Chapter 1135: A Draw

Everyone in attendance sat up straight, their eyes gleaming with excitement. They had come for the birthday banquet, but no one expected to witness such a grand spectacle. With a show like this unfolding, no one wanted to miss it.

Buzz! Buzz!

Under the watchful eyes of all, the Dan Fu alchemist and Yue Zhen simultaneously produced their alchemy furnaces, followed by the materials for refining pills. Even before the real battle began, the tension in the air was palpable.

"You’ll die a horrible death."

"Don’t speak too soon, or you might bite your tongue," the Dan Fu alchemist replied with a dismissive expression, calmly warming his furnace.

"Who do you think will win?" someone whispered, noting the confidence on both sides.

"It has to be Yue Zhen."

"That Dan Fu alchemist was a fifth-tier alchemist during the selection trials, but Yue Zhen is a disciple of Ku Yue—a sixth-tier against a fifth-tier. There’s no way Yue Zhen should lose."

Amid the rising murmurs, Yue Zhen and the Dan Fu alchemist had already summoned their true fire. Yue Zhen moved swiftly, and the Dan Fu alchemist was equally impressive, their techniques both masterful and precise.

The crowd’s attention was fully captured, leaving the day’s main protagonist completely ignored.

As for Ku Yue, his face was as cold as frost. What day was this? It was his birthday, a time when everyone paid their respects and offered gifts, even Ruo Tian Zhuque. Yet, someone had publicly humiliated him. As a figure of such high status, when had he ever lost face like this? It was an unbearable disgrace.

Killing intent blazed in Ku Yue’s eyes, his desire to kill Ye Chen reaching an unstoppable peak. If not for the many witnesses today, he would have struck Ye Chen down, even at the risk of defying Youdu’s laws.

Yue Shan and the others were equally murderous.

In contrast, Ye Chen remained relaxed, legs crossed as he sat there nonchalantly, focused on polishing a spirit pearl. Once Ku Yue and Yue Shan shifted their gaze to the alchemy platform, Ye Chen subtly lifted his head and activated his Xianlun Yan, his narrowed eyes scanning the primordial spirits of everyone present.

"This is truly shocking!" Ye Chen murmured to himself. The number of people branded with Ku Yue’s curse seals far exceeded his expectations. It included Ruo Tian Zhuque’s princes and princesses, holy lords, clan holy lords, elders, and even Yue Shan and Yue Jin.

Finally, Ye Chen’s gaze settled on Ku Yue, instantly piercing through his primordial spirit. With the Xianlun Yan’s insight, he located the curse seal within Ku Yue’s body. Everyone else marked with the ancient witchcraft curse was connected to that main curse seal in Ku Yue, though others couldn’t see it.

"How is it?" Mu Xuan Gong and Ruo Tian Zhuque both sent him a sound transmission.

"The number of people with curse seals is astonishing," Ye Chen replied. "Just as I suspected earlier, Ku Yue has a main curse seal in his body. If he dies, it will shatter, and more than half of the people here will perish with him—all of them prominent figures in Youdu."

"In that case, there’s no need to hold back," Mu Xuan Gong said coldly.

"Don't rush," Ruo Tian Zhuque chuckled lightly. "I’m quite curious to see which is stronger—Dan Fu or Ling Dan Ge."

"Are you bored?" Ye Chen rubbed his brow in exasperation.

"We’ve waited this long; what’s a little more time?" Mu Xuan Gong laughed. "Let’s satisfy the curiosity of us old folks, just like Ku Yue said—have some fun!"

"Honestly, you two are quite the pair."

"Stop joking."

As the three conversed secretly, a sudden shout came from the alchemy platform: "The pill is complete!"

Yue Zhen called out lightly, and a pill rainbow shot into the sky, revealing a six-pattern pill with dazzling pill phenomena.

"Collect it." Yue Zhen waved his sleeve, drawing the purple six-pattern pill into his palm.

"I told you so!" Most people in the audience stroked their beards in approval.

"A disciple of Ku Yue isn’t someone to take lightly."

