Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water-Chapter 385: The Final Twenty Minutes

The coliseum was in uproar.

Cheers and shocked gasps erupted from every section of the audience as all attention turned toward Station 12—the previously unnoticed competitor among the sea of 199 other personal Disciples between both disciplines of the Alchemy Division who had just refined a six-cloud pill with impeccable density and vibrancy.

Even in the VIP section, Lassim could feel the surge of spirit senses locking onto the unknown disciple. Who was he?

Elder Varis, the mentor/master of Calem Vren, narrowed his eyes, his usual air of arrogance faltering for the first time. His prized disciple had just been completely upstaged.

Meanwhile, Niko was practically bouncing where he stood on the announcer’s platform.

"Oh-ho! Now this is what we call an upset!" His voice carried effortlessly over the crowd, his excitement contagious. "Ladies and gentlemen, we just witnessed history—a six-cloud pill refinement during an Elder Summit! I repeat, a SIX-CLOUD PILL REFINEMENT! Congratulations to Elder Gromway’s disciple, Aurelian Kain!"

The cheers grew even louder, waves of disciples losing their minds at the sight.

"So, it’s that hermit’s boy… No wonder he seems so timid and nameless until now." Varies commented under his breath but loud enough for everyone to hear.

But even as the spectacle continued with the pills of both Calem and Aurelian being handed to the judges, the competition was still underway.

Twenty minutes remained. Plenty of time for last-minute miracles… or disasters.

The Potion Brewing side saw another competitor falter under pressure shortly after.

A young looking man, his hands trembling, attempted to bottle his finished brew—only to drop the flask in a moment of distraction.

A collective gasp rippled through the arena as the carefully refined liquid splashed onto the stone platform, wasted beyond recovery. The contestant froze, horror dawning on his face.

Niko winced dramatically. "Ooooh… that’s the worst way to go. A complete refinement wasted at the very end. A true tragedy, folks."

A few seats down, Elder Gwen chuckled under her breath. "Handling failure is just as important as handling success. In this arena, you’re equal to all other Personal Disciples. The stress is much higher, as there’s no room to float or see yourself as superior over lower ranked disciples. All of these Personal Disciples should learn from their competitions and use it to strive to improve."

Meanwhile, on the Pill Refining side, another contestant attempted to salvage a batch that had gone slightly off-course, purple smoke beginning to rise from the furnace.

Lassim’s gaze and spirit sense flicked toward them, watching as the disciple carefully stabilized their essence, trying to force a complete condensation before the last seconds ticked down.

For a moment, it looked like they might pull it off. But then—

Poof.

The pill crumbled into fine purple and gold dust, scattering into the wind.

Niko winced again. "Ah, another near success turned to dust. The tragedy of high-level pill refinement, everyone."

The coliseum remained electric, the sheer energy of the competition reaching its peak as the final fifteen minutes ticked down. This was the last chance for those still standing to secure their place on the rankings. Even if they didn’t win first prize, their performances still determined their master’s fates.

Back on the Potion Brewing side, a cluster of remaining competitors were still furiously adjusting their brews, each desperately working to achieve even a passing grade.

Niko’s voice rang out, pointing toward one of the potion brewing stations that seemed to be nearly finished with their potion.

"Over here, we have Elys Miran, a rising name in the Alchemy Division’s Potion Brewing ranks! She’s been consistently producing high-quality mid-tier Earth-grade potions all year—let’s see if she can hold her ground today!"

The projection screen zoomed in on Elys—a short, lean girl with sharp eyes and violet braids, her hands moving in precise, controlled motions.

She carefully poured the final stabilizer, drop by drop, ensuring absolute balance.

The potion shimmered. Then—

DING!

A faint, harmonic chime rang out, though far less pronounced than Tessa’s. The crowd murmured in approval as Elys raised her vial toward the light, revealing a rich, translucent blue liquid with only minor cloudiness.

Niko grinned. "And there it is! A solid Earth-grade potion, no impurities, no destabilization! Not a match for Tessa’s gem-like brilliance, but a worthy result nonetheless!"

Elys let out a breath she’d been holding, nodding in satisfaction as she carefully corked the vial.

Meanwhile, another potion brewer was attempting a different refinement technique.

