Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

A cauldron explosion!

For an Alchemy Master, this was an extremely shameful and Low Level mistake.

Duan Xu looked completely crestfallen, staring in disbelief at the Pill Cauldron billowing black smoke before him. ”I... I actually caused a cauldron explosion?”

He had been practicing Alchemy for twenty years, and this was his first time ever causing a cauldron explosion!

It was an absolute disgrace!

With a face full of indignation, Duan Xu shot a venomous glare at Jiang Chen. ”It’s all his fault! If his pill formation hadn’t caused such a huge commotion, my cauldron wouldn’t have exploded. Jiang Chen, you definitely did it on purpose!”

Jiang Chen watched Duan Xu with an amused expression, completely unfazed.

Duan Xu, however, grew more agitated, interpreting Jiang Chen’s silence as a sign of guilt. He roared, ”Jiang Chen, you’re too shameless! To win, you deliberately created a huge disturbance to affect my pill solidification. I refuse to accept the result of this Pill Fighting duel!”

He looked toward the judges’ platform and said in a heavy voice, ”Seniors, I ask you to uphold justice for me!”

’After all,’ he thought, ’I’m the super genius the Fire Emperor himself called the most likely candidate to become the youngest Sixth-Grade Alchemist in the history of the Eastern Continent. These judges will surely consider my status and talent and give me some face.’

’They’ll help me turn this losing situation in the Pill Fighting duel around.’

However...

The judges didn’t even spare Duan Xu a glance. With excited expressions, all ten of them descended from the judges’ platform.

They stared at Jiang Chen with excitement and anticipation, their eyes holding a trace of reverence.

The white-haired Fifth-Grade High-Level Alchemist in the center asked nervously, ”Master Jiang, was that the Void Condensation Technique you just used?”

The other judges also looked on expectantly.

Jiang Chen smiled. ”Indeed, it was the Void Condensation Technique. There’s no need for you Seniors to be so polite.”

”It really was the Void Condensation Technique!”

”To think I would be able to witness the Void Condensation Technique with my own eyes in this lifetime! I can die without any regrets!”

”Master Jiang’s skills are simply divine!”

The crowd praised him endlessly, their words full of flattery.

Jiang Chen accepted their praise with indifference.

Duan Xu couldn’t sit still any longer. He shot up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on and roared, ”Didn’t you hear me? He deliberately created a huge disturbance to affect my pill solidification! The results of this Pill Fighting duel don’t count! I demand a rematch!”

The judges all stared at Duan Xu as if he were an idiot.

The Fifth-Grade High-Level judge gave a bitter smile. ”Duan Xu, Master Jiang has mastered the Void Condensation Technique. His attainments on the path of Alchemy are by no means inferior to yours. Why would he need to interfere with you to change the outcome of the Pill Fighting duel?”

Duan Xu snorted coldly. ”His Alchemy attainments are greater than mine? That’s absurd! I, Duan Xu, started studying Alchemy at the age of eight and have been practicing for twenty years. Who the hell is he? How could he possibly be better than me?”

Jiang Chen said with a faint, unreadable smile, ”Duan Xu, let me ask you. If your pill hadn’t been ruined by the cauldron explosion, what pill were you refining, and what grade would it have been?”

”I was just refining a Third... No, wait, it was a Fourth-grade High-level Spiritual Pill, a Clear Heart Pill.”

Duan Xu’s eyes darted. Since the pill was destroyed in the cauldron explosion, there was no evidence. He immediately began spouting nonsense.

Everyone was stunned.

The ten judges looked at Duan Xu with profound disappointment.

’A Fourth-grade High-level Clear Heart Pill in just a single double-hour?’

’Unless a Sixth Grade Pill Emperor took action, it would be utterly impossible.’

Clearly, Duan Xu was lying through his teeth!

However...

Jiang Chen, however, just smiled faintly. ”Fine. Let’s just say you were refining a Fourth-grade High-level Clear Heart Pill. And let’s also say you succeeded, and that its quality was Top Grade among Fourth Grade Advanced pills!”

These words stunned everyone.

Gai Shi looked anxious. ”Jiang Chen, have you gone mad?”

Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively and looked at Duan Xu with a smile. ”What do you think?”

”Hmph, I have no objections!” Duan Xu said coolly.

’Even if he had succeeded, the pill would have only been at the Third-Grade High-Level. Now, even though the cauldron exploded, he had effectively raised the pill’s grade by a whole level.’

’Of course he had no objections.’

Jiang Chen nodded and turned to the ten judges. ”Seniors, you’ve heard Duan Xu’s words. If his pill had been successfully refined as a Fourth-grade High-level Clear Heart Pill, then I ask you, Seniors, to see what grade my pill is!”

As he spoke, he opened the brocade box in his hand.

