"Since when can alchemist assessments be conducted with favoritism and cheating?"

"Does this mean that the alchemist level assessment at Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy is based on connections, not skill?"

Qin Xin said with a hint of disdain.

The unspoken meaning behind the words was unclear but impressive. The alchemist level assessment has corresponding examination rules, and passing them will grant the corresponding alchemist level.

However, Li Xi directly accused Ling Hanyan of favoritism and cheating in Qin Xin's fifth-grade advanced alchemist assessment. This indirectly reflects that such cheating exists in the alchemist assessments at Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy.

In an instant, the surrounding alchemists all felt the same way and gathered around. Many of them had already reached the corresponding alchemist level, but when they took the exam at Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy, they often encountered some very difficult questions, which ultimately led to their failure in the exam process.

However, if one could make arrangements at the Tuocang Mountain Pill Academy beforehand, the exam questions would be relatively simpler. But everyone knew this, and no one brought it up.

After all, there are many interests and people involved here. Many newly promoted alchemists who want to continue working at the Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy simply remain silent. Once they are promoted, they will continue to be assessed in this way. Thus, this unwritten tradition has continued.

As for how Qin Xin found out about this, it was because he was bored while waiting for the assessment and used his spiritual sense to probe the conversations between some alchemists that he learned about it.

"Nonsense! How dare you slander my Tuocang Mountain Pill Academy like this! Ling Hanyan! I will definitely report this to the Dean!"

As if Qin Xin had caught him by the tail, Li Xi immediately shouted angrily, pointing at Ling Hanyan's nose and yelling. As the person in charge of the alchemist assessment at the Dan Academy, every word Qin Xin said hit him hard.

"Elder Li can report to the Dean. If what Qin Xin said is true, then the Pill Academy does indeed need to be properly reorganized."

Ling Hanyan remained indifferent, completely ignoring Li Xi's clamor.

"Alright, that's enough talk!"

Jia Yi, who had been silent until now, spoke in a sinister tone, stopping the two from arguing, "Miss Ling has just become an elder of the Pill Academy, and she does indeed lack consideration in her actions. My thoughts are the same as Elder Li's; you still need more experience."

Jia Yi's words were clearly biased, which was obvious to everyone present. However, since he was one of the two vice deans of the Alchemy Academy and a mid-level seventh-grade alchemist, no one dared to refute him except for the current dean of the Alchemy Academy.

“I think Vice Dean Jia is being a bit too harsh.” Yun Li slowly stood beside Ling Hanyan and said softly, “I don’t think Elder Ling’s approach is inappropriate. What if this young man’s alchemy skills really have reached the level of a fifth-grade advanced alchemist?”

"The Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy is a gathering place for alchemists from the Central Plains. Its essence is to serve all alchemists. It's unreasonable and illogical to deny someone the opportunity to take the exam at the academy when their strength clearly meets the requirements." (biqμgètν.net)

Yun Li succinctly pointed out the stakes involved, which impressed Qin Xin. It was no wonder that Yun Li, who was not much older than Ling Hanyan, was able to become the vice dean of the Tuocang Mountain Pill Academy; she was certainly worthy of the position.

"How could a fourth-grade intermediate alchemist possibly leap so many levels and directly become a fifth-grade advanced alchemist?"

Zhuge Tao stood in front of Li Xi, as if he had been given instructions, and spoke loudly.

Their purpose was quite clear: to make a big fuss about this matter. If Qin Xin failed the fifth-grade advanced alchemist assessment, then Ling Hanyan's favoritism and fraud would be confirmed, and they could use this as an excuse to remove Ling Hanyan from her position as elder.

“Oh? What Zhuge Tao said makes sense. In that case, why don’t we have Qin Xin take the fifth-grade beginner alchemist exam first? That way, we won’t leave any room for criticism.”

Yun Li was also very clever and readily accepted the offer. She didn't know Qin Xin's true ability in alchemy, but based on the pills he had refined before, she could tell that Qin Xin was at least a fifth-grade beginner alchemist. This gave her more confidence.

In any case, if Qin Xin passes the fifth-grade beginner alchemist assessment, he can directly take the fifth-grade advanced alchemist assessment, although the process will be a bit more complicated.

