At this moment, the elder judges saw the medicine pill refined by Zhang Hao, and their faces couldn't help but appear strange. Many elder judges did not expect that the only alchemist who completed the final round of the Great Alchemy Competition had refined a pill that turned out to be merely of the lowest quality!

This is quite absurd! The elder judges certainly knew the final round of the Great Alchemy Competition. Clearly, the difficulty lay in that high platform, which wasn't something an ordinary alchemist could handle. The second challenge was the pill recipe, testing the alchemist's overall abilities, as they only had ten seconds to memorize it.

This is challenging for most alchemists. However, the elder judges noticed that Zhang Hao incredibly selected all the correct spiritual materials without missing a single one. Evidently, Zhang Hao had passed the two most difficult tests in the third round of the Great Alchemy Competition.

Yet, the elder judges could not believe that the pill he refined was only a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill! It was important to know that although the recipe provided in the competition was unique, its difficulty was not excessive for alchemists, especially those who stood out among the two hundred excellent alchemists.

But the fact that he only refined a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill meant that even any alchemist eliminated earlier could easily produce such a pill.

More importantly, Zhang Hao had evidently chosen the correct spiritual materials. If he had not chosen them correctly, it would be understandable, but how do we explain this now?

"This is ridiculous! Don't tell me the champion of this year's Great Alchemy Competition is just a guy who can only refine Fourth Grade Medicine Pills?"

"It's simply unfathomable! Are you suggesting he didn't cheat? What other reason is there?"

"I am now seriously suspecting that he cheated! If he becomes the champion of the Great Alchemy Competition, it would be utterly laughable!"

"Such an alchemist becoming the champion is a disgrace to our Great Alchemy Competition, even if he got this far!"

"Indeed! This type of alchemist should be tested separately, and they'll surely reveal their weakness!"

"That's right, I agree!"

"I agree too!"

"..."

"Elder Wang, what do you think we should do about this?"

At this moment, the elder judges evidently felt some anger in their hearts, not expecting that the pill refined by Zhang Hao was merely a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill. An alchemist of this rank reaching this stage in the Great Alchemy Competition was simply disgraceful, and the elder judges couldn't help but feel indignant.

The elder judges had raised serious doubts about Zhang Hao. Initially, some judges did not fully believe Zhang Hao's results were due to cheating, but the fact of a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill being right before their eyes left them ashamed, even angry, as it was an insult to them.

Subsequently, some elder judges suggested re-assessing this alchemist to expose his true self. However, everyone knew that the final decision naturally rested with Elder Wang, the head judge.

Then, an elder judge looked at Elder Wang and asked him with a very serious expression.

At this time, Elder Wang heard the discussions among the others, his expression very stern, even slightly frowning. Despite feeling a sense of indignation, his face remained fairly calm. Elder Wang knew that the topics for the Great Alchemy Competition were carefully kept secret.

If this couldn't even be ensured, the competition wouldn't have attracted nearly three hundred thousand spectators, nor would it be among the major events of Donglai Continent. However, it was undeniable that Zhang Hao cheated to reach the third round of the Great Alchemy Competition.

But Elder Wang was not only the head judge of this year's competition, he was also an important elder in the City Lord Mansion of Dancheng. Elder Wang knew that Zhang Hao's background might very well be linked to high-ranking members of the City Lord Mansion. Moreover, Elder Wang had reviewed some of Zhang Hao's information.

Moreover, Elder Wang had later sent people to investigate Zhang Hao's background. Clearly, this alchemist had nothing noteworthy in his background, merely a small local alchemist. His alchemic talent was considered decent locally, but in the Great Alchemy Competition, his talent was evidently insufficient.

Elder Wang suspected that this alchemist might be just someone's pawn, and the person behind Zhang Hao was the most significant existence.

At this time, the elder in the judge area looked at Elder Wang, a bit anxious to hear his response. Regarding such an alchemist, everyone believed Elder Wang would definitely not tolerate condoning!

"Proceed as usual for now, and we'll talk after the second group of participating alchemists compete!"

Elder Wang slightly frowned and said seriously.

Many elder judges were taken aback hearing Elder Wang's words, not expecting him to tolerate the opponent's actions temporarily and continue the competition as normal. The elder judges were clearly shocked, not expecting Elder Wang to make such a decision.

