Inside the vast pill-refining hall.
Two Second-Order Alchemists were wholly absorbed in refining Colorful Chrysanthemum Pills.
One looked solemn, yet remained composed.
The other was utterly focused, but the twitch of his brows betrayed his nerves.
The onlookers stood "silent," afraid to disturb them.
Silent, supposedly.
In fact, quite a few were secretly exchanging messages through Spiritual Sense.
With Luo Chen's powerful soul, even without trying to eavesdrop, he could clearly hear the conversations of those at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage and Middle Stage.
"Tsk, Tao Yisheng took that ten-year assignment guarding Yuanzhao Kingdom, but his Pill Refinement Art hasn't slipped a bit!"
"More than that. Look how he uses Simple Heart Hand—steady and effortless."
"You're right. If I had to prepare that Cliff Chrysanthemum, I doubt I could manage anything close."
"And Tao Yichen?"
"He's no good. Too rigid!"
"He follows every step to the letter, afraid of ruining the ingredients, but misses the best moment to blend their Medicinal Power."
"The way I see it, Tao Yichen's Pill Refinement Art is a whole level below Yisheng's!"
"Here comes the crucial part. Let's see how they handle the Five-Colored Chrysanthemum!"
The pill-refining contest continued amid mounting tension.
Luo Chen watched for only a while before his brows drew together.
And Tao Yichen calls himself a Second-Order Alchemist?
He was astonished.
The man's skill was shockingly poor.
Had his level of Pill Refining truly fallen so far because mundane affairs had consumed his time?
But that did not seem right.
When Tao Yisheng had discussed the subject with him, he had sounded perfectly knowledgeable.
Yet in practice, he had made mistake after mistake.
It seemed Azure Pill Valley's assessment of Second-Order Alchemists was remarkably lenient.
Luo Chen glanced at the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, all watching with keen