The next morning, the sun climbed slowly above the horizon, painting the scattered clouds in brilliant shades of orange and red. Golden light cascaded down like silk ribbons over the bustling streets, bathing the early-morning crowd in gentle warmth.
Xiao Tian led Ya Fei, Little Fairy Doctor, and Qing Lin toward the Grand Royal Square. Along the way, the spectators flowed through the city's wide avenues like a dark, surging tide. Today was the final, decisive match of the Alchemist Convention, and the crowd had multiplied several times over.
Upon arriving at the VIP section, they found Xiao Yan, Liu Ling, and the others already seated. Nalan Yanran sat beside Xiao Yan as before; considering Xiao Yan's guarded temperament, Xiao Tian simply shook his head with a faint smile.
Nearby, Liu Ling was conversing quietly with Princess Yao Yue. The former arrogance on Liu Ling's face had vanished, replaced by a subdued, reflective composure. The sharp setbacks of the past two days had clearly forced him to recognize his own limits. If he could truly digest this lesson, his talent would finally bloom; otherwise, he would remain forever stagnant.
Xiao Tian offered a polite nod to the group, then guided the three women to their designated seats.
"It seems quite a few people managed to obtain inside information about today's test," Ya Fei remarked quietly, her keen eyes scanning the surrounding alchemists. Many of them wore confident expressions, completely lacking the confusion typical of a mystery prompt.
"An organization as vast as the Alchemist Grand Guild is bound to have ties with numerous outside factions," Xiao Tian replied calmly. "With such a mix of interests, leaks are inevitable. There may even be spies from the Chu Yun Empire among them—look at him. He definitely knew the prompt in advance."
Xiao Tian gestured subtly toward Yan Li in the arena below.
Noticing Xiao Tian's gaze, Yan Li sneered and drew a thumb slowly across his throat in a blatant gesture of provocation.
*Oh? A prophet, is he?* Xiao Tian mused amusedly. *He actually foresees that his life ends after today.*
Ignoring the man's bravado, Xiao Tian continued chatting casually with the women until the designated time drew near. Bidding them a temporary farewell, he descended from the VIP stands and walked toward his assigned stone stage in the arena.
The moment he appeared, excited whispers broke out among the audience.
"Look! That's the genius who claimed top honors in yesterday's assessment! He's so shockingly young!"
"The heavens are truly unfair. Not only is he so handsome, but his talent and strength are completely out of reach. How are the rest of us supposed to compete?"
Down in the arena, Xiao Yan stood at his own station, eyeing Yan Li with a furrowed brow. *"Teacher, is the Face-Restoration Pill truly so miraculous that even a peak Dou Huang cannot discern his true identity?"*
Before Yao Lao could answer, Yan Li's arrogant laughter echoed across the square. "Today's championship belongs to me! None of you stand a chance. Prepare to taste utter defeat! Hahaha!"
While Xiao Tian and Xiao Yan remained entirely unbothered by the outburst, Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue clenched their fists, their faces darkening with anger.
*Clang—!*
A crisp, melodious bell chimed across the grand square, instantly hushing the crowd. The lingering tension snapped tight as contestants and spectators alike focused their attention on the high platform. The final battle was about to begin.
Grandmaster Fa Ma stepped forward. Though aged, his voice carried profound resonance, echoing clearly in the ears of every contestant:
"Today marks the final and most crucial round of the Grand Alchemist Convention. The victor of this round shall be crowned this year's champion!"
"This match stands as the ultimate test of your dedication, your sweat, and your relentless pursuit of the alchemical dao. Therefore, hold nothing back and leave behind no regrets!"
"Well said!"
A thunderous roar of applause exploded throughout the arena. Half a minute later, Fa Ma raised his hands, pressing them downward softly. The deafening cheers gradually subsided until absolute silence fell over the square.
"The theme for the third round is... absolute freedom! Everything rests entirely upon your own choices. Refine the highest-grade pill you are capable of within the allotted time!"
