“Jiluo Yu, score fifty!”
Among the scores announced next, three people had relatively high marks. They were the other three yellow-grade alchemists apart from Jiluo Yu, also scoring fifty, tying with Jiluo Yu. However, they took longer, so they ranked behind her.
As for the others, even the lowest had at least one formula that passed the assessment. Overall, the test results were quite satisfactory.
Worthy of being alchemists ranked in the top twenty, they did not disappoint An Lian.
Finally, only Ling Xiao’s score remained unannounced. At this moment, An Lian revealed a somewhat mocking smile.
“Ling Xiao, you just said that Dan Qing’s score was not the best, didn’t you? Then why don’t you think about your own score?”
An Lian asked.
“It should not be too bad.”
Ling Xiao replied calmly.
“Not too bad? Have you lost your mind? You actually wrote ten formulas, but not a single one could be successfully refined. This is your score! Zero!”
An Lian read it out bluntly without any courtesy.
Silence.
The hall became as quiet as death in that instant.
“Whoa!”
A moment later, the entire hall erupted in laughter.
He wrote ten formulas, yet none could be used to refine pills. Did that not mean those formulas were completely made up?
“What an idiot. What on earth was that guy trying to do? Can formulas be written randomly? How can someone like that even be an alchemist?”
Jiluo Yu could not help but show a cold smile. She had followed the Medicine King Sun Ran for a long time and knew that the duty of an alchemist was to save lives and heal the wounded, serving martial artists.
Someone like Ling Xiao who casually prescribed formulas was simply guilty of a grave crime, trifling with human lives.
“Senior An Lian, is this scoring not a bit too arbitrary?”
Ling Xiao did not even glance at Jiluo Yu. Instead, he looked at An Lian and spoke very calmly.
“Arbitrary?”
An Lian frowned. “Are you suggesting I am deliberately targeting you?”
He genuinely was not targeting Ling Xiao. After all, Elder Ancestor Changle was present, so he did not dare to do so.
“That is not the case. This junior merely feels that the level of the several judging alchemists might be slightly lacking.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
“Slightly lacking?”
An Lian’s expression grew even colder. “You dare to question the ability of the judging alchemists?”
“What if I do? I wrote those ten formulas so clearly, yet none could be refined into pills. This kind of ability, heh.”
Ling Xiao gave a faint smile.
“How are we supposed to refine your randomly scribbled formulas?”
One of the judging alchemists grew angry.
“Randomly scribbled? Then what if I can refine them?”
Ling Xiao asked with a smile.
“If you can refine them, we will all acknowledge your criticism.”
The judging alchemists reached a consensus.
“Good. Then today, I suppose I will have to refine pills on the spot for everyone to see. It seems someone earlier said I could not refine pills. Although the ten formulas I wrote are only non-grade pills, their effects are quite good. I will refine them for you to witness.”
Ling Xiao nodded.
“Prepare a venue for him!”
An Lian declared aggressively.
He was now almost furious with Ling Xiao. How could there be such an audacious fellow who dared to question the judging alchemists?
He wanted Ling Xiao to lose face in front of everyone.
However, after a quarter of an hour.
Ten pills brimming with energy were placed on a tray.
At this moment, Elder Ancestor Changle felt his heart suddenly twitch.
He had expected Ling Xiao to be outstanding, but he had never imagined Ling Xiao would be this outstanding.
As for An Lian, his face showed utter shock.
Ling Xiao had actually succeeded in refining them, and in front of everyone, taking only a quarter of an hour to produce ten pills.
How could he be so formidable?
Dead silence!
Complete silence, like a deserted wilderness at midnight.
The previously noisy hall became utterly devoid of any sound.
Everyone stared dumbfounded at the ten perfectly round and glistening pills, their minds replaying Ling Xiao’s refining process.
The thoughts of the several judging alchemists were almost identical.
To be able to use those ingredients to refine these ten types of pills, this was simply monstrous talent.
Moreover, the refining technique Ling Xiao had just demonstrated was no worse than any of theirs.
At critical moments, he could always use superb skill to compensate for minor flaws in the formulas, successfully refining the pills.
These ten formulas, frankly, could only be refined by someone with excellent technique, requiring precise flame control and deep understanding of the ingredients.
They were completely convinced.
No wonder Ling Xiao said their abilities were lacking. They truly were.
For such a genius, only an alchemist of Medicine King Sun Ran’s level would be qualified to judge. They were still too inexperienced.
Feng Ming Piaoxue was so excited that she jumped up, murmuring to herself, “I knew it, I knew he would be fine!”
Perhaps her voice eased the previously deathly silent atmosphere in the hall.
Many people cast complicated glances at Ling Xiao.
These glances contained awe.
There was also jealousy.
And disbelief.
In any case, at this moment, no one dared to show any further contempt or disdain toward Ling Xiao.
The ability Ling Xiao had displayed far surpassed theirs.
Jiluo Yu was so angry that she almost cried, shouting loudly, “Ling Xiao, you bastard! You are clearly so capable, yet you deliberately pretended to be weak to devour the strong. Are you sick?”
Ling Xiao glanced at her faintly and said, “Little Medicine King, I really do not have a masochistic tendency, nor was I pretending to be weak.”
“Then why did you submit your paper so late, and deliberately put on an expression of regret and remorse for everyone to see?”
Jiluo Yu asked.
“I submitted late because I thought of many formulas and simply wanted to make full use of the time.
The regret was not deliberate. It was genuine regret. If there had been more time, I probably could have written another ten formulas.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
“You!”
Although Ling Xiao was telling the truth, it somehow carried a strong sense of showing off, leaving Jiluo Yu so angry that she did not know what to say.
While Jiluo Yu was questioning Ling Xiao, Dan Qing’s face was livid.
His hands were clenched tightly. If he had used all the time available, he might have been able to write four more formulas and reach the same level as Ling Xiao.
But he was too proud.
So he submitted early. He believed no one could surpass him.
Yet Ling Xiao had struck him hard with facts, giving him a resounding slap in the face.
Dan Qing, who was extremely proud deep down, found it very difficult to accept this.
Of course, the most colourful expression belonged to none other than An Lian.
His gaze was the most complicated.
After various emotions flashed across his face, he finally let out a heavy sigh and said, “I lost. I lost completely! Good lad, I never expected that at such a young age, you would truly possess such terrifying ability. With your skill, you must at least be a top-tier yellow-grade alchemist, and you might even be a yellow-grade alchemist!”
