Refining a pill in three minutes!
Jiang Chen's arrogant declaration left the other teenagers on the stone platform completely speechless.
They had initially planned to mock him, but now, not a single word left their mouths.
In three minutes? There wasn't even enough time to prepare the materials, let alone light the furnace and begin refining. And yet, this lunatic claimed he could refine a pill?
Ridiculous! He must be a fool, treating everyone else like idiots.
---
"Alright, time is up. Let's begin."
"The assessment for a first-grade alchemist is simple: refine any complete first-grade pill. You may use the medicinal materials as you see fit."
Dan Yichen's voice rang out, breaking the awkward tension.
The moment his words fell, the seven or eight teenagers around Jiang Chen sprang into action.
Jiang Chen glanced around and noticed that most of them were preparing to refine basic first-grade pills like Healing Pills and Accumulation Pills.
Only two stood out:
The purple-clothed girl, who had clashed with Jiang Chen earlier, and a grim-faced boy in black, both of whom were attempting to refine a first-grade Body Tempering Pill.
---
Two or three minutes passed quickly.
The teenagers had already prepared their materials and ignited their furnaces.
Suddenly, the hall was filled with the sound of crackling flames. The air grew hot as the fiery glow of seven or eight pill furnaces burned brightly.
Their techniques were somewhat rough and unpolished, but their actions followed the correct steps.
Among them, the purple-clothed girl and the grim-faced boy stood out for their steady control and precision. Both had begun placing their medicinal ingredients into the furnace, showing their superior skill.
---
The purple-clothed girl glanced sideways at Jiang Chen. Seeing him still sitting idly without having started anything, her lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Why aren't you starting? Don't tell me you don't even know how to begin refining pills!"
Jiang Chen didn't even look at her. He said calmly, "You should focus on your alchemy instead of worrying about me. If you're distracted, you might fry your furnace accidentally."
"Hmph! What nonsense. The medicinal phase for my Body Tempering Pill is almost complete. I'm about to condense the pill—how could I possibly fail?!"
The girl sneered, her tone laced with provocation. "Let's see your skill, oh great alchemist. Why don't you try and prove me wrong?"
---
Jiang Chen chuckled softly and said, "Since you're so eager to fry your furnace, I'll grant your wish. After all, for me, alchemy is as simple as drinking water!"
With that, he finally began.
Jiang Chen lit the fire under his pill furnace with swift precision.
Unlike the others who spent several minutes fumbling with their flames, Jiang Chen warmed the furnace in less than thirty seconds.
Then, without hesitation, he added the medicinal ingredients for the Body Tempering Pill. His movements were as fluid as running water, perfectly controlled, and shockingly efficient.
---
In less than two minutes, Jiang Chen performed a condensation formula. The pill furnace trembled slightly, and a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air.
With a casual wave of his hand, Jiang Chen opened the furnace and retrieved a perfectly refined Body Tempering Pill.
Holding the pill in his hand, he placed it on the table with a calm smile.
---
It took him less than three minutes to refine a first-grade high-level Body Tempering Pill!
The hall fell into stunned silence.
The seven or eight teenagers around Jiang Chen were utterly petrified, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.
Their hands froze mid-action, forgetting to focus on their own alchemy.
The next moment...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions echoed one after another as several pill furnaces erupted, scattering broken shards and black smoke across the hall.
---
The purple-clothed girl's face turned pale. She stared at the perfect Body Tempering Pill in Jiang Chen's hand, then turned to her own furnace, which lay in ruins.
Her voice trembled as she stammered in disbelief:
"Y-You… How is this possible?!"
The pill she had spent so much time refining had failed, and her furnace had exploded.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen, whom she had mocked just moments ago, refined the same pill in three minutes—with such ease that it looked as if he were merely playing around.
Her pride and confidence were utterly shattered.