The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron

Chapter 1789: Chapter 1886: Successfully Passed

Fang Lin still remembers, within the Pill Saint Palace there is an ironclad rule: if the Palace’s Pill Refiners have irreconcilable conflicts for various reasons, they can apply to the Great Elder for a life-and-death Pill Fight.

Once the life-and-death Pill Fight takes place, the victor will survive, while the loser will perish, with no room for reversal.

This ironclad rule was created so that the Pill Refiners of the Pill Saint Palace could resolve conflicts based on their own alchemy expertise, without any external interference; life or death relies entirely on one’s own skills.

Of course, applying for a life-and-death Pill Fight is not so easy. The Great Elder will personally investigate the matter thoroughly before deciding whether to consent to the life-and-death Pill Fight. If the Great Elder disagrees, then the life-and-death Pill Fight cannot proceed.

The reason for the investigation is to prevent someone from exploiting the rules of the life-and-death Pill Fight to deliberately kill another Pill Refiner. Each time an application for a life-and-death Pill Fight is submitted, the Great Elder will try to persuade the parties involved and ideally resolve their conflict, so it doesn’t escalate to a point determined by life and death.

Thus, although the Pill Saint Palace has this ironclad rule, the actual occurrences of life-and-death Pill Fights are very rare. In Fang Lin’s past life within the Pill Saint Palace, there were only two life-and-death Pill Fights.

"Once I enter the Pill Saint Palace, perhaps I can use the life-and-death Pill Fight to eliminate Cheng Qingyu, but the prerequisite is to let the life-and-death Pill Fight proceed smoothly. This definitely requires some careful planning," Fang Lin said silently in his heart.

Compared to Cheng Qingyu, Fang Lin has an unparalleled advantage, which is his familiarity with the Pill Saint Palace and with this era.

Although Cheng Qingyu is also a person from the future, she doesn’t possess Fang Lin’s unique situation of living through two lifetimes. Even if sent to this era through some means, her familiarity with this place is far inferior to Fang Lin’s.

Especially with the Pill Saint Palace, Fang Lin couldn’t be more familiar; he could navigate the Palace with his eyes closed without taking a wrong step.

Even though the current Pill Saint Palace is several hundred years earlier than in Fang Lin’s previous life, just several hundred years difference, there isn’t much change between the present Pill Saint Palace and the Pill Saint Palace of a few hundred years later.

Fang Lin sat cross-legged on the ground, quietly cultivating, while contemplating many issues in his heart, unaware that the day for the last round of assessments had arrived.

Once he passes this final round of assessments, Fang Lin can head to the Pill Saint Palace smoothly and become a formal disciple of the Palace.

The thought of this raised waves of emotions in Fang Lin; although he had previously experienced the identity of a Pill Saint Palace disciple, he never thought he would have another chance to enter it and see the sacred ground for alchemy that absorbed all his energy and prime years.

Feeling invigorated, he arrived at the Golden Palace where the assessment was held. Steward Ma, responsible for the main assessment, and other people from the Pill Saint Palace were already present, as well as the fifty participants arriving successively. After all, this was the most critical assessment; passing this would be akin to leaping over the dragon’s gate, stepping up to heaven, leaving the barren land of the seventy-two seas.

Fang Lin noticed that many young Pill Refiners wore expressions of anxiety. Even those who had performed well before now appeared solemn, and despite their efforts to conceal their nervousness, it inevitably showed.

It’s not surprising; although reaching this stage was difficult for them, each one had the chance to become an actual disciple of the Pill Saint Palace, only fifteen out of fifty would proceed to the Palace, and the rest would stop here. Presumably, no one would accept failure, each hoping to grab a disciple’s spot.

But the spots are limited, destined for some to succeed and some to fail in dismay; this is the harsh reality of the Alchemy Tao World: resources are limited, positions are limited; only the capable can acquire them.

Similarly, the Martial Arts World is the same; the best resources and places are prepared for the strong. For the weak to emerge, they must be stronger than others.

Fang Lin saw Cheng Qingyu standing in a corner, her expression indifferent, with an air of repelling strangers. Indeed, none were paying her much mind; after all, Cheng Qingyu’s appearance didn’t quite match the beauty of some other young women present.

As for Fang Lin, he was even less favored. Most Pill Refiners present believed Fang Lin’s journey thus far was due to luck, and this final assessment was destined to have nothing to do with him.

"Erdan, aren’t you nervous?" Song XiaoRou walked up to Fang Lin, asking with concern.

Fang Lin immediately pretended to be nervous, smiled bitterly, and said, "How can I not be nervous?"

Song XiaoRou sighed, patted Fang Lin’s shoulder like an old-timer, and said, "Don’t be too nervous. You’re so lucky; maybe you can really pass, and then we can go to the Pill Saint Palace together."

Fang Lin looked at her and said, "What if I pass by chance, but you don’t?"

Song XiaoRou froze for a moment, then angrily glared at Fang Lin before stomping away; she had come by to comfort Fang Lin, but who knew he’d say something like that, nearly angering Song XiaoRou to fainting.

Even though Song XiaoRou herself wasn’t very confident, she still held onto hope. Fang Lin’s direct remark about what if she doesn’t pass would irk anyone.

Fang Lin rubbed his nose; he said it deliberately, so this little girl surnamed Song would stop intentionally chatting with him. He had better things to do than entertain the little girls.

Cheng Qingyu noticed the situation on Fang Lin’s side and slightly curled her lips, seemingly mocking Fang Lin.

Soon everyone participating in the assessment gathered, Steward Ma announced the start of the assessment without any delay or lengthy speeches.

This last assessment lasted a long time, a full three days and nights. It wasn’t until midday on the fourth day that it completely ended.

The results would be announced in the evening, so these young Pill Refiners anxiously awaited in the Golden Palace, some holding onto hope while others hung their heads, feeling they reached the end.

Of course, there were genuinely calm individuals like Fang Lin, Cheng Qingyu, and several other genuinely gifted young Pill Refiners.

The waiting time seemed even longer, especially this kind of wait deciding one’s destiny, which was even more nerve-racking.

Finally, as dusk was about to fall, an exhausted Steward Ma came out, glanced at the people in the Golden Palace, and began announcing the results.

"The results are out. The names I call now passed the assessment," Steward Ma said loudly, then began reading each name.

By the fifteenth name, it was predictable to Fang Lin, but unexpected to everyone else present.

The final name, surprisingly, was Lin Erdan!

ps: Second Chapter update, had stomach problems in the morning, feeling under the weather

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