Chapter 1108: I Will Prove I Am Better
“Such fast pill concoction speed!” Ji Ling exclaimed. He wasn’t a high-level pill master, but he could concoct a few simple spirit pills. Several others were already on the fourth step, but Ye Mo was the fastest. Only Jiu Qian, on step six, could compare.
Shen Guanqing smiled. “His pill concoction speed never faltered. As the difficulty increased, so did his pill concoction fire level.” The Cao Huan pill, the most challenging of the heaven-grade level one pills, presented no difficulty for Ye Mo. Just as he finished and prepared to ascend to step five, Jiu Qian completed his heaven-grade level three pill and moved to step seven.
On step five, Ye Mo joined Xu Banchang and Ji Youting, along with level four pill kings Qiu Niansheng and Qing Die. Xu Banchang and Ji Youting were poised to enter step six as Ye Mo arrived, while Qing Die had just begun her concoction. His appearance shocked them. Although Ye Mo had recreated the Heaven Glory Pill recipe, it was a spirit pill. The twelve pill king steps tested true pill concoction skill, and reaching step five indicated Ye Mo was at least a level two pill king.
Ye Mo chose the Soul Essence Pill, a medium-difficulty heaven-grade level two pill. He'd refined many, making him exceptionally quick. Jiu Qian's progress to step seven ignited Ye Mo's competitiveness. Jiu Qian, a similarly aged solo cultivator, possessed not only the Golden Page World but also the Three Birth Chant. Losing under those circumstances would be unreasonable.
Ye Mo didn't view the Three Birth Chant merely as a cultivation method; it held deep personal significance. Many of his abilities stemmed from it; without it, he wouldn't be who he is. Even if Jiu Qian won, second place would suffice. He didn't need to push himself to the very end.
Qing Die finished her heaven-grade level two pill to find Ye Mo already on step six, further astounding her. This level seven spirit pill master was unbelievably strong—he'd started step five later yet finished before her.
Xu Banchang and Ji Youting, having only refined a few herbs, saw Ye Mo ascend. Their determination to compete waned; they were certain he'd won the first two rounds through his own skill.
They couldn't understand how Ye Mo, a nascent soul state level five pill king, remained unaffected by the pressure. Even they, in the body condensation state, struggled to counteract the pressure at step six using their spirit sense.
Ye Mo was grateful for the purple frog he'd dissected. Without it, he wouldn't be there; at best, he'd have reached step four. The two shifted their focus back to their own concoction, accepting defeat. One prodigious genius was disheartening; now there were two.
Ignoring the other pill kings, Ye Mo watched Jiu Qian. On step six, he chose the heaven-grade level three Blue Carrot Pill, a pill for nascent soul state cultivator breakthroughs. It was precious and difficult to concoct; easily dissolved, resulting in a pill of form but no effect.
The Blue Carrot Pill’s main ingredient was the level six spirit herb, Purple Back Blue Carrot, of which Ye Mo had plenty from the herb garden. This wasn't his first time making it; he felt no pressure.
From step one, the judges had observed Ye Mo even more closely than Jiu Qian. Shen Guanqing watched Ye Mo's fluid, experienced herb refining, speechless. “I wonder how many times he’s concocted the Blue Carrot Pill. I don’t know where he gets such high-level spirit herbs.”
Yue Qichao shook his head. “Ye Mo has extraordinary fortune. Even with the best heritage, he couldn’t concoct level one and two heaven-grade pills so fluently without extensive practice. His success rate is nearly 100%. Even Xu Banchang only made nine pills at step five, while Ye Mo made twelve.”
Qin Muxin, swept from step four, watched Ye Mo on step six and sighed. Even her master had underestimated him.
“Pill King Qin, you know Luo Xiaomo?” Another pill king asked, noticing her gaze. Disqualification allowed open conversation.
Seeing Rain Pill Sect’s level two pill king Lao Xi, Qin Muxin replied quickly, “Martial Brother Luo performed exceptionally well in the first two rounds, so I'm watching. Does Martial Brother Lao know him?” She avoided revealing Ye Mo’s true identity.
Lao Xi nodded. “I saw him at the Truth Fall Palace; I didn’t think much of it then. I didn’t expect him to be such a powerful pill king. His heaven-grade pill concoction skills don't seem like those of a solo cultivator. With his proficiency, who knows how many he's made? I can't imagine a solo cultivator with so many high-level spirit herbs for practice.”
Qin Muxin chuckled but didn’t reply. Ye Mo had acquired countless high-level spirit herbs in the herb plain and visited the Truth Fall Palace. Knowing Ye Mo’s character, he surely acquired more than a few herbs there.
Ye Mo completed his Blue Carrot Pill, producing twelve flawlessly. Ji Youting and Qiu Niansheng had just begun pulling their Life Essence Pills, much easier to produce. Xu Banchang finished simultaneously, concocting the slightly harder Break Tiger Pill.
Seeing Ye Mo finish a heaven-grade level three pill as quickly as he did, Xu Banchang nodded in admiration. Regardless of his ability at step seven, Ye Mo was a prodigy amongst prodigies. He would be sought after everywhere.
Jiu Qian, having finished his heaven-grade level four pill, saw Ye Mo and Xu Banchang ascend. He didn't immediately proceed to level eight.
Approaching Ye Mo, Jiu Qian said, “You’re very good. Your performance in the first two rounds was impressive, but I'm sure you knew the pill recipes beforehand. That's why your scores were higher than mine. In this third round, I will prove I am better.”
Seeing Ye Mo's stunned expression, Jiu Qian continued, “Do you know how I know you knew the recipes? Seeing you use the Purple Flower flame. No one can use soul flare to refine the components of a level nine spirit pill. I can’t, you can’t, even Yue Qichao can’t.”
Xu Banchang stared, unsure why Jiu Qian was revealing this. Ye Mo was shaken, realizing the glaring flaw. If Jiu Qian noticed, so would the judges. How could he rectify this?
Watching Jiu Qian ascend to level eight, Ye Mo felt displeasure. Before Jiu Qian moved, he sneered, “You broke the rules. We’re not allowed to talk. You cheated. I didn’t aim for first place initially, but now you can only be second. Sorry.”