The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"Azure Jade Pill".

Tang Xixue's gaze fell on the tattered pages of the prescription, on the words blurred by time.

"Snow-seeing grass is the sovereign, golden thread Paris is the minister, cold water dendrobium is the assistant, and red arrow gastrodia is the envoy."

"I've never seen this recipe before. Paris polyphylla is poisonous. If it's not prepared properly, it won't be edible and it can even cause poisoning."

"This prescription was provided by the medical sage from the ancient kingdom of Lian Ge."

Jiu Fangzhi's voice sounded beside her, as cool and languid as ever, yet with a rare hint of seriousness.

"The complete formula for this pill has never been made public in the Nine Provinces before, and it is the first time that any physician in the world has ever seen it. This problem is a challenge for everyone."

The Medicine God Trial does not prohibit communication between participants.

From the high platform, one can discuss pharmacology and learn from each other with colleagues at any time.

But in this race against time in the alchemy arena, everyone is a competitor to each other.

Even if most people are confident, they keep it to themselves, wishing they could keep the prescription a closely guarded secret.

Even among fellow disciples, very few were willing to offer assistance.

"Then how do you determine the grade of medicinal pills?"

Tang Xixue asked a question.

"Jianbaotai" (Mirror Platform).

Si Xingxuan picked up the conversation, a hint of pride rising in his eyes.

"Our Seven Generations Pavilion's Treasure Appraisal Platform was specially transported here from within the pavilion. There is no elixir in this world whose grade cannot be determined by this platform."

"Place the finished elixir on the platform, and the appraisal platform will authenticate it. It is fair and honest, and there is no way to interfere with it."

He said it so casually.

Every physician present who had heard of the reputation of the Seventh Pavilion's Mirror Platform felt a chill run down their spine.

That thing is said to be "bearer of heaven and earth, impartial and unbiased," and is one of the Seven Generations Pavilion's most treasured possessions, rarely shown to others.

This item was actually used for the Medicine God Trial.

Although Si Xingxuan, the valley master, seems lazy on ordinary days, he never fails to impress when it comes to serious matters.

That is indeed fair.

Tang Xixue nodded, withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes and stared at the incomplete pill formula, beginning to deduce it in her mind.

"Snow-seeing grass is cool in nature, while golden thread Paris is neutral in nature. When the two are combined, they should be gently simmered over a low flame, otherwise their medicinal properties will clash."

"Dendrobium nobile is yin in nature, so it must be placed in the furnace when the elixir is about to solidify but has not yet solidified."

"Too early and it disperses, too late and it solidifies; a difference of a breath in the timing makes all the difference."

"The powdered Gastrodia elata is dry in nature, so it needs to be soaked in water for the time it takes to burn an incense stick before being put into the furnace."

However, the recipe does not specify the soaking step.

Her eyelashes drooped slightly, and her fingertips silently traced the lines of a famous deduction on the table.

It was a natural focus, as if she were the only person left in the world at that moment, and all the surrounding noise had faded into a distant background.

"Junior Uncle, I have deduced the complete formula for the pill."

Si Xingxuan's voice suddenly rang in her ear, low and with a cautious, ingratiating tone.

Those beautiful eyes looked at her like a little snow fox returning with its prey, wanting to claim credit but also afraid of being rejected.

Do you need it?

In the trials of the Medicine God, communication among peers is a permitted part of the rules.

After all, the ability to inspire others to willingly lend a helping hand is precisely the charisma a leader should possess.

There is an unwritten rule in the Trial of the Medicine God: it selects not only the pinnacle of medical skills, but also the leader of the medical path who can be trusted by all healers.

"No need. I want to try it myself."

Tang Xixue spoke up.

Jiu Fangzhi had already turned slightly to the side, and he was about to speak as well.

Upon hearing her reply, he swallowed back the words he had been about to say, a faint smile appearing in his eyes behind the silver mask.

His junior sister has always been like this.

He is a very strong-willed person.

At the same time, he is also an extremely intelligent person.

If she can't figure it out, she won't mind Zhe Yue teaching her. But if she's confident, she doesn't need anyone's help.

"Oh well."

Si Xingxuan didn't insist, but simply nodded, his tone filled with eager anticipation.

"Let me try it first. If it works, I'll tell Junior Uncle so you can use it as a reference."

His prescriptions were still in the deductive stage and had never been actually tested.

Ultimately, it's one thing to talk about strategy on paper, but quite another to actually put it into practice.

He was a man of action.

Roll up your sleeves, start the stove, and sort the medicinal herbs.

His movements were so fast that the doctors who were secretly glancing over couldn't keep up at all.

His hands were long and fair, each finger like a piece of jade meticulously carved by the heavens.

But this same hand is absolutely adept at the most basic and rough work.

The medicinal herbs danced between his fingertips, requiring no weighing at all. He simply grabbed them and weighed them, his movements so precise it was as if he possessed an invisible scale in his mind.

"Wait... is the alchemy technique of the Divine Physician Zheyue really this crude?"

Some people stared in disbelief as Si Xingxuan casually grabbed a handful of Gastrodia elata powder and tossed it into the medicine cauldron.

There was no weighing, no hesitation, not even a second glance.

The man looked down at the neat row of medicine scales, copper scales, and measuring spoons in front of him and suddenly felt like he was playing house.

"A master is a master. This is very difficult to replicate... We can't even learn it by observing others."

