Lan Yu’er remained icy, saying coldly, “I don’t know about your strength, but claiming you’ve completed everything Master Yang assigned is nonsense. Just because you’ve discovered a few things even I didn’t know doesn’t mean you can get carried away. Your foundation is still far from solid.”
“Heh, Senior Sister, that’s no fun. How about this: test me. If I’ve truly completed the tasks, you have to let me go. Otherwise, I’ll lose face, and my prize—a thousand-year golden snow lotus—will go to someone else for nothing. What a waste,” Ling Xiao said with a grin.
After less than two days together, Ling Xiao had already figured out this senior sister’s temperament.
Cold on the outside, warm on the inside.
So, a little joking wouldn’t hurt.
“A thousand-year golden snow lotus? You’re really willing to bet that!” Lan Yu’er looked at Ling Xiao, exasperated, as if he were a hopeless case.
After a moment’s silence, she said, “Fine, since you’re so confident, I’ll test you. If you pass, forget challenging outer disciples—even inner disciples, I won’t care.”
“I wouldn’t dare challenge inner disciples. Also, Senior Sister, you can’t ask questions outside those books, or I’d just concede now,” Ling Xiao said.
“Relax, all questions will come from those books,” Lan Yu’er said, glancing at Dai Yuling. “Yuling can be our witness.”
“I trust you, Senior Sister. Go ahead and ask,” Ling Xiao said, checking the sky outside. It was still early; as long as he got there before noon, he wouldn’t forfeit.
Even without a witness, Lan Yu’er wouldn’t ask questions beyond the books. Those texts alone took most herbologists three to five years to grasp the basics, and full mastery required decades, often only reaching a minor achievement.
Lan Yu’er, with her exceptional talent and comprehension in both martial arts and herbology, was a true genius.
Yet even she took years to achieve minor success and nearly a decade to reach her current level.
And she’d started studying herbology at nine.
Ling Xiao had good insight and impressive comprehension, but his attitude seemed overly cocky. This time, she’d teach him a lesson so he’d stop being so smug and study seriously. He might actually become the great herbologist Master Yang expected.
She simply didn’t believe Ling Xiao had mastered those books. Less than two days? Finishing them was already generous.
Mastered?
Was he even human?
“First question, the most basic one: what is a ‘pill’?” Lan Yu’er asked.
This was indeed the most fundamental and simplest question, but outsiders might not know.
“Tracing the origin and development of alchemy and pills, they stem from the ancient martial artists’ alchemical techniques, a continuation and evolution of those ancient methods.
Alchemy and pills are inseparable. Without ancient human martial artists, today’s pill culture wouldn’t exist.
Pills were created by ancient herbologists. In ancient times, ‘pill’ had two meanings: immortal elixirs and ordinary medicinal concoctions.
The pills ancient herbologists refined, professionally termed ‘external pills,’ were made by smelting metals and minerals in furnaces to create elixirs for immortality, known as golden pills.
Alchemy originated early on the Heavenly Dragon Continent, about 100,000 years ago, when herbologist Li Shaojun ‘transformed cinnabar into gold’ for use in utensils, an early form of golden pill refining.
Fifty thousand years ago, herbologist Wei Boyang wrote *The Canon of Alchemy*, using yin-yang principles to discuss golden pills, earning it the title ‘King of Ancient Pill Scriptures.’
A thousand years ago, herbologist Ge Huang summarised the external pills of his time in a book, categorising them into divine pills, golden liquids, and golden pills. He called golden pills a medicine that, the longer it was refined, the more wondrous its changes, indestructible through countless smeltings, eternal as the heavens. Consumed, it could grant immortality…”
Ling Xiao spoke at length, starting from the emergence of alchemy 100,000 years ago up to modern times, not only clearly answering Lan Yu’er’s question but also providing intricate details.
He even mentioned obscure anecdotes Lan Yu’er hadn’t paid much attention to.
“Good, you pass the first question, but it was simple. The second won’t be so easy,” Lan Yu’er said.
Though inwardly surprised, she remained composed on the surface.
“Wait a sec, Senior Sister. How many questions are you asking? We need to know so I don’t miss the challenge deadline,” Ling Xiao said.
“Don’t worry, just four questions.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
“Second question: explain the relationship between *Fire Control Methods* and medicinal ingredients.”
This question seemed simple but was deeply complex. Many herbologists never fully grasped it in their lifetime.
Failures in alchemy often stemmed from poor mastery of this.
But Ling Xiao wasn’t ordinary.
He smiled, “Fire control is essentially about managing heat and using flames correctly.
Heat is straightforward—high flame, low flame, medium flame, slow flame, and so on. Different pills require different flames, and during refining, flames must be adjusted promptly.
Flames are divided into mortal fire, civil-military fire, True Samadhi Fire…”
Ling Xiao’s response was thorough and precise, leaving no room for Lan Yu’er to nitpick.
“Third question, this involves practical application, though still basic. Listen carefully: if you have an ordinary golden snow lotus and all necessary auxiliary ingredients, what’s the best pill formula? How would you proceed?”
This question delved into professional herbology territory.
Dai Yuling, standing nearby, visibly tensed.
Conceptual questions could be memorised with a good memory, but professional ones required understanding, not just recall.
Outside the door, Master Yang had returned unnoticed, listening to the conversation, stroking his beard with a grave expression.
He was very satisfied with Ling Xiao’s answers to the first two questions.
But this one? He felt Lan Yu’er was rushing things. No matter how gifted Ling Xiao was, could he answer such a professional question?
“Worried?” a small dog on his shoulder transmitted telepathically.
“A bit. This kid’s a genius, but it’s been less than two days. He’s self-taught, with no one teaching him alchemy techniques. How could he know this?” Master Yang replied with a wry smile.
Inside, Dai Yuling cautioned Lan Yu’er, “Master, isn’t this a bit much?”
“Much? He’s so smart, how could he not answer?” Lan Yu’er retorted.
In truth, Lan Yu’er was a bit worked up. Realising Ling Xiao’s comprehension surpassed hers threw her off balance, and she wanted to see just how far his brilliance extended.
“I’d choose the ‘Golden Snow Lotus Essence-Dispersing Pill,’” Ling Xiao answered calmly.
To him, this question was no big deal.
“Continue!” Lan Yu’er said, her face showing a hint of astonishment.
