Chapter 1565: Unforgettable for Life

"Hey, one hour is up. If you don't come out now... we'll count it as your forfeit!"

Although Lu Ming was confident of victory, he wouldn't give Ye Yuan any more time.

Before the hour was even up, he started shouting outside.

As a Sixth Level Divine Lord, he could easily send his voice into the inner hall by channeling his divine essence.

"Creak..."

The inner hall's door slowly opened, and a group of people once again appeared before everyone's eyes.

Lu Ming's gaze fell on Lu Yi, and he felt a jolt of surprise.

For some reason, he sensed that some change had occurred in Lu Yi.

"What the hell! In just one hour, could that kid really have turned things around? No, it must be an illusion!" Lu Ming thought to himself.

In fact, not just him, but everyone had this strange feeling.

Yet they quickly dismissed the thought.

Because one hour was simply not enough to change the outcome of this contest.

The Dao of alchemy required years of immersion; the gap between Lu Ming and Lu Yi could not be bridged in a single hour.

If an hour could change the result, wouldn't the years of bitter cultivation by other alchemists become a joke?

"Hey, it's not too late to admit defeat now. If you give up, we'll skip the kowtowing. Just mind your own business and hand over that kid." Lu Ming said with a fake smile, his gaze flicking toward Ye Yuan.

Lu Yi curled his lip and said disdainfully, "If I don't beat you old geezer today, you'll be lording it over me every day from now on. I want everyone to know that you're not qualified to act cocky in front of me!"

"Oh ho! After an hour inside, your mouth has gotten tougher! But talking big takes capital. With you, you're still far off!" Lu Ming laughed loudly.

Lu Yi snorted, "Enough talk. We'll see after the contest!"

Lu Ming smiled, "Since you're so stubborn, let me show you the strength of a senior!"

Without choosing a specific spot, the two set up right in the main hall of Miao Shou Zhai.

News that a Four-Star Divine Alchemist was competing in alchemy at Miao Shou Zhai spread like wildfire through the entire southern city.

Many alchemists flocked to catch a glimpse of the Four-Star Divine Alchemist's skill.

Such a level of alchemy was extremely rare for them; they normally had no chance to see it.

Now that the main door of Miao Shou Zhai had been blasted away, everyone could see everything clearly from the street.

The medicinal herbs were ready, and the two began to refine.

From the start, Lu Ming's seasoned and steady approach was evident.

Facing a difficult pill like the Seven Orifices Quiet Enlightenment Pill, he controlled every step perfectly, with almost no mistakes.

He displayed the demeanor of a master, fully and clearly.

In contrast, Lu Yi's control in various aspects was clearly not as seasoned as Lu Ming's.

Seeing this, Wu Feng's heart settled back into place.

"Hey, the master is indeed the master. How could a mere brat compare? That Ye Yuan is delusional—does he think he's the Medicine Ancestor, that a few casual pointers can make someone leap forward?" Wu Feng said disdainfully.

Although Tang Rui didn't understand alchemy, he could still tell who was superior.

"Heh, after this contest, the face of the Grand Elder's lineage will be lost even in the outer city. They'll probably have to keep their tails between their legs for a long time." Tang Rui laughed.

Seeing the two refining, Ning Siyu's face showed worry. She said to Ye Yuan, "Master Ye, Senior Brother... seems to be no match for that old man!"

Ye Yuan smiled, "Don't worry, it's just the beginning. He hasn't fully integrated what he just learned, so he seems a bit awkward. But he's already doing well; at least so far, he's been steady and hasn't made any major mistakes."

With that, he looked at Xuan Yu and smiled, "Brother Xuan Yu has a good eye. I must say, all your disciples are promising talents."

Xuan Yu smiled bitterly, "They are all good material, but I've neglected them over the years. If you were to teach them, they would probably surpass me before long."

Xuan Yu wasn't flattering Ye Yuan; after witnessing Ye Yuan's true strength, he finally understood the gap between them.

This gap, he feared, would never be bridged in his lifetime.

The mystery of the Dao Realm was beyond words.

He considered himself far along the path of alchemy—not necessarily invincible at his level, but among Four-Star Divine Alchemists, few could surpass him.

Yet before Ye Yuan, he felt like a primary school student.

"Four-Star Divine Alchemists are truly formidable! Such alchemy skills are breathtaking!"

"Impressive as they are, the young man is clearly inferior. The older, the wiser!"

"Hey, how can a Four-Star Elementary Divine Alchemist be a match for a Four-Star Intermediate? No matter how powerful Master Ye is, what can an hour change?"

"Hmm? Something seems off! Look at that Lu Yi—some change seems to have occurred in him, as if... he's integrating everything."

...

Among the crowd were many knowledgeable people, and the sharp-eyed quickly noticed the change in Lu Yi.

From the initial fluster, he had now stabilized and was gradually catching up to Lu Ming.

Wu Feng's skill was quite impressive among Three-Star Divine Alchemists, so this change didn't escape his notice.

The expression on his face gradually shifted from relaxed to serious.

Sensing Wu Feng's change, Tang Rui asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Wu Feng's face showed confusion, "Something's wrong! Impossible! How could this happen? That Lu Yi's progress is too fast!"

This was just the refining of a single pill; during the process, such a leap in progress shouldn't occur.

Yet now, this impossibility was unfolding before their eyes.

Moreover, Lu Yi's improvement accelerated, and by the end, traces of Dao rhythm even emerged in his cauldron!

The exclamations in the crowd grew louder, and their expressions became increasingly varied.

By now, even a fool could see that Lu Yi's alchemy this time was extraordinary!

Time ticked by, and after two and a half hours, Lu Yi shouted, "Condense!"

All the Dao rhythm merged into the cauldron!

At that moment, Lu Yi felt as if every pore in his body had opened, an indescribable pleasure.

This feeling of seamless flow, he had never grasped before.

This time, it was truly realized!

Lu Ming, focused without distraction, continued to sweat profusely.

A flicker of disdain passed through Lu Yi's eyes. He came before Ye Yuan and bowed deeply, saying, "Lu Yi thanks Master Ye for his guidance. This kindness will be unforgettable for life!"