Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Upon listening to Fang Lin’s words, Lu Jiuhe almost vomited blood into his Green Stone Cauldron in extreme rage.
Fang Lin looked at Lu Jiuhe’s ashen face. He felt very pleased with himself deep inside, so he continued to speak, “However, it barely passes my level when I use it. Senior Brother Disciple Lu, your Green Stone Cauldron looks rather impressive as well. I wonder how does it compare to this Golden Flame Cauldron of mine.”
Lu Jiuhe did not even wish to speak. There was only despair and envy within him at this very moment.
Elder Zhou could not bear to watch this anymore. He coughed and said, “Alright, don’t waste time anymore. The match has already begun.” As he spoke, someone sent over the medicinal herbs needed for the elixir and placed it before them.
Lu Jiuhe suppressed the anger within him. He wished to rely on the victory of this match to vent his pent up anger. As a result, he did not procrastinate anymore and turned on the cauldron to refine the pills at once.
A blazing fire appeared underneath the Green Stone Cauldron. While his cauldron was heating up, Lu Jiuhe distributed the various medicinal herbs according to the proper ratio beforehand and placed it on the side to use later.
The crowd then looked toward Fang Lin’s side and felt rather confused. They watched as Fang Lin sit there calmly without the slightest intention to make a move. In fact, his eyes were even squinting ever so slightly.
“What the h*ck is Fang Lin trying to do? There are only six hours left. The Blood-clotting Pill isn’t that easily refined.”
“Perhaps, he’s utterly incapable of refining elixirs. I bet he’s panicking in his heart at this very moment.”
“Senior Brother Disciple Lu is already done preparing the medicinal herbs properly. The victor of this match has already been decided.”
…
Lu Jiuhe raised his head to take a glance at Fang Lin and noticed that he had yet to begin. He could not help sneering and felt even calmer.
Even though the Blood-clotting Pill isn’t a Grade-1 elixir, it’s still considered an unorthodox elixir that’s quite difficult to refine. I don’t believe that Fang Lin is capable of refining it. Even if he is, he can’t possibly surpass me. Lu Jiuhe realized that his cauldron was already fully heated, so he opened the lid at once and poured the medicinal herbs into the cauldron.
Meanwhile, Fang Lin remained seated there. His eyes were closed as if he was meditating.
Elder Zhou was feeling rather puzzled on the stone platform. What was Fang Lin trying to do? He had only six hours, so the time frame was considered rather pressing. Elder Zhou was worried that Fang Lin would not be able to refine the pills in time if he did not act now.
In a split second, an hour passed, but Fang Lin had yet to make a move. Many people were suspecting that he had fallen asleep while sitting there. In the distance, Meng Wuyou and Mu Yan stood gazing at one another. Annoyed, Meng Wuyou wished that he could charge forward and wake Fang Lin up.
“This boy, what the h*ck is he doing? Is he still competing in the match or not?” said Meng Wuyou in fury.
Mu Yan’s delicate brows were furrowed ever so slightly. Even though she was puzzled, she was relatively more rational than Meng Wuyou. “Perhaps, he has a plan of his own. We shall wait and see. Fang Lin doesn’t look like he’s uncertain.”
Meng Wuyou stomped his foot nervously and said, “It’s been an hour. He’s not going to make it if he doesn’t begin soon.”
Mu Yan shook her head to express her intention for Meng Wuyou to calm down. It was useless for them to speak now. Fang Lin could only depend on himself.
Lu Jiuhe was already done pouring all the medicinal herbs into the cauldron. He closed the lid and the blazing flame burned hotter and hotter. Wisps of white smoke soon emerged from the cauldron.
With a grin, Lu Jiuhe watched as Fang Lin remain still without doing anything. He was in an especially good mood. In the crowd, Lu Xiaoqing clenched her tiny fists tightly as she worried about Fang Lin secretly. Kang Lu and the rest of the official disciples stood together. The injuries on his face remained, but his eyes were filled with hatred and enmity.
