Battle Through the Heavens: I can solidify the talents of all things

Chapter 80, The Alchemist Conference Begins, Young Gu He!

This day is destined to become the most remarkable event in the Gama Empire in recent years.

The Alchemist Conference, held every six years, will officially begin its grand opening in the imperial capital, Gama Holy City!

Before dawn, the entire capital city had already awakened from its slumber, and an unusual restlessness and anticipation permeated the air.

The streets, usually bustling with traffic, were completely jammed with people today.

Alchemists from all over the empire, and even neighboring countries, gathered here like rivers flowing into the sea.

They wore alchemist robes that indicated their rank, with gleaming badges pinned to their chests.

These young alchemists, with expressions ranging from arrogant and composed to nervous and excited, stepped into the Holy City of Gama with a variety of complex emotions.

Normally, the appearance of an alchemist is enough to cause a stir in the surrounding area.

Today, hundreds and thousands of alchemists walk the streets, a sight that is enough to shock any first-time visitor.

Along the street, all the shops opened earlier than usual, and the shop owners and their servants stood at their doors, craning their necks to look around, their faces filled with pride and excitement.

Countless ordinary people got up early and crowded in front of their own doors or behind their street-facing windows, watching the distinguished figures hurrying by with burning eyes and awe.

"I've never seen so many alchemists in my entire life!"

A breakfast vendor wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at the endless stream of people dressed in various robes, muttering to himself, forgetting to knead the dough in his hands.

"Of course!"

A burly, crew-cut man standing nearby chimed in with a booming voice, "I've heard that this year's conference is the largest and most prestigious in the Gama Empire in decades! Look at those alchemists, so many of them seem unfathomable!"

A middle-aged wealthy businessman with a neatly trimmed mustache and dressed in luxurious clothes was clearly more well-informed.

"It's not just big in scale! Do you know that the ultimate prize for this tournament is something that even those high-ranking big shots are envious of!"

He lowered his voice and said with a hint of mystery, "It's said to be a rare treasure that greatly benefits alchemists! Otherwise, how could it attract so many geniuses?"

Amid the crowd, similar discussions rose and fell, making the atmosphere in the entire capital city as turbulent as a boiling pot of oil.

The headquarters of Mittel Auction House, a quiet room on the top floor with a superb view.

"Young friend Xiao Qing, everything has been arranged!"

Mittel Tengshan stood behind Xiao Qing, looking at the tall, upright figure in a blue robe by the window, and said with a hint of pride.

"I have used my connections to secure your direct qualification for the competition, allowing you to skip the tedious pre-competition tests."

If outsiders heard this, they would be utterly astonished.

The qualification test before the Alchemist Conference is designed to filter out those who are not qualified and ensure the standard of the conference. Its strictness is well known.

However, the power of the Mittel family is so immense that they can make someone skip this step!

However, Mittel Tenshan believes this is perfectly reasonable.

With Xiao Qing's strength as at least a fifth-grade alchemist, participating in those tests would be like a dragon looking down on an ant—a complete waste of time.

In Mittel Tengshan's mind, the champion of this year's Alchemist Conference had already been predetermined by the mysterious young man in front of him!

He was now incredibly excited to see what kind of huge storm Xiao Qing would cause in the capital when he revealed his true strength.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing slowly turned around, his eyes as calm as a deep well, without the slightest ripple.

He nodded slightly to Mittel Tengshan, a faint smile curving his lips: "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Tengshan."

"Haha, young friend Xiao Qing, you're too kind! We're all on the same side, this is nothing to worry about!"

Mittel Tengshan laughed heartily, patted Xiao Qing's shoulder forcefully, and smiled warmly and sincerely.

The more he interacted with the young man, the more unfathomable he felt. His composure and calmness, far beyond his years, made even this seasoned veteran feel secretly alarmed.

"It's getting late, let's set off for the Alchemist's Guild!"

Mittel Tengshan waved his hand and walked out the door first.

Hai Bodong was already waiting outside, still with his usual cold expression, but when he looked at Xiao Qing, a hint of barely perceptible expectation flashed in his eyes.

The closer you get to the headquarters of the Alchemist Guild, the denser the crowd becomes.

The guild area, usually solemn and dignified, was now packed with people and bustling with activity.

The royal guards and guild guards, tasked with maintaining order, had to form a human wall to barely separate the surging crowd and open—

Several passageways were set up for participants and VIPs.

