Chapter 412: Questioning
Chapter 412: Chapter 412: Questioning
Fu Rong was a bit embarrassed when she made this request. After all, Elixir Pills of this grade were extremely rare, and the Nine Revolutions Holy Healing Pill was even more so. They were scarce even at the most prestigious auctions, and the appearance of a single one could cause a sensation.
Ning Xuan smiled upon hearing Fu Rong’s request. "Sister Fu Rong, I’m not short on money. What do you plan to trade me for it?"
"How about we trade with rare medicinal ingredients? I’ve been an Alchemist for many years, and while I can’t say much for other valuables, I have amassed a good number of valuable herbs. I can see you share this passion as well, Xuanyuan. Here, I have a catalog of my herb vault. Take a look and see if there’s anything you like," Fu Rong said happily, delighted that Ning Xuan hadn’t refused.
"Master Fu, Master Ning, please wait a moment," a uniformed staff member called out from behind them.
The examination had just ended, and the entourages of Fu Rong, Ning Xuan, and the others had already been allowed inside. Fu Rong was accompanied by a tall, cold-looking young man in red, while Ning Xuan was with Lan Xin.
Just as the staff member was about to reach Ning Xuan and her group, Lan Xin and the young man in red blocked his path.
"Stop. Don’t come any closer," Lan Xin snapped. A blue light flared in her hand, and a barrier of water instantly materialized, blocking the staff member.
The staff member stumbled back two steps, staggered by the sudden Energy Barrier. The red-clothed young man stood nearby with his arms crossed, staring coldly at the newcomer.
"Master Ning, Master Fu, please calm down. I’m acting on the orders of Leader Mo from the Alchemy Master examination committee. There are some questions, and we need Master Ning and Master Fu to come back and assist with an investigation," the staff member quickly explained.
Ning Xuan had been leaning close to Fu Rong, about to look at the herb catalog, but she looked up at his words.
"What questions? Investigate what?"
Ning Xuan asked, her brow furrowing.
Lan Xin waved her hand, and the Energy Barrier transformed into rows of fine, bone-chillingly cold ice needles. The staff member nervously took two steps back. "I-It’s like this. One of the candidates who failed the examination has filed a report. They claim that the Elixir Pills refined by Master Ning are all for show and lack the effects that graded Elixir Pills should have. They are demanding a re-examination of the pills."
"Right now, all the Alchemy Masters who participated in the Alchemy Master examination have returned to the Alchemy Hall. They are just waiting for the two of you to join them," the staff member said.
After hearing him out, Fu Rong sneered. "How absurd. Those Elixir Pills were just carefully inspected. Now, just because someone has popped up with doubts, you’re going to conduct a new inspection? How is that any different from going back on your word and changing your decisions at a whim?"
"Sister, no need to say more. Let’s go and see." Ning Xuan was very confident in the Elixir Pills she had refined, and she had a few guesses as to who was doubting her.
Ning Xuan and Fu Rong soon returned to the Alchemy Hall. When they arrived, Leader Mo and the others in charge of the examination were engrossed in watching a video of Ning Xuan refining elixir.
They marveled as they watched. "Miss Ning’s control over her spiritual power is truly formidable."
"I, Wu Shengchun, have studied the art of Alchemy for over a hundred years, and I’ve always been proud of my fine control over my spiritual power. But after watching Ning Xuan’s video, I feel ashamed of my inadequacy," Wu Shengchun, a man with a head of silver hair, said in admiration.
"Senior Wu, no matter how strong her fine control of spiritual power is, it’s impossible for her to refine thousand-year-old ingredients. I suspect that Nine Revolutions Holy Healing Pill doesn’t have the effects it’s supposed to. If it doesn’t, then according to the rules, she must leave the Elixir Pills behind and compensate for the loss of the ingredients used," Lan Shuiyu insisted.
Lan Shuiyu’s gaze met discreetly with someone on the examination committee. After Lan Shuiyu finished speaking, that person immediately chimed in, "Master Lan has a point. Ning Xuan is indeed very impressive, but no matter how impressive, she is still young and lacks a deep foundation. It’s impossible for her to have refined a thousand-year-old ingredient. By recklessly forcing the refinement, she must have wasted that thousand-year-old herb."
The Elixir Pills Ning Xuan refined during the examination had passed a rigorous inspection with no issues. Lan Shuiyu’s accusation, however, was aimed at the Nine Revolutions Holy Healing Pill that Ning Xuan had refined during the waiting period.
The Elixir Pills Ning Xuan created during the waiting period were only recorded on video; they had not undergone a detailed inspection. Some people at the Alchemist Association were resentful that Ning Xuan had taken away precious ingredients like the Thousand-year-old Snow Ganoderma, so when Lan Shuiyu jumped out with an accusation, they readily accepted it.
After Ning Xuan and Fu Rong arrived, all the examination candidates and the examiners from the committee gathered in the Alchemy Hall.
Upon hearing them question the efficacy of her Nine Revolutions Holy Healing Pill, Ning Xuan gave a disdainful smile. "How do you all propose to prove that the Elixir Pills I refined possess the effects they’re supposed to have?"
"It’s simple. You hand over the Elixir Pills, and the Association will naturally analyze and test them," Lan Shuiyu said arrogantly.
"I think you have malicious intentions. When these Elixir Pills were created, they produced a natural phenomenon, and the energy fluctuations were incredibly powerful. I have never seen Elixir Pills with such potent energy before. Your questioning of their effects is clearly ill-intentioned."
"Besides, the rule in the waiting hall is that as long as you successfully refine an elixir, you can take the ingredients. Ning Xuan clearly succeeded, yet you’re pulling a stunt like this. Are you going back on your word just because the ingredients she used were valuable? Surely the Association isn’t such a sore loser?" Fu Rong looked with contempt at the people sitting on the judges’ panel.
"Miss Ning, Miss Fu, we have no intention of going back on our word. It’s just that Master Lan’s suspicions are reasonable. The Thousand-year-old Snow Ganoderma is extremely precious. If its value was not fully realized, it would be a reckless waste of a treasure. We have an obligation to uncover the truth," Leader Mo said to Ning Xuan, his expression apologetic.
Mo Feifan was one of the vice-presidents of the Alchemist Association and served as the leader of this Alchemy Master examination committee. He was highly respected, and as soon as he spoke, everyone else fell silent.
Ning Xuan’s expression was serene, her gaze as cold as frost. "How does Leader Mo intend to uncover the truth?"
"By testing the medicinal effects of the Elixir Pills," Mo Feifan said concisely.
"And how does Leader Mo propose to test them?" Ning Xuan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We’ll have grievously wounded patients consume the Elixir Pills. By observing the extent of their recovery, we can test the effects, can’t we?" Leader Mo and the others had clearly already discussed this issue.
"And to what degree must these grievously wounded patients recover to prove that my Elixir Pills did not waste that ingredient?" Ning Xuan asked.
The hall fell silent in an instant.