Chapter 1785

"Hmph! Old man, do you really think you stand a chance against me? You're overestimating yourself!" Arnold crossed his arms and sneered, his eyes full of disdain. In his view, Raphael was nothing more than a worthless insect. "Even your mentor was defeated by me back in the day! What makes you think you have any chance?" Raphael gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead like furious, writhing worms. "That was in the past. Today, I'll make you pay for your arrogance!" Arnold smirked arrogantly, relishing the thought of finally redeeming his mentor's past humiliation. "Enough with your boasting! You don't know who will win yet!" Raphael trembled with rage, even his hands shook uncontrollably. "Old man, stop bluffing. You know deep down that you're no match for me." Arnold's voice dripped with mockery, and his gaze was full of provocation. "You insolent brat! Once the match begins, I'll make sure you learn the meaning of regret!" Raphael roared, his voice echoing across the square. "Hahaha! Old man, I think you'll be the one regretting this soon!" Arnold burst into wild laughter, his arrogance grating on the ears of Alpha Sect's disciples, further fueling their fury. Just as the tension between them reached its peak, Sebastian stepped into the center of the square with Jovi beside him. Ignoring both Raphael and Arnold, Sebastian turned to Jovi and said calmly, "This is going to be interesting." His face remained unreadable, but his eyes were sharp and focused. Jovi nodded, his brows furrowed. "I just wonder what kind of pill they'll be refining. With how arrogant Arnold is acting, he must have come well-prepared." Sebastian chuckled lightly, and his expression was relaxed. "Doesn't matter. Let's just watch." At that moment, Eldridge finally spoke. "For this alchemy duel, you will refine the Spirit Boost Pill—a pill that enhances the cultivation of Transformative Deity Masters." Hearing this, both Raphael and Arnold reacted differently. Raphael's face tensed as deep concern flickered in his eyes. He cursed silently. The Spirit Boost Pill was extremely difficult to refine, and he had no absolute confidence in succeeding. Meanwhile, Arnold's lips curled into a self-assured smile. He had been preparing for this for a long time. The competition began. Raphael took a deep breath and was the first to take action. His hands moved swiftly, as agile as fluttering butterflies, carefully placing each ingredient into the alchemy pot with pinpoint accuracy. However, beads of sweat soon formed on his forehead, and his expression grew as tense as a drawn bowstring. He adjusted the heat constantly, his eyes glued to the alchemy pot as if the slightest mistake would spell disaster. He kept repeating to himself, "I must not lose. I must not lose." In contrast, Arnold remained calm and composed, exuding complete confidence. He processed his ingredients methodically, executing each step with ease. Every now and then, he glanced at Raphael. The sneer on his lips never faded as he mocked him inwardly. "Is this all he's got? And he dared to accept the challenge?" As time passed, a faint smoke emerged from Raphael's alchemy pot—his pill had begun to take shape, but the color appeared somewhat dull, and the medicinal fragrance was weak. Meanwhile, Arnold's alchemy pot released a rich, enticing aroma, drawing gasps of admiration from the onlookers. "Haha! Old man, looks like you're about to lose." Arnold burst into laughter, his voice brimming with the thrill of victory. Raphael's face darkened even further. His hands faltered slightly, and panic took hold of his heart. "Am I really going to lose?" Eldridge and several elders observed in silence, their expressions grave as they closely monitored the two alchemy pots. The disciples of Alpha Sect clenched their fists, their hearts pounding in their throats while anxiously watching Raphael. At that moment, Sebastian shook his head slightly and murmured to Jovi, "Mr. Stanton is likely to lose." His tone was calm, but a flicker of contemplation flashed in his eyes. Jovi's face was filled with concern, his voice trembling. "What do we do? If Mr. Stanton loses, Alpha Sect will suffer a great humiliation!" Sebastian's gaze deepened, and he replied thoughtfully, "Let's wait for the final result." At last, both pills were completed at the same time. Eldridge and the elders stepped forward to examine them. After a thorough evaluation, Eldridge solemnly announced, "The winner of this competition, by a slight margin, is Arnold Gates." A deafening cheer erupted from Feuer Sect's members, their voices booming across the square as if they intended to shake the entire place. In contrast, Alpha Sect's disciples hung their heads low, frustration and resentment etched on their faces. Some couldn't hold back their anger and began muttering curses under their breath. Arnold shot Raphael a taunting look and sneered, "Old man, thanks for letting me win." Raphael's face turned red with fury, and his lungs were on the verge of exploding. This was outright humiliation, but there was nothing he could do. Arnold, however, wasn't satisfied with just winning. He sneered even louder and mocked, "I'm just going to say it straight, whether you like it or not. Alpha Sect's alchemy skills are absolute trash!"