My Master Knows It All

232: Chapter 134 Never Had Before_4 232: Chapter 134 Never Had Before_4 Gazing at the smug expression on Tu Zhuque’s face, she sneered and said, “I hope you can keep up that smugness after the alchemy competition is over.”

Vermilion Bird Peak and Azure Pheasant Peak, both peaks specialize in fire cultivation.

Whether it’s for alchemy or artifact refining, fire is used, which is why disciples from both peaks are proficient in alchemy and artifact refining.

She had heard that people from Four Treasures Peak had taught the disciples of Vermilion Bird Peak alchemy, but she couldn’t believe it.

Could it be that someone from Four Treasures Peak who was a Talisman King in talisman making could also produce a Pill King?

She believed that when it came to alchemy, her Azure Pheasant Peak would definitely surpass Vermilion Bird Peak!

The Elder Protector quickly announced the top three hundred names.

As expected, He Tianqi from Spirit Symbol Peak took first place, while the second place went to Shao Yijian from Flying Immortal Peak.

As the talisman competition came to an end, disciples not belonging to any peak quickly descended onto the Gathering Immortals Platform, removing tables and materials one by one before placing various pill furnaces and an assortment of materials in preparation.

The Elder Protector spoke again, “The second event of the Six Arts Competition, ‘Dan,’ begins now.

Disciples from all peaks, please enter the Gathering Immortals Platform.”

As his words concluded, disciples from Hundred Peaks flew towards the Gathering Immortals Platform below.

Cao Zhen nodded to Yi Sheng and said, “Go on, I believe in you.” He believed that after Yi Sheng had seen how his senior female disciple performed, he should know how to proceed.

On one side, Seven Star Peak unexpectedly did not send any more disciples this time.

The Elder Protector waited until no other disciples were heading to the platform before he declared, “This competition will be overseen by Elder Gu Chengyu of Hidden Dragon Observatory.”

Having said this, he stepped back to reveal the figure of Gu Chengyu.

“Gu Chengyu?”

Cao Zhen was momentarily stunned.

When he departed from the Hidden Dragon Observatory, Gu Chengyu hadn’t mentioned taking charge of the pill competition.

But upon reflection, it made sense.

The pill competition required a professional, yet for fairness, could not select someone from within Hundred Peaks, making the choice of Gu Chengyu from Hidden Dragon Observatory quite reasonable.

Gu Chengyu cleared his throat and called out to everyone, “The pill competition consists of two rounds.

The first round tests your foundational skills.

Now, all disciples participating in the competition, listen carefully.

From the materials before you, take three qian of Clearing Consciousness Herb, two qian of the rootstock of Ghostly Orchid Grass, three qian…”

Gu Chengyu began listing the names of various materials.

Below, the competing disciples sprang into action, swiftly using tools to gather the specified medicinal ingredients.

About the time of one stick of incense had passed.

Gu Chengyu watched as the incense went out and suddenly shouted, “Stop!”

At this command, all disciples below halted their actions.

Since the test was to examine everyone’s foundational skills, time naturally had to be limited.

Otherwise, with various tools for measuring ingredients at hand, these disciples could, given enough time, eventually procure all the required materials.

“Those who have not completed their measurements, depart now,” said Gu Chengyu as his words fell.

On the Gathering Immortals Platform, about fifty to sixty disciples left.

“Now, pay attention.

Light the pill furnaces and follow my commands to control the flame…”

The pill competition differed from talisman making.

Indeed, talisman making cost less and took less time, allowing for three rounds of competition focused solely on talisman making.

However, pill making was different, as alchemy took much longer.

If the competition were to conduct three rounds like talisman making, this grand competition of Hundred Peaks would span countless days.

Thus, the first round of alchemy was to examine everyone’s foundation, the accuracy and speed of gathering ingredients, as well as the precision of flame control.

