Chapter 774: Stunning Fire Control Technique
Wei Tianxiao was somewhat disappointed after seeing Jiang Chen’s herb selection, but he wasn’t convinced of the outcome. He knew that having a second rank pill king compete against a sixth rank pill king was already quite unfair. But he also knew that there was no other way out. They would at least go down in style! Even if they lost the wager, they’d at least express their loyalty clearly to the Coiling Dragon Clan.
Young master Ji San’s thoughts, however, were not on the competition. He was still in stunned shock. His thoughts had been wandering after Pill King Zhen had deciphered the Ingenious Decan Pill Enigma. He recalled the Pine Crane Pill Jiang Chen had mentioned before. He had been somewhat skeptical at first, believing its effects to have been exaggerated. But after witnessing the completion of the Ingenious Decan Pill Enigma, young master Ji San couldn’t help but realize that this Pill King Zhen from House Wei might be a person of great origins. He wasn’t privy to Pill King Zhen’s actual identity, but was certain the latter had been mentored by a great master. Furthermore, this teacher should be at a much higher level than these top ranked pill kings like Pill King Yu. This also meant that his teacher might possible be one of those fabled pill emperors! But even so, one of those legendary existences still might not be able to grasp the Ingenious Decan Pill Enigma in its entirety.
A pill dao expert with a complete grasp of the Ingenious Decan Pill Enigma couldn’t possibly be lacking in knowledge and experience. It was highly unlikely that Pill King Zhen’s claim regarding the existence of the Pine Crane Pill was just an irresponsible remark. Young master Ji San had only previously seven parts confident, but now he was absolutely convinced. “This Pill King Zhen is definitely someone with a glorious future. I, Ji Ole Third, have made countless friends but laughably, all are fairweather companions. Very few can be counted on in times of need. It’s actually this incidental acquaintance who might have such a potential. I must maintain this friendship no matter the outcome of this competition. Our Coiling Dragon Clan may yet rise again, if in the future, we find an opportunity to request a batch of Pine Crane Pills of his master .”
Imagining all the wonderful possibilities greatly excited young master Ji San. As for the present contest, he didn’t particularly care about it. What did temporary gains or losses matter? His thoughts and energy were focused on the Pine Crane Pill. They already possessed the Goldencrown Cloudcrane and only lacked the pinecone from the Invisible Chameleon Cloudpine. Young master Ji San firmly believed the heavens wouldn’t bar every path. No matter how concealed, there was bound to be a path towards hope and light amidst the heavenly dao.
In contrast to the young master Ji San who lost in reverie, those from the Majestic Clan were all highly focused and confident. The seventh rank pill king was the highest ranking member of Wang Teng’s entourage. He was reporting something to the latter. “Young clan lord, Pill King Rong’s selected batch of materials is higher than Taiyuan Tower’s by an entire level. We’re almost certain to win this round, considering Pill King Rong’s skill as a sixth rank pill king. Now it only remains for us to see whether he can successfully complete the refining within two hours.” This seventh rank pill king possessed piercing insight. He’d also observed the brilliance of Pill King Rong’s herb selection, just as the judges had.
Wang Teng had also noticed the technical disparity and nodded with delight. He was all smiles; he felt everything was proceeding according to plan. Taiyuan Lodge had already obtained victory during the first stage. Their opponent had won the first round of the second stage by sheer luck. But if Taiyuan Lodge won the second round, their scores would draw again. Then Taiyuan Lodge would only need to win the third round of the second stage to become the victor of the whole competition. House Wei’s store would then change ownership and become the Majestic Clan’s property!
Wang Teng was feeling ecstatic at the mere thought. He’d have trampled House Wei, slapped the Coiling Dragon Clan’s face and secured House Wei’s store in the Farmer’s God Street Market at the same time. It was like killing three birds with one stone! Truthfully, Wang Teng had harbored certain misgivings before the contest had begun. He was suspicious of House Wei’s unusual storefront wager. But at the moment, he was quite certain that it had been a bluff in order to force him to back off and suppress the Taiyuan Lodge’s morale.
Humph! Did you think this kind of scheme can trick our Majestic Clan? You lot from House Wei think too highly of yourselves! Wang Teng felt inwardly disdainful and reckoned that House Wei must’ve be hopping mad at the moment. No one in their right mind would offer their only storefront at Farmer’s God Market as a wager. A mere ninth rank aristocratic family wants to compete against my Majestic Clan? They’re simply looking to die!
Wang Teng was supremely smug. Victory was now in sight and so close at that. This sense of accomplishment elevated his mood greatly. It was as if he was already standing on the summit and taking in the panoramic scenery.
He couldn’t help but glance at young master Ji San with glee. He wanted to see young master Ji San’s troubled expression. But Wang Teng didn’t expect to see the other lost in reverie as if the present contest didn’t concern him in the least.
