The sunset faded and night fell. The various spiritual lights before the alchemists seemed exceptionally dazzling, but none were as brilliant or eye-catching as the figure in the center of the second level.
Bai Shengyi, clad in a long robe, fluttered like an immortal in the night breeze. As her palm brushed past the alchemy furnace, the dan qi transformed into a silver river, soaring out and hanging suspended in the air like the Heavenly River cascading down, its brilliance rippling.
What truly astonished everyone was yet to come.
The river surged forward, appearing incredibly gentle yet forcefully approaching Mei Shuying's alchemy furnace. It not only directly dispersed the dan qi half-formed by Mei Shuying but also devoured it.
"Presumptuous! How dare you, you scoundrel!" Mei Shuying exclaimed in shock and anger.
He could never have imagined that Bai Shengyi would dare to covet his dan qi!
Mei Shuying abandoned his attempt to form his dan, forming hand seals. The pressure of a Golden Core stage cultivator instantly pressed towards Bai Shengyi!
The Dan Dou大会 stipulated that no fighting was allowed during the alchemy process, but it didn't prohibit the use of pressure to bully juniors. However, generally, elders would restrain their aura and not deliberately make things difficult for young cultivators in this regard.
It could be said that Mei Shuying had thrown all pretense of dignity to the wind in order to win.
"This Mei Shuying is truly insidious!" Feng Xunguang couldn't help but worry for Bai Shengyi. "Vice Dean, can young friend Bai handle this? Won't she be affected?"
If Bai Shengyi's Spirit Root Purification Pill was prematurely terminated, it would be a terrible pity.
Qin Si stated calmly, "She can handle it."
His voice was cold but filled with certainty.
After all, Bai Shengyi's daily practice of alchemy at the peak of Qianxiao Peak, facing turbulent winds, was not in vain. As for Mei Shuying, he was merely a Golden Core cultivator who had ascended by consuming pills, posing no threat.
"Elder Feng, you should now consider how to deal with the Mei family and their hidden pawns," Qin Si said coldly. "I think your earlier suggestion to establish an Alchemist Association is excellent."
The Divine启 Continent had been too peaceful for too long; it was time for some ripples.
As Qin Si had anticipated, Bai Shengyi was completely unaffected by Mei Shuying's pressure. She didn't even blink, her face instead beaming with a radiant smile.
"Within the bounds of the rules, why wouldn't I dare?"
Bai Shengyi looked up at Mei Shuying, seeing his anxious, contorted expression and his sinister eyes fixed on her, gnashing his teeth. She couldn't help but smile even more brightly.
Ah, she relished seeing those who disliked her but were powerless against her.
It was truly a mood enhancer.
Bai Shengyi smiled and said, "Senior Mei, please don't be angry. As a senior, my little trick surely won't affect you, right?"
As she spoke, a faint blue light flashed in her eyes, and the textures and properties of the various medicinal ingredients in the alchemy furnace became transparently clear in her mind.
The essence of the herbs merged together, guided by streams of fire at different temperatures. The dual elements of wood and fire leaped and surged within the furnace.
Emerald spiritual energy intertwined within the essence. Life died by fire, yet was reborn by fire; flourishing and withering seemed to occur in an instant.
Bai Shengyi suddenly had an epiphany.
"What is she doing? Why did she close her eyes?"
"Is this an epiphany?"
"No! She is comprehending the Dao! She has entered the Pill Dao!"
The one speaking was Feng Xunguang.
Feng Xunguang was truly astonished, so much so that he stood up, disregarding his decorum, and stared intently at Bai Shengyi.
How many years had it been!
How many years had it been since an alchemist could enter the Dao through pills! He never expected to encounter one at this year's Dan Dou大会!
His invitation card had certainly not been given in vain.
The spectators' stands erupted in an uproar.
Because alchemists were closely related to cultivators, even though many didn't practice alchemy themselves, they possessed basic knowledge. One piece of knowledge was that most current alchemists, even if they entered the Dao, did so through cultivation, not through pills. In other words, these alchemists were merely cultivators who could practice alchemy.
Throughout the entire Divine启 Continent, there were currently no more than a handful of alchemists who had entered the Dao through pills, and they were all masters who had achieved this realm after long renown.
How old was Bai Shengyi?
Many felt a surge of excitement. After their brief exclamations, they quickly began to calculate. With Bai Shengyi's talent, even if she didn't refine the Spirit Root Purification Pill today, she had stolen the show and her future was boundless.
Mei Shuying understood these facts even more clearly.
