Her eyes closed, Soul Power probing within, everything inside the cauldron was under Zhiyan's control. A second passed, the cauldron humming and buzzing, then the sound grew louder and more urgent. Through her soul's perception, the various medicinal powders and liquids inside consolidated into tiny spherical shapes, roughly taking on the form of elixirs. However, these were not enough; they were just appearances at the moment. To truly condense into elixirs, more effort would be needed.
Her mind sank, and her Soul Power burst forth violently with the increasing external pressure. The pills inside the cauldron spun so fast they were reduced to a single white line, the powders pressing and merging into each other, rapidly transforming under the steaming flames.
The buzzing sound gradually stopped, and with a boom, the cauldron lid flew open, emitting a strong medicinal fragrance that greatly invigorated the spirit. Zhiyan's heart leaped with joy, and with a thought, a bright red pill the size of a marble rose from the cauldron, hovering in front of Zhiyan.
She reached out to catch it, feeling its warmth. This red Qi Blood Pill was not as exquisite as Zhiyan had imagined—its surface was rough, slightly grotesque and ugly. For Zhiyan, who always appreciated beautiful things, it was akin to trash, and a frown crept across her usually pleased face, a hint of displeasure tainting her expression.
"The same elixir can have different qualities when made by different people. The Qi Blood Pill in your hand would be considered low-grade, but that's alright. To have such a result on your first attempt at alchemy is already very good,"
Fei Lao laughed heartily, patiently explaining. If word got out that she learned alchemy in three days and succeeded in making a Qi Blood Pill said to be "first-grade", who knows how many self-proclaimed geniuses among alchemists would be disheartened?
She pouted and casually put the ugly pill into a jade vial, then tossed it into the storage area of her Spatial Bracelet.
With a thought, her petite figure appeared abruptly in the room. After a quick adjustment of her clothes, she casually walked outside.
The door creaked open, and the siblings Sharon and Shasha jolted, joy spreading across their faces.
"If you didn't come out soon, I would have started knocking down the door!" Shasha gave Zhiyan a sidelong glance and stepped forward, imperiously taking her small hand, "Come on, let's hurry. We'll be late if we drag our feet any longer."
Ignoring Sharon who was about to speak, Shasha yanked Yanyan along, sprinting away. With her forceful demeanor, she bore little resemblance to a demure lady. Sharon shook his head, a trace of helplessness crossing his mild, handsome face. He smiled wryly and followed suit.
Compared to the bustling crowds on the day of registration, the campus now felt oppressive and somber, like a storm was looming. Everyone wore expressions of anxiety and tension, whether they stood or sat, quietly inquiring or murmuring to themselves.
Yanyan was pulled into a frantic dash by Shasha, immediately drawing the attention of all onlookers. One enchanting and devastatingly beautiful, the other exquisitely adorable—the two, one tall and one short, radiated a fatal allure. The young men in attendance lifted their heads in astonishment, their gazes gleaming as they fell upon the two girls. Their beauty was so breathtaking it made them momentarily forget their initial tension; their eyes and hearts captivated solely by the two young women before them.
The flamboyantly dressed ladies showed faces filled with jealousy, their eyes blazing with annoyance and dissatisfaction. They had been standing there for quite a while without drawing such attention, yet these two seemingly careless girls just walked in and captured everyone's gaze. The stark difference instantly threw them off balance, filling them with resentment.
"Follow me!" Sharon's figure flashed, suddenly standing next to Zhiyan. His gentle pupils flashed with severity as he cast an unhappy glance at the crowd. The infatuated lads, suddenly stared down like this, snapped back to reality and sheepishly averted their gaze, while the bolder ones continued to steal glances.
Many of the young girls set their sights on Sharon, only to see that the exceptionally handsome young man was also captivated by the duo. Their blood boiled, and their eyes shot out sharp, resentful sparks of venom.
"Uh, are you okay?" Zhiyan looked at Sharon beside her in astonishment. As gentle as he was, he had suddenly and inexplicably become angry?
"Let's go." Sharon cast a complex glance at Zhiyan, a hint of an unusual color flashing in his eyes. What had just happened to him? Given Shasha's looks, it was not uncommon for her to be ogled, and he usually turned a blind eye, but today, for no apparent reason, rage had erupted within him?
"Our numbers are up front, let's head inside," Shasha said teasingly, glancing at her brother to change the subject. Haha, this was too funny—it was the first time she had seen him so embarrassed in front of a girl. Little Yanyan really was formidable.
Pushing through the throngs of people, they finally squeezed into the queue that was lining up for the exam. Sharon, Zhiyan, and the others found their places and waited patiently for the upcoming assessment.
Based on the different programs each person applied for, the assessment areas were divided into different sections, roughly into warriors and sages. Yanyan had applied for alchemist, and because there were fewer alchemist applicants, their assessment was directly combined with the sages' area. Shasha and Sharon had just so happened to apply for sage.
In the vast field, more than ten crystal balls shimmered under the bright sun with red and orange glows. In the warrior area, the sounds of striking and shouting could be heard continuously; the onlooking students would gasp and whisper from time to time, their faces tense as they watched. Those who performed excellently were admitted on the spot; those with average performance were told to wait for notification, while those with poor scores were ruthlessly eliminated.
A true test of ability; Youlan Academy, overall, pursued quality. Unless you excelled, the only other fate was abandonment. As prestigious as it was, there was no need to accommodate those who were of no use.
Just like the assessing instructors, they appeared nonchalant, but as soon as someone with potential emerged, they became even more excited than the competitors. They weren't afraid of a lack of examiners, but of a lack of standouts. Rather than leading a class of obedient and docile students, they'd prefer to mentor a hotheaded genius.
The line kept moving forward, and finally, it was Zhiyan's turn, the fifth in line, with Sharon and Shasha ahead of her. As the current student finished their test, the line advanced, and another student stepped forward. A white-bearded elderly man in a dark cyan robe sat at the forefront, with two young instructors seated on either side, and designated scribes positioned slightly behind to record the data after each candidate finished.
"Name, program, age." As another candidate approached, a young female instructor in a pale purple dress asked curtly, her voice crisp and unfailingly indifferent.
"Zhang Rui, applying for sage, fifteen this year," the youth answered solemnly, respectfully responding to the female instructor.
"Alright, begin," the female instructor commanded, and the youth stepped up to the table where the crystal ball was placed. The black cloth backdrop made the colorless crystal seem all the more solemn and imposing.
The youth's intent moved, and he placed his hand on the crystal ball. Suddenly, as if by magic, the formerly colorless ball burst into a brilliant orange flare—Mid-level sage, mid-grade!
A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Mid-level sage, mid-grade—such cultivation base was certainly excellent among the new batch of students.
A hint of a smile finally appeared on the female instructor's usually indifferent face. She nodded at the young man, "Very good, come to the academy to formally enroll in three days. Your specific class will be announced then. Next."