Earlier, I thought those two had extraordinary auras, and I expected some surprises. But they are even poorer than a loose cultivator's."
"That alchemy furnace is indeed too shabby. Even from a distance, I can see that it doesn't have many inscriptions on its surface. It's probably barely capable of igniting a flame."
"..."
Although alchemy masters are rare in the cultivation world, most cultivators can still tell the quality of an alchemy furnace.
The furnaces used by renowned alchemists like Liu Ming and Bai Xiu are, of course, top-notch.
In Yunmeng City and Qingzhou, they are considered the best of the best.
The intricate inscriptions on their surfaces exude an aura that makes one's heart palpitate.
The flames ignited by these inscriptions are not only more intense but also easier for the alchemist to control.
In short, a high-quality alchemy furnace is like a tiger adding wings to any alchemist. Even a mediocre cultivator would spare no effort to find a better furnace to aid their alchemy.
So, when Xuening's furnace appeared, it caused a huge stir. However, most of the onlookers were ridiculing her.
The dignified individuals sitting around the alchemy platform, on the other hand, furrowed their brows.
They knew that since Feng Qingya had chosen these two to help her, regardless of their identities, Feng Qingya would at least provide a decent furnace. But Feng Qingya's expression remained calm and collected.
Something fishy was going on!
The cultivators from various factions present didn't ridicule Xuening, but they couldn't figure out the key to the situation.
"This little girl does have some potential. Why would she want to hide her abilities at such a crucial alchemy conference?"
The vice president of the Alchemist Association, a short and stout man, had a glint in his small eyes as he gazed at Xuening on the platform. There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.
"Vice President, does that girl have some kind of problem?" two elderly men in gray robes asked curiously, standing beside him.
Ads by Pubfuture
Not everyone in the Alchemist Association was an alchemist.
Also, many cultivators choose to join the Alchemist Association as guardians or protectors. After all, alchemists who can both fight and refine pills are extremely rare.
These cultivators provide martial protection for the alchemists, while the alchemists provide them with the pills they need for cultivation. It's a mutually beneficial relationship.
The two elderly men in gray robes standing beside the vice president of the Alchemist Association were such cultivators. They didn't have much knowledge of alchemy, but they were curious about the vice president's interest.
The vice president shook his head, "I have some suspicions, but I can't be certain. Let's just wait and see. Maybe this little girl will bring us some surprises."
…
After Xuening took out her alchemy furnace, Su Jingzhen watched from the side. According to their previous agreement, Xuening would take the first and second rounds.
He had the opportunity to observe the techniques of the many alchemists around him.
"It's true that alchemists who have entered the ranks are extremely wealthy. Even the furnaces in the hands of these loose cultivators are of high quality…"
Su Jingzhen felt a sense of awe after looking around. Dantai Mingjing should have provided Xuening with a decent alchemy furnace. His own best furnace was only Black Mountain.
But after looking around, he realized that Black Mountain was only mid-tier at best.
He saw Bai Xiu and Liu Ming, who were seated near the central position. The inscriptions on their furnaces were incredibly complex, leaving Su Jingzhen speechless.
"The quality of these two people's furnaces is extremely high."
He didn't know these two individuals, but he knew that their identities must be extraordinary.
Bai Xiu's furnace was a deep red color, with inscriptions that resembled a lifelike phoenix. The flames burning inside were also a deep red, with an intense aura.
This was an excellent furnace for alchemy, and it would likely be a powerful weapon in battle as well.
Ads by Pubfuture
Liu Ming's furnace was black, like Black Mountain, but it was inlaid with seven precious stones, forming a pattern of seven stars.
The aura and quality of this furnace were likely on par with Bai Xiu's.
There were several other third-grade alchemists nearby, and their furnaces were equally stunning, making Su Jingzhen's eyes widen in amazement.
"One day, after I've condensed the Dan Heart according to Dantai's instructions, I'll definitely get myself a high-quality furnace to play with."
Su Jingzhen muttered to himself again.
He began to pay attention to the many alchemists present, who were taking out their medicinal materials.
