Chapter Two: Blossoming and Fruition! Ten Thousand Words and a Plea for Monthly Votes!

One monthly assessment, and already six different answers? No, seven, including that trial-addict who perpetually refined his medicine with the "Twin Dragons Playing with Pearls" technique—his concoction must surely differ from the other six! Seven people, seven solutions. Among the two hundred or so disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall present in this vast chamber, how many final answers would emerge? While such variance had occurred in previous monthly assessments, never had it been as bizarre as today. Amidst their astonishment, everyone felt a surge of excitement in their hearts.

"Bang!"

A dull, muffled explosion suddenly echoed through the hall.

A Medicine Heart Hall disciple caught the wobbling, descending medicine cauldron with a look of bitter dismay. The medicinal blast had failed to shatter the cauldron, but everything inside had been reduced to ash. Even without lifting the lid, a pungent, burnt stench could be detected seeping from the small vent holes.

The observing disciples from Spirit Command City watched the unfortunate young man with sympathy. He had failed with more than half the time remaining.

This man's score for this assessment would undoubtedly be zero. Perhaps a year from now, he would even be removed from the ranks of Medicine Heart Hall disciples. Yet, to everyone's surprise, the disciple only showed a flicker of dejection before rallying, hastily cleaning the cauldron, and continuing to add ingredients.

Following him, more cauldrons exploded in succession.

These unlucky Medicine Heart Hall disciples only captured the crowd's attention for a fleeting moment before being forgotten. The onlookers had not come to witness how the failures failed, but rather how the exceptional disciples of Medicine Heart Hall achieved success.

Of course, some were secretly praying for their failure!

The refining process for this round was unusually lengthy; nearly a quarter of an hour passed before anyone showed signs of reducing their flame intensity, making the crowd grow impatient.

"The flame is weakening!"

A few people suddenly cried out in surprise as Feng Biao's bursts of flame erupting from his palm grew progressively weaker until they vanished entirely. Under the expectant gaze of the crowd, Feng Biao finally lifted the cauldron lid. Everyone instinctively twitched their noses, eager to catch a whiff of the medicinal aroma.

What a stench!

Who was sneaking around farting? As for the true medicinal fragrance, how could it possibly travel such a distance? All they could smell was—

Seeing Feng Biao raise his right hand, everyone’s eyes widened, preparing for a spectacle—to see what medicine this young master, rumored to have successfully refined Fourth-Grade Spirit Medicine multiple times, would produce in this assessment.

Regrettably, Feng Biao’s hand did not dip into the cauldron. Instead, he circled around it, pinching several pinches of ingredients from the nearby box and tossing them one after another into the cauldron.

After such long anticipation, there was still no conclusion. The crowd was on the verge of cursing, but a glance at the professors of the Medicine Heart Hall forced the vulgarities back down their throats. They mentally recited Feng Biao's ancestors for eighteen generations to vent their frustration.

Feng Biao closed the lid, and the flames under his palm rose again. Judging by his actions, this wouldn't conclude anytime soon. The crowd shifted their gaze back to others.

"Look, look, that fellow seems almost done!"

Someone whispered a reminder, though it was entirely unnecessary. Everyone had already noticed the emerald-green flame in the trial-addict's hand beginning to diminish.

Nie Kong had forcibly merged an even greater variety of ingredients this time, requiring a longer duration than his previous attempts. However, his expression remained utterly placid. Though the flame in his palm fluctuated between strong and weak, it consistently exuded a feeling of seamless control—a testament to Nie Kong's confidence in forcefully merging medicinal power.

Everything proceeded methodically.

Unconsciously, Nie Kong paid less and less attention to the changes within the cauldron, until gradually, not a single thought occupied his mind. In a vague sense, Nie Kong's spirit seemed to merge perfectly with the cauldron; he needed no active observation—the situation inside was mirrored in his mind.

The ingredients inside continuously blended, eventually resolving into a pool of milky-white, viscous paste. Under the heat of the flame, bubbles began to rise.

Suddenly, at the moment one bubble burst, a trace of green slowly began to emerge. Though minute, it was strikingly conspicuous against the expanse of milky white.

"Pop!"

"Pop!"

"Pop,"

Seconds and minutes slipped by. Bubbles continuously broke within the cauldron, and green vitality poured forth endlessly. When no more bubbles surfaced, the wisps of green within that palm-sized mass of medicinal essence had connected to form a dense green net, crisscrossing intricately, much like the blood vessels within the human body.

