The spectacle of the goateed man vomiting blood was witnessed by many others. Originally, those people didn’t take much heed — All of their attention was focused on the examinations just now. However, it was only natural that spewing blood was rather eye-catching at this time.
Everyone’s intelligence wasn’t low. After pondering for a moment, they understood clearly. Right away, they let out scoffs and laughter.
Envious people were a common sight, but it was rare for someone to turn themself into a laughing stock because of their envy.
After the man with the goatee spat out a mouthful of blood, he quickly noticed the strange gazes directed at himself. One could feel that these gazes were filled with ridicule and mockery. The blatant malice was something that he could hardly endure! As his face reddened and paled, his chest was plagued with waves of throbbing pain.
He looked at the person who came with him as if he wanted to grab hold of a life-saving straw, but that person’s expression was very regretful and never made eye contact with him. Instead, it was evasive, like that person didn’t want to associate with him anymore…
In the end, that goateed pharmacist suddenly got up, and rushed out of the pavilion regardless of everything else!
The one who accompanied the goateed man here was naturally a martial artist. This one happened to be a Noble Realm martial artist. After hesitating for three seconds, he stayed put.
He was still very interested in the following matters. At any rate, the goateed man wasn’t his only employer…
This scene was like a farce, but once everyone had a laugh, they quickly forgot about it.
Subsequently, everyone’s attention was on the four people with full marks. They were especially interested in Gu Zuo, who was so outstanding that a senior pharmacist vomited blood out of envy.
In order to assuage everyone’s doubts, Pill King Han wasn’t stingy. He quickly unfolded several sets of exam papers and caused them to float in the air, allowing all the pharmacists to view them.
Suddenly, numerous strands of psychic power burst forth, scanning those papers one by one.
Most of the other three sets answered according to the required number of examples. Very few questions were answered with one or two more examples than necessary. In addition, the majority of answers were relatively similar, and the examples provided were all commonly-seen medicinal ingredients.
However, when it was Gu Zuo’s turn, his exam papers were different. For almost every question, there was a handful to even more than a dozen examples. There were so many answers that, even if it were the pharmacists nurtured by some large organizations, they all felt somewhat baffled. However, since Pill King Han confirmed Gu Zuo’s ranking, it meant that these answers were correct. It was no wonder that he could get first place.
Immediately following which, some clever pharmacists began memorizing Gu Zuo’s answers — Although it was true that they mainly came to the Pill King Conference to listen to the pill king’s experiences, when all was said and done, it was still for the sake of raising their own strengths and improving their foundations.
With this chance to learn, it was only natural that they properly studied!
After the exam papers with full marks were displayed, some incomplete papers followed. Those that were more outstanding were likewise put on display.
Gu Zuo took a closer look, and found the exam paper that belonged to his dear Senior Sect Brother Xu.
Xu Lingxiu was barely considered a golden-level pharmacist, but he had a solid foundation. Among those numerous questions, he answered every single one, but many were incomplete.
However, this incompleteness didn’t mean that his foundations weren’t firm. On the contrary, most of these incomplete answers were related to the profound level and above. His rank didn’t reach the profound level, so it was only natural that there was a knowledge gap.
Though, Gu Zuo could also tell that Xu Lingxiu’s foundations were much stronger than when he was in Qingyun Sect. In all likelihood, he must’ve read many relevant books in Great Zhou to reach this state without the help of an inheritance. One could well imagine how much effort was put into this.
Thus, it was only a matter of course that Xu Lingxiu’s exam papers were displayed, too.
Gu Zuo quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Having one’s answer sheets displayed indicated that they were looked upon favorably by the pill king. As such, the probability of apprenticeship also increased.
As for those few people with full marks just now, Gu Zuo could see the arrogance etched between their brows and the temperament exuded from their bodies. They were basically disciples of large sects that already possessed inheritances. This kind of person would come to listen to the pill king’s experiences, but definitely wouldn’t apprentice themselves.
Following this, there were still many more exam papers shown. From those who performed exceptionally, most had powerful mentors or organizations backing them. Therefore, among the people who really shared the same goal of apprenticeship, Senior Sect Brother Xu was also one of the outstanding ones.
All kinds of thoughts flashed past. Gu Zuo turned his head, and was met with Gongyi Tianheng’s smiling expression. After that, Gu Zuo showed a great, big smile of his own.
[Big brother, how did I do?]
Tianheng’s voice, which carried a hint of laugher, resounded.
[Ah Zuo did extremely well.]
Gu Zuo was satisfied.
He participated in these things for several reasons. Firstly, he wanted to test to what standard his own strength had reached among the other pharmacists. Secondly… All men wanted to show off in front of their sweethearts. He was no exception.
