Reborn Medicine King

"How did you do it? Didn't you just finish preparing the materials yesterday? How could one day be enough to refine the pill?"    

"I'm not in a rush, so why are you? It's just pill refining. Brother, you need to work on your mindset a bit more."    

Zhu Yan couldn't figure out how Jiang Fann managed to complete the pill refining, but the four pills emitted the aura of Heaven Rank Pills. All four had the same aura, slightly different in appearance from others, yet the essence was identical. The intense heat radiating from them proved they were freshly made.    

If it weren't for the rules against touching the pills, he would have grabbed one to inspect its quality closely.    

More than half of the cultivators on the field hadn't finished their pill refining yet. Although they couldn't advance to the third stage, they didn't want to miss such a valuable opportunity. Plus, they could keep the pills they successfully refined, so why not give it a shot?    

Chen Ning's disciples moved through the areas where Jiang Fann and others were, collecting the pills into bottles. They then had the participating alchemists infuse their spiritual strength into the bottles to prevent cheating.    

Once collected, these bottles were handed to Chen Ning, who descended into the valley, summoned a table, and arranged the bottles on top.    

"I originally thought not many would make it through the second stage, but it seems I underestimated you all. However, as previously stated, only the top ten with the best quality can advance to the third stage. The other participants will have to leave with their pills."    

"These pill bottles have been mixed up, so I'm not sure whose is whose. We'll rank them fairly. Does anyone have any objections?"    

As Chen Ning finished speaking, none of the pharmacists on stage voiced any concerns, showing their trust in the credibility of the organization. Even Zhu Yan was all smiles, clearly in a good mood.    

Though he initially doubted Jiang Fann's skills, after witnessing the second stage of pill refining, Zhu Yan was filled with confidence in Jiang Fann. Regardless of the pill quality, just successfully creating four pills placed him among the top contenders.    

If Jiang Fann could make it to the third stage, Zhu Yan would have more opportunities to interact with the higher-ups, and previous troubles would be resolved.    

Chen Ning poured a pill from one of the bottles, holding it in his hand and channeling his Medicine Arts to sense the spiritual strength emanating from it, examining it intently.    

After a moment, he opened his eyes and placed the pill back into the bottle. "This pill contains some impurities, which slightly affect the efficacy of this Great Linglong Pill. However, the pill's grade remains at its original level, so it barely passes."    

After speaking, he placed the bottle of pills in the front row, then picked up the second bottle and poured out another pill. As the pill landed in his hand, before even sensing it, Chen Ning's eyes showed a hint of surprise. He then carefully assessed it.    

Quickly opening his eyes, he smiled and said, "This pill's quality is nearly perfect; it's almost impossible to detect any impurities. The craftsmanship is excellent, suggesting this isn't the first time this pill has been made."    

After speaking, he put the pill back and swapped the bottle with the previous one, moving the earlier bottle back a bit.    

The third bottle's pill didn't surprise Chen Ning, but he arranged the bottles in order of their strength. The top ten pharmacists would move on to the next stage.    

He provided feedback on each pill, which was crucial for the pharmacists to understand their shortcomings immediately.    

Soon, seven bottles were lined up on the table in front of him. When he picked up the eighth bottle, he only glanced at it before placing it in the second position.    

"This one matches the best quality we've seen so far—nearly perfect. There's not much more to say. Producing such quality in a short time is already impressive."    

As he picked up the ninth bottle and poured out the pill, a unique aura emanated from it, catching Chen Ning's attention.    

"Oh? A special crafting method, perhaps? The aura seems a bit unusual. If it alters the pill's effects, I can't count it as a completed Great Linglong Pill!"    

He held it in his palm, carefully sensing the aura, clearly intrigued. This time, he took much longer to perceive the pill than before.    

Chen Ning opened his eyes, a flicker of surprise crossing them, but he quickly regained his composure. He placed the pill back into its bottle and glanced at a confident-looking girl not far away—the poison master known for her Poison Arts.    

He set the bottle in the first position.    

"The effects are identical to the Great Linglong Pill, but slightly stronger, seemingly more easily absorbed. It's surprising, especially since it's not due to any added ingredients..."    

His words sparked a buzz among the onlooking pharmacists, clearly not expecting anyone to impress Chen Ning like this. After all, Chen Ning was a master in the field, and few could earn such praise from him.    