"Hoo!"

Nie Kong's three Spirit Acupoints trembled violently, and his Spirit Power surged out like a tidal wave, channeled through the little creature residing in his Yaochi Acupoint. Instantly, the diminishing flame in Nie Kong’s palm flared up fiercely. The heat inside the cauldron seemed to intensify tenfold in an instant. The spiderweb-like green rapidly spread, completely enveloping the milky-white viscous essence until no white could be seen seeping through.

In the hall, the gathered onlookers, upon witnessing the change in Nie Kong’s flame, nearly exploded in curses again. One person acting this way was annoying; two acting this way was maddening—they simply wouldn't finish! They felt utterly toyed with.

Everyone was somewhat sullen. Was it easy to forgo training time just to watch the Medicine Heart Hall’s monthly assessment? However, after cursing silently, doubts began to surface. Was it possible that Nie Kong’s excessively fierce flame had caused the cauldron to be tossed high into the air?

Had he failed?

The crowd displayed a mixture of shock and joy, sympathy and schadenfreude—this was the price of toying with them!

But before their thoughts could fully form, Nie Kong caught the cauldron as it descended. With a crisp crack, he lifted the lid. Having been fooled twice already, the crowd glanced over indifferently, wondering if this fellow was finally done. Yet, seeing Nie Kong remain motionless for a prolonged moment, their curiosity stirred anew.

It seemed he hadn't failed; he truly had finished refining! What medicine had he produced? Excitement began to build. Some of the shorter Spirit Command City disciples couldn't help but stand on tiptoe, waiting for Nie Kong to withdraw the medicine from the cauldron so they could get a firsthand look.

At this moment, Nie Kong stared at the vibrant, green liquid essence within the cauldron, his eyes wide, an involuntary smile of sheer delight spreading across his face.

Life Force!

This was true Life Force!

This batch of liquid medicine was worlds apart from the spherical essence he had first merged, which only vaguely hinted at green. Although Sha Yan had insisted that green was Life Force, Nie Kong hadn't truly been able to sense it. But now, even with his eyes closed, Nie Kong could feel the robust vitality emanating from the liquid.

Reflecting on the recent events, Nie Kong had a sudden epiphany. All medicines contained Life Force, but to coax that Life Force out and enhance it with mutated Wood Spirit Power—relying solely on the State of Emptiness increased the chance of success by a mere fraction. To truly succeed, the State of Emptiness was merely the foundation; one needed to merge one's spirit with the cauldron itself.

In all his previous attempts, except for the one in the annex of the Medicine Heart Hall, Nie Kong had utilized the "Cauldron Illusion Body." He shared a spiritual connection with Xiangxiang, allowing him to monitor the cauldron's interior through the little creature, but his spirit had never truly integrated with the vessel, even in a state of inner emptiness.

No wonder he had made so many attempts without gaining any real traction!

This forced merging of medicinal power was like a sudden, profound awakening, instantly clarifying the key to success. At this moment, Nie Kong felt a flicker of gratitude toward that fellow, Luo Ren. Had Luo Ren not secretly signed him up for this monthly assessment, even if he eventually grasped the method for bestowing Life Force upon medicine, his speed would never have matched today's pace, and the process would certainly not have been as smooth as it just was.

Master Luo Ren was truly the paragon of doing good deeds in a mischievous manner! One time, his "Nine-Colored Interlocking Rings" brought him fame in the Medicine Heart Hall; another time, signing him up for this assessment brought him immense insight... Nie Kong glanced at Luo Ren standing ahead and smiled strangely. The smile was so peculiar that Luo Ren frowned, knowing instinctively there was no goodwill behind it, and shot Nie Kong a cold look.

"Take it out!"

Seeing Nie Kong pause, staring foolishly at the cauldron and chuckling to himself, the crowd realized Nie Kong was utterly pleased with his creation. Their curiosity turned into impatience. They wished their arms could extend dozens of meters to help Nie Kong retrieve the spirit medicine.

Finally, Nie Kong’s hand moved.

But when they saw the direction his right hand was moving, a distinct feeling of foreboding gripped the crowd. Moments later, their premonition became reality: Nie Kong picked up the smooth, white seed and tossed it into the cauldron.

It truly wasn't finished! They had been tricked again! The crowd was furious, itching to rush forward, grab Nie Kong, and give him a good beating.

