She was trying to exceed the grade of her ingredients?

Bandora nodded in understanding. Even so, she would only make Grade-7 pills, falling short of her real potential.

But was it that simple? She wouldn’t believe it.

She had repeatedly tried to become Lan’s master but got turned down. Lan was now the pupil of this mysterious young master. Bandora wouldn’t believe that this girl would resort to mediocrity.

Would she skip a grade and make some Grade-8 pills?

That would be indeed impressive!

“Mr. Soan, is it unrealistic to make Grade-8 pills with Grade-6 ingredients?” Bandora asked tentatively.

“Yes, it is.”

“Then why do you think she’s doing it?” Bandora was baffled.

Lan was his pupil, and he said she was going to refine higher-grade pills. However, he had just called her unrealistic. Did that mean even he had no confidence in her?

Bandora didn’t know what was going on.

“Just keep watching,” Himmel Soan said.

“Alright.” Bandora stopped trying to figure out what was going on.

He was right about one thing: she just had to keep watching. Everything would get cleared in the end. Before long, one of the contestants burned his ingredients.

Thump…

The people around him got affected as well, following his example. It was as if a string of firecrackers had been lit. The first cracking sound led to a series of non-stopping ones.

A third of the contestants were affected, burning their ingredients. They could only walk away from their furnaces and wait on the side.

They didn’t have any other choice. They only had one portion of ingredients, which were useless when burned. They would receive zero points in this round.

“I don’t understand. Why do we have to compete together? I was making good progress on my Grade-5 pills, but the person next to me spoiled his ingredients. I was startled and burned mine as well! This arrangement doesn’t make any sense!”

“That’s right! I could stand it at first and kept working on my pills, but another person nearby burned his ingredients! It was crazy!”

“I think we should blame the first person. If he hadn’t done that, the other people wouldn’t have been affected, and we wouldn’t have burned ours either!”

“A third of the contestants have no score in this round. This has never happened before!”

“I think more people are going to burn their ingredients.”

“I don’t think so. If they haven’t been affected by now, they should succeed.”

“What if some of them set their aims too high? Maybe someone is trying to make Grade-7 or Grade-8 pills with Grade-6 ingredients. Even if they haven’t burned the ingredients, they will eventually.”

The disqualified contestants discussed among themselves. There wasn’t much to say about the pills because everybody was making the same kind. Instead, they focused on the contestants and the grades of their pills.

“I think Elder Tine is using Grade-6 ingredients.”

“Grade 6? How’s that possible? Even the principal appreciates her talent. How can she use Grade-6 ingredients? You must be mistaken!”

“No, he’s not. I saw it when Elder Tine picked up her Grade-6 ingredients.”

“That’s right. I was sitting right behind her and heard her conversation with Elder Neu. I think she said she was going to make Grade-8 pills with Grade-6 ingredients.”

“That’s impossible!”

No one believed it when they heard Lan’s plan. They had never heard of such a thing before, and they weren’t going to accept it now. The crowd went on talking as the competition proceeded.

Before long, the cracking noise rang out again. Someone else had burned their ingredients.

Many ambitious contestants could refine pills that were suitable for their levels, but they chose to challenge themselves in the competition. As a result, they burned their ingredients, spoiling their chances.

Bang!

Another contestant failed. Though not loud, it sounded like a thunderclap in everybody’s ears.

“That was Elder Tine.”

“It can’t be! Isn’t she using Grade-6 ingredients? She’s only making Class B pills. How can she burn her ingredients?”

“What’s she doing now? Is she going to continue?”

“Her pills are useless now. What’s she doing with them?”

In the examination area, Lan had indeed burned her ingredients. However, she remained where she was as if she was pondering or waiting for something.

She should have left the area already. Although no rules said that she couldn’t stay with her furnace…

Was it because she couldn’t accept her failure?

It had to be!

Elder Tine was capable of making Class B Grade-8 pills. However, she had just burned her Grade-6 ingredients. That was hard for anybody to accept. The crowd reached the conclusion on their own.

Up on the tower, Bandora also had a frown on her face. She had seen everything and was genuinely confused.

Elder Tine was supposed to make pills of a higher grade, but why did she just burn her ingredients?

Even if she couldn’t carry out her plan, she could always make some Grade-6 pills with inscriptions!

How did this happen?

“Mr. Soan, what are we looking at?”

“It’s just like what you saw. The ingredients are burned.”

Bandora frowned. She was hoping there was something else going on. She couldn’t believe Lan had done that. That girl was supposed to be better than that!

Even if she couldn’t make more advanced pills, she shouldn’t have burned her ingredients. Because of that, Bandora had to ask Himmel Soan.

However, she had to face reality.

“Even if the ingredients are burned, she can still refine them. Unlike others, Lan has burned her ingredients on purpose,” said Himmel Soan.