54: Alchemy Competition

In just a few days, rumors spread like a plague throughout Jia Nan Academy.

Initially, it was just some students in the Alchemy Department whispering, but soon, the entire academy began to discuss it.

"Have you heard? Jiang Donghua becoming a First-Grade Alchemist in half a year was all thanks to Elder Mo Xuan's 'special care'!"

"No wonder the Elder is so fond of him; it turns out their relationship isn't ordinary!"

"Tsk tsk, truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. He looks proper usually, but secretly, he's..."

The students of the Alchemy Department had even stranger expressions. They had personally seen Jiang Donghua and Elder Mo Xuan discussing alchemy techniques in the pill room, but upon hearing these rumors, they couldn't help but be shocked.

"No wonder he could be accepted as a direct disciple!"

"So this is what 'contribution' means."

"This is truly terrifying!"

Outside, rumors raged, but Jiang Donghua in the pill room remained unhurried.

He sat cross-legged, an ancient book open before him, his fingers gently turning the pages, his gaze focused and serene.

Elder Mo Xuan stood beside him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"This child will surely achieve great things in the future!"

An ordinary person, if slandered like this, would have long since exploded in rage, or even rushed out to argue with people.

But Jiang Donghua seemed detached, completely unaffected.

The Elder couldn't help but ask.

"Donghua, those rumors outside, do you really not care?"

Jiang Donghua slowly closed the book, a slight smile on his lips, a profound glint in his eyes.

"The more intense the lie, the faster it will dissipate when it's washed away."

"Let them spread rumors if they want to."

Liu Qingya stood on a high point of the academy, overlooking the discussing crowd below, a cold, sinister smile playing on his lips.

"Jiang Donghua, how much longer can you endure?"

His confidant beside him asked in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, the rumors have spread throughout the entire academy, but that Jiang Donghua has shown no reaction. Could it be..."

Liu Qingya snorted coldly.

"No rush. The more he remains silent, the more it shows he has a guilty conscience!"

"Tomorrow, I will add more fuel to the fire!"

Who among the students of Jia Nan Academy didn't know that the Alchemy Department was the most lucrative place in the entire academy?

Pills, resources, connections—which of these wasn't an enviable existence?

Most of the students of Jia Nan Academy came from humble backgrounds, toiling daily in cultivation but progressing slowly.

And Jiang Donghua, an obscure "country bumpkin" half a year ago, had now suddenly become a genius of the Alchemy Department, even accepted as a direct disciple by Elder Mo Xuan?

Why?

How could he ascend to such heights in one step?

Jealousy and resentment fermented in their hearts, and the rumors just happened to provide an outlet for their frustration.

"I knew it! How could someone refine a bone-mending pill with a pill pattern in just half a year?"

"It turns out it was obtained through 'special means'..."

"How disgusting!"

The crowd's emotions were completely ignited, the discussions grew louder and louder, and their gazes changed from initial suspicion to outright contempt.

Liu Qingya stood in the center of the crowd, a cold sneer on his lips.

He knew the time was ripe.

"Everyone!"

He raised his voice, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"Jia Nan Academy has always been known for its fairness and justice! But now, some people are brazenly trampling on the rules, relying on 'special connections'!"

His words were forceful and piercing.

"If Jiang Donghua truly possesses real talent and knowledge, why doesn't he dare to stand out openly?"

"Why does he hide in the Alchemy Department, acting like a coward?"

The crowd immediately erupted.

"Right! Let him come out!"

"If he's got guts, let's have a match!"

"Not daring to come out means he has a guilty conscience!"

The gates of the Alchemy Department were tightly shut, but the shouts from outside surged in like a tide.

"Jiang Donghua! Get out here!"

"Don't hide inside pretending to be dead!"

The students inside the Alchemy Department had various expressions; some gloated, some worried secretly, and even more quietly retreated to corners, fearing implication.

"This has escalated..."

"If Jiang Donghua doesn't respond soon, he might truly be ruined."

"But what if he comes out to compete and loses?"

On the top floor of the Alchemy Pavilion, Elder Mo Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze profound as he looked down at the surging crowd.

He did not intervene to suppress them, nor did he defend Jiang Donghua.

"Donghua, this trial, you must overcome it yourself."

"If you can't even withstand this small storm, how can you embark on the path of a true powerhouse?"

In the pill room, Jiang Donghua slowly closed the ancient book in his hand.

The shouts from outside entered his ears, but he merely smiled faintly.

"Mere clowns!"

He stood up, his gaze calm as water, yet imbued with a chilling coldness that made one's heart palpitate.