"Go to hell with you!"

A voice like a cracked gong erupted. A powerfully built disciple from the Purple Lightning Hall leaped up, shouting angrily, "Damn it, can't you finish in one go? Watching you makes my little heart race like a drum, up and down..." Before he finished speaking, two approaching Medicine Heart Hall disciples grabbed his arms and clamped a hand over his mouth.

Almost simultaneously, three muffled pangs sounded—three medicine cauldrons exploded, the roar and curses of the Purple Lightning Hall disciple having distracted three Medicine Heart Hall disciples.

This was intolerable! To cause such a loud commotion within the Medicine Heart Hall! Sha Yan’s expression darkened. He looked to the middle-aged man beside him and stated, "Hand him over to the Hall Master of Purple Lightning Hall. Confine him to Black Nightmare Mountain for three months!"

"Yes."

Vice Hall Master Sha Yan’s voice was not loud, but his words quickly spread among the surrounding Spirit Command City disciples. Everyone looked at the burly youth being roughly dragged away with a mixture of sympathy and admiration. This was a true hero; his sharp tongue had eloquently voiced the feelings of the entire crowd.

As for Nie Kong, he heard none of the curses swirling around him. The instant the "Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower" seed entered the cauldron, both palms were pressed against the vessel’s body. Emerald-green spirit power threaded like silk into the interior, and his spirit was completely immersed within.

The Life-Force-rich liquid enveloped the seed, and under the relentless urging of Nie Kong's spirit power, the seed slowly absorbed it.

"Sizzle!"

After about several minutes, the seed's outer shell finally cracked open with a tiny fissure, slightly accelerating its absorption rate of the liquid medicine.

The crack widened, and a sliver of white appeared. The seed was sprouting!

Nie Kong’s spirit remained undisturbed as he watched the tender sprout push through the seed coat and peek out. Then, fine, reddish roots emerged, anchoring themselves in the liquid. The two lobes of the seed flesh unfolded, gradually growing larger and thinner, finally transforming into two small, tender green leaves.

"Yiya ya!"

The little creature, cooperating with Nie Kong's medicinal merge, had swept up several drops of the blood-red liquid beads secreted by the "Fire Tree Silver Flower" in the pet backpack and was now vibrant and full of energy. Swaying its stem and leaves, dragging its roots over that pool of dark green blood, it walked a few steps before sensing the situation inside the cauldron through Nie Kong’s spiritual connection. Immediately, it became highly excited, its three leaves fluttering upright, letting out an eager cry. A thick wave of green energy surged out of the Yaochi Acupoint.

Unfortunately, the green energy hadn't even reached his arm before Nie Kong called it back. He knew the creature's innate medicinal power could certainly make the Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower grow more vigorously, but he wanted to see how far the liquid medicine could nurture the plant himself; Xiangxiang couldn't join the excitement yet.

"Ay ya ya!"

The little creature twisted its stem, its roots tickling the side wall of Nie Kong's acupoint, beginning to act spoiled. Normally, Nie Kong would surely comfort it and grant its wishes. But this time, the little creature had miscalculated; Nie Kong felt nothing at all. After stopping it, his spirit immediately plunged back into the cauldron.

In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower sprouted two more small leaves.

The little creature tilted its tiny flower bud with some confusion, then sent two more roots to scratch the side walls of Nie Kong's acupoints. After a long while, Nie Kong still showed no reaction. The creature then used its last root to tickle all three of Nie Kong's Spirit Acupoints.

Seeing Nie Kong remain motionless, the creature slumped, letting out a sharp "Ay ya ya!" scream as its stem, leaves, and roots curled into a ball, rolling around on the dark green blood.

This commotion was significant enough that Nie Kong finally noticed. He sighed internally, knowing he had to humor it, and promised the creature he could move around after the pool of liquid medicine was completely absorbed. Only then did the little creature burst open, its stem, leaves, and roots fully extended, calling out sweetly, "Ay ya ya!"

Nie Kong shook his head and continued supplying spirit power, observing the cauldron's interior.

The "Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower" grew faster and taller. When only half the liquid remained, the tender seedling had already touched the lid. As its roots continued to absorb the medicine, the seedling actually bent downward along the lid, touched the bottom, and then started growing upward again.

This winding process repeated three times before the vibrant, life-filled liquid in the cauldron was completely absorbed, and the Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower ceased growing.

