The first part of the Tier One Alchemy Master assessment was a written exam.

And the venue for this written exam, in Fang Yang’s eyes, was quite similar to the imperial examination halls of old.

The only difference was that candidates were forbidden from using True Essence and Magic. Doing so was considered cheating and would result in a lifetime ban from the Changkong Clan’s Medicine Hall system.

At this moment, several Medicine Hall elders sat upon a high dais.

They were monitoring Lie Shaolong, Chen Ying, Fang Yang, and the other examinees on the Bluestone Plaza.

Anyone who dared to use True Essence or Magic would be detected by the essence formation and subsequently discovered by them.

"Who do you think will be the first to pass the written exam?"

"Lie Shaolong, Chen Ying, or Fang Yang?"

"Lie Shaolong may have a reputation as an Alchemy genius, but he’s just from a Silver Tribe. It doesn’t count for much."

"That’s true. I think Chen Ying is quite good. I’ve heard her Alchemy skills have already touched the Tier Two bottleneck. Among her peers, she’s second only to Miss Sen Hui. As for Fang Yang, I can’t quite figure him out..."

"Regardless, Fang Yang was taught by the ’Medicine Fox,’ Fang River. He should be stronger than Lie Shaolong, but a little weaker than Chen Ying."

"Heh, that fellow, the Medicine Fox, is in his prime. I never would’ve thought he’d become Fang Yang’s Daoist protector. It’s truly unexpected..."

Soon, the Medicine Hall elders’ conversation went off-topic, shifting to Fang Yang’s second uncle, Fang River.

Others might not know the details about Fang River, but they knew them very well.

Fang River was a Tier Five Alchemy Master whose Thunderfire Refining Skill had an astonishingly high pill success rate.

Even within the entire Changkong Clan’s Medicine Hall, Fang River was an Alchemy Master of considerable renown.

And compared to his Alchemy skills, Fang River’s teaching ability was even more widely acclaimed.

Because among Fang River’s five disciples, excluding Ten Thousand Birds’ Fragrance, the least accomplished was a Tier Three Alchemy Master, and one had even advanced to become a Tier Five Alchemy Master the year before last!

On the other side.

「Bluestone Plaza.」

At this moment, in the far left of the front row, Fang Yang lifted his ink brush and began answering the questions on the paper scroll.

[Taste of Cloud Sea Ganoderma? Pungent/Bitter/Sour/Sweet]

Fang Yang’s brush moved, and he drew a circle around [Pungent].

[Effect of the Gathering Essence Pill]

Composed, Fang Yang wrote: The Gathering Essence Pill is a Tier One Pill. Its primary function is to accelerate the user’s natural True Essence recovery.

[Effect and refining method of the Purple Kidney Pill]

Fang Yang continued to write: The Purple Kidney Pill is a Tier Two Pill. Its function is to nourish the kidney-water, replenish deficiencies, and clear the eyes. The key to refining it is to first liquefy the medicinal solution into water before adding the Cyan Deer antler...

’How are these questions almost identical to the ones Second Uncle and Sen Hui told me about?’

’Oh no. So the examiners are my own elders.’

Once again, Fang Yang felt the pleasure of having powerful backing.

Even without his second uncle’s and Sen Hui’s help, he could have completed this written portion of the exam.

But with their help, he was able to finish it with ease.

It took only a little over seven minutes.

Fang Yang had completed the scroll, a task that would take an ordinary person one, or even two, hours.

At that moment, Fang Yang stood up, walked to the front, and submitted his paper.

Coincidentally, Chen Ying also rose slowly and submitted her paper.

The actions of Fang Yang and Chen Ying immediately made the aspiring Alchemy Masters still taking the exam on the Bluestone Plaza break out in a cold sweat.

Many even lost their composure, their hands trembling and circling the wrong answer.

’Is this the caliber of the Changkong Clan’s chosen? But why is even Fang Yang so incredible?’ Lie Shaolong’s heart trembled, and a sheen of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Back in his tribe, he was the undisputed number one Alchemy genius. Even the great elder felt he had nothing left to teach him, and so had sent him here specifically to seek out an elder from the Medicine Hall for further study.

He simply couldn’t believe that Fang Yang, who excelled in combat and slaughter, could also be a master of the Alchemy arts.

"Correct, all correct. Very impressive, Fang Yang."

