Immortal Venerable of the Beast Race
Chapter 299 - 212 Alchemy Competition_1

Chapter 299: 212 Alchemy Competition_1

Shen Long took out the Corpse Pearl and a green gourd, dropping the Corpse Pearl into the gourd.

The gourd was filled with a large amount of clear water; if the Corpse Pearl still had poison, it could contaminate the water.

He was quite cautious and wanted to make sure the Corpse Pearl was non-toxic before consuming it.

He took out a Blood Flood Dragon Pill and placed it in his mouth.

As soon as the elixir touched his tongue, it melted, and not long after, a tremendous energy rose from his abdomen, and he began cultivating to refine this energy.

A red glow slowly appeared on the surface of his body, enveloping him completely.

······

In a five-story golden pavilion, Zhou Yuliang and a voluptuous woman in a purple dress were sitting in chairs, sipping tea and chatting leisurely.

"I didn’t expect we’d be able to collect a third rank Golden-Eyed Beast’s Demon Core, this is an unexpected joy," Zhou Yuliang said, smiling.

"With him taking out so many third rank Demon Cores, including many rare ones, I don’t believe he got them in exchange for elixirs. The Spirit Control Sect excels in insect repelling and beast taming; he must have the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Powder. It makes hunting Monster Beasts much easier. My husband could only impress him with a Corpse Pearl, to obtain the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Powder, we’d need to offer something even more precious," the woman in purple guessed.

Chen Yushan, Core Formation Middle Stage.

"That’s what I’m thinking too. Let’s have more contact with him first! When Yu Yan and the others went to the Wang Family’s celebration last time, they didn’t provide us with any information about Taoist Friend Shen. I guess he wasn’t very noteworthy back then, and they missed out," Zhou Yuliang analyzed.

"Definitely, it’s not too late to increase our contact now," Chen Yushan nodded in agreement.

······

Over four months quickly passed, Qingcan Court.

Shen Long, Zhou Yuliang, Chen Sang, and Han Lin were sitting in an azure stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting leisurely.

Shen Long had been in the Tiandan Marketplace for over four months, getting to know quite a few Core Formation cultivators. He had traded away most of the Cultivation Resources he brought back from the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm, in exchange for many Spiritual Medicines with an age of six to seven hundred years.

The alchemy systems of Donghua Cultivation Realm and the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm were different; alchemists in Donghua Cultivation Realm mainly used Spiritual Medicines for alchemy, while most alchemists in the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm used Demon Cores as the main ingredients, supplemented by Spiritual Medicines.

"I didn’t expect Taoist Friend Chen to have gone to Myriad Flame Valley," Shen Long exclaimed in surprise.

"I’m lucky I ran fast, or I would have been slain by the Three-Eyed Fire Toad," Chen Sang said with a lingering fear visible on his face.

"Taoist Friend Zhou, considering you’ve come all the way to Donghua Cultivation Realm, do you have any interest in taking a trip to either Myriad Flame Valley or Burial Immortal Tomb?" Chen Sang asked casually.

"I’m not interested. Without a good reason, I wouldn’t want to adventure in either of these places for nothing. Everyone knows there are plenty of good things in these two places, but few treasure hunters come out alive," Zhou Yuliang said with a serious expression.

"Taoist Friend Zhou is wise. There’s no need to go to those places unnecessarily," Shen Long agreed deeply.

After chatting for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Chen Sang and Han Lin took their leave.

"Taoist Friend Shen, if I may be so bold to ask, did you encounter a third rank Golden-Eyed Beast during your time in the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm?" Zhou Yuliang asked politely.

Shen Long pondered for a moment before replying, "I happened upon one by chance."

In fact, he came across the Golden-Eyed Beast while searching for a third rank Flood Dragon at the bottom of the sea.

"Taoist Friend Shen, I heard that your Spirit Control Sect has Nine Curves Demon Tempting Powder, and I’m interested in purchasing it from you. Name your price," Zhou Yuliang said earnestly.

"It will depend on what Taoist Friend Zhou is willing to offer," Shen Long said, his words heavy with implication.

He wouldn’t be returning to the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm anytime soon and wouldn’t need the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent for a while, so selling it to Zhou Yuliang wouldn’t be an issue.

"This is a third rank Strong Golden-Backed Ape, with a Purity of Bloodline at three. How about that?" Zhou Yuliang presented a yellow Spirit Beast bag, proposing.

Shen Long immediately shook his head. If the Purity of Bloodline reached four, he might have been interested.

Zhou Yuliang pondered for a moment, then took out a golden gourd and handed it to Shen Long, saying, "This is Golden Hao Jade Liquid, which can strengthen the body. It’s a secret medicine exclusive to our Zhou Family, and it is very difficult to refine. What do you think?"

Shen Long pulled out the gourd’s stopper, and a surge of pure Spiritual Energy burst forth.

"Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent can be used for a very long time; this bit of Golden Hao Jade Liquid isn’t enough," Shen Long frowned and said.

"Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent? Is there a difference between that and the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Powder?"

Zhou Yuliang asked.

"I refined the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Powder into the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent, which is more effective. If you bring out some more Golden Hao Jade Liquid, that would be about right,"

Shen Long said.

