Still fishing for votes. Let’s see if we can hit ten thousand recommendations this week~~^0^ …… While most contestants were still racking their brains, deep in intense thought, Nie Kong had already settled into a cross-legged posture.

He tapped his finger, and a verdant Wood Spiritual Power immediately surged, enveloping the medicinal cauldron and igniting into flame. In an instant, the small cauldron spun up, hovering and whirling above the spiritual energy rising from Nie Kong’s palm.

“Mutated Spiritual Power?” Watching the emerald green spiritual energy swirling around Nie Kong’s cauldron, Cheng Feiliu, Que Yu, Qu Tingyun, and the other five-rank Spirit Alchemists on the judging panel were greatly astonished. Those in the VIP section behind them broke into animated discussion, as spirit masters whose spiritual power had mutated were exceedingly rare.

Cheng Feiliu couldn't help but turn to Nie Xingyun and say, “Brother Xingyun, you’ve taken a fine apprentice. He actually possesses mutated spiritual power.

What a pity it’s a wood-element mutation. If it were another element that mutated, his future prospects would be limitless—achieving the level of Medicine King wouldn't even be impossible.” Speaking of wood-element mutation, Cheng Feiliu, like Que Yu and Qu Tingyun beside him, showed expressions mixed with admiration and regret.

On the Celestial Spirit Continent, wood spirit masters were even rarer than those with mutated spiritual power. Wood-element spiritual arts and techniques were few and far between.

Without a sound cultivation method, were they expecting this young lad to invent his own? There had been wood spirit masters before, but their peak was always the Spirit Commander stage!

Furthermore, the spiritual arts and techniques that wood-element Spirit Commander had created were long lost. It was already excellent that the Nie family could gather a few ordinary spiritual arts and techniques created by Spirit Fusion Masters for Nie Kong.

Realizing this, many in the VIP seats behind breathed a silent sigh of relief. After all, no one wanted to see another formidable Spirit Alchemist emerge from a rival family.

“It matters not, it matters not. If this little fellow can cultivate to the Spirit Commander stage and become a five-rank Spirit Alchemist, this old man will be thoroughly satisfied,” Nie Xingyun said with a smile, though he inwardly scoffed.

What did they know? His apprentice had advanced three ranks within the Life and Death Illusion Realm.

With such potential, creating his own spiritual arts in the future wasn't out of the question. “Brother Cheng, I was quite optimistic about your family’s Fourth Prince, but it seems he has quite a few rivals now.

Not only the Mu family, the Qu family, and those three little girls from the Sunset Haze Sect, but now we have Brother Xingyun’s apprentice, plus that young girl labeled number 108,” chimed in Que Yu, a burly man with silver-streaked hair. “More rivals make the ‘Thousand Spirit Medicine Assembly’ more lively.

If Zixuan were to dominate all alone, this competition would be quite dull,” Nie Xingyun countered. “……” At that moment, many spirit masters watching on the courtyard ground noticed that Nie Kong, who had started refining the medicine first, was using Wood Spiritual Power.

The only explanation for refining spiritual medicine with wood power was that the Wood Spiritual Power had absorbed fire-element energy and mutated. Thus, the news that the competition featured a spirit master with mutated power spread like wildfire, electrifying the crowd and raising the atmosphere significantly.

On the high platform, Nie Kong cleared all distractions, focusing his spirit entirely on the cauldron. For the refinement of the "Myriad Transformation Pill" this time, Nie Kong did not use the "Medicinal Cauldron Phantom Body"; he was using the small cauldron he carried with him.

Having easily determined the correct prescription, success in refining the "Myriad Transformation Pill" was all that was needed to advance to the second round; there was absolutely no need to worry about the degree of medicinal potency fusion. For Nie Kong, this round was extremely simple; there was naturally no need for the ultimate trump card, the "Purple Luo Phantom Spirit Incense." With four more rounds ahead, good steel must be saved for the blade's edge.

“Clang!” Suddenly, Nie Kong flicked his finger, and with a light chime, the cauldron spun violently. Moments later, the scent of medicine began to waft out from the cauldron.