“Could Ji Ole Third have abandoned all hope?” Wang Teng felt a shred of uncertainty after seeing the young master’s current state. He then turned to check on the father and son from House Wei. They were now looking rather distressed. This was especially true of Wei Tianxiao, who’d almost turned green. Wang Teng was reassured after seeing their expressions.
“Wei Tianxiao, this is what happens when you refuse my toast. You’re forced to drink a forfeit! Our Majestic Clan gave House Wei an opportunity. Not only did you scorn our kindness, but you also worked to oppose us! You simply don’t know how to recognize the change of the times!” Wang Teng’s contagious delight affected the father and son from House Tong as well as their subordinates. Victory seemed almost assured for those from the Taiyuan Lodge.
Others from within the audience secretly sighed after seeing Jiang Chen’s selection of materials. They were originally hoping that Taiyuan Tower would produce a miracle of sorts and take the second stage of the competition in one fell swoop. They wanted him to prove it was possible for the weak to triumph over the powerful! But as things stood, it seemed the powerful were still powerful in the end, just as the weak were still weak. The Ingenious Decan Pill Enigma was likely just an unexpected hitch!
Jiang Chen was now already lost in his own world of pill dao. Ordinary folks couldn’t comprehend the methods of the Deviant Pill Faction. But the principles were clear as day to him. The two hour time limit was quite pressing. Jiang Chen couldn’t and didn’t hide his strength any longer. He began to exhibit all of his various techniques, and only the heavens knew just how many fire control techniques Jiang Chen had mastered. However, this was obviously not the right occasion to show off flashy techniques. He merely activated the True Fires of Ninety Nine, the technique that had thoroughly filled Shen Trifire with admiration back at the Regal Pill Palace. The True Fires of Ninety Nine utilized the principles of layering and demanded fine control skills and proficient composition ability.
Jiang Chen had played with the True Fires of Ninety Nine countless times during his past life. But he wouldn’t have chosen to use it here if he didn’t have to consider the strict time limit. But the current situation was urgent and required more intense flames than usual. Furthermore, the Deviant Pill Faction didn’t reject such fire control techniques. On the contrary, they even preferred them.
Pill King Yu’s eyes lit up the moment Jiang Chen started his fire control technique. He’d just been sighing after witnessing Jiang Chen’s selection of herbs and immediately noticed something different about this technique. Simply watching this fire control ability felt breathtaking.
Pill King Zhen had selected a batch of mediocre ingredients, but his fire control was spectacular! The contrast was too extreme. Pill King Yu’s wildly fluctuating impressions made it difficult for him to accurately judge this young pill king. “Could it be that I’ve misjudged him? Is there some hidden wisdom behind his choice of unremarkable materials?” Pill King Yu was not one to go about with his nose in the air just because he was a ninth rank pill king. On the contrary, he was still full of passion and still hungered for new knowledge. Pill King Yu’s eyes naturally lit up when he witnessed a fire control technique the like even he’d never seen before.
“It seems this Pill King Zhen had truly been mentored by an illustrious master. His fire control technique is obviously extraordinary. I have travelled far and wide throughout the Upper Eight Regions and exchanged knowledge with countless peers, yet I’ve never seen such a technique of fire control. I truly wonder who Pill King Zhen’s master is.” Pill King Yu was afire with curiosity regarding Jiang Chen’s origins. How powerful would the mentor be if even the student is so accomplished? He had to admit that the mentor of House Wei’s pill king must be someone at a much higher level than himself. He was, no doubt, a pill emperor. Pill King Yu was even slightly envious of Jiang Chen at this point.
Jiang Chen’s fire control technique also gave pause to many who were previously certain of his defeat. Although not everyone was a pill dao genius, they were still able to discern the skill of such a technique. Not even a high ranking pill king might be able to perform such a high level fire control method.
“Who would’ve thought House Wei had invited a genius in fire control!” The spectators were secretly surprised. Even Wei Tianxiao felt momentarily enraptured and forgot to bother with calculating his potential losses.
The highly complacent Wang Teng began to frown after seeing Jiang Chen’s fire control technique. “This brat wasn’t just for show after all. It seems his fire control technique was indeed taught to him by a great master.” Wang Teng was startled, but he didn’t believe the opponent would win with just this fire control technique. In the end, pill refining required a comprehensive set of skills. Defeat was assured if one couldn’t refine the higher ranked pill, no matter how dazzling his fire control abilities were. That was the reason why Wang Teng was still fairly calm despite being somewhat surprised.
The nine judges, however, had already forgotten to observe Pill King Rong—the latter’s choice of materials and refinement methods were all conventional—they’d probably be performing the same procedures in his shoes. The process itself wasn’t very different, the only distinction being the brilliance of one’s methods. It wasn’t exactly something to wait with bated breaths. But it was an entirely different matter with House Wei’s pill king. His selection of ingredients was mediocre at best, but his fire control technique was extremely brilliant. How could a person with such deep knowledge of fire control techniques not know how to select materials properly? They all felt it impossible. They were all eager to be the first to witness what new and dazzling technique House Wei’s pill king had to show them.