Translator: BornToBe
The Moon and Star Refining Furnace, which had been silent this entire time, suddenly began to shine. Stars appeared in the air, and it was like an entire cosmos was whirling around the furnace.
This sight finally drew people’s attention away from Ye Qian. Long Chen was still calm, but the fluctuations of the Moon and Star Refining Furnace were growing ever stronger.
The rust and worn-down areas of the furnace were still present, but they were no longer able to cover up the pill furnace’s divine light.
A ripple suddenly spread in every direction from the Moon and Star Refining Furnace. It was a gentle power that passed through the entire plaza. People felt the soft energy ripple by them.
After flowing out, the ripple faded. Things fell silent, with people simply staring in confusion.
After a while, the Moon and Star Refining Furnace’s stars began to move according to a set pattern. The flame fluctuations grew hotter.
Flames enveloped Long Chen, and a wave of heat made the experts present feel like they were being roasted.
“This idiot! He’s actually using such a violent flame just as the pill forms? The outside will be damaged, while the inside won’t be evenly heated. It would be crazy if the pill even condenses at this rate,” sneered an alchemist. This was the action of a layman. Did he think that he was cooking food?
Just at this moment, rumbling rang out. Tribulation clouds appeared in the sky.
“Senior apprentice-brother Ye Qian has finished his pill! The Heavenly Daos have sensed it and are unleashing pill tribulation!”
Ye Qian’s pill furnace was trembling. His Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill was about to come out for its tribulation.
“Hahaha, Long Chen, I’m done. You’ve lost,” laughed Ye Qian. He shouted, “Bring down the heavenly tribulation screen!”
The plaza became covered by a translucent barrier, and his pill furnace instantly called down. This barrier was made for blocking pill tribulation. The pill tribulation wouldn’t be able to sense the pill, and the pill wouldn’t be able to sense the tribulation.
After that, the lid opened and a wild spotted tiger came roaring out.
“Heavens, a top grade spirit pill form! Even without heavenly tribulation, it has its own spirit. Senior apprentice-brother Ye Qian is so powerful!”
Every spot on this tiger contained its own Dao-charm. The tiger itself was so powerful that a single roar from it shook their ears.
“Haha, Long Chen, now are you convinced of your loss?” Ye Qian stood. Light shot out of his furnace, forming a net that bound the tiger. However, it didn’t return to its original shape. He was clearly showing it off.
Ye Qian himself was very proud of this refinement of his. Although he had refined the Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill before, he was surprised to find that today’s pill was the best quality he had ever refined.
The Divine Pill Division’s disciples cheered thunderously at the sight of the tiger, while even the Elders were shocked at Ye Qian’s advancements.
The division head smiled proudly. Ye Qian was his disciple, and Ye Qian’s accomplishments were his pride.
He silently glanced at the Pill Doyen, expecting to see praise on his face, only to find that the Pill Doyen wasn’t even looking at Ye Qian or the Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill. Instead, he was looking up at the sky. It was unknown what he was thinking.
“Long Chen, don’t you think it’s time to admit defeat? Stalling for time will only show how much of a coward you are. Even if you manage to condense a pill, it will at most be middle grade, a defective product. You’ve lost miserably,” said Ye Qian proudly.
Everyone looked at Long Chen. Starry sky was still revolving around his furnace, but nothing else had happened.
“In terms of alchemy, Long Chen isn’t even fit to carry senior apprentice-brother Ye Qian’s shoes. He should hurry up and admit defeat.”
“Yes, just kneel and start barking like a dog. The bricks here are quite dirty, and we’re anticipating your performance.”
“What are you waiting for? Long Chen, are you planning on backing out? I’ll really look down on you then.”
Wan Qing was pale, with Shen Chengfeng feeling helpless. Although they had felt that Long Chen would lose, this result was still difficult to accept.
Long Chen suddenly smiled and pointed at the sky. “It would be best if you put away your pill now. Otherwise, your joy might turn into sorrow.”
“Long Chen, have you gone mad from your defeat? Don’t stall for more time. In front of my absolute power, your little tricks are a huge joke…” Ye Qian suddenly trailed off. Due to Long Chen, people were looking at the sky, only to see something strange.
Due to the activation of the barrier, the aura of the Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill had been hidden from the heavenly tribulation. So why were the tribulation clouds still present?
“This…” The disciples of the Divine Pill Division were bewildered. This had never occurred before.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning slammed down from the heavens, blasting away the tribulation clouds and striking the barrier.
Cracks instantly appeared throughout the entire barrier. It looked as if a second attack would shatter it.
“What’s going on!? Strengthen the barrier! Qian-er, put away the Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill!” shouted the division head.
“Turn off the barrier.” At this moment, the Pill Doyen’s voice rang out over the chaos.
“What are you talking about?!” The division head stared at him in confusion.
Ye Qian didn’t need a reminder, he immediately put away his pill, but there was no sign of the tribulation clouds dissipating. Instead, they only grew denser.
Lightning began to condense inside. In the end, they formed five giant vortexes of different colors.
“Heavens, isn’t this five-colored lightning?! I thought only a few rare cultivators could face such a tribulation!”
“Has senior apprentice-brother Ye Qian’s alchemy skills already progressed to the point of finding an unprecedented pill lightning?”
“Heavens, just what level has he reached? He’s in a completely different world from us! To be able to witness such a heavenly genius is enough meaning for this lifetime.”
Ye Qian was also staring in shock at the five vortexes of pill lightning. He hadn’t expected this pill to result in such a disturbance. Pill lightning was something common to the Divine Pill Division, but there was no record of five-colored pill lightning.
“Master, I wish to borrow the power of this tribulation to cleanse my Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill. Even if it’s a failure, I wish to experience it. This is not just an opportunity to me, but all my fellow disciples,” shouted Ye Qian to the division head over the thunder.
The division head nodded. This heroism filled him with pride. He looked to the Pill Doyen, expecting him to encourage Ye Qian. If the Pill Doyen wasn’t present, he would already be allowing Ye Qian to go through with it.
The Pill Doyen looked at him oddly. He hesitated for a moment and then sighed. “Have Qian-er retreat. This pill lightning isn’t his.”
“What?” The nearby Elders almost fell to the ground from their shock. If this pill lightning wasn’t Ye Qian’s, then…
They stared in disbelief at Long Chen. Their expressions were extremely odd.
“Master, are you worried about this Hundred Dao Merger Spirit Pill? I was able to refine one, so I can refine more. To exchange one pill for valuable experience in alchemy is worth it to me and the rest of the Divine Pill Division,” shouted Ye Qian, thinking that the division head was unwilling to lose the pill he had just refined.
The division head’s expression grew extremely unsightly. He didn’t know how to reply.
The other disciples of the Divine Pill Division were cheering Ye Qian’s name. Their worship for Ye Qian had reached an unprecedented point, filling him with pride. If the division head were to tell him at this moment that this pill lightning wasn’t his, then the impact to him…
“Ah, it seems that your master is too embarrassed to say it. Fine, let me. I’ll trouble you to move out of the way. My pill is about to come out of the furnace, and the tribulation is waiting for it.” Long Chen looked at Ye Qian sorrowfully.
The cheering came to a sudden stop. Everyone looked at Long Chen with shock.