"Dang!" A little after Mo Wuji finished his purification, a gong sounded. This gong seemed to sound right into Mo Wuji’s mind, causing Mo Wuji’s brain to hum.

At this moment, Mo Wuji could smell charred odours. Due to this gong, the few pill refiners who had not completed their purification immediately failed. Mo Wuji secretly celebrated; luckily, he managed to finish his purification in time; luckily, he did not try a second round of purification. If not, he would have met his dead end.

This Five Elements Pill Competition really did not care about the feelings and face of the pill refiners, using such a crude manner to stop the remaining pill refiners.

Once again, Ming Ning walked to the round altar and announced in a clear voice, "Time is up. May all pill refiners cover their pill furnaces and place the jade vase on top of the pill furnace."

She did not even bother asking the pill refiners to stop. The moment the gong sounded, any pill refiner who had yet to complete their purification would have immediately failed the purification process.

Mo Wuji covered his pill furnace and slowly placed the jade vase on top of the pill furnace. He noticed that Pill Master Ming Ning’s gaze seemed to land on his right hand, but he did not put that to heart.

The pill refiners by Mo Wuji’s side could not help but snicker at him. This was the first time they met a pill refiner whose hand ended up like this due to purifying.

Mo Wuji acted as though he did not notice these derisive gazes as he continued staring at his own jade vase. His jade vase was labelled: 632.

After roughly two minutes, Mo Wuji felt a gentle wind blow, and the jade vase on top of his pill furnace disappeared.

Thereafter, rows of jade vases appeared on the judging table atop the round altar. Behind the judging table, there were four people. Including Pill Master Ming Ning, there would exactly be five people.

Now that it’s finally ended, they can’t stop me from taking a pill right? As he thought of this, Mo Wuji retrieved a healing pill and put it in his mouth. His hand was burnt black by the heat, and the Tier 3 pill he consumed was able to control the injury. In a few minutes, his injuries started to recover at a rapid pace.

After collecting the jade vases, Pill Master Ming Ning also walked to the back of the judging table and sat down. The five judges started their evaluation as they opened the jade vases one by one.

In less than an hour, the five managed to examine more than a thousand bottles. Among which, 300 were selected and placed by the side.

Once again, Pill Master Ming Ning stood up and walked to the centre of the round altar. At this moment, all eyes were concentrated on her. Her next words would determine whether they would be able to qualify for the second round or not.

Pill Master Ming Ning’s eyes swept across the thousand plus pill refiners, before she announced loudly, "After the first round of the pill competition, 300 people have been selected. Pill refiners whose numbers have been reported, please stay behind. On the other hand, pill refiners whose numbers weren’t announced, please leave the testing grounds immediately."

"18, 39, 176, 98, 244..." Every single time Pill Master Ming Ning announced a number, the competitors’ hearts skipped a beat. They deeply desired for the next number to be theirs.

Mo Wuji was the same; he also hoped for his own number to be called. As more pill refiners were called out, Mo Wuji’s heart got heavier.

After all, his cultivation was low, and he had to use that ‘stir fry’ method to purify the Iron Core Bodhi Fruit. At that time, he had already overdrafted his energy in the purification, and he was not fully confident on his purification quality.

"34, 711..." Pill Master Ming Ning was still reporting, while Mo Wuji was trembling with his fists clenched tight. There were only a little more than 10 places left.

"491, 56." Pill Master Ming Ning finally stopped announcing.

Mo Wuji’s fists were clenched so tight, that his skin started to tear. His right hand had yet to recover, and started to bleed profusely. He had not heard the number 632.

As Mo Wuji was about to fall into an abyss of despair, he seemingly felt Pill Master Ming Ning’s eyes landing on him. Before he could react, Pill Master Ming Ning sounded out, "632, 21, 2, 80..."

Mo Wuji did not manage to catch the numbers at the back; he only heard 632. He had succeeded! He had emerged within the top 300 and got past the first round. He was so ecstatic that he ignored the fact that Pill Master Ming Ning took a long pause before announcing his number.

As Mo Wuji was about to recover his calmness from his excitement, he heard Pill Master Ming Ning saying, "... The pill refiners whose numbers have been called, please stay behind. The rest are to leave the testing grounds immediately.

The pill refiners whose numbers did not get called could only retreat out of the testing grounds dejectedly with their head sunk low.

By the side, Zhen Shaoke clenched his fist tightly and waved it. Mo Wuji had succeeded; Mo Wuji actually managed to emerge in the top 100. Only he was clear that it was extremely difficult for Mo Wuji. For a Tier 3 Mortal Pill Refiner who was only at the Channel Opening Stage, to actually survive with the Iron Core Bodhi Fruit as the test, was truly a miracle.

"Ai, isn’t that person..." A lady among the crowd spotted Mo Wuji, and momentarily called out. Previously, among the thousand people, Mo Wuji was inconspicuous. After eliminating 800 to 900 people, with only 300 pill refiners left on the grounds, she immediately noticed Mo Wuji.

