Chapter 19: Cheaters Always Cheat

The cultivator in the Harmonizing Dao Realm also noticed the presence of 'fool'. After all, powerful beings in this realm could grasp all the details of millions, if not tens of millions, of people with a single sweep of their Divine Sense.

He looked at the 'fool' and asked, "Why aren't you leaving?"

Hanhan scratched his head, "Huh? Senior, although I was a bit unlucky, I did succeed. Look at this Yuan Condensing Pill. It's small and round. Although the third halo is a bit dim, there are three after all. Maybe it will degrade to the second grade in ten days or so, but for now, it's indeed third grade. Senior, please give me a chance..."

The corner of the Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator's mouth twitched. "Fine, I'll give you a chance."

With his status, he didn't bother to argue with such a fool. Besides, this idiot wasn't entirely wrong. The unstable elixir might degrade in a few days or even hours, but for now, it was third grade. It met the qualifications for promotion.

Xiao Ling'er wanted to laugh. But then she noticed something. "Wait... everyone is laughing at him and looking down on him. Did he do this on purpose?"

At a glance, Xiao Ling'er saw that everyone was mocking him and didn't regard him as a serious opponent. "If that's the case, then he's terrifying!"

She admitted to herself that if she were in his place, she wouldn't have the confidence to refine a 2.5-grade Yuan Condensing Pill. She could manage second, third, or even fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, but a 2.5-grade? Who even aims for that? It was insane!

"No experience at all! Perhaps only someone like him could pull it off..."

Suddenly, Xiao Ling'er realized why Hanhan felt so familiar. She couldn't help but look at him deeply.

·····

"Second round, Profound Yuan Pill," the Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator announced calmly. "You have one stick of incense to prepare. Our people will provide the necessary medicinal materials. The requirements remain the same: one hour, third grade or above."

The stands erupted in chatter.

"It's Profound Yuan Pill! The difficulty has skyrocketed from the second level to the third. I bet 90% will be eliminated this time!"

"Thankfully, it's Profound Yuan Pill, a commonly used third-level elixir. Otherwise, 99% would be out!"

Yuan Condensing Pill is a second-level elixir used by cultivators in the first and second realms to aid cultivation. Profound Yuan Pill, on the other hand, is a third-level elixir used by cultivators in the Profound Yuan Realm. There are also Cave Heaven Pill, Zhixuan Pill, and others. These cultivation-aiding elixirs are among the most common and frequently refined.

"Profound Yuan Pill?" Duan Qingyao wasn't surprised that Xiao Ling'er made it to the second round, but he was puzzled by her decision to hide her true abilities. "Could it be... she's confident of getting a high ranking?!"

Duan Qingyao was shocked by the thought. If not for that, why would Xiao Ling'er hide her skills?

·····

The time of one stick of incense passed quickly.

This time, the prescription was different from what Xiao Ling'er was familiar with, but with her experience from the previous round, she managed to adapt. She relied on her keen observation to learn from others and refine the elixir.

However, she felt the pressure this time. Although she was still hiding her true abilities, she had to reveal a bit more to pass. The result was another successful advancement. What shocked her was that the supposed 'fool' had once again produced a few 2.5-grade elixirs, completing them just in the nick of time!

This discovery stunned not only Xiao Ling'er but everyone else as well.

"That guy advanced again?!"

"He actually succeeded!"

"Isn't this... too much luck?"

"Both times, he's barely made it. From a certain perspective, his luck is unmatched."

But compared to those who advanced, far more were eliminated. This time, over 95% were out! Of the millions of alchemists, only less than 5,000 remained after two hours. Most of them wore solemn expressions—they had almost reached their limits.

Some had no confidence at all, relying heavily on luck to advance. But regardless, the competition had to continue.

"One stick of incense rest time," the Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator announced. "Third round, fourth-level Poison Avoidance Pill, third grade, one hour. Choose your own medicinal materials."

It was indeed a fourth-level elixir! Many alchemists turned pale. "A fourth-level Poison Avoidance Pill?!"

If it were a Cave Heaven Pill, they might have had a chance, but Poison Avoidance Pills were relatively unpopular, and a fourth-level one at that... Poison Avoidance Pill was a broad category with many prescriptions. The requirement was simply 'fourth level, third grade,' with no other special conditions.

