Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

Chapter 377: Chapter 376: I Am Not Convinced

Ling Fei was victorious, and the entire arena erupted.

The people from Lingyun Sect felt a surge of pride.

Before, Xu Zitao had been far too arrogant, even claiming he would crush Ling Fei. That was practically a provocation against the entire Lingyun Sect!

”Hmph. An arrogant fool with no sense of his own limitations.” A disciple from Lingyun Sect stared coldly at Xu Zitao.

This young man was too conceited, acting like he was the best in the world before the competition even began.

Ling Fei, in contrast, appeared so calm and composed.

Thinking of Ling Fei filled the Lingyun Sect disciples with confidence for the future.

In the past, the Beiming Sword Sect had always held an edge over the Lingyun Sect.

And this time, they had even tried to best them in the Alchemy Dao.

Xu Zitao’s strength had also made them break out in a cold sweat.

But in the end, it was just a false alarm.

At the same time, everyone’s confidence grew stronger. They now understood that the Beiming Sword Sect was not invincible.

”Defeated... How could I have lost?” On the Alchemy Platform, Xu Zitao’s eyes were vacant as he looked utterly crestfallen.

The crowd below was abuzz with discussion, and the members of the Beiming Sword Sect felt thoroughly disgraced.

But no one dared to say much, fearing they might offend Xu Zitao because of his status.

But when Xu Zitao saw this, he felt it was a personal insult.

”No! I’m a Half-step Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse! My comprehension of the Sword Dao Mystical is far beyond anything Ling Fei could manage! How could I lose to him?”

Xu Zitao’s eyes turned crimson. He scanned his surroundings and roared, ”No! I don’t accept this result! Just because he refined two complete Second Grade Spirit Pills, he wins? How can the quality of an elixir be judged so simply? I don’t accept this result!”

”You don’t accept it?” The moment he said this, the entire arena was in an uproar.

Even Ling Fei’s brow twitched. ’Does this guy really have so little grace?’ His gaze toward Xu Zitao was now tinged with contempt.

Such a narrow-minded person was not even worthy of being his, Ling Fei’s, opponent.

Vice Sect Leader Jiang’s gaze shifted to Xu Zitao. ”Young Master Xu,” he said, ”the pills Young Master Ling Fei refined are not so simple. The Mystical Technique Patterns on his two pills are both different. The ability to simultaneously imprint two different Mystical Technique Patterns and still successfully form the pills is more than enough to prove his Control Power.”

”You, on the other hand, only imprinted a single Sword Dao Mystical, and one of your pills still failed. The difference in skill is obvious. If you try to change the outcome, you won’t be able to convince the masses!”

Vice Sect Leader Jiang’s words were quite blunt.

This wasn’t just his personal opinion.

People from nearly every Sect had come to the same conclusion, which was why they had judged Ling Fei the champion of this alchemy competition.

Even the Alchemists from the Beiming Sword Sect had no objections.

So when Xu Zitao raised an objection now, he naturally wasn’t going to agree with him.

At this moment, everyone from the various Sects turned their gazes to Xu Zitao.

’Is this guy a sore loser?’

’He was so arrogant before, saying he would crush Ling Fei, but it turns out he’s just a sore loser. Such a narrow-minded attitude is shameful!’ Many people shook their heads, their opinion of Xu Zitao changing instantly. Even disciples from neutral Sects were secretly looking down on him, thinking he shouldn’t be acting this way.

”The logic is sound, but Mysticals vary in strength. Ling Fei’s Mystical is weak, so it’s naturally easier to control. My Mystical is powerful, making it slightly harder to control, which is why that small flaw occurred. However, this does not mean my alchemy skills are worse than his,” Xu Zitao said with a frown.

”This...” Hearing this, Vice Sect Leader Jiang was momentarily speechless.

It seemed like Xu Zitao was just grasping at straws.

But upon careful consideration, there was some truth to his point.

The more powerful the Mystical, the more difficult it is to imprint.

