Time quietly slipped away amidst the faint glow of the alchemy furnace and the flow of Spiritual Energy. The sky outside the venue gradually darkened, while the atmosphere inside grew increasingly tense.
Another three hours passed, and a low sigh suddenly echoed through the hall—a middle-aged alchemist gazed at the failed remnants in his cauldron, shaking his head helplessly; his second batch had also failed.
Soon after, another contestant stopped, his face full of regret and frustration—less than four hours remained until the competition ended, not enough time to start another batch, sealing his fate outside the finals.
The remaining six contestants quickened their pace, progressively entering the final stage of pill formation.