To be honest, although he had reached the level of a third-grade alchemist, he hadn't refined many types of pills.
Apart from the pills refined by first-grade alchemists, he couldn't recognize the ones refined by Bai Xiu and Liu Ming.
However, watching their operations was like watching a flowing cloud, which was extremely enjoyable.
As Su Jingzhen looked around, Xuening beside him had already started her furnace, sensing the medicinal materials.
She directly entered a state of alchemy.
According to their original plan, she would refine the Heart-Calming Pill in this first round.
Both Su Jingzhen and Xuening were extremely familiar with the Heart-Calming Pill.
Xuening's operation was also smooth and effortless.
Under her focused attention, the thirteen medicinal materials were completely refined within less than half an hour.
The numerous onlookers, even if they hadn't eaten pork, had seen a pig run.
In their eyes, Xuening's techniques and fluency were not inferior to Liu Ming and Bai Xiu's.
The entertainment value was also extremely high.
"Could it be that we've been underestimating her all along?"
"But this little girl looks like she's only in her early twenties. How can she possibly compete with Bai Xiu and Liu Ming at this age?"
"If her level is indeed comparable to Bai Xiu and Liu Ming's, wouldn't that mean her alchemy talent is even more terrifying than theirs?"
"No, no, I think she's refining a pill that she's extremely familiar with, probably a first-grade or second-grade pill."
"Should be that way."
"..."
Those who didn't think highly of Xuening earlier were now somewhat unsettled.
They had found another reason to convince themselves.
"What a beautiful technique!"
"Look at the medicinal materials she took out earlier. Could it be that she's refining a third-grade pill, the Heart-Calming Pill?"
"At such a young age, she's already reached this level."
"This girl… maybe she's really like I guessed."
The vice president of the Alchemist Association, with his small eyes, revealed a hint of astonishment once again.
At the same time, in the Feng family's group, an unassuming old man in a hemp robe had a hint of shock in his eyes.
"This girl is not simple!"
As he spoke, Feng Lie, Feng Baozhao, and others were shocked.
"Alchemist… this…"
The old man was none other than Yao Changsheng, the head alchemist of Yunmeng City's Treasure Gathering Pavilion!
Seeing Feng Lie's expression, Yao Changsheng continued, "This girl is refining a third-grade pill!"
As he spoke, Feng Mingyan's face suddenly turned pale!Third… Third Grade!"
Feng Mingyan's heart suddenly felt a sense of despair.
He had previously thought that even if Feng Qingya could find an alchemist they could at most be third grade.
This is crazy… directly producing Third Grade in the first round, what about the later rounds?
Although Feng Mingyan was not an alchemist, he knew that there were fewer than fifty Third Grade alchemists in the world.
So, as long as Xuening could successfully produce Third Grade, advancing to the second round would be absolutely stable.
Moreover, from Yao Changsheng's words, it seemed that he had already developed some appreciation for Xuening.
This was before even completing a first round, and he was already praising her?
But Feng Mingyan didn't think Yao Changsheng was randomly flattering.
As the saying goes, "an expert can tell with one glance."
Through some techniques, a master like Yao Changsheng could see the level of an alchemist.
It was worth noting that Yao Changsheng was the chief alchemist of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion in Yunmeng City.
One could even say that he was the number one alchemist in Yunmeng City.
Liu Ming, who was being watched by the crowd, was only his disciple.
Feng Mingyan was puzzled about where Feng Qingya had found such an alchemist, and at the same time, he was extremely anxious.
As for Xuening's performance, Feng Qingya was not surprised at all.
In the past few days in Tianning City, Xuening and Su Jingzhen's stunning performances had already made her accustomed to it.
At this time, Feng Qingya's heart was completely calm.
On the other side, Bai Susu's expression also showed some surprise.
She then smiled faintly: "It seems I owe them an apology."
Muttering to herself, her gaze fell on Tuoba Junlin beside her.
"It seems that the alchemist invited by Qingya has some unexpected strength."
Ads by Pubfuture
"Are you worried?"
