Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The contestâs rules were as follows: The Elixir Fire Union and the Elixir Association would each send ten youthful alchemists to pass three exams, and the factions that had the highest number of people passing all exams successfully would win.
The faction that would lose would need to hand over one of the ten greatest alchemy techniques. Regardless of which one lost or won, it would still cause a great impact.
Once the new faction, Elixir Fire Union, got the victory, it would become renowned and would snatch the Elixir Associationâs position in the Three Middle Realms. However, once it lost, it would suffer a devastating blow that it might never recover from.
The contest was set for several days, and before it started no one would get to know the three testsâ contents, and no one could prepare for it in advance. Hence, this is why Jiang Chen was allowed to wander around as he wished.
Jiang Chen left his room, looking for the Ji familyâs sisters.
âWerenât you both in the Wing Prefecture?â Jiang Chen asked.
âWhy wouldnât we come here to witness such a grand occasion?â Ji Yinyi said with a smile.
âTeacher, my elder sister wanted to see you. She didnât want to come here at first, but she changed her mind when she heard that you would participate....â
Ji Ruxue smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth and the two dimples on her cheeks, while at the same time wearing a crafty look.
âLittle sister, are you itching for a beating?â Ji Yinyiâs face became flushed, and she grabbed Ji Ruxueâs ears.
âIt hurts! It hurts! It hurts! Sister, Iâm sorry.â Ji Ruxue entreated her.
Ji Yinyi snorted coldly, let go of her, and said to Jiang Chen, âYou shouldnât listen to what she said.â
Jiang Chen just smiled and didnât say anything.
âIs it your first time in Heaven Divine City? Letâs go have a stroll,â Ji Yinyi suggested.
Jiang Chen found staying in the Elixir Building quite boring, so he didnât have any objection to this. Heaven Divine City wasnât really a majestic, grand city, but it still had a special archaic air and many buildings with histories of nearly 1,000 years.
âThe reason why they chose the Three Emperors Territory is that three emperors once appeared here, and one of them was an Elixir Emperor,â Ji Yinyi said.
The Three Emperors Territory had a sacred value to the alchemists. The Elixir Emperorâs former residence was in Heaven Divine City, and it was a historical site visited by many. The Ji familyâs sisters had already visited it once in the past, but they still wanted to go to it once again with Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen had no objections to it because he was quite idle then.
The Elixir Emperorâs former residence had a style that didnât conform to the cityâs other buildings. It was brightly colored and still preserved well. The Elixir Emperorâs former residence had been visited by 1 million people, and there werenât any peerless treasures left in it. Moreover, this was just a place where he had once stayed â it wasnât like it was his official residence after becoming an Elixir Emperor.
Jiang Chen didnât care about whether it had any treasures, and he just strolled in it casually and toured it. Its style and its pieces of furniture let him reminisce about the past.
All of a sudden, Jiang Chenâs gaze was attracted by a painting hanging on the wall. His face looked shocked as he walked up to it. However, when he was just three meters from it, he was obstructed by a barrier. This painting was famous and well known, and, since there were many tourists visiting this place, they needed to protect it from being damaged or stolen. Many people were standing before the painting and were observing it. However, they didnât seem as shocked as Jiang Chen was.
âIs it really true....â He couldnât help but mutter to himself. What was painted in the painting was his family, or,more precisely, a certain hall in Over Cloud Palace. Moreover, it wasnât limited to just this alone â he saw himself there. In his past life, he was sitting there before a crowd, narrating something to them. Such a memory couldnât help but emerge in his mind.
He still remembered that after he was titled the Elixir Saint, he held a meeting about spirit elixirs. At that time, it wasnât just the Sacred Zoneâs alchemists who visited him, there were also people from all Nine Realms.
âWhen the Elixir Emperor was still young, he went to the Sacred Zone along with his parents and participated in the meetings.â
Someone next to the painting was introducing it.