Smelling that fragrance, and seeing that the hourglass was already nearly half empty, the spirit alchemists still agonizing over their formulas broke out in anxious sweats. The more anxious they became, the more chaotic their minds grew, making it harder to concentrate on distinguishing the correct herbs.

Consequently, some spirit alchemists began to take desperate chances. “Here goes everything!” A young man made a resolute decision, closing his eyes as he selected four herbs, pouring them into the Ice Disc Water, then pressing both palms against the cauldron, channeling his Fire Spiritual Power while muttering incantations and praying.

However, not long after, a loud bang resonated from the cauldron, and a smell of burnt scorch puffed out from the small hole in the lid. The young man’s face turned pale.

He sighed dejectedly, hanging his head in defeat! He had failed, as expected.

Luck, that damned thing, was utterly unreliable! “A gamble!” Another youth’s eyes flickered as he mused.

Since he couldn't tell the difference, he would do the opposite—he would discard the "Ice Disc Water," which was the least likely to be wrong, betting that it might pay off! After adding the herbs, the youth began injecting Fire Spiritual Power into the cauldron.

Finally, wisps of medicinal fragrance overflowed! The youth, whose heart was pounding anxiously, broke into an expression of sheer ecstasy and hurriedly focused his attention to continue the refinement.

Scenes like this were constantly unfolding on the platform housing the thousand-plus spirit alchemists—some slumped in dejection, others beaming with joy… “Ding!” A clear, crisp chime rang from the cauldron in Nie Kong’s palm. The lid sprang open slightly, and a single snow-white pill shot out from the gap.

Nie Kong reached out and caught it. It felt warm to the touch, crystal clear and perfectly smooth, like a tiny, exquisite pearl.

“Fusion degree should be around eighty percent.” Nie Kong let out a satisfied sigh, a faint weariness showing on his face. Seeing that the sand in the hourglass had passed the halfway mark and was dropping faster and faster, Nie Kong placed the "Myriad Transformation Pill" back into the cauldron and immediately began cultivating the "Wood Sun True Spirit Art" on the spot to recover the spiritual energy that had been largely depleted.

On the judging panel, Que Yu watched Nie Kong cultivating with his eyes closed and remarked, “His movements are skillful, and the completion speed of the medicine is incredibly fast. Brother Xingyun, if you hadn't told me, I truly wouldn’t have believed he’s only been practicing alchemy for two or three months.

This level of proficiency usually takes several years to master.” Hearing Que Yu say this so loudly, everyone around was extremely surprised. Nie Kong had only studied for such a short time and could already successfully refine a second-rank spiritual medicine?

For a moment, it was hard for them to believe, and they all paid close attention, beckoning their attendants to inquire about Nie Kong’s background. “Average, just average,” Nie Xingyun stated with rare humility, but his true nature quickly reasserted itself as he grinned broadly, “For my apprentice, this medicine completion speed is only average.

If he exerted his full strength, he could definitely increase the speed of refining the ‘Myriad Transformation Pill’ by another fifty percent.” “Oh?” Cheng Feiliu, Que Yu, and even Qu Tingyun and Fu Erong, seated a bit further away, all turned with looks of astonishment, which made Nie Xingyun even more animated. Nie Xingyun usually enjoyed maintaining an air of mystery within the clan, to the extent that most clan members couldn't recognize him.

Logically, a person like that shouldn’t be so flamboyant and high-profile, but the moment he thought about taking on such an outstanding apprentice, the old man couldn't restrain himself. Nie Xingyun had recently been like a father watching his child continuously excel, occasionally giving in to the urge to show off.

Of course, after showing off, Nie Xingyun didn't forget to compliment others, “Brother Feiliu, your Fourth Prince is quite good too; his medicine completion speed is fast enough.” On the far left of the high platform, the Fourth Prince smiled faintly as he secured the newly refined Myriad Transformation Pill in his cauldron, then calmly surveyed his surroundings. His gaze swept past dozens of people before settling on Mu Xiaoling, who was currently channeling spiritual power to heat her cauldron, a look of confident victory curling the corner of his lips.

The next moment, he suddenly noticed Nie Kong seated and cultivating just beside Mu Xiaoling. The Fourth Prince’s expression remained calm and gentle, but his brow seemed to furrow just slightly… ……