Chapter 906   Crushed

“What? Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence?”

“Wow!”Everyone let out a gasp of cold air.

Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence!

It had very simple functions: strengthening Essence Qi, and improving the level of attainment. One such pill could make a Golden Core Cultivator. Although it was of the lowest tier among other Heavenly Pills, and was the earliest to craft, it required much more advanced techniques than Treasure Pills.

“Rumor has it that other than Heavenly Alchemists, only top elite alchemists have created heavenly pills, not by design but by accident. Even Hu Xiao’s Nine Transformation Spirit Pill is a Quasi-Heavenly Pill. I wonder, has Elixir Lord become a Heavenly Alchemist already?”

Shock and fear flashed across Wu Qinyan’s face.

The audience was shocked.

Wu Wendin and Hu Xiao pulled taut faces. Light flickered in Wu Wendin’s eyes; unable to hold back his curiosity and excitement, he let Essence Qi rippled out from his body.

Jiang Han and many disciples of the guild nearly jumped out of their seats.

“Did Elixir Lord become a Heavenly Alchemist? It’s about time. If he can craft a Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence, he would defeat Chen Beixuan with ease,” Elder Chenyan mumbled as his hands trembled uncontrollably.

The development also left the elders elated. If that was ture, the Alchemy Guild would become the Wang Family’s equal in the Beihuang Region.

Meanwhile, the competition had started.

The process for making a Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence was simple and its ingredients were common as well. It’s main ingredient was the Fruit of Kunyuan. Nurtured by the Qi of Earth, the Fruit of Kunyuan could be found ten thousand meters below ground.

The fruit was filled with a high concentration of Essence Qi as it was found in Spirit Stone Mines; it was a common ingredient in many recipes.

Elixir Lord produced two yellow fruits and said calmly, “Each of us will have a Fruit of Kunyuan. Whoever can turn it into Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence first in three days will win the competition.”

The Fruit of Kunyuan was the size of an olive and had the appearance of a yellow topaz. Inside the clear surface, one could see powerful Earth Qi rolling and tumbling against itself. Despite its size, it weighed over a hundred thousand tons and could crush any Connate Cultivator with its sheer weight.

“Very well!”

Chen Fan nodded.

The battle finally began.

Elixir Lord didn’t move elsewhere; instead, he created a crafting platform at the same spot and revealed a huge cauldron. The surface of the cauldron was decorated with patterns depicting spirit medicines and spirit beasts. A formidable energy rippled from its round belly, threatening to bend the fabric of space. It was a Quasi-Heavenly Treasure.

“Earth fire, start!”

Elixir Lord stomped the floor, sending a tremor down the stone tower.

Then, a column of fire burst out from the ground, lancing up and through multiple floors, reaching the top of the tower.

The conflagration suddenly raised the temperature in the air. The audience felt that they were standing right next to the sun.

“True Fire of Earth Lung! It had been kept under the tower for ten thousand years. I can’t believe Elixir Lord used it,” Wu Qinyan exclaimed.

Wu Baisu also knotted her brow.

The True Fire of Earth Lung was a Divine Flame located a hundred thousand meters below the surface of the planet. It was so deadly that it could melt any Golden Core Cultivator upon contact. However, it was the best fire for Alchemy. Rumor had it that the Heavenly Lord of Ancient Medicine had discovered the source of the True Fire of Earth Lung and therefore had decided to build the tower on top of it.

The rumor remained a rumor until that day.

“Holy mother of gods! This is the legendary fire used by Heavenly Lord himself. I can’t believe that Elixir Lord is using it. He really wants to win.” Wu Wendin clicked his tongue.

The Ancestral Patriarchs of other families looked on with jealousy.

Such a fire could greatly enhance the effect of elixirs. The Alchemy Guild’s unchallenged supremacy was in part because of it.

“That’s cheating! Brother Chen doesn’t have True Fire of Earth Lung,” Qiao Qiao shouted indignantly.

“No, it’s not. Elixir Lord said there are no limitations as to the tools or methods,” Ge Yan said with a wry smile.

“Crack!”

The True Fire turned the cauldron red as countless Spirit Medicines boiled inside of its bowel.

After a while the Elixir Lord’s face became serious and then he cast many Dharmic Arts over the cauldron.

An Eight Trigrams Dharma Array appeared in the sky, shooting out eight-colored fires that were wrapped around the cauldron. In a few moments, the cauldron was surrounded by hundreds of such flames.

“Void Dimension Alchemy Art. My Master’s execution of the technique is a hundred times smoother and more effective than mine.”

Situ Cheng looked up, eyes filled with admiration and reverence.

Compared to Elixir Lord, Chen Fan made far less commotion. He casually picked up a bronze cauldron and started the fire. It was the most common Yi Wood Spirit Fire.