"If she really can make it to the top three, then the Feng family will have a say in the matter."
"You want to use the Tuoba family's power to pressure them, but it might be difficult to do so."
At the time, Bai Susu's tone was quite playful.
Tuoba Junlin's mouth, however, curved into a smile again: "Regarding this matter, I have never used the Tuoba family's power, nor have I ever thought of using the Tuoba family's influence as pressure."
"I've said it before, Qingya is a smart person, and she will ultimately make the correct choice."
As Tuoba Junlin spoke, he still exuded a warm and gentle aura, like jade.
While the various powers were each having their own thoughts and conversations, the alchemy platform above gradually began to emit the fragrance of pills.
At the same time, a faint smell of burnt offerings accompanied it.
Failing in alchemy was a common occurrence, and even more so in a gathering of alchemists like this, where many people's hearts were still filled with anxiety.
The two hours given for the first round were actually quite generous.
Normally, producing First or Second Grade, or even Third Grade, wouldn't take that long.
Even if one failed, starting over twice might be enough.
At this time, Xuening had already begun to fuse the refined medicinal materials.
She was one of the fastest people in terms of progress,
And those who were in the same step as her included Liu Ming, Bai Xiu, and a slender woman from the Alchemist Association beside Bai Xiu.
As for the Second Grade, Third Grade alchemists, they had almost all refined their medicinal materials by now.
In the fusion stage, Xuening's speed was very fast.
Like during her previous practice, she had no pressure, and the fusion was extremely smooth.
Xuening followed the sequence, fusing the ten medicinal materials into the pill furnace, and a fragrance of pills gradually wafted out, with the embryo of the Heart-Calming Pill already taking shape.
"It's good, it's good. Last night's events didn't seem to have much of an impact on Xuening."
Ads by Pubfuture
"However, those guys on the platform, their speed doesn't seem to be much slower than Xuening's."
"And the fragrance of pills emanating from them seems to be just as rich as the Heart-Calming Pill."
"This alchemist gathering really does have some hidden dragons and crouching tigers."
Su Jingzhen couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration as he surveyed the entire alchemy platform.
He had always been smooth sailing in his alchemy journey, and previously, he had indeed looked down on the heroes of the world.
Being humble, vigilant, and cautious had always been Su Jingzhen's code of conduct since he crossed over into the cultivation world.
He had always been low-key, but these days, it seemed like every event was going against his wishes, and he was always being pushed to the forefront.
But every time, he was able to handle it perfectly.
To the point where his heart had a thread of pride.
Today's events once again made him clear-headed.
His current strength and position were still insignificant in Yunmeng City, let alone in the entire cultivation world.
This once again made him clear-headed.
"No matter when, one should always maintain reverence."
After muttering to himself, Su Jingzhen's face remained calm.
He quietly watched Xuening, who was fusing the medicinal materials in an orderly manner.
At this time, she had already fused the twelfth medicinal material, and with one more fusion, it would be a great success.
Under the gaze of so many Nascent Soul elders, no one dared to sabotage anyone.
So Xuening's final fusion was extremely smooth.
At this time, a fragrance of pills wafted out of her ordinary pill furnace once again.
The Heart-Calming Pill was completely formed!
Xuening controlled the flames, continuing to refine the pill in the furnace.
The pill became more and more perfect.
Seeing this, Su Jingzhen hesitated for a moment, then smiled faintly.
He transmitted a message to Xuening: "Xuening, middle-grade is enough, don't overdo it!"
At this point in the alchemist gathering, Su Jingzhen couldn't distinguish the specific type of pill each person was refining.
But he could see that among all the participants, there were only around thirty Third Grade alchemists.
So as long as one could successfully refine a Third Grade pill, even if it was of lower quality, it would be enough to advance to the second round.
Therefore, in Su Jingzhen's view, there was no need to stand out too much in the first round.
This time, the main goal was to help Feng Qingya, and a stable advancement was the best.
If one stood out too much, it might attract the attention of some small-minded people who would try to sabotage them.
