The Path of Immortality: Starts With Creating Water Bear Gu-Chapter 408: The Competition Begins

Time passed slowly, and before long, the ten contestants who had advanced to the finals arrived one after another.

Each contestant found their designated position, sat down, and closed their eyes to rest, adjusting their state of mind to its peak condition.

Meanwhile, more and more spectators gathered, and the noise grew louder and louder. The entire square had practically turned into a bustling marketplace.

"Dong..."

Finally, with the ringing of a loud bell, the square suddenly fell silent. All the spectators stopped their conversations, their eyes filled with excitement as they focused on the ten contestants standing in the center.

Among them, the most attention was drawn to Long Xuan, Ancestor Burning Heaven, and Ancestor Deceitful Heaven.

The vast number of Long Clan Gu cultivators all fixed their gazes on Long Xuan, clenching their fists with nervous expressions. It was clear that all of them had placed their hopes on him as the pride of their entire clan.

The bell's echo lingered for a long time before fading. Finally, Feng Tiancheng stood up, swept his gaze across the audience, and spoke in a deep voice:

"Today marks the final round of the Western Region Alchemy Competition. After many rounds of rigorous selection, only ten contestants have successfully advanced to the finals. These ten individuals can be considered the most talented alchemists in the entire Western Region."

"Once this competition ends, you will bear the title of 'Western Region’s Top Ten Alchemy Geniuses.' Compared to the rewards of this competition, I believe this title is far more valuable to you."

Feng Tiancheng smiled as he looked at the ten young alchemists.

Upon hearing this, the contestants on the square showed excitement. Long Yuyao, Feng Shuang, and Wang Wu all lifted their heads proudly, their faces filled with confidence.

However, Long Xuan, Ancestor Burning Heaven, and Ancestor Deceitful Heaven remained composed and expressionless.

Especially Long Xuan—being named one of the Western Region’s top ten alchemy geniuses did not stir any emotion in him at all. He simply did not care for fame.

To him, being too well-known was not necessarily a good thing. In the world of Gu cultivation, keeping a low profile was the safest strategy. Exposure under the spotlight would ultimately become a burden.

Feng Tiancheng withdrew his gaze and continued:

"It is my honor to personally preside over an alchemy competition of such high caliber. I won’t waste any more words."

"In this round, contestants may refine any type of pill they choose. The judges will evaluate based on the pill’s value. You may use your own materials or request them from the competition organizers. Now, let the competition officially begin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted into excited cheers.

Long Xuan was also awakened by the noise. He slowly opened his eyes and murmured, "It’s finally starting? I guess I’ll have to go all out in this battle!"

He retrieved his Heavenly Gold Alchemy Furnace from his storage ring and placed it heavily onto the stone tiles before him.

However, he did not immediately start refining pills. Instead, he first glanced at Ancestor Burning Heaven and Duan Tianwu.

Duan Tianwu was the first to take action. He placed a massive azure alchemy furnace onto the ground with a loud crash. The impact caused the stone tiles beneath it to crack and spread into a web of fractures, revealing just how heavy the furnace was.

Then, Duan Tianwu slightly lifted the furnace lid and extended a finger adorned with a storage ring inside. One spiritual herb after another flew out from the storage ring and landed steadily inside the furnace.

With this method, no one could see what kind of spiritual herbs he was using, let alone deduce the pill recipe he was refining.

This secrecy ensured maximum confidentiality.

The judges couldn’t help but reveal disappointed expressions and sigh inwardly at his cunning tactics.

It was obvious that Duan Tianwu was refining an incredibly rare and powerful pill, but now, it was clear that they would never get a chance to steal its recipe.

After placing the ingredients inside, Duan Tianwu withdrew his hand and slammed the furnace lid shut. Suddenly, a golden flame burst into existence beneath the furnace, releasing an intense heat.

The moment this fire appeared, the alchemical flames released by the other contestants wavered violently as if blown by a strong wind. Moments later, all of their flames were extinguished!

The entire square was filled with gasps of shock.

"Golden flames! What kind of fire is this? How could it be so terrifying?!"

"It looks like a Heavenly Fire! Legends say that when a Heavenly Fire appears, all other flames perish. I never believed it before, but now I see it’s true!"

"Tsk tsk, with a Heavenly Fire like this, the other contestants probably won’t even be able to refine their pills. I never expected to see a legendary Heavenly Fire in this competition!"

On the high platform, Wang Hu’s face was filled with shock. He exclaimed, "Could this be the Imperial Tomb Golden Flame, ranked 20th on the Heavenly Fire Ranking?"

Beside him, Qin Shang furrowed his brows, his expression solemn. "Golden flames radiating a kingly aura, capable of burning only metal—it must be that fire."

"I never thought Ancestor Deceitful Heaven would even manage to tame the Imperial Tomb Golden Flame. A Heavenly Fire ranked this high is not something a mere Gu King could control."

