Huo Jinchuan lowered his gaze and carefully examined the pills.
"Judging from the appearance alone, these definitely do not look like Breakthrough Pills. But I would like to hear from that Daoyou."
His cold eyes settled on Song Wanníng, without any hint of doubt or malice.
All eyes in the crowd turned to Song Wanníng at once.
"Hmph, let's see how she will twist the truth now. Even young master Huo said they don't look like Breakthrough Pills!"
The Medicine King Sect disciples were filled with schadenfreude. They had to take Song Wanníng down. They were sure Elder Wu would reward them for this later.
Song Wanníng did not even glance at them. Instead, she raised her eyes to meet Huo Jinchuan's calm gaze.
At that moment, she had been completely focused on refining. She had thought that cutting off Xiao Heyun's mental interference would keep her undisturbed, but unexpectedly, a voice suddenly emerged that nearly ruined her pill.
If she wasn't mistaken, that voice was identical to Huo Jinchuan's.
So he was also an intruder.
Only, this person seemed to have little mental activity, which was why she hadn't noticed before, and why she was affected this time.
She reflected internally: her spiritual power still needed serious training. Even a single second of distraction could bring unforeseeable consequences.
As she kept looking, Song Wanníng suddenly smiled.
A smile blooming like a flower.
"These four are all Breakthrough Pills, and they are all supreme Breakthrough Pills."
Her words landed with clarity and authority, ringing in everyone's ears.
As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd erupted.
"Is she crazy, or did I hear wrong? What did she say?"
"She said they are supreme Breakthrough Pills…"
"Hahaha, that's ridiculous. Saying they're Breakthrough Pills is one thing, but supreme Breakthrough Pills? How can she be so arrogant?"
"Exactly. We have seen supreme pills before. They don't look like this at all."
"I think she must have lost her mind after being provoked!"
The onlookers whispered and laughed, mocking Song Wanníng's wild claims.
Wu Qingfeng even laughed aloud.
He glanced at the Fourth Elder and said, "I didn't expect your sect to send such outstanding disciples. We really learned something new today!"
Other elders from the Eastern Domain also laughed in agreement, feeling the South Domain had truly embarrassed itself this time.
The Fourth Elder, however, remained expressionless, brushing a stray lock of hair from her ear.
"If you know Wanníng is skilled, you should just admit defeat quickly. No one will look good if you get slapped in the face at the end."
Whether these were supreme Breakthrough Pills or not, she couldn't tell. But she knew Song Wanníng well.
If Song Wanníng said so, then it must be true.
Wu Qingfeng, the big fool, was waiting to get slapped in the face.
The Fourth Elder's reaction was so unexpected that Wu Qingfeng's expression stiffened.
Could Song Wanníng's pills really be supreme Breakthrough Pills?
Otherwise, the Fourth Elder wouldn't react like this.
Wu Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat, a strange unease rising within him.
On the stone stage, the Demon clan's young master and Xiao Heyun also watched Song Wanníng closely.
Unlike Xiao Heyun's denial, the Demon clan young master narrowed his eyes and seriously appraised Song Wanníng.
This woman might be his greatest rival for the championship!
On the high platform, the city lord was surprised by these words and sat up straight.
She personally took the pills in hand and examined them.
Then she brought them close to her nose to sniff.
To be honest, if she hadn't seen Song Wanníng refining, she wouldn't have associated these pills with Breakthrough Pills…
Neither the scent nor the patterns matched.
Yet Song Wanníng's confident demeanor sparked her interest.
Was this genuine confidence or reckless arrogance? Only verification could tell.
So she held the pills and asked, "Is there anyone willing to test these pills on themselves? For free."
Normally, Breakthrough Pills had to be fought over in an auction, sold for astronomical sums.
Now the chance was right in front of them. The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into whispers again.
"What if this pill is poisonous? Even the city lord can't tell."
"We just saw her mess up. This pill definitely isn't a Breakthrough Pill. Anyone who eats it is a fool."
"…"
Everyone worried the pill might be toxic.
No effect was one thing, but risking one's life was not worth it.
After half a minute, no one moved.
The Medicine King Sect disciples sneered, "See? No one dares to eat the pill you refined!"
"Pfft—hahaha—"
The two laughed brazenly. The slap of ridicule echoed loudly. Song Wanníng's face must have been about to swell from it.
But just as the laughter died down, a trembling figure stood up.
An old man with white hair, wrinkles covering his face, and blue veins visible on his frail hands.
He looked very weak.
His lifespan was clearly running out, and his cultivation was stuck at the Nascent Soul peak, unable to advance. He came this time just to try his luck, hoping to get a Breakthrough Pill. But he had already spent nearly all his spirit stones on cultivation. With so many competitors, he had no chance to win.
Now he only had this gamble left…
If he won, he would gain a thousand years of life.
If he lost, it was the same as dying.
"I'm willing!"
He gathered his energy and stepped onto the high platform, his trembling skin showing his excitement.
Everyone immediately understood and stopped their whispers, faces full of complex emotion. How many geniuses existed in the cultivation world?
Most were ordinary people struggling desperately for a glimmer of hope. If the old man had any other choice, he wouldn't have agreed.
Everyone sighed deeply. Even Wu Qingfeng and the Medicine King Sect disciples were unusually silent.
"Oh? You're sure you want to try?"
The city lord asked again.
If the pill were truly poisonous, so many pill refiners here would certainly save him.
"I'm sure!"
The old man's eyes were resolute, without a hint of hesitation.
The city lord nodded and handed him the pill.
The old man held it carefully, tears shining in his eyes, hands shaking even more.
He found a place on the platform to sit, then glanced at Song Wanníng.
"I believe in you!"
He shouted and immediately swallowed the pill, then sat down to absorb its power.
At first, resigned to death, he soon sensed something unusual.
A raging medicinal power, infused with strong spiritual energy, surged into his dantian.
His parched meridians, like a field quenched by rain, began to revive.
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
Hope appeared. He hurried to cultivate.
…
"I think the old man's aura is stable. He doesn't seem poisoned."
"Indeed, if poisoned, the symptoms would have appeared by now."
"But that doesn't prove Song Wanníng refined supreme Breakthrough Pills. It only means the pills aren't poisonous and won't kill."
"Exactly. Do you see any signs that he is about to breakthrough?"
"I'm afraid the old man is just celebrating prematurely!"