Reborn Medicine King

Zhu Yan had been quite calm these past few days, watching others practice their craft alongside Jiang Fann. He found it fascinating, and with Jiang Fann right next to him, there were plenty of opportunities to discuss and learn. As for the other young pharmacists, missing this chance might mean they'd never again witness such skilled pill-making.    

In the stands, Ye Wusheng sensed the pills in the furnaces of the young pharmacists and shook his head slightly.    

"Sigh... it's over, and the gap is significant."    

Qian Qing wasn't as upset as one might expect. As he had mentioned earlier, he had done all he could. Ye Wusheng had even shared the secrets of crafting this pill with his disciples, but there was still a considerable gap compared to Jiang Fann, who finished first. There wasn't much else to say.    

Chen Ning on stage also understood the situation but chose not to disturb the pharmacists as they worked, even though the outcome was already clear.    

Three weeks had passed since the third phase began. The second pharmacist finally completed their work—a mysterious figure from the Pill Sect. Three pills emerged, filling the air with a rich aroma. The quality was quite impressive, thanks to some special ingredients that enhanced the pills' properties.    

As for Jiang Fann, he had already sat down cross-legged a week ago, closing his eyes to quietly train, no longer watching the others concoct their pills. He had already observed the techniques of these young people thoroughly, as his expertise in pill-making far surpassed theirs.    

Fang Xiang was doing the same. He had begun his own training as soon as Jiang Fann finished his concoction, taking advantage of the valley's unique environment, which was perfect for honing one's skills.    

If Jiang Fann hadn't demonstrated his absolute skill in pill-making earlier, the other alchemists present would never have believed these two were alchemists.    

That afternoon, the poison alchemist and the alchemist who resembled Qin Feng both completed their concoctions. They glanced at the alchemist who had finished earlier and felt a twinge of disappointment upon realizing he had already completed his task.    

Cheng Shufan finished his concoction three hours after these two, but only managed to produce one successful pill. He furrowed his brow, deep in thought.    

Another day passed, and Qin Feng completed his concoction, surprisingly producing three pills of impressive quality. He was in high spirits, as this exceeded his expectations. He quickly gathered the pills, which were then collected by Chen Ning.    

Aside from these individuals, the progress of the others in pill-making was still lacking. It was clear that the grade of the Xuantian Seven-Star Pill was beyond their current capabilities, and it couldn't be crafted by merely following a recipe.    

Jiang Fann initially found the process of refining quite challenging, but Ye Wusheng had shared some key insights with him. With his keen understanding, Jiang Fann was able to complete the refinement successfully.    

Chen Ning observed the abilities of the pharmacists and then spoke up, "The remaining pharmacists haven't been able to complete the pill refinement. The materials in your furnaces have nearly lost their potency, so there's no point in continuing."    

Upon hearing Chen Ning's words, Jiang Fann, who was at the front, slowly opened his eyes and stood up. Next to him, Zhu Yan quickly tidied his appearance, clearly ready to make an impression. He was now full of confidence in Jiang Fann.    

After Fang Xiang stood up, he looked at Zhu Yan and said, "You're in a good mood, huh!"    

"Of course! The others have produced fewer pills than Younger Brother Jiang, and while their quality is decent, Jiang completed his refinement so quickly that he must be confident in the quality of his pills."    

At that moment, Chen Ning glanced over at Zhu Yan with a slight frown. Zhu Yan immediately realized what was happening and quickly patted Jiang Fann on the shoulder. "When we return to the clan, the elder will surely reward you well. You've really brought honor to us this time."    

There were many skilled individuals present, and their hearing was excellent. Although Zhu Yan spoke quietly, others might have overheard him referring to Jiang Fann in such a familiar manner, which could have caused issues. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and corrected himself.    

Chen Ning didn't dwell on it too much, and the other pharmacists, including Huang Rui, could only end their attempts with disappointment. Despite their reluctance, they had to admit they were outmatched.    

In front of Chen Ning floated six bottles of pills. He then spoke up, "This third phase of the competition was quite unexpected for me. I thought it would be suspenseful, but someone has emerged as a dark horse. So, I'll leave it to you to judge the final results, including the four who will be eliminated."    

Hearing this, the young participants perked up, eager to see how their peers' pills turned out. Chen Ning clearly intended this.    

Ye Wusheng and his companion were momentarily taken aback by Chen Ning's words. Then, a table appeared in front of Chen Ning, and the bottles landed on it. The ten young contestants walked over, including Jiang Fann, who was equally curious about the pills crafted by the others.    

