Dan Chen directly announced that the champion of the younger generation's Alchemy Grand Competition was the Battle Saint King, and before everyone, he bestowed the champion's reward directly upon Ye Chen.
With a collective gasp, countless gazes immediately turned towards Ye Chen, their eyes filled with boundless fervor as they looked upon the two glowing orbs.
This concerned a portion of the alchemy scriptures and the unique manuscript of the Alchemy God. It could be said to record the significant alchemical achievements of an Alchemy God, its value truly immeasurable. Not only for ordinary alchemists, but even for the few Alchemy Grandmasters like An Mu and Liu Feng, it was absolutely an irresistible temptation.
One must know that the Alchemy God Realm was the supreme domain countless alchemists pursued their entire lives, a supreme realm that countless ninth-level grandmasters throughout history could never cross into in their lifetimes.
Now, the alchemy scriptures and unique manuscript awarded to the champion might contain guidance on the path to entering the Alchemy God Realm. Even if it were just a few hints, it would be of immense significance to many alchemists, like a lighthouse guiding the way in a pitch-black sea, undoubtedly helping them avoid many unnecessary detours.
Even the few Alchemy Grandmasters, including Grandmaster An Mu, could not maintain their calm and composed expressions.
Countless people yearned to examine the contents. Unfortunately, whether it was the scriptures or the unique manuscript, they were both enveloped by great Dao light orbs, with Dao runes flowing and special restrictions in place, completely isolating them. Outsiders' divine sense could not penetrate them.
This left many disappointed.
Ye Chen received them. Although he was also somewhat excited, he did not have the blazing, almost erupting light in his eyes like other alchemy prodigies.
After all, for Ye Chen, alchemy was ultimately just an auxiliary skill. Only by cultivating oneself to sufficient strength was the sole path to invincibility!
Naturally, as the champion of the younger generation's Alchemy Grand Competition, Ye Chen was granted the qualification to participate in the next grand competition, competing against alchemy masters and grandmasters from across the starry skies for the ultimate championship of the Alchemy Grand Ceremony.
Dan Xian, who had refined the Revival Pill, was the second-place winner and was also granted the qualification.
However, determining the third place was somewhat difficult, as both Xi Men Dao and Zhang Feiyang had refined seventh-level high-grade pills and had, to a certain extent, summoned tribulation clouds, which spoke volumes.
In the end, after deliberation by the high-level members of the Alchemy Emperor Clan, both were jointly awarded third place, each receiving the corresponding qualification to participate in the final Alchemy Grand Competition.
Having just undergone an Alchemy Grand Competition lasting five days, such high-intensity alchemy contests had taken a considerable toll on the divine soul power of Ye Chen and the others. Therefore, it did not commence immediately; they were given half a month to rest, recuperate their divine souls, and return to peak condition.
Half a month was neither short nor long. Including Ye Chen, the few participants rested directly on the Heaven-Suppressing Platform. The Alchemy Emperor Clan also provided precious pills—Soul-Returning Pills, divine pills specifically for restoring the divine soul. Taking them allowed the divine soul to recover much faster.
Everyone waited silently as days passed quietly. Half a month was insignificant to beings with sufficiently long lifespans.
During this period, while recuperating his divine soul, Ye Chen also examined the champion's reward—the Alchemy God's alchemy scriptures and the unique manuscript. He found their contents profoundly mysterious, worthy of being left by an Alchemy God. They were many times more profound and mysterious than Master Qingye's alchemy inheritance. Moreover, most of the content progressed from shallow to deep, giving Ye Chen many insights. Many previously obscure parts were resolved one by one.
However, this only concerned a portion of the Alchemy God's alchemical achievements. It contained various pointers and experiences for advancing to the master and even grandmaster levels. As for how to advance to the Alchemy God Realm, there were only some vague hints, not much detail.
Clearly, matters concerning the important achievements of advancing to the Alchemy God Realm, which could be considered the most crucial secrets, were not something the Alchemy Emperor Clan was willing to provide casually.
Nevertheless, it still benefited Ye Chen immensely. Moreover, having experienced an Alchemy Grand Competition, his alchemy skills had advanced by leaps and bounds in a short time. He had now at least stepped into the seventh-level alchemist tier. With the assistance of the small Alchemy Cauldron, he could confidently say he had the ability to refine eighth-level pills.
However, the next event was the ultimate Alchemy Grand Ceremony, facing alchemy masters and even some ninth-level grandmasters from across the starry skies. Ye Chen knew that as someone who had essentially taken up alchemy halfway, with his current alchemy skills, he had no chance of competing for the ultimate alchemy championship. Regarding the Alchemy Emperor's inheritance, he placed more hope on the Alchemy Cauldron.
After all, Master Qingye had mentioned that the small Alchemy Cauldron pointed towards the Alchemy Emperor's inheritance.
Moreover, during this Alchemy Grand Ceremony, it was highly likely that the Nine Cauldrons would truly merge into one.
He greatly anticipated the final merger and what the so-called "Emperor's Path Opens" actually referred to.
During this period, Ye Chen also felt the small Alchemy Cauldron constantly buzzing and trembling, something that had never happened before.
Clearly, it must have sensed the other cauldrons among the Nine Cauldrons, making Ye Chen even more expectant.
