Chapter 207: A Contest of Pill Refining

Chapter 207: A Contest of Pill Refining

"Greetings, fellow disciples," Chu Ning said, a hint of surprise in his voice as he bowed calmly towards the nearly hundred people gathered in the main hall of the Pill Refining Pavilion.

He YeMao also felt that the commotion caused by the crowd from the Pill Refining Pavilion was a bit excessive and inappropriate.

With a kind smile on his dark face, he addressed Chu Ning, "Brother Chu, you've already met the few administrators here. But there are some other fellow disciples and Qi Refining disciples you haven't met yet. When they heard you were coming, they wanted to come and greet you."

As he spoke, He YeMao turned to the crowd and introduced, "This is our Pill Refining Pavilion's new administrator, Administrator Chu Ning."

The members of the Pill Refining Pavilion were indeed curious and astonished by Chu Ning's youth, and they had heard some whispers about him these past few days.

However, not everyone had the status and background of Yuan Rongzhang, so although most of them were surprised, they maintained their composure and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Administrator Chu."

Chu Ning returned the bow politely and scanned the crowd with his eyes before speaking. "I, Chu, am new here, so I ask for your guidance in the future, fellow disciples."

His polite words caused He YeMao, who knew a bit about "Master Xiao Dan's" temperament, to feel a bit surprised.

But he thought that since "Master Xiao Dan" was assuming a completely different identity, and with their grudges resolved, it seemed normal for his eccentric personality to change as well.

At this moment, Yuan Rongzhang casually signaled with his eyes, and immediately, an elder standing next to him who seemed to be around the same age as He YeMao spoke up.

"Brother Chu, Geng Wansheng, has something to ask you boldly."

Chu Ning's eyes landed on the speaker, Geng Wansheng, and he noticed that he was also a cultivator at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

This man looked thin, but the aura around him was stronger than that of an average cultivator at the same stage. It seemed that he was on the verge of stepping into the late Foundation Establishment stage.

"Please speak, Brother Geng," Chu Ning said.

As Chu Ning spoke, Geng Wansheng's eyes fixed on him intently. "To be honest, before this, I had also thought about applying for the position of administrator in the sect.

There is a requirement set by the sect for the position of administrator. Not only must one be a mid-tier intermediate Pill Refiner, but they must also be able to refine at least five types of mid-tier intermediate pills with a success rate of over 60%, and refine ten types of mid-tier low-grade pills with a success rate of over 80%."

Upon hearing Geng Wansheng's words, Chu Ning was slightly taken aback.

He hadn't heard He YeMao mention such rules before.

The requirement for certification as a mid-tier intermediate Pill Refiner was to be able to refine mid-tier intermediate pills with a success rate of over 60%.

However, one only needed to be proficient in refining a single type of pill.

The requirement for administrators of the Pill Refining Pavilion to be able to refine five types of mid-tier intermediate pills with a success rate of over 60% was indeed higher.

At first glance, the latter requirement of refining ten types of mid-tier low-grade pills with a success rate of over 80% seemed easier.

However, Chu Ning was well aware that this was only true in comparison to himself.

Ordinary Pill Refiners, even mid-tier intermediate Pill Refiners, could usually only refine five or six types of mid-tier low-grade pills with a success rate of over 80%.

After all, the medicinal ingredients required for pills of this grade were not ordinary.

Pill Refiners rarely had access to large quantities of spiritual herbs for practice.

Some Pill Refiners even specialized in refining only one or two types of pills.

Seeing the expression on Chu Ning's face, a glint flashed in Geng Wansheng's eyes, and he continued, "However, Geng is still lacking in pill refining skills, falling short of both requirements.

Since Brother Chu has been recognized by the sect elders as an administrator of the Pill Refining Pavilion, you must have already met these requirements."

As soon as Geng Wansheng's words came out, the expressions of the crowd in the Pill Refining Pavilion became more varied.

Everyone present was intelligent enough to understand that Geng Wansheng was using a tactic to spur Chu Ning on.

Chu Ning remained calm and replied, "I, Chu, am unaware of this rule.

Elder Gong has indeed seen the pills I refined, but I don't think he has seen so many different types."

"Wow!"

Hearing Chu Ning admit this himself, the room erupted into an uproar.

The Qi Refining disciples were fine, but some of the Foundation Establishment cultivators had already started speaking up.

"How come our sect's Pill Refiners have to follow this rule, but others don't?"

"Yes, isn't this unfair to Brother Geng and the others?"

"We've all seen Brother Geng's pill refining skills. If he can't become an administrator, how can others qualify?"

...

For a moment, the Pill Refining Pavilion was filled with chatter.

Over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators looked at Chu Ning with a hint of dissatisfaction.

The Qi Refining disciples didn't dare to show such expressions, but they, too, had curious looks on their faces.

The few administrators standing in front of Chu Ning had mixed reactions on their faces.

He YeMao's face showed a hint of embarrassment as he felt troubled by the situation getting slightly out of hand.

Su Yuqing maintained a calm expression, and her eyes held a curious gaze as she waited to see how Chu Ning would handle this situation.

