Zhang Hao started refining the medicine pill swiftly, and even when selecting the spiritual materials from among the many available, Zhang Hao showed no hesitation at all, revealing a very determined look in his eyes.

In the eyes of the crowd, this scene was evidently somewhat unbelievable! The other party hadn't even fully examined the pill recipe, yet how could he choose the spiritual materials so decisively, without a hint of hesitation? This obviously defied common sense. For a moment, everyone was somewhat shocked and soon started discussing among themselves.

"It's really strange! Zhang Hao didn't even get a clear look at the pill recipe; how is he refining the pill so smoothly?"

"This isn't scientific! Could it be that he already knew the pill recipe in advance?"

"No way! This kind of cheating is just too outrageous! Isn't this supposed to be a Great Alchemy Competition? Who is this person who can cheat to such an extent!"

"This is very disadvantageous for my Brother Dalin. We all know that Zhang Hao was only second in the second round of the Great Alchemy Competition. If he secures first place in this third round and performs outstandingly, perhaps he'll be the champion of this year's Great Alchemy Competition!"

"Yeah, what will happen to my Brother Dalin then?"

"Could it be that our Brother Dalin will end up as second place?"

"Don't be so pessimistic, okay? Don't you believe in our Brother Dalin? We all know who our Brother Dalin is. He's the Legendary Boy!"

"That's right! The Legendary Boy will create miracles!"

"Exactly! I also believe in my Brother Dalin! Even if Zhang Hao gets first place, we won't concede!"

"..."

For a while, the crowd was abuzz with discussion. Many cultivators, despite seeing Zhang Hao refining the pill so smoothly, were somewhat shocked, but most of the cultivators still had considerable confidence in Ding Fan!

This confidence didn't come from wishful thinking of the many spectators but from the strength Ding Fan had shown. They believed Ding Fan would surely create a miracle!

At this moment, Ding Fan, among the second group of alchemists waiting, also witnessed Zhang Hao's pill refining process. Ding Fan was also somewhat shocked, not expecting that Zhang Hao could refine the pill so smoothly, which was clearly beyond Ding Fan's expectations.

What Ding Fan and the audience thought was quite similar. Zhang Hao had only glanced at the pill recipe for less than five seconds, and it was impossible for him to have even finished looking at it, so the fact that he's refining the pill so smoothly was clearly very strange! After all, according to normal logic, he should have pondered when selecting the spiritual materials, but he didn't have that process at all.

Everything was so smooth and firm, as if, in his eyes, the materials he selected were the correct ones, with no need to doubt anything.

Clearly, the only explanation was that he likely knew the pill recipe in advance.

Ding Fan couldn't help but show a slight sneer at this. Ding Fan knew this was the Great Alchemy Competition, an event of significant grandeur in the Donglai Continent. The judges weren't novices, and Ding Fan knew those elder judges would be aware if the other party was cheating or not. Ding Fan wouldn't believe that the officials of the Great Alchemy Competition would condone such cheating.

Ding Fan wasn't sure about other judges, but he had some understanding of Elder Wang's mindset. Ding Fan knew that even if no evidence of Zhang Hao's cheating was found by the end of the Great Alchemy Competition, Elder Wang would definitely not let such a thing happen. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to hold another Great Alchemy Competition in the future.

But this was just Ding Fan's speculation. For Ding Fan, winning the championship of this year's Great Alchemy Competition wasn't that important. What he needed was good reputation, because he came to this Great Alchemy Competition seeking Zhou Ruoran and Gusu Qingwen.

Thinking of this, Ding Fan couldn't help but feel a bit heavy-hearted, losing interest in the on-going Great Alchemy Competition. Instead, he constantly scanned the surrounding audience with his Divine Sense, hoping to quickly find Zhou Ruoran. As long as he found Zhou Ruoran, Ding Fan could immediately leave the Great Alchemy Competition.

Clearly, Zhou Ruoran was Ding Fan's real target, while the Great Alchemy Competition was just a means to an end.

At this point, Sun Long saw this scene with Zhang Hao and couldn't help but feel very proud. After all, in the first group of alchemists, only Zhang Hao had started refining the pill. The other alchemists hadn't even climbed onto the high platform, which naturally filled Sun Long with immense pride.

Clearly, Zhang Hao's performance had a great chance of winning this year's Great Alchemy Competition, and thus the championship's reward would naturally be his. Sun Long thought of the Golden Silk Protective Clothing and couldn't help but yearn for it greatly, having staked even his own son on it.

Therefore, Sun Long was determined to acquire the Golden Silk Protective Clothing.

