Chapter 894: The Controversial Pill Recipe

Someone had actually identified twelve types of herbs! Ye Mo felt increasingly uncertain. While he knew elimination in the first round was unlikely, the competition felt far less straightforward. He was aware that the first round's points contributed to the final score; even a single point could jeopardize his top-ten aspirations.

Ye Mo and the others watched the person who claimed to have identified the final herb. Even Qin Muxin's eyes shone with surprise; clearly, she hadn't expected anyone to reach twelve.

The speaker was a golden core tertiary stage cultivator, an old man radiating intense heat. Ye Mo instantly recognized the telltale sign of a rare fire seed—a master pill concoctionist. However, he didn't regret his approach. Dark-faced Tong wouldn't dare scrutinize an Immortal Herb Valley prodigy, but Ye Mo was a different story.

"It's Chen Qianbei, Muxin's mentor," Qin Muxin said, offering a respectful fist salute. The evident respect was mirrored by the others present.

Mu Yiqing, noticing Ye Mo's unfamiliarity, explained, "That's Cheng Yejun, three-time consecutive champion of the Pill Concoction Hall of Fame! A Level 1 Pill King. Few in the cultivation world haven't heard of him."

Ye Mo now understood their deference. He looked toward the judges' stage, surprised to find Dark-faced Tong absent. A wave of relief washed over him; it was best if that man stayed away.

Cheng Yejun, despite his age and rank as a Level 1 Pill King, possessed no air of arrogance, readily answering questions.

"Master Chen, how many herbs must one correctly identify to avoid elimination?" someone asked, voicing the collective concern.

Chen Yejun pondered, "This year's questions were unusual, particularly the inclusion of Spirit Attraction Grass. However, correctly answering eight questions, without using the Spirit Attraction Grass in your recipe, should suffice."

"Master Chen, why? I used it," someone exclaimed in alarm.

A woman in red replied, "It's obvious! Everyone knows Spirit Attraction Grass is unsuitable for pill refinement. Its inclusion guarantees elimination." Chen Yejun nodded.

"Why is it unsuitable? Why include it in the questions?" another contestant asked, his tone revealing his own use of the herb.

Ye Mo felt a cold dread. Had he, too, been eliminated? He hesitated to believe Chen Yejun, but the old man's assessment seemed plausible.

Chen Yejun addressed the anxious contestants, "If I'm correct, the Pill Association used it to expedite eliminations."

Ye Mo had overcome the challenge of the grass's incompatibility, but Chen Yejun's words revealed the judges' strategy: immediate elimination upon sight of Spirit Attraction Grass, regardless of other aspects of the recipe, to save time.

"So that's it!" A murmur spread through the crowd. Ye Mo's spirits plummeted. His intelligence had betrayed him; a random recipe would have sufficed. Why had he added the Spirit Attraction Herb?

"Martial Brother Ye, are you alright?" Mu Yiqing noticed Ye Mo's despondency.

Ye Mo sighed, "I used the Spirit Attraction Herb. I think I can go home now."

Mu Yiqing was stunned. Even he knew the herb's unsuitability. Why had Ye Mo, a Level 6 spirit pill master, used it?

Ye Mo cursed his caution regarding Dark-faced Tong. Had he not been so wary, he could have simply listed the twelve herbs and easily found a suitable recipe in his notes. He wouldn't have even needed to think.

...

While Ye Mo despaired, the judges were astounded by his pill recipe.

"Genius! He uses his spirit chi whirlpool to preserve potency and fully utilize the Spirit Attraction Herb in his spirit weaving pill. If this method works, it will amaze Luo Yue Continent," a judge exclaimed.

"Brother Wang, someone actually used Spirit Attraction Grass? Did you even bother examining such a recipe?" an old man asked, startled, interrupting his examination of the jade slips.

The comment drew the attention of all the judges. They eagerly sought a glimpse of the recipe.

"Blasphemy! If Spirit Attraction Grass can simply be added, I'll eat this jade slip! Yet, Vice Association Director Wang, you call this creative?" someone scoffed.

"Elder Yu is right. Many entries are nonsense. Creating a spirit chi whirlpool is difficult enough, let alone circulating the herb within it. I certainly can't. Perhaps this contestant surpasses me," another judge admitted.

Elder Yu sneered, "Sect Leader Qiao, we're Level 1 Pill Kings. Perhaps this contestant is more? Perhaps he possesses skills beyond our grasp?" The irony was blatant.

A pretty middle-aged woman interjected, "Elder Yu, your inability doesn't negate others' potential."

"Sect Leader Ming Xin, I'm stating facts." Elder Yu, a Level 1 Pill King, addressed the Level 2 Pill King, Sect Leader Ming Xin.

The woman stated plainly, "Let's not debate feasibility, but the theory's merit. Elder Yu dismissed it solely because of the Spirit Attraction Grass; isn't that hasty?"

"By the way, where's Tong Wusheng? He acquired a significant pill book; let him see this recipe," someone suggested.

"Brother Tong reviewed a few contestants who identified ten or more herbs and then left; he seemed hurried," another examiner replied.

Sect Leader Qiao concluded, "Given the differing opinions, let's have Kong Ye Qianbei examine it."