Niko gestured toward him. "Oh, look over there—Korin Vass! Known for his fast but risky brewing style that he’s been experimenting with, let’s see if his method pays off today!"

Korin, a broad-shouldered disciple with storm-patterned gloves that seemed to be enhanced in some way, was working with rapid movements, stirring his potion with short, sharp bursts of mana to force the elemental infusion at a faster pace than most.

His cauldron boiled aggressively, the mixture fluctuating wildly between stable and volatile.

The audience tensed—would it collapse? Would it hold? Korin’s eyes narrowed. He reached for the final condensation agent—

Drip.

The moment the final drop touched the potion—

FSSHHH!

The swirling liquid locked into place in a sudden, seamless stabilization. He immediately poured it into his vial, sealing it with a flick of his wrist.

Niko let out a low whistle. "Oho! A dangerous approach that I still don’t quite see the benefits of, but it worked! That’s a properly stabilized Storm Veil Elixir, albeit cutting it a bit close! A passable Earth-grade, slightly cloudy, but a strong finish nonetheless!"

Korin exhaled in relief, stepping back from his station with a satisfied nod as an attendant came to collect the vial to pass to the judges alongside Elys’.

Meanwhile, on the Pill Refining side, the pressure was just as fierce.

Niko shifted attention, calling out, "On the refining side, we still have Leor Dannis, one of Elder Trel’s most consistent disciples! He’s never been a showy refiner in our group demos, but his success rate is one of the highest in his class!"

Leor, a quiet but determined-looking disciple, had been working diligently without rushing, his golden pill essence forming steadily in his cauldron.

He wasn’t attempting anything flashy like Aurelian or Calem. He simply focused on stability. Consistency was what he always strived for when it came to pill-making. His essence compressed smoothly—

One cloud.

Then another.

The third began to form—

But just as it did—

Poof.

The third cloud dissipated before stabilizing. Leor’s pill remained intact, but with only two clouds. A low murmur of approval ran through the audience.

Niko gave an approving nod. "Two-cloud refinement! A very respectable Earth-grade result! Not enough to challenge the front-runners, but a solid ranking placement!"

Leor exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from his brow as he gently stored his pills in the submission container.

Nearby, another contestant was making their final push.

Niko gestured toward him. "And now, let’s check in with Revan Drel! A disciple with an unorthodox, high-intensity refinement style, known for attempting aggressive compression techniques!"

Revan, a tall, hawk-eyed alchemist, had been compressing his essence with short, rapid bursts of lightning mana rather than slow, controlled infusions. It was a risky approach, but—

One cloud.

Two clouds.

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A faint third began to form… The audience held their breath. But just before it could solidify—

CRACK!

A sharp fracture ran through the pill essence—a critical destabilization point. Revan’s eyes widened.

POOF.

The essence collapsed into harmless golden dust.

Niko winced. "Oof! That’s a painful miss! A near-three-cloud attempt, but unfortunately, a refinement failure! A respectable effort nonetheless!"

Revan closed his eyes for a brief moment, steadying his breath before stepping back. Though he had failed, there was no anger on his face—only determination to do better next time.

As the final seconds ticked away, a few remaining competitors rushed to complete their refinements.

Some succeeded—their products falling into the category of solid Earth-grade, respectable but not revolutionary. Others collapsed under the pressure, their refinements failing at the last possible moment.

Then—

BONG! BONG! BONG!

The resounding gong echoed across the coliseum.

"THAT’S IT!" Niko’s voice boomed, signaling the end of the competition. "All contestants—STEP AWAY from your stations! No further refining or bottling allowed!"

The competitors froze, stepping back as instructed.

The tension in the arena remained thick, as all eyes now turned toward the judging panel.

It was time for the final evaluation.

The arena remained dead silent.

All eyes were on the judging panel as they deliberated, their expressions unreadable.

Tessa’s gem-like potion and Aurelian’s six-cloud pill were the two clear frontrunners—but which one would reign supreme?

The judges debated quietly, exchanging notes and speaking in hushed voices.

Lassim, still seated beside Volten, watched carefully, his storm-filled eyes flickering between the two competitors. "They’re really struggling to decide," Lassim noted.

