Chapter 32: The Rise of a New Genius

Before long, all the novice pharmacists had completed the concoction of their medicines.

Risdo rose to his feet, walking past each of the novices to appraise the potions they had prepared. He stroked his beard with a pleasant smile. “Not bad, not bad.”

“As young practitioners, you’ve done quite well. However, to become core pharmacists, you still lack a certain refinement. But that’s perfectly fine; what you young people have in abundance is time.”

While Risdo’s tone was encouraging, his words delivered a direct verdict on their concoctions.

Not a single one among them had met the qualifications to become a core pharmacist.

This aligned with Lu Yuan’s assessment; their skill level fell short even of Lei Yin’s, who had only just turned twenty a few years prior.

It wasn’t until Risdo reached Ruolin that he let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

“Master Risdo, this is a new potion I’ve recently developed. Please take a look.” Ruolin offered a confident smile, gently pushing the vessel in her hands forward.

Within the vessel, a small goblet of golden, vibrant magical liquid shimmered, with silver ripples spreading outwards in concentric circles, a truly captivating sight.

As it swirled, a rich vitality diffused, invigorating anyone who inhaled its essence.

Risdo remained silent. He simply accepted the vessel, then produced a lens from his robe and began to meticulously examine Ruolin’s potion.

Below the stage, the crowd buzzed with chatter.

“What kind of potion is that? I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“It’s a potion Master Ruolin concocted herself. If you could recognize it, that would be truly strange.”

“I was watching Master Ruolin brew it earlier. The ingredients she used were all brimming with life force. Could it be a healing potion?”

Healing potions were among the most frequently concocted by pharmacists. In the earliest days, healing was their primary duty, and that remains true even now.

Concocting healing potions was an essential professional skill for every pharmacist. It was also the field that best showcased a pharmacist’s true caliber.

Ruolin’s healing potion was clearly different from ordinary ones. Yet, no one could discern precisely what made it unique.

One bolder individual, craning their neck, called out loudly to Ruolin: “Master Ruolin, could you tell us about your new potion?”

In response, Ruolin merely smiled, gesturing for everyone to calm themselves and quietly await Master Risdo’s judgment.

At the same time, she cast a defiant glance at Lu Yuan.

‘You think you’re so impressive, don’t you? That Ramanda Potion was just pure luck. Now, try to appraise my potion! I’ll blow you away!’

Lu Yuan, however, ignored Ruolin’s provocative stare. He simply pulled out a book from beside him, flipping through its pages with an air of boredom.

The moment Ruolin saw the book’s title, she was utterly speechless.

– ‘The Simplest Introduction to Pharmacy: Starting with Healing Potions’

Ruolin had read that very book herself. It had been her introductory text at the age of seven, a foundational pharmacology primer read by countless children from pharmacist families across the world.

‘Damn it! Is my potion-making less interesting than a children’s primer?!’

Ruolin was so incensed she rolled her eyes.

That fleeting, charming glance, though failing to shift the gaze of its intended recipient, elicited a chorus of groans from the ‘beasts’ in the audience.

Just then, Risdo put away his lens. His aged face, creased with a wide smile, resembled a blooming chrysanthemum. Holding Ruolin’s meticulously crafted potion, he announced to the assembled crowd: “Today marks my seventy-second year serving this branch. I’m due to retire in just a few more years, and I never imagined that before I did, I would witness the rise of another genius within this very guild!”

“The efficacy of this healing potion is so exceptional that even I must admit my own inferiority. Master Ruolin truly lives up to her reputation as a renowned genius of the Southern Branch.”

Ruolin’s lips parted slightly in astonishment. She had never anticipated her new potion would garner such profound praise from such an experienced, veteran pharmacist.

Her heart swelled with joy, and once again, she cast a triumphant, proud glance at Lu Yuan.

For some reason, as Lu Yuan observed her expression, he was reminded of a small puppy his younger sister used to keep when they were children.

After the puppy learned to retrieve the sticks Lu Yuan threw, it would always return with the stick in its mouth, looking just as endearingly proud.

Lost in thought, a faint smile unconsciously graced Lu Yuan’s lips.

However, in Ruolin’s eyes, that faint smile was utterly brimming with provocation. She let out a cold huff, and from an angle unnoticed by others, subtly flipped Lu Yuan the middle finger.

Risdo continued, “Master Ruolin, I believe she is entirely qualified to hold the title of core pharmacist within our guild. Does anyone have any objections?”

Lu Yuan’s expression subtly shifted. His gaze briefly swept over Risdo, and a distinct coolness settled between his brows.