Another stick of incense’s time elapsed, and Gu Chengyu, extending his hand, pointed at numerous disciples, each one pointed out was eliminated from the competition.

After just one round, only a little over three hundred disciples remained on the Gathering Immortals Platform.

“So few people left?”

Gazing at the remaining disciples below, Cao Zhen was taken aback.

What was Gu Chengyu doing?

How could you eliminate so many at once?

Don’t eliminate until there are only three hundred left; that way, Yi Sheng would automatically win the Peak Bamboo without even having to perform.

You, old Gu, what nonsense are you up to?

Alarmed, Cao Zhen hurriedly counted the disciples still on the Gathering Immortals Platform.

“One, two, three…

three hundred and nine.”

Finally, he let out a sigh of relief.

It was okay, there were three hundred people.

If there were nine fewer, the first thing he would do after the end of the Hundred Peaks competition was to kick him out of Hidden Dragon Observatory.

As for Gu Chengyu, if the Five Evils of Hundred Peaks and Li Ke didn’t deal with him, he’d write his own name backward.

From the high vantage points around, the crowd looked at the groups of departing disciples with a sense of surprise.

“This…

just one round, and only so few are left?”

“This is too hard.”

“It feels like Elder Gu who is in charge this time is very strict.”

“It seems there has never been such strictness in previous competitions.”

The departing disciples, while leaving the Gathering Immortals Platform, were also full of discussions.

“I feel like my flame control was good enough, just a small mistake.

In previous Hundred Peaks competitions, others have made small errors during the flame control test but were still allowed to stay for the next round.”

“Yeah, I made just a small mistake too.

It seems like this time, anyone who made a mistake got eliminated.”

“Actually, my mistake was even smaller.

I was just slightly slow in covering with the flame; it was less than a breath’s time.

That really shouldn’t have mattered.”

Gu Chengyu, hearing the murmurs around, stopped what he was about to announce for the second round of the competition, and looking displeased at the crowd below, called out, “Originally, I was only responsible for testing your fundamentals, and there was no need to say anything else.

But seeing how things are, I can’t help but say a few words.”

Hearing Gu Chengyu’s words, Cao Zhen couldn’t help but picture a disheveled man with pale lips in his mind.

This talk of old Gu’s, wasn’t it just like those rumors of ‘I was walking away, but I couldn’t help turning back to scold a few more times’?

“You are all Pill Masters.

You should know that the path of alchemy tolerates no mistakes; sometimes, being a hair’s breadth off can lead miles astray.

Don’t think that a small mistake is not worth mentioning.

Even the smallest mistake, like covering slightly too slowly with the flame when controlling it, could affect the final formation of the pill.

Have you not considered why others didn’t make the same mistakes as you?”

He was genuinely angry.

These disciples were unskilled and yet blamed his strictness.

Was he strict?

He truly didn’t feel he was being that strict.

Think about Peak Master Cao’s disciple Yi Sheng, who had just left the Taoist Institution and formally joined Hundred Peaks Sect not so long ago.

What level had his alchemy already reached?

Aren’t you all ashamed?

After he finished, many of the Peak Masters from around the area started to echo his sentiments.

“Elder Gu is right.”

“Elder Gu is teaching well.”

“Elder Gu, during the competition, why don’t you also provide some comments?”

“Yes, yes, Elder Gu, after the disciples have finished their tasks and while not affecting the competition, could you point out where they did not do well and teach them a lesson?”

One Peak Master spoke up, and the others quickly joined in.

Today, for some reason, Gu Chengyu was eager to play the teacher; if so, then he might as well teach a bit more.

Gu Chengyu’s alchemy skills were definitely among the top ten in the Hundred Peaks Sect.

Why not take this free teaching?

The expression on Gu Chengyu’s face changed immediately.

You want me to give comments?

You want me to teach?

Are you trying to slap my face?

Among those present is Yi Sheng, who just taught me alchemy.

You want me to give comments?

You want me to teach?