It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists-Chapter 376: Seeking Subscriptions! The Jade Empress Breaks Through, The First Transcendence Realm Cultivator?p1

“Should we inform the Jade Empress now…?” someone asked tentatively.

The Jade Pool Matriarch shook her head slowly. “The Jade Empress is likely in seclusion. We cannot disturb her.”

She paused, then continued, “Since Mu Zhian only went to the Two Polarities Sect, we’ll inform her after she finishes her seclusion.”

A hint of helplessness crept into her voice.

She wondered how the Jade Empress would react when she learned of this…

…

Two Polarities Sect, Boundless Sea Peak.

“Rank 2 pill ingredients…?”

Seeing the ingredients Mu Zhian had prepared, the cultivators below and the elders judging the competition were stunned, wondering if they were seeing things.

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“Minor Restoration Pill… a Rank 2 pill…?”

After a long silence, Regina’s soft voice broke the stillness. Her skin was fair and translucent, her demeanor frail. Her light golden hair cascaded down her back, and her bright eyes studied Mu Zhian with interest.

Knowing Mu Zhian, she didn’t believe he would use a Rank 2 pill for the competition.

But she had investigated him, and he had never practiced alchemy before. A Rank 2 or 3 pill was likely his limit.

She had expected him to prepare a Rank 3 pill, but unexpectedly, he had chosen the simplest Minor Restoration Pill…

Nigati seemed much better prepared…

The Holy Maiden of the Southern Wilderness, dressed in a bright red dress, looked at the other young man on the alchemy platform.

Nigati was clearly preparing a Rank 6 pill. Aside from Ye Lingxuan, the ingredients he had prepared were practically unmatched.

Seeming to sense the Holy Maiden’s gaze, Nigati pursed his lips, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Although he was inferior to Regina in terms of cultivation, his alchemy skills were second to none among his peers.

On the other hand, Mu Zhian, who had been in contact with the Holy Maiden, was rather disappointing…

Nigati glanced at Mu Zhian’s Earth-grade cauldron, then at the meager ingredients he had taken out, and chuckled. “Mu Zhian, this alchemy competition was prepared by the Empress of Yu State herself. The participating alchemists have all prepared at least Rank 4 pills. Isn’t your Rank 2 pill a bit too… shabby?”

Mu Zhian glanced at him and smiled faintly. “The importance of a pill lies not in its rank, but in its efficacy and the benefits it provides to cultivators.”

“That’s true.”

Nigati nodded, then smiled faintly. “But how much benefit can a low-rank pill provide?”

“I believe my Rank 2 pill will be quite popular,” Mu Zhian smiled.

Nigati scoffed inwardly and ignored Mu Zhian, glancing towards the crowd.

Mu Zhian followed his gaze and quickly spotted Regina, the frail beauty in the red dress. She was looking up at the stage. Sensing Mu Zhian’s gaze, she glanced over and gave him a charming smile.

Mu Zhian smiled back warmly.

Nigati seemed to notice their exchange and his expression darkened.

Mu Zhian glanced at the displeased Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness and chuckled. “It seems not everyone likes high-rank pills.”

Nigati simply scoffed and ignored Mu Zhian, circulating his spiritual energy and beginning to refine his pill.

At the same time, the other alchemists on the platform closed their eyes and began their preparations.

Mu Zhian glanced at Ye Lingxuan, who was also preparing, then transmitted his voice to Regina. “Sorry, I seem to have upset Nigati again.”

Regina looked at Mu Zhian with surprise, seemingly astonished that he had the leisure to chat during the competition.

She transmitted her voice back. “Nigati’s displeasure has nothing to do with me. Why are you telling me this, Young Master Mu?”

“As for you, normally, alchemy requires complete focus. It’s strange that you have the time to chat with me.”

Mu Zhian chuckled softly. “A Rank 2 pill doesn’t require much focus.”

He hesitated for a moment, then continued in a gentle voice, “I didn’t intend to offend Nigati. If possible, I hope you can put in a good word for me later, so that I won’t be troubled by him if I go to the Southern Wilderness in the future…”

Regina looked at Mu Zhian, a playful smile in her clear, cold eyes. “If you come to the Southern Wilderness with me in the future, I will protect you. You can rest assured.”