Chen Ning shifted his focus to the next bottle. This pill was slightly different in color from the others, yet perfectly smooth, with a very stable aura.    

His eyes showed a hint of surprise as he carefully sensed the pill. As he infused it with his medicine arts, the pill released a powerful energy, fully activating its effects. A rich aroma spread through the air, and the nearby disciples were the first to catch the scent, quickly turning their attention in that direction.    

"How is this possible..." Chen Ning murmured to himself, holding the pill, clearly taken aback. He glanced around at everyone, unable to determine who had crafted it.    

"This is indeed a Great Linglong Pill, but its quality surpasses the usual grade. I can't detect any special materials in it, which is truly unexpected. It seems this competition is full of hidden talents. I hope this alchemist can surprise me with their skills in the third stage as well."    

With that, he put the pill away and placed the bottle in the first position without hesitation.    

Zhu Yan had seen the pill Jiang Fann crafted earlier and noticed its slightly different color compared to the others. He was almost certain that the pill Chen Ning praised was Jiang Fann's work.    

In the stands, two alchemists from the sect exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise mirrored in each other's eyes.    

"Looks like he's been hiding his true abilities, playing the fool to catch us off guard. This kid definitely noticed we were watching him."    

"Chen Ning has always been fair. If he says so, we can trust the quality of those pills. This guy's skills in medicine arts shouldn't be underestimated. It seems those kids have finally met their match."    

"It's not just that kid from the Zhu family. That poison master is also impressive. Although he's a bit slower at crafting, the quality surpasses those two kids. Clearly, he's come prepared. Should we start getting ready?"    

The older man, a top-tier medicine master named Qian Qing, had reached the rank of an immortal herb master. Beside him was Ye Wusheng, who had also achieved the same rank shortly after Qian Qing. Both held significant positions in the guild but were usually reclusive and rarely seen.    

Ye Wusheng frowned slightly at Qian Qing's words. "Is that really a good idea?"    

Qian Qing replied, "We're talking about a top-tier pill furnace and a mysterious artifact. If they end up in the wrong hands, how will we explain it to the guild master?"    

Their conversation was private, inaudible to those around them.    

On stage, Chen Ning continued to assess the remaining bottles of pills. He carefully arranged them in order, leaving the top ten bottles in front of him.    

The pharmacists present were quietly waiting for Chris to announce the results. Chris carefully infused his spiritual strength into each of the medicine bottles in sequence.    

When he infused the first bottle, the ground beneath Alex suddenly lit up. Everyone understood that this bottle corresponded to Alex, the pharmacist who crafted the pill, which left the other pharmacists in shock. Even Chris was surprised, as he hadn't paid much attention to Alex's skills from the start. The other pharmacists hadn't either, given that Alex's family wasn't known for their expertise in medicine arts.    

Pharmacist Charlie from the Chen family stared in disbelief, utterly astonished. Meanwhile, Ryan, clearly prepared for this moment, looked at Charlie with a smug grin and laughed.    

As Chris infused the second bottle with spiritual strength, the ground beneath the poison pharmacist lit up, marking the second advancement to the third stage. Alex glanced over and noticed the girl there was eyeing him curiously, clearly surprised by his impressive skills.    

It wasn't just her; nearly everyone's attention was on Alex, with no one caring about who came in second. Alex and Sam's calm demeanor stood in stark contrast to Ryan's exuberance. However, Alex wasn't particularly happy, as he had tried to control the quality of the pill just enough to advance. Unfortunately, he had overestimated the abilities of the other pharmacists.    

His original plan was to keep a low profile and smoothly enter the third stage, but even with such caution, he still stirred things up.    

Chen Ning gradually identified the remaining qualifiers, while those whose spots didn't light up were eliminated.    

Some were happy, others disappointed. The eliminated alchemists looked regretful, while those who advanced began adjusting their mindset for the third stage of the competition.    

Jiang Fann, however, frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "A failure... such a failure..."    

Fang Xiang, standing nearby, overheard him and chuckled, "Failure? Zhu Yan's practically over the moon with excitement."    

Zhu Yan wasn't upset by the comment. "You're doing great, my friend! Securing a spot in the second stage was all we agreed on, and you've done it perfectly. What's there to call a failure?"