Damned Healer-Chapter 727: Pure Showing Off

The first two hours of the day had already passed. At this moment, inside the tower, in a gigantic hall with an immense stage at the center, more than one hundred thousand people waited around the stage, extremely anxious.

This was practically a sacred competition for alchemists, and just being able to participate was already a great honor. As long as they managed to take the test, it would already increase their reputation and status; plus, they would gain a chance to learn by watching others. Many people had come just for that reason.

This competition only happened once per century. Because of the prestige of this branch, everyone in the universe is prepared to take the test here. But the requirements were extremely strict.

Darian stood in the middle of the crowd. His senses, however, were focused on a relatively distant figure.

It was a well-developed red-haired young woman whom everyone would think was fully grown, but she was actually only 15 years old. She had a lowered gaze and an apprehensive expression. Her red robes from the Golden Crow Sect were worn out; her fluctuations were also somewhat strange, as if she were internally injured.

Her appearance and aura couldn't have been more pitiful.

Darian knew this young woman well; it was precisely Limdiss.

After his uncle, the former Palace Master Baynod, was imprisoned and then all his crimes exposed, everyone who had any close connection to him, even without involvement in the crimes, began to be persecuted.

Baynod was someone who abused his great status and caused many deaths and much hatred. Everyone close to him had ended up benefiting from his power, and, in the eyes of people hungry for vengeance, they also deserved punishment.

Darian learned the whole story when he received information from Pyreus.

Limdiss's parents were simple cultivators of the sect, and Baynod, who was born on a minor planet in the solar system, was the only protection and power they had. Baynod tried to use his influence to create powerful relatives… but failed by spoiling them too much; they were all mediocre and irrelevant. That was, until his niece Limdiss was born.

Because of that, he devoted himself to her completely. And with his death… her world completely collapsed.

She was demoted to a simple disciple of the Flaming Hall, and the influence of people filled with hatred inside and outside the sect made her life a living hell. She nearly died once, being brutally beaten, but was saved by a sect Elder who sensed her by chance.

In the end… after one year, she was certain she wouldn't live much longer. But she endured because she had one last hope: to become an Alchemist Empress.

Her uncle didn't have much hope she could achieve that before, but he intended to send her to take the test to gain experience. After that, in the next test, she would be mature enough. But now, she had no choice.

Only by passing and gaining that great status would she receive the protection of the Hellfire Pill Sect and thus survive. For her, it was a matter of life and death.

Suddenly, the great gate in front of them opened, and a group of people slowly came out, flying above the crowd on the ground.

"Silence!"

The tower administrator appeared, and his icy shout ended the clamor.

"Let's begin by distributing the plates. As soon as you receive one with your number, go find your spot on the stage."

Many disciples in Hellfire Pill Sect robes moved, all carrying square tiles with numbers, distributing them to the people.

These plates also functioned as spatial rings. Inside them were random herbs and medicinal materials for pills. Each person would receive one, and no one knew what they would get.

Darian received his number. After that, he picked up a plate, then went up onto the stage and sat in his area. This stage was divided into small individual sections, each with four square meters.

Everything moved quickly; in less than two hours, everyone was already positioned on the stage.

"According to the rules of the elimination round, you may choose your own medicinal pills based on the materials you received in the plates. There are no requirements. At the end, the sect's great artifact will evaluate your pills and your abilities as alchemists. You have six hours!" the tower administrator's voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Let the elimination round begin!"

All the competing alchemists hurriedly took out their pill furnaces and medicinal ingredients, arranging them on their refining platforms.

The first thing they had to do was evaluate which pill they wanted to make. After that, the arrangement of medicinal ingredients around them was extremely important. They needed a plan for how many ingredients could be placed in order. This was to avoid mistakes during the refining sequence.

The higher the pill's level, the stricter the refining process would be. Some ingredients needed to be separated and left to cool for a long period after being refined into powder. There were also some extremely volatile powders that began to dissipate into the air after refinement; therefore, those medicinal ingredients were refined last, which ensured higher pill quality.