Nie Kong didn't know how others had approached this problem, but just based on this Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower, he knew his result certainly wouldn't be in the bottom ten. His mind settled. Seeing the little creature in his Yaochi Acupoint growing impatient, he chuckled inwardly, "Your turn. Just don't kill it!"

"Yiya ya!"

The little creature chirped joyfully. Its innate medicinal essence, condensed into green energy, passed through Nie Kong's right hand pressed against the cauldron, spiraled into the interior, and wrapped around the stem of the Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower.

Knowing the little creature wouldn't act recklessly, Nie Kong stopped focusing on the cauldron. He shifted his gaze forward, toward the hourglass. At most, only twenty percent of the sand remained. He estimated that in another ten or twenty minutes, this monthly assessment would conclude.

Nie Kong shook his head slightly. He had thought only a few minutes had passed since the successful merging of the medicinal power, but realizing that the seed took several tens of minutes to absorb the medicine, sprout, and grow forty or fifty leaves filled him with unexpected emotion.

How were Miao Ge and the others faring?

Nie Kong’s thoughts shifted, and he turned his gaze to Miao Ge beside him. He found she had just withdrawn her palms from her cauldron and was looking toward him as well.

Their gazes met halfway. A faint, joyful smile played on Miao Ge's lips; the small, dark beauty mark below her eye only enhanced her captivating allure.

"She must have succeeded, but I wonder how she dealt with the 'Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower' seed?" Nie Kong glanced at her cauldron, noting that Miao Ge showed no sign of opening it, clearly intending to delay revealing the results. Nie Kong sighed and moved his gaze to Qin Ji.

Noticing Nie Kong's look, Qin Ji gave a slight smile, her eyes shimmering as they flowed. Her pair of azure eyes were like two clear, ancient wells—irresistibly enchanting. Seeing that she also had no intention of opening her lid, Nie Kong felt a touch of exasperation, completely failing to realize his own cauldron was just as tightly sealed.

Nie Kong couldn't see the condition of the disciples behind him or directly in front of him. However, looking at the rows to his left, right, and diagonally, nearly half were still controlling their flames to heat the cauldron. Nie Kong guessed those individuals were likely using the Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower to refine spirit medicine. If they used the merged power merely as nourishment, success was uncertain; even if they succeeded, the remaining time would only be enough for the seed to sprout.

The other nearly half of the Medicine Heart Hall disciples had stopped their work, their expressions either worried or joyful.

One could roughly gauge how they had answered the question based on their faces. Those beaming with happiness, eagerly awaiting examination by Vice Hall Master Sha Yan and the professors, were naturally very satisfied with their results. In contrast, those shrouded in worry and uncertainty lacked confidence.

Sweeping his gaze over these individuals, Nie Kong’s eyes settled on Jiang Liu and Feng Biao. The two were seated adjacent to each other, their hands resting on their knees, perfectly still, seemingly meditating. Unfortunately, being positioned behind them meant Nie Kong couldn't see their expressions, a regrettable oversight.

Watching felt tedious, so Nie Kong closed his eyes and sat quietly.

As this monthly assessment entered its final stage, the surrounding Spirit Command City disciples had grown numb. From Feng Biao to Nie Kong, and now, they had been fooled countless times. Those they eagerly anticipated opening their cauldrons had not done so. Instead, some of the less-noticed Medicine Heart Hall disciples presented their irregularly shaped medicines, immediately extinguishing the viewers' interest.

Had they all taken the wrong medicine?

The crowd cast resentful glances at Jiang Liu, Feng Biao, Miao Ge, Qin Ji, and the others, leaving the spirit medicine inside their cauldrons—were they waiting for the plants to bloom and bear fruit? As the deadline approached, the crowd frequently checked the hourglass, hoping that once the sand ran out, they wouldn't be covered up and hidden anymore!

Over ten minutes later, the faint shushing sound finally ceased.

"Time's up!"

The middle-aged professor suddenly bellowed, his voice echoing like thunder through the hall.

The moment his words fell, all Medicine Heart Hall disciples who had not completed their refinement extinguished the flames under their palms and set down their cauldrons. If the spirit medicine wasn't successfully refined, they would still receive points based on the stage reached. If they failed to stop after the assessment ended, only zero points awaited them.

They were perfectly aware of this rule. Even those on the verge of completion did not dawdle, trying to squeeze out the last second of refinement. The penalty for delaying was too severe, whereas decisively stopping and securing a high score was a common occurrence.