Volten chuckled, leaning back. "Of course. This is a rare case. A six-cloud Earth-grade pill is nearly unheard of among recently accepted Personal Disciples. It’s a remarkable feat that would even put him on par with several of the Alchemy Elders on such a difficult pill recipe. But Tessa’s potion carries extra effects from her unique physique—that’s something no amount of refinement can match."

Niko, on his platform overlooking the stage, grinned as he sensed the tension in the audience.

"This is what we live for, folks!" he declared, his voice booming across the coliseum. "It’s not often that we have a battle between pill refinement perfection and a potion infused with natural, constitution-based enhancements! Who will be crowned the Overall Champion?"

The anticipation climbed to its peak. Then—

Elder Ilman, one of the judges, rose from their seat and gently floated into the air with their Spirit Transcendence stage cultivation. The audience fell deathly silent.

"For the Pill Refining Division, the first-place winner is… Aurelian Kain!"

A thunderous applause erupted throughout the coliseum.

Aurelian, who had remained quiet and slightly reserved the entire time, inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.

Calem Vren, standing nearby, remained stone-faced, his sharp eyes flicking toward Aurelian for a moment before he turned away. His forced fourth cloud had not been enough to secure victory.

Niko, grinned widely. "Ooooh, and there you have it! Our underdog contestant has claimed the top prize for Pill Refinement with a record-breaking six-cloud pill! What an upset!"

The judges did not delay in announcing the Potion Brewing results.

"For the Potion Brewing Division, the winner is… Tessa Myren!"

Another wave of cheers followed.

Tessa, offered a graceful curtsy toward the judges, her vial still shimmering like liquid crystal as it was being passed around for final review.

Now—

Only one result remained.

The Overall Champion.

The judges exchanged one final glance before Elder Ilman raised his hand to silence the crowd once more.

"For the Overall Winner of the Alchemy Division Competition, showcasing the most refined and uniquely beneficial creation—"

A pause.

Lassim raised a brow, sensing where this was going.

"Tessa Myren."

The coliseum exploded into cheers. Tessa’s Life-Lightning-infused potion had won. The judges had decided that its additional, constitution-enhanced properties provided a level of benefit that even a perfect six-cloud pill could not surpass.

Niko, eyes alight with excitement, shouted into the projection array. "And there we have it!!! Tessa Myren secures the title of Overall Champion! The power of Life-Lightning prevails over raw pill refinement perfection!"

The audience roared in approval.

Tessa, bowed once more. But as she straightened, her eyes flickered toward Aurelian Kain. Tessa stepped toward Aurelian, approaching him with a curious expression.

The younger looking pill refiner turned to face her, his expression slightly turning red as she approached. His head and eyeline timidly fell as not to return her stare.

For a brief moment, they simply stood there, facing one another amidst the fading echoes of the crowd’s applause.

Tessa, however, showed no more hesitation. She smiled softly, extending a hand toward him.

"You deserved first in Pill Refining," she said simply, her voice steady. "Your skill is undeniable."

Aurelian blinked, slightly caught off guard.

"T-thank you…," he replied. "Your Life-Lightning infusion—I envy you for having that constitution."

For a brief moment, he hesitated—then reached out, shaking her hand with light but steady pressure.

Tessa’s smile widened slightly. For some reason, Aurelian’s reserved nature wasn’t off-putting. It was… genuine. He wasn’t arrogant. He wasn’t boastful.

"Thank you," she said. "I’d love to talk more about it sometime."

Aurelian’s grip on her hand tightened slightly in surprise. Tessa tilted her head slightly, her smile transforming to a playful smirk, a little amused at his reaction.

Then, before he could respond, she pulled out a small, glowing crystal in the shape of a disc—her communicator disc.

"Here," she said, tapping it lightly. "Let’s exchange contact runes."

Aurelian blinked again, clearly not expecting this.

But after a brief moment, he nodded slightly and brought out his plain looking, copper brown disc and tapped his against hers. A soft chime rang out as their contact runes linked.

Tessa grinned. "Now I can find you later."

Aurelian continued to remain flustered long after he watched her jump up with her Spirit Ascension stage cultivation and fly upwards towards her master on the Sect Master’s platform.

Lassim, watching from beside Volten and the other Elders, smirked slightly.

Now this was interesting.