Reborn Medicine King

Chen Ning continued, "The pharmacist who emerges victorious will not only receive these two treasures but will also gain direct entry into the Pill Sect to study the art of alchemy. They might even have the chance to apprentice under one of us seasoned masters. All pharmacists who reach the third stage can choose to join the Pill Sect, regardless of their background or status!"    

Jiang Fann glanced at Zhu Yan and chuckled, "Why didn’t you join the Pill Sect back then? With your talent, becoming a disciple of one of the Pill Sect's leaders wouldn’t have been difficult."    

Zhu Yan replied, "Joining the Pill Sect wasn’t the hard part. However, the Pill Sect has many rules, and joining would impose restrictions on my affiliations. Despite the excellent benefits, I had to consider my family. Besides, the Pill Sect isn’t the only place with powerful pharmacists."    

Fang Xiang, standing nearby, added, "We have plenty of rules in the Upper Realm, but the Pill Sect has even more. Still, for a pharmacist, the Pill Sect offers unparalleled benefits."    

As Chen Ning announced the competition rules, the chatter in the valley ceased. Clearly, the pharmacists present held the Pill Sect's leaders in high regard.    

The first stage was a race, testing the speed of concocting a particular type of pill of moderate quality. The first forty pharmacists to complete the task would advance to the second stage, eliminating most of the participants right from the start.    

The second stage is a competition focusing on the complexity of potion-making. While crafting the same type of potion, speed is no longer the sole criterion. Success rate and quality are also crucial. In this stage, thirty alchemists will be eliminated, leaving only ten to advance to the third stage of the potion-making contest.    

As for the rules of the third stage, Chen Ning hasn't disclosed them yet. It seems they'll be revealed at the last moment.    

Zhu Yan glanced at Jiang Fann, intending to ask if he felt confident. However, he noticed Jiang Fann seemed distracted, lost in thought.    

Jiang Fann's attention was entirely captivated by a floating scroll next to Chen Ning. He was suppressing the aura of the Divine Spell within his Qi Sea, using his Spiritual Sense to gauge the scroll's condition. Though he hadn't obtained it yet, he was determined to acquire this fragment of the Divine Spell. To him, it was more than just a part of the potion-making exchange; it held immense personal significance.    

Chen Ning finished speaking and used his Spiritual Strength to levitate the treasures into the air, suspending them above the platform to inspire the alchemists present.    

Returning to the viewing area, Chen Ning turned to address the alchemists in the valley. "Will the participants for the first stage please step onto the platform?"    

After he finished speaking, intricate patterns appeared on the platform where he had been standing. The platform began to expand, growing larger and larger, with identical grids appearing above it, marking the areas designated for the pharmacists to work.    

Pharmacists started flying up to the platform, each claiming their own space. Their assistants, however, were not allowed to join them during the first stage and had to remain below to watch.    

Noticing Jiang Fann's hesitation, Zhu Yan reminded him, "Buddy, standing at the edge of the platform makes it hard for the higher-ups to notice you."    

Fang Xiang replied, "That's for ordinary folks. No matter where Jiang is, he’ll get noticed."    

Chen Ning, clearly aware of the number of participants, stopped the platform's expansion once it was large enough.    

By this time, Qin Feng and the others had already taken their places on the platform. The pharmacists now stood out more clearly than when they were mixed in the crowd, though most of them kept their energy restrained, revealing nothing extraordinary.    

Jiang Fann moved to a spot near the edge of the platform, close to a young man who was sitting cross-legged, deeply focused and calm—an essential trait for a pharmacist. Despite his composure, his skills weren't particularly advanced and would be unremarkable in other circumstances.    

At that moment, Chen Ning raised his hand and used his spiritual strength to write a formula in the air, visible to everyone. It required only a dozen or so ingredients.    

To ensure fairness, the materials were prepared by Danmen and then distributed to each participant. The quality of the pill furnaces was nearly identical.    

As the young pharmacists began examining the materials almost simultaneously, the entire valley fell silent. Most of those present were pharmacists, and no one wanted to disturb their concentration.    

Down below, Zhu Yan frowned, noticing Jiang Fann standing in the corner of the platform, glancing around at the other pharmacists instead of focusing on the materials in front of him.    

"What's Jiang Fann doing? He's wasting such valuable time for contemplation," Zhu Yan muttered.    

Fang Xiang, however, remained calm. "If Jiang Fann isn't worried on stage, why should you be?"    

Zhu Yan, irritated by this, retorted, "This is a serious competition, not child's play!"    