The choice was clear.

Vice Hall Master Sha Yan, seated on his cushion, stood up. The middle-aged professor and others followed closely behind him. Luo Ren, however, still held his writing brush and paper.

The eyes of the crowd tracked Sha Yan and his retinue as they moved. After being toyed with by the Medicine Heart Hall disciples for so long, the onlookers felt a sense of relief; the assessment was finally over, and the purpose of their attendance was about to be realized!

Moments later, Sha Yan and the others stood before the first Medicine Heart Hall disciple.

This man sprang up like a released spring, bowed slightly, and then lifted his cauldron lid. Sha Yan swept his right palm over the cauldron's rim, and instantly, a snow-white spirit medicine appeared in his palm. It was flat, and its shape was identical to that of the "Dragon Whisk White Visage Flower" seed.

Sha Yan nodded lightly: "Not bad. Six points, Upper-Middle rank!"

The disciple seemed utterly surprised that he would receive such a score. He opened his mouth, his face instantly flushing crimson; he almost burst into cheers. In this type of monthly assessment, ten points was the maximum score; achieving six points, and even reaching the Upper-Middle rank, was considered excellent.

Because identical scores often occurred, an additional qualifier was used after the score, such as Upper-Upper, Upper-Middle, Upper-Lower, Middle-Upper, Middle-Middle, Middle-Lower, etc., to differentiate them.

The surrounding crowd looked at the Medicine Heart Hall disciple with some surprise. To earn a score of six from Sha Yan was indeed rare; everyone knew Sha Yan was stingy with his marks. In any monthly assessment presided over by him, even the best Medicine Heart Hall disciples could forget about achieving a perfect score.

Only when the Hall Master presided over an assessment had he awarded ten points three times. Therefore, the excellent disciples of the Medicine Heart Hall desired the Hall Master to conduct the assessment far more than the Vice Hall Master. Unfortunately, the Hall Master often entered seclusion, presiding over assessments too infrequently.

Nie Kong was equally surprised. Refining a spiritual medicine identical in appearance to the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" seed would yield six points—could he have misunderstood the meaning of today's assessment? Was the assignment not about cultivating the seed, but about refining medicine?

It was rumored that the monthly assessments often presented ambiguous tasks, and a misinterpretation could lead to pitifully low scores. Of course, there were also occasions where a single task admitted multiple valid answers; if that were the case here, it would be excellent.

Perhaps refining medicine is an answer, and cultivating the seed is also an answer, Nie Kong mused internally.

"Acceptable, five points, Middle-Lower tier!"

"Three points, Middle-Upper tier!"

"Two points, Upper-Middle tier!"

Sha Yan judged the results with extreme speed, almost as soon as his hand touched the contents of the medicine cauldron, or even before, the score was already determined. Behind him, Luo Ren swiftly recorded the names and scores of the Heart of Medicine Hall disciples. After dozens of people, only the first individual scored six points; everyone else scored below six.

Nie Kong finally realized the rumors were true: Sha Yan’s grading was generally harsh. Among the dozens whose assessments were finished, some had refined spiritual medicines, some had forcefully merged medicinal properties, and others had refined liquid medicine. There was even a girl who managed to refine the medicinal power into a soft, thin thread, using it to string together the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" seed.

The result? Sha Yan tied a knot in the thin thread and hung it on the girl’s robe, telling her to keep it as a souvenir. Nie Kong nearly burst out laughing at the sight.

Sha Yan seemed to reward the Heart of Medicine Hall disciple's creativity with four points in the end.

However, the ability to condense medicinal power into such a delicate filament clearly demonstrated the girl's skill; earning those four points was well-deserved.

Several more people passed, and Sha Yan and the others arrived before Feng Biao.

Seeing Feng Biao bowing respectfully to the side, everyone grew interested, watching with bated breath. The moment Feng Biao lifted the cauldron lid, a collective gasp escaped the onlookers’ lips, their eyes fixed on the cauldron's mouth. A tender sprout unfolded from within, already half a meter tall.

Sha Yan pinched the seedling's stem and lifted it from the cauldron. Beneath it, more than a dozen crimson roots, each a foot long, came into view.

"You have done very well. Eight points, Upper-Upper tier!" After observing for a moment, Sha Yan gave a slight nod and moved toward Jiang Liu beside him.

The crowd snapped back to reality then.