As the announcement settled, the expressions of the alchemists below shifted subtly. Some looked genuinely caught off guard, while others merely feigned surprise to hide their advance knowledge.
"Since the rules are clear to all," Fa Ma declared loudly, his eyes sweeping across the field, "I officially announce... the third round of the assessment begins!"
A wave of Dou Qi struck the massive golden hourglass on the platform. The hourglass flipped, its glittering sands cascading slowly down to measure the passage of time.
In the arena below, silence reigned as the contestants fell into deep thought. Everyone was calculating their odds: estimating the grades of pills their rivals might attempt, deciding whether to play it safe with a familiar formula or gamble on a higher-tier pill, and frantically inventorying their rare medicinal herbs.
The silence was broken first by Princess Yao Yue and Liu Ling, both backed by formidable resources. With a wave of their hands, high-quality cauldrons materialized on their respective stone platforms.
The sight of their cauldrons immediately drew appreciative gasps from the knowledgeable audience.
Princess Yao Yue summoned a vibrant green cauldron—the Azure Flame Cauldron, a renowned fifth-tier medicinal cauldron. Liu Ling brought forth an orange-gold cauldron radiating a warm, dense energy.
"Oh?" Fa Ma remarked in surprise from the high platform. "I assumed Gu He would give him his Volcano Flame Cauldron, but this Scorching Sun Cauldron is also a fine fifth-tier artifact. As expected of the Pill King, his collection is truly deep."
Moments later, a deep blue beast flame erupted in the Little Princess's palm—the Dry Blue Water Flame, born from the imperial family's fifth-tier magical beast, the Underworld Sea Dragon. Liu Ling ignited a bright, light-brown fire, while Yan Li summoned an eerie black flame.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan produced his own cauldron. However, when the spectators around him caught sight of his battered, dark-red cauldron, a wave of awkward astonishment washed over them. At best, that cauldron was a second-tier piece of junk.
Fa Ma's brows knit into a tight knot as he watched Xiao Yan. *"What is young friend Yan Xiao doing? Why is he still using such a crude cauldron at a critical moment like this? Is he brimming with confidence, or..."*
He sighed softly to himself. "I hope he knows what he's doing. Otherwise, his chances are grim."
Fa Ma's gaze then naturally shifted toward Xiao Tian's station. The moment his eyes fell upon the magnificent, dark-red cauldron resting before Xiao Tian, the Grandmaster froze. In the next second, he stood up abruptly, his eyes wide with utter shock.
"This... this aura! How is this cauldron so strikingly ancient and imposing?!"
"Old man Fa, what's gotten into you?" Hai Bodong and Jia Xingtian asked, staring at the usually composed Grandmaster in confusion. "Is there something wrong with Xiao Tian's cauldron?"
Fa Ma paid them no mind. He frantically searched his memory, comparing every detail of the ancient texts he had read. Finally, he confirmed that his eyes were not deceiving him.
"Truly incredible..." Yao Lao's voice rang out inside Xiao Yan's mind at that exact moment, carrying a rare trace of solemnity.
Xiao Yan looked at his brother's cauldron in awe. The dark-red surface radiated a heavy, ancient pressure, its intricate holy carvings faintly pulsing with an otherworldly aura.
"Teacher, what is so special about Brother Tian's cauldron? Is it a rare treasure?"
"Do you remember the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking I mentioned to you before?"
"Of course. Your Black Demon Cauldron was ranked eighth on that list. Are you saying... Brother Tian's cauldron is also on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking?"
Xiao Yan remembered the Black Demon Cauldron vividly; it was a holy relic in the eyes of any alchemist.
"Yes," Yao Lao confirmed quietly. "The medicinal cauldron before Xiao Tian is the Mountain Melting Cauldron, an ancient artifact listed eleventh on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking."
