"Look! Senior Yan Qing's pill flame contains a Celestial Flame Demon Crocodile!
I've heard Celestial Flame Demon Crocodiles live deep inside volcanoes their whole lives. They're fire-attribute demonic beasts. Many powerful alchemists extract the fire essence of Celestial Flame Demon Crocodiles to forge their own pill flames.
Today, I've truly opened my eyes."
Someone shouted in astonishment.
Everyone's gaze immediately snapped toward Yan Qing's direction. Indeed, they saw a large mass of pill flame burning fiercely in front of Yan Qing. Within that flame, the vague outline of a demonic crocodile roared skyward.
Ye Yunfei's eyes swept over the pill flames of Tang Feng and Yan Qing. He gave a faint smile, unconcerned.
Indeed, many alchemists would hunt fire-attribute demonic beasts or magical beasts, extract their fire essence, and refine it into their personal pill flames.
Pill flames refined in this manner were called Beast Fires.
Actually, within the alchemy world, Beast Fire was considered a relatively low-grade type of pill flame, not significantly superior to those flames refined using one's own spiritual power and Soul Power.
Only the nine Heavenly Fires and the eight Earthly Fires could be considered the world's top-tier strange fires.
However, Heaven and Earth Strange Fires were far too rare—encountered by chance, not sought after.
Of course, besides Heaven and Earth Strange Fires, there were other, lower-grade types of flame seeds that were quite decent too.
Ye Yunfei's gaze then turned toward the two peerlessly beautiful maidens.
"Interesting. Their pill flames are actually refined from the fire essence of the Three-Legged Fire Crow.
Although it also qualifies as a type of Beast Fire, the Three-Legged Fire Crow possesses a trace of the Three-Legged Golden Crow's bloodline inheritance, granting it astonishing firepower.
Therefore, the pill flames of these two are much stronger than those of Tang Feng and Yan Qing."
Ye Yunfei was slightly surprised.
Within the pill flames of the two peerlessly beautiful maidens, the faint silhouette of a three-legged crow could be seen.
BOOM...
Suddenly, the faint sound of rolling thunder resonated across the platform.
Following the sound, everyone looked to see a blazing mass of pill flame erupting skyward in front of the green-robed youth. Within the flame, sounds of flashing lightning and rumbling thunder could be heard.
"Hmm, so he captured the essence of lightning and thunder to refine a Thunder Heart Flame. Although it's far inferior to Heaven and Earth Strange Fires, it is still significantly stronger than ordinary Beast Fires.
If I weren't participating, this green-robed youth would undoubtedly win this second round of the competition."
With a single glance, Ye Yunfei discerned the origin of the green-robed youth's pill flame and couldn't help but nod faintly in acknowledgment.
The Thunder Heart Flame was considered a quite decent pill flame. He hadn't expected to find a strand of it in a small empire like Great Qin. It truly was a rare sight.
"Look!
His speed at extracting the medicinal liquid is astonishingly fast!"
Someone pointed at the ball of pill flame in front of the green-robed youth, exclaiming in amazement.
Indeed, within that intensely brilliant pill flame, the spirit herbs were rapidly melting.
It was clear to everyone that this green-robed youth's extraction speed was far faster than anyone else's.
"Hahaha! As expected, the overall level of Great Qin Empire's alchemists grows worse and worse.
One after another, your pill flames are all so pitiful. And yet you still have the nerve to bring them out for a competition."
The green-robed youth laughed wildly in arrogance.
Tang Feng and Yan Qing glanced at the pill flame in front of the green-robed youth, their expressions darkening somewhat.
Clearly, compared to this green-robed youth, their pill flames fell significantly short.
"Hmph, as I said.
Having strong Soul Power doesn't necessarily mean your alchemy skill is strong.
What's the matter? Too embarrassed to bring out your pill flame?"
The green-robed youth's gaze fell on Ye Yunfei. Seeing Ye Yunfei had still not moved, his face filled with undisguised contempt.
Tang Feng's eyes also swept over toward Ye Yunfei, filled with disdain.
"Haha! This trash is indeed only strong in Soul Power.
Now he's even too embarrassed to reveal his pill flame.
Utterly ridiculous!"
Not far away, Guo Shijie laughed with schadenfreude.
"I knew all along that this fellow was just a facade with no substance."
Lin Ming also sneered.
Yan Qing glanced at Ye Yunfei, her expression revealing disappointment as well.
Ye Yunfei paid no heed to the mockery from these several individuals and sat down cross-legged.
Extending his right palm, a faintly crimson pill flame emerged from his middle finger.