âThe Elixir Emperor stated many times that the reason why he managed to become an Elixir Emperor was that he had become enlightened in this meeting, and the past Sacred Zoneâs Elixir Saint even guided him personally.â
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen recalled what had happened after the end of the meeting. There had been really a 12- or 13-year-old child, who ran over to him. He was blocked by the Over Cloud Palaceâs guards, but, after Jiang Chen expressed that he didnât mind, the child came over to him and asked him several questions. Those questions were quite tricky, and so Jiang Chen noticed how talented he was. After he replied to those questions, he said, âYour future achievement will surely not be low.â
âElixir Emperor, not bad.â
Those past events were like dispersed smoke; they let him recall many other matters, and he couldnât help but murmur to himself, which caused many people to look at him with a startled gaze.
âTeacher!â
Ji Ruxue came up to Jiang Chenâs side and spoke anxiously, âMy elder sister has run into trouble.â
Jiang Chen was startled by this, and he left the room along with Ji Ruxue. Ji Yinyi was being detained by a youth in the residenceâs courtyard.
âMiss, why are you this cold? I just want to befriend you,â the youth said.
âI have already replied.â Ji Yinyi had an ice-cold expression on her face. She wasnât being polite at all.
Jiang Chen didnât need to mull over it to know what was her reply.
âMiss, you must understand that the person standing before you is a Heaven Alchemist, and in four days, he will participate in the contest on behalf of the Elixir Fire Union,â the youthâs friend walked forward and spoke.
âIs that the case?â Ji Yinyi didnât expect that such a coincidence could be possible. Jiang Chen was also a Heaven Alchemist, and he would participate in it too.
The youth assumed that knowing his status had caused Ji Yinyi to change her opinion of him. He unfolded the fan in his hand and waved it elegantly. He thought she was going to pay attention to him now.
Upon witnessing this, Ji Yinyi couldnât help but roll her eyes at him, before she just turned around and left.
âStop!â
The youth felt humiliated by this, and anger got the best of him. He reached out with his hands toward Ji Yinyi.
âHow daring!â
Although the youth was a Heaven Alchemist, his cultivation was just at the Reaching Heaven Realm, and he couldnât withstand even a single strike from a Celestial Venerable.
Ji Yinyi just casually waved her hands and sent the youth flying away. The latter fell on his butt on the ground.
âYou dare to act recklessly in front of a Celestial Venerable?â Ji Yinyi spoke angrily.
The youthâs face turned black, and he shouted, âIâm a Heaven Alchemist, and I can call a Great Venerable here to help me if I want, and your fate will then be in his hands. Do you believe me?â With how the Elixir Fire Union acted usually, what he stated wasnât mere bluff.
âIs a Heaven Alchemist that amazing?â Before Ji Yinyi replied, Jiang Chenâs voice drifted over.
Surprise appeared on the faces of the tourists in the surrounding area. Regardless of who was in the wrong in this matter, he would still end up offending one them by stating such words, and what he would offend was the side that had the greatest influence and power.
It was especially the case since they were in an Elixir Emperorâs former residence. It was quite inappropriate for him to state such words.
âAre you aware what you just uttered?â The youth stood up while being supported by his friend, and he spoke coldly.
âYou should have heard it clearly,â Jiang Chen replied.
âYou insulted all alchemists,â the youth shouted loudly. It seemed like he wanted to leave Jiang Chen with a bad name.
âNo, Iâm insulting just you alone.â Jiang Chen shrugged his shoulders and played with the Elixir Associationâs Heaven Alchemist Badge in his hand. He said, âA Heaven Alchemist like you wonât progress further than this in his whole life.â
âHeâs a Heaven Alchemist! Moreover, he is a Heaven Alchemist of the Elixir Association.â
Upon witnessing Jiang Chenâs badge, the surrounding crowd understood what was happening.
Since Jiang Chen was also a Heaven Alchemist, it wouldnât be wrong for him to state such words. He was cursing just the youth alone like he had stated.
âOne of them is a Heaven Alchemist from the Elixir Association, while the other is a Heaven Alchemist from the Elixir Fire Union. We will get to watch a good show.â
Upon thinking of the contest, which would occur in four days, anticipation appeared on all their faces.