99: Dan Lei appears frequently!

Chapter 99: Frequent Pill Lightning!

Lu Chuan began Alchemizing. His palms continuously waved, and one after another, medicinal ingredients steadily flew into the Pill Cauldron.

However, no matter how numerous and varied these medicinal ingredients were, they did not cause him the slightest bit of panic.

Pill Refining is an extremely time-consuming process, especially when Refining Elixirs. It often takes ten days to half a month, which is not uncommon.

And the people present were aware of this situation, so they did not become impatient due to the long wait. Most of those who could come to Saint Pill City to observe had some strength, and this necessary patience was naturally a must-have.

Under the gaze of countless expectant eyes, time quietly flowed by. In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

More and more participants successfully Refined Elixirs, but none of these Refined Elixirs managed to draw out Pill Lightning. The strongest among them only caused dark clouds to gather in the sky, but not even a hint of lightning appeared, let alone the actual descent of Pill Lightning.

More often, only Pill Fragrance appeared, causing fluctuations in the energy of heaven and earth.

Here, we must discuss the grading of Elixirs.

Fourth-grade Elixirs would emit a rich medicinal fragrance, accompanied by energy fluctuations. The stronger the Pill Fragrance, the higher the quality.

The lowest-grade Alchemists capable of participating in the Grand Assembly were Fourth-grade Alchemists. If they Refined such an Elixir, it could only be described as mediocre.

At least it would be unremarkable at the Grand Assembly!

Fifth-grade Elixirs were different. Because of the immense energy contained when they took shape, they would form substantial energy ripples. Even in the outside world, they were highly sought-after Elixirs.

Among the Alchemists participating in the Pill Grand Assembly, besides the majority of Fourth-grade Alchemists, more Alchemists Refined Fifth-grade Elixirs. Even in the Alchemist Grand Assembly, where experts were as numerous as clouds, they could be considered average.

As for the next level, Sixth-grade Elixirs, they were extraordinary. When they formed, they would attract changes in heaven and earth, but their impact was ultimately not as great as the phenomena caused by Seventh-grade Elixirs.

It should be known that Elixirs of that level had already begun to develop rudimentary sentience, becoming a unified whole, without leakage, like a newly born creature.

And this would also attract the covetous gazes of many powerful individuals...

However, most people could not Refine Elixirs of this level.

“Most people” here refers to the various prodigies and old monsters participating in this Alchemist Grand Assembly. If one were to look at the entire Dou Qi Continent, they would be even rarer.

Any one of them would be held in high esteem. In the eyes of an Alchemist, so-called royalty was merely a backdrop.

Currently, the highest record at the Alchemist Grand Assembly was the Refining of an Eighth-grade Elixir.

And this time, there happened to be an Eighth-grade Alchemist Grandmaster participating in the Grand Assembly. However, even for such an experienced Alchemist, the probability of success in Refining an Elixir was not guaranteed every time.

When successfully Refined, such Elixirs had already touched upon some taboo in heaven and earth, attracting terrifying Pill Lightning. Even ordinary Dou Zun experts could not withstand a single bolt of its lightning.

The quality of the Elixir was also related to the Pill Lightning. The more colors, the higher the quality. Two-colored, three-colored, and higher were even rarer!

As for the legendary Ninth-grade Elixirs, they are currently extinct on the Dou Qi Continent. According to quality, they can be divided into Treasure Elixirs, Profound Elixirs, and Golden Elixirs. The sentience of these Elixirs is comparable to humans, and they can transform into human or beast forms.

Ancestor of the Pill Tower was transformed from a mutated Profound Elixir. When Refining a Ninth-grade Treasure Elixir, Black Demonic Lightning would appear, its power surpassing that of nine-colored Pill Lightning. Refining a Ninth-grade Profound Elixir required gathering the power of heaven and earth, and Pill Rain would appear when it took shape. Refining a Ninth-grade Golden Elixir would attract Nine Heavens Golden Lightning, with terrifying power. There are not a few examples on the Continent of Elixirs being destroyed and people dying.

Lu Chuan, on the other hand, was an Eighth-grade Alchemist, in addition to being a Dou Sheng expert. With his Heaven Realm late-stage soul power, Refining Elixirs was not effortless, but it was certainly familiar territory for him.

It should be known that above the Heaven Realm late-stage is the Emperor Realm soul, a realm that only legendary Emperors can reach.

Or Alchemists whose soul power is already extremely strong.

To possess such soul power with the strength of a one-star Dou Sheng was already enough for him to be proud.

Aside from Lu Chuan, who seemed to be at ease, most Alchemists were on high alert. Their fingers flew, forming seals one after another, almost creating afterimages.