"Chen Ying’s is also all correct. Heh, it seems you’ve both been studying hard. Not bad, not bad at all."

The Medicine Hall elders chuckled happily and waved their hands, signaling for Fang Yang and Chen Ying to proceed to the next area for the next test: Herb Identification!

At this moment, Chen Ying looked at Fang Yang with an extremely complicated expression.

In the academy, Fang Yang’s performance had always been top-notch.

It was just a shame that, due to his family background, his classmates at the academy, while they respected him, didn’t pay him too much mind.

Now, after receiving Sen Hui’s help, she never imagined Fang Yang would be able to shine so brilliantly.

’No, I always knew Fang Yang was extraordinary...’ Chen Ying lamented silently, quickening her pace to try and catch up to him.

But unexpectedly, Fang Yang paid her no mind, instead striding away like a meteor toward the next testing area.

...

The second assessment: the Herb Identification test.

The procedure was for the examinee to pick up a wooden tray with thirty-six empty compartments.

Although the tray was empty, the bottom of each compartment was labeled with the name of a medicinal herb in vermilion ink.

The task was for the examinee to go into the room ahead, which was filled with different medicinal herbs, and find the corresponding Pill Grass based on its color, scent, aroma, energy, and other characteristics.

This round was special; one could use True Essence or Magic.

Fang Yang casually picked up an empty wooden tray and glanced at the labels.

"Cloud Sea Ganoderma, Bone-breaking Flower, Cyan Deer Antler, Earth-Burrowing Python Blood..."

Fang Yang glanced at them, his eyes showing no surprise.

He knew all of these medicinal herbs, and he knew them well.

In that moment, Fang Yang deeply felt the disparity caused by different family backgrounds.

For tribes like the Bronze Tribe and the Silver Tribe, even if they knew what these herbs were, they lacked the requisite power to let their young geniuses see the actual specimens. The effectiveness of their learning was naturally much lower.

But in the Changkong Clan, even if a disciple’s aptitude was slightly lacking, the sheer amount of resources poured into them made it easy to surpass the young geniuses of the Silver or Bronze Tribes.

’A big city versus a small county... or an elite university versus a regular one?’

Though Fang Yang’s mind was racing, his feet didn’t slow in the slightest.

Chen Ying had just entered when he, tray in hand, had already begun searching for the corresponding herbs.

’Losing to Sen Hui is one thing, but I can’t lose to Fang Yang again.’ Chen Ying bit her lip, grabbed a tray, and also quickly began searching for herbs.

Although this competition was something only Chen Ying had unilaterally declared.

But in her heart, she felt a strange yet thrilling sensation.

It was as if by winning against Fang Yang, she could also defeat Sen Hui.

This competitive spirit drove her to continuously channel her True Essence, quickening her steps to find the required herbs.

But...

A little over seven minutes later.

Fang Yang presented the fully loaded wooden tray, placing it before the Medicine Hall elders supervising this test.

Meanwhile, Chen Ying stared at the eight empty compartments on her tray, her heart filled with unwillingness.

Back at the academy, she had always been able to beat Fang Yang by a small margin.

Could it be that after leaving, with Sen Hui’s intervention, she, Chen Ying, couldn’t even defeat Fang Yang anymore?

"Cloud Sea Ganoderma, correct. Bone-breaking Flower, correct. Cyan Deer Antler, correct. Earth-Burrowing Python Blood, correct..."

"All correct. Amazing, truly amazing. Not a single mistake."

"As expected of the Qilin son of the Fang Clan. Though he excels at combat and killing, he has not forgotten his foundation."

"Heh, the Medicine Fox back in his day couldn’t compare to you."

"Never mind the Medicine Fox, I’m afraid even the legendary ’Saint Carp Eagle’ might not have been your equal..."

The Medicine Hall elders heaped praise on Fang Yang, making no attempt to hide their goodwill.

The foundation of the Fang Clan was its lineage in the medical arts.

In a way, this Medicine Hall could be considered semi-home turf for the Fang Clan.

And it was thanks to this relationship that the ’Medicine Fox,’ Fang River, had the opportunity to teach Sen Hui the basics back then.

"Seniors, you praise me too much," Fang Yang replied.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the Medicine Hall elders, he walked toward the next area to begin the final test: Alchemy!