Su Jingzhen deeply understood that one should not harbor malicious intentions, but one should also be prepared for others' malice.
Last night's events had already occurred, and today, at the alchemist gathering, it was only normal to take precautions.
Be careful and cautious, Su Jingzhen hoped that before entering the third round, or at least before entering the top three, they shouldn't reveal their true strength.
After receiving Su Jingzhen's transmission, Xuening's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
But she still chose to lightly tap the pill furnace, and the Heart-Calming Pill, which was being refined in the fierce flames, flew out instantly.
The refining time was insufficient, and compared to their previous practice, the quality was indeed one level lower.
It had only just reached middle-grade quality.
"Brother Su, is this… really okay?"
"After all, there's only one chance, and this is extremely important for Sister Qingya."
Su Jingzhen took the Heart-Calming Pill from Xuening's hand and examined it, smiling: "Do you believe in Brother?"
Hearing this, Xuening's face revealed a warm smile: "Of course, I believe."
Actually, at this time, Xuening's trust in Su Jingzhen in Yunmeng City might have already surpassed Feng Qingya.
After all, she didn't think Feng Qingya could do what Su Jingzhen did yesterday.
[Emotional Connection+4]
[Remaining usable points: 316]
Seeing the suddenly flashing golden words, Su Jingzhen was taken aback.
He smiled again: "Don't worry, our Heart-Calming Pill will definitely advance to the second round!"
After Xuening succeeded, Bai Xiu, Liu Ming, and another female alchemist from the Alchemist Association also completed their pill refinement one after another.
They all succeeded with their first batch of medicinal materials.
Earlier, everyone was fully immersed in refining pills, with their hearts focused solely on the task and no attention to their surroundings.
It was only now that Bai Xiu and the others noticed that Xuening had already finished ahead of time.
Their eyebrows suddenly furrowed, and they felt a slight sense of surprise in their hearts.
However, they didn't dwell on it.
In that state of pill refinement, they didn't know what level of pill Xuening had refined.
At this point, they subconsciously thought that Xuening had only refined a low-grade pill.
Before attending the Pill Refinement Conference, these people had already learned about the Feng family and knew about Feng Qingya's situation.
They all subconsciously believed that, given Feng Qingya's current state, it was impossible for her to invite a third-grade pill refiner.
So, after a brief moment, Bai Xiu, Liu Ming, and the others no longer paid any attention to Su Jingzhen and Xuening.
Their expressions returned to their previous arrogance.
According to the rules, after refining the pills, everyone had to place the refined pills in a jade bottle with a label indicating the pill refinement platform number.
After everyone had finished, the pills would be collected and handed over to the on-site pill refiners for evaluation.
There were also paper and pen provided beside the jade bottle.
The pill refiners had to write down the effects and grade of the pill in simple terms.
After all, even Yao Changsheng and the fat man from the Alchemist Association, who had seen many things, couldn't recognize every type of pill.
There were too many types of pills in the pill refinement world, and many pill refiners had their own secret recipes that were unknown to others.
Ads by Pubfuture
Su Jingzhen and the others were also aware of this.
Xuening simply wrote down the information about the Heart-Calming Pill on the paper.
These were all trivial matters.
Moreover, the Heart-Calming Pill was not a mysterious pill, and it was widely known in the pill refinement world, making it even more reassuring.
About an hour and a half after the first round began, the over 200 participating pill refiners had all finished refining their pills.
The slowest one had wasted three batches of medicinal materials before finally succeeding with the fourth batch.
When the last one extinguished the fire in their furnace, Yao Changsheng, the chief pill refiner of the Feng family, suddenly stood up.
He looked towards the Alchemist Association and said, "Vice-President Ouyang, since you've also arrived, perhaps we should trouble you to evaluate the pills this time."
"If the pill refiners from Yunmeng City can receive your guidance, it would be an honor for them."
When facing the Vice-President of the Alchemist Association, Yao Changsheng still showed some humility.
The Treasure Gathering Pavilion's group of pill refiners, although appearing to be on equal terms with the Alchemist Association, knew that in the pill refinement world, the Alchemist Association was still unshakeable.
