Chapter 351: Two-Colored Thundercloud
In the vast, azure sky, deep rumbles of thunder echoed continuously. The heavy, oppressive black clouds gave off an overwhelming sense of suffocation.
"Boom!"
Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, a dull explosion suddenly rang out from somewhere in the sky. Everyone's hearts sank instantly as they quickly looked over. There, a middle-aged man stood motionless, his face blank as he stared at the cauldron before him. From within it, a faintly chaotic energy fluctuation could be sensed. Clearly, something had gone wrong during the refining process.
"How could this be..."
The middle-aged man stared blankly at the cauldron. In the next instant, his eyes turned bloodshot. After painstaking effort for over twenty days, everything had now fallen apart. The blow was simply too much to bear.
Looking at the dazed expression on the man's face, many people sighed silently in their hearts, feeling some regret for him.
Failure was not uncommon in alchemy, but at this final stage, even a small mistake was enough to lose one's eligibility to compete with the best.
Over the next period, among the thirty or so remaining participants, several managed to successfully complete their pills. Of course, there were also those who failed. Without exception, all of the latter fell into a state of dejection. Even if successful, they might not place in the top ten, but at least there was still a chance. With failure, there was none.
As countless eager eyes waited, another five days passed quietly.
In those five days, nine more participants successfully refined pills. The highest quality among them was a high-grade Tier Seven pill. The moment it appeared, it immediately triggered pill lightning. The rumbling thunder stirred awe in many spectators.
At the same time, seven others failed in their refinement and, under many regretful gazes, unwillingly chose to withdraw.
With the withdrawal of these sixteen, and those who had already left earlier for various reasons, only seventeen participants remained on the stone platforms, continuing their alchemical efforts.
Time was the most accurate filter. Of the thousands who had entered, only the true elites remained.
Among these seventeen, even the weakest wore the badge of a mid-tier Tier Seven alchemist. At the top, there was even a genuine Tier Eight alchemy master!
This unfamiliar Tier Eight alchemist was a gray-haired elder with a weathered, orange-peel-like face. Clearly, he was a veteran. Though his appearance wasn't striking, his kindly smile made him seem far more pleasant than the stern Elder Mu Gu from before.
Time was the truest test. From thousands, only the strongest endured.
"So it's Old Qinghua after all…"
From the high platform, Xuan Kongzi and the others recognized the gray-haired elder who had finally emerged from the crowd. They exchanged glances, slightly resigned.
"This old fellow really can swallow his pride. Judging from the fluctuations in his cauldron, he's probably aiming for a Tier Eight pill."
Xuan Yi nodded lightly and said, "His life's dream has always been to subdue a Heavenly Flame. Years ago, he and Yao Chen spent several years in that ghostly place, but Yao Chen ultimately obtained the Bone Chilling Flame. Now that there's a chance at the Three Thousand Burning Flame, he wouldn't miss it."
The dark-skinned elder added indifferently, "Unfortunately, he lost to Yao Chen back then. Now, he's likely to lose again."
Xuan Yi chuckled.
In the sky, fierce winds howled and the black clouds had already dispersed, yet the low thunder continued to roll across the heavens.
Such a strange scene left many newcomers astonished, but the experienced ones knew: this thunder wasn't coming from the sky—it was resonating from the alchemy cauldrons atop the stone platforms.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a deep rumble erupted. Before anyone could shift their attention, they felt a surge of energy burst like lightning from one of the platforms. In that moment, black clouds converged above, and countless silver lightning serpents danced wildly.
"It's Song Qing!"
Someone with sharp eyes spotted Song Qing standing tall beneath the turbulent clouds. He had been sitting cross-legged all this time but now rose proudly, eyes gleaming as he gazed at the thunderclouds overhead—his creation!
This time's pill lightning was fiercer than any before. It was enough to fill him with pride.
"A peak Tier Seven pill! Judging by its appearance, its quality even surpasses the earlier peak Tier Seven pills."
Amidst the flashing lightning, Song Qing slowly raised his hand. A perfectly round pill, shining like a bright pearl, was held aloft!
At that moment, thunder exploded across the sky!
Amid the thunder and many gasps of astonishment, Song Qing's lips curved into a mad smile. His gaze swept toward Xiao Yan.
But Xiao Yan paid him no attention, dismissing the gaze entirely. This guy still didn't recognize his own limits. Just one Tier Seven pill, and he wanted to compete?
Thinking this, a cold smile tugged at Xiao Yan's lips. With this result, Song Qing might make the top ten, but that's as far as he'd go. Competing for the championship? Not a chance!
Xiao Yan's eyes turned back to his cauldron. Within the dancing emerald flames, a dark red, orb-shaped pill slowly rotated. It looked like condensed blood essence, glowing faintly, almost like an eye—an eerie and mysterious sight.
"It's almost ready!"