As Mittel Tengshan led Xiao Qing and Hai Bodong through the special passage, he smiled and introduced to Xiao Qing: "The main venue for this year's Alchemist Conference is located in the giant alchemy plaza outside the Alchemist Guild headquarters."

He paused, then continued, "That plaza has undergone special expansion and reinforcement; its area is large enough to accommodate thousands of people refining medicine simultaneously, making it the largest in the empire!"

According to preliminary statistics from within the guild, nearly two thousand alchemists have registered for the competition!

This is the largest number of participants in recent conferences, making it an unprecedented event!

Soon, the group arrived at the entrance to the alchemy plaza.

There are guild members here who are responsible for verifying identities. Only alchemists and contestants with guild credentials are allowed to enter.

Ordinary spectators, on the other hand, need to use a separate passage to access the seating area, which rises in layers like a ring mountain.

With Mittel Tenshan, a top business tycoon in the empire, personally leading the inspection process without any obstacles, the inspection was carried out without any hindrance.

The guards bowed respectfully and quickly let them pass.

As you pass through the entrance, the view suddenly opens up!

A colossal plaza, so vast it was breathtaking, was laid bare before Xiao Qing's eyes.

The plaza was paved with a kind of dark blue hard stone, polished to a smooth, mirror-like finish.

Countless complex and mysterious runes are engraved on it, faintly forming a huge array covering the entire square!

This is clearly to concentrate energy and prevent energy bursts from interfering with each other during the alchemy process.

On the square, thousands of stone platforms are neatly arranged, each equipped with a standardized medicine cauldron of uniform quality.

At this moment, many alchemists who had arrived early were already standing in front of their stone platforms, some with their eyes closed in meditation, others checking their medicine cauldrons. A tense and solemn atmosphere permeated the air.

The square was surrounded by a circular seating area that could hold hundreds of thousands of people, which was now packed with people, and the buzzing of discussions swept over the area like a tidal wave.

"Young friend Xiao Qing, it's up to you now!" Mittel Tengshan stopped and smiled encouragingly.

"Old Hai and I will head up to the VIP seats and wait to enjoy your wonderful performance!"

Hai Bodong also looked at Xiao Qing, his cold gaze revealing absolute trust. He said in a deep voice, "Go ahead and do your thing. This tournament is destined to amaze everyone because of you!"

Facing the expectations of the two elders, Xiao Qing simply smiled calmly, his tone composed yet carrying an undeniable confidence: "Rest assured, seniors, Xiao Qing will not let you down."

After saying that, Xiao Qing gripped the jade token that Mittel Tengshan had obtained for him, which qualified him to participate in the competition.

Without further hesitation, he strode confidently into the alchemy plaza that was about to become the focus of the empire.

He blended into the group of thousands of alchemists from all over the country.

To the north of the alchemy plaza, there is a tall viewing platform.

This place is beautifully decorated and has an excellent view. It was specially prepared for the high-ranking members of the Alchemist Guild, members of the royal family, and the leaders of the empire's top powers.

At this moment, in the main seat in the center of the viewing platform, sat an elderly man dressed in a purple alchemist's robe.

The old man had white hair and beard, and a weathered face, but his eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see right through people's hearts.

This old man is none other than the president of the Alchemist Guild of the Gama Empire!

That highly respected master, whose alchemy skills had reached the peak of the fifth rank, was Fama!

Beside Fama stood a slightly older young man, who was standing respectfully.

He had a handsome face, a composed demeanor, and a hint of genius-level arrogance between his brows. He wore the attire of a fourth-grade alchemist.

His silver robes, with four shimmering silver ripples on his chest, showcased his extraordinary strength.

He is none other than Gu He, the most prominent alchemy genius in the Jia Ma Empire today!

He is also widely recognized as the biggest favorite to win this year's Alchemist Conference!

Fama's sharp gaze slowly swept across the crowded square below.

His gaze paused slightly as he passed over Mittel Tengshan and Haibodong's group.

They finally focused on Hai Bodong, a clear look of surprise flashing across their aged face.

"That old bastard Hai Bodong—he's been missing for over a decade, and he's actually back?"

Fama muttered to himself, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Moreover, judging from his aura, he seems even more profound and reserved than before —"

He and Hai Bodong were old acquaintances, and he knew Hai Bodong's former glory well.

