The number of people at the Alchemy Square was noticeably higher than in the past few days.

Now, only five participants remained on the high platform in the square, as the other competitors had finished their alchemy and left the stage.

However, finishing early wasn’t necessarily good news.

Generally, higher-quality pills take longer to refine.

If someone finished early, it usually meant their pills weren’t of very high quality, unless something went wrong for the earlier competitors.

So, the most exciting part of the alchemy competition usually happens in the final days.

Currently, it was reported that only five people were left at the Alchemy Square, and all their alchemy furnaces were making unusual noises.

The fragrance of the pills filled the air, and it would take no more than a day for the pills to be completed.

Apart from the alchemists on the high platform, there were many onlookers around the edge of the square, watching quietly and occasionally whispering to each other.

“Can you tell what kind of pill Fairy Leng is refining in her furnace?”

“The process is too complicated to see clearly with the naked eye. But given the high-grade herbs she’s using, it’s likely to be of high quality. I think it’s at least a Grade 6 pill, and probably one of the more difficult Grade 6 pills.”

Pill grades range from 9 to 1, with 9 being the lowest and 1 being the highest.

A Grade 6 pill is already very advanced among the participants in this competition.

“I think it could even be a Grade 5 pill.”

“Wow, Grade 5! If Fairy Leng can produce a Grade 5 pill, she might have a very good chance of winning the top spot in the alchemy competition!”

“Not necessarily. The competitors this year are still very strong. Leng Danqing, from the Leng family, is a renowned alchemy family with a thousand-year legacy. Leng Danqing has been trained in the family’s traditions since childhood and has outstanding alchemy talent. As for her competitors, Fang Yuanxin from the Fang family, also a well-known alchemy family, and the third one, Qin…”

As the person spoke, he paused for a moment for some unknown reason.

However, everyone listening to him understood the significance of this pause.

Recently, who in the city isn’t aware of the ongoing feud between the Qin and Fang families?

Even those who are focused on the alchemy competition can’t avoid hearing about it.

Therefore, when the Qin and Fang names were mentioned, everyone couldn’t help but feel a bit tense.

“No need to mention the Fang family. That famous Fairy Ruqing, with her Celestial-grade support, doesn’t need to be discussed. But let’s talk about someone we’re familiar with—Lu Wei from the Qin family. She doesn’t usually stand out, but she isn’t simple either! In the first round, she quietly took third place, just one point behind Fang Yuanxin, who was second.”

“People say this generation of the Qin family is full of dark horses. I think Lu Wei might surprise us too.”

“Ha, dark horses are rare! I think the Qin family’s luck has all been absorbed by Ruqing Fairy. For a family like theirs to produce someone with top-tier talent like her is already a blessing. How can everyone in the family be exceptional?”

“Well, you never know. Didn’t their Qirong rank in the top seven in martial arts? Maybe his sister can do it too?”

“……”

Qin Ruqing and Qi Rong arrived at the square and immediately saw their third sister sitting at the far left of the round stage.

In front of her was a dark purple dual-mouthed alchemy furnace, a reward from the family for her improvement of the Rejuvenation Pill formula, which had been re-refined by Tang Zifeng and used ever since.

As soon as Qin Ruqing arrived, the ground fire that Lu Wei was controlling suddenly flickered.

Sensing something, Lu Wei looked up in the direction of Qin Ruqing.

It was like the dawn light of the east, with a red-purple glow, bright and clear.

Lu Wei couldn’t help but smile, and Qin Ruqing, more straightforward, raised her left arm.

Qirong, as if in sync, raised his right arm, and their arms touched, forming a heart shape.

This is their exclusive signal, naturally created by Qin Ruqing, and it represents “affection, care, attention, and reassurance.”

Qin Ruqing was also asked why this one gesture could convey so many meanings, and she explained that different contexts have different interpretations.

In this situation, the “heart” gesture meant: “Third Sister, we’ve arrived! Everything going well with you?”

Lu Wei smiled even more broadly and quickly winked.

Then, she refocused on controlling the fire for alchemy. It was a crucial moment in the refining process, and there could be no mistakes.

Qin Ruqing felt reassured. “Sister Luwei should be doing well.”

This time, Qin Ruqing wasn’t wearing a veil and had dressed up extravagantly to attract attention.

Her high-profile support for Lu Wei drew countless gazes from the square.

“Oh my, is that Fairy Ruqing?”

“Indeed, she shines as brightly as the sun and is as beautiful as the moon. She’s even more stunning than in the dynamic jade slip!”

“I even have a jade slip of her as a collectible.”

“Fairy Ruqing must be here to support and encourage Lu Wei. What was that gesture she just made? It’s quite unique.”

“It seems the Qin siblings have a good relationship. I didn’t see the rivalry I was expecting.”

Qin Ruqing’s arrival caused a buzz among the crowd at the square.

Fortunately, they were well-mannered, and their discussions were controlled, so they didn’t disturb the alchemists on stage.