Watching the spinning pill in the flames, a flicker of excitement surged in Xiao Yan's heart.
Above, black clouds swirled. From time to time, enormous silver serpents slashed the sky, blasting toward Song Qing's platform, only to be completely absorbed by him.
Seeing Xiao Yan ignore him entirely, Song Qing's face twitched. He glanced around, but aside from the spectators, even people like Cao Ying and Dan Chen showed no surprise. This frustrated him. A peak Tier Seven pill should have stunned everyone! Even senior elders from the Pill Tower rarely succeeded with such pills. Yet, here he was, making one himself—and no one cared.
Suppressing his irritation, Song Qing refocused. The pill lightning for a peak Tier Seven pill was no joke. If he wasn't careful, the pill might be destroyed. Then he really would cry.
As Song Qing braced against the thunder, the surrounding sky grew increasingly chaotic. Clearly, the thunder had triggered a chain reaction. Several other participants' cauldrons began radiating intense energy fluctuations—their pills were close to forming as well.
Sensing this, those participants became visibly tense. A single misstep now would mean complete failure.
"Boom!"
Above, black clouds churned, thunder rumbling constantly. Suddenly, another surge of energy burst out. Thick clouds rapidly formed above another stone platform.
"Another peak Tier Seven pill!"
Excited murmurs echoed across the square.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Before the cheers faded, more energy surged from several platforms. The sky filled with black clouds and silver lightning, covering the sun. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, slicing across the sky in brilliant arcs.
In less than ten minutes, nine peak Tier Seven pills had emerged!
Which meant—nine pill thunders appeared simultaneously in the sky!
Such a spectacle was once in a lifetime. The crowd, already densely packed, now erupted in excitement. Thunderous cheers mixed with the booming sky, forming a terrifying wave of sound that echoed across the entire Pill Domain.
Even Song Qing was startled. Glancing at the surrounding pill thunders, he felt relieved. Fortunately, theirs didn't seem as fierce as his—meaning their pill quality should be inferior.
Swish swish swish!
Silver lightning flooded the sky, crashing toward the stone platforms. The air echoed with low, rolling thunder.
Yet Xiao Yan, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the others were unmoved. Their eyes remained fixed on their cauldrons.
On one platform, Dan Chen sat cross-legged, her face deathly pale. Her body had always been frail—without her spiritual strength, she would have collapsed long ago. But she endured.
"It's almost done!"
Dan Chen's eyes were locked on her cauldron. Her hand seals shifted rapidly, surging waves of spiritual energy pouring in. Within that power, traces of spiritual aura faintly emerged.
"Pfft!"
As her hand seals changed, her face flushed. A mouthful of blood sprayed out—directly into the cauldron, merging with the pill rolling inside the flames.
"Boom!"
The moment the blood touched the pill, a brilliant light—like a sun—burst from the cauldron. A terrifying energy erupted outward. The cauldron, capable of withstanding Heavenly Flames, shattered into countless pieces under the force!
Chi!
From the broken cauldron, a ten-meter-tall pillar of green light shot into the sky!
Beneath that light, the silver lightning above retreated in fear. The once-dominant thunderclouds shrank away, not daring to touch it.
The light shot into the sky, and in its wake, clouds swirled and gathered. In a matter of seconds, they formed a thundercloud nearly a hundred meters wide!
But the most shocking thing was—this thundercloud had two colors: green and silver!
"Two-colored thundercloud?!"
Seeing the dual-colored thundercloud in the sky, the entire plaza erupted!
Most people had never seen two-colored pill lightning in their lives!
On the high platform, Xuan Kongzi and the others exchanged solemn looks before nodding, "That Dan girl is indeed extraordinary. She actually refined a Tier Eight pill... and even triggered two-colored thunderclouds."
In the sky, the vast two-colored thundercloud roared. Its immense power dwarfed all other pill thunders, making even Song Qing's thunder seem tiny.
Seeing the dual-colored cloud, Song Qing and the others opened their mouths—but no words came, only bitter expressions. The moment that thundercloud appeared, they had been utterly crushed.
On her platform, Dan Chen wiped the blood from her lips. Her pale face gazed at the thundercloud with a faint smile. Slowly, she stood—though small and frail, no one dared underestimate her now. She stood as someone worthy of respect, even among Dou Zun experts.
No matter the final results, the Dan Clan's name would resonate across Central Plains—thanks to this girl.
"Giggle~ Dan Chen, you've truly improved these past years. But getting me to concede won't be that easy!"
Just as a smile appeared on Dan Chen's lips, a playful voice rang out. She turned and saw Cao Ying rising slowly. Her seductive face, though pale, still wore a charming smile.
Alchemy was also Cao Ying's pride. Her nickname "Enchantress" wasn't just about beauty and charm—it recognized her talent in alchemy. After years of training in the Pill Tower, today was the day her reputation would fully shine before all.
(END CHAPTER)
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