Emperor’s Domination

However, a person named Li Qiye came out of nowhere and removed the need for the final competition to determine the participant. Despite their unhappiness, the Giant Bamboo Country still compensated them for the long journey.

Moreover, Madam Zi Yan herself hosted this feast, so the alchemists were quite happy to attend. The reason was very simple; regardless of passing or failing the test, this was still a good opportunity for them because the alchemy garden of the Giant Bamboo Country was quite famous. Although Giant Bamboo was not an alchemy country, its garden was huge with large-scale plants of high-level spirit medicines and grasses.

Although it couldn’t be compared to the garden of a giant monster such as the Alchemy Kingdom, it carried its own distinguished reputation; it was much better than the gardens from the other great powers. Of course, there were reasons for its prosperity.

For these alchemists, especially the younger ones, this was a rare chance for them to take a look at the alchemy garden, a chance to increase their knowledge by seeing many exceedingly rare herbs and plants.

Poets and scholars loved to gaze at the moon to gain inspiration for new literary works. However, in the Stone Medicine World, the most wondrous thing for alchemists was to gaze at plants.

Because of this, even before the feast had started, many young alchemists came early to the palace and were escorted into the garden by Giant Bamboo disciples.

Meanwhile, Madam Zi Yan was personally presiding over the feast inside the garden. She didn’t stay out to greet the arriving guests, but a Demon King like her attending such a feast was already a grand and appreciable gesture to the young alchemists.

She was well known for her hospitality to talents, and today was a clear example of her humble pursuit for talents; clearly, she was not just fishing for compliments and fame.

The alchemists were amazed once they entered the alchemy garden and looked around. Even though many of the youths were from alchemy clans, they still had to admit that Giant Bamboo’s alchemy garden was worthy of its prestige.

It was vast and occupied a huge location. Looking ahead, one could see the undulating waves of changes in sceneries, including different batches of fields, mountains, ponds, and even alchemy pools as red as fire.

No matter what type of medicines these fields were cultivating, all of them were encompassed in a thick worldly energy. It could be said that this place was full of it, so it was not only an ideal place for plant cultivation, but also a great location for normal cultivation as well. Such a great place was something to be desired.

After seeing the thick worldly energy, the participating youths finally understood why this alchemy garden was so famous.

All kinds of spirit medicines and grasses of the highest level could be found inside. Such a garden was much better than the gardens from the other great powers.

Why was it that the Giant Bamboo Country had such a good garden? Many alchemists and lineages had secretly debated this matter. Even the country’s disciples gossiped about this.

Some believed that this garden was blessed due to the deity tree’s protection, that it was groomed by a divine essence so it was able to grow this many alchemy ingredients.

Others stated that its excellence came from being built at the end of the Elegant Azure Mountains where it was empowered by the worldly energy there.

Many people, including experts from the country itself, thought that both of these speculations were logical.

It was situated behind the palace, very close to the Bamboo Garden. One had to cross this alchemy garden before they could reach the Bamboo Garden and then the Elegant Azure Mountains.

Everyone in the Stone Medicine World knew about the giant bamboo tree of this country. Of course this alchemy garden would be blessed when a Divine Guardian was so close to strengthen it.

The second theory was even more accepted. There was a saying in the Stone Medicine World: Three Ancestral Veins, Eight Grand Veins. The three Ancestral Veins were the Alchemy Vein, Stone Vein, and Beast Vein.

These Ancestral Veins were also called the corners of this world since these veins divided it into three great realms. These veins were named the Alchemy Realm, Stone Realm, and Beast Realm, and the inhabitants relied on them to exist.

Inside these three realms were eight Grand Veins. Although these eight Grand Veins were not comparable to the three Ancestral Veins, they occupied this land like eight monstrous dragons.

The Elegant Azure Mountains were one of the eight Grand Veins. The mountain range spanned across several tens of millions of miles of territory. There were many clans and great powers built along this great mountain range.

The Giant Bamboo Country was situated at the tail of the Elegant Azure Mountains, and the imperial palace was at the center of the back. Of course, it was needless to say where the alchemy garden was; it was at the tip of the vein.

The three Ancestral Veins concentrated all the worldly energy in the Stone Medicine World while the eight Grand Veins were able to do the same for their respective realms.

Since the Elegant Azure Mountains were so large, its territory spanned for tens of millions of miles. It could be said that the vein condensed the widest area of worldly energy, causing the energy to be quite thick here. Due to its great location, it was not strange for the alchemy garden to be so fertile.

The astounded young alchemists also learned a lot with the help of the Giant Bamboo disciples introducing them to everything here. They also noticed the Bamboo Garden very close to the alchemy garden: “That must be the Bamboo Garden where the Giant Bamboo Divine Guardian resides?”

They couldn’t enter the Bamboo Garden, but they were still able to see it. There were flickering tree shadows with rich vegetation, indicative of its great vitality. The giant bamboo tree was very famous in the Stone Medicine World, and the country was even named after it. Some people referred to it as an invincible deity.

The party became very lively due to the high number of young participants. Many alchemists conversed with each other or were just gazing at the plants.

At this time, there was a small uproar as one young alchemist spoke in a low voice: “The main descendant of the Qing Clan is here.”

A young man followed a Giant Bamboo disciple inside. He was dressed in an alchemist’s style as his body emitted a green light as well as an aroma of herbs. Anyone could smell these fragrances coming from his body.

Several young alchemists who were familiar with him came to give their greetings: “Brother Qing Yu, you finally made it!”

This young alchemist was the Qing Clan’s descendant, Qing Yu. The Qing Clan was an alchemy clan. Although it had never produced an Alchemy Emperor, it had several Legendary Alchemists.

Of course, its attainments in alchemy were not comparable to a monster like the Alchemy Kingdom or other Alchemy Emperor’s lineages, but at the Giant Bamboo Country, it was the number one alchemy clan.

Qing Yu did not shame his noble upbringing since he was quite talented in the dao of alchemy. Despite his young age, he was already an Alchemy Grandmaster. A previous generation alchemist assessed that, in less than two years, he would become a Profound Alchemist.

It was quite brilliant to be a grandmaster at such a young age, so this was why Qing Yu was called the number one young alchemist in the Giant Bamboo Country.

His attendance at the party was overshadowed by an exasperated expression, but due to having to maintain cordiality with Madam Zi Yan, he didn’t dare to miss it.

One young alchemist whispered after noticing the apparent disatisfaction: “It seems that Qing Yu is very unhappy?”

Another responded: “How could he be happy? He has now lost his position. He was going to attend the conference and represent Giant Bamboo, but now he has nothing to do.”

Some other alchemists who passed the preliminary tests felt relieved after seeing Qing Yu lose his position as well. Even the number one in the country was eliminated, so there was nothing else that they could do.

One person asked: “Just who is the alchemist that will represent Giant Bamboo? If Qing Yu was eliminated as well, then could the country have found a superior alchemist to him?”

A well-informed young alchemist said: “It is a person named Li Qiye. His background is unknown, but I heard that he is very generous and throws money around like trash.”

Many of them had never heard of Li Qiye so they curiously asked: “Just who is this Li Qiye? Could he be a lot better than Qing Yu?”

Outsiders knew neither Li Qiye’s origin nor why the Giant Bamboo Country thought so highly of him. After selecting Li Qiye, they kicked Qing Yu out of the list without even giving him the chance to be a backup.