"Wan’Er, you know someone among the pill refiners?" There was an old man with a black beard by Qu Wan’Er’s side. When he heard Qu Wan’Er’s call of surprise, he immediately questioned her.

One must know that a pill refiner who could get through the first round was definitely not a simple person. It might not be a bad thing for them if Wan’Er actually recognised one of these pill refiners.

One must not overestimate the Heavenly Temple just because it was the number one sect in Xinghan Empire, or that it was the guardian sect of the empire. In the grand scale of the Lost Continent, the Heavenly Temple was not truly outstanding. Moreover, pill concoction had never been the niche of the Heavenly Sect. It had many Earth Pill Refiners, but they were mostly old fogies who were above 100 years old. In terms of young pill refiners, the Heavenly Temple could not even compare to some Earth sects.

Qu Wan’Er nodded, "I do know someone. But, at that time he was a mere mortal. Due to his indomitable and unyielding character, I casually helped him out twice. However, that had happened more than half a year ago."

Qu Wan’Er truly did not expect to see Mo Wuji appear during this Five Elements Pill Competition, and to even get past the first round. She said that she had helped Mo Wuji twice. The first time was when Shao Feng wanted to kill Mo Wuji but Qin Zhenqiang and her intercepted him. The second time was back in Chang Luo, where she found an excuse to help Mo Wuji purchase his drug refining equipment.

"You said he was a mortal?" The black bearded elder asked in shock.

Qu Wan’Er replied hesitantly, "He can’t really be considered a mortal. He has spiritual roots, but of poor quality. Initially, I saw him kill two Six-footed Lightning Crocodiles, and he really had to pit his life to do that. He should not have cultivated then."

Previously when she questioned Mo Wuji, Mo Wuji did not tell her the truth about his mortal roots, but claimed that he had low grade spiritual roots. Thus, Qu Wan’Er did not know that Mo Wuji was a true mortal with mortal roots.

The black bearded elder nodded and spoke in a tone of instruction, "Wan’Er, you’re far too innocent. You think that a person who has never cultivated can actually kill two Six-footed Lightning Crocodiles just because he put his life on the line? Do you think a person who had never touched cultivation half a year ago could actually stand on this stage and even get past the first round?"

"Master, you’re saying?" Qu Wan’Er looked at the black bearded elder disbelievingly.

The black bearded elder said resolutely, "Not only did he cultivate before, he must have his secrets. It’s precisely because of these secrets that he had to act like he’s a mere mortal. However, which one of the world’s experts doesn’t have their own secrets?"

Qu Wan’Er looked at her master doubtfully; when she first saw Mo Wuji, he really did not look like he was acting. However, seeing the change in Mo Wuji, she did feel that her master’s words sounded logical.

"Wan’Er, if that person is able to get in the top 100, do you think you can arrange a meeting?" The black bearded man said.

"Master, you want me to ask him for a placing?" Qu Wan’Er understood the meaning behind her master’s words.

The Heavenly Temple’s Pill Dao had never been impressive. The number of exceptional, young pill refiners who could enter the top 100 could not meet the demand for placings. This was because the Heavenly Temple was a huge sect, with many internal divisions and peerless disciples. The number of people who actually wanted to enter the Five Elements Desolate Domain far exceeded the actual number of placings they could win. It was not easy for Qu Wan’Er to actually obtain a placing.

The black bearded elder nodded, "If he can enter the top 100, even if we can’t get a placing, there’s no harm in forming relations with him. Such a young pill refiner would definitely have a bright future."

Qu Wan’Er pouted her lips but did not speak. She previously bought a simple herb from Mo Wuji for 100,000 gold coins because she appreciated his unyielding fighting spirit. At the same time, she also did it out of pity; she did not want to see someone she appreciated to be fallen due to 100,000 gold coins.

Life went on her, and she had never thought about Mo Wuji after that incident.

However, the situations seemed to have turned. She had an indescribable feeling in her heart, and she even wished that Mo Wuji would not enter the top 100. Then, she didn’t need to bow down and request anything from Mo Wuji. Even if she met Mo Wuji, she would only want to talk about the past, and not ask him for any sort of placing.

This wasn’t merely an issue of her pride. More importantly, she knew that it would be difficult for Mo Wuji to give her a placing even if he won. After all, Mo Wuji must have been representing a sect in this competition, and it wouldn’t be up to him to decide who to allocate the placings to.

...

At this moment, the eliminated pill refiners had left the testing grounds. At the same time, Mo Wuji and Co. were brought to a different place to rest. The pill furnaces were brought out of the grounds, and in just a short period of time, 300 things which resembled flower bed were put in place.

Pill Master Ming Ning stood up and said, "May all the participants now stand in front of your medicine bed."

So this thing is called a medicine bed. Mo Wuji hurriedly walked to the medicine bed with 632 on it.

After Ming Ning saw that the various pill refiners had stood in place, she announced, "Let the second round of the Five Elements Pill Competition begin..."