Dan Chen lowered her head, silent. Timid by nature, she appeared especially weak before the cold and aloof beauty, Cao Ying.
"Hehe, Miss Cao Ying jests. The champion of this Pill Gathering can only be you. No one else is qualified," said Dan Xuan with a faint smile, stepping in to take the pressure off Dan Chen.
"You know how to flatter, but don't think that will make me careless," Cao Ying replied coolly. Her gaze shifted back to Dan Chen. "Still, I am curious. It's been more than a year—how much have you improved since then? Do you plan to compete for first place this time?"
When alchemy was mentioned, Dan Chen shed her timidity. Her eyes locked firmly on Cao Ying, her voice calm but unyielding.
"I won't be worse than you."
"Oh? Such confidence." Cao Ying laughed lightly, her charming eyes gleaming with allure. "Well, don't think I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
"Careful. Talking so big can be embarrassing when you lose," Goku interjected with a faint chuckle. Listening to their exchange, he shook his head. Both Dan Chen and Cao Ying possessed monstrous talent in alchemy. He could see at a glance that they were only around eighteen years old, yet already seven-star high-level alchemists. That level of talent was extraordinary. The only one who might surpass them would be the original story's protagonist—Xiao Yan.
"Oh? I nearly forgot about you." Cao Ying turned to Goku, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.
"So you're not only powerful, but also a mid-seven-star alchemist… impressive. It seems you'll have no problem securing a spot in the top three."
"Top three? I'm here for the championship," Goku said flatly, smiling faintly.
"The championship? That won't be easy." Cao Ying smirked, then nodded toward Dan Chen.
"See that girl? She's one of the favorites."
"And that includes you, doesn't it?" Goku's gaze swept over her boldly. The way he looked at her made Cao Ying's heart skip a beat. She felt as though she were standing before him completely bare, her pulse racing uncontrollably as her cheeks flushed crimson. Flustered, she forced her composure back and laughed lightly.
"True. So you'd better do your best."
"You two can fight for second and third. First place is mine."
Goku spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world—calm, unhurried, yet overflowing with absolute confidence. Both Cao Ying and Dan Chen felt their hearts waver under his words. For a moment, it seemed self-evident—of course the championship belonged to him.
When the strange haze lifted, the two girls were stunned. That subtle manipulation of their minds had gone unnoticed, bypassing even their powerful soul strength. They now regarded Goku as a true opponent, their expressions solemn.
'This man… not simple at all. Even with my soul cultivation, I didn't sense it. He influenced me without my realizing… This Pill Gathering might actually be fun,' Cao Ying thought, her eyes burning with fighting spirit.
'No wonder he wasn't affected by my physique… His soul force is this strong…' Dan Chen sneaked a glance at Goku. Remembering their earlier collision, her face flushed red again as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest.
At that moment, an energetic white-haired elder stepped into the center of the hall. He paused in the open square and swept his gaze across the gathered families, smiling.
"Since all five great clans are present, let's not waste time. As usual, I will be presiding over this year's assessment. I trust there are no objections?"
"Hehe, Elder Sheng, with your position in the Pill Tower, who would dare object?" Cao Ying replied sweetly, her voice charming. As a candidate for one of the Pill Tower's future leaders, even her casual words carried weight.
"You little lass, don't try to flatter me. This old body of mine can't handle it," Elder Sheng chuckled. He turned to the crowd. "Enough talk. The assessment begins now. Representatives of the five clans, please enter the arena."
With those words, the murmurs in the hall ceased instantly.
Goku looked at Ye Zhong and Xin Lin. Both wore nervous yet hopeful expressions. Reaching out, he ruffled Xin Lin's hair with a smile.
"Don't be nervous. If I can't take the championship, I'll find a block of tofu and bash my head against it."
"Exactly! Letting Goku compete against these people in alchemy is bullying. The result is obvious—it's boring. I'm going to look around." Zi Yan rolled her eyes mischievously before vanishing from the hall in a flash.
Goku could only shake his head. That little dragon was probably off to cause trouble somewhere.
"Goku… good luck." Xin Lin's cheeks reddened as she whispered encouragement.
"Don't worry." Goku smiled faintly and strode toward the arena.
"Representatives, take your positions," Elder Sheng announced.
And so, the Pill Gathering's preliminary assessment officially began.
---
"Our assessment will consist of three parts. Only those who pass all three may qualify to participate in this year's Pill Gathering. The first test is the Soul Measurement." Elder Sheng gestured to a large, round crystal plate at the center of the arena.
"As everyone knows, the soul is the foundation of every alchemist. The stronger your soul, the greater your perception and control. Place your hand on the Soul Mirror and channel your spiritual force. The plate will display your score. In the Pill Tower, we call this value Soul Power."
He paused before continuing:
"A score of 400 is the minimum to qualify. The record among the Five Great Clans belongs to Cao Ying, who last year achieved a Soul Power of 976. That record has yet to be broken."
His gaze swept toward the Cao family. Dressed in a black gown, Cao Ying rested her chin on her hand, idly toying with a jade bead in the other. She sat elegantly, unmoved by the attention.
"Alright, who will begin?"
"I will." A young man named Qiu Ji stepped forward from the Qiu family. Placing his hand on the mirror, he closed his eyes and poured in his spiritual force.
Beep… beep… beep…
The red digits climbed rapidly before settling at 589.
"Qualified. Next."
One after another, others stepped forward. Bai Wei scored 688, while Dan Xuan surprised the crowd with 812. All were respectable numbers.
"Your turn," Elder Sheng said kindly to Goku. Clearly, he had already heard whispers of Goku's reputation.
At this, both Cao Ying and Dan Chen turned to watch with sharp eyes. They wanted to see what the mysterious man who had unsettled them would reveal.
"This is such a bother," Goku sighed. He placed his hand on the crystal and casually released a sliver of his soul force.
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep—
The numbers skyrocketed. The hall fell silent, every eye glued to the glowing plate.
After several long seconds, the digits froze at 1952.
The silence broke into a collective gasp.
Double Cao Ying's record.
The entire hall was deathly quiet, the shock so intense it was almost suffocating.
"…Did I overdo it?" Goku asked casually, smiling faintly. He had deliberately chosen that number—exactly double Cao Ying's score—because he found it amusing.
Even Cao Ying herself froze for a moment, then her lips curled into a smile.
"Interesting… Central Plains really does hide monsters. I never noticed before, but it seems we've gained a rather intriguing opponent."
Ye Zhong exhaled in relief, the tension leaving his body at last. Xin Lin's eyes shone with pride as she whispered softly to herself:
"This is just like Senior Goku… Silent until the moment he shocks the world."
Elder Sheng stared at the result, stunned. He knew exactly what this number meant. If 976 had earned Cao Ying the title of prodigy, then what word could possibly describe 1952?
Without question, Goku had seized first place in the very first test. A black horse had appeared—and not just any black horse, but a terrifying one the likes of which no one had ever seen.
The second test was Soul Control—tossing measuring beads into the air and catching them with spiritual force. Cao Ying held the record at 89 beads.
Goku? He caught 178—exactly double.
"First place again," Elder Sheng announced. "Dan Xuan, second. Cao Xiu, third. Now, the third and final test: combat. You will use your soul force against one another. The last person standing within the circle is the winner."
At that moment, a charming voice rang out:
"Elder Sheng, may I make a substitution? As last year's champion, the Cao family is entitled to one replacement. Don't worry, I won't interfere with the outcome. Consider it the Cao family forfeiting this round if you wish. I simply want to… stretch my fingers."
Cao Ying's smile was dazzling.
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T/N:
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