“What did I tell you? He’s a fraud! Creating elixirs with a thought is the stuff of legend. He would never know how to do it,” Elder Situ shouted.

Chen Fan’s actions confused many among the audience.

Unlike the last few times, Chen Fan followed the textbook instruction to the letter. What happened to his art of “create elixirs with a thought”?

“Maybe he was fooling everyone with a small trick but is actually not at all skillful in alchemy,” Wu Qinyan looked up and thought to herself.

Everyone was disappointed to see Chen Fan hadn’t pulled the old trick. However, the guild’s disciples welcomed the change. It confirmed their conviction about Elixir Lord’s victory.

The newfound confidence made many elders straighten their backs.

“Hehe, he wants to brew a Heavenly Pill using a cauldron at the spirit treasure level?” an elder put in jeeringly.

“Just so! Elixir Lord is using the famous Treasure Cauldron of a Hundred Medicines. It is one of the seven cauldrons used by Heavenly Lord of Ancient Medicine himself. Although it’s not a Heavenly Cauldron, it is much more powerful than a spirit treasure. Even with this set up, crafting Heavenly Pills is still a daunting task, much more so with what Chen Fan is using.”

Elder Situ shook his head.

Everyone lowered their expectations for Chen Fan after hearing the elder’s comments.

Someone complimented Chen Fan’s past four victories, another voice rose, complaining that he had expected more from someone who claimed to be the best Alchemist on planet Tianhuang.

The confusion in the air was palpable, and even Qiao Qiao’s belief in Chen Fan started to waver.

“Bang, bang!”

Countless yellow flames burst out of the cauldron after the Fruit of Kunyuan was thrown into it. The cauldron moaned and groaned as if a Divine Demon were being burned alive. The dharma array carved into the surface of the Treasure Cauldron of a Hundred Medicines unlocked itself bit by bit.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan’s cauldron tembled as if unable to hold its boiling content.

“See? I told you so!”

Elder Situ let out a smug smile.

Many people’s eyes were wide open as they looked at Chen Fan. They watched as the cauldron struggled to avoid bursting into pieces.

As the contest went on, the yellow light in the Treasure Cauldron of a Hundred Medicines grew brighter. Heavenly Pills required nine transformations; Elixir Lord had already completed two and was on the third one, while Chen Fan had completed none; his cauldron shook violently.

An hour later.

“Boom!”

Chen Fan’s cauldron finally gave in and exploded. It had been created from a chunk of Divine Wood and was protected by countless dharma arrays. It should be durable enough to withstand a Perfected Cultivator’s blow. However, it shattered into a thousand pieces as a wash of yellow light burst out from its shattered bowel.

“It exploded?”

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Qiao Qiao’s face paled as her heart sank to the bottom. Meanwhile, the disciples of the guild jumped up in joy at the turn of events. They were ready to celebrate Elixir Lord’s victory.

After all, what pill could Chen Fan make after his cauldron had exploded?

The commotion even caught Elixir Lord’s attention. After seeing what had happened, he shook his head. Meanwhile, Wang Xuanlong and Ancestral Patriarch of the Wu Family were ready to congratulate Elixir Lord.

However, what happened next stunned everyone. They heard Chen Fan shout quietly.

“Argh!”

The crumbling patch of yellow light suddenly solidified once again.

“Thousand Tribulation Alchemy, the first transformation: Arcane Cauldron.”

Chen Fan started an art and sent out a ray of spirit light.

Everyone watched as countless strands of Essence Qi gathered together. Some of them were Earth Qi. Those Qi strands formed a huge Heavenly Cauldron in the sky, towering above the arena. Although it was formed by Essence Qi, it was every bit as real.

“The second transformation: Heavenly Fire!”

Chen Fan raised his hand, reaching out.

Suddenly, a dancing purple flame came into view. It was the Purple Flame of Heaven. Although it was only a shadow of the real flame, it was much more potent than the True Fire of Earth Lung.

Chen Fan stomped the ground, creating countless divine chains which shot down from the sky, locking the cauldron into place. The cauldron struggled to break free but it was being held with an iron grip.

“What is that?”

Everyone was speechless by the development.

They thought Chen Fan’s last four victories were an incredible feat; what he had done just then was beyond even their wildest imagination.

Everyone, including Elixir Lord, were floored.

Half an hour later, the Heavenly cauldron opened up and a ray of yellow light shot up into the sky like a dragon. It flew through the clouds, taking on the Thunder Tribulation unharmed and then flying back into Chen Fan’s palm before it transformed into a glistering pill.

Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence, complete!

By then, Elixir Lord had only finished the third transformation and still had a long way to go. He knew he had been defeated.

Once again, Chen Fan emerged victoriously.