Capítulo 122 — A Inconstância do Mundo (capítulo extra para o quarto líder da aliança, Um Bêbado entre os Pinheiros Verdes)

"Clang!" Shortly after Mo Wuji finished his extraction, a bell resounded. The toll of the bell struck Mo Wuji’s mind like a physical blow, leaving his head buzzing.

Almost immediately, a burnt smell wafted through the air. Due to the sudden interruption of the bell, the few alchemists who had not yet completed their purification were declared failures. Mo Wuji felt a secret sense of relief; luckily, he had finished just a moment earlier and had not attempted a secondary purification, otherwise, he would have been doomed.

This Five Elements Alchemy Competition was truly merciless, using such a crude method to force alchemists to stop their work.

Ming Ning stepped onto the circular platform once more and announced in a clear voice, "The time for the first round is up. All alchemists, please cover your furnaces and place your jade bottles on top of them."

She did not need to instruct those who had failed to finish, as the toll of the bell had already disqualified them.

Mo Wuji covered his furnace and carefully placed the jade bottle on top. He caught a glimpse of Master Ming Ning’s gaze sweeping over his right hand, but he paid it no mind. The competition rules didn't forbid an alchemist from sustaining injuries while refining.

A few alchemists standing nearby noticed Mo Wuji’s right hand and could not help but chuckle. It was the first time they had ever seen an alchemist refine pills to the point of injuring themselves like that.

Mo Wuji acted as if he were oblivious to the surrounding stares, remaining calm as he kept his eyes locked on his jade bottle, which bore the number 632.

About two minutes later, he felt a faint breeze pass by, and the jade bottle on his furnace was whisked away.

Moments later, he saw rows of jade bottles appearing on the evaluation table on the circular platform. Four people sat behind the table, making five in total, including Master Ming Ning who stood on the platform.

Only then did Mo Wuji dare to take out a healing pill and swallow it. His hand had been burned by the fire; the Grade 3 Human Spirit Pill he possessed quickly brought the injuries under control, and within a few minutes, he began to recover.

After collecting the bottles, Master Ming Ning returned to sit behind the evaluation table. The five judges opened the bottles one by one, inspecting the medicinal liquid inside.

In less than an hour, the five of them had finished checking over a thousand bottles. Three hundred were selected and set aside.

Master Ming Ning stood up again and walked to the center of the platform. At this moment, everyone’s attention was fixed on her, as she was about to announce the three hundred alchemists who had qualified for the second round.

Her gaze scanned the thousand-plus alchemists below before she announced, "Following the first round of the competition, the top three hundred have been determined. Those whose numbers I call, please remain; those who are not called, please leave the grounds."

"Number 18, 39, 176, 98, 244..." Each time a number was called, the hearts of the alchemists in the arena skipped a beat, all hoping to hear their own.

Mo Wuji felt the same anticipation. However, as Master Ming Ning continued to call out numbers, his heart sank.

After all, his cultivation was the lowest, and he had only managed to purify the Iron Heart Bodhi Fruit by using a stir-frying technique. As for the purity level, he had no confidence at all, as all his energy had been focused solely on the extraction process.

"Number 34, 711..." Master Ming Ning continued. Mo Wuji’s hands were trembling slightly; only a dozen spots remained.

"Number 491, 56." The announcements finally stopped.

Mo Wuji clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked, tearing the wound on his right hand that had not yet fully healed. He had not heard 632.

Just as Mo Wuji was about to fall into despair, he felt Master Ming Ning’s gaze fall upon him. Before he could react, her voice rang out again: "Number 632, 21, 2, 80..."

Mo Wuji didn't register the subsequent numbers; he only heard 632. He had succeeded. As long as his number was called, it meant he had passed the first round and secured a spot in the top three hundred. He completely ignored why Master Ming Ning had paused before calling the final batch of numbers.

When Mo Wuji finally calmed down from his excitement, he heard Master Ming Ning continue, "...Those whose numbers I have called, stay for the second round. The rest, please leave the venue."

Those who had not been called left the arena with crestfallen expressions.

In the distance, Zhen Shaoque clenched his fists and gave a vigorous pump. Mo Wuji had succeeded. He had actually managed to stay in the top three hundred. Only Zhen Shaoque knew how difficult this had been for him. A Grade 3 Human Alchemist at only the Pulse Opening Stage had survived the test of refining the Iron Heart Bodhi Fruit—it was nothing short of a miracle.

"Eh, isn't that person..." A woman in the crowd spotted Mo Wuji and exclaimed in surprise. Among the thousand people earlier, Mo Wuji had not stood out. Now that eight or nine hundred had been eliminated and only three hundred remained, she recognized him instantly.