HUMMM—

A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out as a splendid, multicolored pill glow burst from the brocade box, dazzlingly bright.

The phantoms of a dragon and a phoenix soared into the air, lingering above the box for a long time.

”Th-th-this is...”

”A Fifth-grade Advanced Pill, the Dragon and Phoenix Golden Bone Pill?”

”My heavens! In just one double-hour... no, wait, Jiang Chen only took the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and he refined a Fifth-grade Advanced Pill? How is that possible?”

”Could he be a Sixth Grade Pill Emperor?”

The crowd’s gazes toward Jiang Chen were filled with profound shock and disbelief.

Gai Shi and Wei Lihuang exchanged a look, both seeing the utter astonishment in each other’s eyes.

A Sixth Grade Pill Emperor!

On the entire Eastern Continent, there were very few such terrifying existences.

Duan Xu’s whole body shook violently. He stumbled backward with a series of dull thuds, staring in disbelief at the Dragon and Phoenix Golden Bone Pill with its draconic and phoenix phantoms. ”Impossible! How could anyone refine a Fifth-grade Advanced Pill in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn? This must be a pill you prepared beforehand! You all conspired to set me up! You must have conspired against me...”

His face twisted with ferocity and venom, Duan Xu pointed an accusing finger at the ten judges and Jiang Chen.

Everyone’s expressions turned incredibly ugly.

”Nonsense!”

”Losing isn’t what’s terrible. What’s terrible is not daring to admit you’ve lost.”

”Sigh, Duan Xu, so this is the extent of your mental fortitude...”

The ten judges all shook their heads and sighed.

This made Duan Xu’s expression even uglier. He gritted his teeth. ”I don’t believe it! I don’t believe anyone can refine a Fifth-grade Advanced Pill in the time it takes for one incense stick to burn! It’s absolutely impossible! This Pill Fighting duel is unfair! I won’t accept it...”

’He had planned to use the Alchemy Conference to crush Jiang Chen and make a name for himself in one fell swoop!’

’But now...’

’Nothing had gone according to his script.’

’Not only had he not become famous, but he had become a laughingstock for all to see. It had completely backfired.’

The immense contrast brought Duan Xu to the brink of collapse.

”Enough!”

Jiang Chen snorted coldly. ”You were the one who proposed this Pill Fighting duel, and I refined this pill in front of everyone. Are you still going to argue and try to weasel your way out of this? Duan Xu, a bet is a bet. Sign the Slave Contract!”

Wei Lihuang took a step forward. ”Sign the contract!”

”No! It’s impossible for me to lose! I won’t sign this contract...” Duan Xu roared, his face filled with venom. His body suddenly shot into the air as he tried to escape.

”Get down here!”

A cold sneer on his lips, Jiang Chen reached out into the air. His True Essence formed a giant, mountain-like palm and slammed down viciously.

BOOM!

Duan Xu let out a blood-curdling scream as he was slapped directly to the ground.

His cultivation was only at the Fifth Stage of Human King Realm; how could he possibly be a match for Jiang Chen? That one palm strike had shattered the bones in his body, smashed a large crater in the ground, and left him twitching all over.

Jiang Chen walked up to Duan Xu, leaned forward, and sized him up.

Despair and terror appeared on Duan Xu’s pale face. ”Wh-wh-what are you going to do?”

”Hand over your Pill Cauldron,” Jiang Chen said calmly.

”You want my Pill Cauldron? Impossible!” Duan Xu gritted his teeth. ”Jiang Chen, this Pill Cauldron was a gift from the Fire Emperor Ancestor. I can’t give it to you. I admit your Alchemy talent is greater than mine. Let me go.”

Jiang Chen laughed heartily. ”Do you think that’s possible?”

”I...”

Duan Xu opened his mouth, his eyes darting about. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he said hurriedly, ”I remember now! Someone asked me to give you a letter. Let me go, and I’ll give it to you!”

”A letter for me?”

Jiang Chen paused, then frowned. ”Give me the letter!”

Duan Xu quickly took out a letter and handed it to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen glanced at it, and his pupils contracted slightly. A cold, sinister aura emanated from his body.

Duan Xu, completely oblivious, asked, ”Jiang Chen, can you let me go now?”

”Let you go?”

Jiang Chen snorted coldly. Reaching into the air, he formed a True Essence Palm and clenched it tightly. With a BANG, Duan Xu’s body exploded.

His entire body was reduced to a pulp of flesh and blood.

With a beckoning gesture, Jiang Chen collected the Storage Ring and the fallen Pill Cauldron. The letter in his other hand quietly burst into flames.

Faintly, a few lines of small text could be seen...

If you want to save your sister and your Battle Pet, come to the Fenghuo Commerce Association!