novelraw Chapter 153 - 152 - Grade 5
Chapter 153 - 152 - Grade 5
Compared to the previous competition, more VIP booths were set up or opened up as many more of the world powers gathered. Lind was once more in the Heavenly Maiden booth but now he was with several Elders and the Vice-Sect Masters.
"You brought us 2 hard workers, Master Frey." Elder Yi was serious as she spoke and it freaked Lind out a bit but he nodded. "They have already started working on passing their trials of entry despite being offered direct admission due to their elixir ability."
Lind smiled. He had not expected that but he knew Elder Yi likely tested them and was satisfied overall with what she found. He almost pitied the girls but then he saw her smirk at him and felt a chill down his spine.
"You will need to hold a session of teaching officially for the sect. You will need to discuss the Dao of elixirs. How do you think that will go?" Lind cringed as he had a very good idea what she meant. It would not just be those 2 new girls, it would likely be a full auditorium.
"I will serve to the best of my ability." Elder Yi nodded at his words but Lind felt sweat break out. He had a lot of planning to do!
Cheers rose as the massive sands were split once more. There were no masters of elixirs this time as the judges from before were only at the peak of grade 3 or low grade 4.
Lind immediately looked at Cain and Harold. He was curious to watch them go all out and was not disappointed. Unlike with pills, there were materials at grade 4 the 2 men used to start their creations.
He enjoyed watching them start but inscriptions would not inspire him in his Forging. He glanced at a few more refiners but moved on. It was way too early to expect inspiration but Lind was stunned when he looked at the formations section.
Gregorl had already begun his arrays and the Qi was visible to Lind's Eyes. It was profound and impressive but Lind realized that formations would likely be done long before the month was up.
The other formation masters were just as quick and it intrigued Lind. He realized the contest setup likely took advantage of the difference in creation for each profession. The slow alchemy and refining was allowed to become dull while formations became exciting to watch.
Even so, Lind switched his display jade to the alchemy and began to look over the demons in particular. His recent breakthrough in grade 4 elixirs was not fully digested and he wanted to see if there was a way to improve his process.
Grade 4 and grade 5 pills started the same. Herbs were collected of the highest quality but grade 5 had 1 difference. Grade 4 required peak grade 3 materials to face a lightning tribulation in the process, but the grade 5 pills were taken from the floating isles.
Lind saw herbs he had never heard of but the information was provided at his request. Being a guest elder was not usually enough but his identity as peak grade 3 elixir master made the officials rush to answer his questions.
Forked red fern went through a qualitative change on the Floating Isles and became blooming forks fern. The red leaf that was noted for the lighting style green patterned veins was now bright yellow and fleshy. Lind began taking notes of the herbs and was stunned about what the demons were using.
Illistrad looked like one of the old cartoon villains as the fire glow fell on his face but the herbs in front of him were entirely unknown to Lind. He reviewed the list but the names mystified him.
Phosphor pine, necrotic bark, and so forth were not any known herb transformed he knew of until he got some reference materials. Lind was stunned at how easy he could request information but did not mind it as he understood. As demons progressed, it was not enough to infuse their Qi into a pill, it also needed herbs raised in it as well.
Once past the World Realm, it was required to use such herbs. Lind felt something occur to him and he noted an experiment to try later. It might make it much easier or it will only remove a step. He would not know until he tried.
Lind watched as they channeled Qi into the cauldrons as the herbs were slowly processed. He felt a headache trying to comprehend the arrays but it was important as his elixirs may need a cauldron going forward to save Qi at the higher grades.
So far, he had his best results with his own water and fire Qi, but Lind was not sure if he could continue such a trend. Quality was not the only issue as quantity was becoming an issue.
Lind was immersed as he began to treat the issue like a puzzle. His eyes began to glow with a joy few saw and the elders were all curious as to the new side they saw.
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Lind spent the first 2 weeks of the new segment just absorbing the basics of grade 5. He understood the herbs but the processing was beyond him. Grade 4 at least was much easier and he felt his digestion of his experience with Viola was finally settling.
The formation's segment was reaching its climax which even drew Lind's attention.
Sera and Hale were working together on a complex formation of short range teleportation. The formation plate was a peak grade 5 material to hold the profound arrays and Lind was stunned as he grasped a piece of it.
Their complimentary style was so close to his own revelations that he literally passed a message to the officials that he wanted a meeting. He could not let them slip away! It could be critical to his breakthrough to the World Realm.
Lind moved back to the alchemy as he saw them begin to blend the herbs in their cauldrons. Their specific techniques were hidden from the display but Lind still saw their movements and his Eyes could show some of what he wanted for a short time.
The grade 4 experts affirmed his own breakthrough and he would experiment with that once the competition was over. The various elders helped him take some notes as he still had to sleep more than they did.
