had already stood up.

The fourth color — azure blue! Like the deep sea's ice!

"Four colors! It's four-colored pill thunder!"

The entire venue erupted in an uproar! According to the standards of previous Pill Gatherings, being able to draw four-colored pill thunder almost guaranteed the championship title!

However, the dark clouds did not stop rolling!

The fifth color — dazzling gold! Blinding and brilliant!

"Five... five colors?!"

The exclamation turned into an incredulous shriek!

Five-colored Pill Lightning was extremely rare in previous Pill Gatherings!

The sixth color — deep purple! Noble and mysterious!

"Six colors! It's six-colored Pill Lightning!"

The entire square completely boiled over!

Six-colored Pill Lightning had not appeared at the Pill Gathering for a hundred years!

The seventh color — chaotic gray! As if it could devour everything!

"Seven... seven colors?!"

Even the Pill Tower elders on the high platform couldn't sit still; they all rose, their faces filled with shock!

Seven-colored Pill Lightning, this was already a legendary level!

Just when everyone thought this was the limit, and their hearts were about to jump out of their throats—the eighth color, white, seemed not to exist, yet it distorted space itself!

"Eight... eight colors... It's eight-color pill thunder!!!"

Someone shrieked with all their might, their voice distorted by extreme shock!

The entire Holy Pill City fell into a deathly silence!

Everyone seemed to be frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the enormous thundercloud in the sky, interwoven with eight colors, like a rainbow yet containing the power to destroy the world!

eight-color pill thunder!

Mu Qingxian in the stands covered her mouth excitedly, her beautiful eyes filled with fervor and pride!

She knew that once her Martial Uncle made a move, it would surely be earth-shattering!

And on the high platform, the Dan Ta Three Giants had long lost their usual composure.

Venerable Xuan Kong, Fairy Suxin, and Venerable Yan rose abruptly, their eyes fixed on the eight-color thundercloud and the black-robed figure beneath it, who remained calm, their faces filled with extreme shock and a deep trace of suspicion!

"Eight colors... it's actually eight-color pill thunder!"

Venerable Yan's voice trembled slightly.

"Such a pill, even for the three of us, would be extremely difficult to refine! How could he possibly do it!"

Venerable Xuan Kong's eyes were as sharp as knives, his Soul Power frantically scanning Jiang Donghua, his tone extremely solemn.

"So young, yet possessing alchemy skills comparable to an old monster... eight-color pill thunder... previously unknown, all of this is too abnormal!"

Fairy Suxin took a deep breath, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

"Do you think he might truly be a secret trump card cultivated by the Hall of Souls? The Hall of Souls has coveted our Pill Tower for a long time. If he were to win the championship and obtain a promise from our Pill Tower, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

This conjecture made the hearts of the three giants sink.

If this person was truly sent by the Hall of Souls, then this Pill Gathering would not just be an alchemy competition, but a conspiracy targeting the Pill Tower!

At the same time, in the square, the other top Alchemists who were still persisting in refining, such as Venerable Shi Yu and Fairy Bingyun, turned pale and their minds reeled when they felt the terrifying pressure of the eight-color pill thunder!

"Pfft!"

One old man, due to losing control of his mind, instantly suffered a rampage of medicinal power within his cauldron, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, and his pill was completely ruined!

He slumped to the ground, looking at the eight-color thundercloud in the sky, his eyes filled with despair and bitterness.

Venerable Shi Yu clenched his fists tightly, looking at the pill in his own cauldron, which had drawn three-colored elixir lightning and had made him quite proud, and then feeling the suffocating eight-color heavenly might. A sense of powerlessness and absurdity surged into his heart.

"Eight colors... an Eighth Grade Pill... what the hell is there to compete for?!"

He was practically roaring in his mind.

"In previous years, if the champion could produce four or five colors, it was already a blessing from the heavens!"

"Where did this monster come from?! He refines faster than us, and the quality is even this high?!"

How could they compete? They were simply not on the same level!

At this moment, all the Alchemists aspiring to the championship felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

In the face of absolute strength, any struggle seemed pale and ridiculous.

And Jiang Donghua, at the center of the storm, seemed oblivious to all the reactions around him.

He looked up at the heart-pounding eight-color thundercloud, his eyes calm, merely flexing his wrist slightly.

"Eight colors, huh? Not bad. Time to finish up."

And his composure and power only pushed the Dan Ta Three Giants' suspicion to its peak!

This person must not be underestimated!