Rebirth of the Heavenly Empress

Everyone fell silent.

Gong Yu slowly calmed down and finished his tea. He glanced sideways at Yu Shijin, who remained as cold and indifferent as ever. He didn’t say anything else.

“Show me her answers.” Old Master Zhuge was silent for a moment.

The invigilator didn’t refuse. All the papers were at General Yuan’s house. Very quickly, someone sent the papers over. He took out Su Huiqing’s paper and handed it to Old Master Zhuge. “I have discussed this paper with the other teachers. Only two potions can be concocted. The other seven are problematic.”

“You discussed deliberately?” Old Master Zhuge frowned.

The invigilator nodded. “Sir, you don’t know this Su Huiqing. She is just here to play. She has some talent and is rumored to be a fifth-level expert. However, I have never heard of her refining potions. I didn’t expect her to come back and disturb your recruitment.”

Upon hearing this, Old Master Zhuge’s eyes darkened.

A girl, who was not even twenty years old, was already a rare fifth-level expert. If she could really write these nine potions, why would she bother Fu Meng and the other geniuses?

Old Master Zhuge didn’t answer. His murky eyes scanned the potion list, and he already understood a little. However, he didn’t speak and just turned to Su Huiqing. “You said you are not convinced by the invigilator’s results?”

The cold wind in the plaza was very strong. Su Huiqing adjusted her cap and acknowledged the question, “Somewhat.”

“What’s there to be unhappy about?” Old Master Zhuge’s gaze was much sterner. “The other seven formulas are all mutually restrained.”

Su Huiqing narrowed her eyes. “Just because you can’t refine it doesn’t mean others can’t.”

Old Master Zhuge looked at her for a long time before finally smiling. However, there was no smile in his eyes. “Alright, I will give you this chance. Today’s last test is to refine the potion. In one day, concoct all nine of these for me.” “Alright,” Su Huiqing said mildly. She then walked past a potion table. As she walked, she took off her jacket and placed it aside. She slowly rolled up the sleeves of her sweater. “It won’t take a day. Half a day will do.”

These words sounded a little scary. Only then did Yang Chen, who was beside Su Huiqing, wake up. Upon hearing Old Master Zhuge’s words, he broke out in a cold sweat for Su Huiqing.

Even if she could really concoct nine potions, it was impossible for her to concoct them in a day.

Who didn’t know that potions had a success rate? The competition could only give three sets of herbs. Failure meant that the person didn’t concoct it.

Now that Su Huiqing actually said half a day, he really wanted to wake Su Huiqing up. After all, she was someone he knew. However, with so many eyes watching, he couldn’t be like Su Huiqing.

He only felt worried about Su Huiqing.

Fu Meng chose a potion table beside Su Huiqing. Before she started, she glanced at Su Huiqing, but she didn’t speak. Her gaze was very mild.

There were actually cameras recording the scene. Almost all the cameras were aimed at Fu Meng. Fu Meng’s movements were very careful.

The potion maker could not be disturbed by others so, when everything started, the entire plaza was sealed.

Everyone, including Qu Yan, was invited out.

However, Old Master Zhuge didn’t leave. He stood not far away from Su Huiqing, giving Su Huiqing invisible pressure. With Old Master Zhuge here, the invigilator naturally wouldn’t leave and just looked at Su Huiqing.

Su Huiqing didn’t feel pressured. These nine potions were all intermediate-level potions. It was much easier to refine than high-level potions.

The first thing she refined was not the simple potion at the front, but the last potion that she herself was not sure of.

The invigilators were right. Most herbs inside were mutually restrained so she concocted them very carefully and calculated every portion. She tried her best to purify every herb until there were no impurities before putting them into the test tube.

Luo Si had seen her refining potions at a speed that shocked her.

Thus, after seeing that Su Huiqing finished refining the potion in twenty minutes, Old Master Zhuge’s stern expression turned serious. His eyes stared at Su Huiqing’s hand.

The invigilator was also shocked.