One by one, medicinal ingredients flew into the Pill Furnace according to the order on the Elixir formula.

Flames blazed.

Energy overflowed.

At this moment, a rich fragrance, accompanied by the vast energy of heaven and earth, gathered in that area.

Countless gazes, filled with various emotions, looked towards that spot.

“A Sixth-grade Elixir!?”

“What a pity, it was only half a step away from attracting Pill Lightning. However, this might not necessarily be a bad thing, as not every Elixir can successfully pass the Pill Tribulation.”

A Pill Tower Elder commented.

Everyone discussed animatedly.

The unknown Alchemist’s face also looked a bit grim. Only half a step away from attracting Pill Lightning. As long as it passed the Pill Tribulation, the Elixir in his hand could transform into a true Seventh-grade Elixir.

At that time, no matter what, he would be able to secure a place in the Grand Assembly.

Although he knew that not every Elixir could successfully pass the Pill Tribulation, with more often turning into a useless Elixir, facing those sympathetic gazes, this unknown Alchemist still felt incomparably distressed, as if his heart was squeezed by an invisible large hand and thrown into the sky, only to plummet down just as it touched the clouds.

As if it had set a precedent, a thick dark cloud appeared in the sky, gathering above an Alchemist whose face showed a hint of pleasant surprise. The clouds churned, the leaden clouds were heavy, and within dozens of feet of the floating stone island centered on that Alchemist, it was silent, then instantly filled with a vast energy aura.

Pill Cloud! A sign of impending Pill Lightning.

However, the heavy dark cloud that was about to form seemed to lack momentum. After a moment, in front of everyone on the Plaza, its color slowly faded, and then it dissipated.

Gazes filled with regret.

“What a pity.”

“This is a true peak Sixth-grade Elixir!”

The crowd on the Plaza was also attracted by this commotion. This time, gazes filled with schadenfreude were directed at that Alchemist.

Just because he was too unlucky!

Clearly, the quality of the Elixir barely touched the realm of Seventh-grade, but then fell back from that realm due to insufficient momentum.

It is worth mentioning that the later the Elixir is produced, the higher its quality.

The lowest-grade Alchemists present were all Fourth-grade Alchemists; there were no apprentice-level mistakes.

Often, the longer the Refining time, the more impurities are removed from the Elixir, and the purer its energy becomes.

Such Elixirs have a very high chance of triggering Pill Lightning.

Looking around, the higher-grade Alchemists generally require more time to Refine Elixirs.

The same was true for Lu Chuan…

“Boom!”

In the slightly scorching sky, a low, muffled thunderclap suddenly echoed. Immediately, countless gazes quickly shifted upwards, only to see that in the sky, a dark cloud had appeared at some point. However, within this dark cloud, a low rumble of thunder was actually heard. That appearance was clearly the formation of Pill Lightning.

“Pill Lightning? A Seventh-grade Elixir has emerged!”

Seeing the unusual phenomenon in the sky, a clamor also arose on the Plaza. Immediately, countless gazes converged on a stone platform beneath that sky. There, a middle-aged man was looking at the thunderclouds in the sky with a look of wild joy. He was the first to draw out Pill Lightning.

Just half a day after the first Pill Lightning appeared, thunderclouds gathered in the sky again. And judging by the intensity of these thunderclouds, they were even stronger than the previous ones. Clearly, a participant must have Refined an Elixir of even better quality than the previous person’s.

On the Plaza, the intermittent appearance of Pill Lightning made it exceptionally lively. The slight slump of the previous few days completely dissipated at this moment. Each emergence of a Seventh-grade Elixir would attract many covetous gazes.

Lu Chuan sat cross-legged on the stone platform. The rumbling thunder echoing in the sky was automatically filtered out by him. All his attention was fully focused on the inside of the Pill Cauldron.

During this time, Xiao Yan’s Elixir was also Refined, barely reaching high-grade Seventh-grade through the Spirit Ascension Method.

The sifting of time is the most accurate. The seventeen people who remained at the end, just from their aura, were definitely not ordinary people. Among them, the lowest-ranked badge on their chest belonged to a mid-grade Seventh-grade Alchemist.

The highest, surprisingly, was another true Eighth-grade Alchemist Grandmaster!

“Rumble—”

Amidst the muffled thunder, a bell-like sound resonated in all directions. In the vast and boundless sky, another thick, pitch-black dark cloud gathered. The ink-like clouds layered upon layer, resembling rolling mountains. Silver snake-like lightning coursed through them, scales opening and closing, clanging, containing a terrifying energy aura!

More Pill Lightning! And this time, it was colored Pill Lightning!

It should be known that even when a Seventh-grade Elixir emerges, it does not always usher in colored Pill Lightning. This kind of lightning tribulation is incredibly terrifying, but as long as it is overcome, the quality of the Elixir is definitely not low, and it will attract a scramble among the crowd.