Xiao Yan steadied his mind, a burning desire to push himself further igniting in his heart. He slowly raised his hand, and a gentle, pale-green fire materialized in his palm—the Green Lotus Core Flame.
The moment the Heavenly Flame appeared, the beast flames of Princess Yao Yue and the other contestants withered visibly. They shrank and tilted toward Xiao Yan's hand, like subjects bowing down to pay homage to their king!
"When a Heavenly Flame appears, all other flames bow in reverence," Fa Ma sighed, deeply moved by the sight. "That ancient saying is indeed no exaggeration."
Princess Yao Yue and the other contestants wore sullen expressions as they struggled to maintain control over their diminished fires.
Right then, Xiao Tian also raised his hand to summon his flame.
*BOOM—!*
A holy, ancient life aura, accompanied by life energy, instantly swept through the entire arena! In the palm of Xiao Tian's hand, a magnificent, deep green flame edged. The fire danced across his palm, shooting straight into the fire vents of the Mountain Melting Cauldron!
Instantly, the bowing beast flames across the arena didn't merely lean—they were utterly suppressed, practically extinguished as they flattened against the stone stages! Even Xiao Yan's Green Lotus Core Flame flickered violently, bowing distinctly toward the golden fire, acknowledging an authority far superior to its own!
"This... another Heavenly Flame?!"
A deafening roar of sheer disbelief erupted from the audience.
Even Yao Lao was stunned inside Xiao Yan's ring, his voice trembling with uncharacteristic shock.
Xiao Yan hurriedly asked in his mind, "Teacher, what flame is Brother Tian using?! Why is it so terrifying that even my Green Lotus Core Flame is bowing?"
Yao Lao's voice resounded like thunder in Xiao Yan's mind, heavy with absolute awe: "A deep green flame containing the life energy... On the Heavenly Flame Ranking, that is the Life Spirit Flame, ranked fifth! Ranked far above my Life Spirit Flame and your Green Lotus Core Flame! How on earth did he obtain a flame ranked in the top five?!"
Xiao Yan froze, his mind reeling. Ranked fifth... The Life Spirit Flame!
"Collect yourself!" Yao Lao shouted sternly in his mind. "I am telling you this not to crush your confidence, but to spur you on! Only under immense pressure can a true expert break through his limits. Begin your alchemy now!"
Xiao Yan drew a deep, steady breath, forcing his trembling heart to quiet down as he focused entirely on warming his crude cauldron.
Up on the VIP platform, Fa Ma stared at Xiao Tian in sheer awe. "The Mountain Melting Cauldron from the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking, paired with a heavenly flame... What kind of supreme monster is this young man?"
Near the top seats, Princess Yao Ye turned toward Ya Fei, her face flushed with excitement. "Miss Ya Fei... is the flame in Lord Xiao Tian's hand truly a Heavenly Flame?"
Ya Fei offered a calm, proud nod, her eyes filled with gentle affection as she watched Xiao Tian down in the arena.
Yao Ye lightly moistened her rosy lips, her eyes sparkling with intense curiosity and fascination. "What a terrifying young man. To witness two Heavenly Flames competing in a single tournament... today's match is truly once-in-a-lifetime."
Down on the stage, Xiao Tian remained indifferent to the chaos and admiration surrounding him. Inside the Mountain Melting Cauldron, the deep green flames surged with limitless, terrifying energy.
While his cauldron was warming, Xiao Tian slowly closed his eyes, reviewing every detail of the high-tier pill formula he intended to refine today.
Observing his actions, a knowledgeable spectator in the stands suddenly gasped:
"Look! He closed his eyes again! It's over—this match is already decided! In both previous rounds, he started by closing his eyes and ended up crushing everyone in first place. Is closing his eyes some kind of magical ritual for victory?!
Laughter and eager shouts erupted through the stands as the crowd leaned forward, waiting in high anticipation to see what miracles the young genius wielding the emerald green flame would perform today.