Reborn as Xu Xuan, Plundering Perks & Flooding the Mountain Ling

Chapter 17: An Extra Challenge? Losing Is Just Too Difficult

“This… I really can’t say for sure!”

The disciples fell silent, unwilling to make any bold claims. Jing Du, in particular, looked utterly defeated, full of regret. If he had known this would happen, he never would have challenged Xu Xuan with Bone Restoration Pills. Wouldn’t he have been better off with Fasting Pills instead? Elder Xuan Ying glanced between the pills in his hand and the sweat-drenched Xu Xuan.  Gradually, a wide grin spread across his face.

“Good, good, good! So you’re not invincible after all! As long as there’s a weakness, I can find a way to beat you. Today, I’m taking back everything I lost!”

Xu Xuan wiped the sweat from his forehead. Barely managing to force a draw had been no easy feat. After all, who could have guessed that Elder Xuan Ying’s chosen disciple would be this unskilled! Xu Xuan had originally refined five pills, intending to deliberately lose this round. After all, losing would encourage more disciples to challenge him! Who could have expected that Jing Shui was so incompetent!

During pill condensation, he barely managed four pills. Then, in the final stage, he rushed, ruining one more.  When it came time to open the furnace, his fire went out too quickly, causing another pill to crack. Every time he lost a pill, Xu Xuan had to throw away one as well. By the time Jing Shui was left with only two, Xu Xuan started panicking. If he kept messing up, he’d have no choice but to blow up the furnace just to match his opponent!

Thankfully, I barely scraped by with a draw. I even wasted a trait just to rig this match! Someone better step up and challenge me soon!

Xu Xuan sighed dejectedly, only to turn and lock eyes with Master Xuan Mu, who was grinning at him. His heart skipped a beat. If anyone understood his true level of alchemy, it was Master Xuan Mu.

Refining three furnaces of Fasting Pills simultaneously, with each producing the maximum number of pills was something Xu Xuan could pull off effortlessly. After all, 80% of Master Xuan Mu’s assigned sect tasks were secretly being handled by Xu Xuan and Fasting Pills were the most common request.

Yet, Xu Xuan had barely produced a single pill in a single furnace during this face-off. If Master Xuan Mu couldn’t tell something was off, then all his years of cultivation would have been a waste. Just as Xu Xuan was thinking up an excuse—Master Xuan Mu suddenly, when no one was looking, gave him a thumbs-up.

Huh? What does that mean? Did he misunderstand something?

But with all eyes on him, Xu Xuan couldn’t ask. Just then, Elder Xuan Ying picked another disciple. This time, the challenge was Qi Condensing Pills. The match wasn’t a total disaster, but neither side’s performance was particularly impressive. Xu Xuan carefully controlled his results, keeping his victory as narrow as possible.

By now, he had figured out Elder Xuan Ying’s mindset. The old man had lost too much and was getting desperate. At the same time, he saw a glimmer of hope in Xu Xuan’s uneven results. As long as Xu Xuan kept him hooked, Elder Xuan Ying would keep sending more disciples to challenge him!

After four more rounds, Xu Xuan won two by a slim margin. The disciples’ skepticism about Xu Xuan began to rise again. But on the other hand, Elder Xuan Ying’s grin only grew wider. He was now convinced that he had seen through Xu Xuan!

This kid has a strong talent in alchemy. But his real advantage is ridiculous luck! His potential is at least on par with ours! But at the end of the day, he’s still a novice—A mere month of training can’t teach him much! And even if he did force himself to learn…His skill level is bound to be inconsistent! But being able to reach this level with just the ‘Celestial Masters Alchemy Canon’…He is a prodigy, no doubt about it. Then for the next round, I won’t test him on the Alchemy Canon!

Elder Xuan Ying called over his personal disciple, Jing Xin.  At first, Jing Xin was confused, but he quickly stepped forward.

“It’s already late. Let’s have one final match, then call it a day!”

Xu Xuan froze on the spot.

“…So soon?”

After all this effort, I’ve only farmed three trait rewards?

But before he could protest, Elder Xuan Ying continued—

“For this round, I want to test your creativity and knowledge. Both of you must refine a pill of your choice—outside of the ‘Celestial Masters Alchemy Canon’! The result will be judged by me, Master Xuan Mu, and Elder Xuan Yin.”

Master Xuan Mu frowned.

“Junior Brother, don’t you think this is a bit unfair? Xu Xuan has only been a disciple for a month!”

“He hasn’t even fully learned the ‘Alchemy Canon’ yet! And you expect him to refine a pill beyond its teachings?”

The disciples began whispering among themselves. Most agreed—this was clearly rigged.

“Master Xuan Ying’s suggestion is indeed ridiculously unfair!”

“Even though they’re both true disciples, Xu Xuan’s only been here for one month! Honestly, his performance today is already beyond my expectations. But Jing Xin…?”

“Forget the skill gap, even their family backgrounds can’t be compared! Jing Xin’s grandfather was a renowned master alchemist in the Daoist world! His family’s secret pill formulas are beyond our sect’s reach!”

“Master Xuan Ying is clearly rigging this match in Jing Xin’s favour!”

“Shhh, keep it down! Can’t you see? Master Xuan Ying is desperate! He’s already lost so much. Now he’s willing to cheat outright just to win it back!”

“A whole chunk of Lightning-Struck Wood—enough to forge a sword or magic weapon! And those Vermilion Fruits—each one saves three years of cultivation, two of them mean six years! If you lost all that, wouldn’t you be panicking too?”

“Fine then!” Elder Xuan Ying smirked.

“Let’s bet on this match! I’ll wager ten Vermilion Fruits against that Lightning-Struck Wood and two more Vermilion Fruits!”

Master Xuan Mu flatly refused.

“Not betting. This is a guaranteed loss, anyone who bets is a fool. If there’s nothing else, then let’s end this here!”