949: Chapter 950 Dan Chenzi's Killing Intent

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere of the entire arena instantly reached its peak!

Free Alchemy seemed relaxed, but in reality, it tested an alchemist's true foundation the most.

Fixed test questions could be passed by relying on familiar routines, but free Alchemy competed in Comprehension Ability, accumulation, original intent, and a unique understanding of the Dao of Alchemy, leaving no room for the slightest luck.

Hum, the earthly fires of a hundred pill platforms rose simultaneously, blazing flames shot into the sky, and Spiritual Qi surged like clouds.

Top seed Prodigys like Yaochen, Huo Lingxi, and Mo Qianji made their moves first, their auras mighty and their spiritual power sweeping across all directions.

Some summoned monstrous flames to melt and refine rare Spirit Medicines, showing their sharp edge, while others deduced ancient Pill Formulas step by step with rigor and steady progress.

Some forcibly suppressed the field with thick spiritual power, intending to refine high-tier Medicinal Pills and crush the entire audience.

At this moment, Su Xiaoxiao wore a troubled expression. Her cultivation was low and her spiritual power was shallow. Speaking of high-tier Medicinal Pills, she was far inferior to the crowd of Prodigys, and forcefully competing would only bring about her own destruction and result in scrapped pills.

After pondering for a moment, she chose the Meditation Spirit-Nourishing Pill, which she was most proficient in and matched her own original intent of the Dao of Alchemy.

The grade of this Medicinal Pill was not high, far inferior to the high-grade Medicinal Pills refined by the others, but it was the Medicinal Pill she had repeatedly polished and comprehended day and night for many years.

Twelve hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Along with the bell toll for gathering the pills, a hundred Pill Furnaces opened simultaneously.

In an instant, ten thousand paths of rosy light and a tide of pill fragrance caused waves of exclamations throughout the audience.

The high-tier Medicinal Pills refined by those Heaven-Reaching Realm and Heavenly Monarch Realm Prodigys were indeed magnificent in momentum, with a thousand strands of auspicious colors.

However, when the referee Elder checked up to Su Xiaoxiao's Pill Furnace, the noisy pill plaza eerily quieted for a split second.

Inside the furnace, the rank-five Meditation Spirit-Nourishing Pill floated quietly. Although there was no heaven-shaking rosy light, six pill patterns were clearly visible, and the pill body was as clear as glazed glass. A Dao Rhyme of returning to simplicity permeated the air, instantly overwhelming the surrounding flamboyant fragrance.

Soon, the ranking list landed and was announced.

"Su Xiaoxiao, tenth place."

As the voice announcing the rankings fell, the spectator seats, which were still marveling at those high-tier Medicinal Pills, fell into dead silence.

The next moment, like cold water poured into a hot oil pan, the entire audience exploded!

"Diyuan Realm… top ten?!"

"Did I read that wrong? A crowd of Heaven-Reaching and Heavenly Monarch Prodigys was actually squeezed into the top ten by a Diyuan Realm girl!"

Right amidst this uproar, an extremely suppressed roar suddenly exploded:

"I refuse to accept this——!"

Everyone looked toward the source and saw a brocade-robed youth stepping out of the crowd in large strides. He was Ling Xuan, who ranked eleventh.

He was the direct grandson of Ling Yuan, the law enforcement Elder of Tiandan Pavilion. He had been immersed in the resources of the Dao of Alchemy since childhood, had a pure background, and possessed outstanding talent.

Before the competition, he was certain that he would steadily enter the top ten and use this Opportunity to become a disciple under a high-level Elder, pushing the Ling family a step further. He had even thought about which Elder he would apprentice under.

Yet he never expected that he, a dignified half-step Heavenly Monarch and a direct descendant within the pavilion, would be forcefully squeezed out of the top ten quota by a low-cultivation, factionless, and plainly dressed bottom-layer girl.

His figure teleported to the center of the arena, his eyes bloodshot as he stared dead at that petite figure in the corner, his finger almost poking her face:

"She is merely at the Diyuan Realm with meager spiritual power, how could she refine a perfect Medicinal Pill with six pill patterns?

It must be cheating! I ask the Pavilion Master to investigate clearly and thoroughly investigate such an act that stains the Dao of Alchemy! Otherwise, where will the eternal clean reputation of our Tiandan Pavilion be!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere of the audience suddenly tightened.

"If this matter is not thoroughly investigated today, our Ling family will never let the matter rest!"

As the voice fell, the audience fell into dead silence.

