The ninth jade cup settled back onto the wooden tray with a faint sound, yet it struck the hearts of the assembled crowd like a sledgehammer, snapping them instantly awake.

Gazing at Nie Kong, whose expression remained perfectly composed, the onlookers were filled with both astonishment and confusion.

When Nie Kong drank the second cup, they had assumed he would collapse; instead, he was completely unaffected. When he drank the third, they thought he could barely manage, yet he still stood firm. Nie Kong drank the fourth, the fifth... and even after finishing the ninth cup, he appeared as though nothing had happened. If they hadn't known for certain that the "Nine-Color Chain" prepared by Luo Ren was genuine, they might have assumed the cups contained anything other than actual poison.

Compared to the disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall, Luo Ren found it even harder to believe his own eyes.

Back when he was still a disciple in the inner city of Lingyu City, Luo Ren had attempted the "Nine-Color Chain" multiple times, leaving him with an extremely deep impression of its lethality—and since he had prepared this specific set himself, he understood the potent danger of the nine poisons even better than anyone else.

To ensure absolute success, he had intentionally increased the dosage in each of the nine cups.

Furthermore, Nie Kong had mistakenly drunk the poison in the first cup; logically, even if he could survive the second, enduring the third, the fourth, and so on, would be nearly impossible. Yet, Nie Kong not only survived but drank all nine cups in one continuous sequence, without pausing even once.

This manner of consumption was something even the most exceptional disciples of the inner city's Medicine Heart Hall struggled to pass successfully. However, Nie Kong had done it, and after consuming every drop, he showed no symptoms of poisoning whatsoever—it was truly beyond comprehension!

Could the nine-fold layered toxicity fail to affect him?

"Master Luo Ren, how is it?"

Nie Kong laughed loudly. Although these nine cups of poison were peculiar, they were far inferior to the toxic herbs Nie Kong had recently sampled in the Six Courtyards of the Red Chamber Pharmacy. Absorbing them was effortless for him. If Luo Ren intended to use this method to test him, he had simply miscalculated.

Not only did the nine cups of poison pose no obstacle to Nie Kong, but they had actually provided a significant nutrient boost to the "Fire Tree Silver Flower" in his pet satchel.

Luo Ren's face cycled through various shades of gloom as he stared intently at Nie Kong, his mind frantically replaying the scene of Nie Kong drinking the nine cups, searching for any sign of cheating. Unfortunately, after pondering for a long time, Luo Ren found nothing.

Nie Kong teased, "Master Luo Ren doesn't believe I’m unpoisoned? It’s fine, you can bring out another nine cups of the same poison; I won't mind."

Luo Ren, having formed a strong initial judgment, was convinced Nie Kong had used some unknown means to cheat the "Nine-Color Chain" test, and he would not easily change his mind. But under the gaze of so many witnesses, even if he wanted Nie Kong to attempt the "Nine-Color Chain" again, he couldn't bring himself to ask.

"Take your seat!"

Luo Ren's features twisted slightly. After fixing Nie Kong with a hard stare for a moment, he let out a muffled snort through his nose, then forced the two words out between gritted teeth.

Smiling broadly while meeting Luo Ren's gaze, Nie Kong unceremoniously settled cross-legged onto his cushion. The disciples in front occasionally turned their heads to steal glances at their peer who was standing toe-to-toe with the entry-level instructor of the "Medicine Heart Hall" without losing an inch of ground. Their expressions became decidedly complex...

...

Nie Kong paid little mind to the friction between himself and Luo Ren. The so-called entry-level master was, put plainly, much like a 'nanny' from his previous life; besides explaining the various affairs of Lingyu City to the newly admitted disciples, his primary role was handling the petty chores disciples encountered.

As for the actual teaching of alchemy knowledge, that fell to the Hall Master and Vice Master of the Medicine Heart Hall.

In terms of instructing disciples in alchemy, they generally did not hold back knowledge. This wasn't because Lingyu City was inherently altruistic. It was simply that the general knowledge of alchemy was not a secret to the vast majority of disciples, especially those from prominent aristocratic families. Those with high-grade Spirit Pharmacists in their families could learn at home, and even if they lacked one, they could acquire the knowledge through other means.

The reason young Spirit Pharmacists across the Heaven Spirit Continent flocked eagerly toward the "Medicine Heart Hall" of Lingyu City was the incomparably superior learning environment it offered.

Lingyu City boasted the most extensive medicinal garden on the Heaven Spirit Continent, housing an extraordinarily comprehensive selection of herbs. Apart from a few extremely rare varieties, nearly every known herb on the continent could be found within Lingyu City's grounds. The advantages of studying alchemy in such a location were self-evident.

Furthermore, this place gathered a large assembly of outstanding young Spirit Pharmacists.

If one remained stagnant in a small town, never grasping the gap between themselves and others, improving one's alchemy skill would prove incredibly difficult. This was not the case in Lingyu City. The competition within the Medicine Heart Hall was fierce; with competition came progress, which was the undisputed key to the Medicine Heart Hall maintaining its strength.

After all, Lingyu City was a Spirit Master sect, not a charity organization. The resources of the Lingyu City Medicine Heart Hall could not be made unconditionally available to all disciples for free.

Aside from the common herbs needed for routine alchemy practice, there were only two ways to acquire valuable resources: first, by making a significant contribution to the Medicine Heart Hall—such as improving or inventing a spiritual medicine formula, or accurately identifying the properties of an unfamiliar herb; the second was by winning the monthly "Medicine Heart Hall" competitions.

Contributions to the Medicine Heart Hall and the results of the monthly trials were both recorded in the overall performance metrics. Each year, the bottom-ranking disciples would be expelled from the Medicine Heart Hall. For these young Spirit Pharmacists, being cast out was an indelible stain that would be impossible to wash away in a lifetime.

Consequently, everyone strived fiercely to excel.

Knowing these circumstances, Nie Kong felt a significant pressure, which intensified upon learning that fifteen of his peers were already Third-Grade Spirit Pharmacists. Moreover, besides these newly advanced disciples in this side hall, there were nearly two hundred disciples who had been there for one, or even two or three years.

Their strength would undoubtedly be greater, and standing out among such a concentration of young elites in the "Medicine Heart Hall" would certainly not be easy.

In Lingyu City, if Nie Kong wanted to quickly advance to the inner city, he would still need to adopt a strategy similar to his time in the Nie Family: ensuring his own safety while maximizing his visibility.

Thus, once Luo Ren announced the dismissal, Nie Kong did not linger to socialize with him or any other fellow disciples. He departed the side hall at his fastest pace, drawing the attention of everyone present, and Luo Ren's gaze following his retreating figure grew even more displeased. Naturally, Nie Kong paid no attention to these looks.

Exiting the "Medicine Heart Hall," Nie Kong followed the main avenue beside the hall, just as Luo Ren had described.

After walking straight for several hundred meters, he made a turn and immediately spotted a magnificent, gleaming hall. Engraved upon the plaque were the four striking characters: "Alchemist Assembly Hall." This place was far livelier than the preceding "Medicine Heart Hall," with people constantly entering and exiting the entrance.

This Alchemist Assembly Hall was originally intended as a venue for communication among Medicine Heart Hall disciples.

As time passed, its function expanded. If a Medicine Heart Hall disciple encountered difficulties or required specific items, they could post information here. Disciples from other branches of Lingyu City needing a certain spiritual medicine would also come here to post requests. Even high-level Spirit Masters and superior Spirit Pharmacists from Lingyu City frequently patronized this location.

As long as one possessed sufficient capability, many rare and precious items could be acquired within the Alchemist Assembly Hall!

...