Zhao Li didn't believe that after the Xiao Clan's decline for so many years, only the Gu Clan could find their location. However, despite its decline, the Xiao Clan had continued its lineage on the continent, which was nothing more than a balance between the great Ancient Clans.
Even with Hun Tiandi's deep schemes and methods, he spent hundreds, even thousands, of years preparing to collect the Ancient Jade before making his move. If not for his bad luck in encountering the Son of Destiny, Xiao Yan, he likely could have silently wiped out the few great Ancient Clans besides the Gu Clan.
Reclaiming his thoughts, Zhao Li considered the situation and decided he didn't want to cause himself any more trouble.
Zhao Li also didn't want to attend the invitations from several major families one by one. The Alchemist Competition was one of the top events in the Jia Ma Empire. After the competition ended, he would just gather everyone together.
With three days left until the competition began, Zhao Li found a teahouse and returned to his old profession, becoming a storyteller. This wasn't the first time he had done this in the past two years.
The Dou Qi Continent was similar to the ancient dynasties of his previous life. Some travelers would embellish and recount the things they saw on their journeys, becoming storytellers. In restaurants and teahouses, with people coming and going, it was excellent for everyone to listen to the strange and wondrous tales told by others while resting.
Zhao Li was good at telling stories, and his skills also brought booming business to the teahouse.
By the day the competition started, Zhao Li's stories were already circulating throughout Jia Ma Holy City. However, the start of the competition was ultimately more appealing – after all, it was happening right beside them.
The Alchemist Competition began, and Zhao Li, as one of the judges, was not absent.
Zhao Li stood on the high platform, looking at the sea of people before him, and couldn't help but click his tongue. As expected of a national grand event.
Ao Feng introduced the people on the judging panel. When he introduced Zhao Li, it caused quite a stir, as there were many people in the square who had heard him tell stories.
"I didn't expect this storyteller Mister to actually be a great Alchemist. No wonder he has such knowledge."
"When I heard the stories he told back then, I thought they were incredibly exciting. Do you think that Alchemist Huang might be a character in his own story?"
"Go ask him! How would I know? He doesn't look old, but I didn't expect him to be a judge. He must be a Senior with a Face-Preserving Technique."
Fortunately, Ao Feng quickly brought up the competition matters, drawing people's attention back to the event.
"This Alchemist Competition is open to young talents under the age of thirty. Due to the large number of participants, it will be held simultaneously, with layers of screening and elimination. The remaining individuals will participate in the next round of the competition."
Ao Feng briefly explained the competition format and Rules, then announced the start of the competition.
As Ao Feng's voice fell, Zhao Li saw nearly a thousand Medicine Cauldrons simultaneously ignite Flames in the massive square. Occasionally, there were a few clusters of Beast Flame, adding some color to the bright yellow Flame square, making it quite spectacular.
The first round was merely refining Medicinal Ingredients. Although simple, as time passed, some people gradually couldn't hold on and were eliminated.
"This first round is just refining Medicinal Ingredients, but it can still eliminate quite a few people. Senior, what do you think of them?"
Ao Feng pointed at a few people and asked.
Zhao Li looked at the few people Ao Feng pointed out and nodded in approval. "Not bad, quite standard, but with solid foundations and stable performance."
He then looked at a Black Robe in the corner. In Zhao Li's perception, the Black Robe's Soul Power was stronger than all the other participants in the square, and his Flame control was superb, already at the level of a Fourth Rank Alchemist, approaching Fifth Rank.
Ao Feng followed Zhao Li's gaze and didn't feel anything special, a little confused, and asked.
"Senior, is there something wrong with him?"
Zhao Li shook his head, smiled, and said.
"She's fine. I just didn't expect to encounter such a genius in this competition."
With Zhao Li's strength, even without deliberately prying, the Black Robe's true identity was still seen through by him.
Seeing that Zhao Li seemed to regard the Black Robe with some special attention, Ao Feng recalled but had no impression, thinking she might be a dark horse.