”But how can you prove that your Mystical is stronger than Young Master Ling Fei’s?” Vice Sect Leader Jiang asked.

”Yeah! Don’t tell me you want to have a Martial Arts Mystical duel with Ling the Pill Master to decide the winner?” someone in the crowd shouted.

”Heh heh, he couldn’t win with the Alchemy Dao, so now he wants to compete in the Martial Arts!”

”Heh heh, if that’s the case, why even have an alchemy competition? Why not just have a martial arts tournament?” For a moment, an uproar swept through the crowd.

Many people felt that Xu Zitao was being a sore loser.

Hearing this, Xu Zitao’s expression turned extremely ugly. A murderous glint appeared in his eyes as he stared at Ling Fei.

He, Xu Zitao, had never suffered such humiliation in his entire life.

Ling Fei’s brow furrowed.

Xu Zitao’s twisted logic was giving him a headache.

However, if he couldn’t make this man admit defeat, his title as the champion of Alchemy Dao would feel somewhat imperfect.

”Heh heh, Young Master Xu says the Mystical of Martial Arts I imprinted is inferior to yours. In that case, how do you suggest we judge these Mysticals of Martial Arts?” Ling Fei asked with a smile.

”We can have someone consume my elixir and experience the Sword Dao Mystical within,” Xu Zitao said. ”Then, have the same person consume your elixir and experience the Sword Dao Mystical within it. That way, the difference in our elixirs’ effects—which is stronger and which is weaker—will be clear at a glance.” He appeared very confident.

As soon as he said this, the people in the arena began to whisper amongst themselves, discussing the proposal.

”That is one way to do it. It would certainly be a more direct way to judge the quality of the elixirs.”

”But who can guarantee that the person taking the elixirs will be fair and impartial?”

Many people were debating this.

In the end, however, everyone agreed that this method was not feasible.

Because something like this would depend entirely on the word of the person who consumed the elixirs. The potential for manipulation was too great, and the result would still fail to convince everyone.

That was why most alchemy competitions were judged on Control Power.

Because Control Power was the most direct expression of an Alchemist’s strength.

Hearing this, Xu Zitao couldn’t help but frown.

Proving the effectiveness of an elixir was, indeed, rather difficult.

”Heh heh, since Young Master Xu believes the effect of the elixir you refined is better than mine, what, in your opinion, constitutes a good effect?” Ling Fei asked with a smile.

”Naturally, a good elixir is one that can grant a person sudden enlightenment, a moment of profound realization. Otherwise, how could it be worthy of being called a Spirit Pill?” Xu Zitao said, his voice loud, still convinced his elixir was better than Ling Fei’s.

”What does everyone think?” Ling Fei asked, looking towards the Alchemists from the various Sects.

”A Spirit Pill that can grant sudden enlightenment in Martial Arts, or one whose medicinal effects can mend sinews and bones and regenerate flesh and blood, are naturally both good Spirit Pills,” some of the Alchemists said.

”Good. Since everyone is focused on the effect, I happen to have a most direct method,” Ling Fei said with a smile.

”What method?” Vice Sect Leader Jiang asked, his expression questioning.

Even Xu Zitao looked towards Ling Fei.

”Having a person evaluate the refined elixirs will naturally be hard to convince everyone. After all, the human heart is unpredictable. Since that’s the case, why don’t we find a few ordinary Demonic Beasts and Strange Creatures and have them consume the elixirs? Wouldn’t that be a better way to test their effects?” Ling Fei said with a smile.

”Have beasts consume them?” Hearing this, the crowd frowned.

”How could ordinary Demonic Beasts and Strange Creatures comprehend a Mystical of Martial Arts?”

”Even Demonic Beasts and Strange Creatures at the Celestial Spirit Realm can’t express what they’ve learned!” Everyone felt this would be difficult.

”Haha, that will depend on our respective abilities,” Ling Fei said with a laugh.

”This...” The Alchemists from the various Sects were all taken aback.

Vice Sect Leader Jiang also felt it was a bit unreliable.