Only one lean man in alchemy robes glanced in their direction.

Qin Ruqing, keenly sensing the gaze from the stage, recognized who it was and intentionally gave a dismissive smile.

The man’s expression darkened, and his alchemical fire wavered.

Although this might have affected someone else’s alchemy, the man quickly regained his composure and continued.

Qirong whispered, “That must be Fang Yuanxin.”

Among the three competitors from the Fang family, two follow the alchemy path.

Fang Zhiming was eliminated earlier, and Fang Yuanxin is the last one left.

If he doesn’t secure the top spot in alchemy, the Fang family will leave the competition empty-handed.

Qin Ruqing nodded, “The last hope for the Fang family in this competition.”

As the two of them whispered, three solemnly dressed alchemy masters on the cloud also focused their attention on the scene.

“That must be the top-ranked person. She looks quite impressive,” said an elderly woman with a kind face.

“Hmph, the city is in chaos lately because of her. I don’t like such attention-seeking juniors,” grumbled a burly man with a beard, who looked more like a martial artist than an alchemist, but was actually the president of the Alchemy Association.

The elderly woman disagreed, “What you see as attention-seeking might be a case of her being forced into a corner and having to defend herself. She was even attacked during the competition and wasn’t allowed to respond properly.”

The burly man fell silent.

An elder with a long beard intervened, “Well, let’s focus on their alchemy. Martial matters are not really our concern.”

He then looked back at the stage below and soon showed signs of surprise, “The commotion coming from Leng Danqing’s furnace seems quite significant!”

The elderly woman also turned her attention back, observing quietly, and concluded, “She’s about to finish refining the pills. It looks like she’s making a Grade 5 pill.”

Compared to the spectators below who were merely guessing, the alchemy masters had a sharper eye.

Sure enough, as soon as the elderly woman finished speaking, a buzzing sound came from Leng Danqing’s furnace.

Her expression was focused and intense as her hands quickly changed gestures.

The furnace lid opened on its own, and a perfectly round pill flew out.

The pill was enveloped in purple flames.

As the purple fire refined it, the surface of the pill became smoother, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance began to emanate.

The elder with the long beard stroked his beard, looking surprised, “The Leng family’s junior seems to be refining a Grade 5 Spirit Gathering Pill?!”

The elderly woman, smelling the fragrance, nodded, “Yes, it’s the Spirit Gathering Pill.”

The burly man stopped focusing on Qin Ruqing and sighed, “The Leng family’s junior really has great ambition.”

At their level, being able to refine a Grade 6 pill is already impressive.

Being able to refine a Grade 5 pill is exceptional.

Moreover, the Spirit Gathering Pill is very famous among Grade 5 pills.

Its main benefit is that it increases the chance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator forming a Golden Core by 20%.

Just this benefit alone makes it one of the most notable Grade 5 pills.

Sure enough, discerning spectators below recognized it.

“Oh my, Fairy Leng is aiming to refine a Grade 5 pill, and it’s the Spirit Gathering Pill!”

“If she succeeds, she’s definitely going to win first place in the competition!”

“Spirit Gathering Pill?” Qirong caught the term and asked, “Do you know what that is, sister?”

Qin Ruoqing’s expression turned serious.

If Leng Danqing really won first place in the competition, her third sister wouldn’t stand a chance.

She said, “The Spirit Gathering Pill can increase the success rate of forming a golden core by 20%. Don’t underestimate it. Think about how much effort we put into obtaining Mysterious Heart Liquid, which only increases the success rate by 20-30%. If we could combine Mysterious Heart Liquid with the Spirit Gathering Pill, along with a strong foundation at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, the success of forming a golden core would be almost guaranteed.”

Qi Rong realized the seriousness of the situation.

At any level, any pill that could enhance cultivation was always in high demand because a cultivator’s primary focus is always on improving their cultivation.

If Leng Danqing, at her age, could produce a pill that assists in forming a golden core, she would become incredibly famous, attracting many high-ranking families eager to collaborate with her.

The Leng family would also gain significant prestige.

In Qin Ruoqing’s eyes, her third sister was undoubtedly the best, but she had to admit that Leng Danqing was indeed very skilled.

Qin Ruoqing gave an unbiased assessment: “She’s very smart. Besides having natural talent and strength, she knows how to choose her projects and please both judges and the audience. This is rare; some geniuses are very stubborn and only do what they want, even in important competitions like this.”

“But not Leng Danqing. She chose a very popular pill that is highly regarded by the public. As long as she successfully makes this pill, the judges and audience will hold her in high regard. Even if her final product isn’t perfect, her courage to tackle such a challenging and popular pill will earn her high marks from the judges.”

“Unless someone produces an even rarer or more highly regarded pill, she will likely take first place,” Qin Ruoqing said calmly.

On the high platform, Fang Yuanxin saw Leng Danqing start her furnace and control the fire with spiritual power, feeling anxious.

She had already recognized the pill she intended to make.

