Both sides submitted the pills they had refined. Jiang Chen's expression was calm and composed, while Alchemist King Ji Lang, though relatively satisfied with his own results, felt a inexplicable twinge of unease deep in his heart.
Everything about today's events reeked of strangeness, filling Alchemist King Ji Lang with a profoundly ominous premonition.
The pills from both sides were now displayed before the judges.
Jiang Chen had successfully produced six pills from a single furnace. Alchemist King Ji Lang, on the other hand, had only yielded five from his. In terms of raw numbers alone, Jiang Chen was already ahead.
Of course, the rules of this alchemical wager dictated that the first point of comparison was not the quantity produced, but rather the single highest-quality pill from each side.
Jiang Chen's batch was evidently the pinnacle of his craft — among the six Myriad Years Pills, a full three had reached supreme grade quality.
The remaining three were all superior grade.
In other words, not a single one of Jiang Chen's six pills was even middle grade, let alone inferior.
As for Alchemist King Ji Lang's five pills, there was one superior grade, three middle grade, and one inferior.
One had to admit, Alchemist King Ji Lang had already achieved something extraordinary. After all, his pill formula had been stolen, and his refinement method had been obtained from the Undying Heavenly Capital.
The refinement method from the Undying Heavenly Capital was only half-baked to begin with. Without Jiang Chen's personal guidance, many of the finer details were far from perfected.
When they had wrung the method for the Myriad Years Pill out of Elder Yun Nie, the elder — though coerced — had still withheld certain minor details. As a result, while the Undying Heavenly Capital could indeed produce the Myriad Years Pill, those small alterations in the process made it impossible for them to refine superior grade Myriad Years Pills no matter what.
Once the formula reached Pill Fire City, it was scrutinized by countless powerhouses, subjected to endless experimentation, adjusted in numerous ways, and somewhat improved.
Using his own equipment, Alchemist King Ji Lang could almost always produce superior grade pills, and occasionally even one or two supreme grade ones.
That said, supreme grade results were few and far between.
No matter how thoroughly they studied the formula, they had never truly received Jiang Chen's authentic transmission. There was still a fundamental difference from the genuinely original Myriad Years Pill.
And this time, having swapped to mediocre equipment — a common pill furnace, ordinary pill fire — the fact that Alchemist King Ji Lang could produce even a single superior grade Myriad Years Pill was already an outstanding performance.
The judges examined each pill with painstaking care and meticulous attention.
The pills from both sides were passed before every judge in turn.
The two contestants stood below, awaiting the judges' verdict. Jiang Chen remained as composed and unperturbed as ever, projecting an air of unfathomable depth.
Alchemist King Ji Lang, though he maintained his customary bearing, had worry flickering in the depths of his eyes from time to time.
On both sides — Pill Fire City and the Glazed Royal City — every gaze was fixed upon the judges with bated breath, waiting for the final result.
At this point, whether anyone was willing to admit it or not, no one could ignore a single fact: this Alchemist King Zhen had already become a genuine threat to Alchemist King Ji Lang in the realm of the Myriad Years Pill.
Whatever the extent of Alchemist King Zhen's talent in the Dao of Alchemy, at least in the field of the Myriad Years Pill, he unquestionably had the standing to challenge Alchemist King Ji Lang.
This was something one could occasionally glimpse from Alchemist King Ji Lang's expression alone.
The normally self-assured Alchemist King Ji Lang now wore a deeply solemn look — gone was his earlier air of disdain for all rivals, replaced by the tension of one facing a formidable enemy.
In comparison, it was Alchemist King Zhen who appeared spirited and radiant the entire time, radiating the unmistakable aura of certain victory.
After careful examination, each judge had already reached a conclusion.
Pooling their opinions together, one senior judge stood and cupped his fists toward both camps: "Your Majesty and Your Eminence, we have now appraised both sets of Myriad Years Pills. The formula is the same, and the style is the same. However, Alchemist King Zhen of the Glazed Royal City appears to be more masterful and refined in his technique — virtually flawless. The Myriad Years Pills he presented are of supreme grade quality. Alchemist King Ji Lang's Myriad Years Pills, on the other hand, still carry certain minor imperfections in technique. These flaws are extremely subtle and might go unnoticed without close scrutiny. Furthermore, his method appears somewhat stiff; the highest grade among his pills is merely superior, with the majority being middle and inferior grade. Taking all factors into consideration, we believe that the Glazed Royal City's Myriad Years Pill is far more likely to be the original."
These judges were all towering figures in the Dao of Alchemy across the human territories. They had no need to survive at Pill Fire City's pleasure, so their verdict required no deference to anyone's face.
Such was the unique nature of the alchemical world — to serve as a judge was a supreme honor, and that honor was absolutely sacred.
Any judge who rendered a dishonest verdict would see their standing in the alchemical community plummet and their reputation shattered.
This was the distinctive hallmark of the Dao of Alchemy.
Precisely because the judges would never show bias or commit fraud, no one ever questioned the fairness of their rulings.
The moment the verdict was announced, thunderous applause erupted across the Peacock Sacred Mountain. Cheers and jubilation rang out as the entire mountain was swept up in celebration.
Even the four Great Sovereigns, figures of such lofty stature, burst into hearty laughter, their eyes brimming with delight.
Lord Panlong nodded repeatedly, unmistakable joy flashing in his eyes. Jiang Chen's performance only reinforced his conviction that Jiang Chen's master could definitely refine the Pine Crane Pill and save his life.
The Wei father and son needed no further description — the instant the result was announced, the blood in their veins nearly boiled over. They felt as though they were floating, as if they might lift off the ground at any moment.
The looks directed at them from all sides — admiration, appreciation, gratitude — were entirely warm and friendly, treating them with none of the dismissiveness typically reserved for a minor clan.
This sense of being truly valued made the Wei father and son feel like weeping on the spot.