Chapter 272: Putting on an Act (Third Update)

Within the crimson flames, countless medicinal ingredients were gradually condensing into a mass, clearly already taking on the silhouette of a pill!

This was indeed the kind of commotion that only occurred when a pill was about to be formed!

Cheng Lixue scanned the area around Chu Liuyue in shock; due to her astonishment, her posture became somewhat rigid.

"When did she finish processing all those medicinal ingredients!?"

Hadn't Chu Liuyue just gone up not long ago?

They had only looked away for a brief moment, and she had already reached this stage!?

It wasn't just Cheng Lixue; at this moment, everyone watching Chu Liuyue refine medicine shared the same disbelief.

"I was watching Chu Liuyue refine medicine just now, and it felt like she wasn't doing much. It turns out she had already finished processing all those ingredients?"

"This is too fast. Does this speed count as being in the top three of today's competition?"

"I think even taking first place wouldn't be impossible! Did you notice? Ever since Chu Liuyue took one look at the prescription upon entering, she put it right back and never looked at it again—did she actually memorize the entire prescription!? With just one glance!?"

"Having a photographic memory isn't the main thing; the key is that she didn't stop at all in between. She kept throwing ingredients into the cauldron without a single moment of hesitation or error! That's why she's so fast!"

Mo Cang was also startled when he saw it.

However, as an elder of Taiyan Academy, he held no goodwill toward Chu Liuyue, so he immediately sneered coldly

"So what if she's fast? Others have tried to form pills quickly before, and in the end, they failed just the same, didn't they?"

Elder Feng Yi stared intently at the pill condensing within Chu Liuyue's cauldron; he was not without tension in his heart.

Hearing Mo Cang's words, he couldn't help but retort

"Regardless of whether she succeeds in forming the pill in the end, it is already enough to prove her talent."

Mo Cang's expression grew even colder, but not knowing how to refute him, he could only let out a low snort, his eyes filled with disdain.

Previously, Elder Feng Yi truly hadn't held much hope for Chu Liuyue, but now—

His gaze shifted slightly, landing on Chu Liuyue's face.

Even in such a tense moment, that exquisitely beautiful young girl remained calm and composed.

She had accomplished something that others viewed as being as difficult as ascending to heaven, yet she herself seemed completely unbothered.

*It seems the Dean really has taken on an extraordinary disciple...*

On the competition stage, some succeeded and some failed.

Those who succeeded had already sent their refined medicine for grading, while those who failed left the stage in dejection.

But among these people, as expected, no one else managed to refine a pill; the best were merely two "Grade 3 Highs."

Clearly, these people posed no threat to Leng Chuan.

Gradually, only Chu Liuyue and Ji Zixing were left on the field!

Shortly after Chu Liuyue, Ji Zixing finally began his attempt to form a pill!

In other words, aside from Leng Chuan of Nanfeng Academy, who had refined a Grade 4 pill, only Chu Liuyue and Ji Zixing remained with the same hope!

And as it happened, both of these people were from Tianlu Academy!

Elder Feng Yi leaned back in his chair with a smile, saying as if unintentionally

"Zixing is a bit slow, but he is steady after all. Unlike Liuyue, who is a bit too impatient."

Cheng Lixue knew that the only thing he could do now was wait, so he sat in his seat without saying a word.

He only hoped that both Chu Liuyue and Ji Zixing would fail to form their pills!

That way, Leng Chuan could completely claim first place!

Elder Feng Yi glanced at Mo Cang and lightly tapped his forehead.

"Look at me, I almost forgot that Liuyue is currently competing on behalf of Situ Xingchen. Regardless of whether she wins or loses, it counts for your Taiyan Academy. Mo Cang, don't take my criticisms from earlier to heart!"

Mo Cang took a deep breath.

If there weren't so many people watching, he would have lost his composure and struck out long ago!

This Feng Yi fellow looks honest on the surface, but he is actually quite devious!

Anyone could see that in this Heavenly Physician competition, Taiyan Academy no longer had anything to do with the outcome!

If Chu Liuyue lost, it would be equivalent to Situ Xingchen losing!

If Chu Liuyue won, it would be her own victory! Which would instead make Taiyan Academy look even more foolish!

By this time, Mo Cang felt a faint sense of regret in his heart.

Why had he agreed to let Chu Liuyue replace Situ Xingchen in the competition?!

Situ Xingchen had also realized something was wrong.

From the moment Chu Liuyue began her attempt to form a pill, she had been silently waiting for Chu Liuyue to fail.

But to her disappointment, Chu Liuyue was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Although this had consumed most of Chu Liuyue's strength, making her complexion appear somewhat pale, the flames within the medicinal cauldron showed no sign of fluctuation or the possibility of being extinguished.

As the pill within the cauldron became increasingly rounded, Situ Xingchen's heart hung in her throat.

If Chu Liuyue truly succeeded in forming the pill...

Chu Liuyue stared intently at the cauldron before her, carefully controlling the changes in the flames within.

This time, she was determined to give it her all.

This wasn't just to compensate Situ Xingchen, but because she had other considerations.

Previously, she had always hidden her talent and strength in the Heavenly Physician arts because she didn't want to expose too much and attract more trouble.

But it was obvious that even if she didn't go looking for trouble, trouble would come to her door.

From Chu Xianmin to Heng Jingchuo, and then to Yang Jianqing—everything was hinting at a strange aura.

She had a strange premonition in her heart.

Behind all these matters, it seemed as though a single person was pulling the strings.

And the opponent was clearly targeting her!

Chu Liuyue thought it over and over but couldn't figure out who would go to such great lengths to deal with her.

And those capable of such methods were few and far between.

Therefore, rather than hiding and dodging, it was better to just lay everything bare! To lure the snake out of its hole!

She was in the light while the opponent was in the dark; she was already at a disadvantage.

But if she stood under the brightest sunlight, any shadow would have nowhere to hide!

She looked at the pill within the flames.

She wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but she felt that after breaking through to become a Grade 2 Martial Artist, the Origin Power within her body had become much more abundant, which in turn made her refining effects even better.

This was why she could process the ingredients and begin forming the pill faster than expected.

It was just that the time taken for this pill formation seemed to be taking a bit long?

*Boom!*

Within Ji Zixing's cauldron, waves of fluctuations erupted!

A rounded pill had clearly taken shape!

At the same time, a rich medicinal fragrance diffused outward!

The weight in the hearts of the Tianlu Academy members finally lifted!

Ji Zixing placed the pill into a jade box and presented it.

Elder Feng Yi opened the jade box, but he couldn't help but glance at Chu Liuyue.

Chu Liuyue had clearly started forming her pill even earlier than Ji Zixing, so why hadn't she finished yet?

Mo Cang sneered

"I thought she had some great skill, but now it seems... Hmph! She's just putting on an act!"

(End of Chapter)