But it seemed there was no other way.

”Young Master Xu, what do you think?” Vice Sect Leader Jiang finally asked.

Xu Zitao remained silent.

He also found it somewhat unbelievable.

If they gave the elixirs to Demonic Beasts and Strange Creatures at the Small Primordial Pill Realm, there might be a chance for them to achieve enlightenment.

But how could an ordinary beast have any sort of realization?

”What’s wrong, Young Master Xu? Don’t you have the confidence?” Ling Fei smiled. ”If you don’t, then I don’t mind showing you what I, Ling, am capable of.”

Since Xu Zitao was looking for trouble, Ling Fei didn’t mind knocking him down a peg. This would also be a perfect opportunity to solidify his own status in the Alchemy Dao.

”Fine. I’d like to see what tricks you have up your sleeve,” Xu Zitao said, his eyes flashing.

”In that case, let’s have each Sect send one person to go capture a few Demon Beasts and prepare them for the pill testing,” Ling Fei said with a smile. ”In the meantime, I will begin a new round of alchemy.”

”Alright!” Hearing this, each Sect dispatched an elder to capture Demon Beasts outside the city.

Ling Fei, meanwhile, unhurriedly took out some medicinal herbs.

These were the ingredients for refining the Celestial Essence Pill.

Once again, he was refining a Second Grade Spirit Pill, and he also planned to produce two pills from a single furnace.

”Haha, Young Master Xu, would you also like to start your furnace and give it a try?” Ling Fei asked, glancing over at Xu Zitao with a smile.

”I’ll first see what you’re plotting!” Xu Zitao said.

”Very well. Then I will begin my alchemy,” Ling Fei said with a smile.

’You lost in Control Power, and now you want to compete with me on elixir effects? In that case, I’ll let you see the miraculous effects of my Spirit Awakening Pill.’ Ling Fei smiled.

The medicinal herbs went into the furnace, and Ling Fei began to focus on his alchemy.

An hour later, the Cultivators from the various Sects returned, having captured quite a few Demon Beasts.

There were flying birds and land beasts, none of them very strong. They were filled with hostility, letting out shrieks and roars in the arena from time to time.

’Spirit Awakening Dao Pattern.’ At this moment, Ling Fei had also reached the final, critical stage of his refinement.

Two Spirit Awakening Patterns condensed and sank into the pills.

A moment later, the Mystical Technique Pattern retracted, merging into the pills and leaving behind profound markings.

’It’s done!’ As the Pill Patterns formed, Ling Fei rejoiced inwardly and withdrew his Heart Spirit.

As he withdrew his Heart Spirit, he heard the sounds of the Demon Beasts.

”Heh heh, Ling the Pill Master, are these Demon Beasts acceptable?” Vice Sect Leader Jiang asked with a smile.

He was now very polite to Ling Fei.

A young man of only eighteen refining Second Grade Spirit Pills as easily as eating a meal, with such effortless skill... With attainments like these, he truly had a chance to become a king in the future.

If one wasn’t polite to such a genius, they might not get another chance later on.

”Their Spiritual Wisdom has not yet fully awakened, and they are still filled with hostility. Excellent. These are exactly the kind of Demon Beasts we need.” Ling Fei’s gaze swept over the Demon Beasts on the platform, and he nodded in great satisfaction.

Then, he addressed the crowd, ”Has everyone confirmed the current cultivation and state of Spiritual Wisdom of these Demon Beasts?”

”Confirmed. This one I have is a Sword-Horned Bear at the Early Stage of Celestial Spirit. Its cultivation is low, but it has quite a temper.”

”This one I have is a Black-Scaled Eagle, an extremely ferocious exotic bird. It’s very unruly.”

...

The elders reported one after another.

At this moment, the crowd was also very curious about what this Ling the Pill Master was planning to do.

Could it be that he wanted these Demon Beasts to comprehend the Mystical in the elixirs?

That was practically impossible!

Even if they did gain some enlightenment, they wouldn’t be able to express it!