The group from Mingshan Sect was still intently watching Tong Mingshan. Naturally, they understood what the remaining two black and white flames were and noticed Tong Mingshan refocusing on the competition again.

Zuo Zisheng, the disciple of Refining Heaven Sect, had completely given up hope. Earlier, he had still harbored a thread of "maybe" and "perhaps." He had calculated the possibility of Luo Shengsheng making a mistake, considered that Gu Lianni, being a woman, might lack the skill, and believed Mi Liangmeng from Golden Appearance Hall was overestimating himself by refining the Nine Orifices Exquisite Heart.

As for Tong Mingshan, who hailed from a minor sect, he had never taken him seriously, even though Tong had managed to absorb one more Divine Fire than him.

After calculating so many possibilities, he thought he had a sliver of hope, believing that refining the Eight Orifices Exquisite Heart might actually be the optimal choice for him.

However, with Li Hongjiu—who had absorbed three Divine Fires, same as him—suddenly showing such a skill, all his previous calculations felt absurd and laughable, plunging him into utter despair.

As for claiming first place, he had already completely abandoned that thought.

Now, he could only strive for his own dignity and the reputation of his sect, aiming to refine the Eight Orifices Exquisite Heart as perfectly and quickly as possible.

Xu Mang, a disciple from Jingyang Palace, and Huang Chunzhu from Fuming Valley, also abandoned their unrealistic hopes due to Li Hongjiu's move, focusing instead on refining their respective Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart.

The others were no exception. In their hearts, they admitted their skills were inferior, no longer seeing themselves as being in the same league as Li Hongjiu or Luo Shengsheng.

The competitors in the arena busied themselves once again, paying close attention to their own refining tasks as various flames flickered and danced unpredictably.

Of course, each person had their own goals in mind, occasionally sneaking glances to check the refining progress of their chosen rivals.

In front of the Heavenly Mirror, many viewers from various realms couldn't understand the refining process. Occasionally, those with knowledge would explain to others.

Meanwhile, some weren't taking the competition too seriously. For instance, Wei Mo in the stands of Shengshen Continent's Royal Capital Arena was chatting with a lavishly dressed man nearby, openly hinting, "By personally bringing people from Wukang Mountain here to meet you today, I'm telling you they're under my wing."

It was still uncertain, and the future couldn't be predicted too much.

In Shanbu Continent's Royal Capital Arena, Qian She's group, who had angrily left Li Huo Island earlier, suddenly turned up in the stands.

Young Master Nan had personally used the Mother-child Talisman to contact them and share good news, saying Refining Heaven Sect couldn't take first place. "So many people bet on Refining Heaven Sect, but we might strike it rich due to this unexpected turn of events!"

Although Young Master Qianshe had previously distanced himself from the betting in his words, leaving Young Master Nan to shoulder full responsibility, if big money was made, Young Master Nan would surely not forget them.

If trouble arose, Nan could take the blame alone, but if riches were made, he would have to put aside past tensions, not take Qianshe's statements seriously, actively provide a way for them to come back into the fold, and offer them a share of the profits.

Thus, Qianshe's group forgot their previous displeasure and gathered before the mirror to watch the final results of the competition. They even brought experts for commentary. Confirming Refining Heaven Sect had fallen behind and had no hope of claiming victory, the group cheered and celebrated gleefully, frequently mentioning "Brother Nan."

Young Master Nan's Mother-child Talisman was also busy, incessantly sending and receiving messages from numerous individuals.

Everyone was asking him to keep them updated if something arose, to alert them if help was needed, and the like...

"Five Orifices!"

Hundred Refinement Sect's Sect Master Yan Qufeng suddenly exclaimed in surprise at Luo Shengsheng's refining speed.

Of course, it wasn't just him watching Luo Shengsheng's progress, nor was he alone in his amazement.

Shi Chun had been watching for quite a while but still couldn't understand. He merely saw Luo Shengsheng start refining the sixth segmented material again.

Not understanding indeed warrants asking. He inquired, "Yan Sect Master, how do you tell whether it's successfully refined or not?"

Yan Qufeng kept his eyes on the scene and answered casually, "Look at the quality. When materials are heated and turn red, they gain a certain degree of translucency. When the Divine Fire's colors seem to flow inside, the translucency can serve as a basis for judgment..."

He paused mid-sentence and turned to Shi Chun, seeing his wide-eyed inspection of the arena, trying to compare. Yan smiled faintly and continued, "Actually, it's hard to explain clearly in a short time. Without experience, you lack the eyesight to judge its quality. If you want to learn, it requires hands-on immersion to truly understand it."

Fine. Shi Chun gave up after hearing this.

Elder Jie Lunguang suddenly said, "Sect Leader Gu's daughter has refined three orifices as well."

Upon hearing this, Shi Chun looked over, and indeed, Gu Lianni had already ignited fire on the fourth segmented material. Though the gap with Luo Shengsheng was evident, it still excited those from Shudao Mountain greatly.

Elder Pan Gongying suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "The disciple from Golden Appearance Hall has also refined three orifices and is showing signs of catching up with Sect Leader Gu's daughter!"

The group immediately shifted their gaze and found Mi Liangmeng attacking the fourth segmented material with fire as well. Surprisingly, he had narrowed the gap with Gu Lianni significantly, trailing only slightly behind her. Considering their previous disparity of an entire segmented material, this meant Mi Liangmeng was gaining proficiency and shrinking the gap.

The mastery of this proficiency—this is what we call talent!

More importantly, Mi Liangmeng had only absorbed four Divine Fires, while Gu Lianni had absorbed seven.

Yan Qufeng exclaimed again, "This disciple from Golden Appearance Hall has extraordinary talent!"

