odessanovel Chapter 146 Twist?
Chapter 146 Twist?
"If we follow normal logic, could this person be the dark horse destined to appear, and the only colored alchemical gemstone will be refined by him?" Tucaano, one of the five seeded players, said calmly.
This person also comes from the Tuka family, one of the four great families of the Western Regions. The top-notch resources and cultivation conditions provided by this prestigious family have unsurprisingly allowed him to join the ranks of the top alchemists of the younger generation.
The other four seeded players looked at each other, and although they had their own opinions, they all expressed their approval of Tucaiano.
"It's done." Zhang Yunling raised his arms, and the last cluster of flames lifted the jet-black gemstone from the furnace, completing the refining process.
Apollo Linda was somewhat incoherent. She didn't know how to explain Zhang Yunling's behavior, but there were only a few minutes left. He had spent an hour and had only managed to extract black-quality gems.
The surrounding audience and other contestants began to discuss Zhang Yunling, this alchemical gem with only black quality.
"I thought he was some kind of genius, standing there like an idiot for an hour straight, and this is all he's got?... "
"Tch, just trying to attract attention..."
But Tucaano was unimpressed. He spread his detection magic and focused it on the black gem in Zhang Yunling's hand. The next moment, he suddenly realized something and shouted:
"That's a black outer shell! The real gem will break through!"
"What?!" Linda exclaimed in astonishment on the stage, "Could it be that this black gem is just an illusion, and what appears next is the real gem refined by contestant number 280?!"
Zhang Yunling raised his left hand high, pinched the black gemstone with his thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and gently squeezed it. Sure enough, cracks began to appear on it, and pieces of black rock fell off, revealing the real gemstone inside.
"Huh?... " Tucaano frowned, and Linda choked up again, plunging the room into another uproar.
After the black rock layer broke off, the gem inside was revealed, and it was still black!
One of the seeded players patted Tuca Arno on the shoulder and said, "Arno, it seems you misjudged this time. The expected reversal didn't happen."
The match was about to start, and Linda looked a little disappointed. She shook her head slightly and prepared to announce the result.
But just then, the alchemist beside Zhang Yunling suddenly shouted, "No...no! This black...why is this black so dazzling and brilliant?!"
Zhang Yunling stepped into the air and stood on the table, raising the black alchemical gem in his hand high. At this moment, everyone could see it clearly.
The black color was so dazzling that it shone brilliantly in the sunlight!
The row of old alchemists sitting on the outermost edge of the audience stood up in shock. One of the old men exclaimed in horror, "This is not black, it's dark black!"
Red, gold, turquoise, blue, cyan, azure, and purple—under the sun's rays, seven colors clearly appeared on the incredibly deep black gemstone, intertwining to create a strange appearance known as the "black color."
Linda, being presiding over the Alchemists' Conference for the first time, was completely bewildered by the situation, but the old alchemist would explain it to her.
"To be able to control the heat so precisely and the reaction between the alchemical gems and the medicinal herbs so skillfully, he is more than just an alchemist; he is more like a master alchemist!"
Upon hearing the words of the alchemy association elder, everyone's emotions and attitudes were swayed, and they all changed their tune.
"Alchemists? Refiners? Aren't those things only cultivators in the Central Plains do?"
"Could this person be from Zhongzhou? I didn't realize he was so young yet possessed such strength, managing to cross the continent to reach the Western Regions! For an ordinary person to travel from Zhongzhou to the Western Regions, they would either die or be severely injured!"
However, Zhang Yunling remained expressionless. He brushed aside a slightly messy strand of hair near his cheek, turned to look at Linda, and asked calmly:
"Is it over?"
Linda was startled by his cold expression and took a while to speak:
"The best scorer in the first round is contestant number 280... Zhang Yunling!!"
Tucaano narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "Central Continent cultivators... Interesting."
After the competition ended, 120 out of more than 320 contestants were eliminated, leaving more than 200 to advance.
Everyone took a day off to prepare for the second match.
After the match, Xue Minghua, beaming with joy, put his arm around Zhang Yunling's shoulder and praised her:
"Well done, Yunling! You've certainly lived up to all my guidance! There are still two more matches and a final to go. Keep up the good work!"
Zhang Yunling smiled and nodded. The two were about to go to the association's canteen for lunch when an old man suddenly appeared and walked up to them.
Zhang Yunling recognized the old man as the association elder who had seen through his refining technique during the competition not long ago.
"Greetings, Elder." Zhang Yunling bowed slightly and clasped his hands in greeting.
The old man had a gentle and kind expression. He slowly said, "Young friend, you've only been a few days since you joined the Alchemy Association, yet you've already participated in this competition and achieved such excellent results. The association has high hopes for you."
"Elder, you flatter me. I was just lucky. The mysteries of alchemy far exceed my imagination. I still need to hone my skills more," Zhang Yunling replied modestly.
Upon hearing the young man's words, which carried an ancient flavor, the old man became even more convinced that this young man was not a local of the Western Regions, but more likely a cultivator.
The old man tentatively asked, "My name is Leander, and I am the Grand Elder of the Alchemy Association of Firemelt City. If you are interested in alchemy, young friend, why don't you come to the association and have a chat?"
After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Yunling agreed.
His original purpose in infiltrating this alchemy competition was to obtain the high-grade medicinal herbs mentioned in the competition prizes.
Since I've been noticed by the Alchemy Association by sheer luck, I might as well take this opportunity to get inside and see if I can get any benefits out of it.
However, being in a foreign land and unfamiliar with the people, Zhang Yunling remained extremely cautious. Although he verbally agreed, he still found an excuse to delay:
"I am grateful for the association's kindness, but I am quite tired from today's match. Could I visit you another time?"
Leander's expression changed slightly, but neither Zhang Yunling nor Xue Minghua noticed it.
"Of course you can. If you feel too much pressure from the competition, you can come to the association with me after this competition is over."
Zhang Yunling nodded and thanked her.