The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

Wang Teng stood there blankly, his mouth slightly open, his mind buzzing, with only the calm yet powerful voice of Master Xuan Yang echoing repeatedly in his mind.

"One hundred and eight, all correct."

Ye Sheng's results in identifying the medicine were like a resounding slap in the face to Wang Teng, shattering his pitiful pride and confidence.

He lost his first medicine identification match, and he lost badly and utterly.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Wang Teng suddenly went berserk, pointing at Ye Sheng and shouting hoarsely onto the platform, "Sect Master! He must have cheated! How could a mere mortal martial artist know so much about spiritual plants! Please, Sect Master, investigate thoroughly!"

Wu Fei immediately stepped forward, bowed to True Person Xuan Yang, and said, "Sect Master, what Young Master Wang said is not without reason. This matter is indeed strange and full of doubts. This boy not only has an unknown origin, but also has the suspicion that he possesses demonic arts that has not yet been cleared. Now, he is behaving so strangely at the Pill Dao Grand Gathering. We must be wary."

His words, though seemingly fair, were actually adding fuel to the fire, intending to push Ye Sheng back into the spotlight.

However, Master Xuan Yang merely glanced at him indifferently, a look that sent a chill down Wu Fei's spine, causing him to swallow back the rest of his words.

"In this round of medicine identification, all the medicinal powders were personally prepared by this old man, and the entire process was under the influence of my divine sense." True Man Xuan Yang spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying the powerful pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator. "How can there be any talk of cheating?"

He paused, his gaze returning to Wang Teng, his voice turning colder: "Young Master Wang, in the path of alchemy, those who have mastered it come first. If your skills are inferior, you should focus on cultivation, not spout nonsense here, only to become a laughingstock. Is this how you disgrace Medicine King Valley?"

Wang Teng was speechless, his face turning red. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. He knew very well that the sect leader was both warning him and protecting Ye Sheng.

Afterwards, he could only glare at Ye Sheng resentfully before retreating unwillingly.

"Round one, the identification of herbs is complete," Master Xuan Yang announced. "Now, let's begin the second round, fire control."

As soon as he finished speaking, an ancient-looking bronze lamp slowly rose from the alchemy platform in front of the one hundred alchemists who had advanced.

Inside the lamp was half a cup of clear, water-like lamp oil.

"This is 'Rootless Oil,' which, when activated by spiritual power, can ignite 'Rootless Fire,'" Master Xuan Yang explained. "The second test is fire control."

"What you need to do is to light this fire within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and keep the flame stable. The flame height must not exceed three inches or be less than two and a half inches. During this time, the 'Wind Array' around the arena will be activated to interfere with your flame."

"Finally, the results will be judged based on the stability and duration of the flame. Only the top fifty will advance to the final round."

These words caused another stir in the arena.

Fire control is a fundamental skill for alchemists, but it is also the most challenging aspect that tests their skill level.

Maintaining absolute stability of the flames is even more difficult, especially under the interference of the formation.

"Hmph!" Wang Teng looked at the lamp in front of him, his fighting spirit rekindled in his eyes.

He lost the first round of medicine identification, so he absolutely could not lose the second round of fire control! Because his Medicine King Valley's "Fire Separation Technique" is a top-tier fire-based technique in the Eastern Region, and Wang Teng has absolute confidence in his ability to control fire.

"start!"

At Master Xuan Yang's command, all the alchemists immediately sat down cross-legged and slowly poured their spiritual energy into the lamps.

In an instant, the square was lit up with twinkling lights.

Most alchemists can easily ignite the flame, but problems soon arise.

"call--"

Suddenly, invisible gusts of wind arose from nowhere around the square.

The Xunfeng Formation has been activated.

The newly lit flames swayed violently in the wind, rising and falling, bright and dim.

Many alchemists with weaker cultivation levels had their flames extinguished with a "poof" if they were not careful, and could only shake their heads and leave the stage helplessly.

Wang Teng focused his mind and calmed his spirit, continuously outputting spiritual energy from his dantian. Under his exquisite control, the cluster of flames in front of him swayed in the wind, but always maintained a height of about three inches, appearing extremely resilient.

He even had the energy to spare a bit of attention to observe Ye Sheng.

However, when he saw Ye Sheng, he was stunned again.

Because the lamp in front of Ye Sheng was not lit at all. He remained standing there quietly, eyes closed, motionless, just like in the first round.

"Damn it, what's this guy up to now?" Wang Teng muttered to himself.

Not only him, but everyone who noticed Ye Sheng showed a puzzled expression.

Controlling fire relies on spiritual power. How could a mere mortal martial artist, with only internal energy and no spiritual power, control fire?

Is he going to give up?

At that moment, on the viewing platform, Wu Fei's face once again revealed a cold smile. And Lin Qingxue's heart jumped again.

Just then, Ye Sheng opened his eyes.

Unlike other alchemists who placed their palms on the lamp, he extended his right index finger, and a wisp of pale golden true energy coiled around the fingertip like a serpent.

That was the color he produced after compressing the true energy of the "Thick Earth Technique" to its extreme.

Then, he flicked his finger. The wisp of pale golden true energy accurately entered the wick of the lamp.

A soft "poof!" sound.

A cluster of golden flames quietly ignited.

The flame was small, only a little over two inches high, and the flame was as stable as solidified glass, remaining motionless no matter how the surrounding strong winds blew.

Without violent shaking or flickering, it burned quietly, as if the surrounding wind did not exist at all.

"How...how did they do that?"

"He didn't use spiritual power, he used true qi! He actually used true qi to ignite a rootless fire!"

"And...look at those flames, they're as steady as a still fire indoors!"

Everyone who witnessed this scene was stunned, and Wang Teng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

His prized "Fire Separation Technique" was utterly a joke in the face of Ye Sheng's seemingly ordinary golden flames.

His flames flickered in the wind. Ye Sheng's flames, on the other hand, completely ignored the influence of the wind.

The difference between the two levels is immediately apparent.

On the high platform, the expressions of the elders also became quite interesting.

"Entering the Dao through martial arts, transforming true qi into elixir fire—this young man is truly a genius alchemist!"

An elder stroked his beard and muttered to himself.

Even Xuan Yang Zhenren's eyes flashed with a menacing light. Wu Fei's face, on the other hand, was terrifyingly gloomy.

He subtly gave another elder from the Enforcement Hall beside him a wink, and the elder understood and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Just then, one of the disciples in charge of the formation suddenly increased the power of the Xunfeng Formation.

"call--!"

The wind in the square suddenly intensified several times, even bringing with it gusts of wind and thunder.

More than half of the alchemists on the field saw their flames extinguished instantly. Even Wang Teng grunted, veins bulging on his forehead, as the flames in front of him flickered violently, on the verge of going out.

He quickly bit his tongue and forcibly activated his essence and blood to barely stabilize the flames in front of him.

The golden flame before Ye Sheng remained unchanged. It burned quietly, like an unchanging rock, standing firm against wind and rain.