After Su Lingxiang finished her graceful demonstration, she looked over the sea of bronze students, her clear voice echoing through the hall:
"Students, you've all seen the process. Who among you is willing to try?If anyone can successfully refine a Powerful Pill, I will personally apply for your promotion to Silver Class!"
For a moment—silence.
Then the classroom erupted.
"What?! Did I hear that right? Promotion to Silver?!""Haha, finally! My studies weren't for nothing!""Damn, if I'd paid more attention in alchemy lessons, this would've been my chance!"
The bronze students were buzzing. For them, Su Lingxiang had just opened a shortcut to advancement—a near-impossible opportunity for backdoor entrants like themselves.
"I'll try!"
A confident young man strode up to the platform… and promptly failed miserably within minutes.
One after another, students climbed the stage. One after another, they botched it—improper temperatures, wrong order of herbs, poor timing.
Even Lin Yang took his turn, strutting like a peacock—only for his furnace to explode in a fiery blast.
"Pfft—he actually fried the furnace!""That's Lin Yang for you, always talking big."
Lin Yang descended the platform with a face like thunder.
Su Lingxiang's brows knit slightly. She had been hoping for some hidden talent among this group of bronze students. Instead… disappointment.
"Who else wants to try?" she asked, her tone calm but laced with quiet expectation.
Silence. No one moved.
That's when Jiang Chen stood up.
Lin Yang froze, then sneered.
"You? A newcomer? You haven't even studied alchemy for a full day, and you think you can refine a Powerful Pill? Spare us the embarrassment!"
Jiang Chen glanced at him as though looking at a noisy fly.
"And who decided a person can't refine a pill on their first day?"
Lin Yang barked a laugh. "Are you seriously comparing yourself to me? I've been practicing for months, and I still—"
"Exactly," Jiang Chen cut him off coolly. "You've been practicing for months and still can't do it. That just proves how useless you are. You can't… but that doesn't mean I can't."
The room went dead silent.
"You—!"
Lin Yang's face flushed purple. "Fine! If you can refine a Powerful Pill, I'll serve you tea and call you teacher in front of everyone here!"
Jiang Chen didn't even glance at him.
"You? Be my apprentice? Don't flatter yourself. Even if you begged, I wouldn't take you."
"You—!" Lin Yang nearly choked on his own fury.
He turned to Su Lingxiang like a drowning man clutching at straws.
"Teacher Su! This guy doesn't know a thing about alchemy. He's making a mockery of your class—kick him out!"
Su Lingxiang tilted her head slightly, studying Jiang Chen with curiosity. He didn't seem nervous at all.
Jiang Chen stepped past Lin Yang without sparing him another glance.
"Are you so sure I don't know alchemy?" he said lightly, his voice carrying a strange weight.
Then, with a smirk:
"If I refine a Powerful Pill today… then it's you who should get out of this classroom."