Chapter 161: The Second Match Begins

"Heh, how imposing. But I merely let you win that round; I only used thirty percent of my strength. No doubt you had already gone all out, haven't you? In the next match, I will let you see what a true genius is."

Fu Dong appeared before him, having completed the first match a full several hours slower than Chu Han.

Chu Han did not even open his eyes, merely curving the corners of his lips upward. "Indeed, I went all out and am utterly exhausted. Step aside and do not disturb my rest; otherwise, if I fail to participate in the second match, I shall report you for disturbing me."

"You—"

Fu Dong was momentarily at a loss for words. He felt as though his strikes were hitting a sponge. Seeing Chu Han's utter detachment, as if nothing in the world mattered to him, made Fu Dong's anger flare up.

Yet he said nothing further, merely letting out a cold snort before turning to leave. Staying any longer would only make a fool of himself. After all, he had indeed been much slower than Chu Han in the first trial, and by now, many people favored Chu Han, since speed was the most intuitive measure to the onlookers.

Meanwhile, Qin Yang and Ming Qing looked on with undisguised disdain. While Fu Dong's alchemy was passable, his personality was eccentric and arrogant, traits they thoroughly looked down upon. Although both of them were supremely confident in their own alchemy and believed they would lose to no one, they possessed far deeper composure than Fu Dong.

"Very well, the first round has concluded. Tied for first place: Chu Han and Ming Qing. Second place: Qin Yang..."

"Everyone, return to rest for now. The second round will commence tonight at eight. Just arrive according to the designated time."

Xuantian stepped out, announced the rankings, and instructed everyone to head back and rest. Chu Han shrugged indifferently and followed Leng Ye and the others back to the Leng residence.

Once inside his room, Chu Han feigned rest, but secretly withdrew a letter from his robe. It had been sent to him by someone from the Eastern Wasteland. Previously, when he wrote to the young prince, he had also dispatched a letter to the Eastern Wasteland for the sole purpose of investigating the Wolf Soul Valley.

He could not yet fully place his trust in Qing Xuan and Qing Yi, nor was it in Chu Han's nature to easily trust anyone. Only through his own investigation would he be convinced.

After reading the contents of the letter, Chu Han nodded slightly. The Wolf Soul Valley did indeed exist, yet most people had merely heard the name without knowing the true purpose of the organization, and it was concealed with extreme depth.

That being the case, what Qing Xuan had said might very well be true. However, the young prince should have already arrived at the Tang family estate by now. With the young prince present, safety was not an immediate concern, and should the Wolf Soul Valley attempt to target the Tang family, the young prince would notify him at once.

With this thought in mind, his primary task now was to secure the championship of this competition and claim the grand prize. That would elevate his strength to a new tier, giving him ample confidence to deal with the Wolf Soul Valley should they ever make a move against the Tang family.

Time drifted away bit by bit. By eight o'clock in the evening, Chu Han emerged from his room and accompanied the Leng family toward the arena. He harbored supreme confidence; he did not believe any of his peers could surpass him in alchemy.

He possessed the accumulated experience of a past lifetime. Compared to them, Chu Han held a distinct advantage. In his previous life, he had reigned as the foremost alchemist, untouched by anyone, let alone in this lifetime.

"Brother Chu, you must be extremely careful during the upcoming match. I fear that if Fu Dong cannot defeat you, he might resort to underhanded tricks. You must remember that this man is utterly sinister; there is nothing he wouldn't do."

Leng Ye offered a worried word of caution. She knew Fu Dong well—he was a petty and malicious villain who would stop at nothing for victory, and she feared Chu Han might fall victim to his vicious schemes.

"Heh, then let him come. I would like to see what methods he has to stop me, provided he actually possesses the capability."

Chu Han smiled faintly, walking straight into the venue with an air of utter calm, completely ignoring Fu Dong.

Seeing his demeanor, Leng Ye smiled slightly. What she admired most about Chu Han was his unwavering composure. No matter what happened or who his opponent might be, he handled everything with grace and never panicked.

Upon entering the arena, Chu Han proceeded to his designated platform. Having secured first place in the previous round, his station was at the very front, with Ming Qing positioned right beside him. By now, everyone had produced their medicine cauldrons, and Chu Han was no exception.

"Heh, to tie for first place while using such a piece of trash cauldron... Chu Han, your true strength becomes increasingly unfathomable to me. Interesting. You truly are my greatest rival."

Ming Qing looked at Chu Han's cauldron with a trace of surprise, which instantly transformed into blazing fighting spirit.

A medicine cauldron provided an immense bonus to an alchemist. A superior cauldron possessed excellent fire resistance and stability, greatly increasing the success rate of concoquering pills. While Chu Han's cauldron was considered high-grade, the gap between it and legendary cauldrons remained vast.

Furthermore, he practiced alchemy using the force of thunder and lightning, which was inherently violent. Due to the mediocre quality of his cauldron, faint cracks had already begun to appear on its surface.

As he glanced at Ming Qing's equipment, a massive cauldron came into view. Entirely crimson, it resembled a miniature volcano, exquisitely engraved with a motif of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix. At a single glance, it was clearly an exceptional masterpiece.

Chu Han had laid eyes on this specific cauldron once in his past life. Known as the Volcanic Banyan, it was one of the ten legendary cauldrons, rumored to have been forged from rocks deep within a volcano using a specialized technique, providing an immense boost to alchemy. However, the alchemist who wielded the Volcanic Banyan in his past life had not been Ming Qing.

It was impossible for Chu Han not to feel a twinge of envy. Glancing down at his own subpar cauldron, he could not help but sigh. It seemed he would need to find a way to acquire a superior cauldron in the near future.

Up on the second-floor viewing gallery, Qing Xuan and Qing Yi had appeared to observe the proceedings below. Qing Xuan spoke up, "What do you think of the Volcanic Banyan I secured for Qing'er? It appears the championship is destined to belong to him, barring any miracles."

"Oh? Miracles, you say? Chu Han is precisely the kind of person who specializes in creating miracles. Having a fine cauldron is no big deal; let us make a wager. The champion this time will undoubtedly be Chu Han, not your disciple Ming Qing."

Qing Yi smiled faintly, gazing at Chu Han's back with sparkling eyes, leaving Qing Xuan utterly speechless.

"I won't wager with you. Everyone knows you are a compulsive gambler, but you truly hold this young fellow in high regard. I wonder whose disciple he actually is—let us see just how much superior his alchemy truly is compared to Ming Qing's."

Qing Xuan smiled helplessly and returned his gaze to the arena below. The Alchemist Guild had conducted extensive investigations into Chu Han, yet regarding his master, no matter what methods they employed, they could uncover nothing. This had genuinely surprised Qing Xuan.

After all, alchemy was unlike ordinary cultivation. Cultivation could be explored gradually on one's own, but entering the path of alchemy without the guidance of a renowned master was exceedingly difficult. Yet no trace of his teacher could be found, which only deepened the intrigue of both Qing Xuan and Qing Yi.

"Very well, the second round shall now commence! This match is an alchemy trial, judged by the ultimate grade of the medicinal pills produced. Should the grades be tied, our guild elders will evaluate which pill possesses the finest efficacy. As for the medicinal formula, you must prepare it yourselves, though you are free to source the ingredients as you please."

Xuantian swiftly announced the rules of the second round, instantly causing a wave of uproar among the crowd.

This competition did not provide formulas; instead, participants had to supply their own. For scions of wealthy families with vast collections of herbs and recipes, this was effortless, but for those with meager resources, it was deeply unfair.