Immediately, Fama's gaze was drawn to the figure of the young man in blue robes who followed Mittel Tengshan and walked into the square alone.

"That young man—must be the genius alchemist that old man Mittel Tengshan, who risked the reputation of the Mittel family to vouch for him?"

Fama's gaze lingered on Xiao Qing for a moment, filled with scrutiny and curiosity.

A few days ago, Mittel Tengshan came to him personally to ask for a spot in the competition for a boy named Xiao Qing.

The test had already been completed, and even out of respect for Chief Mittel, Fama did not readily agree at first.

Until Mittel Tengshan confidently assured him that this boy's talent for alchemy was no less than that of Gu He beside him, and might even surpass it!

These words greatly shocked Fama.

Gu He's talent was unparalleled in his life; before he was even thirty, he had already reached the peak of the fourth rank and was about to touch the threshold of the fifth rank!

Fama could hardly imagine who could rival him in the Gama Empire.

Driven by intense curiosity, he finally made an exception and agreed to Mittel Tenshan's request.

Standing next to Fama, Guhe also noticed the president's gaze and followed it to see Xiao Qing walking towards the competition seat.

Gu He frowned almost imperceptibly, and couldn't help but ask, "President, is this the young man you mentioned before, the one who was recommended by Chief Mittel and directly qualified for the competition?"

"I wonder just how talented he is at alchemy?"

Fama withdrew his gaze, nodded slightly, and said in a solemn tone, "That old fellow Tengshan, although sometimes unreliable, never lies on matters of great importance. Since he dares to guarantee this with the family's reputation, this young man must have extraordinary abilities."

"Moreover—I observed that his aura was completely contained, and not a trace of his soul power leaked out. This level of control is extraordinary."

If what he said is true, perhaps—he really could become a formidable rival on your path to the championship.

"A formidable rival?" Guhe was slightly startled, but maintained a respectful demeanor and did not refute.

He glanced down at the excessively young figure below, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

How many years of experience and skill could a greenhorn who looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old possibly have, even if he started learning alchemy from the womb?

Gu He has been studying alchemy for nearly twenty years, experiencing countless failures and trials since his apprenticeship before finally reaching his current level.

What makes him my rival?

A strong sense of confidence and pride rose in Guhe's heart.

This year's alchemist champion will definitely be me, Gu He! And it can only be me, Gu He!

Thinking of that rare medicinal herb, which was the champion's reward and had great benefits to soul power, his heart burned with excitement.

Once he obtains it, he is absolutely confident that he can break through the bottleneck in a short period of time and officially enter the hall of a fifth-grade alchemist!

He will not allow anyone to stand in his way for this goal!

Fama seemed to see through Guhe's thoughts, but he didn't say much. He simply closed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "Alright, the conference is about to begin. Go and prepare. Remember, in the art of alchemy, there are always people more skilled than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Don't lose your composure because of arrogance."

Gu He's heart skipped a beat. He composed himself and respectfully cupped his hands, replying, "Yes, Chairman! Gu He understands!"

After speaking, he straightened his robes, took a deep breath, and walked down the high platform with steady and confident steps toward the most prominent competition platform in the square that belonged to him.

An hour slowly passed as countless people waited anxiously.

On the vast alchemy plaza, nearly two thousand alchemists had found their corresponding stone platforms according to their respective numbers and stood solemnly.

The tension in the air was almost tangible, and countless eyes were focused on this.

Just then—

clang!!!

A loud, resonant bell tolled suddenly above the bustling alchemy plaza!

The sound of the bell seemed to possess some strange magic, instantly drowning out all the noise and clearly reaching the ears of everyone present, giving everyone's mind a jolt!

Immediately afterwards, an aged voice, yet imbued with immense spiritual power, swept across the entire plaza like a gentle tide, echoing clearly in everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable majesty: "The time has come! The 67th Alchemist Conference of the Gama Empire—now officially begins!"

"All participants, please take your seats immediately and prepare for the first round of assessment!"

As soon as the voice fell, thousands of alchemists in the square moved almost simultaneously, taking their positions behind their respective stone platforms.

Xiao Qing calmly walked to his own inconspicuous stone platform, his gaze sweeping over the ordinary medicine cauldron on the platform, his eyes showing no pressure about the upcoming conference.

A fierce battle that brings together the future hopes of the Empire's alchemy world has officially begun!

This grand event is destined to take an unexpected turn because of the appearance of a young boy.