"No wonder he threw the seed back in after refining the medicine—he intended to use the refined components to cultivate the 'Dragon's Beard White Color Flower' seed!" A nearby Spiritual Defense City disciple exclaimed with sudden understanding. "Tsk tsk, I wonder what medicine he refined; it's astonishing how quickly it made the seed take root and sprout to this height in just two or three quarters of an hour. If planted in soil, it would probably flower and bear fruit in just a few months."

"Feng Biao scored eight points, which is the current highest score, along with the best 'Upper-Upper' commendation. Even if Jiang Liu and Miao Ge score slightly lower, they shouldn't be too far off, right?"

"Naturally. I estimate Miao Ge will definitely be higher. In previous monthly assessments, Miao Ge often ranked first, even achieving a 'Nine Points, Middle-Lower' rating once!"

"Ah, I had already guessed that the optimal answer to this problem was cultivating the seed and had even settled on the medicine, but in the end, I inexplicably changed my mind!"

"I guessed it too, but alas, I failed when trying to refine the medicinal power into nutrients. What a pity! What a pity!"

"Your situation is better than mine. I didn't think of that route and ended up refining a spiritual medicine. My score will definitely be much lower than yours. Sigh!"

Seeing Feng Biao's "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" seedling, not only the surrounding Spiritual Defense City disciples but also the participating Heart of Medicine Hall disciples began chattering animatedly. Especially those who had considered cultivating the seed were filled with regret and heartache.

Nie Kong, however, felt a wave of reassurance wash over him. He now understood that this assessment had no fixed answer. As long as one could utilize the seed and the medicine and achieve a decent result, any outcome was correct—even turning the seed into a potent poison using the medicine in the box would have been valid.

Taking a light breath, Nie Kong reflected: Feng Biao earned a high score, so mine shouldn't be far off! He roughly estimated that his cultivated "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" plant was essentially the same height as Feng Biao’s, or at least very close. Eight points were certain; the only question was whether the ensuing supplementary comment would begin with "Upper" or "Middle." "Lower" seemed highly unlikely.

"Very good, eight points, Upper-Lower tier!"

Jiang Liu had also chosen the path of seed cultivation. Although his "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" was not as tall as Feng Biao's, it was nearly half a meter high, an outstanding achievement. The sight before everyone was once again filled with greenery. They felt a slight surprise; based on what they had seen so far, the medicines refined by Jiang Liu and Feng Biao must have been entirely different, yet they arrived at the same destination, both successfully cultivating the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" seed!

Nie Kong felt a degree of admiration for the skill levels of Feng Biao and Jiang Liu. He had only managed to cultivate his plant to this stage after integrating his own mass of vibrant medicinal liquid, yet these two achieved the same result. He wondered how Miao Ge and Tai Ji had fared.

The elite disciples of the Heart of Medicine Hall were truly formidable!

Nie Kong glanced at Miao Ge and Tai Ji beside him. Seeing smiles on their faces, giving no clue to their inner thoughts, he turned his gaze back to Sha Yan and followed him as he moved on.

"Hmm, seven points, Lower-Lower tier!" "Seven points, Middle-Middle tier!"

"Six points, Upper-Middle tier!"

After Feng Biao and Jiang Liu, several others successfully cultivated seeds. However, compared to the first two, they lagged significantly. One person's "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" was only half a foot tall; another's seed had just barely sprouted; and several others’ seedlings bore only a few scattered leaves.

Even the notorious "Test-Medicine Maniac," Huai Song, who had refined a pitch-black spiritual medicine—its properties unknown—received a score of "Seven points, Lower-Lower tier."

After nearly ten more minutes, Sha Yan and Luo Ren finally arrived before the row where Nie Kong sat. In that row, the only person he recognized was Ru Jie, seated directly in front of him. Of course, this recognition stemmed only from Miao Ge's brief introduction, which had provided her name.

The surrounding crowd felt even more energized. It was finally the turn of the four beautiful ladies of the Heart of Medicine Hall! Their scores were a major point of interest in this year's monthly assessment. Some spectators were rumored to come specifically to see the beauties; it was said that their smiles when achieving high scores were the most captivating.

As for the scoundrel surrounded by the beauties, the sooner he gets a zero, the better. Where else could he have chosen to sit but right in the middle of such stunning company? Worse yet, this very fellow was the reason a certain "hero" who stood up had been confined to Black Nightmare Mountain for three months!

