Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Three Purifying Spirit Pill

Seeing the sudden change in Guan Zhi’s expression, the crowd grew curious. What kind of challenge could make a Fourth Grade Alchemist like him turn pale?

Seeing this, Shen Haoran extended his Spiritual Thought. After scanning the Pill Recipe, his expression also grew grave. ’Elder Song is really giving me a tough challenge!’

"What’s wrong? It’s just a single Three Pure Spirit Pill. You can’t refine it?" Elder Song said nonchalantly as he looked at the two.

At his words, the eyes of the crowd below the stage burned with fervor! The Three Pure Spirit Pill—an Elixir every Spirit General Martial Artist coveted. Consuming one allowed for a direct advancement of Tier One with absolutely no side effects! Just think, a single Elixir could save months, or even years, of arduous cultivation. Who wouldn’t be green with envy?!

But Shen Haoran gave a wry smile. He looked at the complicated refinement method on the Pill Recipe and felt a headache coming on. The Three Pure Spirit Pill was a Fifth Grade Elixir. It required over forty different types of Spirit Medicine, and the process of fusing them was chaotic and disorderly. The slightest mistake would lead to complete failure, and the energy required was incomparable to that of ordinary Elixirs!

’Elder Song clearly knows my capabilities, yet he still brought out this Three Pure Spirit Pill. He’s really trying to make things difficult for me!’ Shen Haoran grumbled inwardly.

Guan Zhi was also reluctant. Although he had successfully refined a Fifth Grade Elixir before, it was of the lowest level within that grade. The Three Pure Spirit Pill, on the other hand, was arguably one of the highest level Fifth Grade Elixirs. Successfully refining it was nigh-on impossible!

"Elder Song, this... could we perhaps change the challenge? This Three Pure Spirit Pill is truly a bit too much for me!" Guan Zhi said with a dark expression, cupping his hands.

After speaking, Guan Zhi turned to Shen Haoran and said, "Shen Haoran, even I find this Three Pure Spirit Pill to be a handful. I’m sure you’ll agree to change the Pill Recipe, won’t you?"

As he finished, Guan Zhi looked at Shen Haoran with disdain. ’If even I lack the confidence to refine this Three Pure Spirit Pill, then Shen Haoran stands no chance at all. As long as he agrees to change the challenge to something below a Fifth Grade Elixir, I am a hundred percent confident I can win this competition!’

However, Shen Haoran merely gave him a cool glance before turning to Elder Song and cupping his fist. "Elder Song has been generous enough to provide the Pill Recipe for the Three Pure Spirit Pill. Naturally, I must accept your arrangement. We will refine the Three Pure Spirit Pill for this competition!"

"What?!" Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, everyone stared at him in disbelief. Shen Haoran had actually agreed to refine an Elixir that even Guan Zhi, a Fourth Grade Alchemist, didn’t dare to attempt. Did he really not know it was a Fifth Grade Elixir?

At these words, Guan Zhi’s expression turned ugly. He hadn’t expected Shen Haoran to refuse his "kindness." ’A Fifth Grade Elixir... and he dares to agree to refine it?’

Elder Song, however, was all smiles. He nodded at Shen Haoran before turning to Guan Zhi and stating coolly, "A young man ought to have the courage to challenge himself. Otherwise, he will accomplish nothing!"

Guan Zhi’s face darkened as he glared at Shen Haoran, thinking to himself, ’Hmph, go ahead and put on an act. This Fifth Grade Elixir isn’t so easy to refine. Just wait, you’ll be humiliating yourself soon enough!’

Although Guan Zhi felt the Three Pure Spirit Pill was difficult to refine, he at least had experience with Fifth Grade Elixirs. Shen Haoran, on the other hand, was merely a Second Grade Alchemist who had probably never even seen a Fifth Grade Elixir before. ’Thinking of it this way, my odds of winning are still quite high!’

"Alright, the challenge for this competition will be the Three Pure Spirit Pill. The results will be judged based on the time taken to succeed, the quality of the Elixir, and the techniques used during the refinement process. Do you have any objections?" Elder Song stated calmly.

