Most of these individuals possessed the strength of the Tenth Tier. They were gathered in small clusters, murmuring amongst themselves. After listening for a while, Nie Kong realized they all shared the same objective: none had received an invitation from the Pill Immortal Sect, yet all were determined to attend the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly."

Exchanging a glance with Tai Yan, both of them broke into smiles.

If that was the case, things would become considerably simpler.

If Nie Kong's guess was correct, the Pill Immortal Sect would undoubtedly select a few individuals from this pool of pharmacists who lacked invitations. After all, the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly" was held to discern the properties of medicinal herbs and perfect pill formulations; it wasn't an event where just anyone could show up simply by expressing a desire to attend.

As for who would qualify to participate in the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly," that would depend entirely on individual skill.

Several rows of tables and chairs were neatly arranged in the center of the hall. Nie Kong and Tai Yan found a spot near the middle and sat down. Perhaps because they appeared so young, none of the Spirit Illusionists approached them to strike up a conversation.

Time slipped away quickly, and as everyone waited, more people continued to arrive.

When Ascending Dragon City was enveloped in night, there were already eighteen people in the hall.

Stomp, stomp!

A series of light, yet uniform footsteps approached. Eighteen young women entered in single file, each carrying a candle lamp. They positioned themselves beside a table, and the hall was instantly flooded with bright light.

Immediately following them, eighteen young men filed in.

Each carried a wooden tray bearing a large medicine box and a pill cauldron. After placing their trays on the tabletops, they stood still with their hands respectfully at their sides.

Then, a figure of captivating allure entered—a woman dressed in white, appearing to be around thirty. Her features were delicately beautiful, her skin fair and tender, her figure graceful, still possessing a mature charm.

"Elder Luan, you have finally arrived."

"Indeed, indeed. I’ve been waiting for you for ages, Elder."

"Elder Luan, what is the topic for today? Please don't make it too difficult. I hear that this time at the 'Pill Palace Immortal Assembly,' several herbs thought long extinct will be featured. I was hoping to feast my eyes."

"..." Several Spirit Illusionists greeted her warmly.

So, this was Elder Luan Yexin! Nie Kong glanced at the medicine box and cauldron resting on the table before him, a sense of anticipation rising within him.

It appeared to be a test of alchemy, but since it was designed to select participants for the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly," the problem would surely not be simple. However, alchemy was the one thing Nie Kong feared the least in this world.

Moreover, having sat here for so long, even without interacting with the surrounding competitors, Nie Kong had gleaned a good deal of information from their conversations.

These people were basically Eighth Grade Pharmacists. If any one of them appeared on the Heavenly Spirit Continent, they would cause a sensation, yet here, they hadn't even managed to secure an invitation from the Pill Immortal Sect. Across the entire Divine Void Realm, only sixteen Ninth Grade Medicine Kings had received personal, handwritten invitations from the Sect Master.

Compared to them, Nie Kong felt supremely confident.

Luan Yexin paused before the assembly and smiled radiantly, saying, "Esteemed friends, there is no need to rush. Before the 'Pill Palace Immortal Assembly' officially begins, an assessment is conducted at this time every day. Even if you fail today, you may return tomorrow. Passing the assessment just once is sufficient to qualify for the 'Pill Palace Immortal Assembly.'"

"It can be done like this?"

Nie Kong muttered to himself, slightly taken aback. He hadn't known about this rule regarding repeated assessment attempts. The others nearby hadn't mentioned it either, but that was understandable; no one would willingly boast about how many times they had taken the Pill Immortal Sect's test—it carried a slight air of self-deprecation.

Once Luan Yexin spoke, everyone quieted down.

Luan Yexin's eyes swept across the room. When her gaze landed on Nie Kong and Tai Yan, she couldn't help but pause. Amidst a collection of more than a dozen older men and women, the pair certainly stood out, especially Tai Yan, whose peerless beauty made her truly exceptional.

