"You are wasting elixirs like this, you don't deserve to be an alchemist at all!"
The alchemist who was immobilized was furious and roared directly! The surrounding people were becoming increasingly impatient.
Just then, a wisp of light smoke floated out of the elixir furnace, slowly rising to the sky...
Everyone was captivated by the scene and followed the light smoke with their eyes to the sky, only to suddenly widen their pupils!
The sky, which had been like fiery clouds, was now dotted with golden light, as if there was a magnificent and grand golden palace behind the clouds, truly majestic and spectacular! As the light smoke dispersed into the air, the golden light became even more dazzling.
"Boom!"
With a loud muffled boom from the elixir furnace, Jin Bao'er's eyes instantly lit up. She quickly took out a box and carefully collected five white, crystal-clear elixirs from the furnace.
The crowd suddenly jolted awake, their eyes fixated on the inconspicuous small box, as if the contents were their own treasures!
Several alchemists couldn't suppress their curiosity and hurried closer. A fragrance wafted towards them, carrying a hint of spiritual energy. Just smelling it brought a comfortable sense of vitality, let alone consuming it!
The referee walked over, couldn't help but swallow, his voice gradually increasing!
"Hiss~ A fourth-grade Tan Ning Dan! Five whole pills! Top quality!"
The last four words were almost shouted out! His eyes then turned to Jin Bao'er, and upon confirming she was only in her early teens, he instantly gasped, a fourth-grade alchemist in her teens!! Her future was almost certain!
At this point, the alchemists barely needed to deliberate. Jin Bao'er's first-place position was unassailable!
The young man couldn't help but feel his body go weak, as if he had been hollowed out. With vacant eyes, he slumped to the ground, muttering "impossible."
Li Bailuo was also startled and got up. She never expected her silly son to have such luck, meeting a fourth-grade alchemist on a single outing! And a girl of fifteen years old at that!
At this moment, Jin Bao'er couldn't attend to anything else. The spiritual energy of the fourth-grade Tan Ning Dan swirled around her, quickly filling her dantian. Her cultivation subtly began to show signs of a breakthrough...
Before she could suppress it, the spiritual energy directly overflowed and began to circulate rapidly. There were still many powerful cultivators in the Divine Transformation stage present. Upon sensing her change, they quickly made space for her to advance!
The advancement from the mid-stage to the late-stage Foundation Establishment did not take long. Everyone stared blankly at this young person who had suddenly advanced in broad daylight. A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator at fifteen, half-step Golden Core, and a fourth-grade alchemist...
Who was this monstrous talent?! Looking across the entire continent, even the esteemed Venerable Lou Yun of the Misty Sect reached late-stage Foundation Establishment at twenty and became a Nascent Soul cultivator at a hundred! This young person... was even earlier than him!
Li Bailuo looked at the slender figure and, in a daze, saw her future. Perhaps the entire cultivation continent was merely a starting point! This person was by no means ordinary!
Jin Bao'er was unaware of their thoughts. The moment she advanced to late-stage Foundation Establishment, she only felt her strength increase significantly. She felt incredibly energetic, and the fatigue from alchemy instantly vanished.
"Young friend... this old man was blind! Your talent is a blessing to the cultivation continent. Congratulations, you have won the competition as a fourth-grade alchemist!"
The alchemist Jin Bao'er had immobilized earlier was Qian Fuzi, the vice president of the Alchemist Guild. Receiving such high praise from him, Jin Bao'er nodded slowly.
"You can break free from the immobilization talisman now. It was my rudeness!"
Qian Fuzi shook his head and sighed.
"It was my rudeness. Your talent in alchemy is truly extraordinary. May I ask your name, young friend? And who is your master?"
Jin Bao'er hesitated for a moment before replying.
"This junior's name is Jin Bao'er, and my master is Hua Qingsu of the Misty Sect!"
"Pfft!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Qingjiu nearby burst out laughing! Fortunately, not many people noticed him. Jin Bao'er merely gave him a cold glance, scaring Li Qingjiu into quickly covering his mouth.
"No wonder, that old fellow's disciple, ha ha..."
"Does Senior recognize my master?"
She wasn't particularly interested, but it was a casual question. To her surprise, Qian Fuzi seemed to have opened a floodgate of words, talking endlessly, until the referee cleared his throat to interrupt.
"Vice President, the prize..."
Qian Fuzi snapped back to reality, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Look at me, I almost forgot!"
"Fourth-grade alchemist Jin Bao'er is the winner of this competition. The reward is a Divine Transformation stage beast core, along with the gambling agreement, and the Fallen Furnace! Young friend Zeng, haven't you taken it out yet?"
At this, everyone's gaze turned to the young man with hollow eyes on the ground—Zeng Tianmiao! Seeing his dejected appearance, Qian Fuzi was not worried and casually took out the Fallen Furnace from his spatial ring.
Zeng Tianmiao and his son had no chance to resist, as Qian Fuzi was a highly respected figure with the cultivation of early Divine Transformation!
Jin Bao'er thanked them and directly placed it into her spatial ring, which was actually her immortal abode. After all, a spatial ring could be easily searched, but an immortal abode would not.
The grand competition concluded as dusk deepened. After Jin Bao'er returned to Dragon Tiger Sect, she immediately expressed her intention to leave. Although Li Bailuo was regretful, she knew this was not her ultimate destination and readily agreed.
Simultaneously, the name of the young alchemist Jin Bao'er quickly spread among all the alchemists!
At night...
"Thank you for your guidance today, senior. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to become a fourth-grade alchemist!"
Normally, such mysterious figures rarely responded to her. This time, she was prepared for a cold reception. However... a deep, magnetic voice replied, cold and mocking.
"Don't speak so touchingly. I did not intend to help you. I was merely annoyed by a bunch of trash pointing fingers."
Jin Bao'er choked. Fine, she was being self-indulgent! But after a moment of thought, she said,
"May I ask senior's honorable name? After all, I am considered your contractor. If I don't even know your name, it's a bit..."
The voice fell silent, as if pondering something. After a long while, when Jin Bao'er thought he wouldn't reply, she heard a drawn-out response.
"My name is... Long Lixing!"
Long Lixing?
Jin Bao'er felt her soul tremble! As if a god looking down upon her from high above! Excited and fanatical...
It must be because of the contract? She didn't ask, nor was she curious why someone as powerful as Long Lixing was sealed in a small pearl, because she knew it was something beyond her current consideration!
When Jin Bao'er left Dragon Tiger Sect, she had gained a follower!
"I say, Jin... brother! We've been walking for over ten days, can we rest yet? I'm almost rotting!"
Her incessant complaints reached Jin Bao'er's ears. She turned back, her gaze cold and disdainful.
"If you wish to stop, then you may return!"
The key to body cultivation was the absolute refusal to fear hardship. Otherwise, where would one get the physical strength and endurance? Although she was only half-trained, the road ahead was longer, and the dangers would be greater. Having an extra means of survival was always good.