On the Shudao Mountain side, this realization made their previous excitement dissipate. One by one, their faces grew rigid.

The situation was, frankly speaking, embarrassing. The contrast was too stark—a disciple with four Divine Fires might surpass one with seven. If that truly happened, Mi Liangmeng would rise to fame by stepping on Shudao Mountain's reputation!

To make matters worse, the one serving as the backdrop was none other than Sect Leader Gu's daughter.

Gu Yanduo's face tightened as embarrassment set in. This wasn't something he had anticipated at all.

Golden Appearance Hall, unsurprisingly, was filled with uncontainable excitement. Their Sect Leader stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. Cultivating such a disciple brought them immense pride, vindicating years of effort by the sect.

The Refining Heaven Sect higher-ups silently watched, as if the entire competition had nothing to do with them.

In truth, they also felt ashamed; as the prestigious "Number One Artifact Refining Sect" under the heavens, they had somehow ended up as mere onlookers in this contest.

Even an outsider like Shi Chun could sense the novelty and brilliance of this contest, filled with countless unpredictable turns. It was exhilarating, revealing how talent could explode with limitless possibilities in refining techniques. Simply fascinating!

"Look, Tong Mingshan has achieved two orifices as well."

Elder Pan Gongying's words drew the group's attention. They saw Tong Mingshan had indeed shifted to the third segmented material.

For Tong Mingshan to complete two orifices in such a short time earned the group from Hundred Refinement Sect approving looks, especially his master, whose face was brimming with gratification.

The surrounding disciples whispered their admiration.

"Barely half a stick of incense passed, yet Junior Brother Tong has completed two orifices. His progress over the days is substantial!"

"Indeed! In the past, it'd take Junior Brother Tong at least half a day to complete even one orifice. Though the Divine Fire grants aid, his improvement is evident."

Yan Qufeng pinched his fingers, seeming to calculate something. Then he also praised, "Tong Mingshan's speed in refining the second orifice is much faster than the first."

Shi Chun turned to look at them and felt speechless, thinking, "Luo Shengsheng has already refined five orifices and is now working on his sixth, yet they're pleased with just two orifices. Is this worth celebrating?"

Even the group from Mingshan Sect was surprised, turning their heads to look over. They recognized the Hundred Refinement Sect's low standards and realized the gap between them and the Ten Great Sects was indeed monumental.

Of course, considering there was a 'monster' like Li Hongjiu in the mix, they had already abandoned any hope of Tong Mingshan claiming victory in the competition.

Still, some disappointment lingered. Tong Mingshan, despite absorbing twenty-six Divine Fires, couldn't outdo even someone like Mi Liangmeng, let alone Luo Shengsheng or Li Hongjiu.

Especially after hearing the Hundred Refinement Sect's praises, the Mingshan Sect group felt almost exasperated, not sure if the fault lay with the Samadhi True Fire or Tong Mingshan's lackluster foundational skills.

Wu Jinliang couldn't help but quietly curse, "Damn it, it's all Hundred Refinement Sect's poor teaching…"

"Xu Mang from Jingyang Palace has completed two orifices as well."

"Huang Chunzhu from Fuming Valley has started refining his third orifice!"

"Yuan Yao from Shudao Mountain has also moved on to refining his third orifice!"

The chatter around them grew lively, filled with excitement and a sense of witnessing something extraordinary.

Shi Chun and his group listened and watched, their mood just so-so. Letting go of their ambition brought a sense of relief, though mixed with a hint of disappointment, partly from their lack of understanding.

"The sixth orifice is completed! My goodness, Luo Shengsheng has begun refining the seventh orifice!"

An exclamation drew Shi Chun and the others' gazes. Even as outsiders, they couldn't deny the bald man's refining speed was increasingly staggering.

Wu Jinliang curled his lips again, "That bald rascal won't die a good death..."

"Look, Li Hongjiu is about to complete his refinement!"

More shocked voices rang out, and everyone turned their attention. Sure enough, Li Hongjiu's "model" had fused completely with the molten iron, forming a cohesive heart-shaped appearance. Its bright red hue was gradually dimming.

The flames in Li Hongjiu's hands had vanished, and the Exquisite Heart appeared to be cooling down.

Shi Chun activated his Dharma Eye once more and saw a grayish object hovering in the air above the Exquisite Heart, rotating gently. Until the item cooled completely, it seemed there was no intention of removing it.

Li Hongjiu had clearly regained his composure, glancing around and briefly meeting the inquisitive gaze of his master, Qu Wuming, and others. With a slight nod, he indicated success.

Qu Wuming's stern expression immediately broke into a smile. This troublemaker had earned immense glory for himself and the sect. This year, no matter what, Qu Wuming resolved to hold back from hitting him with a stick.

Many of the higher-ups couldn't conceal their happiness—clapping, chuckling, whispering amongst themselves, or gesturing to remind disciples to remain understated.

Other sects, especially Refining Heaven Sect, were left cold-eyed, glaring sidelong.

"Sigh!" Shi Chun's group sighed one after another. This time, they had fully abandoned their hopes.

Moved by all the chatter, Luo Shengsheng glanced across the arena.

Li Hongjiu met his gaze and smirked slightly, raising his chin provocatively as though asking, "Didn't I say you wouldn't take first place? Was I wrong?"

For Li Hongjiu, this contest wasn't a challenge. Even without absorbing Divine Fires, his mastery of the fire attribute Cultivation Technique was enough to secure first place. This was also why he had shown little interest in the Divine Fires initially.

However, Luo Shengsheng merely glanced and assessed his situation, showing no reaction to Li Hongjiu's provocation—his face devoid of emotion. Soon, he refocused entirely on his refining work.

The utter indifference made Li Hongjiu pause briefly, giving him a faint sense that something wasn't quite right.

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