I stared at my reflection in the mirror of the preparation room, assessing my condition with unflinching honesty. My body had recovered significantly after the fight with Killian, but I still felt off—perhaps only at thirty percent of my true strength. The golden energy from my Saintly Body Skill had helped elerate my healing, but there was only so much it could do in such a short time.


    Elder Harding approached from behind, his weathered face etched with concern. "How are you feeling, Liam?"


    I straightened my posture, not wanting to show weakness. "Well enough topete."


    "You don''t need to put on a brave face with me," he said, his voice lowered. "Thispetition is important, but your health—"


    "I''ll be fine," I interrupted, more sharply than intended. After taking a breath, I added, "I appreciate your concern, but I''ve faced worse odds."


    Elder Harding nodded slowly. "I believe you have. Just remember, these alchemypetitions are as much about politics as they are about skill. Desmond has stacked the deck against you."


    "Let him try," I said, my confidence more genuine this time. "I''ve never been one to follow conventional methods anyway."


    As we walked toward thepetition hall, I couldn''t help but feel a twinge of doubt. Not about my abilities, but about the fairness of whaty ahead. Desmond Davenport wouldn''t take his public humiliation lying down. He would strike back, and soon.


    ---


    The selection rounds passed quickly. As expected, Desmond''s disciple Elias Ainsworth breezed through the preliminaries, his technique polished if uninspired. Three other alchemists also advanced—a stern-faced woman with calcting eyes, an elderly man whose hands moved with surprising dexterity, and a young, nervous-looking apprentice who seemed shocked by his own sess.


    And then there was me.


    During the lunch break before the finals, I watched from across the hall as Desmond pped Elias on the shoulder, his voice carrying across the room.


    "You''ve done magnificently so far," Desmond boasted loudly enough for nearbypetitors to hear. "The finals will be a mere formality."


    Elias nodded with practiced humility, though the smirk ying at his lips betrayed his true feelings. When the crowd around them dispersed, I noticed him lean in close to Desmond, speaking in hushed tones that I couldn''t hear from my position.


    ---


    "I haven''t told you everything, Master," Elias whispered to Desmond. "I''ve been saving a surprise for the finals."


    Desmond raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that be?"


    Elias nced around before continuing, "I''ve awakened my spiritual fire."


    Desmond''s eyes widened with genuine shock. "That''s... when did this happen?"


    "Three months ago. I''ve been practicing in secret, wanting to perfect it before revealing it to you." Elias couldn''t keep the pride from his voice. "It''s still developing, but it''s more than enough to crush thepetition today."


    Desmond stared at his disciple with new eyes. Spiritual fire was rare—a gift that marked truly exceptional alchemists. With proper cultivation, it could elevate Elias to heights even Desmond hadn''t reached.


    "This changes everything," Desmond murmured, a calcting gleam in his eye. "Knight won''t know what hit him."


    ---


    When the finals began, the hall had filled with spectators—nobles, officials, and representatives from prominent families and organizations. Connections made here could change careers, and everyone knew it.


    I took my assigned station, noticing immediately that Elias had been ced beside me. Not a coincidence, I was sure.


    "Heard you had quite the adventure yesterday," Elias remarked casually. "Taking on a Grandmaster—impressive. But alchemy requires finesse, not brute force." <var ss="meta-ref-static">Find this chapter''s source on *.</var>


    I ignored him, focusing instead on the materials provided for thepetition. My stomach dropped as I inspected them. The herbs looked fine at first nce—high-quality specimens of all the required ingredients. But when I touched them, I knew immediately.


    The qi was almostpletely drained from them. These herbs were essentially hollow shells, useless for creating anything of value. I nced at the herbs at other stations—all vibrant with energy. This was tant sabotage.


    Desmond stood with the judges, watching me with barely concealed satisfaction. Our eyes met briefly, and he offered a small, mocking bow.


    The head judge stepped forward. "Competitors, your task is to create a Vitality Restoration Pill within the hour. You may begin now."


    Around me, the other alchemists immediately set to work crushing, mixing, and heating their ingredients with practiced motions. Elias worked with particr confidence, asionally ncing my way with a smirk.


    I stared at my sabotaged herbs, considering my options. Traditional methods would be useless with ingredients like these. I could protest, but without proof beyond my word against Desmond''s, it would only make me look weak.


    The crowd started murmuring as they noticed my inaction. Ten minutes had passed, and I hadn''t even started preparing my materials.


    Suddenly, I made my decision. I gathered all my herbs and unceremoniously dumped them into my vessel at once, earning gasps from the spectators. This vited the most basic principles of alchemy, where ingredients needed to be added in precise order and amounts.


    "Has he lost his mind?" someone whispered loudly.


    I ignored thements and began a strange boiling method, stirring the mixture in patterns that seemed random to observers but followed an ancient technique I''d recalled from my awakened memories.


    Eliasughed openly now. "Given up already, Knight? Your slop won''t even qualify as a failed attempt."


    I looked at him calmly. "You know, Elias, true mastery isn''t about following rules. It''s about understanding when to break them."


    "Bold words from someone making herb soup," he sneered. "While you y with your mud, watch what real talent looks like."


    Elias held his hand over his vessel, and a faint reddish glow emanated from his palm—his spiritual fire, clearly visible to everyone. Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd. Spiritual fire was rare and highly respected.


    I returned my attention to my mixture, which had turned into an unappetizing mush. The herbs, drained of qi, had broken downpletely. Exactly what I wanted.


    Desmond was watching me with undisguised glee, clearly believing his sabotage had seeded perfectly.


    "Twenty minutes remaining," the head judge announced.


    Without warning, I plunged my bare hand directly into the mushy mixture, earning shocked gasps from the audience. Direct contact with alchemical mixtures was dangerous at best, potentially catastrophic at worst.


    But instead of burning or injury, something remarkable happened. Waves of qi began to surge from my palm, flowing into the lifeless herb mixture. The liquid around my hand began to glow, turning a light blue color that spread throughout the vessel.


    Elias''s jaw dropped, his concentration broken. His own concoction began smoking from neglect.


    "What... what are you doing?" he stammered.


    I met his gaze steadily as energy continued to pour from my hand into the mixture. "Breaking the rules."


    The crowd fell into stunned silence as the blue glow intensified, illuminating my face from below. Desmond''s expression had transformed from smugness to horror as he realized his sabotage had only given me an opportunity to demonstrate something far more impressive than conventional alchemy.


    The depleted herbs wereing back to life, suffused with my own qi, transforming before everyone''s eyes into something entirely new.