44: Chapter 44 You Have Such a Cruel Heart

Generally, Pill Formulas could have their information directly absorbed using one's Soul, including the names of the medicinal ingredients, the refining process, heat control, and other details that required attention.

However, the one for this assessment only recorded the general refining method; the remaining details required the Alchemist to control themselves.

"Is it just a Tier 2 Medicinal Pill?"

Xiao Yan took out a blue Medicine Cauldron, and an eerie cyan flame surged out from his hand. The surrounding air temperature rose significantly with the appearance of this flame.

When facing this kind of Pill Formula, ordinary Alchemists could only slowly test and refine, increasing the purity bit by bit until they deemed it suitable; the entire process was extremely slow.

But for Xiao Yan, whose Soul Power was extremely strong, refining everything simultaneously posed no pressure, so Xiao Yan simply tossed all the medicinal ingredients into the Medicine Cauldron.

The medicinal ingredients were continuously calcined within the Medicine Cauldron. Under his powerful Soul perception and control, he quickly found the appropriate purity for refining, and during this process, no accidents would occur.

While Xiao Yan in the arena was methodically and rapidly calcining the medicinal ingredients, someone outside the arena felt their emotions fluctuate violently because of this.

"This is? A Heavenly Flame!" Fa Ma stared in astonishment at the fiercely burning Heavenly Flame in Xiao Yan's hand.

"Truly incredible. Such a young Dou Wang, and he even possesses a Heavenly Flame that all Alchemists crave... Having lived for so long, such an unthinkable thing has actually appeared before my eyes." Old Jia's voice was also filled with emotion; today, he could consider his horizons broadened.

"Heavenly Flame..." Nalan Yanran looked at the flame Xiao Yan was using in the arena, her eyes appearing somewhat hollow.

Xiao Yan was an Alchemist who possessed a Heavenly Flame.

During this time, he must have heard, right? The Nalan Clan has been seeking an Alchemist who possesses a Heavenly Flame...

Suddenly, her grandfather's affectionate smile from her childhood appeared in her mind, along with the helpless yet doting expression he had when she was being naughty.

Nalan Yanran's eyelids trembled as she closed her eyes once again.

Suddenly, the figure of her grandfather coughing appeared before her eyes; it was him blaming her for acting on her own initiative.

Then the scene shifted, and the painful appearance of Nalan Jie before his death seemed to reappear, that heart-wrenching wail seeming to resound right beside her ears.

"Xiao Yan! How cruel your heart is!"

As if noticing something, Xiao Yan, who had just finished refining the medicinal ingredients in the arena, looked up toward the VIP seats in the distance and smiled indifferently.

Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, suddenly stood up, disregarded the gazes of the people around her, and walked straight out of the VIP seats, leaving the Alchemist Guild.

The so-called Three Year Agreement, at the moment Xiao Yan appeared, had become a joke! And that joke was you yourself, Nalan Yanran!

Xiao Yan in the arena placed the refined medicinal ingredients into different jade bottles, then poured all the medicinal ingredients back into the Medicine Cauldron one bottle at a time. The Heavenly Flame burned these powders, and every slight change in the medicinal ingredients appeared clearly in his mind.

The prototype of the Medicinal Pill had already appeared within the Medicine Cauldron. As time passed, it slowly formed into a complete Medicinal Pill, a "Bone Growing Pill"!

"Clang!"

The Medicine Cauldron was flicked open, and a round Medicinal Pill landed in Xiao Yan's hand. A Tier 2 Bone Growing Pill, successfully refined!

Liu Ling and the Little Princess naturally noticed the movement beside them. While shocked, they also felt somewhat helpless. "Heavens, why must such a monster compete with us! We have only just finished refining the medicinal ingredients!"

Xiao Yan boredly swept his gaze around. Various types of Medicine Cauldrons were placed on the bluestone tables, and over two thousand Alchemists were continuously refining medicinal ingredients, with some special-colored flames visible from time to time.

However, it did not keep Xiao Yan waiting for too long. Before long, "Clang! Clang!" sounds rang out continuously in the plaza. As the last small pinch of sand fell in the hourglass, one-third of the people in the arena were eliminated.

"Congratulations to those of you still in the plaza for passing the first major test. However, before proceeding to the next round of the competition, we must also test the Medicinal Pills in your hands. After all, as you know, there are always some who refine Medicinal Pills that look round but actually have no therapeutic effect at all." Fa Ma's voice was somewhat hoarse, and he spoke with a smile at this moment.

"Now, I ask all contestants to find the green button at the bottom left corner of your stone table, and then press it."

Xiao Yan found the few buttons of different colors in the corner and pressed the green button. Subsequently, the stone table suddenly trembled, and a stone slab slowly emerged half a foot high from the surface. The surface was slightly concave, revealing a tiny black hole.

"This is a testing machine. Drop the Medicinal Pill inside. Once it meets the requirements, the mirror in front of the table will light up with a green light. If it does not meet them, it will be a red light, representing failure and elimination. In addition, the brighter the green light, the better the quality; the deeper the red light..."

Hearing these words, the expressions of many Alchemists in the arena suddenly changed.

Xiao Yan held the Medicinal Pill and dropped it directly into the testing machine's opening. Immediately, with a "Bang" sound, a brilliant green beam of light shot up into the sky.

Liu Ling and the Little Princess beside him also helplessly dropped their Medicinal Pills into the opening, but the light was much dimmer.

Seeing this, the crowd did not feel it was anything surprising. If there was anyone in the arena who could surpass that Dou Wang Alchemist, that would be the rare occurrence.

Yes, the vast majority of the audience in the arena had almost already deemed Xiao Yan the champion.

It was truly unimaginable how such a young Dou Wang expert could have such high Alchemy skills.

"Hehe, this fellow Xiao Yan is truly unexpected. I only hope that Liu Ling and the Little Princess will not be so discouraged that they become dejected." Fa Ma chuckled.

"Sigh, never mind those little guys. Old Fa, haven't you been discouraged yourself? But it shouldn't be a major issue; I think they won't be foolish enough to compare themselves with such a monster." Old Jia shook his head, his tone filled with sighs.

Fa Ma's expression was also somewhat filled with sighs. Just as he wanted to speak, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked toward a remote corner of the plaza.

"What is it?" Seeing Fa Ma's reaction, Old Jia was stunned and asked.

"That person seems a bit off..." His old eyes narrowed slightly, and a sharp glint flashed through his cloudy eyes. However, after a moment, as if thinking of something, he suddenly sighed and did not say anything more.

Hearing this, Old Jia looked in the direction Fa Ma was watching. A strong green light lit up. Although it was still much worse than Xiao Yan's, it was clearly better than Liu Ling and the other person.

"Oh? Another dark horse? Hehe, quite good, quite good." But compared to Xiao Yan, what does this count as? After praising, Old Jia added in his heart.

The stimulation received today was already enough, and they had long since determined that Xiao Yan would be the champion of this Alchemist Convention.

Meanwhile, the idle Xiao Yan in the arena also looked toward that green light. It was a youth wearing gray robes, revealing half of a pale face. Between the cover of his bamboo hat, a pair of light blue eyes flickered.

But at this moment, the gaze looking at Xiao Yan carried a hint of confusion, as if unable to understand how such a person as Xiao Yan could exist.