When the competition started, Bandora invited Himmel Soan to watch the proceedings from one of the towers.

Firey tagged along. As an examiner, she should be testing the pupils, but the event started with an alchemy competition, which she knew nothing about. Feeling bored, she followed Himmel Soan onto the tower.

“Are all of the pupils entering the alchemy competition together?” Himmel Soan asked.

These pupils should vary in their alchemy abilities and cultivation levels. He thought they would have separate competitions. However, all the students were thrown into the same competition. It looked like a stew with every ingredient thrown into the same port.

Himmel Soan was a little confused.

“Yes. They’re all in the same competition.”

“Won’t their failures affect each other?”

“Successful alchemists should be able to shut off the outside world. If they fail because of other people, they’re not good enough.”

Himmel Soan got her meaning. Bandora had deliberately put all of them in the same competition. The real genius could block the nose and rise to success. Maybe that was also one of the criteria.

He wouldn’t judge this method. He could list many merits, but they could also be shortcomings. It all depended on one’s standpoint.

“The competition is on treatment pills. We’ll score each person according to their cultivation level. Although you’re all competing in the same area, your scores will be given separately,” announced Bandora.

They were assessed independently despite competing in the same space. The purpose was to test their mentality.

More importantly, there were simply too many pupils. Arranging them into different competition groups would cost too much time and manpower, and it would take at least three days to finish the alchemy competition.

Holding one big competition only needed one morning.

“Let’s wait and see,” said Himmel Soan.

…

The competition started.

Everybody was to make treatment pills. Different pupils would make pills of different grades. Some of them could make Class C Grade-6 pills, but to play it safe, they would refine Class B Grade-5 ones instead.

Others could only refine Class D Grade-6 pills, but they took the risk and tried to make Class C ones.

Lan, Vin, Ton, Frost, and Seene had all decided what pills they would make.

“Elder Tine, I heard you wouldn’t even accept the principal’s offer. Why did you become somebody else’s pupil?” The speaker was an elderly man with a long, white beard.

“Elder Neu, I didn’t expect to see such an elderly contestant here!” Lan rolled her eyes at him.

“If you’re here, why can’t I?” Elder Neu retorted.

Lan didn’t reply. She had nothing to say to a person like him. Entertaining him once was already polite enough for her.

Elder Neu didn’t get upset. “Our task is to make treatment pills. I wonder what your opinion is.”

Lan replied while preparing. “They’re testing, trying to see what the contestants of various levels can make. Using the treatment pills is easier for them to score.”

Elder Neu was confused when he saw Lan’s Grade-6 ingredients.

All the cultivators who hadn’t reached the Hinayana stage had to participate in this event. The Contemplation cultivators were the most important contestants. Elder Neu and Lan belonged to that category.

The elders represented the strength of a branch. All branches would send their strongest elders below the Hinayana stage.

Elder Neu was an experienced alchemist with a unique understanding of pills. He had been the winner of the alchemy competition for many years. This time, he was going to challenge himself and make some Grade-9 pills.

“I thought you would be a strong opponent this year, but I didn’t expect you to give up so easily.” Elder Neu laughed.

“Give up? How did you arrive at that conclusion?” Lan remained perfectly calm.

“You’re making Grade-6 pills! If that’s not giving up, I don’t know what is. Even if you can make pills with inscriptions, they can’t be higher than Grade 8. Have you lost your mind after finding a master?”

No matter how effective an inscribed Grade-6 pill was, it was equivalent to a Class D Grade-8 pill at most.

Lan was more than capable of making Class B Grade-8 pills. Elder Neu was confused when he saw her Grade-6 ingredients.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to make Grade-8 pills with those!”

“Why can’t I?” Lan chuckled.

Elder Neu didn’t know what to say.

Couldn’t Grade-6 ingredients be made into Grade-8 pills? It wasn’t written in any books, nor was it forbidden, but it was common sense!

She had to be dreaming!

Seeing Lan had started, Elder Neu only said, “I can’t wait to see you do that!”

He then started working on his own pills. Alchemists hated being disturbed. He knew it well. Although he didn’t like Lan, she had already started working, so he had no excuse to distract her. He was an ethical alchemist.

“Mr. Soan, Lan is going to use those Grade-6 ingredients. What’s going on?” Bandora was equally confused.

“I think she wants to make pills that exceed the grade of the ingredients!”

Himmel Soan immediately saw what Lan was trying to do. He had done it once, so she was probably trying to replicate it.