Paragon of Sin

A few minutes prior, Li Che and Yi Yun were acting out their commentary, informing the audience of notable methods suitable for extracting certain materials and why, trying to predict which Wei Wuyin and Qingye Ying would use. The crowd was enthralled by their every word.

This helped numerous lesser ranked alchemists comprehend things they hadn't even realized, breaking through certain bottlenecks of the mind and skill. This enlivened the crowd, even if they had no alchemist-background to speak of. Just the information had broadened their horizons, allowing them to understand the difficulty of these products.

It formed newfound respect for alchemists on top of what was already there.

Then, Wei Wuyin moved first. 

Yi Yun said, "It seems Ascendant Alchemist Wei will indeed start first. Due to the grade of this product, I'm going to assume he'll try a freestyle approach. Since he has three tries."

"I agree. While freestyle approaches have a tendency to produce lower success rates, they had a higher form of adaptability and quality rates. With three sets of materials, Ascendant Emperor Wei's unfamiliarity with concocting this product might lead him to seeking an understanding of the general process." Li Che was excited. He was renowned for his elixirs, so he was truly interested in the developments of this particular segment. 

But they could never guess what would happen next.

Wei Wuyin used the Radiant Flame Extraction Method.

Yi Yun wasn't too disturbed by this, explaining: "Ascendant Emperor Wei is rumored to have comprehended Elemental Origin Intent, having an Elemental Origin Astral Soul. It seems that rumor is true. What you see folks is an expression of Intent, galvanizing the ambient energies of the world by his will. He's using it to bring pure fire energies from the world into his cauldron.

"It seems he's using the Radiant Flame Extraction Method. A suitable choice. It is a very useful means of extraction for light-based materials. With the firestorm generated, he'll be able to carefully extract the essential essences and energies from each material."

Yi Yuh commentary was spot-on, pointing out the exact method while in use. He found this decision for a freestyler to be quite appropriate, praising Wei Wuyin internally. Afterwards, he looked towards Qingye Ying to see if he could find something interesting to say or contrast from the two. Perhaps mention that she's the more sturdy type, likely making mental preparations before beginning. 

"The Prin-" But before he could get out two words, Wei Wuyin seemingly threw the materials into the firestorm one by one seemingly without care. The firestorm would react momentarily before simmering down within the cauldron, indicating that the mass of whatever was thrown in had been instantly incinerated.

Li Che's eyes bulged! 

"Reckless!" He shouted without being able to control himself. Fire-type extraction methods required a greater degree of delicateness and control due to its inherent violent and burning nature, but Wei Wuyin was simply throwing materials in one by one causing them to be instantly incinerated! There wasn't a single sign of him stopping!!

If this was his disciple, he would've saved the material had flogged that disciple with burning rage. The utter disrespect! The sheer recklessness! The waste!

He was always an emotive individual. He was almost in tears.

But this was Wei Wuyin, and he couldn't even interfere!

In the matter of thirty seconds, an entire full-set of materials were thrown in and burned into ashes. It wasn't just Li Che who reacted in such a way, many alchemists internally groaned as they witnessed what they've experienced using fire-attributed methods all too many times. The burp of the flames were like a mocking sneer, telling them thanks for the meal.

Yi Yun, "I...I-I, maybe Ascendant Emperor Wei is…" Before he could speak, the screen above that magnified each contestant had changed. A controller of this formation intended to get a close look at the ash left behind by the material, thinking it'll be somewhat hilarious to see, but he revealed something else entirely as the firestorm abated.

The resplendent glow of extracted essences and energies! There were twenty-one different types, each belonging to the different core and secondary materials used. They were completely fine and thoroughly extracted without a hint of flaw.

"I…" Li Che was unimaginably sent into bewilderment. He felt as if he was dreaming the most fantastical dream. What type of development was this?! The Extraction Stage usually required days, sometimes weeks, or even months! Regardless of the method, the most delicate and careful touch had to be used to extract the most while losing the least. But these essences and energies of the purest form had been extracted in thirty seconds?

Thirty Seconds?!

THIRTY FUCKING SECONDS?!?!

He felt as if his understanding of the world was about to collapse. His vision darkened, his breathing became short and harsh, and he felt light-headed. This simply wasn't possible.

The Radiant Flame Extraction Method was a very slow process to begin with! 

Yi Yun was more stable, inspecting the essences and energies left behind to find a flaw. But he couldn't. Furthermore, the amount of essence and energies left behind was over forty times the amount he'd ever extracted from materials.

Ever!

His fingers trembled as he gripped his headrest in agitation.

The non-alchemists didn't react as much, not understanding the process.

But if they did, they would note that the amount left behind was enough to concoct over forty vials of Refraction World-Light Elixir! The full-set of materials given was merely the expected amount needed for a single product, but that didn't mean it was only capable of producing a single product.

For example, the Thirty-Three Earthly Concoction Method delved into the concept of extracting enough for thirty-three quantities of essence and energies and simultaneously concocting them. Usually, this would require multiple sets of materials and a long drawn out process. 

But Wei Wuyin practiced it almost religiously, producing thirty-three sets of products successfully most of the time. Except for first time tries, he would use this concoction method to its fullest. It was one of the main reasons why he had ten meters of Utmost Purity Mist.

"The essences and energies are clearly within the cauldron. It seems the method was a success. Why is that, Alchemic Emperor Yi? Lin Ruyan noticed the silence and quietly added her own commentary, trying to seek an explanation.

