Chapter 545: First Round Of Competition
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
At this instant, there were at least a million people here in Yong Ying Immortal Plaza. Because there were too many people, several of the seals around the plaza had been opened, this was to make things more convenient for the cultivators here to spectate the grand alchemy competition.
When Mo Wuji and Lin Gu arrived, this place was already filled to the brim. If not for a pathway specially for contesting pill refiners, the two of them would have to squeeze their way through go enter the competition area.
Fortunately, every contestant had a identity token which gives them two seats at the front. Thus, even though Mo Wuji and Lin Gu came relatively late, they were still able to find seats with the identity token.
Even after the two sat down, the alchemy competition didn't begin.
People were continuously streaming to the seats at the front, and soon, the seats around Mo Wuji were filled with people. Many of these people carried a heavy pill fragrance. There was no need to ask them to know that they were the pill refiners taking part in the competition.
The two did not sit for long when a person actually came to Mo Wuji's side and asked to buy his identity token using immortal crystals. Naturally, Mo Wuji did not hesitate to reject him. Fortunately, they were in plain view, otherwise, his identity token might actually get snatched away.
In front of where the pill refiners were sitting, there were two distinct regions. One was a stage that was roughly one to two meters higher than the plaza. It was quite spacious and there were rows of earth fire entrances. Mo Wuji only needed a single glance to know that this would be the competition area.
Further in front, there was an even higher altar. Mo Wuji guessed that it was for the judges and other big figures to sit.
After waiting for four whole hours, ten people walked up to the main altar.
As they were walking up, the originally noisy plaza quietened down. Even though there were more than a million people here, they were so quiet that you couldn't even hear the sound of their breathing.
A middle-aged man with a forthright appearance and a powerful aura walked to the front of the main altar. He first clasped his fists to the crowd before speaking loudly, "As the Heavenly Emperor of Yong Ying Immortal Domain, I, Kui Fengyun, represent Yong Ying Immortal Domain to welcome the immortal friends that come from the various other Immortal Domains. Even though I am the Heavenly Emperor of Yong Ying Immortal Domain, today, I am like everyone else, a spectator; spectating the most outstanding pill refiners in our entire Immortal Domain display their prowess. This is my honor, as well as my Yong Ying Immortal Domain's honor."
This was Mo Wuji's first time seeing a Quasi-Emperor level expert. This Kui Fengyun did look like a heroic figure filled with courage and valor. However, he didn't know whether this Kui Fengyun was just as Lin Gu said; a fake gentleman.
As Kui Fengyun got to this point, he slightly retreated backwards. He waited for the people behind him to stand forward before he continued, "At the same time, I welcome Pill Dao Immortal Alliance's vice alliance head, Immortal Friend Hu Zhenyu, Luo Ling Immortal Domain's Quasi-Emperor Mo He, Mahesvara Immortal Domain's Quasi-Emperor Song Yang, Vast Ocean Immortal School's School Master Wan Fan…"
Everyone that was introduced by Kui Fengyun was either a powerful figure or a Quasi-Emperor expert. Mo Wuji paid special attention to Wan Fan, this fella was the School Master of Vast Ocean Immortal School, and Mo Wuji’s enmity with the Vast Ocean Immortal School was not shallow. There was no need to talk about how Bai Chitian was killed by even, even that Fu Bei had been sent fleeing because of him.
He would need to be careful of this fella, if this fella were to find out about the things he had done, then there would be trouble.
"My Yong Ying Immortal Domain values fair competition. In this current alchemy competition, we specially changed the rules of the competition, allowing pill refiners from any Immortal Domain to participate in the competition. However, because of the limited places, there would still be some pill experts that are unable to participate. I, Kui Fengyun, would like to express my apologies for that…"
As he finished speaking, Kui Fengyun bowed.
Mo Wuji thought that this was really laughable; this fella must be angered horribly. Allowing pill refiners from all Immortal Domains to participate definitely wasn’t this Kui Fengyun idea; it was definitely due to the pressures from the other Immortal Domain. It was understandable that he wanted to say some high-sounding words about this.
"I, Kui Fengyun, have always been open and candid in the way I do things. So, to ensure the fairness of the competition, this competition will start in the fastest of methods and end in the fastest of ways."
Mo Wuji saw the disdain in Lin Gu’s eyes. Clearly, she knew that this fella was lying.
Mo Wuji also knew that Kui Fengyun should be lying. According to what Lin Gu said, Kui Fengyun should be at the edge of realising his Immortal Emperor Dao. The reason why he’s organising this competition wasn’t due to the competition in itself, but it was because he really wanted to sieve out the true experts in pill refining and drug refining. Kui Fengyun’s primary goal was probably to obtain the various herbs form the Yunxian Immortal Valley and pave his way to become an Immortal Emperor.
Kui Fengyun urgently wanted to realise his Dao, so naturally, he wouldn’t want this alchemy competition to be long and complicated; it was expected that he wanted it to end as soon as possible.
"There will be 3630 contestants in the Grand Alchemy Competition, and we are looking for the top 50. The competition has two rounds. The first round would determine the top 300 people. These 300 people will go on to the second round where we will determine the top 50.
There will be 60 places to enter Yunxian Immortal Valley. The top 5 will be given two placings each, while the rest of the top 50 will be given one placing each. My Yong Ying Immortal Domain’s Heavenly Emperor Mansion also has 5 placings. Only those with the placing jade tokens can enter Yunxian Immortal Valley; it doesn’t matter what’s your background or identity…"
As he listened to Kui Fengyun’s words, Mo Wuji finally understood how difficult it was to enter Yunxian Immortal Valley.
