Nie Kong startled, rising instinctively to his feet.

"Nie Kong?"

The man in purple barked the name out, his voice heavy.

Hearing his name spoken so directly, Nie Kong realized with a jolt that he was indeed late. This person must have entered the side hall earlier and taken attendance, which is why he instantly knew that the newcomer was "Nie Kong." In that moment, Nie Kong inwardly groaned.

"Nie Kong, I hear you bypassed the selection assessment for outer-city disciples and were recommended directly into the 'Medicine Heart Hall' by the Scarlet Chamber. However, I am not interested in what methods you used to enter Lingyu City. As long as you possess strength, I will acknowledge your qualification to be a disciple of the Medicine Heart Hall in Lingyu City."

"Nie Kong, do you truly believe you are qualified?" By the time he finished, the man in purple’s voice was sharp and his gaze fixed coldly on Nie Kong.

Nie Kong was quite displeased by this man’s immediate accusatory tone. He frowned slightly. "My good sir, may I ask who you are?"

"Me?"

The man in purple's eyes narrowed, a cold sneer touching the corner of his mouth. "My surname is Luo, my given name is Ren. I became an outer-city disciple ten years ago, entered the inner city eight years ago, became the professor for the outer-city 'Medicine Heart Hall' four years ago, and I am now the introductory master for you fifty new outer-city disciples."

"So you are Master Luo Ren. In your opinion, what is required to possess the qualification of a Medicine Heart Hall disciple?" Nie Kong met Luo Ren’s gaze without yielding an inch.

"Slap! Slap!"

Luo Ren suddenly clapped his hands twice. A young attendant immediately appeared at the side hall's small door, carrying a wooden tray covered by a round dome.

Everyone inside the hall exchanged glances, confusion evident in their eyes, clearly wondering what lay beneath the dome.

When the attendant reached his side, Luo Ren glanced at Nie Kong and suddenly raised his hand, lifting the dome.

A brilliance of nine-colored neon light—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, brown, black—burst forth, immediately arresting their sight. They gazed intently and saw nine clear jade cups arranged neatly on the wooden tray, each filled to the brim with nine different [elixirs/liquids].

Reflected by the Moonstone inlaid at the apex of the side hall, the dazzling radiance from the nine-colored [elixirs] intertwined and converged, making the attendant appear as if he were holding a mass of vibrant neon.

"This is the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' specifically used by Lingyu City to test its disciples!" Luo Ren said casually, pointing to the nine jade cups.

"Nine-Colored Chain Link!"

"Nine-Colored Chain Link? Is this really the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link'? It is indeed a method used by Lingyu City for disciple assessment, but aren't those tests usually for inner-city disciples?"

"Are you sure? The Professor intends to use this to test his strength? I heard the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' is one of the most difficult assessment methods in Lingyu City..."

"..."

Whispers of shock and uncertainty rose continuously. The crowd stole glances at Nie Kong from time to time, their eyes holding sympathy, pity, mockery, and even schadenfreude.

Taking in the murmurs, Luo Ren kept a stern face. "These nine cups contain nine different poisons. Regardless of which poison you drink, there will always be another one that counteracts it. If you find the correct sequence and consume them one after another, the final result will be no symptoms of poisoning, nor any after-effects. If you mess up the sequence, even reversing just two of them, you'll likely be lying on the [bed/floor] for three months..."

Staring grimly at Nie Kong, Luo Ren added coldly, "Nie Kong, if you finish drinking all nine cups of poison within half an hour without any adverse reaction, you remain a disciple of the Medicine Heart Hall. Otherwise, you will lie around Lingyu City for three months, and then you go back to wherever you came from! Although the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' is meant for testing inner-city disciples, since you earned a recommendation from the Scarlet Chamber, I assume passing this test should be more than sufficient for you!"

In the end, a mocking smile flickered across Luo Ren's handsome face. "You—dare or not dare?"