"Since you all want to watch a show."

"Then I'll put on a performance for you."

The next moment, the gates of the Alchemy Department slowly opened.

Jiang Donghua stepped out, his gaze like a knife, sweeping across the crowd.

"Who wants to challenge me?"

"Step forward."

The entire scene instantly fell silent.

Everyone felt an invisible pressure, as if a ferocious beast was slowly awakening.

They finally realized that what they had provoked might not be a cowering turtle.

But a primordial beast that had been dormant for a long time!

The crowd below remained noisy, but few truly understood alchemy.

Most people were just there to watch the excitement; they didn't care about the truth, only wanting to see a high and mighty genius fall from grace.

When Liu Qingya saw Jiang Donghua finally appear, a hint of wild joy flashed in his eyes.

"I finally reeled in this big fish!"

He immediately stepped forward, patted his chest, and shouted in a booming voice.

"Jiang Donghua! Do you dare to compete with me here, in public, to refine a bone-mending pill?!"

A wave of cheers immediately erupted from below the stage.

"Compete!"

"Don't chicken out!"

"Are you scared?"

Jiang Donghua, however, merely shook his head gently, waved his hand languidly, and spoke indifferently.

"Why should I compete with you?"

Liu Qingya was stunned, then his face flushed red, as if he had been slapped hard.

He hadn't expected Jiang Donghua to refuse the challenge!

"You...!"

He gritted his teeth, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes, then sneered and deliberately raised his voice.

"It seems you really are someone who 'climbed the ranks with your body'! Not even daring to compete, what else could it be but a guilty conscience?!"

These words were like a knife, stabbing fiercely at Jiang Donghua, and once again igniting the crowd's malice.

"Hahaha! So it's true!"

"Not daring to compete means admitting it!"

"How disgraceful!"

Jiang Donghua's gaze suddenly turned cold.

He slowly raised his head, his eyes as sharp as blades, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority.

"Liu Qingya, you can insult me, but don't insult my master."

Seeing Jiang Donghua finally enraged, Liu Qingya rejoiced inwardly and immediately pressed on.

"Since you don't dare to compete, then get back to your pill room and continue being a coward!"

Jiang Donghua stared at him, then suddenly smiled.

That smile carried a hint of playfulness, a hint of danger.

"Since we're competing, shouldn't there be a stake?"

"Without a stake, I'm not interested in playing with you."

He made to turn around, his tone light and casual.

"If there's nothing, I'm going in."

How could Liu Qingya let him leave?

He immediately shouted.

"Stake? Good! I'll bet my 'green flame cauldron'!"

A commotion immediately broke out below the stage.

"green flame cauldron? That's a Third-Grade Medicine Cauldron!"

"The Liu family's ancestral treasure, he actually dares to bet it?!"

Jiang Donghua paused, turning his head slightly, a half-smile on his face.

"Oh? Interesting."

"What about my stake?"

Liu Qingya sneered.

"If you lose, get out of Jia Nan Academy! Never set foot in the Alchemy Department again!"

Jiang Donghua was silent for a moment, then slowly turned around, his gaze as deep as an abyss.

"Good."

"I accept."

The entire scene instantly erupted!

"They're really betting that big?!"

"Now there's a good show to watch!"

"If Jiang Donghua loses, he's completely finished!"

And in Liu Qingya's eyes, the wild joy of victory had already appeared.

"Jiang Donghua, you finally took the bait..."

"This time, I'll make you lose all reputation and never rise again!"

In Jia Nan Academy, Dou Technique competitions were almost constant, and students were long accustomed to them.

But alchemy competitions?

Those were rare!

Moreover, the two parties in this competition were Jiang Donghua, a rising genius of the Alchemy Department, and Liu Qingya, a direct descendant of the Liu family, who had always been arrogant!

The stakes were even more astonishing: if Jiang Donghua lost, he would be expelled from the academy!

If Liu Qingya lost, he would have to hand over his ancestral green flame cauldron!

Such a grand gamble instantly ignited the atmosphere of the entire Jia Nan Academy!

Alchemy competitions, unlike martial arts, required true experts to judge the outcome.

As Jiang Donghua's master, Elder Mo Xuan naturally couldn't step forward, otherwise, he would inevitably be criticized for favoritism.

Just as everyone was discussing, a low, stern voice came from behind the crowd.

"This competition will be judged by this old man."

The crowd parted like a tide, and an old man with a resolute face and graying hair, with his hands behind his back, came forward.

He wore a dark robe, a golden emblem symbolizing a Fifth-Grade Alchemist pinned to his chest, his gaze like lightning, commanding respect without anger.