Though slightly surprised, Luan Yexin quickly withdrew her gaze and continued with a smile, "Today's assessment task is straightforward: refine one Eighth Grade pill. Your medicine boxes contain twenty-six types of herbs—eight of which are mandatory, and eighteen are optional alternatives. You must confirm the precise formula and successfully refine a pill with a quality rating exceeding eighty within the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. Only then will you earn the qualification to attend the 'Pill Palace Immortal Assembly.'"

Hearing this, a wry smile appeared on many faces. Having to confirm a formula, refine an Eighth Grade pill, and achieve a quality above eighty—the difficulty was far from minor.

Even those sixteen Ninth Grade Medicine Kings recognized by the Pill Immortal Sect would find completing this task challenging.

"Light the incense!"

Observing the expressions of everyone present, Luan Yexin smiled faintly and gave a sweeping command.

As soon as the sound faded, the Pill Immortal Sect female disciple following her flicked her finger, sending a spurt of green flame that ignited the stick of incense she held.

"Crack, crack..."

Immediately, the sound of medicine boxes opening echoed throughout the hall.

Nie Kong did not delay, quickly opening his medicine box. The assessments of previous days also allotted the time of one stick of incense, but this particular incense burned for only five or six minutes, unlike those from his past life.

To confirm a formula and refine a high-quality Eighth Grade pill in such a short span truly presented a significant challenge.

His gaze swept over the herbs in the box, and a slight smile instantly touched Nie Kong's lips.

The box held thirty compartments, with twenty-six containing medicinal ingredients. He could find every one of them in the Spirit Mansion Medicine Tower. Nie Kong had seen them all, tasted them all, and recorded them in his Compendium of Materia Medica. Consequently, he knew their medicinal properties and natures like the back of his hand.

Nie Kong felt even more relaxed; having experienced them all meant he could skip the time needed for immediate identification.

He picked up the pill formula included in the box, then closed his eyes, rapidly calculating within his mind. Refining this particular Eighth Grade pill, named "Hibiscus Falling Petal Elixir," required twelve different herbs in total. The formula specified eight, meaning the alchemist needed to supplement the remaining four ingredients themselves.

With eighteen optional herbs available, selecting the correct four would be quite troublesome.

Therefore, upon seeing this specific assessment task, the atmosphere in the hall shifted once more.

Everyone became deeply focused in thought. The surroundings grew so silent that a pin drop could be heard, and an aura of intense tension began to permeate the air.

In less than half a minute, some individuals started adding herbs to their cauldrons one after another. Observing these pharmacists’ movements, a few others grew visibly more anxious, sweat beginning to bead faintly on their foreheads.

Seeing Nie Kong remain still and silent, Tai Yan showed no sign of haste, simply watching beside him.

In her estimation, even if all the Ninth Grade Medicine Kings of the Divine Void Realm were counted, Nie Kong could still rank first. Forget refining an Eighth Grade pill within the time of an incense stick; even a Ninth Grade pill, she was certain he possessed the means to succeed.

Luan Yexin’s eyes flickered as she observed the activities of the crowd.

The primary reason the Pill Immortal Sect held this assessment daily was that many pharmacists seeking to attend the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly" were known to them. While their refinement skills might be slightly inferior to the Ninth Grade Medicine Kings, their personal strength was formidable, and some possessed deep backing, making it difficult for the Pill Immortal Sect to flatly refuse them.

Thus, this type of assessment came into existence.

The assessment had been running for several days, and not a single person had passed; today would likely be no different.

Some pharmacists who failed the first attempt chose to give up directly, while others persisted through repeated failures. Several individuals currently in the hall had participated in multiple assessments without success.

Perhaps not a single person would pass even by the time the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly" commenced. This assessment served as a subtle form of refusal: if their skill level wasn't sufficient, they had only themselves to blame for the Pill Immortal Sect's refusal to let them attend the "Pill Palace Immortal Assembly." Watching the busy or deeply contemplative crowd, Luan Yexin couldn't help but smile slightly.

...