Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Master Zhong.” Duan Ling Tian returned Zhong Shang’s greeting with a smile.
Zhong Shang could see a hint of gratitude flashing in the depths of Duan Ling Tian’s eyes. He asked through Voice Transmission, “Master Duan, you seem confident. Was I mistaken? Do you, perhaps, possess a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire instead of a prominent Celestial Fire?”
“Master Zhong, you think too highly of me. There’s no doubt my Celestial Fire is a prominent Celestial Fire,” Duan Ling Tian responded.
“Then, why are you so confident about your competition with He Pei Yuan, a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist from the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect? A prominent Celestial Fire is definitely inferior to a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire, especially when they’re used to heat prominent Celestial Pill Cauldrons. They aren’t even in the same league!” Zhong Shang said, perplexed.
Duan Ling Tian replied to Zhong Shang through Voice Transmission, “Master Zhong, do you think I’m the kind of person who would go looking for trouble? Moreover, I only decided to challenge him after I’ve confirmed the heating speed of a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist with you!”
Upon hearing how confident Duan Ling Tian was, Zhong Shang looked at Duan Ling Tian intently before he said, “In that case, I look forward to seeing your performance!” Then, he looked at Bai Wu Ji, the Sect Leader of the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect, and confirmed the terms of the bet. “I’ll witness the competition between Master He of the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect and Master Duan, the Chief Celestial Alchemist of the Tai Yi Celestial Sect. If Master Duan wins, the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect must hand their sect’s triple-trait Divine Ability to Master Duan. If Master He wins, Master Duan will have to hand his triple-trait Celestial Method to the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect!”
Although Zhong Shang’s voice was not loud when he confirmed the details of the bet, almost everyone’s attention was focused on him.
The people from the Blissful Sect and the Compassionate Celestial Traveler Sect were among the onlookers. Ji Fan, the Arhat of the Blissful Sect, and Murong Bing from the Compassionate Celestial Traveler Sect were watching as well. Ji Fan was accompanied by Xiao Gang Yu, the Chief Celestial Alchemist of the Blissful Sect, while Murong Bing was accompanied by her junior sister, Lyu Luo.
“Duan Ling Tian is going to compete with Master He in cauldron-heating speed using prominent Celestial Pill Cauldrons?” Ji Fan was confused when he heard about the bet. For a fleeting moment, he even thought he had heard wrongly. He muttered to himself, “Is he unaware that Master He from the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect is a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist? This means Master He possesses a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire. He’s just a prominent Celestial Alchemist with a prominent Celestial Fire, and yet, he wants to compete with Master He? Is he intentionally looking for trouble?”
Xiao Gang Yu who was standing at the side scoffed and said to Ji Fan, “Arhat, it seems like Master Duan has become arrogant after winning the Blissful Sect’s triple-trait Celestial Method. He even has the audacity to compete with a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist in heating prominent Celestial Pill Cauldrons!”
Ji Fan snapped back to his senses when he heard Xiao Gang Yu’s words. A sneer appeared on his face when he looked at Duan Ling Tian who was standing in the distance. “Although we can’t take back our Celestial Methods even if he loses, I’d still rather lose it to the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect than him. I can’t wait to see him make a fool out of himself!”
Meanwhile, Lyu Luo who was standing next to Murong Bing said, “Senior Sister, I can’t believe he’s challenging a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist… Is he really that eager to give the triple-trait Celestial Method he won from the Blissful Sect to the Profound Heaven Celestial Sect?”
“Lyu Luo, there’s no point speculating before the outcome is revealed. Back when he competed with Master Xiao, everyone thought he would lose as well. Look at what happened in the end…” Murong Bing said as she shook her head when she heard Lyu Luo’s words. She could clearly sense the confident aura Duan Ling Tian exuded when she looked at him. She thought to herself, ‘Although I don’t know why you’re so confident, I believe in you.’
