Chapter 799: The Alchemy Conference Begins Now

The next morning dawned.

Chaosheng Square was bustling with people.

The vast square, which could normally accommodate thousands without any crowding, was today packed to the brim.

Everyone craned their necks, trying to squeeze further toward the center.

"Quick, quick! The Lian Dan Conference is about to start—it's another major event before the Wangcheng Trial."

"I heard that the appearance of Sky City has drawn many people there. For this Wangcheng Lian Dan Conference, the Lian Dan masters from Dong Tianjie will be facing off against talents from various domains."

"That's right. Apparently, the Tianluo Arena has been a bloodbath these past few days, with even the Jiandao Wangzuo making an appearance. Tsk tsk, it's like a nightmare!"

"Ha, that's true, but Tianluo War Heaven is still only offering ten spots. Now, those who got the Wangcheng Trial spots early are all on edge, hiding away for fear of being caught and killed."

"The spots just aren't enough to go around. Today, probably another big wave of people will flood into Chaosheng Square. The Lian Dan Conference is going to be quite a spectacle."

"Who knows who'll take the top spot? I hear the rewards this time are quite impressive..."

Chaosheng Square was abuzz with excitement.

In recent days, geniuses from various domains had arrived one after another, their achievements even overshadowing news of the Wangcheng night battles for a time.

And today, the Lian Dan Conference was being held right at Chaosheng Square.

It was easy to imagine this as another kind of fierce competition, one without blades or blood.

The sun rose in the east.

As the organizers, the Wangcheng Headquarters of the Lian Dan Master Association had the Chengzhu Fu's Forbidden Guards on full display, with hidden Red and White Guards already seated at Chaosheng Square.

In the center of the square, a large trial area had been marked off.

At the far end, on a newly built high platform, sat eighteen judges, led by President Dong Ling and assisted by the presidents of various Dong Tianjie Lian Dan Master Association branches.

Beside these elderly Lian Dan masters, who lacked any combat prowess, stood guards starting from the Wangzuo level.

Hidden in the shadows, Yao Yao carried the Xuan Cang Shenjian and had been waiting in the void for this grand event.

Today, she wasn't worried about dark forces attacking the Lian Dan Conference site.

As a supreme power on par with the Sheng Shen Dian, Sheng Gong normally didn't act against outsiders or initiate wars.

But given its protective nature,

anyone who dared to disrupt the Lian Dan Conference today might face retaliation from Taixu or Bansheng levels afterward.

This was entirely possible!

Similarly, today, major Lian Dan conferences were being held across various domains on the continent. If any promising talents emerged, they could attract the attention of Sheng Ren and be specially approved for entry into Sheng Gong for study.

In short, this event wasn't just under Yao Yao's watchful eye—Bansheng were also paying attention.

Anyone who came with ill intent would meet their end!

With time still early, the judges on the platform were whispering among themselves.

"Dong Ling President, I heard that the Wangcheng Lian Dan Master Association recently developed a new healing elixir called Chi Jin Ye? Its effects are supposedly even more exaggerated than Chi Jin Dan?"

Lu Chenghui, the president of the Tianyun Cheng Lian Dan Master Association branch, spoke in a sarcastic tone, drawing the attention of the other veteran presidents.

In all of Dong Tianjie, aside from the Wangcheng Lian Dan Master Association Headquarters, Tianyun Cheng had seen the best development in Lian Dan techniques in recent years.

And Lu Chenghui had played a major role in continually improving Chi Jin Dan.

The ten-pin Chi Jin Dan not only had the largest market and the lowest price but was also the top choice for injured Ling Refiners.

When going out, who didn't carry a few blood vials?

But recently, upon arriving in Wangcheng, Lu Chenghui had heard of something called Chi Jin Ye—neither fully a dan nor a liquid.

Aside from its poor storage, its effects completely overshadowed the Chi Jin Dan, which had been revised thousands of times over the years!

What was the Wangcheng Lian Dan Association Headquarters doing, researching this?

The low-tier healing remedies market in Dong Tianjie was basically supplied by Tianyun Cheng.

Wasn't this stealing business?

So, even when facing Dong Ling, Lu Chenghui's tone wasn't pleasant.

Dong Ling was well aware of the recent stir caused by Duojin Merchant House. She smiled and explained, "Chi Jin Ye wasn't developed by the association headquarters—it was created by someone else."

"Outsiders?"

Lu Chenghui's voice rose sharply as he straightened up in surprise. "What has headquarters been doing? An outsider developing a dan, and a healing one at that... This concerns the safety of all Ling Refiners in Dong Tianjie. What if Chi Jin Ye is a poison dan?"

Dong Ling glanced at him sidelong. "Headquarters naturally verified it first. There's no issue before it was released to the market."

Lu Chenghui quickly added, "New dans like this generally need internal inspection by all the branch presidents. We haven't even seen Chi Jin Ye, don't know its properties, and it's already on the market. What if it's a disaster..."