The older administrator, Xu Minghua, had an unreadable expression on his face.

As for Yuan Rongzhang, his eyes held a hint of amusement as he looked at Chu Ning.

Chu Ning remained composed, his eyes scanning the crowd before finally settling on He YeMao. "Brother He, since the fellow disciples have doubts about my pill refining skills, why don't we arrange for a test?"

Hearing Chu Ning take the initiative to offer to take the test, He YeMao heaved a sigh of relief.

He had seen Chu Ning's pills and knew that they were of high quality.

However, he was unsure if Chu Ning could master the refining techniques for so many intermediate-level pills.

When He YeMao had invited "Master Xiao Dan" to join, he hadn't intended for him to become an administrator.

It was only after "Master Xiao Dan" refined the Foundation Establishment pill that Elder Gong made an exception.

"Alright then, Brother Chu, please refine a few pills. It will be a good opportunity for us to exchange pill refining techniques," He YeMao said with relief.

"There are two pill refining chambers in this pavilion that are equipped for others to observe the pill refining process. They are protected by restrictions, ensuring privacy and peace. You can choose one of those rooms to refine your pills, and we can all observe and learn," He YeMao suggested. "I'll have someone prepare the ingredients. What pills do you plan to refine? Please let me know so we can get the necessary materials ready."

As He YeMao and Chu Ning spoke, the members of the Pill Refining Pavilion were taken aback by Chu Ning's unexpected proposal to undergo a test. His bold suggestion clearly demonstrated his confidence, surprising everyone present.

For a moment, many of them wondered silently.

"Could it be that this Administrator Chu's pill refining skills are truly exceptional, allowing him to achieve such a high success rate?"

"If he truly possesses such remarkable pill refining abilities, our Pill Refining Pavilion will indeed gain tremendous strength."

Of course, not everyone shared these thoughts.

Before Chu Ning could respond to He YeMao's suggestion, Yuan Rongzhang interrupted.

"Hold on!" he said, drawing everyone's attention. With a light smile, he continued, "Since Brother Chu was introduced by Elder Gong, he should have no problem refining either intermediate-mid-tier pills or intermediate-low-tier pills."

Upon hearing Yuan Rongzhang's words, the people in the room were momentarily taken aback, unsure of his intention.

It was common knowledge that Yuan Rongzhang was a junior of a Nascent Soul elder in the sect and was known for his arrogance. He rarely praised others, and everyone present was aware that he had been the most persistent in questioning Chu Ning over the past half month. This was because he had been unhappy about Geng Wansheng not obtaining the administrator position. Given this context, Yuan Rongzhang's current words seemed very strange.

Noticing the confused glances he was receiving, Yuan Rongzhang smiled and explained, "However, I recall that one of the requirements for becoming an administrator of the Pill Refining Pavilion is to be able to refine our sect's unique pills. After all, as an administrator of the Nineflower Sect's Pill Refining Pavilion, one should be able to refine pills suitable for our sect's cultivators."

Hearing this, the gazes of many in the room became nuanced.

What Yuan Rongzhang said was not wrong. Indeed, before this, most of the administrators of the Nineflower Sect's Pill Refining Pavilion had been sect members who had learned the sect's unique pill refining techniques from the very beginning.

Therefore, they never encountered such issues.

Now that Yuan Rongzhang brought this up, his intentions were worth pondering.

He YeMao frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased. "Brother Yuan, you are making things difficult," he said. "Brother Chu has only recently joined the sect and is not yet familiar with our unique pill refining techniques. How can he refine our sect's unique pills?"

Yuan Rongzhang smiled at He YeMao's response. "Then Brother Chu can discuss this with Elder Gong. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for him to become an administrator after he has familiarized himself with our sect's pill refining techniques. Otherwise, if our Pill Refining Pavilion fails to supply enough pills and other halls inquire, 'Don't you have another administrator?' we won't have a good answer, right?"

He YeMao frowned deeper, about to say something, when Xu Minghua, who had been silent until now, interjected. "Brother He, there might be a compromise. We don't necessarily need to refine five or ten types of pills. We can let Brother Chu observe our pill refining techniques first. He can choose one or two types of intermediate-mid-tier pills and one or two types of intermediate-low-tier pills. If Brother Chu is confident that he can learn and successfully refine them within a short period, then I believe with more time, he will naturally be able to refine the rest."

"Brother Xu's suggestion is reasonable," Yuan Rongzhang quickly agreed. "Why don't the four of us choose four types of pills, and Brother Chu can tell us how much time he needs? We can wait."

As He YeMao hesitated slightly, Chu Ning spoke up. "I have no objections. In fact, I'm quite interested in our sect's unique pill refining techniques."

Seeing Chu Ning's response, He YeMao glanced at him and finally said, "In that case, let's have the four of us choose four types of pills for Brother Chu. Sister Su, please choose an intermediate-mid-tier pill."

