"Stop."
A calm, authoritative voice suddenly echoed from the staircase.
Not loud.
But it carried an undeniable weight.
The entire hall froze.
Even the guards stopped mid-motion.
Elder Lu's expression changed slightly.
That voice…
Slowly—
All heads turned toward the source.
Footsteps echoed.
Measured.
Unhurried.
And from the upper level—
A figure began to descend.
He appeared to be a man in his sixties, but even so, he stood tall and slender, with a straight posture that resembled an unsheathed blade, his vitality rivaling that of a youth in their twenties, boiling like a furnace, with no sign of any decrease or regression that would normally occur in somebody his age. The only visible pointers to his advanced years were the vastness of life in his eyes, as well as the wrinkles on his face. He wore a long, dark-indigo robe embroidered with faint silver patterns that shimmered like flowing starlight under the hall's illumination. The robe was simple at a glance, yet upon closer inspection, it exuded an indescribable nobility—as if it was woven from materials far beyond the mortal realm, at least unlike any material available in the empire.
On his chest rested a badge.
Three full stars.
And half of a fourth.
The moment the badge was seen, several elders' expressions subtly changed.
His long black hair was tied neatly behind his back, a few loose strands framing a face that was calm to the point of indifference. He walked, carrying a natural authority that made it difficult for others to meet his gaze directly.
A faint, almost imperceptible aura surrounded him, as well as a thick smell of medicinal herbs.
The moment he stepped onto the first floor, the previously noisy hall fell into absolute silence.
No one dared to speak.
No one even dared to breathe too loudly.
Even Elder Lu instinctively straightened his posture.
"Deputy Pavilion Master," he said, cupping his fists slightly, his tone carrying a trace of respect that had not been present before.
The Deputy Pavilion Master did not respond immediately.
His gaze swept slowly across the hall.
From the elders.
To Ouyang Jun.
To the guards.
And finally—
It settled on Lin Feng.
For a brief moment, his eyes lingered.
A flicker of something unreadable passed through them.
Interest.
Curiosity.
Or perhaps a bit of admiration.
Then—
He spoke.
"What is the meaning of this commotion?" His voice was calm and steady, yet it carried an invisible weight. "Why are you all causing such an uproar?"
"Don't you know that the Pavilion Master is in seclusion, refining a precious pill with rare materials? Let me tell you—if your noise causes the master to have an accident and the refinement fails, you will all have to die here."
His face turned cold, murderous aura rolling off his body, causing the air temperature to plummet below freezing point.
Everyone present felt a chill from the crown of their head to the bottom of their feet. After all, they all knew that in the world of alchemy, the greatest taboo was disrupting an alchemist and causing the pill to fail. It was not an exaggeration to say that more than one high-level alchemist had ordered the extermination of entire clans because of this.
They quickly bowed deeply, offering their apologies.
"We offer our deepest apologies to the Deputy Master!" Everyone, including the elders present and Lin Feng, echoed softly.
"Good, stand."
Seeing them sincerely admitting their mistakes, he decided not to dwell on the problem. His face softened, releasing the murderous intent, then turned to Elder Lu.
"Elder Lu, what is going on here?"
"Reporting to the Vice President, this brat failed the second round. Not only does he not admit his mistake, but he also questioned the elders' competence. He needs to be crippled as punishment—"
Before Elder Lu could finish, Ouyang Jun swaggered forward, pointing at Lin Feng and calling for his punishment.
"I am talking to the elder. You, a junior, have no business interrupting."
Ouyang Jun's words instantly infuriated the Deputy Pavilion Master, causing him to look at him with eyes as deep as the void.
Instantly, Ouyang Jun felt as though a wild beast was charging at him, opening its mouth to devour him, causing him to be unable to keep his footing and fall onto his backside.
"Heh… heh…"
Seeing his pathetic display, the crowd couldn't control their laughter. Though they did not dare to laugh openly, they covered their mouths and laughed in secret.
Ouyang Jun's face lit up crimson in embarrassment.
'Damn it! When have I ever suffered such humiliation?'
'Lin Feng, when you fail this trial, once I return home, I must ask father to exterminate you and your Lin family!' Ouyang Jun gritted his teeth and secretly swore in his heart.
The Vice President shook his head, then returned his gaze to Elder Lu, waiting for him to respond. But he said nothing, instead looking at Lin Feng resentfully, tacitly agreeing with Ouyang Jun.
The Deputy Pavilion Master saw this but did not call him out. Instead, he faced Lin Feng.
"Is this true, junior?" he asked.
"Reporting to senior, this is not so," he replied, then began to speak, neither arrogantly nor servile.
"Elder Lu seems to have a misunderstanding. I do not question his integrity or ability, but this junior believes there must be some mistakes in the grading of my script."
"The junior cannot just stand by and be failed. After all, the Alchemist examination trial occurs only twice a year, with the next one being in half a year, and I don't have the time nor patience to wait." He shook his head, rejecting the thought of wasting half a year to become an alchemist. After all, his enemies wouldn't wait for him.
"Humph, what a misunderstanding. How dare you question an elder of the Association?"
The Deputy Pavilion Master snorted in displeasure and increased his pressure on Lin Feng.
But Lin Feng, despite feeling his blood boiling and his bones creaking, stood his ground, his face remaining indifferent.
Suddenly, the pressure ceased, and the Deputy Pavilion Master burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! What a good kid!"
"I admire your courage," he said, clearly impressed with him.
Lin Feng, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief. Only he knew he was almost at his limit—a few more moments, and he really wouldn't have been able to hold on.
The Vice President nodded, clearly seeing through his condition.
"Elder Lu, his scroll."
He stretched out his hand.
The elder respectfully handed him the scroll, and he opened it, carefully scanning through the questions and answers.
Then he shook his head.