Consequently, Nie Kong began suffering collateral damage; his own medicine cauldron's seedling was cursed countless times by the onlookers.

After the few people in front of her, when Sha Yan approached, Ru Jie gracefully rose with a smile, receiving the cauldron lid. A piece of pure, white, flawless material slowly floated up.

Sha Yan stroked his beard and smiled, nodding in satisfaction. "Hmm, very fine medicinal power. The integration reached ninety-three percent. Eight points, Middle-Middle tier!"

Eight points, Middle-Middle tier—though not matching Feng Biao and Jiang Liu, it was still a high score largely unattainable by most Heart of Medicine Hall disciples! Ru Jie's smile widened; the beauty mark above her lip trembled slightly, and a crystalline sheen emanated from her lovely face, captivating the onlookers.

Nie Kong felt a slight moment of contemplation. Although Cheng Zixuan, the Fourth Prince of the Great Success Empire, was also a Third Grade Spiritual Pharmacist, his arrogance carried a hint of superficiality. Compared to individuals like Feng Biao, Jiang Liu, and Ru Jie, despite his excellent talent, he lagged significantly in temperament. If he had achieved such a high score, he would probably already be arrogantly triumphant, yet Ru Jie and the others, while proud and joyful, did not appear flighty or conceited; they merely seemed unapproachable.

If the Heart of Medicine Hall possessed such talents, what about the other Five Halls? And the inner disciples of Spiritual Defense City—they must be even more exceptional! Beyond Spiritual Defense City lay powerful Spiritual Master sects such as Mara Sacred Mountain, Heaven and Earth Sect, and Ink Snow Sect; what about their disciples?

In addition to these sects, there were the aristocratic families of every nation in the Heaven Spirit Continent—even just the Nie Family of Jiyang, with unparalleled geniuses like Double Wind Thunder—it was unlikely that other noble clans, which had existed for hundreds, thousands, or even millennia, had fewer outstanding younger generations than the Jiyang Nie Family.

Beyond sects and clans lay the Five Great Spirit Races, and even the Half-Spirit Race of the Yin Ruins. Apart from the mysterious Spirit Race and Half-Spirit Race, perhaps the Heaven Spirit Continent harbored even more unknown, miraculous races. Thinking of the Spirit Race, Nie Kong’s mind couldn't help but conjure the image of Hua Mei.

It had been over three months since Hua Yan took her away from Jiyang City. He wondered if she had reached the Flower Butterfly Secret Realm and whether she had successfully awakened her bloodline.

Lost in thought, Nie Kong couldn't help but drift away!

"Whoosh!"

A loud burst echoed through the hall, startling Nie Kong back to awareness. He quickly looked over to see Sha Yan already standing before Miao Ge, a proudly blooming little flower held in his palm. Both its layered petals and the stamen and pistil within were as white as snow.

It was this very flower that elicited the collective gasp from the hall.

"Is this what she refined?"

Nie Kong initially thought it was a real flower, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a spiritual medicine. Wisps of medicinal fragrance drifted into his nose, instantly refreshing the mind and spirit.

Sha Yan broke into a wide smile and placed the flower into the medicine cauldron: "Good! Very good! It's remarkable that you used that seed as the primary medicine to refine this Fourth Grade Spiritual Medicine. Miao Ge, nine points, Middle-Lower tier!"

Nine points, Middle-Lower tier!

This was the highest score among all the Heart of Medicine Hall disciples so far, and the only Nine Point rating recorded in this assessment! Moreover, this Nine Point score was achieved by a female disciple! Not only were the surrounding Spiritual Defense City disciples astonished, but even Feng Biao and Jiang Liu showed traces of surprise.

Miao Ge beamed with joy, it seemed even the beauty spot on her lip bloomed with a rich smile. Her enchanting grin, set against her slightly flushed cheeks, infused her entire being with an undeniable coquettishness that stirred the hearts of everyone watching.

Nie Kong felt a stir within him. Previously, at the Alchemist Hall, he had seen her attempt to detoxify Huai Song with incomplete success. Although he knew she was a Third Grade Spiritual Pharmacist who had successfully refined a Fourth Grade Spiritual Medicine, he couldn't help but hold a slight contempt for her. Now, Nie Kong realized that this young girl, likely not yet twenty, possessed astonishing strength.