Su Yuqing, who had been silent until now, nodded slightly and thought for a moment before taking out a jade slip from her storage bag. "Brother Chu, this pill is called the Six Gods Pill. It's an intermediate-mid-tier pill mainly used to strengthen divine sense. It's one of the most popular pills among our sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators. Here are the required ingredients and the refining method."

After a brief pause, Su Yuqing continued calmly, "The difficulty of refining this pill is moderate among intermediate-mid-tier pills. Normally, one furnace produces seven pills. To achieve a fifty percent success rate requires some effort."

Chu Ning took the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense. Indeed, it contained the formula and refining method for the Six Gods Pill. The difficulty of this pill lay in a herb called Spirit-condensing Grass, which was challenging to purify and liquefy. It required a certain level of fire control and divine sense manipulation.

Chu Ning only needed a glance to understand the essence of the pill, and he nodded. "Thank you, Sister Su."

Before Su Yuqing's words had even landed, Xu Minghua took out another jade slip and continued, "I'll choose an intermediate-low-tier pill—the Purple Gold Pill.

Yuan Rongzhang smiled at Su Yuqing's words and replied, "That's precisely why I chose this pill. Didn't Brother Chu just say that he wanted to learn more about our sect's pill refining techniques? If he can master the refining method of this pill, it would demonstrate a profound understanding of our sect's unique pill refining art."

As he spoke, Yuan Rongzhang turned to Chu Ning, a hint of pride in his voice. "I'm not very talented, but recently, I've managed to stabilize the success rate of this pill at fifty percent, occasionally reaching sixty percent. Of course, since Brother Chu is new to this, I won't expect the same success rate. As long as he can produce one pill in a furnace, I'll be satisfied."

Su Yuqing was surprised to hear that Yuan Rongzhang had achieved a fifty percent success rate with this pill, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.

He YeMao shook his head and said, "The Nineflower Condensing Yuan Pill is too difficult. Brother Yuan, please choose another one."

Yuan Rongzhang smiled again and turned his gaze to Chu Ning. "Brother Chu, would you like to give it a try?"

Chu Ning calmly met Yuan Rongzhang's gaze, his eyes unwavering despite the hint of provocation in the other's words. He sighed inwardly, knowing that to truly establish himself in the Nineflower Sect's Pill Refining Pavilion, he would have to rely on his own abilities. From the current situation, it seemed that even as an administrator, he wouldn't be able to rest easy without the recognition of his peers.

This was quite different from his original plan of finding a powerful sect to obtain resources and cultivate peacefully.

Since that was the case, he might as well establish his authority right from the start.

It was better to throw a strong punch and avoid a hundred punches later!

With these thoughts in mind, Chu Ning reached out and took the jade slip from Yuan Rongzhang. "Then I'll give it a try and take this opportunity to learn about the sect's pill refining techniques."

As he spoke, Chu Ning used his divine sense to examine the contents of the jade slip.

With just a cursory scan, he could tell that what the others had said was true.

The Nineflower Condensing Yuan Pill was not easy to refine.

Its main effect was to strengthen one's foundation and enhance their spiritual power.

While its effects were only that of an intermediate middle-grade pill, the refining process required a special fire control technique.

Chu Ning guessed that this technique was probably a foundation for refining more advanced pills in the Nineflower Sect.

Although the technique seemed extremely profound at first glance, Chu Ning actually breathed a sigh of relief.

This technique, while not identical to the fire control techniques he had learned from the Spirit Dan Anthology in Leihuo Sect, shared many similarities in principle.

Moreover, in terms of complexity and profundity, it was even simpler than some of the techniques he had encountered before.

With his Noon Fire Spirit Body and Yuan Dan Spirit Body, mastering this technique wouldn't be difficult.

Chu Ning quickly withdrew his divine sense from the jade slip and noticed the vastly different expressions on the faces of those present.

Yuan Rongzhang looked pleased, with a hint of smugness, while He YeMao wore a confused expression. Su Yuqing, on the other hand, seemed even more curious, and Xu Minghua remained impassive, his face unreadable. As for the rest of the crowd, they were clearly enjoying the show.

Chu Ning didn't bother to guess what everyone was thinking and turned his gaze to He YeMao.

The first administrator of the Pill Refining Pavilion took out a jade slip from his storage bag and said, "It's my turn to choose an intermediate low-grade pill. I'll go with the Foundation Establishment Pill. Everyone here is familiar with this pill, so I won't elaborate further."

He YeMao's words surprised everyone present.

They had expected him to choose a relatively simple pill to refine, given his personality.

But instead, he had selected the Foundation Establishment Pill, one of the most challenging pills to refine among intermediate low-grade pills.

Achieving an eighty percent success rate with this pill was incredibly difficult.

Of course, Chu Ning understood He YeMao's intention behind this choice.

He was probably aware that Chu Ning had already mastered the Foundation Establishment Pill, so he was giving him something with which he already had some experience.

"Haha, good! Brother He must have great confidence in Brother Chu's pill refining skills!" Yuan Rongzhang exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face after a brief moment of surprise. "So, these are the four pills. Brother Chu, how much time do you need to study their refining methods?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end