In his ten years in Lingyu City, Luo Ren hated disciples who entered through backdoors the most. It was because during his first assessment for the Medicine Heart Hall, his score placed him exactly fiftieth, just enough to squeeze in, only to be pushed out by an alchemist recommended by the Scarlet Chamber.

Forced into a difficult path, Luo Ren only managed to return to the "Medicine Heart Hall" after a bitter struggle through the "Fire Cloud Hall."

Seeing a new disciple on the roster who was also recommended by the Scarlet Chamber, he felt as if he had swallowed a fly, feeling nauseated for days.

Luo Ren had already been contemplating finding an opportunity to oust that backdoor entrant later, but he never expected fate to intervene so perfectly. On the day the new disciples reported, Nie Kong was late. With careful maneuvering, perhaps he could legally eliminate him now, or at the very least, drive him out of the Medicine Heart Hall.

To Luo Ren, the Medicine Heart Hall was a sacred place, intolerant of any defilement. Thus, he prepared the "Nine-Colored Chain Link," waiting only for Nie Kong’s appearance.

"Slap! Slap!"

Loud applause rang out again in the side hall; it was Nie Kong, clapping cheerfully. "Master Luo Ren speaks eloquently, and your preparations are certainly thorough. However..."

Nie Kong’s tone suddenly shifted, turning cold. "Whether or not I have the qualification to be a Medicine Heart Hall disciple is not for you to decide, nor is it for me to decide—it is for this waist token to decide! If Master Luo Ren has such great authority, why don't you take my token back right now!"

"You..."

Luo Ren’s face flushed crimson. Nie Kong’s words struck his most sensitive spot. He was currently only an introductory professor for the Medicine Heart Hall, the lowest rank. If he possessed the authority to confiscate Nie Kong's token, Nie Kong would never have entered the Medicine Heart Hall in the first place, nor would he have that token.

"According to Medicine Heart Hall rules, being late on registration day requires facing the wall at 'Black Nightmare Mountain' behind the city for ten days..."

Seeing Luo Ren’s face shift from red to black, Nie Kong’s eyebrows arched, a half-smile playing on his lips. "However, since Master Luo Ren brought out the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' and even resorted to goading tactics, it would be a disservice to your efforts if I didn't take the bait... Speaking of which," he pointed at the attendant, "Bring the tray over!"

The attendant quickly brought the tray toward Nie Kong. Luo Ren hadn't expected the tables to turn like this. Although Nie Kong had publicly humiliated him, Luo Ren felt certain now. The 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' was difficult even for Third or Fourth Grade Alchemists, let alone a mere Second Grade Alchemist?

"Nie Kong, you are drinking this of your own volition; I did not force you. If you refuse to drink, you can still choose to go face the wall at 'Black Nightmare Mountain' for ten days," Luo Ren snorted coldly.

Hearing Luo Ren wash his hands of the entire affair, Nie Kong found it amusing. He figured if he truly refused to drink, this fellow’s face would darken again.

Nie Kong couldn't be bothered with him further. Seeing the attendant standing right in front of him, he didn't even look, simply picking up the cup closest to the edge, tilting his head back, and draining the red poison within in one gulp.

"Ah?"

Seeing Nie Kong drink so cleanly and decisively, gasps echoed in the side hall. Those Medicine Heart Hall disciples stared at each other in astonishment. Though they hadn't witnessed the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link' assessment before, since the nine poisons were supposed to counteract each other, shouldn't one deliberate carefully before drinking?

An involuntary smile began to spread across Luo Ren’s handsome face. Since he had prepared the 'Nine-Colored Chain Link,' he knew the exact sequence for consuming the nine cups. By Nie Kong’s method, failure was a foregone conclusion, because the very first cup he drank was wrong!

Nie Kong paid no mind to the expressions of those around him. After finishing the red poison, he picked up the orange cup, then the yellow jade cup...

With every cup Nie Kong drained, the astonishment of the crowd deepened. By the time all the liquid in the nine jade cups was consumed, everyone was dumbstruck. The hall fell into absolute silence...