Chapter 178
Once the examination is complete and the nobles leave, Elder Song opens a portal back to the Shadowed Blade Sect, where teachers are waiting to receive their first batch of students. The Sect also takes this opportunity to send us this year’s competitors, along with a handful of Elders to supervise and the group from the High River Sect.
It only takes a few minutes for everyone to get settled into their rooms for the upcoming week before the conversation turns to the competition itself.
"Young Miss, will you be competing in the Inner Disciple tournament this year? I wasn’t there to see you last time." One of the disciples asks me hopefully.
"Not this time. It’s been decided that too many would either cry or forfeit if I fought, so I will be doing my best for the Inner Sect alchemy competition, as well as the pre tournament cooking competition. Those two should be enough to uphold the honor of the Shadowed Blade. The fighting is up to the rest of you."
"You’re the odds on favorite to win cooking again this year, but what will you do for the alchemy competition? The prank you played last year, letting someone steal the aphrodisiac, is legendary. A prank like that will be hard to beat." the disciple smirks.
"Pranks are for Outer Sect Disciples. I am going to be totally serious this year, and make them a high quality pill that will impress even the most upright of judges." I declare, actually having no idea what I’m going to make. I had planned to work something out, but got sidetracked by the other life skills tournament and the kids for the training program. I’ve always had a soft spot for kids.
That training program is going to be huge for the Sect. We should have loyal members in every noble household within the next ten years, and an Assassin embedded as a Lady in Waiting, coachman or Bodyguard at every important social event. The Sect has a good information network now, but it will be nearly unstoppable if everything goes well.
"Elder Song, any idea what pill I should make this year? I haven’t even gotten ingredients ready yet." I call when I see him and Karl passing by the spot where I’m chatting with the freshly arrived competitors.
"They say competition is going to be tough this year, how about we bring back something obscure?" He suggests, his eyes vacant as he thinks hard about what to make.
"Did I give you the memories of the Celestial Insight pill?" he finally comes up with.
That’s an interesting choice. A Rank 6 pill, an upgrade to the Soul Forging pill. The creation method is considered a closely guarded secret, but the ingredients are fairly common, as far as pill ingredients go. It’s only usable by Immortals and those with vast soul strength, but I should be able to make it. In fact, with this level of divine energy in my system, I might even be able to use it.
"Will it be enough to win? After all, I took last year’s outer disciple competition with a Rank 4 pill, surely someone else among the Core Formation level Alchemists can create Rank 6 pills?"