"Senior thinks highly of her?"
Zhao Li nodded, indicating that he would know by watching.
The difficulty of the competition gradually increased, and fewer and fewer people remained on the field. Now, there were only a dozen or so people left, and the Black Robe was surprisingly among them!
After Zhao Li nodded, Ao Feng also started paying attention to the Black Robe. She had performed consistently, but she remained on the stage in every round, and he also realized something was off.
"Senior truly has sharp eyes."
The competition had continued until now, and the participants' performance was considered decent, but for Zhao Li, it was quite boring, not to mention that he almost knew the outcome. He just smiled at Ao Feng's compliment.
As dusk approached, Ao Feng talked about the subsequent competition matters.
"Today's competition ends here. The eighteen people who remain on the stage will continue the competition in three days."
Everyone had witnessed the competition situation, so there was no objection, but the audience was very interested in the dark horse that had suddenly appeared.
In the few days before the second round of the competition began, the topic of conversation among the people in the Imperial Capital after meals was inseparable from the Alchemist Competition. They were all discussing the contestants they favored, and some even started betting.
Three days passed in a flash, and the Alchemist Competition continued. Some new faces appeared on the high platform.
"Today's competition is for each of you to refine a Pill. There is no limit on the rank. The final formed Pill will be jointly decided by the judges. The higher the rank of the Pill, the better. If the rank is the same, the better the quality, the better. Now, the competition begins. Use all your strength."
After Susan finished explaining the matters of this round of competition, she announced the start of the competition and then stepped down to chat with Zhao Li and the others.
Susan, the President of the Alchemist Guild in the Jia Ma Empire, a Sixth Rank Alchemist, had returned from an outing a while ago. After learning about the recent events, she had also visited Zhao Li, and the two had already met.
The spacious square had only eighteen participants, making it appear extremely empty. Each person was in a very conspicuous position.
The competition began, but no one started a fire to refine medicine. All the contestants were frowning in thought, considering how to win.
With such competition Rules, if they refined ordinary Pills, they might not win. If they refined top-tier Pills, they might not succeed. Everyone seemed to be in a dilemma.
Zhao Li looked at Yun Xin'er, who was still hidden under the Black Robe, wondering if she would continue to conceal herself.
Although she had performed consistently in the previous rounds, everyone who remained on the field now was inevitably attracting attention.
Time passed, and everyone made up their minds. People on the field successively started fires and began refining medicine.
As the refining began, the audience also became lively. They naturally couldn't see the psychological battle happening, and most were just there to watch the excitement and catch a rare glimpse of the Alchemists who were usually high and mighty.
"Senior Lin," Ao Feng whispered, "according to our investigation, she's not from our Jia Ma Empire. If we let her win the championship, won't we completely lose face?" In recent days, more than one group had investigated Yun Xin'er. Although she was careful, how could a single person compare to several factions? However, the investigation only confirmed that she wasn't from the Jia Ma Empire; everything else remained unknown.
It was just that Zhao Li seemed to view her differently, and none of them had tried to eliminate her beforehand.
Hearing this, waves rose in Zhao Li's heart.
Even Alchemists, who were superior among cultivators, would be treated this way over a competition championship, let alone ordinary people.
With something on his mind, Zhao Li's words were somewhat heavy.
"A huge Alchemist Guild holds a competition, not only failing to guarantee the safety of the participants but even resorting to underhanded means because they don't want the championship to fall into someone else's hands. How can it still have credibility? Winning is naturally good, but to win, you stifle genius and lose all face and dignity. If you lose, you should feel shame and then strive harder, burying your head and catching up."
Hearing this, Ao Feng felt a little ashamed and lowered his head. His perspective was indeed too narrow.
Zhao Li recalled the wisdom of the Analects and applied it.
"If his person is upright, he will be obeyed without orders; but if his person is not upright, he will not be obeyed though he gives orders."
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