Hearing Yun Li's explanation, Li Xi's face darkened. He was well aware of the huge difference in difficulty between the fifth-grade beginner and fifth-grade advanced alchemist assessments. As a seventh-grade beginner alchemist, he knew this very well.

"What if I could pass the fifth-grade alchemist assessment?"

Qin Xin's sudden remark silenced the entire room.

"Is this guy stupid?!"

"Vice Dean Yun has already spoken up to defuse the situation, doesn't he know that?"

"It seems he's still too young; this has only harmed Elder Ling!"

"It's also Elder Ling's fault for letting this young lad directly take the fifth-grade advanced alchemist exam. If he had taken the fifth-grade beginner exam first, it would have been much better, and all this trouble wouldn't have happened."

The surrounding alchemists immediately began to discuss among themselves, all feeling that Qin Xin's sudden remarks were somewhat arrogant.

"Oh? Not bad, kid, you're quite confident." After hearing Qin Xin's words, Jia Yi didn't give Yun Li a chance to speak and immediately said, "If you pass this fifth-grade advanced alchemist assessment, I will bestow upon you a seventh-grade mid-level pill."

"A mid-grade seventh-rank pill!"

The crowd was momentarily in an uproar. Everyone knew the value of a mid-grade seventh-rank pill; some powerful forces and families would fight tooth and nail to get their hands on one.

Qin Xin had tasted even ninth-grade pills, so he showed no surprise at this seventh-grade mid-level pill and remained quite calm.

Jia Yi was somewhat surprised by Qin Xin's calm expression, but thinking he was just stunned, he quickly added, "However, what if you fail the assessment for a fifth-grade advanced alchemist?"

Li Xi immediately chimed in, "Since they were brought by Miss Ling, then naturally Miss Ling should be in charge."

"If it fails, it's simple. Miss Ling can just resign from her position as an elder of the Tuocang Mountain Pill Academy. That would be fine."

The two of them spoke in unison as if they had planned it all along.

Yun Li frowned, just about to say something to defuse the situation.

I agree!

Ling Hanyan's somewhat cold words came out directly.

Even Qin Xin looked at Ling Hanyan with some surprise; he hadn't expected her to have so much confidence in him.

“However, I have one request,” Qin Xin said.

Hearing that Qin Xin had further requests, Jia Yi asked, "What are your requests?"

Qin Xin smiled and said, "If I pass the test, it's very simple. I don't need your so-called seventh-grade pill, but you have to make these two guys bow down and apologize to my Senior Sister Ling. How about that?"

"You!" Zhuge Tao nearly flew into a rage upon hearing this.

He and his master Li Xi were both prominent figures in the Tuocang Mountain Pill Academy. If he were to apologize to a young girl who had just become an elder, wouldn't that be incredibly shameful?

That was exactly the effect Qin Xin wanted.

"Elder Li, what do you think?" Jia Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at Zhuge Tao, and then looked at Li Xi calmly.

"Hahaha, you want me to bow and apologize? I've been in the Dan Academy of Tuocang Mountain for sixty years and have never bowed to anyone before. I accept this bet." Li Xi glared at Zhuge Tao and then laughed heartily.

He was very confident. He was in charge of the alchemist level assessment at Tuocang Mountain Alchemy Academy, so using some tricks was commonplace for him. So he continued, "Xiao Tao, you will take the assessment with him."

"Yes!" Upon hearing Li Xi's words, Zhuge Tao's face also showed a slight smile.

After Qin Xin and Zhuge Tao entered the assessment area, Yun Li stood beside Ling Hanyan, gently patted her shoulder, and whispered, "Sigh! Hanyan, you were too impulsive!"

“These guys have been unhappy ever since you became an elder, and they’ve been looking for an excuse to kick you out.”

Ling Hanyan, however, said dismissively, "I know what they're thinking. Even if I do nothing, they'll still come back to cause trouble."

"If Qin Xin passes the test, then I can give those old fogies a good slap in the face."

"But what if Qin Xin doesn't pass?" Yun Li's face was somewhat worried. Her days in the Pill Academy were not easy either. If Ling Hanyan had the help, many things would proceed more smoothly.

"I believe in him!" Ling Hanyan smiled slightly, glancing at Qin Xin's figure who had already entered the assessment area.

"Sigh! Whatever you want!" Yun Li sighed helplessly, her face full of worry as she looked at Qin Xin in the assessment area, seemingly planning something in her heart.