At least Yao Changsheng was clear that he was inferior to the fat man opposite him.
Upon hearing this, the fat Vice-President smiled and stood up.
He was very willing to do this.
After all, with his status, if he didn't do anything at this pill refinement conference, it would be abnormal.
"Ha ha ha, I was just worried about having nothing to do," the fat Vice-President laughed. "I also want to see the skills of the pill refiners from Yunmeng City."
Yao Changsheng smiled slightly and made another inviting gesture to him.
"Vice-President, please!"
Ads by Pubfuture
There was a special table set up near the pill refinement platform for evaluating the pills.
Yao Changsheng and the Vice-President walked over and sat down.
At this point, none of the other elderly pill refiners who didn't participate in the competition dared to sit with them.
As Yao Changsheng and the Vice-President sat down, dozens of Feng family disciples jumped up onto the stage.
They carefully carried the pills they had refined to Yao Changsheng and the Vice-President.
These two men were indeed the pillars of the pill refinement world in Qingzhou, and they took pill refinement very seriously.
Even if the pills presented to them were only first-grade, they would still carefully read the pill introductions.
Then, they would scrape off a bit of powder from the corresponding pill and personally test it.
After that, they would give some constructive feedback to the refiner.
If suitable, they would also offer some guidance.
With their insight, a few words of praise or criticism would be extremely valuable to the first-grade pill refiners.
This attitude immediately received recognition and admiration from the surrounding crowd and various factions.
"This is the demeanor of a true pill refinement master."
"Perhaps this is the true meaning of these pill refiners participating in the conference."
"It's also because these two gentlemen are kind and benevolent, and don't want the refiners to come in vain."
"After receiving their guidance, it's likely that they will be more easily accepted into a faction and achieve their goals."
"…"
Although Yao Changsheng and the Vice-President gave feedback to each pill refiner, there were only over 200 participants in total, so the evaluation process wasn't slow.
During this process, people also discovered a phenomenon.
Most of the pills they evaluated were first-grade and second-grade, but whenever a third-grade pill was presented to them, they would glance at it, nod, and then set it aside.
This implied something, which didn't need to be said.
The entire process took about an hour, roughly the same length as the first round of pill refinement.
However, the cultivators on the Wind Bell Square were all quite patient and didn't feel annoyed.
One round was over, and the top 50 would be selected.
So, at this time, there were 50 jade bottles on the table in front of Yao Changsheng and the Vice-President.
The rest, after being evaluated, had already been returned to their respective refiners, since the medicinal materials were theirs, and the pills naturally belonged to them as well.
As expected, Su Jingzhen and the others were also among the 50 who were left.
At this time, Yao Changsheng spoke to the 50 people on the stage who hadn't received their pills back:
"Firstly, congratulations on entering the second round."
"For you 50, I think it's unnecessary to say much at this point."
"When we enter the second round, I and Vice-President Ouyang will give feedback to some of you."
"And now, to satisfy everyone, I and Vice-President Ouyang will announce the grades of the pills you refined and provide a comprehensive ranking!"
As Yao Changsheng spoke, the scene fell silent again.
His words were reasonable.
After all, if they simply announced the top 50 without explanation, it would be difficult to convince some second-grade pill refiners who were eliminated in the first round.
There were still many second-grade pill refiners among those who entered the second round, aside from the third-grade ones.
If they were at the same level, who would think they were inferior to others?
It was necessary to publicly announce the results as proof.
The countless onlookers were slightly excited.
Perhaps they could already see some clues from the ranking of the first round.The cultivators on the Wind Bell Square were all somewhat excited, but they also unconsciously maintained their silence.
They quietly waited for Yao Changsheng and Vice President Ouyang's next words.
Yao Changsheng and Ouyang didn't keep them in suspense for long. Yao Changsheng casually picked up a jade bottle and smiled as he looked at a certain position on the stage.
"50th place, from the 32nd Alchemy Platform."
As soon as Yao Changsheng's words fell, everyone's gaze turned to that position.