Coincidentally, Duan Ling Tian saw Murong Bing just as she looked away. ‘She’s here? Was she looking at me earlier?’
At this moment, Zhou Shu Qiu, a disciple from the Thousand Spiders Celestial Sect, called out, “Bing’er.” She and a few people had come to watch the show. As soon as she saw Murong Bing, she quickly made her way over to Murong Bing’s side.
Zhou Shu Qiu really did not think Duan Ling Tian would be able to win this time around. How could a prominent Celestial Fire compare to a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire? The former definitely would not be as fast as the former when used to heat prominent Celestial Pill Cauldrons. As certain as she was about the outcome, she still could not help asking, “Bing’er… Do you think he’ll win?”
“Of course.” Her faith in Duan Ling Tian did not waver. Moreover, based on how confident Duan Ling Tian was, it seemed he was certain he could best He Pei Yuan.
“Master Duan…” Although the three Prominent Celestial Alchemists from the Tai Yi Celestial Sect, Situ Ming, Yang Chong, and Yu Zhong Jing, knew Duan Ling Tian had an astonishing speed in heating cauldrons, they still could not help but feel worried. The gap between Duan Ling Tian and He Pei Yuan was too wide, after all. Supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemists were in a completely different league than prominent Celestial Alchemists. Although they were aware his Celestial Fire had to be extraordinary since he could heat a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron in only half an hour, they assumed He Pei Yuan’s speed would be even faster when heating a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron with his supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire. In their opinion, no matter how amazing or extraordinary Duan Ling Tian’s prominent Celestial Fire was, it could not compare to a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire!
At this moment, Zhong Shang’s voice rang in the air again. “The two masters can begin to refine an Overarching Heaven Pill now. Both of them can only use a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron.”
Although it was a competition of speed, Duan Ling Tian and He Pei Yuan still had to refine a pill to determine the result of the competition. Otherwise, it would be easy for either of them to resort to cheating.
As soon as Zhong Shang finished speaking, Duan Ling Tian and He Pei Yuan began to move immediately, taking out a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron respectively.
No one doubted the grade of the duo’s cauldrons so they did not check it. After all, there was no way it was a lower grade Celestial Pill Cauldron since one would need a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron, at least, to refine the Overarching Heaven Pill. Since the duo was competing in speed, there was no way they would use a cauldron that was a higher grade than a prominent Celestial Pill Cauldron since the higher the grade of a cauldron, the more time one would need to heat it.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Celestial Fires shot out of Duan Ling Tian and He Pei Yuan’s hands respectively. Based on the aura of Duan Ling Tian’s Celestial Fire, everyone could sense it was a prominent Celestial Fire. The aura of He Pei Yuan’s Celestial Fire, on the other hand, was slightly stronger.
“This is a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Master He is a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist, it’s only natural he has the supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire!”
“Although we already know the outcome of this competition, it’s still worth watching since we get to see a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire.”
Many of the onlookers were amazed by He Pei Yuan’s Celestial Fire.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
At the same time, the Celestial Fires in Duan Ling Tian and He Pei Yuan’s hands shot toward the cauldrons hovering in front of them. The cauldrons shook slightly, looking as though they were coming to life.
Upon seeing this, the onlookers’ eyes lit up.
“They’ve begun to heat the cauldrons!”
Time continued to pass. In just a blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.
Situ Ming, Yang Chong, and Yu Zhong Jing of the Tai Yi Celestial Sect were still fretting inwardly. After all, He Pei Yuan was a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Alchemist who possessed a supreme Duke Grade Celestial Fire that was far superior to the prominent Celestial Fire. Since Duan Ling Tian took only half an hour to heat a cauldron, He Pei Yuan would definitely take less time to heat his cauldron.
However, at this moment, He Pei Yuan was still motionless. It seemed like he was still not done with heating the cauldron.
On the other hand, Duan Ling Tian finished heating his cauldron at this moment!