The herbs given to each person could easily produce several different pill levels. High-quality pills had extremely complex formulas. Any detail could affect the chances of a successful refinement.

All these people had been alchemists for many years, studying and practicing for a long time. Those who truly wanted to pass all chose to refine the highest-level pills, because they believed this would show the sect artifact their best qualities.

Some people who were there just to participate and knew they wouldn't go far quickly took the opportunity to observe the truly skilled alchemists working. That was their biggest gain, because no one could hide anything; this way, they could memorize and pick up many tips. Outside this tournament, it was almost impossible to get something similar.

"Hmm? What is that guy doing? What kind of broken pill furnace is that?"

All eyes turned toward Darian's stage. The other refining platforms were filled with medicinal ingredients. There were at least more than seventy types of ingredients they had taken from the plates.

But Darian's platform had only seven medicinal ingredients, and they were extremely low quality. It looked like he had deliberately chosen the worst stuff.

"Damn, I can't believe it! Isn't that a beginner pill furnace? My son, who just started studying, has one of those!"

It took a moment for someone to identify it. When they heard that and confirmed it, everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. What the hell was he doing? Was this a joke?

A beginner pill furnace could naturally only refine beginner pills. So, looking at the medicinal ingredients he had spread around… was he really planning to refine pills of that level?

"Candidate, what are you doing? Why not refine a better pill? And what's the point of that chamber pot of yours?" one of the supervisors asked furiously.

The idiots from the Golden Crow Sect were always eliminated right at registration. So everyone who passed and was here should have at least minimal skill.

"The Senior just said there were no requirements, right?" Darian said helplessly. "I also only know how to use this kind of furnace."

Darian was actually telling the truth. He hadn't even learned all the beginner pills and only knew how to make, more or less, about a dozen of them.

The expressions of everyone from the Hellfire Pill Sect changed. Just hearing that was already very embarrassing. But... he really was within the rules.

"Keep quiet!"

The tower administrator suddenly shouted, and everyone fell silent again.

Suddenly, countless flames began to appear from people's hands. They had already summoned their Pill-refining flames. All kinds of beast flames, colorful and magnificent, appeared.

The most eye-catching was the Golden Crow's golden flame that Limdiss was using. She had secretly received that Bloodline from her uncle before everything happened, to help her in alchemy.

Those alchemists who couldn't obtain a powerful Bloodline usually hunted powerful Fire Beasts; then they stole their cores and refined them into their bodies. In this way, they could create a stronger flame.

There were known ranks of Fire Beasts, and people could easily recognize them. Everyone there was using something of a high level of that kind.

"Heavens, isn't young master Mulloy's flame the Infernal Earth Drake Flame?"

There was a scarlet flame in one figure's hand, which made the crowd cry out in shock. Even Limdiss turned to look, her eyes slightly perplexed.

This kind of Drake had existed since ancient times and was nearly extinct, absurdly rare, and with terrifyingly high cultivation. Below flames that came from primordial Bloodlines, this was possibly one of the most powerful.

"Hehe, looks like I've won this time." That young master smiled arrogantly. Then he cast a glance at Limdiss.

He seemed to know her, and his gaze was a bit strange, like a predator.

She only snorted, her expression somewhat unpleasant. She was so focused on winning that she hadn't noticed Darian until now. But she did notice that man, since she considered him her main opponent.

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, a mocking laugh echoed as everyone looked toward Darian.

There was a light-red flame in his hand. It wasn't a beast flame, just a flame created using common fire-element runes that existed in the air of this planet.

Darian still hadn't received the Golden Crow Bloodline, since that was distributed in the sect every five years to deserving disciples.

"Was there some mistake? How did trash like this get into the competition? Did someone sneak him in through the back door?" someone mocked.

"Idiot, if you don't know, then don't talk. He's only seventeen, but his spiritual power is at the Celestial level. He must be a beginner who came to gain experience. What right do you have to laugh at him?" Someone who had seen Darian in line earlier defended him. He was an absurd talent who, in the future, would certainly become an Emperor.

Darian could only remain silent. He really did look pitiful in the eyes of these alchemists. But...

