"The competition isn't over, and you already think you've won?"
Yang Xiao, however, was completely unconcerned by the situation, replying with a faint, mocking smile.
'As long as the judges aren't blind,' he thought, 'there's no way I can lose.'
"You're at death's door and still talking tough. Hey, you, the one posting the scores! Where's Yang Xiao's score? Hurry up and announce it!"
Ye Chenghao sneered before turning to Liu San.
Liu San froze for a moment, then had no choice but to answer honestly, "Young Master Yang's score isn't out yet. Young Master Ye, perhaps you could wait a little longer!"
"Not out yet? I bet the masters didn't even think it was worth scoring."
Ye Chenghao was stunned for a second, then burst out laughing.
"Young Master Ye, I... I wouldn't know about that..."
Although Liu San suspected this might be true, as a mere subordinate, it wasn't his place to say so outright.
"Steward Cao, you've seen Brother Wang's score. The outcome is already decided. Shouldn't you declare us the winners?"
Ye Chenghao then turned his attention to Steward Cao, who was overseeing the wager.
Steward Cao frowned slightly.
'Even though I don't think Yang Xiao's chances are good, the masters shouldn't be so reckless as to not give him a score at all. No matter how bad it is, there should be a result.'
'But since it's still not here, I'm afraid there's been some kind of mishap.'
'Could it be that the fiery-tempered Master Xiang got angry and tore up the answer sheet?'
After mulling it over, Steward Cao decided this was the most logical explanation. With this in mind, he felt inclined to cover for Master Xiang, so he cleared his throat and stood up.
He was about to declare Wang Kaitai the winner.
But just then, a Medicine Servant from the second floor came rushing down, shouting as he ran, "It's out! Young Master Yang's score is out!"
"Finally."
Steward Cao sat back down.
He breathed a sigh of relief, genuinely worried that Master Xiang had torn up the answer sheet.
'It seems I was overthinking things. But if the answer wasn't torn up, why did it take so long to grade? Could it be that Yang Xiao actually wrote something astonishing?'
'Something that even gave the Four Great Pharmacists pause and required more time to judge?'
Little did he know, the lengthy delay wasn't because the Four Great Pharmacists were perplexed, but because this answer sheet had been graded by Elder Yao himself.
That was why it had taken until now.
The truth would have shocked him even more!
"Hmph. So your score is out. Let's see what excuses you have left in a moment."
Ye Chenghao said viciously.
Yang Xiao simply smiled without a word.
'I'm also curious,' he thought. 'After taking so long to deliberate, I wonder what score the people from Juhua Studio will give me.'
"Look, that loser is still smiling. Doesn't he know Pharmacist Wang's score is already unbeatable?"
"I think he's just an idiot. What normal person would bet against a genius like Pharmacist Wang on Spirit Medicine!"
In the face of these petty people, Yang Xiao merely continued to smile.
Completely unconcerned.
And then, when Yang Xiao's score was posted...
...everyone was stunned once again.
Nine points!
Two bright red words: Nine Points.
There was no standard breakdown of the medicine's name, properties, uses, or characteristics. It was as if someone had simply waved a hand and written "Nine Points."
This time, those who had been mocking Yang Xiao just moments before were rendered speechless.
Even Wang Kaitai's expression froze.
He had never imagined that Yang Xiao could actually score nine points, just one point less than him. And as he read on and saw Yang Xiao's answer, his heart sank even further.
An answer like that!
It was completely out of his league.
Damn it!
'How could this loser come up with an answer like that?'
'Still, it's a good thing the people at Juhua Studio ultimately decided to give my uncle some face by only giving him nine points. This way, I still win the bet. When word gets out, no one will think that I, Wang Kaitai, lost. It looks like I'll have to pay a proper visit to the Four Great Pharmacists after this is all over.'
Steward Cao, however, had stood up involuntarily.
He too had seen the bright red "Nine Points."
He, too, was shocked. 'Impossible!'
But after looking again and again, once he clearly saw the content of Yang Xiao's answer, understanding dawned on him.
'So that's how it is. An answer like this is indeed worthy of nine points from the Elder. Compared to him, Wang Kaitai is no better than a child!'
Even Steward Cao himself might not have been able to write such an answer.
A sense of admiration for Yang Xiao rose in his heart.
Originally, he had only seen Yang Xiao as a promising talent and had been disappointed by his arrogance. But at this moment, all he felt was respect.
At the same time, he no longer felt that Yang Xiao had been arrogant before.
He truly had the skill to back it up.
"Old Cao, are you going to announce it or not!"
Just then, a voice drifted down from the second floor.
Only then did the crowd realize that the Four Great Pharmacists were all standing behind the second-floor railing, smiling as they looked down at the ranking board. The more observant among them noticed that their gazes were focused mostly on Yang Xiao's score.
"Elder Yao truly has a keen eye for talent!"
"Nine points! It looks like our Purple Sun Sect is about to produce another true genius of the Medicine Dao! I wonder if Elder Yao will take him on as a personal disciple. I remember Wang Qianhe only scored eight points back in the day, not as good as this young man!"
Clearly, they too were somewhat surprised that Elder Yao had given such a high score.
However, at their level, they could see that the answer was worthy of it.
But this led the crowd downstairs to a misunderstanding.
They thought the Four Great Pharmacists had appeared because of Wang Kaitai.
In an instant, they became even more fawning toward Wang Kaitai.
Only a few observant people sensed that something was off, feeling that Yang Xiao's score was too strange. But they quickly extinguished that fleeting, wild thought from their minds.
"The scores are clear now, Yang Xiao. What else do you have to say?"
Seeing Steward Cao stand up and walk slowly toward the scoreboard, Ye Chenghao felt the matter was settled and shot Yang Xiao a triumphant look.
Yang Xiao shrugged.
He didn't say anything.
He was a little perplexed about getting nine points himself.
'But the final result hasn't been announced yet, has it?'
'If there's some foul play involved, I should wait for them to announce it before I expose them. Otherwise, if I strike too quickly and give them time to prepare, that would be no fun at all.'
Therefore, Yang Xiao had no intention of bothering with a petty person like Ye Chenghao.
"You really won't give up until you're staring at your own coffin. Once the results are out and your life belongs to me, I'll make you crawl like a dog. We'll see if you're still so arrogant then!"
Ye Chenghao sneered.
And finally, under everyone's expectant gazes, Steward Cao walked up.
He took out the Golden Seal belonging to the victor and, with a heavy THUD, stamped it onto one of the answer sheets.
At that moment, everyone was dumbfounded.