Is This Really Okay?
Among the five students who failed was Dongbang Jeon. His performance varied wildly depending on the exam subject. He had scored very poorly on the written test, and this time, in the potion-making, no matter how he mixed the ingredients, the ice wolf showed no reaction even long after his aphrodisiac had been sprayed.
In the end, Dongbang Jeon exhausted all his Hyeongi and received a failing grade. After the exam, completely drained, he was escorted out of the testing area by assistant proctors.
Students who had completed their exams were seated in a designated area, which was also isolated by a Hyeongi formation. From this section, they could only observe the ongoing tests. They were forbidden from making any noise that might reveal exam content or interfering with the students still taking the test.
The seventh student to enter the testing area was Ya Mi-ang. Her skill was once again exceptional. She spent twenty shik preparing the potion and ten shik spraying it with her Hyeongi. After three shik, the ice wolf that inhaled her aphrodisiac foamed at the mouth and collapsed. The total time taken was a mere thirty-three shik.
Bukjin watched, utterly astonished. Witnessing Ya Mi-ang's impressive performance, he regretted rejecting her lunch invitation. The beautiful priestess's skill was far more formidable than he had imagined.
Suddenly, Bukjin understood what Ya Mi-ang had meant when she brought up Im Cheong-seon's precedent.
'Could she have been hiding her true abilities and yielding to me all this time since the Academic & Martial Arts Competition began? Ha, women… why do they express themselves so indirectly? Can't they just be more straightforward with their feelings?' Bukjin sighed inwardly.
Ya Mi-ang, Time Taken: 33 shik. Target: Ice Wolf, unconscious. Single-Herb Potion Grade: Top-Tier A. Hyeongi Strength: Top-Tier S!
As her scores were announced, a commotion erupted in the hall. Her incredible results placed immense pressure on many students vying for first place. And, coincidentally, Im Jin was next.
Im Jin stepped onto the testing platform, and soon everyone doubted their eyes. The magical beast she chose was none other than the highest difficulty, the Thunder Tiger!
She spent ten shik preparing the potion, two shik spraying the mist, and then endured for a short while before finally giving up the test. The aphrodisiac she created had no effect on the Thunder Tiger. She had failed to complete the exam. It was a failure.
Everyone wore a bewildered expression. Im Jin's exam result was beyond all expectations.
'Im Jin failed...?'
'The top genius of Unmong City...'
After Im Jin's exam, the students remained in shock for a long time. The atmosphere was suffocating.
'Im Jin failed the test?'
Bukjin was also deeply shocked. He knew Im Jin's strength better than anyone. She was a monstrous girl who had not only defeated Sim Bi, who had fallen into Demonic Possession while injured, but also confronted Baek Hae-geum head-on and forced him to retreat. Moreover, she had scored a perfect score on the herbal medicine written exam.
Lost in thought, Bukjin suddenly recalled how she had failed to perform at her usual level during the divine technique test in the Torrential Rain Gorge, receiving a low score.
'Could it be... is there something wrong with her body? Or...'
At that moment, Bukjin's mind flashed back to Im Jin's silhouette, standing alone at the edge of the cliff, gazing out at the distant sea during lunchtime. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but now, her beautiful, solitary figure suddenly felt incredibly lonely.
Chief Proctor Mae Ji-won announced Im Jin's score.
Disqualified!
This single word announced that Im Jin, the genius girl considered the most outstanding in Unmong City, had bid farewell to winning this Academic & Martial Arts Competition.
Under the gaze of countless people, Im Jin calmly exited the testing area. Her expression was utterly serene, as if everything that had just happened was merely the loss of a handkerchief she didn't particularly care for. It was as if she had completely lost interest in the Academic & Martial Arts Competition.
Watching her, Bukjin suddenly began to worry.
Bukjin no longer focused on the other students' tests that followed.
'I got a perfect score on the single-herb potion written exam. That was all thanks to the app created by scanning the textbook. But I wonder if that app can help me identify and combine the ten herbs in the medicine box. If not, I'll have no choice but to use the Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons app.' Bukjin organized his thoughts.
'However, the content in Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons is mostly related to poisons. The only other medicine is the Heavenly Fragrance Three-Scent Powder... but it's only effective against experts below the Martial Warrior rank, so it's likely useless against a Thunder Tiger. To secure a stable victory over Jo Pacheon, I must definitely target the Thunder Tiger, but the situation isn't easy...'
As Bukjin lowered his head, deep in thought, Chief Proctor Mae Ji-won's shout suddenly echoed in his ears.
"Next, Im Bukjin!"
Finally, it was Bukjin's turn to take the test. The medicine box on the white table was replaced with a new one. Inside were ten new herbs, different from those in previous tests.