It was a middle-aged man in black robes, whose face was very calm, as if he had expected this result.
"If I'm not mistaken, this person should be one of the alchemists who came with the Feng Family, right?"
"He just entered the second round with 50th rank, and it's unlikely he'll have any more tricks up his sleeve."
"…"
As the crowd whispered among themselves, Yao Changsheng continued, "The 32nd Alchemy Platform, Great Strength Pill, has reached the top quality of a second-grade pill! Consuming it can temporarily increase the internal strength of cultivators below the Golden Core period by 10%…"
Yao Changsheng only briefly mentioned the pill's grade and effects, leaving those who were dissatisfied to compare for themselves.
For second- and third-grade alchemists, Vice President Ouyang and Yao Changsheng's words were authoritative.
After Yao Changsheng announced the 50th place, the eliminated alchemists on the stage looked dejected, their eyes dimming.
It was pointless to struggle if one was not good enough.
After Yao Changsheng finished announcing the 50th place, a Feng Family servant returned the pill to the 32nd Alchemy Platform.
"49th place, from the 19th Alchemy Platform, Dragon and Tiger Pill, top quality!"
…
"36th place, from the 10th Alchemy Platform, Purple Spirit Pill, top quality…"
From the 50th place's Great Strength Pill onwards, the pills that followed, although mostly only reaching the top quality of a second-grade pill, had different effects and were worth more than the Great Strength Pill.
Many non-alchemist cultivators could also make some judgments about this.
"35th place, from the 98th Alchemy Platform, Three Spirit Pills, lower quality!"
Ads by Pubfuture
By the 35th place, it was already a third-grade pill.
This proved that there were 35 third-grade or higher alchemists at this Alchemy Conference!
The crowd's excitement grew even more intense!
And since they had already reached the third grade, no one would doubt their qualification to enter the second round.
Yao Changsheng didn't stop.
He didn't even introduce the effects of the third-grade pill when he announced it.
As long as they heard the words "third grade," it was enough to convince the crowd!
As for the ranking, it didn't matter much to these alchemists.
After all, the first place and the 50th place would both enter the second round and compete again.
Yao Changsheng continued until the 11th place, then handed over to Vice President Ouyang of the Alchemist Association.
He glanced at the jade bottle in his hand and looked towards Su Jingzhen and Xuening's direction.
A hint of a smile appeared on his face.
"10th place, from the 256th Alchemy Platform, third-grade Heart-Calming Pill, middle quality!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's gaze suddenly turned to Xuening.
Their faces were filled with shock and amazement.
"I didn't expect her to be a third-grade alchemist!"
"If I'm not mistaken, she was the first one to finish, and she looks like the youngest one on the stage."
"This is incredible!"
"I've been paying attention to her alchemy techniques, and her hands are incredibly smooth."
"With her age, she's definitely a prodigy in alchemy. I wonder where Miss Feng found her."
Ads by Pubfuture
"…"
For most people, it was only after Vice President Ouyang announced Xuening's results that they learned about her true abilities.
The people from the various major powers sitting in the ring around the alchemy platforms looked at Xuening with burning eyes.
A talented alchemist like her, if they could recruit her into their power, would be a limitless potential.
At this moment, Xuening also felt the intense gaze of countless people on her.
She couldn't help but look at Su Jingzhen beside her, with a hint of gratitude in her eyes.
If it weren't for Su Jingzhen's reminder, she might have at least reached the top quality with this Heart-Calming Pill.
And at that time, she might have directly entered the top five or even top three.
Wouldn't that be even more astonishing to the crowd?
She and her grandfather, Dantai Mingjing, had been living a low-key life in Tianning City.
They were not used to being in the spotlight like this.
Xuening was very simple and pure, a true alchemist who only cared about refining pills to the extreme.
So, in many cases, she didn't think about the consequences.
At this moment, she looked at Su Jingzhen with even more admiration.
[Emotional Connection+4]
[Remaining usable points: 320]
Golden words appeared in front of Su Jingzhen's eyes once again.
However, this made him slightly surprised.
