Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Mocks and cheers erupted from the crowd as they watched the smoke. Their laughter echoed across the training grounds.

No one moved to check on Ace. The thick smoke still veiled the stage, obscuring his fate.

But they knew one thing was certain, a cauldron exploding? It could only meant one thing.. Failure!

Amon, seized this very moment to explain about the pills to Milson as if the outcome had already been decided.

"The Mind Calming Pill is a very delicate refinement," he spoke, his voice low and calm.

"It requires precise temperature control and ingredient balance. A single misstep, and the entire process collapses. Only alchemists at level three or higher can refine it successfully."

"Safe to say, Lotus is a prodigy as she could refine it despite being only level two. It won't be long before she actually reaches level three by herself."

"Looks like the Duke's only son will have to help me bleed this new professor dry," Pot Black added in as he chuckled, already picturing the hefty sum of 50,000 gold taels landing in his hands.

"Easiest money ever," he mused, a smug grin spreading across his face.

Shan Yifeng simply chuckled, not bothering to respond.

Meanwhile the students outside burst into more laughter when they settled down from the initial surprise from the explosion.

"What a joke."

"I knew it—total fraud."

"Tch. Guess I won't be running naked after all."

"Nor am I eating shit, sigh."

Their amusement knew no bounds.

No one was really concerned about Ace's condition, as no one even considered the possibility of checking on him.

Pot Black smirked but remained silent, his sharp gaze locked onto the dissipating smoke.

Milson sat still, arms crossed, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the ground while his ears listen to what Headmaster Amon was saying.

Then, there was Shan Yifeng.

Moments ago, he had been reeling from his new understanding about flying pigs. And now, that confusion seems to have gone.

In its place was a smirk as he leaned back lazily, already lost in his own world.

"Hehe… let's see… If a hundred taels of gold gets me enough ingredients to practice ten formations, fifty thousand gold taels, ah I don't know what to do with that many." He rubbed his chin, mentally counting his soon-to-be winnings.

"Since I'll be walking away with a huge fortune. I should get a new formation brush… No, wait, I should build my own formation hall… yeah… that's the right move."

Milson side-eyed him. "You sure about that? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like your master just blew up the whole cauldron and have failed miserably."

Shan Yifeng simply stared at the smoke, utterly unfazed.

Then something happened, a flicker of gold.

Barely visible at first, but unmistakable.

The laughters soon died down as the crowd also saw the flicker, another one, brighter than the first.

Followed by a radiant golden glow pierced through the fading smoke.

The training grounds fell silent as a figure appeared out of the smokes.

The figure that emerged was none other than Ace.

Stepping forward completely unscathed despite the no-longer-breathing cauldron in the back.

But that wasn't the shocking part.

Six pills floated above Ace's palm, spinning slowly, their golden hue casting soft halos of light against his fingers.

Unlike Lotus' white pill, these shimmered, each one a tiny, radiant sun.

The moment stretched, unbroken, as realization swept over Lotus.

This… is impossible! The cauldron clearly exploded!

The weight of the moment crashed over the spectators like a tidal wave.

Pot Black's smirk vanished meanwhile Lotus' pupils shrank.

Amon, mid-explanation, completely forgot what he was saying.

His mouth hung open, words failing him.

Among them all, Shan Yifeng simply grinned like a man who had just struck gold.

Stretching his legs lazily, he patted Milson's shoulder with the ease of someone who had seen it all coming.

"Told you so. Now, help me secure me those fifty thousand gold."

Milson barely reacted. His eyes, like everyone else's, remained fixed on the stage.

The air grew heavier, thick with disbelief.

Not a single voice dared to break the silence.

Everyone, students, professors, struggled to process what they had just witnessed.

The first to move was Lotus.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her gaze locked onto Ace's hand.

She reached out and plucked one of the pills, her fingers trembling slightly.

The once-pristine confidence she carried throughout the competition was now cracked.

Lotus turned the pill over in her fingers, searching. There had to be a flaw, some impurity, some sign that it wasn't as perfect as it seemed.

But she found none.

The golden hue wasn't a trick. The purity wasn't an accident.

Her stomach twisted. How…?

Slowly, her grip on the pill tightened.

This should have been impossible. And yet..

Her lips parted in silent, bitter acceptance.

The pill was pure, refined beyond perfection. The faint golden hue that separated it from her own white pill wasn't just for show, it was proof.

Lotus clenched her jaw, feeling a mix of emotions twist inside her. Frustration. Disbelief. Admiration. A bitter acceptance.

Ace's lazy, knowing voice broke through her thoughts.

"Go on. Eat it."

Lotus snapped her head up, narrowing her eyes at him. "What?"

"Ace smirked, tapping the side of his temple. 'Oh? You said you would eat it if you lost. Don't tell me you were just… running your mouth?'

Lotus' fingers twitched around the pill. Her pride screamed at her to refuse. But a true alchemist honored their word.

Gritting her teeth, she said not a word as she lifted the pill to her mouth, and swallowed it down.

Then, she immediately sat in the lotus position, focusing inward as the medicinal properties spread through her body.

A collective hush fell over the students.

Pot Black's smirk crumbled.

A subtle glow formed around Lotus, the undeniable proof that the pill wasn't just superior, it was on an entirely different level compared to what she used to refine everyday.