Upon hearing these words, Doris nodded thoughtfully and continued, "But might she become angry? After all, that is not what she truly desires."

“And so what if she does?"

Mrs. Jenkins' smile grew even deeper.

“My purpose in having her acquire this formula is to prevent her from slipping away from my grasp once she attains greater strength in the future.”

Doris couldn't help but tremble. Mrs. Jenkins had even deceived her own granddaughter. Should Doris applaud her cunning or condemn her wickedness?

However, Doris also understood that Mrs. Jenkins had invested significant effort in Barbara over the years.

For Barbara's sake, Mrs. Jenkins had even stood in opposition to the other elders of the Jenkins family.

Thus, it was Barbara's duty to repay her for all that she had done. Even if Mrs. Jenkins had done something that rendered Barbara reliant on her protection, it ultimately proved more advantageous than detrimental.

On the day of the grand finale.

The arrangement of seats for esteemed guests on the stage was subtly altered.

The distinguished members of the ancient clans occupied the seats closest to Mrs. Jenkins, while Goodwin, once highly esteemed, was relegated to a marginal corner alongside Canaan.

Since he was not a friend, Mrs. Jenkins saw no need to extend politeness to him.

If it were not for the fact that Goodwin was an esteemed member of the Pill Alchemist Association, Mrs. Jenkins would have even contemplated expelling the old man.

Maria, Barbara and Isla gracefully entered their respective sanctums of pill refinement, one after the other.

Within these spaces, three sets of impeccably crafted alchemical instruments, including cauldrons and incendiary aids, stood as paragons of excellence.

Final preparations were underway.

The discerning eyes of the judges and the venerable elders scrutinized the medicinal materials meticulously arranged by the three contenders in the ultimate round.

This crucial step aimed to safeguard against any potential deceit during the competition.

With their vast expertise, the judges and elders could almost discern the type of pill each contestant intended to refine in the final stage just by looking at the medicinal materials they prepared.

They began their examination with Isla's collection of materials.

“Are you still planning to refine the Concentration Pill?" queried a judge, his expression perplexed.

In both the preliminary and semifinal rounds, Isla had exclusively focused on refining the Concentration Pill. Why would she persist with the same choice for the final?

Blushing slightly, Isla nodded and confessed, "Yes, I've only recently delved into the art of pill refinement. I am acquainted with just a single formula."

The judges and elders were taken aback, yet their regard for Isla remained undiminished.