All gazes involuntarily glanced toward the main seat of the high platform.

Pavilion Master Danchenzi's expression was so gloomy that water could drip out of it. His gaze unconsciously glanced at the white-clothed Young Master sitting on the side who had been ignored by everyone all along.

At this time, Gu Changge was still holding his teacup without even lifting his eyelids, but the corners of his mouth seemed to curve into an extremely faint, playful arc.

At the moment of that glance, Pavilion Master Danchenzi's entire body stiffened, feeling a bone-chilling cold instantly saturate his bone marrow. Young Master Gu was enraged.

Su Xiaoxiao stood in the center of the arena, and the gazes cast from all directions pricked her like needles.

She clenched her fists, her nails almost embedding into her palms, but she did not back down.

She took a deep breath and was about to open her mouth to retort——

"This old man also feels that there is indeed something fishy about this matter." An aged and majestic voice sounded from the side of the high platform.

Everyone looked toward the source and saw a white-haired old man slowly rising. It was Ling Yuan, the law enforcement Elder of Tiandan Pavilion and Ling Xuan's grandfather.

His expression was calm, his gaze sweeping across the audience. His tone seemed fair, but every word pierced the heart:

"This grand competition has gathered half of the Alchemy Geniuses of the Desolate Region, among which there is no lack of top-notch elites of the Heavenly Monarch Realm and Heaven-Reaching Realm.

A Diyuan Realm girl actually being able to suppress the crowd and squeeze into the top ten is indeed against reason."

"This old man has enforced the law in the Law Enforcement Hall for many years, and deeply knows that on the path of the Dao of Alchemy, although cultivation is not the only standard, the foundation of spiritual power cannot be ignored regarding its impact on Alchemy.

The gap between the Diyuan Realm and the Heavenly Monarch Realm can by no means be crossed solely by virtue of talent."

He paused, his gaze turning to Su Xiaoxiao. His tone remained calm, but it carried a compelling pressure:

"This old man is not determining that this girl must have cheated, but since someone has raised doubts publicly, to ensure the fairness of the grand competition, it ought to be thoroughly investigated. If no solid evidence is found, it will also clear her name."

This speech was airtight. On the surface, it was to clear her name, but in reality, it was paving the way to convict Su Xiaoxiao.

Off the stage, a crowd of deacons and Elders who did not know the truth nodded and echoed:

"Elder Ling speaks with reason! This matter truly ought to be investigated!"

"A Diyuan Realm girl can refine a perfect Medicinal Pill with six pill patterns? Who would believe it if it were said out loud?"

"It is good to investigate, lest someone say in the future that our Tiandan Pavilion grand competition is unfair!"

Voices of echoing rose one after another, and the momentum grew bigger and bigger.

Su Xiaoxiao stood in the center of the arena, listening to those questioning voices surge like a tide, her face turning slightly pale.

But those eyes were still bright, biting her lips tightly to prevent herself from dropping a single tear on such an occasion.

Hearing the echoing voices rising and falling behind him, Ling Yuan's mouth slightly curved into an imperceptible arc.

He confidently turned toward the main seat of the high platform, looking at those nine high-level Elders. As long as they also nodded, this matter would be set in stone.

When the time came, whether to investigate or how to investigate, wasn't it up to him, the law enforcement Elder, to decide?

However, when his gaze fell upon the faces of those nine Elders, the smile at the corner of his mouth slowly froze.

Not a single one of those nine Elders opened their mouths to echo him. They just sat quietly there, their gazes falling on him without any anger or displeasure, and without even any meaning of opposition.

There was only one thing that made his heart turn cold: sympathy.

Ling Yuan's heart suddenly sank.

The deacons behind him who were just echoing a moment ago also gradually sensed that the atmosphere was wrong at this moment.

They followed Ling Yuan's gaze to look at the high platform, seeing the expressionless faces of the nine Elders. Their hearts trembled simultaneously, and they closed their mouths one after another.

The originally noisy arena suddenly fell into a weird silence.

And the next moment, Ling Yuan's line of sight finally collided with a gaze sufficient to cause Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

Above the main seat, Pavilion Master Danchenzi had straightened his body at some unknown time.

That face, which usually always carried a bit of scholarly smiling intent, was currently so gloomy that water could drip out of it, and its livid hue was even more chilling than the indifference of those nine Elders.

Ling Yuan stood in that dead silence, a layer of cold sweat instantly seeping from his back.

He finally realized that something was wrong somewhere.

These people all knew something he didn't know.

Three chapters today, tomorrow's update will be a bit later!