"It's 'Impartial Iron Face' Elder Li Changhai!"

A gasp of surprise immediately rose from below the stage.

Li Changhai, one of the ten great Elders of Jia Nan Academy, a Fifth-Grade Alchemist, known for his impartiality and integrity!

Thirty years ago, he became famous throughout the academy for impartially handling the dean's direct disciple.

Seeing this, Liu Qingya's arrogant demeanor immediately subsided, and he quickly bowed in salute.

"Elder Li!"

Jiang Donghua also cupped his fists solemnly.

"Thank you, Elder."

Li Changhai coldly swept his gaze over the two, his voice like a great bell.

"Since you're competing, follow the rules."

"Materials are self-provided, refine a bone-mending pill, time limit of one incense stick."

"The one with the higher quality pill wins."

At this point, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and a golden light shot out from his sleeve, landing in front of the stage.

"This is the 'Pill Appraisal Ruler', a Sixth-Grade spirit artifact. It can measure the quality of pills and cannot be falsified."

"If anyone cheats—"

He snorted coldly, his Dou Qi surging around him.

"This old man will personally cripple their cultivation and expel them from the academy!"

In the center of the square, two profound iron alchemy platforms gleamed coldly under the sunlight.

Liu Qingya was the first to ascend the stage, and with a flick of his sleeve, the entirely emerald-green Medicine Cauldron, inscribed with flame patterns, landed with a crash. Green flames swirled around its body, and waves of heat assailed the senses.

"green flame cauldron!"

A chorus of envious gasps immediately rose from below the stage.

This Third-Grade Medicine Cauldron had been passed down in the Liu family for a century, and it was said that a wisp of the life-bound flame seed of a Fourth-Tier Magical Beast, the Azure Spirit Flame Lion, was sealed within it!

Liu Qingya proudly surveyed the entire scene, finally looking provocatively at Jiang Donghua.

"What? Where's your cauldron? You're not going to borrow Elder Mo Xuan's Sixth-Grade Profound Sky Cauldron, are you?"

Jiang Donghua's expression remained unchanged; he merely lightly tapped his storage ring.

"Clang!"

A yellowish-brown Medicine Cauldron, its surface covered with cracked patterns, landed steadily on the stage.

The cauldron itself appeared simple and unadorned, but only upon closer inspection could one discern that the patterns subtly formed an arcane array.

"What kind of cauldron is that?"

A burst of laughter erupted from the onlookers.

There were only a few Alchemists below the stage, so they couldn't discern the mysterious nature of this Medicine Cauldron.

"Hahaha! A broken earthen cauldron dares to be brought out for a competition?"

"This Jiang Donghua is probably just giving up!"

A Fourth-Tier Medicine Cauldron was indeed several times better than Liu Qingya's.

Seeing this, Liu Qingya sneered even louder.

"Is that all? You think you're worthy of competing with me?"

Jiang Donghua, however, merely gently stroked the cracked patterns on the cauldron's body, which glowed with a faint yellow light, and murmured to himself.

"Partner, today let them see something new."

Elder Li Changhai waved his hand, and a three-foot-long dragon's saliva incense stick was ignited in mid-air, its blue smoke rising straight up.

"The competition, begins!"

Liu Qingya immediately formed hand seals, and a three-foot-high blue flame roared up from within the green flame cauldron.

He skillfully fed the bone-mending pill ingredients one by one, each ingredient precisely refined in the flames.

Jiang Donghua, however, stood with his eyes closed for three breaths, then suddenly.

"Swish!"

His hands moved like afterimages, and all the medicinal ingredients were simultaneously thrown into the cauldron!

The earth spirit cauldron vibrated violently, its cracked patterns glowing with dazzling yellow light, and a muffled thunder-like roar emanated from within the cauldron.

Li Changhai's pupils contracted sharply, his heart secretly startled.

"Simultaneous refining of a single furnace?! This is a technique only a Fourth-Grade Alchemist would dare to attempt!"

"Or rather, this Jiang Donghua is already so proficient with this First-Grade Pill Formula that he couldn't be more so."

More than half of the incense had burned, and both Medicine Cauldrons began to vibrate violently.

Liu Qingya's forehead was beaded with sweat, and his hand seals for fire control had changed seven times, clearly reaching a critical moment.

As for Jiang Donghua's earth spirit cauldron, its lid constantly trembled, as if something was about to burst out of the cauldron!

Li Changhai had unconsciously moved to the front of the stage, a sharp glint flickering in his cloudy old eyes.