However, the elder judges clearly respected Elder Wang greatly, and trusted him deeply. Moreover, Elder Wang did not intend to ignore the matter; he simply wanted to wait until the second group of participating alchemists finished competing before discussing it further. Thus, the elder judges could only temporarily endure and follow Elder Wang's arrangement.

Afterward, the host elder came out and announced the results of the first group's alchemy competition, with Zhang Hao being the only one to complete the third round:

"First place in the first group goes to Zhang Hao, a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill!"

At that moment, after hearing the host elder's announcement, the crowd erupted in astonishment, clearly surprised by Zhang Hao's refinement of a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill.

"That's too ridiculous! Don't tell me the only alchemist to complete the third round ended up refining just a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill?"

"Maybe this year's alchemy competition champion will end with a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill! Haha..."

"It's completely absurd! Isn't Zhang Hao cheating? Did he cheat just to produce a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill?"

"..."

For a moment, everyone was discussing intensely, clearly shocked by the Fourth Grade Medicine Pill. Ordinarily, this pill would be quite decent for cultivators. Yet, they were in an alchemy competition. Even those eliminated could refine a pill of the Fourth Grade rank.

This made those eliminated contestants feel so embarrassed!

However, the reactions of the crowd weren't as intense as those of the judges. After all, the audience didn't know that Zhang Hao chose all the spiritual materials correctly in the refinement, resulting in just a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill. Many spectators probably believed Zhang Hao didn't finish reading the Pill Recipe, leading to the Fourth Grade Medicine Pill.

If the audience knew the truth, they would probably riot. This was outrageously insulting! Is the champion of this year's alchemy competition really someone who can only refine a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill?

…

The alchemy competition then proceeded as usual, and soon enough, Ding Fan's group came out to compete.

"Look! My Brother Dalin is out!"

"Brother Dalin, mighty and domineering! Mighty and domineering!"

"..."

Nearing tens of thousands of spectators, seeing Ding Fan emerge, were highly excited, with cheers, shouts, and chants deafening the air!

Though the audience's enthusiasm for Ding Fan was high, many were still quite worried about him. They knew the third round tested the alchemist's comprehensive capability. Ding Fan was clearly the youngest of all competitors.

In fact, compared to the oldest competitor, Ding Fan was nearly a hundred years younger. Many competitors were over a hundred, while Ding Fan was barely in his twenties. Such an age disparity clearly put Ding Fan at a disadvantage in cultivation.

After all, for cultivators, cultivation level is closely tied to age since practice requires time. Young cultivators usually don't have stronger cultivation than older ones, but this isn't absolute—there are young cultivators whose cultivation surpasses elders.

Such cultivators are deemed cultivation geniuses!

Clearly, in everyone's eyes, Ding Fan was considered a rare genius, though only in alchemy. Whether Ding Fan was a cultivation genius, nobody knew.

But most cultivators understood that talent in one field doesn't imply expertise in all. Clearly, Ding Lin was a rare genius in alchemy, hence he might be less adept in cultivation. Therefore, many naturally assumed Ding Fan's cultivation was nothing exceptional, making them worried about his competition round.

Given Ding Fan's cultivation was really low, he was too young. His cultivation, in everyone's eyes, appeared very low. Yet, nobody looked down on Ding Fan. Instead, they greatly admired him for being an exceptional alchemist.

More than just exceptional, he was extremely exceptional, refining Supreme Quality Medicine Pills at such a young age, something ordinary alchemists couldn't achieve! Even Grade Nine Alchemists were only at this level. Clearly, Ding Fan's low cultivation was seen as a temporary phenomenon to many, since no one ever heard of a Grade Nine Alchemist having terribly low cultivation!

For Grade Nine Alchemists, it's merely a matter of time, with their cultivation speed surpassing typical cultivators. After all, casually refining a Supreme Quality Medicine Pill equates to days, if not months, of practice for alchemists.

Cultivators knew that even a High Level Pill, Sixth Grade and above, would save them significant time, sometimes years, let alone a Supreme Quality Medicine Pill.

Thus, no cultivator would look down on a Grade Nine Alchemist with low cultivation. Clearly, for such high-level alchemists, improving cultivation would take a short period.

Therefore, nobody underestimated Ding Fan. On the contrary, they held great respect for him, but simultaneously, they were deeply worried about his performance in the third round of the alchemy competition. Even though Ding Fan could rapidly enhance his cultivation, he was running out of time for this third round!