"Wan'er, do you know one of those alchemists?" Standing beside Qu Wan'er was an elderly man with a black beard. Hearing her exclamation, he asked immediately.

One had to know that any alchemist who could make it through the first round was no simple character. If Wan'er knew one of them, it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.

Although the Heavenly Peak Palace was a first-rate sect in the Star Han Empire and even served as the state-protecting sect, it was not particularly prominent across the entire Lost Continent. Moreover, it was not a sect based on alchemy. Most of their Earth-grade alchemists were old men over a hundred years old; in terms of cultivating young alchemists, they were far inferior to some specialized alchemy sects. The Five Elements Wilderness Alchemy Competition was the domain of young genius alchemists.

Qu Wan'er nodded. "I suppose I know him. Back then, he was just a mortal. Because he possessed a resilient spirit, I helped him twice on a whim. That was over half a year ago."

Qu Wan'er truly had not expected Mo Wuji to appear here, let alone pass the first round. She had helped him twice: the first time was when Shao Feng wanted to kill him, and she and Tan Zhen had forcibly intervened; the second time was in Changluo City, when Mo Wuji wanted to buy refining equipment and she had found an excuse to help him again.

"You said he was a mortal?" the black-bearded elder asked in shock.

Qu Wan'er hesitated for a moment before adding, "Well, not exactly a mortal. He had spiritual roots, just very poor ones. When I saw him kill two Six-Legged Thunder Crocodiles, he shouldn't have had any cultivation; he must have succeeded purely by risking his life."

When she had asked Mo Wuji back then, he hadn't said he lacked spiritual roots, only that they were poor. Thus, Qu Wan'er did not know he was a true mortal without spiritual roots.

The elder nodded, his tone taking on a pedagogical air. "Wan'er, your heart is still too simple. Do you think someone without cultivation could kill two Six-Legged Thunder Crocodiles just by risking their life? Do you think someone who hadn't even begun cultivating half a year ago could stand here and pass the first round of the Five Elements Wilderness competition?"

"Master, are you saying?" Qu Wan'er looked at the elder, finding it hard to believe.

The elder said definitively, "Not only has he cultivated, but he also has his own secrets. It is precisely because he doesn't want his secrets known that he pretends to be an ordinary mortal. But among us cultivators, how many who have truly made a name for themselves don't have their own secrets?"

Qu Wan'er was skeptical of her master's words; when she first saw Mo Wuji, he did not seem to be pretending to be destitute. Yet, the difference between him then and now made her feel that her master's words were not without reason.

"Wan'er, if that man can make it into the top one hundred, could you arrange a meeting with him?" the elder added.

"Master, do you want him to help me secure a spot?" Qu Wan'er understood his intent.

The alchemy path at Heavenly Peak Palace was not particularly renowned, and even if a few talented young alchemists made it into the top hundred, the competition was fierce. Since Heavenly Peak Palace was a massive sect with countless factions and geniuses, it was not easy for Qu Wan'er to secure a spot to enter the Traceless Wilderness.

The elder nodded. "If he can enter the top hundred, even if we can't get a spot, building a good relationship with him would be beneficial. Such a young alchemist is bound to have a bright future."

Qu Wan'er bit her lip and remained silent. When she had lent him a medicinal herb and given him several hundred thousand gold coins, it was indeed because she admired his unyielding spirit. There was also a hint of pity; she hadn't wanted to see a man she admired defeated by a mere few hundred thousand gold coins of the secular world.

The world was unpredictable; she had never imagined that so soon, she would be the one needing to ask Mo Wuji for a favor.

A strange feeling stirred in her heart. For a moment, she even hoped Mo Wuji wouldn't make it into the top hundred, so she wouldn't have to lower herself to ask him for anything. Even if she just met him to reminisce, she did not want to beg him for a spot.

It wasn't just her pride at play; she knew that even if Mo Wuji earned a spot, it would be difficult for him to give it to her. He was likely representing a sect, and once he won, the spot would surely not be his to distribute.

...

As the eliminated alchemists left, Mo Wuji and the others were led to a resting area. The furnaces in front of the circular platform were quickly cleared away, and in a short time, three hundred flowerpot-like objects took their place.

Master Ming Ning stood out again and said, "Will the alchemists participating in the second round please stand before your respective numbered herb altars."

So that's what they were called—herb altars. Mo Wuji quickly found altar number 632.

Seeing that all the alchemists were in position, Master Ming Ning announced, "The second round of the Five Elements Alchemy Competition begins..."