Paragon of Sin

"I have a request," Wei Wuyin raised his hand as if in a class. 

Tian Xiaolu frowned slightly, "What request?"

"My methods for alchemy are quite…let's say, I rather not reveal my process to others. How about we swear oaths of fairness and concoct without others observing us? Just me and you, what do you say? We keep it simple." Wei Wuyin suggested. In truth, this was to prevent others from realizing his alchemical energies were at the levels of an Alchemic Soul. Both Liu Suyin and Cao Cuifen were genuine Ascended beings with powerful senses, and who knew what Earthly or Worldly Saints were trying to slyly observe the clash? He could feel various spiritual senses on them since they left the coliseum. He needed to erect his formation to prevent others from learning this secret of his.

Tian Xiaolu's frown deepened. Normally, she would've denied that request without the slightest hesitation, but… 

"Okay." 

Wei Wuyin brightly smiled, "Great!" 

The three women that were somewhat excited to see Wei Wuyin concoct had their expressions changed as they were booted out of the palace, forced to wait outside, their spiritual senses restricted from entering as the formations built within the palace activated. Not even Earthly Saints will be able to observe the inside without alerting the owner of the palace. 

A Swift Dao Clash lasts for three days, and the participants can concoct as many times as they can in the seventy-two-hour timeframe, trying to concoct their best product. Many different strategies could be used, such as rapid concoction tactics where alchemists pumped out as many of a certain product until the end of the seventh-two-hour period ended and selected their best product. Or, the slow and thorough concoction process where the majority or entirety of the period was used to concoct a single product.

It was risky as a single mistake could cause one to lose horrendously. Fortunately, Mortal Sovereign Alchemists rarely failed products at the sixth-grade and lower. So this was typically the method used by Mortal Sovereign Alchemists.

Cao Cuifen looked at the closed door anxiously. She was only here for the sake of Wei Wuyin's success. Then and only then would she have a chance to… 

Fortunately, Wei Wuyin hadn't sent her away or shown any distaste for her actions. Clearly, he tactfully allowed it. 

Qingye Ying was the picture of anxiety. The golden-eyed elf knew she made a mistake. If she had simply accepted Wei Wuyin's challenge and lost convincingly, this wouldn't be happening. 

Liu Suyin, however, was recalling the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit. Wei Wuyin hadn't concocted himself but used a proxy with an Alchemic Soul and Mystic Star Phase cultivation base to direct his knowledge and skill into, allowing him to leap beyond those Mortal Sovereign Alchemists who lack Alchemic Souls. They were ruthlessly defeated.

But now, Wei Wuyin had no one but himself to rely on and his opponent was a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist with an Alchemic Soul. How can he claim victory here? Even a miracle seemed unlikely.

Three days later.

The doors to the palace opened and Wei Wuyin walked out alongside Tian Xiaolu. The latter's expression was different than anything she'd ever put on before, disbelief, shock, confusion, and uncertainty. It was topped off with a look of aggrieved defeat, perplexed to the extent that her eyes were questioning life itself. 

Wei Wuyin coughed slightly, revealing a happy grin. 

"What happened?" Qingye Ying nearly jumped onto Wei Wuyin for an answer. Despite their expressions telling more than any word, she wasn't capable of feeling relaxed until she received confirmation. 

"I got lucky! Haha!" Wei Wuyin laughed to the high heavens, boisterous and excited. 

"Lucky?" Cao Cuifen walked over too, her eyes shining with brilliance. 

"Yeah, lucky! You probably won't believe it, I barely believe it." Wei Wuyin wistfully said as he sighed happily. "The heavens were just on my side. It was close too. Very close." 

Tian Xiaolu's expression darkened slightly, a tinge of frustration in her eyes. She was unwilling! 

"Be clear!" Liu Suyin couldn't maintain her indifferent state, breaking out irritably from Wei Wuyin's cryptic words. 

"Well, I concocted about four different pills. Two of them were impure, I got a little unlucky, but the third was low-quality! I never realized how difficult a Swift Dao Clash was before this, considering it was my first time. But Dao Instructor Tian Xiaolu is also quite terrifying. She finished five and all of them were at least high-quality, her fourth one was even a peak-quality! I'm astonished." Wei Wuyin began to elaborate, but as he went on, the expressions of the others were changing non-stop!

The difference was a little too great, no?! 

It was clear to them and all those who were eavesdropping from the shadows that the difference between the two was like the heavenly clouds and dirt mud! They might both be Mortal Sovereign Alchemists, but they were too young, and Tian Xiaolu had an Alchemic Soul! Her alchemical energies were on par with Ascended beings!

"But, I really got lucky. Like, really, really lucky. Tch, I didn't think Swift Dao Clashes of Alchemy was so difficult." Wei Wuyin clicked his tongue, revealing an aggrieved expression as if he was almost tricked. 

"..." The others were clearly waiting for Wei Wuyin to explain further. Liu Suyin even had an urge to throttle the truth out of him. This was definitely being done deliberately to keep them in suspense! 

Wei Wuyin decided not to tease them any longer. He reached into his chest, bringing out a palm-sized box that perfectly contained the aura within. It was one of the boxes used to keep mystic-graded materials that Wei Wuyin had been 'gifted' by the parasitic clans of the Elementus Domain. 

He opened it! A strange light that felt there yet not to mortals, but extremely brilliant to Ascended beings, was revealed! 

Mystic-Grade?!

Many shadowy senses were so shocked that they revealed themselves through the fluctuations of their senses. Then, Wei Wuyin clarified hurriedly: "I somehow concocted a transcendent-quality Yin-Yang Essence Pill! Aren't the heavens kind?! Haha!" Wei Wuyin's boisterous laughter was loud and filled with genuine happiness. 

"..." 

He won?!

HE WON?!