Night of the Broken Gliph

“Besides the elixir’s effects, we will look at the quantity produced. In other words, quality and quantity will determine the outcome of today’s competition.​​​​​​​

“The time limit is two hours. The participant who refines the most elixirs with the best effects will be crowned the winner.” Ping Chi announced calmly. However, nobody was happy to hear the rules, be it the participants or the important figures sitting next to him.

Well, not only would the competition lack any highlight, it would paint both alchemy and the competition to be rough.

Every alchemist was proud, and they were displeased to be treated as elixir-making machines. Sensing the audience’s vibe, Ping Chi cleared the misunderstanding immediately.

“Do you think I’m making things difficult for all of you on purpose?”

But before anyone could speak, Ping Chi sneered. “Naive! Speed is the best way to display an alchemist’s fundamentals! Humans tend to forget and leave out important steps in urgent situations, and your fundamentals must be remembered to guarantee a consistent and good performance. Refining ineffective elixirs in a time is as good as doing nothing, the same as only managing to refine a divine elixir after your friend has died.

“Speed, accuracy and skills are all required to become a great master!”

Ping Chi’s words left the unhappy participants and figures ashamed of their shortsightedness!

Seeing that the crowd had calmed down, Ping Chi sneered and announced the start of the competition.

 With that, the participants rushed to work immediately. As the host, the Metallic Blood War Gate knew about the topic beforehand, and they had prepared the necessary ingredients neatly arranged on a long table behind them.

A grade-one returning spirit elixir wasn’t that effective. It was only useful for cultivators below the two-chamber or single-gliphic state. As the ingredients were ordinary, apprentice alchemists often practised refining them once they started alchemy.

Thus, the talents were confident as they started refining the familiar elixir.

“Focus, boy,” Ping Chi didn’t move his mouth, compressing his voice with energliph into Chui Yim’s ear. “In alchemy, you lack experience the most. I’ve watched you practice. You might be able to control the fire well because you’re an expert fire forger, and your medicinal proficiency allowed you to match gliphic plants and other ingredients well. What you’re lacking in is skill and experience. It’s not about throwing ingredients into the cauldron randomly. The timing and handling of ingredients all matter.

“Now, you have talented peers performing for you. Cherish this chance.”

Chui Yim’s expression changed as he turned to Ping Chi, who had snow-white hair. This old fox…He accepted the invitation to be the examiner of the interschool exchange because of me…

This thought ensured Chui Yim focused on the competition.

 Shue Kei from the Great Book Academy looked like an ordinary girl. But her movements were extremely careful and accurate, and every action seemed to be measured. Chui Yim was even reminded of Woo Nim as he watched her.

On the other hand, Pak Si Sang from the Stars Unite Education Center was more casual. He had a thin smile plastered on his face that captured the hearts of many teenage girls. He lightly waved his fingers as gliphic plants and ingredients fell into the cauldron. Not much later, several elixirs were completed. He held them lightly. Pak Si Sang’s entire refining process was smooth.

So Ming Sai from the Imperial Physician Medical School was similar to Shue Kei, following his teacher’s instructions closely and carefully when he competed, taking every process seriously. From this, they were obviously representatives that their institutions had picked carefully. However, So Ming Sai wasn’t slow, producing many elixirs in batches.

As for Chui Yim’s classmate, Woo Hung from the Cloud Palace outer sect wasn’t as careful as his fellow competitors. Instead, his techniques were neat and clean, and even Chui Yim couldn’t help but acknowledge his skill in refining elixirs. He seemed to skip many steps, but his products were still as good as the others. Chui Yim thought it was because Woo Hung worked so skillfully that his steps seemed to be simplified, even though that wasn’t the case.

But Yip Luk Ching’s performance left the greatest impression on Chui Yim. She had her own method of refining, unlike the other four participants. Yip Luk Ching wasn’t only smooth and had a unique rhythm when she worked. It seemed like she never paused, and Chui Yim could identify it because he similarly had his own rhythm when forging.

Her every step felt natural like refining a grade one returning spirit elixir was breathing. Furthermore, every batch of elixirs she refined was a batch of eight, never increasing or decreasing.

After half an hour, noticeable changes could be noticed, as Ping Chi mentioned. Shue Kei and So Ming Sai started to make mistakes, slowing their progress as the number of elixirs produced per batch was no longer consistent.

Pak Si Sang from the Stars Unite Education Center was also starting to lose his patience. His refining slowed, and he even lost control of the fire once.

The important figures turned to Ping Chi admiringly, as he was right from the start. All the participants were at most of the single-gliphic state and were starting to tire from the repeated, intense refining. As exhaustion set in and their energliph depleted, their energy and stamina fell as they moved purely on instinct.

Woo Hung wasn’t in much of a better state than the other three participants. His actions had become less smooth as he elected to work carefully by the book, barely maintaining the quality of his elixirs.

Only Yip Luk Ching was calm as before. She was still as relaxed as when she started. Some elites noticed sweat dripping down her forehead, but they were elites. They could tell that Yip Luk Ching was as tired as the rest. Even so, she maintained the speed and quality of her refining.

“Like what great master Ping mentioned, this is when the participants are truly tested. Now, only Yip Luk Ching can maintain her quality.” Sze Fung gasped.

Ping Chi nodded and commented. “High-grade elixirs take a long time to refine, and what matters most are our instincts after we run out of energy and can’t focus! Alchemists need to be able to maintain their quality under harsh conditions.”

Bullshit! Chui Yim rolled his eyes upon hearing Ping Chi, but after remembering everything he did was for him, Chui Yim stopped making nasty comments secretly and focused on Yip Luk Ching.

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