His words pulled all the branch presidents to his side, making it seem like Dong Ling was trying to run things single-handedly.

Everyone present was sharp-minded.

To reach the position of branch president, they excelled not only in Lian Dan techniques but also in social savvy. They all picked up on the implication.

Dong Ling frowned.

Shi Ti, sitting nearby, kept his eyes straight ahead but was fully aware of the situation. He chuckled and said, "Lu President, you haven't seen Chi Jin Ye?"

Lu Chenghui choked on his words.

Everyone exchanged knowing smiles.

As soon as Chi Jin Ye hit the market, the presidents had all received word—how could they not have bought some for research?

It was only after researching and confirming that Chi Jin Ye had no problems—and that, aside from its storage issues, its effects truly crushed the same-tier Chi Jin Dan—that no one raised objections.

But this was a minor matter for most; clearly, it hit Lu Chenghui where it hurt.

They were all old foxes with a long-term view, knowing that if Chi Jin Ye could be mass-produced, the market for Chi Jin Dan would vanish.

Thus, Lu Chenghui couldn't handle this blow.

After all, Tianyun Cheng had built its fortune on Chi Jin Dan.

"Dong Ling President..."

Lu Chenghui tried to speak, but Dong Ling cut him off: "Lu President, is it more important that new Lian Dan techniques emerge, or that money is made?"

"Uh!"

Lu Chenghui's face turned red with embarrassment.

Dong Ling turned her head and smiled. "The Lian Dan Master Association doesn't follow the ways of other factions—we focus solely on advancing Lian Dan techniques. Lu President, please don't set a bad example."

Lu Chenghui's mouth twitched, and he flung his sleeve before sitting back down sulkily.

An elderly president nearby burst out laughing. "Old Lu, if I were you, I'd hurry up and study Chi Jin Ye, try to crack the formula, and then..."

"Slow down!"

Shi Ti turned back with a smile, interrupting. "They've already applied for formula certification. Duojin Merchant House has handled all the paperwork in the past few days, so Chi Jin Ye is officially on the market. If you really want to, Lu old man, go find someone to collaborate with."

"What collaboration? I've seen Chi Jin Ye—whether it can be mass-produced is still up in the air!"

Lu Chenghui was flustered and exasperated.

"Oh, so you've seen it? But just a moment ago, you said you hadn't?"

Shi Ti feigned confusion.

Lu Chenghui's face flushed with anger as he glared. "Shi Ti, will you die if you don't speak? You old fossil—how have you lived this long without kicking the bucket? Huh?!"

Shi Ti, mimicking Sang old man, just chuckled twice without responding.

The various presidents roared with laughter, shaking their heads in amusement.

By now, the eighteen entry channels cleared by the major Forbidden Guards in the square had few people left entering. The young Lian Dan masters participating had all arrived.

Time was nearly up, and Dong Ling President was about to announce the start of the conference.

Lu Chenghui calmed down and looked out at the site, then suddenly turned back to Dong Ling. "Who developed Chi Jin Ye?"

Duojin Merchant House had kept things under tight wraps. The branch presidents had only recently arrived in the city, and their intelligence networks weren't strong enough to find out yet.

As soon as he asked, everyone turned to look at Dong Ling.

Dong Ling had the words on the tip of her tongue but swallowed them, explaining to the senior figures, "It's from Tian Shang First Tower— that's where Chi Jin Ye came from."

Tian Shang First Tower?

Lu Chenghui narrowed his eyes. The name of this force didn't sound like something a mere branch president could mess with.

"Will they send young participants today?" Lu Chenghui asked, thinking that a force bold enough to use such a name in Wangcheng must be an established one.

Dong Ling's mind flashed back to the youth who had vanished under the Duoyuan Zihuo at the trade fair. She replied calmly, "They probably will. Tian Shang First Tower is full of young people—it's a new force. I heard Xu Shao developed Chi Jin Ye, and he doesn't have a trial spot yet, so he's likely to come."

"Xu Shao?"

Everyone was shocked.

A young person developed Chi Jin Ye?

One must know, any dan formula recognized by the market had been refined through generations by thousands of Lian Dan masters.

In the field of Lian Dan, which required vast time and technical accumulation, could a young person create something as advanced as Chi Jin Ye?

"What rank?"

Lu Chenghui was anxious.

He had assumed that, at the very least, the developer of Chi Jin Ye would be a veteran Lian Dan master, at least at the Wangzuo level, starting from third rank.

Now, he suddenly felt he might have been too presumptuous.

Young participants in the conference, no matter how talented in Lian Dan, without time to build up, could at most reach Xiantian peak.

Even by the most prodigious standards, barely Zongshi?

That meant this person was likely only sixth rank at highest?

A sixth-rank Lian Dan master developed Chi Jin Ye?

What a joke!

This thought clearly occurred to all the veteran presidents, and they showed expressions of shock.

Dong Ling didn't know these details.

She was about to say she didn't know.

