Three days later, as the final session concluded, the first round of the Alchemical Pill Assembly came to an end.
Next was the process of ranking all the participating alchemists based on the records taken during the event.
However, due to the sheer number of participants, not all 150,000 would receive a specific rank.
Only the top one thousand would have their exact placements announced.
For the rest, every thousand participants were grouped into broad tiers, descending in order.
Even so, it took five days after the first round ended to tally the results for all 150,000 people.
During this time, Tai Lingxuan was very busy.
It was not just because she had found inspiration during her previous enlightenment and needed to constantly attempt to integrate the specific techniques of Heaven and Earth’s Yin and Yang.
It was also because the reputation of the Hehuan Sect had begun to spread.
Lately, there had been countless visitors seeking to establish good relations with the sect.
As the Sect Leader, Tai Lingxuan naturally had to host them to avoid appearing discourteous.
In contrast, Chen Yuyang had dived into the room next door and had not emerged for several days and nights, leaving no one knowing what he was doing inside.
With the conclusion of the first round of the assembly, the number of vacant rooms in the inn increased.
Lingxi no longer needed to share a room with Chen Yuyang and moved to the room next door the day after the round ended.
At this moment, within the Alchemist Sect.
In the grand hall, several elders were discussing the specific rankings for the top ten.
Out of the top ten, nine of them had nearly identical results, having produced twenty-two or twenty-three top-grade Qi Gathering Pills.
The only anomaly was Chen Yuyang, with his seventeen top-grade pills.
After all, the final score was not based solely on the resulting pills; the process, technique, and age were also significant factors.
In this regard, Chen Yuyang held a massive advantage.
Currently, the point of contention among the group was where Chen Yuyang’s rank should be placed.
“The Alchemical Pill Assembly has been held for countless sessions up until now.”
“Among the younger generation’s competitions, this furnace-less alchemy is a first.”
“Therefore, I believe that based on this courage and skill alone, he deserves to be ranked first,” Lingpozhu stated.
“Are you suggesting that the Alchemical Pill Assembly hosted by our Alchemist Sect should allow an outsider to take the top spot?”
A red-robed elder squinted at Lingpozhu and spoke coldly.
“I also believe that would be inappropriate. Although this youth’s technique is top-tier and unmatched among the younger generation, his final pill count was only seventeen. If we follow the normal order, he should be around the hundredth rank,” Qitian spoke slowly, expressing his opinion.
“But he is only fifteen years old. Even if he started refining pills in the womb, he hasn’t studied the alchemical arts as long as some of the other contestants. Moreover, coming from a small sect like the Hehuan Sect, achieving this level is truly difficult. We are selecting talent to prepare for the great war three years from now; how can we harbor sectarian prejudices?”
The group debated back and forth.
They were deadlocked over Chen Yuyang’s ranking, each having their own arguments.
Ultimately, the power of decision fell to the man sitting in the main seat, Zhu Tian, who had remained silent the entire time.
Zhu Tian leaned his chin on his hand, but at this moment, his mind was uncontrollably wandering toward something else.
Why!
Why did that brat refuse me?
Does my Alchemist Sect have so little influence?
Muttering inwardly, Zhu Tian shook his head helplessly.
Noticing the eyes of all the elders focused on him, he thought for a moment before finally speaking.
“In that case, give him the third-place rank.”
“With his level of skill, he deserves a high position, but it is also an indisputable fact that his pill count was much lower than the others. This youth is young; we shouldn’t lift him too high, lest he becomes arrogant.”
With Zhu Tian’s word, the final rankings were decided.
Not long after the decision, the list was posted on the bulletin boards in front of the Alchemist Sect’s main gate.
Hearing that the rankings were out, Yun Lian rushed over immediately.
On that day, when the great commotion occurred, she had been focused on her own alchemy.
It was only after she finished two days later that she learned all that disturbance had actually been caused by Chen Yuyang.
Over the past two days, she had heard countless people talking about how incredible Chen Yuyang’s technique and talent were.
This truly astonished her, and she realized she had completely misjudged him back then.
However, this also allowed Yun Lian to see some clues—clues of his uniqueness and extraordinary nature.
But if it was only this… it seemed it might not be quite enough.
It wasn’t enough to change her sister’s karmic fate.
There had to be other secrets hidden on this boy.
Otherwise, how could someone in the tiny Hehuan Sect master such profound alchemical arts?
Most importantly, her sister had been there for several months and hadn’t discovered this at all.
This implied another intriguing possibility: that he hadn’t spent much time on alchemy.
On the other hand, this also worried Yun Lian.
Because of Chen Yuyang, the Hehuan Sect’s reputation had suddenly skyrocketed.
Lately, quite a few people had gone to cultivate ties with the sect.
In this way, her plan to have the Hehuan Sect marginalized so they would naturally join the Sacred Sect was likely going to fail.
Although the Sacred Sect didn’t particularly care for the Hehuan Sect’s meager combat power, Tai Lingxuan, as a master of the ninth level of the Body Integration Realm, was still quite valuable.
In short, everything remained to be seen.
If things truly didn’t work out, she couldn’t force it.
