Chapter 899: Kong Ye's Excitement
"What 'genius'?" a judge, overhearing Ming Xin's murmur, inquired. His gaze fell upon the surveillance formation, and he exclaimed, dazed, "He really made the Spirit Weaving Pill?!"
He was astounded. Even Kong Ye had deemed its creation impossible, yet this contestant had succeeded! Spirit sense recovery pills were exceptionally rare, at least Heaven-grade, and rarely seen, let alone used, by ordinary cultivators. Most relied on spirit attraction grass, a wasteful method that left many cultivators with permanently impaired spirit sense. A true Spirit Weaving Pill would revolutionize spirit sense recovery, causing a continent-wide sensation. And it had been created here, in this tournament.
Ye Mo assessed his work, releasing his Spirit Weaving Pill and then surveying the other contestants. Several explosions immediately caught his attention; one contestant was jumping about, ash coating his face. A quick scan revealed far more explosions than that – tens, at a casual glance. This was unavoidable, he knew. It was a new recipe, and everyone aimed for immediate success. Normally, cultivators would cease efforts if unable to complete the pill, but the tournament's pressure pushed them to the limit, resulting in numerous failed attempts.
Ye Mo then observed Ye Chengjun, who had produced three pills. Ye Mo sighed; this veteran was truly skilled. A triple Hall of Fame winner, he'd not only designed the recipe but successfully produced more pills than Ye Mo himself. His mastery was evident: recognizing twelve herbs, designing a viable recipe, and executing its creation flawlessly.
"Ye Mo from stage ten is the first to finish? Unexpected," the judges remarked, converging on his surveillance formation. "Huh? He really made it?!" "How is that possible?" "Amazing! If it's truly the Spirit Weaving Pill, Ye Mo's contribution to Luo Yue Continent is immeasurable!" "Who is this Ye Mo?" "Herb Pill Sect? Never heard of them!" "Kong Ye Qianbei is here!"
The judges rose as Kong Ye rushed toward them, visibly excited, even trembling slightly.
Mu Yiqing and her companions nervously watched stage ten. Seeing Ye Mo finish, Mu He shouted, "Martial Uncle Ye seems to be the first! He's incredible, isn't he?" But Uncle Zao and Mu Yiqing's expressions fell. While Ye Mo finished first, they weren't sure if he'd completed the task correctly. All top-ten contestants were more renowned than Ye Mo, yet he'd finished before them. They only hoped he hadn't made significant errors.
"Hmm, Ye Mo finished. Did he complete the task?" The tournament manager watched intently. Feng Jicheng, assuming failure, breathed a sigh of relief. "He probably failed. A pity, but he's a greenhorn, never before in a tournament like this, using foundation establishment-state chi fire."
Yan Jun retorted coldly, "Elder Feng, how can you be certain? He seems calm—not like someone who failed."
The manager sneered, silencing them both.
Fifteen minutes later, the examiner announced, "All contestants, cease work. Time's up. Place your jade bottles in the teleportation formation and remain seated. The top one hundred will be ranked." Ye Mo mused, 'So, the top one hundred of the Hall of Fame is decided before the third round?'
The examiner continued, "The top twenty of the second round advance to the third. The twenty-first to one hundredth place contestants conclude here, but they become new Hall of Fame members." Ye Mo understood: the rankings of the top twenty remained to be determined. On Earth, there'd be seven or eight rounds; he preferred this faster pace. He simply wanted the tournament to end; he had no desire for the third round.
At the judges' panel, everyone gathered around Kong Ye, who examined the Spirit Weaving Pill. "Kong Ye Qianbei, the pill tester awaits. Shall we test it now?" someone inquired, bowing.
Kong Ye frowned. "When did I say to use a pill tester?"
The man, bewildered, replied, "Elder Yu ordered it." He didn't understand Kong Ye's objection. Pill testers were standard practice, even for major sects with new pills.
Kong Ye waved his hand. "No need. I'll test this pill personally. If it truly recovers spirit sense, it's revolutionary." He paused, gazing south. "Our North Far State is fortunate to have even one cultivator reach the Hollow Spirit state annually, yet the South Peace State frequently sees ascension to the Immortal Realm! Part is due to our deficient spirit chi, but the main reason is our lack of, and inability to retain, exceptional talent.
Looking around, he continued, "This pill concocter created the Spirit Weaving Pill. That's crucial, not just for our state, but the entire Luo Yue Continent. This is talent." He sighed, "Ye Mo—" and consumed the pill.