Soon, half a month passed. Ye Chen and the others had recovered, their divine souls restored to peak condition.
Simultaneously, under the auspices of the Alchemy Emperor Clan, the final and most grand, attention-grabbing Alchemy Grand Competition in the entire ancient universe finally began.
Alchemy masters and grandmasters from across the starry skies, masters and grandmasters from within the Alchemy Emperor Clan participating, including the four qualified young prodigies like Ye Chen—altogether, exactly forty-nine people, matching the number of the Great Dao's forty-nine.
As if by some special, profound mystery inherent in the universe.
Who would be the elusive "one"?
Participating in the final Alchemy Grand Competition was far more attention-grabbing than the younger generation's competition, because every participant was either an Alchemy Master or an Alchemy Grandmaster, truly top-tier, absolute major figures.
Especially the few Alchemy Grandmasters like Dan Chen and An Mu, whose alchemy skills were profoundly accomplished, could be called the pinnacle, exquisite to the extreme. It could almost be said the ultimate champion would emerge from among these Alchemy Grandmasters.
Although the alchemy masters were undoubtedly extraordinary in the alchemy path, a master was ultimately just a master. The difference of a single word was like heaven and earth, incomparable.
The reason these alchemy masters participated was entirely to compete on the same stage as these grandmasters, hoping to seize the opportunity to comprehend the mysteries of the grandmaster realm.
After all, opportunities to witness ninth-level grandmasters refining pills were rare. Moreover, when refining pills, they would often display grandmaster-level alchemy techniques, revealing part of their unique artistic conception, allowing others to contemplate it. For alchemists, this was an immensely beneficial opportunity, making their understanding of the grandmaster realm clearer.
They also harbored a sliver of hope, wishing they could actually win the championship.
Although the hope was exceedingly slim, no one was willing to give up, because this was the only chance to obtain the Alchemy Emperor's inheritance.
Including Ye Chen, Dan Xian, Xi Men Dao, and Zhang Feiyang, forty-nine people participated in the ultimate Alchemy Grand Ceremony. From the very start, it captured everyone's attention. Each individual in the ceremony displayed their great abilities.
Especially those alchemy masters and grandmasters. Right from the beginning, they demonstrated absolutely extraordinary alchemy prowess. Compared to the alchemy prodigies, they appeared much more formidable. One medicinal herb after another was swiftly tossed into their Alchemy Cauldrons. Within, Dao flames soared, rapidly refining medicinal liquids. Moreover, they purified medicinal liquids from several herbs simultaneously.
At this stage, naturally, they were not using pill formulas provided by the ceremony. They each had their own high-level pill formulas. Especially those grandmasters were undoubtedly refining ninth-level pills, drawing the attention of all.
Every time an Alchemy Grandmaster refined a ninth-level divine pill, it was a scene that drew the attention of all. How much more so when several were doing it together? It was an event that captured the attention of the entire world. Almost everyone's gaze fell upon Grandmaster An Mu, Grandmaster Gu Dan, Dan Chen, and others, watching them remain calm and composed, their every move exuding the bearing of grandmasters, inspiring confidence.
As for Ye Chen and the others, they had long been forgotten. In comparison, they were simply not on the same level. Only Dan Yang could be considered dazzling, as he was also an eighth-level Alchemy Master, but he still could not be compared to the seven ninth-level grandmasters like Dan Chen, An Mu, and Liu Feng.
Almost everyone's attention was focused on the alchemy competition of these grandmasters. Especially the alchemists, their gazes were blazing, watching intently without blinking, hoping to comprehend the mysteries of the grandmaster realm from it.
Regarding this, Ye Chen was also happy not to be noticed by others. At this time, he actually began refining Divine King Pills again.
He had sufficient medicinal herbs, especially the main ingredients. With several medicinal spirits here, there was no need to refine an entire medicinal spirit; just some roots and stems were enough to serve as the main ingredient. Because they were medicinal spirits, the effect of some roots and stems was sufficient.
A single Divine King Pill was not enough for Ye Chen to achieve success as a Great Power. He needed to refine a few more to greatly increase the success rate. Although he was already confident he could advance, the preparation of Divine King Pills was just for use at necessary moments.
He always acted with preparation!
Alchemy masters and grandmasters from all realms refining pills here, drawing the attention of all, attracted the observation of countless powerful beings. To avoid accidents, the Alchemy Heaven City had long activated its Emperor patterns. There were even Ancient Monarchs in the shadows, holding Supreme Emperor Weapons. If anyone dared to cause disruption, they would unleash the most terrifying world-destroying strike.
However, during this period, Ye Chen noticed that the group of Great Powers from the Soul-Sealing Hall were unusually quiet. Especially Qin Jiuyou, his pitch-black eyes deep like bottomless abysses, always giving Ye Chen a sense of foreboding, as if something was about to happen, making him worried.
He intended to warn someone, like Dan Xu, but the other party shook his head, saying there was no need to worry about anything because this was the Alchemy Realm, the territory of the Alchemy Emperor Clan. With all the Alchemy Emperor Clan's foundation here, they feared nothing. Not to mention anyone, even if an Ancient Monarch attacked, they would make sure he came but never returned.
This was the confidence of the Alchemy Emperor Clan.
Hearing this, Ye Chen did not press further.