Devouring Soul Emperor

The Dean of the Pill Institute.

Within a sect, it was an incredibly important and high-ranking position.

In terms of power and influence alone, their authority far exceeded that of an ordinary Inner Sect Elder. One might even say they were second only to the Sect Leader!

"Very good. Next, I invite the participants to come to the stage!"

Yu Liyuan, the Dean of the Talisman Puppet Sect’s Pill Institute, paused for a moment before looking down from the high stage at those preparing to participate in the Pill Battle Conference.

However, he didn’t specify how they should come up, or in what order. He simply stood to the side with his hands clasped behind his back, projecting an air of detached indifference.

Nearly everyone, including the dignitaries in the towers, turned their gazes toward the area where Chu Qingyun and his group stood.

Chu Qingyun, meanwhile, seemed to understand. ’The contest has likely already begun.’

To be the first one on stage—especially at such a high-profile conference with all eyes upon you—was a powerful testament to one’s courage and self-confidence.

The hundred-odd participants looked at one another. For a moment, everyone hesitated, and no one was willing to be the first to step onto the stage.

Although Chu Qingyun was confident in himself, he had no intention of being the first one on stage.

His status made it inappropriate for him to be the first.

Besides, seeking the spotlight like that went against his nature. After all, if he didn’t absolutely have to, he wouldn’t even have wanted to participate in this Pill Battle Conference.

On the high stage, Yu Liyuan watched the group of young Alchemists below, a faint smile touching his lips.

He was rather curious. ’Just who will be the first to rush up?’

"Hmph. Since you’re all just cowering, I won’t be shy!"

Just then, a clear voice rang out from among the participants. A petite figure suddenly leaped into the air and landed on the high stage.

Once on the stage, she even made a silly face at Yu Liyuan before glancing around, finding her spot, and stepping into it.

"That little girl from the Zhou Family..."

Yu Liyuan shook his head helplessly.

The main reason the participants from the major sects hesitated to go first was the pressure emanating from him—Yu Liyuan—and from the powerful figures from the various sects’ Pill Institutes and Inner Sects watching from the towers.

This young woman, however, couldn’t care less about any of that. Her grandfather was the Dean of the Saint Extreme Sect’s Pill Institute, after all...

"Hehe, since Miss Zhou has taken the stage, I won’t hold back either."

Before he even finished speaking, another strapping, handsome young man leaped lightly into the air and landed gracefully on the high stage.

After landing on the stage, he first saluted Yu Liyuan with clasped hands before finding his own spot and taking his position.

Watching the young man, Yu Liyuan nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

From the murmurs and gasps of admiration around him, Chu Qingyun learned that this was Wu Xinghai, the genius Alchemist of the Talisman Puppet Sect’s younger generation.

"In that case, I’ll make my move as well." Another person stepped forward.

But another person immediately followed him. "Hehe, Brother Ruoguang, how about I join you?"

"Join me? Then let’s see if you can keep up..."

With that, both men, smiling broadly, leaped into the air and headed for the high stage.

These two were Zhu Tianyun of the Purple Cloud Sect and Li Ruoguang of the Tianya Sect.

Although they addressed each other as brothers and appeared to be close, any discerning observer could see the undercurrent of competition between them.

These two were the very ones who had openly mocked and looked down on Chu Qingyun earlier.

Just as they leaped into the air, someone else shot up even faster, cutting them off in the blink of an eye.

"Hmph. You two think you can get ahead of me? Get down!"

The man snorted coldly and, with a flick of his hand, sent out two blasts of Primordial Power, one aimed at Zhu Tianyun and the other at Li Ruoguang.

Zhu Tianyun and Li Ruoguang’s expressions changed drastically as they hastily tried to defend themselves. But the attacker’s strength was clearly superior to theirs, and they were both struck down, tumbling to the ground below the stage.

The man, meanwhile, used the momentum to land on the stage. He shot a cold glance at Zhou Ling and Wu Xinghai before striding to his spot.

Listening to the discussions rippling through the crowd, Chu Qingyun learned that the attacker was Wan Jianping, the top young alchemist from the Celestial Sword Sect.

Wan Jianping’s Martial Arts Strength was undoubtedly one of the best among the young Alchemists present; he was an eighth-level Martial Spirit!

But when it came to the skill of Refining Elixirs, there was a considerable gap between him and Zhou Ling of the Saint Extreme Sect or Wu Xinghai of the Talisman Puppet Sect. He was even slightly inferior to Zhu Tianyun and Li Ruoguang, the two he had just knocked off the stage.

However, Zhou Ling and Wu Xinghai were, at the very least, disciples of the Three Major Sects of the Northern Domain, just like him.

Therefore, Wan Jianping knew his alchemy skills were lacking, so he could accept it if they got on stage before him. But when he saw Zhu Tianyun and Li Ruoguang also trying to get ahead of him, he couldn’t tolerate it.

The Tianya Sect and the Purple Cloud Sect were said to be on par with the Three Major Sects of the Northern Domain in terms of strength.

But at the end of the day, they weren’t one of them!

To be one of them versus to not be one—the distinction was as vast as the heavens and the earth!

Zhu Tianyun and Li Ruoguang, sprawled on the ground near the stage, wore incredibly dark expressions. They were utterly humiliated.

However, they exchanged a glance, shook their heads helplessly, and had no choice but to leap back onto the high stage. With sullen faces, they went to find their designated spots.

If anyone else had attacked them, they certainly would not have let the matter rest.

But against Wan Jianping, they didn’t dare utter a word. He was, after all, from the Celestial Sword Sect, whose tyrannical ways were infamous throughout the Northern Domain.

Furthermore, Wan Jianping had an older brother—a true genius and an absolute master among the younger generation, someone they couldn’t even dream of comparing themselves to...

Once the top young alchemists from the Three Major Sects, the Purple Cloud Sect, and the Tianya Sect had taken the stage, the jockeying for position was largely over.

The remaining alchemists from those five sects went up one after another.

After a number of them had gone up, the young alchemists from the other sects also began leaping onto the stage to find their spots and take their places.

Chu Qingyun didn’t dawdle. Waiting until he was somewhere in the latter half of the middle pack, he joined the largest wave of people and leaped onto the high stage.

After finding his spot, he walked over at an unhurried pace.

However, once he got there, he discovered that his placement was somewhat unexpected.

To his right was none other than the first person to take the stage, Zhou Ling of the Saint Extreme Sect. In front of and behind Zhou Ling were Li Ruoguang of the Tianya Sect and Zhu Tianyun of the Purple Cloud Sect, respectively.

Seeing someone arrive next to her, Zhou Ling turned her head to size up Chu Qingyun for a moment. When she realized she didn’t recognize him, she shot him a glare and turned her head back around.