"Dan Fu overreached this time."

"Master, I haven’t disappointed you." Amid the exclamations, Yue Zhen placed the six-pattern pill into a treasure box and presented it to Ku Yue with both hands, feeling a surge of pride from the surrounding awe.

"I’m very pleased." Ku Yue accepted the box and glanced coldly at Ye Chen nearby.

"What else do you have to say?" Yue Shan barked.

"The competition isn’t over yet, so why the fuss?" Ye Chen glanced at Yue Shan.

"You won’t shed tears until you see the coffin." Yue Shan and the others sneered.

"The pill is complete!" No sooner had Yue Shan spoken than another cry rang out from the platform. The Dan Fu alchemist had finished, his pill rainbow soaring with even more spectacular phenomena than Yue Zhen’s.

"A fifth-tier alchemist actually refined a six-pattern pill." Shocked voices erupted below.

"Clearly, that Dan Fu alchemist is a sixth-tier."

"This is unbelievable. How long has it been? A fifth-tier advancing to sixth-tier so quickly?"

"That’s impossible—he’s definitely a fifth-tier alchemist." Yue Shan frowned deeply.

"Are you sure?" Ku Yue asked sternly.

"No mistake," Yue Hai hurriedly replied. "During the alchemist selection, he only produced a five-pattern pill."

"An alchemist with such talent was overlooked by you all—I’m starting to doubt your judgment." Ku Yue snorted coldly.

"We were wrong." Yue Shan and the others said fearfully, filled with regret. If they had selected that alchemist for Ling Dan Ge back then, none of this would be happening.

"A fifth-tier advancing to sixth-tier in just a month—quite the surprise." Ku Yue narrowed his eyes and glanced at Ye Chen, a deeper meaning flickering in his gaze. "I’ve underestimated you."

"Fu Master, I haven’t let you down, have I?" Amid the discussions, the Dan Fu alchemist stepped down and presented the six-pattern pill to Ye Chen.

"Good job." Ye Chen pushed the pill back. "Consider it a reward."

"Thank you, Fu Master." The alchemist grinned, quickly stashed the pill, and scurried away happily.

"Ling Dan Ge refined the pill first, so we win this round." Yue Shan snorted from the other side.

"Who wins or loses is up to you to decide?" Ye Chen glanced at him with his charming eyes.

"You—"

"Enough," Ruo Tian Zhuque spoke, her voice ethereal, instantly silencing the scene. They had forgotten that this alchemy duel had a judge—and the most authoritative one in all of Youdu.

"Both sides have refined six-pattern pills. How about a draw?" Ruo Tian Zhuque said lightly under everyone’s gaze.

"Do either of you have objections?"

"Doesn’t matter to me." Ye Chen shrugged casually.

"No objections," Ku Yue replied grimly, his face darkening. His own true disciple had only managed a tie with some random alchemist from Dan Fu—how could he not feel humiliated?

"In that case, the duel continues." Ruo Tian Zhuque waved her hand gently.

"I'll go." As soon as Ruo Tian Zhuque finished, Yue Mo stepped forward boldly, striding onto the platform. He couldn’t resist shooting a provocative look at Dan Fu. "Who from Dan Fu will face me?"

"Pick whoever you want!" Ye Chen replied casually.

"Arrogant."

"I have the right to be."

"Good, very good." Yue Mo laughed angrily, suddenly pointing to one side and locking onto a Dan Fu alchemist in the corner who was gnawing on a chicken leg.

"What are you staring at? You, hurry up."

"Uh, uh, uh." The Dan Fu alchemist jumped up in a panic, unwilling to set down his chicken leg. He stuffed it into his mouth and hurried over, still chewing. After a couple of steps, he transformed into a dog.

"What poor eyesight—I didn’t realize it was a dog demon."

"Dan Fu is full of eccentrics!"

"Let’s begin." Once on the platform, the Dan Fu alchemist shifted back to human form, but with the chicken leg in his mouth, his words came out mumbled and unclear, leaving the audience twitching their lips in amusement.