BTTH: DISCIPLE CASHBACK SYSTEM

Chapter 386: Yao Lao: Xiao Yan, the Cauldron is Just a Tool!

Chapter 386: Yao Lao: Xiao Yan, the Cauldron is Just a Tool!

As the loud announcement echoed in their ears, most contestants in the square were taken aback by the sudden exam requirements. After a moment of shock, some of them began to turn pale.

It was clear that these individuals hadn’t prepared the proper prescription or sufficient medicinal ingredients. Without these, they would have to settle for refining lower-grade pills, which would greatly increase their chances of losing.

Although Xiao Yan had already learned about the exam topic from Fa Ma, he still pretended to be slightly startled. Maintaining a calm expression in such an unexpectedly challenging test could easily raise suspicions of favoritism.

While controlling his expression, Xiao Yan quickly glanced around. He noticed that although the little princess and Liu Ling had initially been surprised by the exam’s requirements, they soon recovered. Their expressions showed no signs of panic.

“Impressive background,” Xiao Yan mused. “Though this test caught them off guard, it doesn’t seem to hinder their abilities much.”

“Now that everyone is familiar with the exam rules, let’s begin!”

On the platform, Fa Ma slowly raised his hand and then lowered it with a subtle motion. His calm voice echoed throughout the square: “The third round of the assessment begins now!”

As Fa Ma’s voice fell, the slight murmuring in the square instantly fell silent. In the audience, countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the dozens of contestants in the massive square below, eagerly awaiting their performance.

On the square, after Fa Ma’s announcement, almost none of the contestants moved. Instead, they remained silent, each deep in thought, considering their approach to the assessment.

After nearly ten minutes of silence, the little princess finally broke it. With a wave of her hand, an antique, blue cauldron with a faintly powerful aura appeared on the stone platform.

Hearing the cauldron settle onto the platform, Xiao Yan glanced over, frowning slightly. The cauldron she was using was evidently different from the one she had used yesterday. Judging by the aura it emitted, this cauldron’s quality far surpassed his own dark-red cauldron.

“Tsk tsk, Jia old man, your royal family certainly doesn’t hold back. You even brought out the Azure Flame Cauldron—this is a fifth-tier medicinal cauldron! I remember several fourth-grade alchemists once fought over it years ago. I never expected it to end up in your hands.” Watching the little princess summon the azure cauldron, Fa Ma chuckled with a hint of surprise.

“Haha, I don’t know much about it myself. Most likely, that girl begged her father until he finally let her borrow it,” Jia Xing Tian replied with a casual smile, shaking his head.

With that, both he and Fa Ma shifted their gazes to Liu Ling.

At that moment, a red medicinal cauldron, about half a meter tall, stood on the stone platform in front of Liu Ling.

The cauldron had a dark-red hue and was adorned with faint shimmering lights. Near the base, four sinister snake heads were carved in intricate detail.

The gaping mouths of the snakes formed four interconnected fire channels. The channels curved and narrowed as they extended inward, suggesting an elaborate internal design.

At the top of the cauldron, a massive serpent coiled to form the dark-red lid. A unique opening on the lid was specifically designed for adding ingredients.

Finely crafted from ice-silver, tiny holes were scattered across the lid, serving as ventilation to prevent overheating, which could otherwise cause the cauldron to explode.

The middle part of the cauldron was fitted with a transparent mirror crafted from pure ice crystal, allowing a clear view of everything happening inside during the pill refinement process.

Intricate and magnificent engravings of magical beasts adorned the cauldron’s surface, appearing so lifelike they seemed almost alive.

Seeing this, Jia Xing Tian sighed, “This cauldron of Liu Ling’s is truly extraordinary; it appears to be far superior to that of Princess Yao Yue.”

“It is indeed remarkable. This cauldron, named the Crimson Serpent Cauldron, was unexpectedly gifted to Liu Ling by Gu He!” Fa Ma echoed Jia Xing Tian’s sentiment, visibly pleased. Gu He’s willingness to invest so heavily raised Liu Ling’s chances of winning even further.

In the world of alchemy, a good cauldron offers immense support to an alchemist, greatly enhancing the success rate of pill refinement. Lower-quality cauldrons often cannot withstand high temperatures, occasionally leading to sudden explosions during the process.

Thus, cauldrons are finely graded, from one to eight, from lowest to highest. Above the eighth grade lies the elite “Heavenly Cauldron List,” a level of cauldrons of which only thirteen exist in the world today, making their value extremely precious.

“Teacher, with such impressive cauldrons around, should I consider getting a new one?” Xiao Yan couldn’t help but communicate his reluctance to Yao Lao.

“Ahem, Xiao Yan, ordinary cauldrons don’t catch my eye. Right now, there’s only the Black Demon Cauldron. But if you were to use it publicly, it might attract unwanted attention!” Yao Lao coughed lightly, a trace of caution in his voice.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan could only nod in reluctant agreement.

“Don’t feel discouraged, Xiao Yan. While a cauldron is helpful, it’s still just a tool. The most important factor remains your own strength!”

“A true master alchemist can form a cauldron with the palm of their hand, refining pills with complete freedom, unrestricted by any external limitations. That is the real grandeur of a master.”

“Understood, Teacher!”

With Yao Lao’s encouraging words, Xiao Yan felt his confidence restored. The next moment, without hesitation, he took out his own dark-red cauldron.

Seeing Xiao Yan’s cauldron, Fa Ma’s expression soured.

He had assumed that Xiao Yan might only lack a few ingredients, but he hadn’t expected him to still be using such a modest cauldron in the finals.

“Sigh, a miscalculation—I should’ve asked last night if he needed a better cauldron!” Fa Ma murmured to himself.

As Xiao Yan brought out his humble dark-red cauldron, not only was Fa Ma surprised, but countless astonished glances were cast in his direction. Many had assumed Xiao Yan, like the little princess and Liu Ling, was saving his best equipment for the final round. Yet, to everyone’s shock, he still chose to use this plain and battered cauldron.

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