JSCMU-Chapter 37: First-Rank Alchemist Exam

“Did I get it right, big sister?” Yun Jin beamed at the apothecary.

The woman’s mind was still reeling, her thoughts a buzzing mess. It took her a while to find her voice again. “How… how did you know that?”

“I could tell right away with just a glance,” Yun Jin replied matter-of-factly.

The apothecary looked devastated.

She had spent years honing her skills, and even then, it took focused sensing to get a full read on a herb’s qualities.

But this little girl… could tell with one glance?

What was this?

The world’s favoritism?

The commotion drew curious glances from other customers. A crowd began to gather around.

“Lan Cen, what’s going on?” Even the owner of Baicao Pavilion, a middle-aged man, walked over with interest.

“Pavilion Master,” Lan Cen said in a daze, “this little girl identified the herb’s properties at a glance.”

The Pavilion Master was momentarily stunned.

He had spent considerable effort to recruit Lan Cen, a Level 5 apothecary. And even she couldn’t do what this girl had just done.

Could this child really be that gifted?

A sharp glint flashed in the Pavilion Master’s eyes. “Little girl, would you mind identifying a few more herbs for us?”

“Not at all!” Yun Jin agreed instantly.

With everyone in the shop drawn over, this was the perfect moment to show off again. How could she possibly let it go to waste?

“Alright. I’ll go grab a few from the storeroom. Please wait just a moment,” the Pavilion Master said.

“Hurry,” Yun Jin waved with flair.

Yue Zhao’s lips twitched.

The Pavilion Master, to his credit, took it in stride and left with a chuckle.

The moment he was gone, Yue Zhao leaned over and whispered, “Baicao Pavilion is a big chain. They dominate fifty percent of the herb trade in this region. That Pavilion Master may seem easygoing, but he’s not someone you want to mess with.”

Yun Jin blinked. “So?”

“So…” Yue Zhao lowered his voice even more. “If that last guess was just a lucky fluke, we should leave now. While we still can.”

Yun Jin rolled her eyes. “Eldest Senior Brother, relax! I’m really an alchemy genius. Something as trivial as identifying herbs is nothing.”

Yue Zhao sighed.

He became even more nervous.

The Pavilion Master returned quickly, perhaps worried they would try to flee.

This time, he brought out three carefully selected herbs, each placed in its own ornate box.

“You’re still in the early stages of cultivation, so I won’t make it difficult,” he said with a smile. “These herbs are all below Grade 3. Take your time, there’s no rush. If you can identify them correctly, I’ll give them all to you as a gift.”

Yun Jin appeared to hesitate.

The Pavilion Master was just about to offer reassurance when Yun Jin looked up and said,

“If you’re giving it away, can I get a few more?”

Until she opened her storage ring, she was still technically broke. Might as well take advantage of the opportunity.

The Pavilion Master laughed. “Relax. If you truly have such talent, I wouldn’t mind giving you as much as you want.”

“Alright,” Yun Jin grinned.

She opened the first box casually.

Inside was a fiery, red plant.

“Scan.”

“Blazing Flame Grass. (Detailed information costs 3 simplification attempts.)”

Yun Jin paused in thought.

Earlier, the information for Biling Grass only cost 1 simplification attempt because it was a Grade 1 herb. This was Grade 3, hence the higher cost.

This herb was one of the primary ingredients for refining a Restoration Pill. Perfect, she can add it to her collection.

Yun Jin directly used the simplification attempts and accessed the full details instantly.

Without saying a word, she glanced over the other two herbs.

Barely ten seconds passed before she finished examining all three and returned to the group.

The surrounding onlookers were curious.

She identified the medicinal properties that quickly?

This girl isn’t afraid of putting on a show!

The Emotion Points from their growing skepticism began trickling into her account.

Yun Jin smiled faintly and calmly said, “The first one is a Grade 3 Blazing Flame Grass. Age: Ninety-five years old. The medicinal potency was well preserved, still at approximately ninety-eight percent. However, this specimen was artificially ripened, which introduces a slight chance of combustion during refining.”

The Pavilion Master’s expression shifted instantly.

Naturally, he knew exactly what he had pulled from storage.

Just one glance, and this little girl described it without a single mistake!

“The second herb is Blood Illusion Fruit, Grade 2. Age…”

“The third is Rainbow Bloom, Grade 2. Age…”

Without the slightest hesitation, Yun Jin finished speaking in one go.

Before the Pavilion Master could even confirm her answers, she casually shoved the three herb boxes into Yue Zhao’s arms. “Eldest Senior Brother, hold onto these. They’re ours now.”

Yue Zhao stood there in a daze, awkwardly smiling at the Pavilion Master.

Was he… actually supposed to take them?

The Pavilion Master gave Yun Jin a meaningful look and then broke into a smile. “She’s right. The herbs are yours.”

“Many thanks, Pavilion Master.” Yue Zhao responded, he gathered up the herbs, and couldn’t help eyeing Yun Jin.

Was his little junior sister… really a prodigy at alchemy too?

“Young lady,” the Pavilion Master asked carefully, “with such skill at your age, I imagine you must come from a major cultivation clan?”

Yun Jin sighed. “Pavilion Master Uncle, do I look like I’m from some big fancy clan? If I were, with my kind of talent, I would already be a Ninth-Rank Alchemist by now!”

The Pavilion Master’s eye twitched.

That was quite the boast.

Yun Jin continued seriously, “You’re the first one to notice someone as gifted as me right now. So, want to invest in me? You could give me, say, a hundred herbs up front. Once I refine them into pills, I’ll repay you with them.”

The Pavilion Master froze. “You’re already an alchemist?”

“Not yet,” Yun Jin admitted, shaking her head.

He sighed in relief. If she were already an alchemist at her age, that would’ve been truly terrifying.

“But I will be soon,” she added confidently. “I plan on heading to the Pill Pavilion for the certification exam. Isn’t that right, Eldest Senior Brother?”

She turned to look at Yue Zhao.

Yue Zhao: “…Yes?”

“Of course! With my talent, how could I not become an alchemist?” Yun Jin said with confidence.

The Pavilion Master couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever practiced alchemy before?”

“Nope. But I think I can succeed on my first try.” Yun Jin said.

She still wore that overly confident look.

If she hadn’t just identified all those herbs so flawlessly, the Pavilion Master would’ve assumed she was just delusional.

But now…

Seeing her self-assured expression, he thought for a moment, then chuckled.

“To take the exam, you’ll need ten mid-grade spirit stones. I’ll cover that for you. If you pass, I hope you’ll consider working with Baicao Pavilion in the future. If you don’t, consider it an investment. How about it?”

Even just her herb recognition skills were worth investing in.

And if she did become an alchemist someday…

His returns would be a hundred-fold.

“Oh no, how could I be that shameless?” Yun Jin started to decline.

“It’s really no trou—”

“Thank you, Pavilion Master! It’s settled then!” she agreed with a bright grin.

Pavilion Master: “…Alright.”

“Eldest Senior Brother! I saved us another ten spirit stones!” Yun Jin whispered happily.

Yue Zhao was completely numb.

This bizarre turn of events had gone far beyond his expectations. He even had no idea how things would pan out.

Surely Yun Jin wasn’t really going to pass the First-Rank Alchemist Exam, right?