The third tier of the grand platform was likewise appointed with low tables, each surface already set with a complete set of brushes, ink stones, paper, and ink. Everyone sat cross-legged behind these tables, their expressions uniformly grave. Of the two hundred and seventy-nine Apothecaries who had competed in the second trial, fewer than a hundred remained.

The Apothecaries who had lasted until the third trial possessed genuine skill; the vast majority who had passed the first round mostly on luck had been eliminated in the second. To stand out among the current nearly one hundred competitors was immensely difficult. Moreover, this group included exceptionally gifted women like Mu Xiaoling and Qu Xinyi, a third-rank Apothecary such as the Fourth Prince Cheng Zixuan, and even a phenomenon like Nie Kong, who had earned the sincere admiration of all the judges.

To compete on the same stage as such individuals was nerve-wracking enough. What amplified the pressure was the sudden movement of six fifth-rank Apothecaries—Cheng Feiliu, Mu Zisi, Que Yu, and three others—rising from the judges’ seats and approaching the platform, clearly intending to observe the competition up close.

A palpable wave of increased tension washed over the remaining contestants.

In contrast to the competitors, the spectators gathered in the manor grounds grew more excited by the judges’ actions, their anticipation for the remaining three rounds soaring. After all, this platform hosted nearly all the promising young Apothecaries in the Great Accomplishment Empire; it was entirely possible that hidden among them were future fifth, sixth, or even seventh-rank masters. Witnessing their performance now would certainly provide ample material for boasting later.

“The third trial: Identification of Ingredients!”

Once Cheng Feiliu, Mu Zisi, and the others had found their positions, Mo Xingtou’s booming voice rang out. “Before each of you rests a single first-rank spirit medicine. Before the hourglass runs dry, ingest it and correctly identify one of the medicinal components used to refine it. Accurate writing of just one name will allow you to pass this stage.”

Identify the ingredients?

Save for a select few, nearly every single Apothecary’s face drained of color. Everyone knew the trials grew progressively harder, but no one had anticipated the third round would involve discerning the very components within a refined spirit medicine. The difficulty of this stage was on an entirely different level compared to what preceded it.

Nie Kong, too, felt a slight jolt of surprise.

Once various spirit medicines on the Heavenly Spirit Continent are refined, they release almost no residual medicinal scent—a trait that intensifies with higher grade. For medicines above the fifth rank, even an Elixir King would struggle to identify every constituent; pinpointing four or five was considered exceptional.

This is precisely why, even if one obtained a rare spirit medicine, duplicating it proved nearly impossible. Consequently, the formulas for high-grade elixirs were guarded with extreme secrecy, rarely leaking out.

“Fortunately, it is a first-rank medicine; the probability of successfully identifying the components is much higher. If this were a second or third-rank medicine, I doubt a single Apothecary here would pass before the sand ran out. Not even that Fourth Prince could manage it.”

Nie Kong mused inwardly, his composure quickly returning.

“Prepare!”

Mo Xingtou’s eyes flashed like lightning as his gaze swept swiftly over the ranks of Apothecaries. Before his voice even faded, everyone was simultaneously grasping the small, blood-red pill resting on their tables.

“Begin!”

The sound of the hourglass started anew.

One by one, the spirit medicines were tossed into open mouths, instantly followed by a cacophony of loud swallowing sounds from the platform. The moment the elixir slid down their throats, the competitors banished all extraneous thought, closed their eyes, and concentrated, meticulously savoring the medicinal power dispersing within their bodies. For them, the only path to discerning the medicine’s components was to first gauge the spirit medicine's overall effect, allowing them to correlate it with the base ingredients.

Otherwise, the chance of passing the third trial was exceptionally slim.

Moments later, an almost frightening silence descended upon the grand platform. The sight of so many solemn, intensely focused faces created an invisible atmosphere of tension vibrating through the air.

The crowd of onlookers in the manor grounds also held their breath, instinctively muffling their voices, afraid to disrupt the Apothecaries’ profound concentration.