But compared to the commonly used Cave Heaven Pill, Poison Avoidance Pill was far less popular. Veteran alchemists might be familiar with it, but the younger generation rarely spent time studying such obscure elixirs.

As soon as the challenge was announced, nearly a thousand alchemists smiled bitterly and withdrew.

"The fourth-level Poison Avoidance Pill," Xiao Ling'er took a deep breath. "After this round, there'll probably be less than a hundred left."

For the younger generation of alchemists, fourth-level elixirs were already a significant challenge, let alone unpopular ones. The third-grade restriction made it even harder.

She shook her head slightly. "I'm afraid I won't be able to hide my true abilities after this round. But by then, there'll be no need to hide anymore."

She had expected the competition to last much longer, but it seemed it would be over in just four or five rounds. Xiao Ling'er focused her mind and prepared for the third round.

After the incense burned out, the remaining three thousand alchemists got to work. The fourth-grade elixir, with only an hour to refine, was still a massive challenge. Many made mistakes early on and were eliminated.

The 'fool', as usual, was in a hurry and made small mistakes but remained "lucky" enough to stay in the game. Xiao Ling'er, still hiding her strength, had to reveal about half of her true abilities.

The man with the feather crown also grew serious for the first time...

The Fire Virtue woman gritted her teeth. Her control over the medicinal materials was still shaky, but her excellent fire control skills kept her in the game.

Finally, the round ended. Only twelve alchemists remained.

"Round 4," the Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator announced without pause. "Ranking battle. Each person has one chance. The value of the elixir refined determines your rank. After one stick of incense, the ceremony begins."

Autonomous proposition? The audience was surprised. Most alchemy competitions had official propositions, with rankings based on who refined the higher-level elixir. But this time, it was about the value of the elixir? That meant the level of the elixir didn't necessarily have to be high—it was about overall value!

For example, a ninth-grade Condensing Yuan Pill could be more valuable than a fifth or even sixth-grade Profound Yuan Pill. Ninth-grade elixirs were rare and expensive, often bought in bulk by major sects or wealthy families as "candy" for their disciples.

"You made it to the finals?!" Duan Qingyao was shocked. She knew Xiao Ling'er was talented in alchemy, but he hadn't expected her to reach this level so quickly! Even if she were eliminated now, Xiao Ling'er was already a once-in-a-hundred-thousand-years genius alchemist!

"And with an autonomous proposition, this is her advantage. The benefits of hiding her abilities earlier will soon show."

His eyes narrowed slightly; his excitement barely contained.

·····

"Just refine the third-level Profound Yuan Pill. As for the grade, I'll do my best."

After a brief thought, Xiao Ling'er decided on Profound Yuan Pill. She was most familiar with the Yuan Condensing Pill, followed by the Profound Yuan Pill. The level of Yuan Condensing Pill was too low—even a ninth-grade one wouldn't be as valuable. Profound Yuan Pill, on the other hand, had a better chance of winning if refined well.

"There's a real chance of winning the tournament. The only thing I can't figure out is that guy who doesn't seem very smart."

Liang Danxia agreed but remained skeptical. She was sure there was more to the 'fool' than met the eye, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Xiao Ling'er felt the same. She didn't believe he had advanced purely by luck. And... "You'll know after you try it."

"Right. Just do your best and leave the rest to fate. After all, you shouldn't use the Earth Core Demon Fire here. Refining Profound Yuan Pill is the best choice."

·····

Soon, the fourth round began. The audience was buzzing with excitement.

"Look, that's the third divine son of the Yu Clan. I didn't expect his alchemy skills to be so impressive. Judging by the materials he's using, is he trying to refine a fifth-grade elixir?!"

"Hiss, incredible! Huo Yun'er, the eldest daughter of the Fire Virtue Sect, also chose a fifth-grade elixir!"

"Everyone else is going for fourth grade... Wait, no! There are two more going for third grade!"

"I don't know which sect that girl is from. She's been stumbling through the rounds, barely advancing. She's just lucky. And that guy who doesn't seem very smart—he's relying entirely on luck. Both of them chose third-grade elixirs, which proves it."

