Ning Fa, accompanied by Ning Shaohong, boarded a exquisitely crafted, fiery red Spirit Boat and set course for Lingchang Island. They traveled at an extremely high speed, arriving at the island in less than fifteen minutes.
The family guards on duty at Lingchang Island, upon seeing it was Ning Shaohong, immediately paid their respects with reverence.
A hint of a smile flickered in Ning Zonglie's tiger-like eyes, but he quickly composed himself, not daring to let Ning Shaohong notice any slip-up.
Soon, Ning Fa and the others arrived at the Alchemy Hall, where they happened to encounter Wei Chengzong, who appeared to be on his way out.
Seeing Ning Fa walking ahead, Wei Chengzong couldn't help but frown, his displeasure evident as he said, "Ning Fa, why haven't you given up yet? Didn't I tell you I was busy with alchemy these past five days and had no time to preside over your assessment?"
Ning Fa chuckled, then shifted aside, revealing Ning Shaohong behind him.
Wei Chengzong was startled and quickly said, "Ninth Elder! I didn't expect your esteemed presence here. It is truly a failure to have not welcomed you properly!"
Ning Shaohong looked at him with a half-smile, stating calmly, "I heard Alchemist Wei has been busy refining an important pill these past few days. I happen to have some free time, so I came to see what pill you are refining."
Upon hearing this, Wei Chengzong broke out in a cold sweat, lamenting his misfortune. At this moment, he understood perfectly that the Ninth Elder had come to support Ning Fa.
"This... this... it's actually not a very important pill. How could I dare trouble the Ninth Elder with such a visit?"
Wei Chengzong said with an awkward smile.
Ning Shaohong's smile vanished, and she said coldly, "Since it's not a very important pill, Alchemist Wei should still have time to preside over Ning Fa's assessment, shouldn't he?"
Wei Chengzong wiped the cold sweat from his brow. After a moment of consideration, he immediately made his decision and said, "Since the Ninth Elder has spoken, of course, this can be arranged. Please follow me."
In reality, Alchemists held a very high status in the cultivation world. Accomplished Alchemists were honored guests of major powers. Someone like Wei Chengzong, who was the chief Alchemist of a family, was generally on par with the family elders.
Their status was even more transcendent; they didn't need to curry favor with others; rather, other family elders had to curry favor with them.
However, Wei Chengzong was a bit different. Although he was currently the Ning Family's chief Alchemist and could refine some of the simplest second-tier pills, his efficiency in alchemy was frankly appalling.
According to Ning Fa's knowledge, Wei Chengzong's success rate for several of the most important first-tier high-grade pills was not high at all, only around thirty percent.
Even calling it barely satisfactory was a stretch, and he had wasted a significant amount of the Ning Family's resources over the years.
If the Ning Family hadn't considered that he had long served as a family guest elder, had always worked diligently without complaint, and that high-level Alchemists were difficult to find, with no one within the family currently capable of replacing him, his position as chief Alchemist would have been lost long ago.
Therefore, Wei Chengzong lacked confidence and was keen on engaging in social niceties, often flattering those with status within the family.
This was why Ning Ruiming could easily influence him to obstruct Ning Fa's alchemy assessment.
Seeing this, Ning Fa breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he was given a fair chance to be assessed, he was confident he could pass the alchemy assessment.
He believed that no one in the entire family understood the refinement of the Essence Replenishing Pill better than he did, not even this Alchemist Wei.
Afterward, Wei Chengzong led everyone to a dedicated alchemy chamber for assessments.
This alchemy chamber was quite spacious, about a hundred square meters. Inside, there were five refining areas, each equipped with an identical white Alchemy Furnace.
Looking at this familiar alchemy chamber, Ning Fa couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. His previous self had undergone more than ten consecutive assessments here, but each time ended in failure, ultimately leading to his demise from despair.
Wei Chengzong said solemnly, "Ning Fa, you have been assessed many times and should know the rules. Since this is not your first assessment, you will need to bear the cost of the Spiritual Materials yourself. Furthermore, since you have chosen the most difficult Essence Replenishing Pill, you will not need to refine any other pills. You must refine three furnaces of the Essence Replenishing Pill within five hours, and a total of at least six core pills must be successfully refined to pass the assessment."
Ning Fa nodded.
Normally, one furnace of the Essence Replenishing Pill could yield a maximum of six core pills. Three furnaces would mean a maximum of eighteen core pills. Requiring six core pills meant a thirty percent success rate, which was not a low requirement.
Even if Wei Chengzong were to refine this pill, his normal success rate would only be around fifty to sixty percent.
Ning Fa nodded, and under the watchful eyes of Ning Shaohong and the others, he chose the alchemy furnace closest to them.
But just as he was about to begin, someone suddenly burst into the alchemy chamber.
"Master Wei! Why are you presiding over Ning Fa's assessment? Didn't we agree on something?"
Ning Ruiming barged in, and without even noticing the others in the room, he angrily shouted at Wei Chengzong in front of him.
Wei Chengzong broke out in a cold sweat and mentally cursed Ning Ruiming, only managing to clear his throat and repeatedly signal to him.
Ning Ruiming, only then realizing his mistake, noticed the other people in the alchemy chamber, one of whom was the family's Ninth Elder, Ning Shaohong.
His face showed surprise, and a multitude of thoughts flashed through his mind, but he immediately bowed and said, "Ruiming greets the Ninth Elder."
Ning Shaohong gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything about Ning Ruiming's underhanded tactics, merely stating, "Since you're here, you might as well watch along and serve as a witness."
Ning Ruiming's brow furrowed. Although his father was the Tenth Elder of the family, due to his improper ascension to the position, his status and influence within the family were far inferior to Ning Shaohong's.
Even though his family was close to the Third Elder, Ning Shaohong was the biological sister of the family's Second Elder.
Therefore, even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to act presumptuously in front of Ning Shaohong, unless he could become the family's chief Alchemist in the future, only then could their status be equal.
Thus, Ning Ruiming could only suppress his thoughts and obediently find a place to sit on the side.
He looked at Ning Fa, a cold sneer curling on his lips, and thought to himself, "Even if you're allowed to be assessed, so what? Can you, a good-for-nothing, actually pass?"
Just then, a beautiful woman walked into the alchemy chamber, none other than Liu Qinghui.
She glanced at everyone, then softly bowed to Ning Shaohong before quietly sitting down a short distance away from Ning Ruiming.