Daily Intelligence, Starting Out I Obtain the Heaven-devouring Demonic Art

59: Alchemy Conference!Above Jin Feng City, the fragrance of Alchemy lingered like wisps of smoke, permeating the entire city.

The Alchemist Guild’s venue in the eastern part of the city was already bustling with people.

Young Alchemists from all directions, dressed in various brocade robes and wearing jade pendants shaped like Pill Furnaces at their waists, carried expressions of reserve and anticipation.

The streets on both sides were packed with citizens who had come to watch the ceremony; they stood on tiptoe, craned their necks, and their discussions and exclamations rose and fell, forming a noisy ocean.

In the center of the venue was a high platform built of white jade, on which dozens of specially made Pill Furnaces were placed, their bodies carved with intricate cloud patterns and herbal designs, glittering in the sunlight.

Around the high platform, huge banners proclaiming ’Grand Alchemy Event, Gathering of Geniuses’ hung, fluttering in the wind.

Lu Ziran, accompanied by Wang Teng, quickly entered the venue. As she had ranked tenth in the pre-competition test, she used the number ten Pill Furnace.

“Hmm? I didn’t expect a smelly girl like you to still dare to participate in the competition. Do you have a unique flame?”

“Without a unique flame, what will you use to perform Alchemy?”

Just then, a mocking voice sounded from beside Lu Ziran.

It was Zhao Shuning, the Young Miss of the Zhao family, who had stolen Lu Ziran’s unique flame.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ziran took a deep breath, with no intention of acknowledging Zhao Shuning.

She calmed herself, adjusted her mindset, and prepared to begin Alchemy. No matter what, she would not disappoint her elder brother, her parents, or her Master.

“Hmm? Ignoring me? You stinky girl, are you looking for death?”

“Just wait. After the Alchemy competition ends, I’ll deal with you properly!”

“Seeing that you still have some looks, selling you to a brothel would be perfect!”

Seeing Lu Ziran ignore her, Zhao Shuning’s face darkened. She immediately felt insulted and began to plot how to retaliate against Lu Ziran.

With a chime of a bell, the entire venue gradually quieted down.

An old man with white hair and beard slowly walked onto the high platform. He was the chief judge of this competition, a highly respected Great Master Alchemist in Jin Feng City, and also the president of the Alchemist Guild.

Feng Qingxuan’s gaze swept across the audience below, and he announced the start of the competition in a booming voice.

In an instant, the Alchemists on the high platform took out their respective medicinal ingredients and Pill Furnaces, their expressions focused, and began Alchemy.

Furnace fires blazed, and the fragrance of medicine filled the air, intertwining with the original Alchemy scent, so thick it was almost palpable.

The audience below held their breath, fearing they might disturb the Alchemists on the stage.

This competition featured only young Alchemists, eager to make a name for themselves.

The unique flames they used varied; some were ancient and unadorned, while others were extraordinary, clearly of immense value.

From time to time, gasps of surprise emanated from the crowd.

This was usually because an Alchemist had taken out rare medicinal ingredients or conjured a seldom-seen unique flame.

As time passed, the Alchemy fragrance in the air grew denser, carrying faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, making the surrounding citizens feel refreshed and invigorated.

Lu Ziran’s small face was serious, and she was completely engrossed in Alchemy.

“This Alchemy competition will last at least half a day, or even a full day!”

“First, I’ll go repair the Only My Dao Sword!”

After seeing Lu Ziran completely immersed in Alchemy, Wang Teng directly headed to the blacksmith’s shop in the north of the city.

Inside the blacksmith’s shop, the mud walls were blackened by smoke, and the charcoal fire in the furnace spewed golden-red flames, making the blacksmith Li Tieshan’s face flicker between light and dark.

He was bare-chested, and beads of sweat rolled down his bronze back, dropping with the vibrations of the anvil.

The bellows huffed and puffed, fanning the flames higher. Iron tongs held a red-hot piece of iron, placing it on the anvil, and when the hammer fell, it made a dull “clang” sound, shaking the iron filings in the corner.

Suddenly, the tattered curtain at the doorway was pushed aside, and a young man in rough short clothes poked his head in, his expression somewhat hostile: “Li Tieshan, you are my maternal uncle, since you have a fire-flame crystal treasured in your hand, why won’t you let me use it?”

The young man directly questioned him, as if Li Tieshan owed him something.

The fire-flame crystal must be used for him; not giving it to him was an act of great disrespect.

“Why should I give it to you?”

Upon hearing this, Li Tieshan immediately put down his work and asked coldly.

Previously, he had been drinking with the young man’s father, and in his drunkenness, he accidentally let slip that he had a treasured fire-flame crystal.

The very next morning, his nephew, who hadn’t visited in eight hundred years, barged into the blacksmith’s shop, forcefully demanding that he use the fire-flame crystal on the weapon he used.

The fire-flame crystal was treasured by Li Tieshan precisely because it was invaluable, but this nephew had no intention of offering Spirit Stones, wishing to get it for free.

Li Tieshan naturally refused, so this nephew had been pestering him, making it impossible for him to do business for the past few days.

Any customer who came to the blacksmith’s shop was driven away by the young man.

This greatly troubled Li Tieshan.

“Why won’t you let me use it?”

The young man questioned again.

While the two were arguing, Wang Teng walked into the blacksmith’s shop.

“Boss! Do you have a fire-flame crystal here?”

Wang Teng pretended to have overheard Li Tieshan and the young man’s argument, learned about the fire-flame crystal, and asked with feigned surprise.

“Who the hell are you? That fire-flame crystal is mine, now get lost!”

Upon hearing Wang Teng’s words, the young man immediately bristled, cursing aloud.

In his heart, the fire-flame crystal already belonged to him, and no one else could take it.

*Smack!*

A loud slap echoed, and the young man was instantly sent flying by Wang Teng, all his teeth knocked out, bleeding profusely.

Seeing this, Li Tieshan felt incredibly relieved.

He was just a blacksmith; in terms of strength, he truly couldn’t defeat this so-called nephew.

“You… you dare hit me? Do you know who I am? You’re finished! Today, I’ll make sure you don’t leave Jin Feng City!”

The young man looked at his teeth scattered on the ground and roared in anger.

*Pfft…!*

A long sword full of cracks instantly pierced through the young man’s heart.

“You…!”

A trace of panic and regret immediately appeared in the young man’s eyes.

The young man saw that Wang Teng was young and assumed his strength was not great, as not everyone possessed the Aptitude of a Genius.

Being young meant weak strength, which was why the young man dared to drive people away and prevent Li Tieshan from doing business.

Unexpectedly, this time he ran into a formidable opponent and was directly killed by Wang Teng.

“Boss! You have a fire-flame crystal here, right?!”

Wang Teng asked again.

“Yes…!”

Li Tieshan looked at the young man’s corpse on the ground, then at Wang Teng’s blood-stained long sword. He nodded without hesitation, saying.

In his heart, he sighed slightly. The moment he revealed the secret of the fire-flame crystal, it was destined that he wouldn’t be able to keep it.

Given this, it was best to sell it as soon as possible.

After all, an innocent man is guilty for possessing a treasure; with his strength, he simply couldn’t protect the fire-flame crystal.

“I wonder if you can use the fire-flame crystal to repair this long sword of mine?”

Wang Teng handed the Only My Dao Sword to Li Tieshan and asked.

Initially, Li Tieshan didn’t pay much attention, but after he took the Only My Dao Sword, he suddenly looked up at Wang Teng, clearly sensing the extraordinary nature of the Only My Dao Sword…