"Clearly, they lack confidence. Otherwise, they'd at least go for fourth grade."

"So, the winner will likely be between the third divine son of the Yu Clan and Huo Yun'er."

The chatter continued.

·····

The twelve finalists were busy refining their elixirs. Xiao Ling'er's movements were still cautious. The 'fool', as usual, was in a hurry. But the other ten were focused and smooth in their actions.

However, as time passed, eight of them began to frown.

"Damn it!" one muttered. "They're both so skilled at refining fifth-grade elixirs? If they succeed, even if I refine mine perfectly, I won't make the top three. If I don't interfere, I'll definitely lose. But if I can make their cauldrons explode..."

He glanced at the others and noticed many were doing the same. After a moment, they nodded in agreement.

They had secretly communicated earlier and devised a plan. Now, with their medicinal materials extracted, all that was left was to control the heat and wait for the elixirs to form. They could afford to be distracted.

As they nodded, their Divine Senses surged, and they activated a secret technique designed to interfere with others' Divine Sense and disrupt their control.

They were all at least at the third Profound Yuan Realm, with some even at the fourth Cave Heaven realm. Their sudden, coordinated attack, though invisible and intangible, immediately affected Huo Yun'er and the third divine son of the Yu Clan, causing them severe headaches!

Xiao Ling'er and the 'fool' were also affected, both feeling a splitting pain.

"Ah!!!" The 'fool' exclaimed, grabbing his cauldron and running away without looking back. So sneaky!

Xiao Ling'er frowned. Caught off guard, she nearly suffered serious damage. Fortunately, Liang Danxia intervened, protecting her from the spiritual attack. With her help, Xiao Ling'er stabilized.

To the others, it seemed Xiao Ling'er had just turned pale and then recovered.

In the stands, Duan Qingyao raised an eyebrow, her concern evident.

"Hmm?" The Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator frowned, about to intervene. "Do you think I'm blind, using such lowly tricks?"

At the same time, Huo Yun'er and the third divine son of the Yu Clan, both furious at the unprovoked attack, reacted violently.

The third divine son stepped forward, shouting, "I'll handle this myself!"

The Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator frowned but didn't intervene.

Huo Yun'er was equally furious. "You're asking for death!" She slapped her storage bag, summoning hundreds of magical and spiritual weapons, then spat out a mouthful of orange flames. Instantly, the weapons activated, unleashing terrifying power toward the four who had targeted her!

Boom! The surrounding stone platforms exploded. The eight attackers were stunned. "How dare you attack us?! This is an alchemy competition!"

A few of them had acted in secret, thinking the worst that could happen was disqualification. After all, they'd lose in a fair competition anyway, so why not try? But now, their targets were fighting back with lethal force!

"Scum!" Huo Yun'er didn't bother arguing, attacking even more fiercely.

"You've got guts," the third divine son chuckled, his feather crown glowing. With a mere glance, he suppressed the spiritual attack. "You've earned your death."

He stood, his cauldron roaring behind him. It didn't explode, but it lost some control. He didn't care, instead looking at the Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator. Seeing the cultivator hadn't intervened, he laughed softly. "You understand. If they dare attack this divine son, they're already seeking death. If you dare interfere, my Yu Clan..."

He sneered. "Alchemy is my hobby. But killing... that's my talent."

Boom! He unleashed his full power, his terrifying aura sweeping across the arena. The four who had attacked him paled.

"He's too strong!"

"We have to join forces, or we're dead!"

"Kill him!"

The battle erupted. The third divine son, even fighting one against four, was overwhelming. In moments, he had one of them cornered and blasted him into a mist of blood with a single punch.

Boom! His cauldron exploded...

"Damn it!" The remaining attackers were terrified.

In the stands, someone stood up, shouting, "Referee! Where's the referee? Is killing allowed in an alchemy competition?!"

The Harmonizing Dao Realm cultivator sneered. "You were silent when they attacked, but now you're outraged when they're killed? Disgusting. If you dare attack, you must face the consequences."

"But they were just interfering. This monster is slaughtering them!" the man protested.

The cultivator glared coldly. "If you're unhappy, feel free to intervene."