“Refine the fourth potion from the bottom,” Mr. Zhuge suddenly said when he saw Su Huiqing starting to refine again.

He remembered that the fourth last potion was two herbs that would become ineffective no matter how they were mixed together.

Su Huiqing’s fingers paused for a moment before she picked up the herb that Old Master Zhuge mentioned.

Although her plan had been disrupted, she was still very fast and methodically finished refining the second potion.

The speed was so fast compared to Fu Meng who was beside her and had only finished the first potion. Su Huiqing had finished refining both potions by then.

Su Huiqing quickly refined the third potion.

Seeing Su Huiqing’s actions, Fu Meng’s hand could not help but pause. Her hand trembled. The quantity of the potion was wrong, causing the second potion to be destroyed.

However, she didn’t care about her current actions at all. Everyone’s eyes were on Su Huiqing.

“This.” Old Master Zhuge’s voice was very gentle this time, and even the corners of his lips were slightly smiling. “Try and see if you can make it.”

Su Huiqing had already placed eight different colored potions in front of her.

This was the last.

Su Huiqing didn’t stop and quickly concocted the last potion.

Seeing that she had smoothly finished concocting the last potion, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. They then reacted and stared at Su Huiqing as if they were looking at an alien.

Fu Meng was concocting the sixth potion, but because she kept paying attention to Su Huiqing, she made several mistakes and could only refine five potions in the end.

In the end, she threw away the test tube and fell onto the chair. She looked at Su Huiqing in disbelief.

After she was done, Su Huiqing slowly rolled up her sleeves and put on her jacket. She then looked at Old Master Zhuge and said mildly, “It’s all done.”

The invigilator immediately glanced at the nine types of potions. There was no test for purity at the scene, but he knew that Su Huiqing had refined the intermediate-level potion right in front of him.

The invigilator was finally convinced. He took a deep breath. “Student Su, how did you merge a few mutually restrained herbs?”

Everyone was puzzled.

Su Huiqing glanced at him and didn’t hide anything. She slowly said, “Medicinal herbs counter each other. As long as you have a good grasp of the quantity, such as this bottle—Purple Leaf and Yellow Dragon. The amount of Purple Leaf used doesn’t counter Yellow Dragon. Instead, it counters another substance in the Purple Leaf. As long as it is purified, it can stop the counter. This bottle…”

She spoke leisurely.

The camera focused on her face.

She paused for a moment, supported her forehead, and pushed the camera in front of her away. “If there’s nothing, don’t aim at me. If you want to listen, record it.”

She was the boss now. The person in charge of the camera immediately turned off the camera and turned on the recording.

“How did you know that the substance inside is counter-productive?” Old Master Zhuge remained silent for a moment before looking at Su Huiqing.

Su Huiqing took out a piece of paper and wiped her hands. The smell of herbs was too strong. “Chemistry. Have you learned chemistry? It’s basic knowledge.”

“Chemistry?” The invigilator was stunned for a moment before he looked at Old Master Zhuge. “Sir, so, not only do we need to learn pharmaceutics, but we also need to learn chemistry?”

The other person beside him smiled bitterly. “I have heard that this is a subject from the International Association, but can you be like her if you learn it?”

This time, no one spoke.

Su Huiqing had finished concocting all nine potions. Some others with three potions failed while others succeeded. The main competition also ended.

Yang Chen sat behind Su Huiqing. He looked at Su Huiqing in a daze.

Old Master Zhuge called the invigilator over and drew a “1” on the back of Su Huiqing’s name. This time, no one had any doubts. Su Huiqing was first. This was what everyone expected.

After asking someone to put the rankings on the list, Old Master Zhuge looked at Su Huiqing and asked softly, “Su Huiqing, you have such a high talent for potions. Why have I never heard of you overseas? I have never seen you learn potions? Before this, I heard most names of others.”

Upon hearing this, Su Huiqing touched her nose. “No, if I really say it, I’m afraid I will be forced to stay in the potion room every day.”