Tyrant Sky Martial Soul

Chapter 1267: Chapter 1267: Being Ridiculed

When the time on the Treasure Clock had passed a quarter of an hour, meaning half the allotted time had already run out.

Many alchemists could no longer wait; they ignited their furnaces and began refining the Transcendent Pills using their respective techniques.

Yet Ling Xiao remained in his visualization state, showing no signs of withdrawing from it.

Although so much time had been delayed, it had to be said that his efforts were still highly effective.

The auxiliary medicinal ingredients needed had already been refined and synthesized by him through simulation techniques—more than half of them.

In one aspect, he was absolutely confident: whatever could be achieved in the visualization state could undoubtedly be accomplished in reality as well.

For him, the possibility of unexpected failure did not exist.

The remaining few components, however, required a more complex and challenging refinement process. Yet, with only a quarter-hour left, he had to speed up while exercising even greater caution.

”Always putting on airs!”

Dan Qing’s pills were already being refined; just a little more time, and they would be ready to emerge from the furnace, allowing him to smoothly pass the examination.

So when he saw Ling Xiao had yet to ignite his furnace after a quarter-hour, he felt a bit smugly delighted at Ling Xiao’s misfortune.

Ji Luoyu also shook her head lightly. While she didn’t know what Ling Xiao was up to, it was clear to her—if he didn’t officially start his alchemy soon—time would run out.

According to the level of a Yellow Ranking Super Pharmacist, refining a single Transcendent Pill would require at least ten minutes.

But Ling Xiao was merely a Yellow Rank Senior Pharmacist. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt, time was already running incredibly short.

At this point, there was nothing she could do to help; after all, she didn’t have a clue what Ling Xiao was busy doing.

”This process of visualization and simulation, while perfectly fine in regular circumstances, is somewhat wasteful during an examination.”

Ji Qing also began to worry.

”Indeed, if the time runs out, even if I favor him, I can’t bend the rules or commit favoritism.”

Jackson Le Grandmaster said helplessly.

However, the focus of all their attention, Ling Xiao, remained utterly unaffected by external distractions. Regardless of how many participants were eliminated, or how many eyes were fixed on him at the moment, his priority was singular—to finish what he was working on.

Another five minutes passed.

Time entered its final ten-minute window.

Ling Xiao finally opened his eyes, and a faint smile graced his lips.

He gently descended to the ground and made a point of observing the results of the two nearby prodigies.

From the fragrance alone, he could tell that Dan Qing and Ji Luoyu’s Transcendent Pills were about to emerge, with their efficacy likely reaching seventy to eighty percent—a very respectable level.

Their arrogance was, it seemed, not without justification. At the very least, they were among the frontrunners of the ten thousand competitors here.

Exhaling deeply, Ling Xiao set aside any thoughts of others and focused on his Alchemy Platform, carefully glancing at the clock.

”Ten minutes, hmm? Faster than I expected.”

He smiled faintly but did not immediately proceed to start refining pills. Instead, he sat down on the Bone Throne and meditated for three minutes, ensuring his state reached its absolute peak.

”It’s true that sharpening your blade won’t delay chopping firewood, but this young man seems a bit too composed. Can he really succeed with just seven minutes left, even if he knows the correct refining method?”

Ji Qing furrowed his brows, unable to grasp Ling Xiao’s intentions.

Medicine King Sun Ran also frowned deeply, perplexed, which only heightened his tension.

Ling Xiao was always full of surprises after all.

Just then, Ling Xiao suddenly raised his hand and threw all the main medicinal ingredients listed in the pill formula into the furnace. At the same time, a flame emerged from his palm.

It was merely ordinary flame; for now, there was no need to use Sacred Flame.

”What’s he doing? This is no different from what those eliminated participants did!”

The spectators couldn’t grasp Ling Xiao’s actions in detail, thus failing to understand his approach.

Even Medicine King Sun Ran couldn’t comprehend it.

”He’s clearly self-sabotaging! After all that effort, he hasn’t come up with a reliable method at all.”

Ji Qing wanted to refute but found himself with no reasonable argument against that claim.

Ling Xiao’s current actions truly seemed like self-sabotage.

They had initially thought this was madness enough.

But what Ling Xiao did next was far more insane than they had imagined!

After letting the furnace burn for a while, Ling Xiao suddenly lifted the lid and tossed all the remaining auxiliary ingredients inside without any processing.

”He’s crazy! Recklessly doing this will cause an explosion!”

A nearby alchemist who had already been eliminated exclaimed.

”Absolutely insane. Sure, he might have realized those ingredients could serve as substitutes for auxiliary materials, but throwing them in unprocessed? That’s a guaranteed explosion!”

Medicine King Sun Ran’s lips curled into a scornful smile.

Suddenly, he questioned whether his earlier concern had been excessive. Ling Xiao, it seemed, wasn’t nearly as clever as he had imagined.

On the contrary, this man was just reckless, a fool.

”Maybe he has some other plan,”

Jackson Le Grandmaster reasoned nervously, straining to find an explanation for Ling Xiao’s actions.

”Coo-coo!”

At that moment, the Mechanical Bird emitted clear, melodious chirps, signaling the successful refinement of a Transcendent Pill and the passing of the examination.

”It’s Dan Qing!”

Dan Qing uncovered his furnace lid, revealing a lustrous and flawless pill. The aroma wafted through the air, and his face radiated sheer pride.

Almost simultaneously, Ji Luoyu’s pill was also completed.

Judging by the external appearance, the level of both pills seemed nearly identical.

However, scores would ultimately depend on the Mechanical Bird’s assessment.

For the first stage of the assessment, the judges themselves didn’t need to score directly.

These two had been the first to finish.

In the following five minutes, with only two minutes left before the first stage ended, the chirping of the Mechanical Birds was incessant.

There were screams—those eliminated from the trial.

And there were cheerful, melodious calls—those who passed successfully.

Among the ten individuals seated on the main platform, only Ling Xiao had yet to complete his task.

”Haha, Dan Changle, it seems you’ve overestimated him. Ling Xiao isn’t as extraordinary as you thought,”

Medicine King Sun Ran said smugly, glancing between the passing time and Ling Xiao.

”At least he hasn’t caused an explosion,”

Jackson Le Grandmaster could only offer this as a rebuttal.

”Yes, he hasn’t caused an explosion, but if the time runs out before he finishes refining his pill, he will still be eliminated,”

Medicine King Sun Ran chuckled softly, wishing the enormous Treasure Clock would leap directly to the thirty-minute mark.

Initially, he had contemplated subtle ways to disgrace Ling Xiao, but now, it seemed unnecessary.

Ling Xiao’s performance was far worse than he had anticipated.