Mu Zhian hesitated for a long time, then transmitted his voice softly, “But you’re the Holy Maiden of the Southern Wilderness, and Nigati is the Holy Son… If I really go to the Southern Wilderness with you, what if he retaliates against me?”

“Even if you protect me, if my actions cause conflict between you two, I would feel guilty.”

Regina frowned slightly. “You don’t have to worry, Young Master Mu. Although he is the Holy Son, if I want to protect you, no one can object, not even him.”

I understand, your status in the Southern Wilderness is higher than his… Mu Zhian replied reservedly, “Mmm… Thank you in advance, Miss Regina. I’ll consider whether to go to the Southern Wilderness.”

“By the way, after the alchemy competition, I’d like to invite you to the Jade Pool Holy Land to relax. Are you interested?” Mu Zhian suddenly transmitted his voice again.

“Jade Pool Holy Land…?” Even Regina was stunned.

The three Pillar Gods of the Southern Wilderness had previously taken some actions against the Jade Pool Holy Land. If she, as the Holy Maiden, went there, it would undoubtedly cause trouble.

“I’ve already spoken to the Jade Empress. There won’t be any problems even if you go to the Jade Pool. Besides, it would be more convenient to give you the Innate Dao Body and a wisp of Reincarnation spiritual energy at the Jade Pool Holy Land,” Mu Zhian said.

Regina pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

As they conversed, the alchemists began to draw in the surrounding spiritual energy.

The competition had begun!

Mu Zhian quickly collected his thoughts, focused his mind, and activated the Earth-grade cauldron before him.

He carefully controlled his spiritual energy, adding the common, low-grade herbs into the cauldron one by one for smelting.

“It seems he really intends to refine a Rank 2 pill…”

Seeing this, someone in the crowd below murmured.

They had initially held some hope for Mu Zhian, thinking that his choice of ingredients must have some deeper meaning, after all, this young cultivator had passed several trials before.

But now it seemed he really intended to use a Rank 2 pill for the competition…

Even Luo Tan in the pavilion frowned.

If Mu Zhian refined a Rank 3 or 4 pill, she could find an excuse, such as praising his ‘exceptional alchemical talent,’ and then invite him to Yu State or even take him as a disciple, keeping him by her side.

But he was refining a Rank 2 pill…

Even beginner alchemists could refine Rank 2 pills. If she praised Mu Zhian’s alchemical talent, it would seem insincere, and people would see that she was simply interested in him.

Time passed silently. After nearly an hour, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and a cold wind howled.

A rich medicinal fragrance filled the main peak of Boundless Sea Peak, and the spiritual energy around the alchemy platform thinned considerably.

The alchemists were busy absorbing and purifying the surrounding spiritual energy, channeling it into their cauldrons to condense their pills.

Suddenly, cracks appeared on one of the cauldrons. The alchemist’s eyes narrowed, but before he could react, the cauldron shattered with a loud bang.

Following that sound, several more cauldrons exploded one after another.

Amidst the shattering sounds, a pill in one cauldron began to solidify, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance.

Nigati glanced at the exploding cauldrons around him, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Just as he had initially guessed, the only threats were the Holy Maiden of the Forbidden Zone and Tang Sufi, the Holy Maiden of the World Sea.

He waved his hand, gathering the spiritual energy around the alchemy platform and channeling it into his cauldron after purification.

For alchemy, freshly gathered and purified spiritual energy was ideal.

Just as Nigati was about to focus on his pill refinement, he caught a whiff of an incredibly rich medicinal fragrance from the platform.

He paused and turned his head instinctively.

It was Mu Zhian. The pill in his cauldron seemed to be nearing completion.

“Wasn’t he refining a Rank 2 pill…?”

Nigati looked closely and froze.

He stared intently at the Minor Restoration Pill in Mu Zhian’s cauldron.

Something wasn’t right…

Ordinary Rank 2 pills only emitted a faint white light. However, the Rank 2 pill in Mu Zhian’s cauldron was faintly emitting a multicolored glow.