Long Xiaoyao frowned and pondered before speaking gravely:

"I heard that he modified his 'Little Strong Gu' to transplant powerful organs from other races into his body."

"His physique is no longer that of a normal human. Honestly, even if he could absorb the 10th-ranked Heavenly Fire, I wouldn’t be surprised."

At this moment, the God of Gambling chuckled from his seat of honor. "Looks like Duan Tianwu has been forced into a corner—revealing such a trump card already."

"With the Imperial Tomb Golden Flame in hand, no spiritual weapon in the world can harm him anymore. He has become even harder to deal with."

Meanwhile, in the square, the other contestants’ alchemical flames had all been extinguished by the pressure of the Heavenly Fire. They had no choice but to retreat to the edges of the square and set up defensive formations to isolate their flames from the Heavenly Fire’s influence.

The most terrifying thing about Heavenly Fire was its extreme heat, which far surpassed what an ordinary Gu cultivator could endure.

With its emergence, the scorching temperature instantly turned the square into a furnace. Even those who retreated to the farthest edges were drenched in sweat, unable to concentrate on alchemy.

The intense heat baked the ground, causing the spectators to groan in discomfort and retreat like a receding tide.

At this moment, only Long Xuan and Ancestor Burning Heaven remained unaffected.

Long Xuan’s body-refining technique was unique—it required him to frequently swim in magma and bathe in Heavenly Fire. To him, this level of heat was nothing.

Even though he was the closest to Duan Tianwu, sitting at the very center of the high-temperature zone, he remained completely unbothered.

The other exception was Ancestor Burning Heaven, who let out a cold snort and finally retrieved a black alchemy furnace. He extended his storage-ring-adorned finger inside and released his own Heavenly Fire.

In an instant—

The 31st-ranked Netherworld Ghostfire ignited.

The 29th-ranked Nine Heavens Moonfire flared.

The 25th-ranked Extinction Spirit Flame erupted.

With three Heavenly Fires burning beneath his furnace, the temperature soared even higher, making it unbearable for everyone else.

Seeing this, Long Xuan knew that both of them were refining fourth-grade pills. He gritted his teeth and decided not to hold back anymore.

With a swift motion, he released his Sunset Divine Flame!

With five Heavenly Fires now raging, the square turned into an inferno. The stone tiles glowed red-hot and cracked open.

The remaining contestants could barely survive, let alone refine pills.

The spectators screamed in panic and fled in terror.

"What the hell?! Are you trying to kill us?!"

"Stop! People are going to die!"

The crowd descended into chaos...

“Hahaha… exhilarating!”

“How rare are Heavenly Flames! When I participated in the Western Region Alchemy Competition last time, I didn’t even see a single one. I never expected that today, I would be fortunate enough to witness the simultaneous appearance of five great Heavenly Flames.”

“Let’s have a good fight today!”

Duan Tianwu let out a wild laugh, his eyes filled with excitement, his battle spirit surging.

Ancestor Burning Heaven glanced at the Imperial Tomb Golden Flame beneath Duan Tianwu’s furnace, then at the Sunset Divine Flame under Long Xuan’s furnace. A fleeting murderous intent flashed in his eyes but quickly disappeared.

Long Xuan, through his split soul, was multitasking—while refining pills, he was also using his X-ray vision to secretly learn the heaven-defying pill recipe of the other two.

Although the killing intent vanished in an instant, Long Xuan, with his keen perception, still detected it.

His heart trembled—Ancestor Burning Heaven wasn’t targeting him but rather the Heavenly Flames under their furnaces.

That old man already had three Heavenly Flames in his possession, yet he was still coveting others’ flames. Truly insatiable.

Could he have an obsession with collecting Heavenly Flames? Or perhaps he had a technique that allowed him to grow stronger by devouring them? The thought made Long Xuan wary.

He had already made up his mind—once the pill refinement was complete, he would leave his clone behind to claim the prize while his real body would tear the Hundred-Mile Talisman and flee instantly.

Against such a terrifying figure, he wouldn’t dare take any chances. That Hundred-Mile Talisman was absolutely not something he could afford to save.

...

On the high platform, the judges were also suffering from the unbearable heat. However, as Fourth-Grade Alchemists, their resistance to high temperatures was strong, and with the protection of a barrier, they managed to avoid fleeing in panic.

“Unexpected! That’s the Sunset Divine Flame, ranked twenty-eighth! How interesting! With five great Heavenly Flames appearing together, this competition is getting more and more exciting.”

The God of Gambling eyes lit up with immense interest, watching with great amusement.

He was the only person on the high platform completely unaffected by the scorching temperature of the Heavenly Flames.

“A rare sight indeed. Heavenly Flames are incredibly scarce. I have lived as the chief alchemist of a nation for most of my life, yet I have never seen a single one. And today, I get to witness five at once! I can die without regrets now!”

An elderly judge on the panel was so moved by the sight that tears streamed down his face.

“Haha! The scene created by the convergence of five Heavenly Flames is truly terrifying.”