There were close to ten million people here. Most of these people were definitely here because of Yunxian Immortal Valley, or at least, some high tiered immortal herbs from Yunxian Immortal Valley.
On the other hand, no one really minded the fact that Yong Ying Immortal Domain’s Heavenly Emperor Mansion had five placings without competing. After all, the Yunxian Immortal Valley is in Yong Ying Immortal Domain, so it was perfectly normal for Yong Ying Immortal Domain’s Heavenly Emperor to have some placings.
"Because this alchemy competition is the foundation for the various immortal cities in Yong Ying, so after this competition, the low or intermediate grade immortal cities that obtain the top five places would directly be advanced to the high grade. Low grade cities that obtain the top 50 would advance to the intermediate grade, while intermediate grade cities would advance to the high grade. The high grade cities that are in the top 100 will remain in that grade, high grade cities that are from places 101 to 200 will be downgraded to the intermediate grade, while those outside of 200 will be downgraded to the low grade…"
The later part of Kui Fengyun’s announcement was basically Yong Ying Immortal Domain’s private matters; Yong Ying Immortal Domain was primarily using this alchemy competition to sort reorganise the grades between cities. Except for a few immortals from Yong Ying Immortal Domain, most of the immortals didn’t care much about it.
Mo Wuji was one of those that paid attention. When he heard that low grade immortal cities that obtain results outside of the top 500 would be downgraded to becoming subsidiary cities, he knew that even if he didn’t get a placing in the competition, he would not cause Water Ying Immortal City to become a subsidiary city.
"... In this alchemy competition, my Yong Ying Immortal Domain has specially invited the vice alliance head of the Pill Dao Immortal Alliance. Now, may we invite Pill Dao Immortal Alliance’s Vice Alliance Head Hu to preside over the competition." Kui Fengyun had finished announcing the rules of the competition, and he retreated back.
Pill Dao Immortal Alliance’s Vice Alliance Head Hu Zhenyu walked to the front of the main altar. Mo Wuji was completely unable to discern this person’s age. Perhaps it was became of his high status, or because of his attainments in the Pill Dao, Alliance Head Hu Zhenyu looked like he was an immortal standing within the clouds.
He Zhenyu didn’t utter a single word of nonsense; he didn’t even speak a sentence of courtesy as he directly said, "This competition would not have a judging panel, we will directly use a magic array to determine the points. The first round of the competition will now begin. May contestants with the competition token enter the competition area."
Mo Wuji stood up and walked to the competition area. Even though that Lin Gu said that Kui Fengyun was devious and cunning, and wasn’t as forthright as he appeared, but Mo Wuji could understand this Heavenly Emperor’s woes. If he was the Yong Ying Immortal Domain’s Heavenly Emperor and other Immortal Domains come to snatch your things away without uttering a single word of thanks, it would be weird for him to feel comfortable.
The thousands of pill refiners quickly found their spots and they each took their places.
Then, Hu Zhenyu continued, "Pill refiners would use their own pill furnaces for this competition; the pill fire would be the earth fire at the competition area. The first round would be the purification of immortal herbs; we will be purifying the Tier 4 Jade Pomegranate Immortal Grass. According to the pill refiner’s purification results, we will be picking the top 300 participants. Everyone would send the purified essences into the designated jade vases and inscribe your name and the immortal city you’re representing. The competition will now begin."
As he finished, Hu Zhenyu waved his hand and a pile of immortal grass was scattered out. Soon, a strand of immortal grass and an empty jade vase appeared in front of Mo Wuji.
Mo Wuji saw the immortal grass in his hand; it was indeed the Jade Pomegranate Immortal Grass. Mo Wuji was very familiar with this immortal grass. It was one of the less valuable immortal herbs in tier 4; it was mainly used as a supporting ingredient for detoxification pills. However, there was a unique characteristic of this immortal herb: it was relatively harder to purify. It would already be not bad for an average pill king to purify the essence to 85%.
If this was an ordinary competition, Mo Wuji might have concealed some of this power. However, since this competition affected whether he could go to Yunxian Immortal Valley and whether he could save Cen Shuyin, Mo Wuji did not have any intentions of holding back. The moment he ignited the earth fire, he placed in all his effort to purify the Jade Pomegranate Immortal Grass.
Because there wasn’t a time limit to this competition, even though Mo Wuji could purify the Jade Pomegranate Immortal Grass in the shortest time possible, Mo Wuji still continued to perfect his purification. He took close to an incense’s time before he finally extracted the Jade Pomegranate Immortal Grass essence and send it into the jade vase. Then, he inscribed his name and his representing city on the jade vase: Water Ying Immortal City.
Even though Mo Wuji’s pace was multiple times slower than his usual speed, after he finished, more than half of the pill refiners were yet to be completed.
Among the front rows of the audience stand, Yan Qianling whispered to her daughter, "Lianxi, point to me that pill refiner you were talking about."
Even though Wen Lianxi said that she had only met Mo Wuji twice, Yan Qianling still remembered Tan Liang’s words: Mo Wuji was a future Pill Emperor with limitless potential. If Mo Wuji was really not bad, she definitely wanted this future Pilll Emperor to be her son-in-law.
Wen Lianxi knew what was on her mother’s mind. She awkwardly pointed in the direction of Mo Wuji and said, "That’s him."
"So young? And he has already finished?" When Yan Qianling saw the incomparably young Mo Wuji, her heart was filled with indescribably shock.