Leading the way was the poison master, who was bold and showed little deference to Chen Ning. She reached directly for Jiang Fann's pill bottle, having already learned from her assistant that he was the first to successfully complete his concoction.    

Chen Ning didn't stop her, allowing her to open Jiang Fann's bottle and pour out the pills inside.    

When the young people saw four pills in the medicine bottle, their expressions changed. They clearly hadn't expected Jiang Fann to successfully produce four pills. One girl eagerly picked up one of Jiang Fann's pills, infused it with her energy, and after carefully sensing it, slowly placed it back on the table. She looked Jiang Fann up and down, her eyes full of confusion.    

However, she didn't say anything and turned to walk toward her two companions. Surprisingly, she led them directly toward the exit of the valley, clearly not intending to stay any longer. This action shocked the pharmacists in the stands because it signified surrender, indicating she had given up on comparing her pills.    

Qin Feng was the second to pick up a pill. He also used his skills to carefully assess Jiang Fann's pill, and his expression changed, filled with astonishment. He turned to look at Jiang Fann, clearly finding it hard to believe. The quality of the pill far exceeded his expectations, which explained why the other pharmacist had left.    

Just as he was about to speak, he paused and looked toward the stands. It wasn't just him; the two mysterious pharmacists from the Pill Sect had the same reaction, as if they had heard something.    

Huang Rui hadn't finished her pill-making process. She assessed several pills and ultimately chose Jiang Fann's, informing Chen Ning of her decision before turning to leave. It was clear she didn't plan to stay or join the Pill Sect, given her mentor's renowned reputation in the field.    

Cheng Shufan also chose Jiang Fann as the winner, but instead of leaving immediately, he returned to his spot among the helpers. Including the first pharmacist who left, three people had already chosen Jiang Fann, making the outcome seem inevitable.    

Another pharmacist, who hadn't completed their pill, stepped forward and fairly chose Jiang Fann's creation as well. The pharmacists in the stands began chatting, as if the results were already decided.    

Just then, one of Chen Ye's students spoke up: "This pill is good, and there are four of them, but it's not the highest quality. I believe the best pill is this one." With that, he selected the pill made by the mysterious pharmacist from the Dan Sect. His words brought a smile to Chen Ye's face in the distance, clearly intentional.    

Zhu Yan wanted to argue, but Fang Xiang stopped him, preventing further discussion, especially since four pharmacists had already chosen Jiang Fann. Cheng Shufan, who had made his choice earlier, frowned slightly and whispered a few words to those around him, clearly displeased with the Chen family's decision.    

At this moment, Qin Feng furrowed his brows, hesitating for a while before finally saying, "I choose this pill." He picked up the pill chosen by the Chen family, but quickly left the stage after speaking, clearly not wanting to linger.    

Chen Ning understood exactly what was happening. He glanced towards the stands, clearly aware of the reason behind Qin Feng's decision and his current state of mind.    

The mysterious apothecary, who looked just like Qin Feng, made the same choice. Although he believed his potion was just as good as the others, his mentor had only told him four words: "Think of the bigger picture."    

At that moment, three people had already chosen the apothecary as the winner. Besides the two who had been selected and hadn't made their choice yet, only one young man who hadn't successfully crafted his potion remained undecided.    

Before the young man could speak, the mysterious apothecary from the alchemy guild raised his hand. "I concede! My potion isn't as good as my friend's."    

He sounded young, likely around the same age as Qin Feng and the others. His voluntary concession allowed Jiang Fann to win without a fight, much to the disappointment of many apothecaries present. The suspense that had just been building vanished instantly.    

Chen Ning looked at the guild disciple with satisfaction and nodded at him. The apothecary acknowledged the gesture and left the platform, clearly rejecting the higher-ups' approach and not making a choice like Qin Feng.    

On the main stand, Qian Qing and his companion seemed a bit helpless, shaking their heads lightly, unsure of what to say.    

Finally, the last young man, seeing the situation, didn't say much and directly chose Jiang Fann's potion. Chen Ning wasted no time and promptly announced the final result.    

"I declare the winner of this alchemy competition to be the gifted pharmacist from Fire Valley, Fann Zhu!"    

With that announcement, two treasures enveloped in spiritual energy descended from the sky, finally hovering in front of Fann Jiang.    

Fann didn't even glance at the imperial-grade pill furnace; his attention was entirely captured by the scroll fragment. It was the source of everything for him now, and he certainly wouldn't let this divine spell fragment fall into someone else's hands.    

Without hesitation, Fann collected both treasures.    

Just then, Ning Chen approached Fann and said, "On behalf of the Alchemy Guild, I invite you to join us."