The grade 5 experts were simply beyond him once they moved to the mixing of the herbs. The refined plants were more profound than Lind could handle thus the process did not sink into his mind. He noted some questions to ask but he doubted he would understand the answers at his current realm.
"Master Frey, a person from Midnight is requesting to see you." Lind frowned. The elders had been apprised of what happened although they were not aware of his status as a Forger in general, a few were. The acolyte paled at the attention but he waved her over.
"What do they want?" Lind asked but was handed a slip. He sunk his senses into it before he immediately rose to his feet in surprise. "Let them in now!"
The acolyte bowed and returned with a strapping young man. The few elders unaware of Lind's confrontation with Midnight wondered at the choice of messenger but the solemn attitude made it clear it was not a social call.
The sandy haired youth seemed nervous but bowed low to Lind despite being in the Stone Tier.
"Master Frey, I apologize for interrupting but my Master had to relay a message to you from your…Reagent." The pause made it clear Midnight knew where Lind stood. Yet that was not why he summoned the messenger.
"Forget about them, I care about the other part. Where is Cyntilla?!" The message had 2 parts. The first was from Merrick from the Kingdom of Altair. Lind had no desire to hear from them at all and dismissed it.
The latter part, however, had mentioned that Cyntilla had been found!
The youth bowed and then looked around but Lind waved off his caution. He trusted the Heavenly Maidens after years of support. Also, they knew he was tied to 3 of their number heartily but Cyntilla was the first to walk into his life. It was complicated, but Lind took his promises seriously.
"My Master has heard of a rogue Demon Princess that matches the description of Cyntilla Fang. She is currently fighting for her freedom in Rith." Lind felt his stomach drop and he felt helpless. The information included she had made it to the Sand Tier already.
Lind was too weak!
He tossed a bag to the youth who smiled and left. It was only a few elixirs but it was worth the knowledge to Lind.
He remained distracted until Elder Yi drew him back. The demoness knew more about him than others and was surprisingly gentle at that moment. Lind nodded and returned back to the alchemists.
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"It is my best work yet." Master Cain held a curved saber in his hands that glowed with profound inscriptions. He had reached the absolute peak of grade 4. He smiled as it hummed and was far more powerful than any weapon made by other grade 4 masters.
It was commissioned by a cultivator from the Saint Kingdom and Cain was happy to allow the competition to pull out all his potential.
He glanced over and saw Harold had beaten him. Low grade 5 Qi came off of the necklace in his hands. A few other refiners stared in jealousy but Cain felt proud that his friend had excelled but he knew it meant Harold had comprehended more of what Lind taught them.
"I suppose even fools get lucky." Cain smiled as Harold's joy was wiped off his face. A glance at the saber made Harold frown and look hard at Cain. The shorter man could only shrug but he was satisfied that he had progressed. He could feel his long bottle neck against the Gold Tier was loosening at long last.
Harold had already broken through before the master presentation began. Both of them smirked as others finished.
"Where is the new Forger? Are they not supposed to come out once we are done?" Both Harold and Cain refrained from reacting. They were part of the small group that knew Lind Frey was the new Forger.
Grade 5 was the peak of the 3 continents. However, the draw of elixirs were nothing compared to Forged items. Inscriptions had severe limits based on the materials used, but Forging could pull out far more.
Cain could not lie that he was looking forward to it but they all looked over as lightning sparked for the alchemists. No one pulled down a true tribulation this time, but Cain knew the Heavens were fickle. His own weapon had the materials treated by tribulation before refining.
It was a difference between refining and alchemy that one did the tribulation during the creation and the other did it before.
"Great Masters! Please arrange your creation to be presented to the audience to decide who has won each segment this time around!" Cimmerian officials called them to move to the podiums set up to display their works.
Unlike any other time, all of these items would be public. Cain entered all the saber could do as well as who commissioned it. Any item that was not commissioned would be submitted to the auction, but Cain had enjoyed the challenge.
As they all were resonating the jade slips with the formations, a new platform was brought out to the sands of the arena. As each master finished putting on their items a lone youth appeared on the new raised dias.
Cain recognized the dirty blonde hair and fair skin. Harold moved next to him but they both simply smiled at the boy that had changed their lives so much.
"What is that child doing there? Is he assisting the new Forger?" Yerwyn spoke with arrogance but Cain only smiled wider. The Darkmoor Kingdom was about to lose a lot of face, more than they could ever conceive.
"That is Lind Frey, the peak grade 3 elixir master, but now he has a silver–" Jade from the Divine Sword Sect was familiar since Dred has spoken highly of the boy but all froze at her notice of his badge. There were 2 badges on his right breast!
"By the spirits, he is also a Forger!!!" Lady Beryl was the first to realize what was going on and as if pre-planned, all the experts turned to the now ashamed Darkmoor Kingdom masters. If looks could speak, all would agree that what the harsh looks said were: How stupid is your Queen?