The seeds had been planted, and the Sacred Sect’s deployment had begun; the most important thing was not to reveal too much and arouse suspicion.
Thinking this, Yun Lian arrived before the board.
Before long, she found her name.
Luoshen Cliff, Yun Lian, thirty-seventh place.
Yun Lian wasn’t surprised by this rank, as it was entirely within her expectations.
What surprised her was Chen Yuyang’s rank.
Third place!
So high!
The ones above Chen Yuyang were the top talents of the younger generation from the Qiankun Sect and the Alchemist Sect, alchemical geniuses who had been famous for years.
Most importantly, they were seven and ten years older than Chen Yuyang, respectively.
It was already self-evident whose talent was stronger.
If he could join my Sacred Sect, he would surely become a great asset… In that case, should I urge Yun Xiu to secure him?
Once he is deeply mired in her charms and cannot leave her side, I can reveal my identity and use both threats and bribes… and then drag the entire Hehuan Sect down with him…
Reflecting on it, Yun Lian felt this plan was highly feasible.
However, if that were the case, Yun Xiu would have to give herself to him…
Sigh, if it weren’t for the fact that I still need the convenience of being a core disciple of Luoshen Cliff, I would rather endure this hardship in Yun Xiu’s place.
But the only consolation was that the boy was handsome and had a decent personality, so he likely wouldn’t treat Yun Xiu too poorly.
“Sister Yun, your rank is quite high.”
Just as Yun Lian was secretly contemplating this matter, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
Deep in thought, Yun Lian was startled by the voice and shuddered, quickly reacting to who the newcomer was.
“Oh, you gave me a fright! Brother Chen, don’t talk behind people so suddenly.”
“I’ve been here for a while, so how can it be considered sudden? Rather, Sister Yun, what were you thinking about so intently?”
Chen Yuyang asked with a smile.
Yun Lian immediately let out a graceful smile.
“I was naturally thinking about my extraordinarily gifted Brother Chen. How did I not see before that you were such a genius?”
Chen Yuyang smiled and glanced at the position of Yun Lian’s name on the list.
“I was just lucky. On the other hand, your skill, Sister Yun, is truly impressive.”
Yun Lian shook her head.
“Brother Chen, being too humble can be quite annoying.”
“Then does Sister Yun find me annoying?”
“Of course not.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
Yun Lian opened her mouth slightly, looking at the casual smile on the youth’s face and hearing his words.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond, but she found it amusing.
This boy certainly had a silver tongue.
“Senior Brother, it’s third place!”
On the other side, Lingxi, who had come along with Chen Yuyang to see the rankings, covered her mouth in shock.
A look of slight surprise also appeared on Tai Lingxuan’s face.
She only knew that Chen Yuyang should be able to pass the first round steadily, but she never expected him to be ranked third.
This child was truly overqualified to be her disciple.
As his master, she had nothing substantial she could give him.
She could only help him increase his realm through dual cultivation and such, which made her feel truly guilty.
“Senior Brother, congratulations!”
Lingxi immediately rubbed her hands together and came over to tug at Chen Yuyang’s sleeve.
“After you become famous and successful… no, after you stand out from the crowd, you mustn’t forget your junior sister!”
Chen Yuyang intentionally acted confused, tilting his head.
“What? What did you say? I can’t hear you clearly.”
“Hmph, stingy Senior Brother! However, since you got such a high rank, you have to treat me to a good meal tonight no matter what!”
Lingxi immediately continued, “I heard there’s a place in Alchemist City that specializes in medicinal cuisine. The taste is superb, but the price is a bit…”
Chen Yuyang secretly rolled his eyes.
This girl was actually thinking about that.
“That’s not right. Since I’m among the top ranks, shouldn’t it be you, Junior Sister, who celebrates for me?”
Chen Yuyang grabbed the girl’s arm to prevent her from running away while asking in return.
“Ah, this…”
Lingxi blinked her eyes, momentarily speechless.
After a long while, she bit her lip and painfully pulled out over a dozen mid-grade spirit stones…
“That… this is all the savings I have… Senior Brother, do you have the heart to bleed me dry?”
Chen Yuyang shook his head helplessly and sighed.
“Sigh, I really can’t do anything with you.”
“Fine. Since you don’t have enough spirit stones, Junior Sister, then I will just have to…”
As he spoke, Chen Yuyang pulled out ten top-grade spirit stones.
Lingxi’s face instantly lit up with joy, and she shook Chen Yuyang’s arm.
“I knew Senior Brother was the best to me.”
“What are you saying? I’m lending them to you.”
Chen Yuyang widened his eyes and said loudly, “Three percent interest. Remember to pay it back, okay?”
Lingxi was dumbstruck. Biting her lip, she took the spirit stones reluctantly.
“Then, then if I can’t pay it back… can I only offer my bo—”
“Cough, cough, cough, cough!”
Before those words—whether serious or joking—could be finished, Tai Lingxuan coughed violently twice.
“What are you two talking about? It’s just a meal. Does it really require you two juniors to pay?”
“Let’s go, Lingxi. Today is a good day. You lead the way to that restaurant. As master and disciples, we shall celebrate properly.”