The Blood Creation Pill was one of the simpler Second-Grade Elixirs.

Refining it wasn’t particularly difficult.

Xiao Gu was quite familiar with refining the Blood Creation Pill. He refined it often, making it easier for him to control the process.

He was so confident he felt it was a guaranteed win.

He took out his Pill Furnace and immediately set up a charcoal fire.

Although the best fire for Alchemy was a Fire of Heaven and Earth—such as Earth Fire, Celestial Fire, or True Sun Fire—

such flames were extremely rare and, most critically, difficult to tame.

With Xiao Gu’s abilities, it was completely impossible for him to tame even Earth Fire.

He could only use a charcoal fire as a substitute.

This was the choice of most Alchemists.

After setting up the brazier, Xiao Gu glanced at Jiang Chen, his eyes filled with disdain.

Jiang Chen, however, fell silent and motionless after taking out his Pill Furnace.

’The Fire-igniting Technique... Although I can’t control a Fire of Heaven and Earth right now, I can still summon one to help me with Alchemy.’

Jiang Chen began to cast the Fire-igniting Technique.

The Fire-igniting Technique, while only a Minor Magic, could be used to guide a Fire of Heaven and Earth.

In his past life, Jiang Chen’s mastery of this Magic was perfect. Now, he could use it almost instinctively; the Minor Magic manifested with a single thought.

’Fire-igniting Technique, summon the True Sun Fire, aid my Alchemy.’

’Fire, come.’

Jiang Chen silently chanted the incantation for the Fire-igniting Technique.

Then, he looked up at the sun in the sky.

Today, he would attempt to use the Fire-igniting Technique to draw down the True Sun Fire—the flame from within the sun.

After all, this wasn’t his past life. He wasn’t certain he could actually pull it down.

"What’s he doing?"

"Does Steward Jiang even know how to perform Alchemy? Look, Elder Xiao has already started, but he hasn’t moved at all."

Seeing Jiang Chen just sitting there motionlessly, the crowd was puzzled.

They began to doubt his abilities.

Even Master Qin frowned deeply.

Jiang Chen showed no reaction, instead just muttering to himself.

WHOOSH!

Just then, a wave of peculiar, intense heat suddenly descended from the sky.

What?

Everyone looked up in astonishment.

They saw a streak of fiery light flying down from the heavens.

It tore through the air as it fell.

In an instant, the crowd was stunned.

They stared at the scene in disbelief.

Fire, falling from the sky.

"Th-this is True Sun Fire..."

"Heavens, why is True Sun Fire falling from the sky?"

"What’s going on? True Sun Fire... Who could possibly command True Sun Fire?"

Every Alchemist knew that among the Fires of Heaven and Earth, Earth Fire was the easiest to obtain, as long as one used the proper methods.

It was also easy to control.

Celestial Fire, on the other hand, was difficult to control.

As for True Sun Fire, ordinary Alchemists wouldn’t dare risk trying to control it. If they were so much as touched by it, they would be burned to ash.

And that was to say nothing of flames like the Samadhi True Flame, which were even more terrifying.

Without a certain level of Cultivation, one couldn’t even get close to it.

But now, a wisp of True Sun Fire was descending from the sky, seemingly under someone’s control.

Many people turned pale with fright and scrambled to get out of the way.

Xiao Gu also paused what he was doing and looked up at the celestial flame descending from the sky.

’What’s going on?’

’Who summoned the True Sun Fire?’

While Xiao Gu was still lost in confusion,

the wisp of True Sun Fire, though small, was terrifyingly powerful.

Its appearance caused the surrounding temperature to abruptly spike by several degrees.

Finally, under the shocked gazes of everyone present, it landed in Jiang Chen’s direction.

"Guide..."

Jiang Chen made a beckoning gesture with his hand, and the wisp of True Sun Fire he had summoned immediately wrapped around his arm, circling back and forth.

HISS...

At that moment, the crowd collectively gasped.

They realized with shock that this thread of True Sun Fire had actually been summoned by Jiang Chen.

Their faces were filled with horror.

Master Qin was also visibly moved.

’How is this guy so powerful?’

’He even summoned the True Sun Fire?’

He found it incredible. No one had ever expected that Jiang Chen could summon the True Sun Fire.

As for Xiao Gu, when he saw the True Sun Fire circling Jiang Chen, his entire body trembled.

He was completely and utterly stunned.

"How is this possible? It’s impossible!"

He truly couldn’t accept this reality.

While he was still using a charcoal fire, Jiang Chen had actually summoned the True Sun Fire.

The outcome of their contest was clear from the very beginning.

Jiang Chen had far surpassed Xiao Gu.

An Alchemist who could control True Sun Fire was a terrifying thought.

Although he had summoned the True Sun Fire, Jiang Chen instantly felt a massive drain on his Cultivation.

This thread of True Sun Fire was not easy to control.

It throbbed violently, as if trying to return to the sun.

He had only summoned it to borrow its power; he was completely incapable of forcibly taming it, especially while directly under the sun.

A continuous stream of True Sun Fire was replenishing this single thread.

He knew that time was of the essence.

He couldn’t control the True Sun Fire for long.

He quickly guided it with his hand, and the True Sun Fire immediately enveloped the Pill Furnace.

Jiang Chen focused intently, simultaneously suppressing the True Sun Fire while rapidly tossing ingredients into the Pill Furnace.

One by one, the ingredients were thrown into the Pill Furnace with extreme proficiency.

"Such a masterful technique."

"Tsk tsk, Steward Jiang is no simple character."

Soon, Jiang Chen’s Alchemy had captured everyone’s full attention.

As they watched, they discovered that Jiang Chen’s movements were as smooth as flowing water, utterly seamless.

More importantly, watching him gave one the illusion of appreciating a work of art.

Furthermore, the fact that he was actually using summoned True Sun Fire for Alchemy was absolutely mind-blowing.

No one in the entire Alchemy Master Guild possessed such an ability.

As for Xiao Gu, he was clearly inferior to Jiang Chen by more than just a single measure.

This was true in terms of both his movements and the flame he used for Alchemy.

From the very start, he had completely suppressed Xiao Gu.

It made Xiao Gu feel utterly miserable.

A voice screamed ceaselessly in his heart.

’No, impossible! This is impossible!’

He could no longer concentrate on his Alchemy.

Jiang Chen’s power had been on full display from the moment he made his move.

It had shattered Xiao Gu’s composure.

Because Jiang Chen didn’t just know Alchemy—his Alchemy Skill was simply too terrifying.

Even Master Qin was horrified.

He watched Jiang Chen’s refining method and his ability to control the True Sun Fire.

His jaw dropped.

’This boy’s Alchemy Skill is extraordinary.’

’It’s like a stroke of divine inspiration.’

’Wait, this technique... I...’

’I’ve actually grasped a movement that I’ve never been able to perform! So that’s how it’s done! It’s like that!’

While watching Jiang Chen’s Alchemy Skill, Master Qin actually had an epiphany.

He was overjoyed.

Meanwhile, the many other Alchemists from the Alchemy Master Guild who were watching Jiang Chen all had their eyes wide open.

It was as if they were witnessing the precious experience they had yearned for their entire lives.

It was like reaching the end of a road only to find a wall blocking their path.

Just when they were at a loss, watching Jiang Chen’s Alchemy Skill was like a sudden, profound enlightenment.

They had found the way to continue forward.

An untold number of them had an epiphany.

The scene grew extremely quiet. No one was paying attention to Xiao Gu anymore; all eyes were on Jiang Chen.

It was as if Jiang Chen was the sole focus of the world.

And Xiao Gu was merely a foil.