His fiery temper often led to a raised voice, drawing the attention of those around him. The nearby practitioners frowned at him with displeasure, prompting Zhu Yan to quickly quiet down, feeling a bit embarrassed.    

Aware that he wasn't particularly well-liked, Zhu Yan didn't want to further strain his relationship with the pharmacists. He hoped to build a good rapport with them for future exchanges.    

Chen Ning gave the contestants ten minutes to prepare, allowing them time to observe. Jiang Fann, after a quick glance at the prescription, already had a general idea. He chose to spend his time observing the young pharmacists, especially those he had previously noted. They weren't arrogant despite their status and were diligently examining the materials before them.    

Jiang Fann looked around and noticed two pharmacists sitting calmly, still in meditation, without opening their eyes to observe. They seemed completely at peace. Among them was a woman who had previously drawn attention for her practice of poison arts. She continued her training, with a green snake poking its head out from her sleeve, surveying the surroundings. It was clearly a spirit beast. However, Jiang Fann sensed several different auras around her, suggesting the presence of other poisonous creatures.    

Ten minutes later, Chen Ning announced, "Time's up. The formation is now active. With its activation, the first stage of the competition officially begins!" As he finished speaking, Jiang Fann felt waves of spiritual energy ripple through the air, creating barriers that separated each area. As the formation completed its cycle, most pharmacists immediately focused, channeling their energy into refining medicine. Flames under their control appeared, feeding into their respective pill furnaces.    

Zhu Yan watched Jiang Fann intently, curious about his skills in pill refinement. After all, he had heard Fang Xiang praise Jiang Fann's abilities throughout their journey and wanted to see for himself. However, he noticed that Jiang Fann still hadn't made a move and was instead observing others as they worked. This left Zhu Yan puzzled. "Does Jiang Fann not understand the rules?" he wondered aloud.    

Although Fang Xiang wasn't aware of Jiang Fann's thoughts, he was well-acquainted with Jiang Fann's abilities in alchemy.    

"Stay calm. If he's not in a rush, he must have his reasons. Just watch."    

The alchemists present had already begun their work. Few young alchemists possessed the quality of unique flames, and those who did were keeping them hidden for now. Most of them, however, had mastered some form of special fire, each with their own understanding of alchemy, resulting in a variety of techniques. This diversity showed that the art of alchemy had branched out into many different paths.    

Jiang Fann had been observing a few individuals, and they didn't disappoint. Their focus and confidence were evident in their seamless operations, with hardly any pauses.    

The woman using poison techniques had a particularly unique method, even more aligned with poison arts than Shen Meng's approach. Shen Meng, having once followed Jiang Fann, received traditional alchemy guidance from him. Although she later practiced poison arts, her method remained closer to that of an alchemist, with a natural talent for poisons.    

This woman, however, could incorporate toxins into her alchemy while maintaining the safety of the concoctions, showcasing her distinct insights.    

As for the two mysterious alchemists from the Alchemy Sect, their approach was understated yet incredibly swift. Their skills were comparable, with only slight differences in technique, but their speed was nearly identical.    

On the other side, Qin Feng was also being very practical, showing that the expectations from their mentors were high, and they dared not be careless in this first stage.    

In the audience, Zhu Yan was extremely nervous. He wished he could jump in and help Jiang Fann with the alchemy. Jiang Fann, however, seemed completely unbothered, not even bothering to ignite the pill furnace. It was as if he wasn’t taking the competition seriously at all.    

It wasn’t until the other alchemy prodigies finished preparing their materials and placed everything into their furnaces that Jiang Fann leisurely ignited a flame in his palm and sent it into his furnace.    

If it weren’t for the barrier, Zhu Yan would have already sent him a reminder telepathically.    

But what Jiang Fann did next made Zhu Yan furrow his brows. Jiang Fann casually tossed all the materials into the furnace in one go, which seemed like a very amateurish move. Even a novice alchemist would know that this method was a waste of materials.    

Jiang Fann’s presence wasn’t particularly noticeable, and not many people paid attention to him, despite his striking looks. After all, this was an alchemy competition, and it was one’s alchemical skills that truly caught the attention of the big shots.    

As for Jiang Fann, he didn’t intend to stand out at this stage. With his current alchemy skills, he could easily converse with the top figures in the field. Right now, his only goal was to secure the final reward without a hitch. The Divine Spell had to be in his hands.    

Zhu Yan turned to Fang Xiang, his expression serious.    

"Are you two trying to set me up? Can Jiang Fann really make medicine?"    

Fang Xiang clearly understood Jiang Fann's intentions.    

With a smile, he replied, "Showing his true skills in alchemy right now wouldn't be beneficial for the upcoming competition, would it?"