He had long heard of the Zhou Family’s Golden Hao Jade Liquid and its excellent body strengthening effects.

Zhou Yuliang took out a yellow gourd and passed it to Shen Long, who pried open the gourd’s stopper, and a rush of pure spiritual energy burst forth. He nodded in satisfaction, took out the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent, and handed it to Zhou Yuliang.

Zhou Yuliang sought advice from Shen Long on how to use the Nine Curves Demon Tempting Scent, and Shen Long told him truthfully.

After chatting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhou Yuliang took his leave.

Shen Long entered a secret room and sat down to meditate and regulate his breath.

Early the next morning, Shen Long left his residence and arrived at a vast Azure Stone Plaza, where many cultivators had gathered. The plaza had several hundred azure stone platforms, each over ten zhang in size.

Today was the alchemy competition, where participants provided their own materials. Each person would publically refine elixirs with one portion of materials, with the quality and quantity of the pills determining the rankings.

Shen Long took out his participant badge. After the Medicine King Valley disciples verified it was correct, they directed him to step onto an azure stone platform. Ye Hongyao, Zhou Yuliang, Lin Qing, Zhao Feng, and many others each took a place on a stone platform. Over three hundred Core Formation cultivators were taking part in the alchemy competition.

Ye Sen, acting as the judge, oversaw the start of the competition; thick azure light screens appeared around each stone platform, enveloping them.

Shen Long and the other participants began their alchemy as tens of thousands of cultivators watched.

Shen Long summoned the Scarlet Crow Cauldron and took out the alchemy materials.

He glanced at the other participants. Some Core Formation cultivators had already started their alchemy, most were still sitting quietly, and some were observing others’ alchemy.

Shen Long paid no mind to the others and took out a green incense burner, lit a green incense stick, and placed it in the burner.

This was Tranquility Incense! It could rapidly focus one’s spirit and enter a cultivation or alchemical state.

After sitting quietly for a short while, he adjusted himself to the optimal state and began making elixirs.

He exhaled a flare of green and red flames that fell to the bottom of the Scarlet Crow Cauldron.

The Red Lotus True Flame had devoured a second-tier Spirit Flame and remained second-tier. However, its power had significantly increased, and Shen Long used it for alchemy, which improved the efficiency and the rate of successful pill formation.

Before long, the pre-heating was sufficient and he started throwing the materials into the Scarlet Crow Cauldron, then covered it with the cauldron lid.

As time passed, a faint fragrance of medicine drifted from within the cauldron.

Half an hour later, most alchemists had begun their processes.

Seven days swiftly passed, and the crowd of onlooking cultivators had mostly dispersed, attending to their own matters.

"Someone has succeeded in alchemy, and so quickly!" someone exclaimed.

The attention of the cultivators swept across, landing on Zhou Yuliang, who possessed a third-tier Spirit Flame, making his alchemical efficiency very high.

"It appears that Taoist Friend Zhou has a third-tier Spirit Flame, no wonder his alchemy efficiency is so high. Eh, there is also another participant with a third-tier Spirit Flame," Qin Hu said in amazement, his gaze settling on a slender girl in a golden dress.

The girl in the golden dress had average features and fair skin; in front of her was a golden furnace.

Her aura indicated that she was only at the middle stage of Core Formation.

Ye Sen wore a puzzled look; it was understandable that Zhou Yuliang, who came from the Zhou Family, possessed a third-tier Spirit Flame, but the girl in the golden dress had an unclear background and yet also had a third-tier Spirit Flame.

Of the more than three hundred third-tier alchemists, only two used a third-tier Spirit Flame for alchemy. There were more than ten alchemists with second-tier Spirit Flames, and Shen Long was one of them.

He had not yet succeeded in alchemy and did not pay attention to the other participants; he focused on refining the Beast Nurturing Pill.

"Junior has finished alchemizing and requests Senior Ye to send someone to inspect," Zhou Yuliang announced.

"I have also finished my alchemy, and I request Senior Ye to send someone for inspection," the girl in the golden dress spoke up.

Ye Sen nodded and dispatched two Core Formation cultivators, along with several onlookers, to the stone platform, to avoid accusations of unfair practices on Medicine King Valley’s part.

Zhou Yuliang refined twenty-three top-grade elixirs, and the girl in the golden dress also refined twenty-three top-grade elixirs. Twenty-four pills were the full yield, so their performances were already quite good.

Ye Sen consulted the roster to find the information on the girl in the golden dress.

The girl in the golden dress was named Lin Qian, with no known background.

Ten days later, Shen Long also succeeded in alchemy, producing twenty top-grade Beast Nurturing Pills, and Ye Sen sent someone for inspection.

At this time, most alchemists were still busy with their alchemy.

Based solely on the number of pills, Shen Long was currently in fourth place.

Shen Long left and began to wander the streets, waiting for the other alchemists to finish, which would take at least half a month.

He strolled around the marketplace, purchasing some artifact-refining materials, and then returned to Qingcan Court.

Ice Silkworm True Person was not present, having left for an unknown destination.

Shen Long entered a secret room, took out a golden gourd, and consumed the Golden Hao Jade Liquid to temper his body.