Chu Ning spoke as he walked toward the alchemy room isolated by restrictions in the dojo.

At this moment, Su Yuqing also appeared, smiling and nodding at Chu Ning.

Chu Ning returned the nod but did not stop, heading directly into the alchemy room.

This was Chu Ning’s first time here.

Though called an alchemy room, it was actually just a high platform with restrictions around the perimeter.

Chu Ning slightly felt the place out; the restriction seemed to have only a soundproofing effect.

Neither Spiritual Qi nor vision was affected.

It was mainly to prevent external environmental influences during alchemy.

At the center of the platform was a dark Earth Fire opening, but without a Pill Furnace placed there.

Chu Ning then placed his own Pill Furnace on it and unlocked the array that sealed the Earth Fire, giving it a slight feel.

The Earth Fire here was extremely stable, and Chu Ning was satisfied.

He shut off the Earth Fire and began to meditate to restore his energy.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the dojo, Yuan Rongzhang led Geng Wansheng and others there.

The group had a sound insulation shield around them, and seeing Chu Ning from afar, someone beside them whispered.

"This Junior Brother Chu seems very calm; could he truly be confident?"

"Impossible!" Yuan Rongzhang immediately shook his head in rebuttal.

"The Fire Control Technique for the Jiuhua Essence Condensing Pill, even for the alchemist in our sect who has been honing the sect’s alchemy techniques, is difficult to master in just half a year.

Much less applying it to the refinement of an elixir, especially since he also has to cultivate other alchemy techniques during these six months."

Geng Wansheng chimed in:

"Indeed, Junior Brother Yuan, you had to cultivate for such a long time to refine the Jiuhua Essence Condensing Pill’s Fire Control Technique so purely.

It’s simply impossible for Chu Ning to master it in such a short time."

He paused slightly before continuing:

"Junior Brother Yuan, do you think he might abandon refining the Jiuhua Essence Condensing Pill altogether and only focus on refining the three types of elixirs?

If he has exceptional Talent, perhaps he could achieve a certain Pill Formation Success Rate.

Then, even if the Jiuhua Essence Condensing Pill isn’t successfully refined, Elder Gong might still have his back."

"This..."

Hearing Geng Wansheng’s words, Yuan Rongzhang’s expression turned more serious.

At this moment, he thought, Geng Wansheng’s words had some truth, as Chu Ning was, after all, brought in by Gong Yuyuan.

In his moment of hesitation, suddenly, a Communication Talisman dropped into his hand.

Yuan Rongzhang slightly sensed it, and his face flashed with a hint of surprise before disappearing.

He chuckled lightly: "Rest assured, today Chu Ning will not become the steward unless he can refine all the elixirs."

The crowd, hearing Yuan Rongzhang’s words, couldn’t help but be curious, but seeing he didn’t elaborate, they knew better than to press further.

The group soon entered the dojo, arriving at the central location.

By now, the people in the Alchemy Pavilion were almost all present.

Because the pavilion had deliberately spread the word earlier, today almost no one was refining alchemy or going out, with participants from other pavilions and peaks joining.

There were far more people than half a year ago, nearly four hundred in total.

Everyone knew that the sound wouldn’t reach the alchemy stage on the high platform.

So various discussions were continuously arising.

There were curious ones, skeptical ones, all sorts.

At that moment, several Escape Lights suddenly appeared in the sky, coming swiftly to hover above the dojo.

"The elders have arrived!"

Just from the Escape Lights, everyone knew they were elders from within the Sect.

Jiuhua Sect has one Supreme Elder at Nascent Soul Stage; Sect Leader Yu Changge is at Golden Core Late Stage, Grand Elder and Second Elder are also at Golden Core Late Stage.

Apart from them, there are seven Golden Core Elders; among them, two are at Middle Stage of Golden Core, the others are at Early Stage of Golden Core.

One Nascent Soul Cultivator, and ten Golden Core Cultivators; such strength is indeed quite formidable.

Yet, at this moment, there were only four Escape Lights visible; evidently, not all elders were present.

Just from the Escape Lights, no one could tell which elders they were; nobody dared to look first, instead, they all bowed in unison:

"Greetings, elders!"

Chu Ning on the high platform also saw the elders arriving, stepping outside the platform’s restriction to bow and greet them.

Upon raising his head, Chu Ning recognized three of the four people.

One was precisely Gong Yuyuan, who brought him into the sect.

Another bore some resemblance to Yuan Rongzhang, with a head full of white hair, namely Second Elder Yuan Zhuo.

The third, short with loose hair, was Elder Ge Liuyang who managed artifact refining for the sect.

As for the last square-faced elder, Chu Ning didn’t know him.

Chu Ning didn’t know him, but others in the Alchemy Pavilion recognized him.

Upon seeing this person, He Yanmao and the others exclaimed with joy:

"Elder Ling, you’ve come out of retreat!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning also realized this person should be Golden Core Elder Ling Cang of the Alchemy Pavilion.

"Hmm!"

Ling Cang lightly acknowledged, sweeping his gaze coldly at several Alchemy Pavilion stewards.

"If I hadn’t come out of retreat, goodness knows how many more jokes you’d make."

With this one sentence, he scolded all the stewards, leaving them speechless.

Gong Yuyuan, meanwhile, laughed and said:

"Junior Brother Ling successfully broke through to the Middle Stage of Golden Core and immediately came over upon hearing the matter at the Alchemy Pavilion.

You should hurry and congratulate him."