Gazes filled with greed swept towards the stone platform.

The old Alchemist, dressed in a high-grade Seventh-grade Alchemist robe, had a calm expression. As the owner of the Elixir, he was not afraid of people coveting it. He was a high-grade Alchemist, and no one wanted to offend him.

New changes appeared in mid-air. The Pill Lightning slowly gathering in the dark cloud initially resembled silver snakes as thick as fingers, but it quickly grew to the size of a water bucket, with a thick body and ferocious, terrifying scales.

The lightning was brilliant, coating the earth with a layer of silver frost!

The silver-white snake body streaked across the void, leaving deep traces. In the rolling mountain-like clouds, the giant snake coiled around the mountains, appearing vast and exuding a terrifying aura.

Compared to Xiao Yan, who barely managed to Refine a high-grade Seventh-grade Elixir using the Spirit Ascension Method, this was the true sight of a high-grade Elixir emerging.

The Seventh-grade Elixir Xiao Yan Refined used the Elixir formula from the original work. Although it was also high-grade Seventh-grade with the secret method’s enhancement, the Pill Cloud and Pill Lightning at that time were clearly not as terrifying as the current ones.

Even within the entire Alchemist Grand Assembly, the Elixir Refined by the old Alchemist was qualified to contend for first place!

“This is truly terrifying! To witness the emergence of a high-grade Seventh-grade Elixir in my lifetime?!”

“It seems the longer the Refining time, the higher the quality of the Elixir.”

“What a fierce competition! This trip was not in vain!”

Just smelling the fragrance of such an Elixir could advance one’s cultivation. If the cultivators who came here weren’t strong, they probably wouldn’t have been able to restrain themselves.

Most people’s eyes were burning, staring intently at the ingredients where the old Alchemist was, all wanting to witness the emergence of a high-grade Seventh-grade Elixir.

“Seventh-grade...”

On a certain stone platform, Xiao Yan clenched his hand tightly, his knuckles slightly white. Seventh-grade Elixirs, even across the entire Dou Qi Continent, were extremely rare.

Not to mention such terrifying phenomena.

If he had previously been confident in winning first place with the Spirit Ascension Method, now he understood what it meant that there were always people stronger and skies beyond skies!

Xiao Yan cast his gaze towards the last dozen or so people on the stone platform, most of whom were elderly.

Their auras were not weak.

Losing to them was not a true failure!

After all, compared to those old Alchemists, Xiao Yan lacked decades of Alchemist experience.

What if the longer the Refining time, the stronger the skill? He would one day surpass them through his efforts.

Temporary failure is not scary! Just put in more effort!

Xiao Yan encouraged himself in his heart. At this moment, his gaze sharpened, and he finally noticed a young figure hidden in the furthest corner, appearing inconspicuous.

The young man’s face was handsome, but if one didn’t look closely, it was very easy to overlook him. His entire demeanor gave people a feeling of playing the pig to eat the tiger.

How could such a young Alchemist still be there?

By now, it had almost become common knowledge that the longer the Refining time, the stronger the Elixir produced.

Xiao Yan had also found an excuse to comfort himself, but Lu Chuan’s appearance was nothing short of a huge slap to his face.

Someone was stronger than him, and crucially, he was a young man of the same generation!

Xiao Yan’s gaze was depressed (depressed/frustrated). He reluctantly averted his eyes. Stronger than himself!?

There were indeed many existences on the Dou Qi Continent stronger than him, but among the younger generation, they were few and far between.

He’s probably just stubbornly holding on there.

Xiao Yan thought this and withdrew his gaze. Everything was still judged by results. At least he had already Refined a high-grade Seventh-grade Elixir, and was already qualified to contend for first place!

To Refine an Elixir of this grade at his age, compared to a bunch of old monsters, was like a crane standing among chickens. He believed the Pill Tower administrators would surely recognize his talent.

Besides Xiao Yan, many people in the audience on the Plaza also noticed Lu Chuan’s figure.

“Is that person asleep?”

“Strange, his aura is steady. It can be seen that he is indeed Refining Elixirs.”

“Interesting, perhaps he’s a dark horse.”

Everyone discussed animatedly. Some believed Lu Chuan was a dark horse who would suddenly emerge.

Others thought Lu Chuan was purely putting on a brave front and would eventually reveal his true colors, leaving a laughingstock.

It should be known that those who remained until now were all old monsters and seniors. How could a seemingly very young Alchemist compare to them?

In a certain section of the audience, following the discussions and gazes of the crowd, the women’s eyes also looked over.

Immediately, the figure on the stone platform stood out prominently.