A fifth-grade Spirit Gathering Pill was indeed a formidable challenge.

However, his family had already informed him that the previous attempt to assassinate Qin Ruoqing had failed, and his brother Zhiming had been eliminated.

If she didn’t win first place, the Fang family would face ridicule from the entire city.

Fang Yuanxin suddenly stood up, slapping the ground. The lid of his furnace flew off, and a dark red pill shot out. She bit her tongue, releasing a mist of blood.

Any technique involving a blood sacrifice…

Unusual and Rare Pills

The three masters on the cloud all showed serious expressions.

“It seems this person from the Fang family is refining a special pill…”

A “special pill,” as its name suggests, is a unique category in alchemy.

It doesn’t have a grade and usually lacks the common benefits like increasing cultivation, detoxifying, or healing.

These pills have very niche effects. There might be only one such pill in the world that can achieve a specific effect, so they are not graded, only called special pills.

Their rarity depends on their effect and whether someone needs them.

If you need it, the special pill could be priceless. If not, it’s practically useless.

The elder with the long beard, thinking of recent rumors in the city, sighed, “The Fang family must have obtained some valuable alchemy knowledge from the secret realm of Yingzhou.”

It’s like the rumored divine alchemy manual that might be in the Fang family’s hands.

Otherwise, recipes for special pills aren’t easy to come by.

The Alchemy Association doesn’t have many of them.

Each special pill requires specific methods and techniques to achieve its unique effects.

The crowd below was once again astonished, but this time there was more confusion than surprise.

“Fang Yuanxin used blood sacrifice. What kind of pill needs such a special method?”

And everyone knew about special pills.

Qirong glanced anxiously at the still inactive direction of her sister and couldn’t help but look at Qin Ruqing.

Sensing the gaze, Qin Ruqing calmly said, “There’s nothing we can do except trust Third Sister.”

To reassure Qirong, Qin Ruqing added, “Before we left, the ancestor personally gave Third Sister Luwei some special items. She does have a backup plan.”

Qirong’s eyes brightened, and she responded with a firm nod.

Lu Wei was certainly feeling the heavy pressure from her opponent.

From what she could guess, Leng Danqing was refining a Spirit Gathering Pill.

This competitor, coming from a prestigious alchemy family, had deep roots and was boldly refining a Grade 5 pill, specifically one of the high-end and popular types.

As long as she succeeds, regardless of her final ranking, she is already considered successful in this competition.

As for Fang Zhiming’s pill… Lu Wei couldn’t discern much, only that she used blood sacrifice.

One thing was clear: if she didn’t make a change, her current pill wouldn’t be enough to secure the top spot in alchemy.

A look of struggle flashed in Lu Wei’s eyes.

She had a risky option, but it had less than a 10% chance of success. If she failed, her current pill would be useless, and she would end up with no result.

With Ruqing and Qirong being so excellent, if she failed, she would be the only one from the Qin family without a result in the competition.

Feeling a surge of emotions, Lu Wei glanced once more at Qin Ruqing and suddenly made up her mind.

Qin Ruqing and Qi Rong made a heart shape with their hands again.

Both wore smiles, filled with trust and determination.

She recalled Qin Ruqing’s words, spoken lightly, “Making a heart shape can mean many things. It can be interpreted in various ways in different situations. Sometimes, it means ‘we are all here!'”

We are all here!

Lu Wei suddenly felt that she might have been trapped in a narrow mindset before.

If she viewed her relationship with her family members through the lens of comparison, it would be like carrying a mountain on her back—she would never feel at ease.

How many people in the world could compare to Qin Ruqing? Even the elite from millennia-old families had been defeated by Ruqing.

Hadn’t she already adjusted her attitude? To her, Qin Ruqing was like the sun and moon, something to chase and protect.

Why did the competitive environment of the tournament make her hot-blooded again?

Qin Ruqing had reminded her many times not to feel pressured.

The excellence of Ruqing and Qirong should not be a mountain before her but a foundation!

With them around, she could go all out without worrying about tarnishing the Qin family’s honor with her performance.

With Qin Ruqing’s ranking first on the golden list, who would dare to question the Qin family?

Lu Wei’s thoughts became clear, and her eyes grew firm.

She stood up, and a white pill flew out of the furnace with her movement.

She changed her hand seals, not to condense the pill but to shatter it.

Shatter it!

No one understood what she was doing, but Lu Wei was very clear.

She recalled the gentle words of her ancestor before they left.

“The Qin family once obtained a method to refine a unique pill in a secret realm. This pill has no grade but requires the refiner to reach a mystical state.”

“Selfless unity, pill and heart in resonance.”

“Lu Wei, the Qin family’s foundation is not deep. If you want to compete with them in alchemy, refining this unique pill might give you a chance!”

Scenes of Ruqing and Qirong fighting against the heavens and resisting fate flashed through her mind.

How awe-inspiring those scenes were!

Now it was her turn to challenge the heavens.

Why not give it a try?