Once the crowd of pharmacists finished evaluating the many exam papers, Pill King Han smiled: “Ladies and gentlemen, many of your foundations are splendid. It’s just that profound-level pharmacists who answered fewer than eight hundred questions and golden-level pharmacists who answered fewer than six hundred questions don’t need to take part in the second test. Naturally, there’s no harm if these people and any fellow enthusiasts on the martial path wish to stay and watch.”
Right away, at least twenty-something pharmacists wore looks of shame, left their exam seats, and returned to the long tables on the side. Of course, not all of them had fished in troubled waters, but it was true that their foundations weren’t sturdy. At this time, this was regarded as a huge loss of face.
Following this, Pill King Han smiled again, and said: “The second round will be medicine refinement.”
Numerous pharmacists heard this, and their spirits were lifted.
In the end, what pharmacists cared about the most was still practical, hands-on application!
Merely, the practical work that Pill King Han was talking about wasn’t ordinary practical work.
“Since ancient times, the Pill King Conferences have had rules. Everyone who participates in these conferences need to have a sharp mind. Only those who can improve or create their own medicinal prescriptions are qualified to listen to a pill king’s experiences. Otherwise, this profound lecture will be hard for the remaining people to comprehend. This wouldn’t be proper…”
From beginning to end, Pill King Han’s bearing was very good: “Therefore, in this round, I invite everyone to refine the medicinal pills that you’ve improved or created. Once you’ve obtained a finished product, give a recounting of its finer aspects for these numerous fellow enthusiasts, and acquire your qualification.”
Okay, this was also a conventional practice.
Moreover, this type of method also tested whether that so-called improvement was reliable or not. No matter how well the mouth could speak, the finished pill’s effects were the most important thing.
One could say that this round’s test was quite simple, but it could also be said to be rather complicated.
The simplicity laid in the fact that, while it might’ve been difficult to create a prescription, there were many methods of improvement.
For example, if a prescription was modified, the effects could be worsened, left unchanged, or improved.
It was naturally meaningless to change a prescription and make it worse, but there were advantages if a modification’s effects remained the same as before — For instance, if a type of medicinal ingredient was in short supply, it could be switched with something else for medicine refinement. This could conserve a lot on searching for ingredients, manpower, and resources. Perhaps, this could save lives in a critical moment. Also, if the change’s effects were an improvement, then this was regarded as progress.
Of course, the price of the medicinal ingredients had to be taken into consideration when making changes. If the price of the ingredients being substituted or altered was too high, then that was unacceptable.
During the first test, there were so many ingredients with similar medicinal effects. If these similar ingredients were taken and summarized to improve a pill prescription, it would usually be successful. This method was really simple. It was just that different improvements had different effects, which facilitated different achievements. Everyone would have a balancing scale in their hearts once the demonstrations started.
The complexity laid in the fact that the improvement of a pill prescription included the augmentation of the medicinal effects and the reduction of the manufacturing costs. What was even more complicated was naturally creating one’s own medicinal prescription.
One could say it this way. For every Pill King Conference, the majority of participants would improve a prescription. As for the people who came up with their own prescriptions, they were as rare as phoenix feathers or qilin horns. But once they could create their own prescription and their creation was relatively effective, they would become medicine refining geniuses who were eagerly sought after by others. In the future, the probability of becoming pill kings was also greatly increased.
— Returning to the main topic, many pharmacists were well aware of the situation. When Pill King Han indicated that the second round’s test had started, everyone calmed down and brandished their own pill cauldrons.
During this kind of occasion, the majority were still refining pills, but there were also some medicinal decoctions. As for medicinal cuisines… This was within the scope of long-term treatment. When all was said and done, it wasn’t as good as the first two medicaments, which could swiftly exhibit a pharmacist’s skills.
Gu Zuo also brandished his own pill furnace.
To be honest, he didn’t pay particular attention to what kind of pill furnace he used. This one could more or less withstand wondrous fires and the psychic power of a profound-level pharmacist. However, it didn’t raise any attributes, increase pill refining rates, or anything like that. Its plain and ordinary design couldn’t compare to the luxurious furnaces of many other pharmacists.
And yet, when Gu Zuo sat cross-legged behind his pill furnace and got ready to heat it up, not a single onlooker underestimated him because of this furnace.
Everyone knew that a pill furnace’s qualities were merely adding flowers to a brocade. What truly influenced a medicinal pill’s product grade was the honorable pharmacist himself. As for Gu Zuo, with just one gesture, his whole body seemed to be isolated from the space around him. His serene and tranquil appearance wiped out any trace of irritability from the bottom of these people’s hearts.
Without realizing it, the gazes of many people landed on him.
Following this, Gu Zuo bent a finger, and flicked it.
In a split second, a strand of reddish-orange flames burst forth. It rapidly squeezed into the pill furnace, and was set ablaze. Within the furnace chamber, it was spiritedly jumping and leaping.
This was the Earthen Core Flame!
In the blink of an eye, the pill furnace seemed to be coated in a layer of reddish-orange colors. From inside and out, it immediately warmed up.
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