Among the shock and amazement of the crowd, Vice President Ouyang didn't stop, continuing to announce the top ten alchemists' pills.
"…"
"…"
"Third place, from the 91st Alchemy Platform, three-grade Wind God Pill!"
After Xuening, the other top ten alchemists didn't cause much surprise.
After all, most of them were from major powers and were already well-known third-grade alchemists.
It was expected that they would achieve such results.
On the other hand, the announcement of the third place once again shocked the crowd.
Because the 91st Alchemy Platform was none other than Liu Ming!
The famous Mr. Liu!
"Liu Ming? He should be the one with the highest expectations, but he's only third!"
"Wow! If Bai Xiu could rank before Liu Ming, that would be reasonable. But who is the other one?"
"…"
As the crowd discussed in shock, their gaze involuntarily turned to the alchemy platform beside Bai Xiu, where a slender woman was standing.
There were only two people left who hadn't been mentioned, and it was only her and Bai Xiu.
As the crowd discussed, Liu Ming's expression suddenly turned gloomy.
He was originally a proud and arrogant person, and in his plan, he should have taken first place from the first round to the end.
He couldn't help but feel a bit of discontent in his heart.
"Second place, from the 66th Alchemy Platform, third-grade Condensed Dew Pill!"
The 66th Alchemy Platform was none other than Bai Xiu!
This once again shocked everyone present.
Bai Xiu's reputation in the Alchemist Association was extremely high, yet he didn't take first place.
"Originally, she was the biggest dark horse. It seems that her position in the Alchemist Association is not weak at all. But why had we never heard of such a person before?"
"…"
Fat Vice President Ouyang smiled again, picking up the last jade bottle.
"First place, from the 67th Alchemy Platform, third-grade Awakening Pill! Top quality!"
Top quality?
As soon as the words fell, the entire Wind Bell Square fell into absolute silence once again!
For many people present, high-quality medicinal pills were not uncommon.
However, top-grade pills were a rare sight.
There were very few people who could refine top-grade medicinal pills.
For most alchemists, refining top-grade pills required a combination of heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony, making it extremely difficult.
Some alchemists spent their entire lives trying to refine a single top-grade pill, but to no avail.
As for superior-grade pills, they were even more elusive.
After all, someone like Su Jingzhen, who possessed extraordinary talent, was a rare find.
As the shock wore off, everyone became extremely curious about the identity of the Alchemist Association's female representative.
"This young lady must be a hidden genius of the Alchemist Association, otherwise, she wouldn't be so unknown."
"With just one batch of medicinal materials, she refined a top-grade Awakening Pill, and with Bai Xiu's reputation and the other rising stars who didn't attend today, it seems that the Treasure Gathering Pavilion's alchemists still have a long way to go to truly rival the Alchemist Association."
"…"
As the crowd and various powerful factions were still reeling in shock, Yao Changsheng, standing beside Vice President Ouyang, let out a bitter smile: "Vice President, is this the mysterious genius you've been mentoring?"
Upon hearing Yao Changsheng's question, Vice President Ouyang's small eyes gleamed with pride once more.
"It's indeed my disciple, Ye Zhiqiu. She has been receiving guidance from me within the Alchemist Association and is finally making her debut."
Ads by Pubfuture
Hearing this, Yao Changsheng's eyes revealed a hint of envy.
Although refining medicinal pills often required a certain degree of luck, didn't luck also depend on one's abilities?
He knew that his own disciple, Liu Ming, was proud and ambitious, always striving to be the best. This time, he must have been aiming to do his best as well.
Yet, he was still crushed by Ye Zhiqiu.
Moreover, Yao Changsheng could see that Ye Zhiqiu was likely younger than Liu Ming.
This gap in talent was likely insurmountable.
He had failed to catch up with the Alchemist Association in his lifetime, and looking at the current situation, it seemed that the next generation would also be left in the dust.
At this moment, Xuening and Su Jingzhen on the alchemy platform also had a slightly solemn expression.
Even if Su Jingzhen hadn't reminded Xuening earlier, allowing her to fully unleash her abilities, it would still be difficult to refine a top-grade pill.