“Brother Que, the ‘Blood Shadow Pill’ you concocted has never been seen before. This round poses quite a challenge for these youngsters,” Mu Zisi whispered with a slight smile.

“It needs to have some difficulty to be worthwhile. If ten people pass this stage, that will meet my goal,” Que Yu replied, grinning.

Cheng Feiliu added thoughtfully, “After surviving the trial of the ‘Blood Shadow Pill,’ Master Tingyun’s prepared fourth trial awaits them. I wonder how many will manage to hold out until the fifth round?”

“The Fourth Prince is already a third-rank Apothecary; passing the third and fourth trials should be no trouble for him. He will certainly be one of them,” Fu Erong chuckled.

“And my disciple,” Lian Tian murmured to himself with a serious expression, adding the silent postscript.

While the judges engaged in their hushed discussion, Apothecaries had begun to open their eyes. The optimal window for experiencing the medicinal effects was immediately following ingestion, and its duration varied: some lasting a minute or two, others barely ten seconds, or even just a few.

Once this crucial window passed, gaining further insight became extraordinarily difficult.

A youth picked up his brush and scribbled a drug name onto the paper. After only a few seconds, he shook his head and immediately smeared the characters into an inky black blot.

“Sigh!”

Frowning in thought for a long moment, the youth rewrote a few characters, only to obliterate them even faster this time. He repeated this several times before finally letting out a bitter sigh, rising from his seat with resignation to walk down from the platform. His journey in the Elixir Convention competition had reached its end.

With one leading the way, others quickly followed suit. In less than a minute, over a dozen Apothecaries had vacated their spots, forfeiting the third trial.

At this juncture, Mu Xiaoling also opened her eyes.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her right hand held the brush suspended in the air for a long while before her eyes suddenly lit up. Dipping the tip into the inkstone, the brush descended onto the paper, and as her wrist turned, three elegant characters flowed forth. After completing the final stroke, Mu Xiaoling let out a breath of relief, her peripheral vision catching Nie Kong a few meters away.

Nie Kong, at that moment, was immersed in a peculiar state of mind.

Upon swallowing the blood-red spirit medicine, Nie Kong immediately activated the “Wood Sun True Spirit Art,” rapidly urging his spiritual energy to break down the elixir.

However, just as Nie Kong prepared to carefully analyze the released medicinal power, the little being within the Jade Pool Acupoint suddenly vibrated its roots. A potent surge of emerald green energy spread out through the “Three Spiritual Apertures,” lightning-fast, reaching the location of the spirit medicine. Immediately after, that green energy trembled and inexplicably enveloped the medicinal essence.

What was that little thing trying to do? Nie Kong froze for only half a second before the green tendril, clutching the essence, vanished back into the Jade Pool Acupoint, melding into the tiny sprout’s body.

Damn it!

This little pest! Even if you’re going to consume it, couldn’t you leave a bit for your master? Nie Kong was furious. It would be one thing to fail due to insufficient skill, but to lose the chance to advance to the fourth round because of this little creature’s interference felt incredibly unfair.

With a thought, Nie Kong prepared to command Xiangxiang to release some of the essence back, but before he could transmit his intention, he perceived something astonishing through the mental link he shared with the little sprout…

… P: 1. Brother dniel_li warned that if this book is ever discontinued (TJ), he will curse me to break a bone stepping out the door. Haha, that curse is too harsh, so to ensure this soft body doesn't break a bone, this book absolutely cannot be discontinued, no matter what. 2. Brother Yu Can Shang has sponsored a QQ group: 74207947. This number is very easy to remember. Brothers who are interested can join to chat; any suggestions can also be sent as private messages there. The main reason is that I have to disconnect the network while typing, so I might miss messages posted in the group. 3. I noticed this book made it onto the homepage weekly recommendation list, so I’m asking brothers for more votes. Let’s see if we can stay there a little longer. (∩_∩)~