Sun Long knew in his heart that even the spectators outside and the elders in the judge area were somewhat suspicious of Zhang Hao's abilities. But Sun Long had his own strategy.

After all, he was still the Vice City Lord of Dancheng, and he obviously had a certain amount of influence. Clearly, if someone raised doubts about Zhang Hao, Sun Long would go to all lengths to settle it!

At this moment, some elders in the judge area saw Zhang Hao's performance and couldn't help but frown. Clearly, Zhang Hao appeared quite unusual in the eyes of many judges, because the elders were not fools—what even spectators could see, the judges also understood clearly.

However, most of the elder judges did not have full authority to decide, as the chief judge of this year's Great Alchemy Competition was Elder Wang. Clearly, how to handle Zhang Hao was still up to Elder Wang's decision.

At this moment, when Elder Wang saw Zhang Hao's process of pill refinement, he too was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Zhang Hao to not even thoroughly check the pill recipe, yet when refining the pill, the choices seemed very precise, which was quite strange.

Elder Wang understood some things in his heart, yet displayed a calm expression on his face, not even frowning a bit. He knew this was the Great Alchemy Competition of Donglai Continent, and as for those who won the competition through special means, Elder Wang already had a plan in mind.

Furthermore, Elder Wang knew that even if the individual did not win the champion's title, cheating was absolutely intolerable. He also knew that there must be some background influence involved since no evidence of cheating was found.

This was evidently unscientific! Considering the Great Alchemy Competition was a significant event on Donglai Continent, anyone able to cheat in such a contest must have some backing. But Elder Wang clearly had no fear of these backgrounds, for if he couldn't handle this, he wouldn't be fit to be the chief judge!

The competition was ongoing, and the alchemists who had stalled on the high platform watched Zhang Hao begin refining the pill, feeling anxious but helpless. For these alchemists, just ascending the high platform was extremely challenging.

And those in the second group of alchemists, waiting with Ding Fan, were also shocked to see Zhang Hao's smooth pill refinement. They could only conclude that the last round of the Great Alchemy Competition was indeed exceedingly difficult, not something ordinary alchemists could manage.

Among these alchemists, they believed only Ding Lin and Elder Herr possessed the ability to compete in the Great Alchemy Competition.

At this moment, Elder Herr's eyes showed deep concern, clearly worried about the difficulty of this year's competition. Initially, he wasn't too troubled about the high platform, but upon seeing that only Zhang Hao from the first group had ascended it, he was taken aback.

This was unexpected, since Elder Herr knew that several elder alchemists in the first group had decent cultivation, though not on par with his own, yet they couldn't climb the platform, which made Elder Wang a bit anxious too.

Additionally, Elder Wang viewed Zhang Hao with definite suspicion, but since this was the Great Alchemy Competition, the judges had the final say. Even if Zhang Hao cheated, without evidence from the judges, his results would still stand.

This posed a major obstacle for Elder Herr, who participated in the competition solely to win the championship, as the rewards were simply too generous—the Golden Silk Protective Clothing. Without such an opportunity, there was no other way to obtain such a treasure.

Hence, if Elder Herr couldn't secure first place, he wasn't interested in anything else.

Time quickly elapsed to the three-incense stick mark, and Zhang Hao had just finished refining the pill.

He was evidently the first in the first group to complete the Great Alchemy Competition, and the only one to do so. The other participating alchemists hadn't even climbed the high platform.

A staff member promptly handed Zhang Hao's refined pill to the elder judge, who, seeing the pill, couldn't help but display a peculiar expression. The refined pill turned out to be only a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill, leaving Zhang Hao slightly disheartened.

Previously, in the inn, he could refine up to a Fifth Grade Medicine Pill, but in the competition, he hadn't performed as well, achieving only a Fourth Grade Medicine Pill. This left Zhang Hao somewhat dejected.

However, Zhang Hao wasn't worried, as even if his pill was a mere First Grade Pill, he'd still win, given that the other alchemists hadn't even produced a pill. Hence, whatever grade his refined pill turned out to be wasn't of much significance.

Zhang Hao was so determined to refine the pill mainly because of Ding Lin, given the potential for odd occurrences. Since anything could happen, it drove Zhang Hao to refine the pill with such effort. Unexpectedly, the pill he refined in the Great Alchemy Competition wasn't ideal.

Yet, observing that the other alchemists hadn't even ascended the high platform reassured Zhang Hao. Many of these alchemists evidently possessed higher cultivation than his, much higher than Ding Lin's, yet they still couldn't climb the high platform. Thus, for Ding Lin, completing the competition seemed impossible!