"None!" Shen Haoran replied.

"But what if we both fail? How will you judge then?" Guan Zhi asked.

Hearing this, Elder Song glanced at Guan Zhi, thinking with contempt, ’He hasn’t even started Alchemy, yet he’s already thinking about failure. This Guan Zhi has already lost when it comes to mindset!’

"If you both fail, then we will look at your failed products. Whoever has refined a purer Essence of Spiritual Medicine and has completed the most steps in the process will be the winner!" Elder Song said flatly.

"Excellent!" Guan Zhi’s heart leaped with joy. He now had even more confidence in this competition.

"Since you both agree, then let the competition begin!"

Following Elder Song’s announcement, both Shen Haoran and Guan Zhi sat down cross-legged. They took out the Pill Recipe for the Three Pure Spirit Pill, extended their Spiritual Thought into it, and began to study it meticulously.

After carefully committing the melting points of each Spirit Medicine and the compatibility between them to memory, Shen Haoran opened his eyes. He understood the Pill Recipe, but he knew that the problems during the refinement process could only be discovered by getting his hands dirty.

Just as Shen Haoran stood up, Guan Zhi also opened his eyes. To have become a Fourth Grade Alchemist, he certainly had his own skills. When it came to Alchemy, he did indeed possess some Talent.

Seeing Shen Haoran’s grave expression, Guan Zhi couldn’t help but sneer, "Did you even manage to understand the Pill Recipe?"

But Shen Haoran paid him no mind. With a single wave of his hand, a Pill Furnace as black as charcoal appeared before him.

Looking at the somewhat shabby Pill Furnace before him, the corner of Shen Haoran’s mouth twitched. This Pill Furnace had been crimson red when he got it from Elder Huo, but after half a month of being baked by his flame, it had now turned completely black. Faint cracks were even visible on its surface. ’This ordinary Pill Furnace really can’t withstand the terrifying temperature of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian!’

When the crowd saw the charcoal-like Pill Furnace, they burst into laughter. Those who knew what it was recognized it as a Pill Furnace; those who didn’t would have thought it was a lump of charcoal for a fire!

Guan Zhi looked at Shen Haoran with even greater disdain, as if he were looking at a country bumpkin. Then, with a wave of his hand, a grand and ancient dark Golden Pill Furnace appeared before everyone. Its exquisite carvings instantly captured the crowd’s attention!

Seeing the dark Golden Pill Furnace, the crowd gasped in amazement. A good Pill Furnace could undoubtedly and significantly help an Alchemist increase their chances of success. Comparing Shen Haoran’s and Guan Zhi’s was like comparing scrap iron to Gold—the difference in quality was obvious at a glance!

However, as Shen Haoran looked at the dark Golden Pill Furnace, his eyes showed no hint of being moved. ’A good Pill Furnace certainly helps an Alchemist, but what’s more important is one’s own Alchemy skill!’

"TSSST!"

With a soft hiss, Guan Zhi, under the admiring gazes of the crowd, summoned a ball of peach-pink flame in his hand. It looked utterly enchanting!

Upon seeing the peach-pink flame, Shen Haoran was also surprised. Most Alchemists used flames generated from their own Spiritual Power. Alchemists who possessed such a corporeal flame were all elites in the Alchemy Realm. He hadn’t expected Guan Zhi to possess a corporeal flame as well.

"That’s Guan Zhi’s Thousand-Year Peach Wood Fire! It was extracted from the Spirit Core of a thousand-year-old peach tree. Its power is anything but ordinary! I’m so envious!"

Hearing the praises from the crowd, Guan Zhi shot a provocative look at Shen Haoran.

In response, Shen Haoran just shook his head. With a light tap of his fingertip, a ball of flame so black it was absolute rose into the air. The surrounding temperature soared in an instant, and the air immediately became parched!

The instant the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian appeared, the Thousand-Year Peach Wood Fire in Guan Zhi’s hand wilted like a dying flower, shrinking back on itself. If one didn’t look closely, they might not even see the peach-pink flame at all!

"The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, the Venerable of Ten Thousand Flames. When Hei Yao appears, all other flames submit!"