Jiang Chen handed the Saint-grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine to Palace Master Danchi.
As for the brewing process, it was clear that Palace Master Danchi was eager to try it himself. Jiang Chen figured he probably wouldn't need to lift a finger.
"Haha, Jiang Chen, this recipe is worth a fortune!" Palace Master Danchi beamed with delight, brimming with excitement.
Jiang Chen teased, "I doubt Elder Liancheng would agree with that."
Palace Master Danchi burst out laughing. "You brat, even Elder Liancheng isn't safe from your jokes. But the fact that you say that shows you don't know him very well. He's the number one drinker in our Dan Qian Palace. When it comes to drinking, especially this Saint-grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine, Elder Liancheng would love it more than anyone. Who knows, before long he might become one of your fans."
Jiang Chen quickly said, "Palace Master, this recipe is a minor matter, but please don't reveal that it came from me. Such a great achievement would be much more fitting if it were credited to you, Palace Master."
It wasn't that Jiang Chen didn't want the credit — it was just that at this stage in his life, he really didn't need any more spotlights on him.
He had no desire to walk around having everyone stare at him because of this Saint-grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine, with every single person pestering him to brew liquor. That would be far too troublesome.
Palace Master Danchi paused for a moment, then understood Jiang Chen's intentions. He praised him: "Jiang Chen, at your age, to be this uninterested in vanity — that's truly rare. That's the biggest difference between you and Shen Qinghong."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly but didn't want to praise himself.
"Palace Master, I'll be heading back to my cave dwelling now."
"Go on. I'm looking forward to seeing you shine at the Huanbo Mountain Alchemy Competition," Palace Master Danchi encouraged.
After Jiang Chen left, Palace Master Danchi stared at the recipe, his heart filled with astonishment. A recipe like this — forget the Myriad Phenomena Region, even if it were tossed into the Upper Eight Regions, it would undoubtedly be fought over like mad.
And Jiang Chen had just handed it over without a moment's hesitation.
Judging by Jiang Chen's magnanimity alone, one could see this young man's extraordinary character and bearing. To hand over such a precious recipe without demanding anything in return, without even mentioning compensation — truly remarkable.
"Sigh... it seems that allying with the Treasure Tree Sect and bringing Jiang Chen into Dan Qian Palace wasn't me giving him an opportunity — it was Jiang Chen giving me one."
Palace Master Danchi sighed softly. He recalled Elder Shun's instructions from back then, recalled the guidance Elder Shun had given him. In just a few short days, he had broken through his bottleneck, his cultivation surging repeatedly. Now he was on the verge of entering the sixth level of the Saint Realm, about to earn the right to challenge the Heavenly Saint tier.
Once he earned that right, he would have the qualifications to become one of the top existences in the Myriad Phenomena Region.
Danchi was a man of great ambition, and in Jiang Chen, he saw the hope of realizing those ambitions.
"If only Elder Shun had guided me for a year or two instead of just a few days — I'd probably have a real shot at the Imperial tier."
…
Back at his cave dwelling, Jiang Chen prepared to make another push toward the fifth level of the Origin Realm.
With a massive supply of Origin Nurturing Pills on hand, there was no reason not to attempt a breakthrough. He counted the days — there was still one month before the departure for the Huanbo Mountain Alchemy Competition.
"One month — more than enough!"
Just before Jiang Chen sealed himself off to attempt his breakthrough to the fifth level of the Origin Realm, word came from the Herbal Hall: the eight-person roster for the Huanbo Mountain Alchemy Competition had been finalized.
The four elder participants were: Hall Master Elder Yun Nie, Deputy Hall Master Shi Wangyue, Second Deputy Hall Master Ouyang De, and one ordinary elder of the Herbal Hall, Che Ziwu.
The four younger participants were: Jiang Chen, Mu Gaoqi, Ling Bi'er, and Shen Qinghong.
Jun Mobai, Shen Sanhuo, Ouyang De's grandson Ouyang Chao, and others had all been eliminated.
The elder selections were all respected elders of the Herbal Hall, so naturally no one had any objections. While Ouyang De and Che Ziwu might not necessarily surpass Palace Master Danchi and Elder Liancheng in alchemy, as the Palace Master and the Hall Master of the Martial Hall, those two giants could hardly be expected to personally participate in the competition — it would be beneath their dignity.
As for the younger generation, no matter who was selected or who was left out, there would inevitably be some controversy.
Jiang Chen, however, was actually the least controversial choice. After all, his performance in every previous alchemy competition had been virtually flawless, and the three giants of Dan Qian Palace had jointly vouched for his alchemy talent. No one could reasonably argue with that.
Mu Gaoqi possessed the Innate Wood Spirit Physique at a superior grade — more than enough to shut up the doubters. Even if he didn't represent the absolute peak of Dan Qian Palace's abilities this time, as the sect's top alchemy prodigy who had been cultivated for years, it was perfectly reasonable to bring him along.
As for Ling Bi'er, before the Supreme Zone had recruited Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi, she had been the nominal number one in alchemy. But even so, her selection still drew some grumbling from certain quarters.
Because she was stationed in the Supreme Zone, her alchemy talent and cultivation rarely had the chance to be showcased.
As for Shen Qinghong — the number one prodigy of the younger generation. While his alchemy talent wasn't widely known, the fact that he had fought Jiang Chen to a draw said something, at least.
But beyond that, Shen Qinghong didn't have any particularly convincing performances to his name.
So naturally, behind closed doors, some felt that Shen Qinghong had gotten in by riding on his prestigious background and his martial cultivation talent. And Ling Bi'er had gotten in on the strength of her pretty face.
Of course, all of this was whispered gossip. No one dared voice their doubts openly.
After all, truth be told, not a single person who had complaints could honestly claim that their own alchemy surpassed that of Shen Qinghong or Ling Bi'er.