“The current temperature is just the beginning—merely warming up the furnaces. Soon, the heat will rise even further, not only roasting the spectators alive but also affecting the entire city. The remaining contestants in the arena will completely lose focus on refining their pills.”

“It seems we must take action.”

Feng Tiancheng sighed bitterly. Without making a visible move, three cylindrical barriers suddenly appeared, enclosing Long Xuan, Ancestor Burning Heaven, and Ancestor Deceitful Heaven.

A square-shaped barrier also enveloped the entire plaza.

With this double-layered protection, the extreme heat generated by the Heavenly Flames was largely isolated.

The surrounding spectators finally let out a breath of relief, collapsing to the ground, gasping for air.

Fear still lingered in their eyes.

“Haha, they’re all quite cunning! They deliberately keep their fingers—wearing storage rings—inside their alchemy furnaces so we can’t see what spiritual herbs they’re throwing in.”

“Ancestor Burning Heaven and Ancestor Deceitful Heaven are undoubtedly refining fourth-grade pills. Did any of you catch what herbs Long Xuan tossed into his furnace?”

“I felt the aura of a fourth-grade spiritual herb… was that just my imagination?” Qin Shang frowned and hesitantly asked.

“fourth-grade spiritual herb? Impossible. He’s just a third-grade Alchemist. Are you suggesting he can refine fourth-grade pills? That’s not a funny joke.”

“No matter how heaven-defying one may be, he can’t defy the heavens to this extent! What’s next, does he plan to ascend to the heavens?” A female judge shook her head in disbelief, chuckling.

But her smile quickly froze.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Long Xuan.

In the arena, Long Xuan sat cross-legged. Suddenly, he summoned five clones, completely surrounding his massive alchemy furnace.

Each clone took a position, controlling a separate Sunset Divine Flame. Along with his main body, six Sunset Divine Flames burned fiercely beneath the furnace.

“What is he doing?”

“Why did he summon his clones?”

“Is he trying to create an entirely new alchemy technique?”

All the judges frowned in confusion, unable to comprehend Long Xuan’s strange actions.

When they sensed the energy fluctuations of a fourth-grade pill emerging from his furnace, their eyes widened in shock.

“Holy—! That’s the aura of a fourth-grade pill! This brat is actually refining a fourth-grade pill!”

“How is this possible?! He’s clearly a third-grade Alchemist!”

“He’s refining beyond his level! He’s using that unique alchemy technique to surpass his rank!”

“Hiss… Refining beyond one’s level… Damn! This kid is truly defying the heavens!”

The judges' panel erupted into chaos.

One by one, the judges shot to their feet in astonishment.

These were figures who, if they merely stomped their feet, could shake an entire nation. Yet, at this moment, they looked as though they had seen a ghost—expressions of sheer terror, utterly losing their composure.

The entire arena fell into a stunned silence.

Then, the God of Gambling burst into laughter.

“Hahaha… refining beyond his rank! This is unprecedented! This boy is truly defying the heavens!”

“He didn’t disappoint me! I knew he would create a miracle! I bet all my spirit stones on him—I’m about to make a killing! Hahaha!”

Feng Tiancheng also shot to his feet, his face filled with utter disbelief. He clenched his fists tightly, his expression turning increasingly twisted.

He knew it! He knew it!

This brat was a freak of nature. No matter how certain a victory seemed, he could always become the unpredictable variable. If he wasn’t killed, there would never be peace!

Feng Tiancheng’s fists trembled as a deep sense of dread consumed him.

His premonition had been right. Avoiding a bet with Long Xiaoyao had been the correct choice. This boy had once again created a miracle in this competition.

Things had taken a disastrous turn.

That ominous feeling in his heart only grew stronger.

Could this boy truly defeat two Fourth-Grade Alchemists?

For the first time, traces of despair flickered in his eyes…

At this moment, Long Xiaoyao was completely dumbfounded.

No matter how many scenarios he had envisioned, he never expected this junior to be capable of refining beyond his rank.

Could he be any more heaven-defying?

Which dragon-blooded ancestor birthed such a monstrous genius?!

The Long Clan had truly produced an extraordinary talent this time.

He swallowed hard, unable to recover from his shock for a long time.

“Refining beyond his rank!”

Duan Tianwu turned his head to glance at Long Xuan, then burst into laughter.

“As expected of a prodigy with comprehension equal to mine! To create such a heaven-defying alchemy technique—impressive!”

“This competition is getting more and more interesting!”

“I refuse to believe that, as a former champion of the Western Region Alchemy Competition, I’ll lose to a junior like you! Let’s settle this with our skills!”

With that, he turned his full focus back to his furnace.

Yet, his gaze had grown far more solemn than before.

Ancestor Burning Heaven also cast a serious glance at Long Xuan before quickly refocusing on his own furnace. However, at that moment, the flames under his furnace flickered slightly—proof of his internal turmoil.