“I’m not watching anymore. It’s boring.”
“That’s right. Fang Lin is just amusing himself.”
“He’s incapable, yet he’s still daring enough to show off. What an embarrassment!”
…
Some people left in succession. However, it was precisely at this very moment that Fang Lin finally opened his eyes. Finally, it’s almost time! Soon afterward, he stood up with a calm expression while his eyes appeared to be especially bright.
“Look, Fang Lin is making a move.”
“Almost two hours have already passed. He shouldn’t be able to make it in time.”
“What was he doing before this? Was he really sleeping?”
…
The people that were about to leave stopped when they realized that Fang Lin was about to make a move. They suppressed their impatience as they braced themselves to watch what happened next.
Lu Jiuhe had a disdainful expression. With almost two hours passed now, it was simply too late for Fang Lin to start refining now.
Elder Zhou heaved a sigh softly. Even though he had high hopes for Fang Lin, it was genuinely quite impossible for him to finish in time. Unless the refining was done by a real Cauldron-1 alchemist, only then could the alchemist refine the pills within the remaining time with a success rate of 50%.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Fang Lin stretched his body and moved his limbs about as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep. The people were speechless. Judging by his current state, it seemed like he was really sleeping earlier! Lu Jiuhe’s lips curled up as he almost broke out in laughter.
After moving his limbs about, Fang Lin opened the cauldron. Then, he did something that sent everyone into a state of complete bewilderment. He poured all the medicinal herbs straight into the cauldron. He did not ignite the fire or distribute the herbs into different ratios. Instead, he emptied everything into the cauldron in one go.
Everyone was dumbstruck. Had Fang Lin turned mad? Had he given up out of despair?
Even the junior alchemy disciples that had never refined elixirs before found it incredulous. Is there anyone that refines elixirs like you? Don’t you need to make a fire? And don’t you need to distribute the ratio of the medicinal herbs?
Lu Jiuhe burst out laughing while his face was filled with disdain and contempt. In his perception, Fang Lin’s action was simply akin to a hooligan that had never refined any elixirs before in his life. Why would anyone pour all the medicinal herbs into the cauldron before doing anything else?
Elder Zhou coughed a few times consecutively. Fang Lin’s action had simply startled him. He did not expect that Fang Lin would make such a bold move as soon as he began.
In the distance, Meng Wuyou’s expression was filled with disappointment. He shook his head and heaved a sigh while saying, “Boy, has he really given up in despair?”
Mu Yan did not speak as well. She was completely at a loss for words in regards to Fang Lin’s action.
“Sigh, he’s a genius, but it turns out that he’s so weak.”
“What a waste. Even though he has lost to Lu Jiuhe, he can still achieve success if he were to train hard for a few more years.”
“Fang Lin is truly quite amusing.”
…
The chatter among the crowd grew louder and louder while the mockery did not stop at all.
Nevertheless, Fang Lin turned a deaf ear to them. He patted the cauldron once and the fire was ignited underneath the cauldron. Then, he took a seat on the ground and waited patiently.
Three hours passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Jiuhe’s cauldron was already emitting the fragrance of pills while gushes of strange funk were emitted from Fang Lin’s cauldron.
“Senior Brother Disciple Lu’s pills are almost complete.”
“The scent is so rich and fragrant. I think that it’s of medium-grade quality.”
“He should be able to achieve medium-grade quality. Senior Brother Disciple Lu deserves fame and reputation.”
…
While they were busy praising Lu Jiuhe, Fang Lin stood up once again with his eyes fixed upon the cauldron. All of a sudden, he extended his hand and delivered a slap to the Golden Flame Cauldron.
Bang!
His first slap landed, followed by a second, then another third slap.
A total of three continuous slaps were delivered on the same spot. After three slaps, the flame burned brighter and stronger. A peculiar spray of fluctuation was triggered inside the cauldron.