Bukjin slowly walked to the long table. His expression was very calm.
Three jang away, the area where the students who had already completed their exams were seated was covered by a Hyeongi formation. Completely isolated by the formation, sound was blocked. Furthermore, those inside could see out, but those outside could not perceive anything within the area. All of this was to prevent the leakage of exam questions.
"I will... choose the Thunder Tiger!" Bukjin declared.
Bukjin wanted to overwhelm Jo Pacheon and gain an advantage as quickly as possible. Therefore, he absolutely had to choose the highest difficulty problem. In fact, everyone had expected Bukjin's choice. All the students who had already finished their exams and those who had yet to take theirs watched Bukjin with excitement.
So far, only Im Jin had challenged the Thunder Tiger, and the result was failure. Given the results so far, the Thunder Tiger was like an insurmountable wall.
'Can Im Bukjin succeed?' Everyone watched Bukjin, half in doubt, half in anticipation.
"Good. Prepare... Begin!" Chief Proctor Mae Ji-won's resolute voice rang out, and the formation on the testing platform activated.
Wooong-!
A translucent white formation appeared like a phantom, covering the testing platform where Bukjin stood.
Bukjin reached out and opened the medicine box on the table. Inside were ten types of neatly prepared herbs.
Bukjin launched the Herbalism app and scanned the ten medicinal ingredients. He soon learned that the ten ingredients were White Perilla Seed, Snow Mountain Artemisia, Radish Wood, White Quartz, Dragon Vegetable, and so on.
However, as Bukjin expected, the Herbalism app could not provide the potion recipe required for the exam.
Bukjin quickly launched the Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons app. The results appeared rapidly.
'This is bad! There are only two secret recipes I can make with these ingredients and the Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons! One is Heavenly Fragrance Three-Scent Powder, and the other is Poisonous Love One-Day Vegetable... A mature Thunder Tiger's strength is definitely above Martial Warrior rank, so Heavenly Fragrance Three-Scent Powder is useless. That leaves the potent Poisonous Love One-Day Vegetable... Do I really have to face the Thunder Tiger with that? But if I think about it, doesn't that medicine somewhat meet the required criteria? Let's do it!'
Countless thoughts raced through Bukjin's mind. He had no other choice but these two medicines. Mixing herbs randomly himself was out of the question. Bukjin had no intention of leaving this exam to chance.
At that moment, the description of the effects of Poisonous Love One-Day Vegetable from the Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons came to his mind.
A potent aphrodisiac. Upon consumption, lust surges uncontrollably, requiring immediate Yin-Yang harmonization to suppress its effects. Overdosing can lead to loss of self, mental breakdown, and death.
Effect: Loss of self, mental breakdown, death.
'Loss of self and mental breakdown? And death? Is this really okay...? Still, it somewhat meets the required criteria for the medicine. Let's do it!'
Time was score in this exam. There was no time to delay. Bukjin gritted his teeth and began to extract and mix the herbs. The mixing process was very simple. It was just a matter of crushing the herbs into powder, then mixing and shaking them in the order provided by the app.
Bukjin's speed in mixing the medicine was incredibly fast. The time it took for Bukjin to make his decision, crush the herbs into powder, and mix them into the Poisonous Love One-Day Vegetable was a mere fourteen shik.
The moment Bukjin placed the prepared Poisonous Love One-Day Vegetable powder into the specially made metal tube, the translucent formation covering the testing platform lifted. And those outside could see Bukjin again.
'Fourteen shik!'
Many people judged this to be by no means a long time. However, it was slightly longer than the time it took for Ya Mi-ang, Im Jin, and a few other students to prepare their potions.
The next moment, Bukjin channeled his Hyeongi and blew hard into the metal tube containing his prepared medicine. A faint pink mist flowed from the end of the tube, coiling like a snake and rapidly moving towards the iron cage. Its speed was astonishing. In just one shik, the mist reached the cage where the Thunder Tiger was confined.
'Fast!'
This was the thought that crossed everyone's minds. The fact that the mist shot out so quickly meant that Bukjin's Hyeongi strength far surpassed that of all the students who had taken the test before him.
Now it was time to verify the medicine's effectiveness. If there was a problem with Bukjin's potion mixture, no matter how strong his Hyeongi, it would be meaningless. This exam required every single step to be performed perfectly; missing even one meant disqualification. Im Jin was a prime example.
Countless eyes turned towards the Thunder Tiger. The Thunder Tiger had inhaled only a small amount of the pink mist Bukjin had sent, and its pupils suddenly constricted sharply. A look of urgency appeared on the Thunder Tiger's face, and the fur all over its body bristled. Soon, the Thunder Tiger let out a low roar.