His expression grew even more somber. He intensified the Golden Core pressure towards Bai Shengyi, even secretly channeling a spiritual energy blade to attack Bai Shengyi, attempting to disrupt her comprehension of the Dao.
Upon witnessing this, Qin Si's narrow phoenix eyes instantly narrowed, filled with overwhelming coldness. The Mei family, Mei Shuying, he would remember them!
As the spiritual energy blade was about to strike Bai Shengyi's back, Bai Shengyi suddenly opened her eyes.
With a cold wave of her sleeve, flames instantly scattered the spiritual energy blade.
"Senior Mei, that's rather ungentlemanly!"
Bai Shengyi's voice carried, without any restraint, loud enough for everyone to hear!
Since Bai Shengyi had been the center of attention, some people had already noticed Mei Shuying's actions. However, due to the Mei family, everyone pretended not to notice. In reality, many felt that Mei Shuying's methods were low and insidious.
Yet, no one expected Bai Shengyi to be able to detect the sneak attack of a Golden Core cultivator.
Were Foundation Establishment cultivators this formidable now?
Bai Shengyi gave Mei Shuying no face, sneering, "Since Senior Mei has directly violated the rules and attacked me, then don't blame me for being impolite. However, Senior Mei, rest assured, I always abide by the rules."
Mei Shuying suddenly had a bad premonition.
As expected, Bai Shengyi made a new move.
With a wave of her delicate hand, the silver river instantly reversed, scattering into a sky full of stars. Amidst the brilliant and dazzling display, the stars emitted emerald light, and patches of jade vine leaves extended outwards.
The dan qi's imagery had changed once again!
This time, it integrated the profound meaning Bai Shengyi had just comprehended. The flow of light carried an indescribable profundity and beauty.
However, Mei Shuying had no time to appreciate the celestial scenery, and his gaze turned to his alchemy furnace in panic.
His dan qi had become sustenance for Bai Shengyi's new dan qi!
The emerald waves rippled through the river of stars. One end connected to Bai Shengyi's alchemy furnace, filled with the joy of new life and vibrant vitality. The other end connected to Mei Shuying's alchemy furnace, imbued with the destruction of death and endless desolation.
"This is... the Dao of Life and Death?" Feng Xunguang murmured, "No, no, the aura around her is not right..."
On the high platform, Mei Shuying continuously tried to disperse Bai Shengyi's dan qi, but no matter how he acted, even if he violated the rules and used other means, the emerald waves of stars remained stubbornly in place by his alchemy furnace.
"If Senior Mei still hasn't formed his dan, time is about to run out," Bai Shengyi said with a smile.
"You!" Mei Shuying glared at Bai Shengyi with intense fury.
Bai Shengyi smiled even more brightly, her expression turning colder, "A junior is merely offering a kind reminder."
Mei Shuying suddenly realized that the three hours were almost up and hurriedly began to form his dan. However, his rhythm had been disrupted by Bai Shengyi, and his movements became clumsy.
Feng Qian had been focused on his own alchemy furnace, but the commotion between these two drew some of his attention.
He observed Mei Shuying's reactions and couldn't help but shake his head. His previous apprehension towards Mei Shuying immediately lessened by half.
With such a temperament, even if Mei Shuying managed to refine the Spirit Root Purification Pill, he would likely reach his limit here.
"Puff!"
"Bang!"
People's dan qi continuously dissipated, and some even experienced furnace explosions. Those whose furnaces exploded dejectedly withdrew, while those whose dan qi failed first could only reluctantly form their dans. Many were affected by the environment this time, and their results were significantly worse than expected.
Time ticked by, and as the morning star faintly appeared in the sky, only three people's dan qi remained intact.
Bai Shengyi, Feng Qian, and a cultivator from Zhen Dan Peak named Liu Yu. Mei Shuying's dan qi was so suppressed by Bai Shengyi that it was barely visible, but as he was refining a seventh-grade pill, he was still diligently working to form his dan.
Feng Qian's dan qi was a blooming orchid, while Liu Yu's dan qi was a fiery wolf. The orchid bloomed elegantly, and the fiery wolf cast a covetous gaze at her star river.
Bai Shengyi's gaze swept over them. The Starfall Emperor's Realm instantly transmitted the spiritual energy patterns of the orchid and the fiery wolf into her mind. She stroked the vine leaves, and a faint spiritual glow appeared on her hand.
Those who had been closely watching Bai Shengyi immediately noticed her action.
"Look! Bai Shengyi can't hold back anymore! Is the final victory finally about to be decided? Ah! I feel more nervous than they do in the competition!"