Although it wasn’t very noticeable, any alchemist knew what this meant.

Pills that emitted a multicolored glow were at least Rank 6.

Was this really a Minor Restoration Pill…?

In the pavilion, Luo Tan also looked at Mu Zhian with surprise.

This Minor Restoration Pill didn’t look like a Rank 2 pill at all…

She glanced at Mu Zhian’s focused expression, then extended her consciousness towards the alchemy platform, scanning his cauldron.

The cauldron didn’t seem to be anything special. It seemed to be a matter of his formula…?

Luo Tan’s interest piqued, and she scanned the surface of the Minor Restoration Pill with her consciousness.

Almost instantly, her body trembled slightly, and her bright eyes widened as she stared at Mu Zhian.

Heavenly Court spiritual energy…

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed from the sky.

Luo Tan snapped out of her daze and looked at Nigati’s cauldron.

The pill he was refining should have been Rank 6, but now, she noticed that it was faintly showing signs of advancing to the next rank.

“He just added a Hundred Refinements Flower!”

The cultivators at the alchemy platform also noticed this, and someone called out indignantly.

Hearing this, the expressions of many alchemists turned grim, and some were even filled with dissatisfaction.

“The Hundred Refinements Flower isn’t even a medicinal herb, but a pill itself. What Nigati did is no different from cheating!”

Many alchemists on the platform were unhappy and frowned.

They might have had a chance of winning before, but with the Hundred Refinements Flower added to the pill, enhancing its spiritual energy, Nigati’s Foundation Solidification Pill had advanced from Rank 6 to Rank 7.

Even Ye Lingxuan’s Rank 6 pill was now inferior.

However, despite their dissatisfaction, there was nothing they could do, even though Nigati had exploited a loophole in the rules.

A faint smile appeared on Nigati’s face. He bowed slightly. “The Hundred Refinements Flower can be considered both a pill and a medicinal herb. If you must say, it’s just that you weren’t prepared enough. You can’t blame others.”

He glanced at the Rank 6 pill in Ye Lingxuan’s cauldron, which seemed to be nearing completion, and his smile widened.

The winner of the alchemy competition would receive a Rank 8 pill.

A Rank 8 pill was equivalent to an Emperor-grade herb, and one that didn’t require refinement.

If used properly, it could even help him comprehend a wisp of Dao Rhyme and break through to the next rank.

Sacrificing a Hundred Refinements Flower was worth it.

Thinking this, Nigati glanced at the faint, multicolored glow emanating from Mu Zhian’s cauldron, a sneer flashing in his eyes.

Even if Mu Zhian had a hidden trick, the pill in his cauldron was at most Rank 6. His own Foundation Solidification Pill, once the Hundred Refinements Flower was fully integrated, would become a Rank 7 pill!

“It seems Young Master Mu was quite prepared. I underestimated you before,” Nigati said with a faint, mocking smile.

Ye Lingxuan glanced over and frowned slightly.

Although she wasn’t overly competitive, Nigati’s use of the Hundred Refinements Flower was clearly exploiting a loophole.

If it weren’t for the Hundred Refinements Flower, Nigati’s pill might not even surpass the special pill Brother Mu was refining.

Mu Zhian’s expression was also subtle as he looked at the Foundation Solidification Pill in Nigati’s cauldron with surprise.

Even he hadn’t expected that a pill’s rank could be forcibly increased with a medicinal herb.

A Rank 7 pill was impossible for the alchemists present to refine.

After all, Rank 7 pills required at least a Nascent Soul cultivator to refine.

Nigati sensed Mu Zhian’s gaze and looked over, smiling faintly. “It seems Young Master Mu’s preparations were in vain.”

Even those with a discerning eye could see the special qualities of Mu Zhian’s pill, and Nigati was no exception.

But so what?

Even if Mu Zhian wasn’t refining a Rank 2 pill, but a mutated, special pill, it was at most Rank 6.

Compared to his Rank 7 Foundation Solidification Pill, it was a whole rank lower!