But unlike the others, who were at most Xiantian or Zongshi level,

her spiritual sense was sharp enough to notice a familiar young man outside the square. He was at the registration point, flashing a ten-pin Lian Dan master badge, and getting into a heated argument and tug-of-war with the staff.

She couldn't focus on what happened next.

Dong Ling was stunned on the spot!

Xu Shao?

Without a doubt, that was Xu Shao from Tian Shang First Tower, the developer of Chi Jin Ye.

But...

Ten pin?

He was a ten-pin Lian Dan master?

And he refined Chi Jin Ye?

Dong Ling: ???

"What rank was it!"

On the judges' platform, the various presidents were getting impatient.

Dong Ling President suddenly looked lost in thought, as if she were teasing them.

Even Shi Ti turned to look, full of curiosity.

At the trade fair that day, Zhou Tiancan had been whispering to him, "It's him! It's him!", leading Shi Ti to truly believe Xu Shao was the Xu Xiaoshou he knew.

But then the Wangcheng night battle began.

The real Sheng Nu Xu Xiaoshou appeared, while the Xu Shao from the trade fair was just watching.

Their identities were clearly distinct.

So, Shi Ti no longer thought that Tian Shang First Tower's Xu Shao was Sang old man's disciple, that troublesome kid who blew up the Dan Tower.

Just then, Dong Ling swallowed hard and hesitated. "Ten... ten pin?"

All the presidents' eyes widened in obvious surprise, and they repeated, as if they'd misheard, "Ten pin?"

Dong Ling snapped back to reality, her red lips parted, but she held back. "...I don't know."

The presidents: ???

Lu Chenghui exploded.

"Ten pin!"

"Dong Ling President, you just said ten pin!"

"A ten-pin Lian Dan master developed Chi Jin Ye? You're kidding... Ahem, this needs investigating! Chi Jin Ye must have some hidden issues that haven't surfaced yet—it's probably a poison dan!"

Lu Chenghui stomped his foot in urgency.

The other presidents were still reeling from the shock.

Shi Ti was stunned too.

He didn't think Dong Ling would lie.

But if she wasn't lying, this was too abnormal.

In the Lian Dan world, abnormal things over the decades had only been pulled off by that kid who blew up the Dan Tower.

This would be normal for Xu Xiaoshou...

Additionally, he wasn't sure if it was his imagination,

but Shi Ti felt he had seen Xu Xiaoshou refine dans before. That kid's decoction-flow Lian Dan technique produced a sticky liquid when making Chi Jin Dan that looked a lot like Chi Jin Ye.

And Zhou Tiancan was Xu Xiaoshou's good friend—he had pointed out Xu Shao that day, even if it was a mistake...

Would good friends point out someone completely unrelated?

All these random thoughts flooded Shi Ti's mind, and he began to suspect.

He turned to Dong Ling. "President, what did you just see that had you so distracted?"

Dong Ling turned her head and said straightforwardly, "I saw Xu Shao's Lian Dan master badge. I just found out he's apparently only ten pin. So, Chi Jin Ye must have been passed off as the work of his clan elders. As expected, young people..."

Her expression soured.

She despised such dishonest young people...

Especially in the Lian Dan world, plagiarizing others' achievements was utterly condemned!

Lu Chenghui was furious. "As expected, it's fake! I knew there was something wrong with that young man. Chi Jin Ye should be pulled from the shelves immediately. A mere ten-pin Lian Dan master—whose clan's elder's work could he have stolen? Who could create something as miraculous as Chi Jin Ye?"

"Oh, so now it's miraculous?"

An elderly president laughed at Lu Chenghui's outburst, finding his flip-flopping highly amusing.

Dong Ling also gave Lu old man a stern look and said coldly, "Xu Shao is a Bansheng's disciple."

"Gah."

The air went silent.

Lu Chenghui, who had halfway stood up, suddenly sat back down straight, hands on his knees, sitting prim and proper as if he hadn't said a word.

"Ha ha ha..."

The elders laughed heartily.

But Shi Ti was lost in thought and couldn't laugh.

"Confused?" Dong Ling glanced sideways.

Shi Ti opened his mouth, about to ask Dong Ling President to have the staff bring Xu Shao's Lian Dan master badge for a look.

Even though all continental Lian Dan badges were the same,

the origin and the anti-forgery spirit array in the badge were recorded.

So, if Xu Shao's ten-pin Lian Dan master badge came from Tian Sang Cheng...

Shi Ti thought this way, but then his gaze fell on the crowd present.

There were too many people here with eyes and ears—if it really was as he suspected, that Sang old man would probably haunt him even in death!

"Nothing."

At that moment, Shi Ti waved it off with a chuckle. "I see the site is about full, Dong Ling President. You should start the first round soon—there are so many people!"

Dong Ling gave Shi Ti a strange look but didn't press further.

She stood up, gathered her Ling Yuan, and her voice echoed out.

"Quiet!"

"The time has come. The Lian Dan Conference begins now!"