"Hmph!"
Tang Feng, the green-robed youth, Guo Shijie, and Lin Ming glanced at the pill flame Ye Yunfei had produced, their faces showing the same scorn, looking down upon it.
"Tri-Life Mystic Fire Art!"
Ye Yunfei began circulating the Tri-Life Mystic Fire Art within his body.
Whoosh… Whoosh…
The spiritual power and Soul Power within his body spun continuously, beginning to surge inexhaustibly toward his right-hand middle finger.
The Tri-Life Mystic Fire Art was one of the world's top-tier flame-conjuring arts. Moreover, it could both conjure flames and nurture them.
As Ye Yunfei's spiritual cultivation realm and Soul Power increased, the pill flame he produced would grow correspondingly stronger.
Furthermore, when necessary, he could even convert the spiritual power and Soul Power within his body into firepower, making the pill flame dozens of times more powerful within a short period!
Fwoosh… Fwoosh…
As the spiritual power and Soul Power within Ye Yunfei's body surged forth continuously, that little flame grew at an astonishing speed, constantly expanding.
Ye Yunfei pointed with his finger gently, and the pill flame flew out, enveloping the set of spirit herbs placed before him, suspending them in mid-air.
BOOM…
Instantly.
It ignited fiercely, emitting astonishing heat waves that filled the entire platform with a rolling, oppressive heat, as if standing within the mouth of a volcano.
The spiritual power and Soul Power within Ye Yunfei's body continued to pour out without end, converting into firepower, causing the power of that mass of pill flame to skyrocket.
In that moment, Ye Yunfei also channeled out a single thread of his Emperor's Soul Power, merging it into the mass of pill flame.
A single thread of Emperor's Soul Power possessed extraordinary might, far surpassing any type of Beast Fire!
Instantly.
BOOM! BOOM!
The mass of pill flame in front of Ye Yunfei combusted ferociously, emitting a roaring sound.
With the naked eye, one could see the spirit herbs enveloped within the pill flame melting at an astonishing, rapid pace.
In just a few short breaths.
All of the spirit herbs were completely incinerated and melted, transforming into a mass of jade-green medicinal liquid that floated suspended before Ye Yunfei.
"How is this possible?!"
Everyone in the entire plaza stared dumbfounded at the mass of jade-green medicinal liquid floating in front of Ye Yunfei, their mouths agape.
"I believe I should be the winner of this round."
Ye Yunfei retracted his pill flame, his gaze shifting toward Eunuch Ouyang as he spoke indifferently.
The second round—the pill flame test—was a competition of speed. It was abundantly clear that Ye Yunfei's extraction speed was the fastest.
"You… You…"
Eunuch Ouyang felt somewhat unwilling, but under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, he could not deny it.
He knew the true purpose of this alchemy competition, as decreed by the Emperor, was to select the most skilled alchemist to treat the Empress Dowager's illness.
Therefore, the more outstanding Ye Yunfei's performance, the less Eunuch Ouyang dared to suppress or obstruct him.
Otherwise, the Emperor would certainly not let him go.
"Indeed.
You are first."
Having no choice, Eunuch Ouyang could only nod and acknowledge.
"Damn it!"
Tang Feng, the green-robed youth, Guo Shijie, Lin Ming, and others were all filled with intense unwillingness.
Just moments ago, they had been mocking Ye Yunfei with sarcasm and ridicule. In the blink of an eye, Ye Yunfei had used action to slap them across the face.
"Too incredible!
First place in the first Soul Power test! First place again in the second pill flame contest!"
The crowd exclaimed in astonishment.
"This alchemist is quite remarkable."
Even on the high platform east of the plaza, the Emperor and his ministers began to take notice of Ye Yunfei.
The time of one incense stick later.
Finally, the second round of the competition concluded.
The elimination rate was staggering.
Only twelve alchemists had passed the test!
Among them, Ye Yunfei's results were the best.
Second place went to the green-robed youth.
The two peerlessly beautiful maidens tied for third, as their speeds were identical.
Fourth place was Tang Feng, and fifth was Yan Qing.
This result left both Tang Feng and Yan Qing feeling extremely dissatisfied.
Both their masters were renowned Fourth-Grade Alchemists of the Great Qin Empire. Yet they could only achieve fourth and fifth place. It was simply a disgrace.
Both secretly vowed to seize first place in the third round, the true pill-refining competition!
"Alright, let us now begin the third round, the true pill-refining competition."
Eunuch Ouyang stood on the platform and announced in a sharp voice.