But Yi Yun felt his heart start to race. He was too focused, too expectant to speak. Just as he thought, Wei Wuyin didn't waste any time and started the next stage. He saw the fire energies move once more as Wei Wuyin calmly infused his Alchemic Force within. 

"...Heatwave Burst Growth Method?" Li Che couldn't help but exclaim, seeing the pulsating distortions of heat from each individual essence and energy present. The ambient fire energies seemed to be burning, feeding the essences and energies in the most exquisite fashion.

BOOM!

Before anyone could react, numerous explosions erupted at the same time and the screen noted the dispersal of heat and flames, revealing essences and energies of unique qualities to be thicker, more radiant than before. 

This left every alchemist at the King level and above in abject horror. A shock that couldn't be described stabbed at their minds ruthlessly as their worldly beliefs had been twisted and eviscerated. They were rendered utterly speechless.

But Wei Wuyin hadn't stopped.

He moved on.

The Containment Stage was swiftly performed, with each being drawn together in a perfect ratio. The excess was removed, isolated, and the balance was thoroughly maintained as they slowly intermixed into the cauldron as a single whole. The essences and energies soon became indistinguishable, merely a mesh of glistening light.

Before they could even comment on the method, Wei Wuyin proceeded to start the Refinement Stage with a series of handseals. They were well-timed, like a conductor handling his musicians into a perfect symphony.

The essences that had yet to become energies were being melded together with pre-existing energies, slowly making their transition. In a flash, the essences had been thoroughly refined into energies, becoming a single mass of reflective substance.

"...H-how is he so FAST?!" Qingye Yun seemingly lost his mind, leaping from his seat and almost screaming. The calm bearing he once had, the absolute confidence, had instantly been destroyed. Wei Wuyin had jumped from method to method in a freestyle fashion with seemingly utter ease! 

If one calculated the time, only four minutes had passed!

FOUR MINUTES!

Wei Wuyin had already finished with the Refinement Stage, notoriously known as one of the most difficult stages of the Seven Traits! 

"OH MY GOD!" Li Che cried out, "He's starting the Creation Stage!" Losing his bearing as a commentator, he focused his entire attention on the screen projecting Wei Wuyin's cauldron. It was as if he was looking at the most unbelievable thing in the world. His eyes were wide, bloodshot, and seemingly deranged. 

Yi Yun could no longer offer anything to say, his mind thoroughly snatched by Wei Wuyin's concoction process. 

The Creation Stage was where a product was determined to be a Pill, Pellet, Paste, or Elixir. It was to 'create' a foundation for which the energies can exist as. For example, Pellets added spirituality and additional containment. This gave them their talisman-like solid nature, structuring a temporary body to contain and control the various energies.

As for elixirs, the energies undergo a liquefying refinement period, turning energy into liquid. Elixirs also received several other mana-based refinements to enable consumption by cultivators. This allowed the Natal Soul, Astral Soul, and Body to easily refine the materials given into their own power, even replicating its qualities. 

When Wei Wuyin started to 'create' its foundation, he drew in ambient mana and the mana from the World Pearl, further modifying its state from the norm. This type of mana-infusion can only be done by Sky Rulers, and it can decrease refinement time and even uplift quality. For several dozen seconds, the mana of the world was pulled over to Wei Wuyin for usage like a raging flood.

It all entered into his cauldron like it was a heaven-devouring beast. When he was done, he started to formulate more handseals and the energies started to shift and twist until its state became gaseous, and then with a clench of his fist, they became liquid.

In the most practiced manner, Wei Wuyin had completed the process. With a bigger smile than before, he was even more satisfied.

After this process, he was much more relaxed. The Transformation and Fusion Stages could be handled simultaneously and bulldozed over, using the strength of his alchemical force. This step was usually handled by alchemists with the utmost caution and diligence, ensuring no mistakes after several hard-fought successes, but Wei Wuyin didn't have such issues. Since he started cultivating, the Transformation and Fusion Stages were always the easiest for him.

In fact, the most difficult stage was Growth until he cultivated his Celestial Eyes, then it became relatively easy all-round. Well, as long as the materials weren't too volatile and violent. He'd suffered a few explosions before.

With a few handseals, directing the liquid energy, he started to infuse his alchemic force once more. This time, as liquid energy, he slowly modified the connective bonds and subatomic structure, transforming its state into a complete and newly developed substance. With a clasp of his hands, all this fused into a perfect whole.

It was like merging numerous fluids into one, creating a new liquid with a different taste and function.

The last step of the Alchemic Dao was referred to as the Alchemical Step, which were referring to four steps: Solidification Step(Pellets), Liquidize Step(Elixirs), Cycling Step(Pills), and Compression Step(Paste). 

They each had their own processes, but it finalizes the process thoroughly. Wei Wuyin started to perform the Liquidize Step, and while the liquid energy had long since fused, it was still liquid energies transformed and fused into one. The final step made it an Elixir, a legitimate liquid substance.

It was both extremely complicated and extremely simple! This contradiction would always be argued by high level alchemists, but they could and would never decide. For some, it was simple, for others, it was difficult.

Many believed it linked to one's alchemic talent, but it was merely a suspected theory.

As for Wei Wuyin, he performed it with a soft pat with both hands onto the fused liquid energy. The liquid energy seemingly relaxed, and flushed into the cauldron like water. The radiant shimmer of light it released was beautiful, but it had become a liquid in the truest of sense. 

Wei Wuyin inspected it, realizing thirty-three vials worth of elixir were created. He felt elated as the remnant alchemical energies seemingly was drawn into the Utmost Purity Mist. But when he saw the quality of the elixir, his eyes widened slightly.