In their eyes, this person's alchemy skills might even surpass Xuening's.
This was a formidable opponent!
After Vice President Ouyang finished reading out the first round's rankings, Feng Li, still standing in mid-air, suddenly declared, "The first round is over. Please have the eliminated contestants step down, and the 50 who advanced will have a half-hour break. After the break, we will proceed directly to the second round!"
In reality, this break time was unnecessary for most alchemists. However, those second-rate alchemists who had exhausted themselves earlier could be forgiven for feeling a bit fatigued.
During this half-hour break, Su Jingzhen and Xuening didn't choose to step down and chat with Feng Qingya. After all, they had already made plans regarding alchemy.
Ads by Pubfuture
Feng Qingya wasn't an alchemist, so talking to her would be pointless. It was better for them to use this time to discuss and explore further.
The eliminated alchemists walked down from the platform, leaving the area feeling rather empty. The remaining 50 pairs looked sparse and scattered.
"In a while, if we can refine the Rebirth Pill to high quality, we should be able to enter the top 10. But to be safe, we should also prepare a Breaking Through Adversity Pill. However, Xuening, do you have confidence in refining a superior-grade Breaking Through Adversity Pill here?"
Xuening furrowed her brows, thinking for a moment before responding, "For the Breaking Through Adversity Pill, my success rate should be around 80%. But if I want to refine a superior-grade pill, I only have less than 20% confidence. To be honest, the fact that I refined a superior-grade pill earlier was largely due to luck."
Su Jingzhen nodded, not finding this unexpected. After all, even he, Su Jingzhen, didn't have a 100% success rate with the Breaking Through Adversity Pill.
And without being in that peculiar environment, he would also have a low probability of refining a superior-grade pill.
After a moment of contemplation, Su Jingzhen said, "We must try regardless. This alchemy conference has already exceeded my expectations, and these alchemists' skills are higher than I thought. Especially those from the Alchemist Association, I feel like they haven't fully unleashed their abilities yet. We can't afford to be complacent and get eliminated in the next round."
"Yes!"
Xuening nodded solemnly.
As the two of them discussed alchemy, time flew by quickly.
The half-hour break was over in the blink of an eye.
"Gentlemen, time's up. If you're ready, I'll announce the start of the second round of the Alchemy Conference. The time limit remains two hours!"
As soon as Feng Li finished speaking, the alchemists below began to light their furnaces and prepare their medicinal materials.
Although two hours seemed like a lot of time, no one dared to guarantee success in one attempt.
Alchemy was a process where even the slightest mistake could lead to failure, and many had experienced such setbacks.
Therefore, it was essential to make the most of the time available.
"Brother Su, according to our original plan, I'll refine the Rebirth Pill on my own this time," Xuening said to Su Jingzhen before starting to sense the medicinal materials and entering a state of deep focus.
Su Jingzhen nodded, watching Xuening enter her state before taking a glance around the area.
This time, he suddenly discovered that almost all the third-rate alchemists had brought out high-quality medicinal materials.
Perhaps, except for the top three, everyone had been holding back in the first round.
The level of these alchemists seemed to be higher than Su Jingzhen had initially imagined.
His expression grew increasingly solemn.
At this point, Xuening had already entered her state, and he didn't plan to disturb her.
After a moment's thought, he directly took out his Black Mountain alchemy furnace and retrieved a batch of Breaking Through Adversity Pill medicinal materials.
He lit the furnace, sensed the medicinal materials, and instantly entered the refining process.
Seeing Su Jingzhen's actions, everyone who had been paying attention to them couldn't help but feel surprised once again.
"Is he going to refine on his own? Or is he going to assist that little girl in refining medicinal materials?"
"This is interesting. I thought he was just a decoration."
"However, his alchemy furnace looks quite good. Could it be that Miss Feng Qingya's first alchemist wasn't the strongest one?"
"…"
The crowd continued to speculate.
At this moment, Su Jingzhen's actions had undoubtedly become the focal point of the entire scene.