Tyrant Sky Martial Soul
Chapter 1268: Admitting Defeat

Chapter 1268: Chapter 1268: Admitting Defeat

Everyone was tense.

Some were hoping for Ling Xiao to fail.

Others were rooting for Ling Xiao to succeed.

After all, Ling Xiao had such a dazzling entrance and an alchemy process that was so distinct from everyone else’s.

"Dong! Dong!"

The sound of the clock finally rang out.

At that moment, people were drawn to the sound and failed to notice that Ling Xiao was already sitting atop the Bone Throne, resting.

He had calculated the timing perfectly for his alchemy, and though it was rushed, he still managed to complete it just before the clock chimed.

And it was perfect!

For a perfectionist, this was of utmost importance.

"He actually finished?"

"He really completed it, huh. I almost thought his flashy alchemy process was going to end in failure after all."

Among the crowd, there were already quite a few ardent fans of Ling Xiao.

As the clock struck, those alchemists who hadn’t finished their pills were filled with frustration. Some scrambled in panic to make last-minute preparations, but the Mechanical Bird was already delivering results.

A chorus of piercing screams resounded.

In that instant, over six thousand participants out of more than ten thousand were eliminated, leaving fewer than four thousand still standing.

The exact number would likely be confirmed later by the Mechanical Bird’s judgment.

After all, some had successfully crafted Transcendent Pills but hadn’t strictly adhered to the prescription formulas. The Mechanical Bird couldn’t immediately disqualify them, but a final evaluation of the pills would determine which contestants passed this round.

"Lucky you, huh. You managed to finish your alchemy just in time. But if your methods are wrong, you still won’t pass. You’re the candidate recommended by Jackson Le Grandmaster—if you can’t even pass the first round, it’d be an utter joke,"

Dan Qing’s irksome voice rang out again while Ling Xiao waited for the Mechanical Bird’s final judgment.

"Ignorant!"

Ling Xiao smirked faintly and replied, "All you do is mimic others without an ounce of creativity. You’re not qualified to criticize me."

"You dare call me ignorant? This substitute method was discovered by Medicine King Sun Ran himself—it’s currently the most efficient process! You’re not insulting me; you’re insulting Medicine King!"

Dan Qing retorted angrily.

"Say whatever you want. When the results are out, you’ll realize just how naïve you are. In the end, you’re just a frog at the bottom of a well."

"A frog at the bottom of a well!"

Every time Dan Qing argued with Ling Xiao, he would always end up infuriated.

This time seemed no different.

But he took a deep breath and ultimately held back, determined to see Ling Xiao’s results before making any moves. He wanted to see what qualifications Ling Xiao would even have to keep arguing after the scores were revealed!

On the judges’ podium, Jackson Le Grandmaster stood up, overlooking the roughly four thousand contestants still on the ground. He announced in a booming voice, "Now, place the Transcendent Pills you’ve crafted into the Mechanical Bird’s mouth. The Mechanical Bird will score each of your pills.

A score of sixty or above will pass the round. Anything lower gets eliminated!"

Hearing this, the alchemists all turned toward the crow-like Mechanical Bird. Someone curiously placed their pill into its mouth.

"Sixty points. Passed!"

The Mechanical Bird spoke, and the contestant’s name and score appeared on the vast Jade Bi in the square.

"I made it! I passed!"

The alchemist leaped up excitedly.

Though he’d just scraped by, passing was still passing.

Afterward, many others followed his approach, placing their pills into the Mechanical Bird’s mouth. As the bird’s human-like voice continued, more and more names began appearing on the Jade Bi.

At first, most of the scores were passing.

But soon, there appeared contestants scoring below sixty—and some even got a flat zero!

Although those deemed unqualified felt a surge of fury, they dared not say anything.

After all, they knew their own pills best.

Many of them had simply thrown random ingredients haphazardly into their alchemy furnace, producing nothing but useless waste.

They were even worse off than those eliminated in earlier phases of the contest.

Of course, most contestants still managed to pass, as this round’s requirement—for those merely targeting an acceptable score—was not too difficult for seasoned alchemists.

Ling Xiao reclined on the Bone Throne, his eyes closed as he rested.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to test his pill sooner.

He was simply too drained.

Creativity itself is an endeavor beyond mortal limits, and Ling Xiao had pursued it relentlessly, exhausting both his physical stamina and Soul Power.

Even during his quarrel with Dan Qing, he’d felt lightheaded. Were it not for Dan Qing’s grating demeanor, Ling Xiao wouldn’t have bothered responding at all.

"Luo Yu, shall we give it a try too?"

Dan Qing turned to Ji Luoyu.

"Alright."

Ji Luoyu had been curious about the score Ling Xiao’s pill would achieve, but seeing that he showed no intention of testing yet, she decided to proceed alongside Dan Qing instead.

The two of them inserted their pills into the Mechanical Bird’s mouth at the same time.

The Mechanical Bird seemed to swallow the pills like food, and its body began to shimmer with a strange, captivating radiance.

Many alchemists paused their actions, and the audience’s gaze shifted to the massive Jade Bi. Everyone wanted to see what scores these two prodigies of the alchemy world would attain.

After all, both of them had received personal tutelage from Medicine King Sun Ran.

"Look, Dan Qing scored eighty points!"

"Little Medicine King Ji Luoyu also scored eighty points!"

"My goodness, these should be the highest scores so far, right?"

"Indeed! Absolutely. They truly are the Golden Boy and Jade Girl of alchemy—their skills are extraordinary."

Medicine King Sun Ran, upon seeing the scores and rankings on the Jade Bi, smiled and nodded. To him, eighty points was likely the maximum achievable score.

Even if Ling Xiao managed to pass, it would be impossible for him to surpass this score.

"Such a shame. I took a bit longer than Dan Qing. I’ll admit defeat."

Ji Luoyu spoke with graceful modesty. Even though she scored the same as Dan Qing, she had spent more time crafting her pill. If the evaluation were stricter, she wouldn’t have measured up to Dan Qing.

"Luo Yu, you’re far too humble. We’re practically tied! Unlike some people, though, who are still pretending to be dead over there, refusing to show their results."

Dan Qing cast a disdainful glance at Ling Xiao, his tone dripping with mockery.

"Maybe he’s truly exhausted."

Ji Luoyu’s impression of Ling Xiao was steadily improving, so she didn’t wholeheartedly agree with Dan Qing’s view.

"Luo Yu, don’t be fooled by certain people acting all meek and harmless. Once his score is revealed, we’ll know the truth. But rest assured, nobody will outscore us today."

Dan Qing spoke confidently.

Ji Luoyu glanced at Ling Xiao but remained silent.

Ling Xiao’s repeated displays of exceptional skill had already made her cautious about underestimating him.

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