Now that he was at the ninth stage of Spirit Comprehension, perhaps he could try refining Third Grade Spiritual Medicines as well! A restless stirring began in Nie Kong's mind. Seeing Sha Yan approaching with a beaming smile, he collected his thoughts and stood up, about to lift the lid of his cauldron, when Sha Yan’s expression suddenly shifted: "Hold on, let this old man do it."

"Huh?"

Not only Nie Kong but also Miao Ge, Tai Ji, Ru Jie, and the others around were momentarily stunned.

The surrounding crowd became even more perplexed. From the start of the results verification until now, even when examining Miao Ge's results, Sha Yan had never proactively offered to open a cauldron lid himself. What kind of merit did this fellow possess to command such special attention from Sha Yan? Ah, it was said that during a medicine test, he had successfully identified and personally named an herb, the "Eight-Star Conch," which was then selected for the Medicine King Pavilion. Perhaps this was the reason?

Unconsciously, the crowd slowly converged toward Nie Kong, eager to see what he had managed to refine. Even Feng Biao and Jiang Liu, who were standing further away, moved closer.

With a light crack, the moment the cauldron lid lifted, a burst of brilliant white light exploded outward, so dazzling that some people struggled to open their eyes.

After a brief moment, as the white light dissipated, the onlookers were utterly dumbfounded by the scene inside the medicine cauldron. A bowl-sized flower rose slowly, supported by a stem as clear as jade and leaves as white as snow. The radiant white flower stopped ascending only after floating more than a meter high.

White flower, white leaves, white stem—and below, it was needless to check; the roots must surely be blood-red. This was the fully matured form of the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower"!

Watching the white flower sway gently in the air, not only the surrounding Spiritual Defense City disciples but also the young experts from the Heart of Medicine Hall—Miao Ge, Tai Ji, Feng Biao, and Jiang Liu—could not suppress the shock on their faces. Even the Vice Hall Master, Sha Yan, appeared momentarily lost in thought. However, the astonishing spectacle was not yet over. The snow-white flower existed for only a few seconds before its petals began to drift down one by one. When all the petals had fallen, a luminous white sphere perched atop the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" appeared in everyone's sight.

It had borne fruit in front of them!

The onlookers’ eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets. They understood perfectly that if they plucked and cracked open that sphere, they would obtain dozens of "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" seeds.

After a long moment of stupefaction, the crowd’s gazes shifted to Nie Kong, their hearts filled with suspicion and uncertainty. Before dropping the seed in, what kind of medicine had this fellow refined that could cause a tiny seed to sprout, take root, grow, flower, and bear fruit in such a short time?

Nie Kong himself was somewhat amazed. He had expected his cultivated "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" to be only half a meter tall, but he hadn't anticipated that upon opening the cauldron lid, it would not only bloom but also yield fruit.

His little one's innate medicinal energy certainly helped the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" grow, but surely not to this extent? The medicinal liquid absorbed by the flower contained intense vitality; could it be that this vitality had not been fully released before, and was now completely stimulated by the little one’s innate medicinal energy?

Pondering this, Nie Kong sent a thought to the little one.

"Aiya ya, wū-wū-wū!"

The little one covered its tiny flower bud with its two leaves, its roots, stem, and leaves trembling. Nie Kong finally understood—Xiang Xiang, the little one, was laughing, and it was laughing with great satisfaction. Its tone held a hint of worry that Nie Kong might reprimand it, yet it couldn't help but seek praise.

It seemed Xiang Xiang's innate medicinal energy had indeed fully stimulated the residual vitality in the medicinal liquid, causing the "Dragon's Beard White Color Flower" to grow so rapidly! Nie Kong was both surprised and delighted. This meant his score in this monthly assessment could completely surpass Jiang Liu's, and even Feng Biao's!

"Nie Kong, you have performed absolutely outstandingly in this assessment. Ten points—Upper-Upper tier!" The Vice Hall Master's resonant voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

Author's Note: Timely update, a ten-thousand-character chapter is here! Brothers and sisters, this is the only update today. Since it was written in one go, I didn't split it into two chapters; I'm posting it all together so everyone can read it more cohesively. I originally intended to finish this entire plotline, but I still didn't complete it, sweats.

Also, tomorrow's update will be later, as I won't be able to upload the chapter until around four or five in the afternoon at the internet cafe. Please be understanding. Brothers and sisters who have monthly tickets, don't forget to vote after reading. Thank you, thank you.

(The above does not count towards the word count.)

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