"I believe that I am the winner!"
No one saw anything wrong with Huo Shenyu claiming himself as the winner.
A Grade-5 pill!
A difference no one in the younger generation could bridge.
On the Vermillion Pill Empire's side, several elders nodded with satisfaction, their expressions filled with pride.
So even looked toward the Desolate Heaven Empire with faint amusent, as if this outco had always been inevitable.
Almost imdiately, voices rose from all directions.
"As expected of Huo Shenyu! We knew you would win!"
"Who here could possibly compete with you?"
"A Grade-5 pill... sigh... compared to you, the rest are ordinary!"
"You truly live up to your reputation!"
Praise flowed endlessly.
So were sincere.
Others... not so much.
But no one dared to oppose the tide.
It was as if the competition had already ended the mont Huo Shenyu declared himself the winner.
One of the representatives from the Vermillion Pill Empire stepped forward, his face beaming with delight.
"Hahaha! Such an achievent cannot go uncelebrated!"
He clasped his hands, his voice carrying across the hall.
"A Grade-5 pill at such an age... this is unprecedented!"
He turned toward Huo Shenyu, his eyes shining.
"We must hold a grand celebration for Young Master Huo! An event worthy of this mont!"
At those words, several others imdiately echoed in agreent.
"Indeed! This deserves to be commorated!"
"A banquet is a must!"
"The entire Eastern Region should know of this!"
The montum shifted once again.
From praise-
To glorification.
Huo Shenyu listened calmly.
Then, he gave a slight nod.
"As you wish."
His tone was composed, but the faint pride in his eyes did not fade. "In one month..."
He paused briefly, glancing across the gathered empires.
"...the Vermillion Pill Empire will send out invitation letters."
A faint smile appeared.
"I hope all of you will attend!"
The words sounded polite.
But everyone present understood the deeper aning.
This wasn't just a celebration. It was a declaration.
An announcent to the entire region of his achievent.
Also the Vermillion Pill Empire's continued supremacy.
This will also diminish the influence of Mu Tianxuan who has just beco Grandmaster Alchemist.
As expected, no one dared to reject it.
"Of course! We will definitely attend!"
"How could we miss such a grand occasion?"
"To witness the rise of such a genius-it is our honor!"
Voices rang out one after another.
Agreent ca swiftly.
Even those who felt uncomfortable could only nod along.
Then, soone said with a sigh of admiration-
"Today... we have witnessed a dragon ascend."
The words spread softly through the hall.
And at the center of it all, Huo Shenyu stood tall, basking in the recognition.
"Phui! Hahahahahaha...!"
A sudden, unrestrained laugh shattered the atmosphere.
It echoed loudly through the hall. Instantly, all voices stopped.
Every gaze turned toward the source.
Bai Zihan!
He stood there, one hand covering his face slightly, his shoulders trembling as laughter continued to escape him.
It wasn't polite.
It wasn't restrained.
It was the kind of laughter one would have when watching the most ridiculous
performance imaginable.
A complete clown show.
...
The entire hall fell into an awkward silence.
Not far away, Bai Xueqing's expression changed. She quickly stepped closer,
lowering her voice urgently.
"Stop it! What are you doing?!"
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Do you even realize where you are? If you keep this up, it won't look good for
the Mu Clan."
In her eyes, Bai Zihan was clearly stirring trouble again-at the worst possible
mont.
But Bai Zihan didn't stop. If anything, his laughter only softened, turning more
amused.
Finally, he lowered his hand.
His gaze swept across the hall.
Then, without the slightest attempt to hide it, he spoke loudly.
"When a clown performs..."
A pause.
"...shouldn't the audience show respect by laughing?"
Silence!
His words hung in the air like a slap.
Then he tilted his head slightly, looking toward the Desolate Heaven Empire's
side.
His expression turned almost puzzled.
"Why aren't you laughing?"
The confusion in his tone felt genuine, as if he truly couldn't understand.
The crowd stiffened.
Expressions turned strange.
Everyone understood.
There was no ambiguity.
Bai Zihan was referring to Huo Shenyu and those who were just praising him.
On the Vermillion Pill Empire's side, expressions darkened instantly.
And at the center, Huo Shenyu's face hardened.
His eyes locked onto Bai Zihan.
A trace of anger flickered within.
"So this is how the Desolate Heaven Empire treats its guests?"
His voice was calm.
But beneath it, there was clear hostility.
"If you cannot win..."
A faint sneer ford.
"...you resort to insults?" He took a step forward.
The oppressive aura around him didn't diminish-instead, it seed to grow
sharper.
"Young Master Bai, don't be such a sore loser."
The words landed heavily.
The tension in the hall surged once more.
"Sore loser?"
Bai Zihan repeated the words, as if amused by them.
Then he tilted his head slightly, a faint smile still lingering on his lips.
"Why would I be a sore loser?"
His tone wasn't angry. Huo Shenyu shook his head slowly, his gaze filled with disdain.
Clearly, in his eyes, Bai Zihan was simply refusing to accept reality. "There is still soone who has yet to complete her pill refinent..." Bai Zihan continued, his voice calm yet carrying clearly across the hall.
"And you are already claiming victory? Aren't you a bit hasty?"
A slight ripple passed through the crowd.
Only then did many realize-there was indeed one person left.
Mu Linyue!
All eyes turned. She still stood before her cauldron, her expression focused, her
hands steady as she controlled the fla.
Huo Shenyu let out a faint scoff.
"There is no need to wait."
His voice was firm and decisive.
"A Grade-3 alchemist-"
He glanced toward Mu Linyue, then back at Bai Zihan.
--^^
"Does Young Master Bai truly not understand the difference between us?"
A trace of arrogance surfaced fully now.
"Even if she breaks through on the spot..."
He paused
"...she can, at best, refine a Grade-4 pill."
His lips curled slightly.
"It is aningless!"
Absolute confidence. Not even a hint of doubt. To him, this outco was
already decided.
Bai Zihan didn't react. He simply looked toward Mu Linyue for a mont.
Then back at Huo Shenyu.
"Well, we won't know until we see for ourselves."
His tone was casual but it caused many to frown.
So from the Vermillion Pill Empire were already about to speak, their
expressions filled with ridicule.
"What is there to see-"
But before they could continue, Huo Shenyu raised a hand slightly.
He looked at Bai Zihan for a mont.
Then a cold smile appeared.
"Very well! If you insist..." He clasped his hands behind his back.
"We shall see what kind of pill she can refine. What
Don't you all agree?"
a few more minutes?
With Huo Shenyu saying those words, others could only play along, even though they thought it was just a waste of ti.
At that mont, all attention shifted once more. Toward Mu Linyue.
Her cauldron trembled faintly.
The fla beneath it flickered with increasing intensity.
She was also at the final stage, Pill formation.
Her expression remained calm and focused.
Completely unaware-or perhaps completely indifferent-to the storm of gazes
now fixed upon her.
User Comments
0 comments from readers