Suddenly, Darian smiled faintly. With a stretch of his hand, all his ingredients flew into his pill furnace simultaneously, and his flame entered the bottom of the furnace. His spiritual energy circulated, and his flame grew explosively.

"What? Was there some mistake? Is he refining pills or making stew?"

"Does he even know how to refine pills? He doesn't even understand he has to purify the ingredients first. Isn't he just playing around?"

"Hey, little buddy, you should add more water and salt, or the flavor won't be that good!"

Those who were just watching to learn immediately started mocking loudly.

The tower administrator ignored the shouting. The only thing against the rules was people directly disturbing their competitors.

The spectators' shouting was also a kind of test for the alchemists. It had to be known that alchemists always refined pills in a private room. They didn't allow anyone to disturb them.

But now, in this environment, refining pills had become much more difficult. If you couldn't calm your heart, the chances of failure would be extremely high.

This competition sought exactly this kind of tempering experience. Besides talent, an alchemist also needed a calm heart. Only such a person could continue on the pill path. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

If your heart became unstable just because of someone's random shouting, you would never be able to achieve great things.

Faced with insults and ridicule coming from all sides, Darian's expression remained calm. His spiritual power circulated, and his flame rose rapidly.

"This… this is…"

"Is this real life?"

After Darian's actions, the sound of the crowd's shouting stopped. In the end, everyone's expressions were blank. Even the pupils of the tower administrator and the branch officials contracted slightly.

The seven medicinal ingredients in Darian's pill furnace had already begun to be slowly refined, but they were still separated from each other and hadn't fused.

"He used his spiritual power to keep the medicinal ingredients separated. But the drain on his spiritual energy must be terrifying!"

Everyone was incomparably shocked. Darian's spiritual power was focused on seven different medicinal ingredients, refining them simultaneously. This was insane. They had never seen someone waste their precious energy like this.

Suddenly, the seven medicinal ingredients were refined into powder simultaneously and began to fuse.

"What?!" Finally, people understood what he was doing.

Normally, people refine pills step by step, turning each ingredient into powder one by one and then refining them into pills.

Looking at Darian's expression... they felt like he was too lazy to do that and just threw everything into the pot like he was cooking vegetables. After refining their essence, he immediately began fusing them.

In truth... Darian only knew how to do it this way.

His uncle hadn't wasted time teaching him advanced and boring things; Darian was just a curious kid, after all. So he taught him to do things in a more direct way, which would help him understand better in the long run.

Darian kept the medicinal powders separated. To outside observers, this looked like pure showing off. When others refined pills, every particle of spiritual power was precious and used with the greatest possible restraint.

If their spiritual power ran out at the end, the entire pill-making process they were working on would be lost. Therefore, spiritual power was extremely precious for alchemists.

Suddenly, Darian closed the lid of his furnace. After that, no one could see what was happening inside.

"Humph, he's just showing off. This is only a beginner pill, and we could refine it with our eyes closed. His trying to show off with something like this is pure ignorance… what?! The refinement is already finished?!"

Someone was mocking him when the pill furnace suddenly shook.

A medicinal aroma spread through the entire place. It was a clear sign that the pill was about to form.

"This… this is way too fast!" Everyone was dumbfounded. Was he refining pills or cooking meat?! He had barely closed the lid, and it was already done?

*Crack*

Darian's pill furnace suddenly became covered in cracks.

"That idiot, he pushed the flame too hard. Hehe, the furnace is about to explode."

*BOOM!*

As expected, the pill furnace exploded, drawing boos and laughter. But...

...the laughter was abruptly cut off, as if sliced by a knife.

"Impossible!"

All they saw was that although the pill furnace had exploded, a new translucent furnace appeared and enveloped the liquid that was about to turn into a pill.

"This is… the legendary… spiritual furnace…"

"How monstrous is his spiritual power?!"

At that moment, everyone on the stage stopped, hearing that absurdity.

Their gazes turned toward a single direction; upon seeing it... everyone turned pale with shock.

Among them, one young girl was the most frightened. In fact, she became completely catatonic.

"D-Darian..."

A primitive fear and hatred seized her soul at that moment.