Those who had been hoping to sneak a peek and learn a thing or two about the Divine Physician Zheyue's techniques were dumbfounded.

This is hardly alchemy; it's clearly metaphysics—grabbing something at random, throwing it into a pot, and relying entirely on intuition.

I can't learn it, I simply can't learn it.

"Should we... or should we see the Ghost Doctor?"

Some who had not yet completed the elixir formula cast their last hope toward Jiu Fangzhi.

After all, the Ghost Doctor and the Divine Doctor of the Moonlit Night share the same origin, so perhaps his methods are a little more orthodox?

However, after seeing Jiu Fangzhi's methods, they completely gave up any idea of ​​learning from him.

The Ghost Doctor can refine pills with even more ease.

With a flick of the lid and a toss of the herbs, his movements were as fluid as a farmer throwing firewood into a stove.

These two are indeed master and disciple of the same lineage; even their composure in the face of the poison not killing them is exactly the same.

"Forget it, I'll just figure it out myself."

Everyone looked away with tears in their eyes.

Tang Xixue had already sorted out the medicinal herbs she needed.

Her movements were unhurried, and each medicinal herb was precisely weighed.

On the table were a row of bronze scales, medicine scales, and measuring spoons. She took them one by one, her technique as precise as if she had stepped out of a pharmacopoeia.

That is the most orthodox alchemy method of Divine Medicine Valley. Every step is based on established rules, and every weighing is precise down to the millimeter.

With careful observation and meticulous replication, even a novice in the world of medicine can learn some of its essence.

Unfortunately, everyone's attention was drawn to the master and apprentice.

She is too young.

In the eyes of those veteran doctors with gray hair who have gone through several trials of becoming a "Medicine God," youth means a lack of experience and confidence.

Moreover, the number of female physicians in the Nine Provinces is already small, and those who can reach the high platform of the Medicine God Trial are even rarer.

She didn't make a fuss or try to show off; she just stood there quietly, focused and composed as she went about her own rhythm.

But very few people know this.

Whether it's Liu Xinyi, the Medicine King, and her group of outstanding female disciples whom she carefully cultivated, or those women who resolutely pursued medicine with the example of the Heavenly Physician of Life Weaving, they are all shining silently in their respective corners.

They are awakening and embarking on different paths in life.

Even more remarkably, the children who were taken in by the Moon Weaving Garden had the opportunity to learn medicine from a young age.

Many of them aspired from a young age to become like the Heavenly Physician of Destiny, practicing medicine to save lives and illuminate the world.

Now, those children are quietly growing up.

The future is expected.

Tang Xixue wore a veil, and the news that the Heavenly Physician of Destiny had been intercepted and killed by the Heavenly Dao Apostles had already spread throughout the Nine Continents. No one would associate this quiet young female physician with that legendary figure who had already "fallen".

Liu Fengchun was the only exception.

He was afraid that she would be bullied by those two ruthless men beside her, so he would sneak a glance at her from time to time to make sure she was still alive, had not been poisoned, and had not disappeared from the world without a trace.

As he looked, his gaze suddenly froze.

The way she weighed the herbs, the order in which she sorted them, and even the way she picked up the medicine spoon, all exuded an indescribable composure.

It didn't seem like something deliberately done, but rather like a natural and effortless skill.

These movements were ingrained in her very being, and she could perform them flawlessly without even thinking.

"That's a master!"

Liu Fengchun's pupils contracted slightly, and he murmured softly.

Having spent so many years working in the Imperial Hospital, he still has a keen eye for things.

He was certain that this female physician was not an ordinary alchemist.

Every movement she made exuded professionalism, and every detail was so precise that it could be used as a textbook example.

This isn't talent; it's instinct honed through countless trials.

He was so engrossed in watching that he suddenly snapped back to reality and slapped himself on the forehead with a crisp sound, like cracking a walnut.

"Oh no! I got completely absorbed in it... I haven't even started refining my own medicine yet!"

He hurriedly and frantically began sorting the medicinal herbs.

He had originally deduced a set of pill formulas himself, and he had gone through the proportions of the medicinal materials and the order in which they were put into the furnace in his mind.

But after looking at the proportions of Tangxi Xue's ingredients, he felt that his own method seemed a bit off.

It feels like you think you've painted a great landscape, but then you look up and see someone else has painted the same mountain, but with added clouds, flowing water, and a perfectly placed brushstroke on the ridge.

Looking down at my own paintings again, I felt that they were never enough.

So he made an extremely bold decision during the Medicine God's Trial: to try again using her method.

Two incense sticks' worth of time had already burned down to almost halfway, and starting over now was practically gambling with their chance of advancing.

But he gritted his teeth and did it anyway.

"Let's risk it! The worst that can happen is that we lose the second round and spend our lives in Baiyujing, serving Emperor Shengchen like a slave."

On the field, most of the alchemists had already entered the refining stage.

The bronze medicine cauldron gleamed with a deep green light under the sunlight, and the spiritual patterns on its belly lit up one by one as the temperature rose.

The fragrance of herbs spread layer by layer across the platform.

Some are bitter, some are sweet, some are spicy and pungent, and some are as fragrant as orchids and musk.

Hundreds of medicine cauldrons operated simultaneously, their flames weaving together into a silent symphony.

There were many true masters present.

Some people use their spiritual power to control fire, mastering the control of the heat to perfection.

Some people use special grinding techniques to process medicinal materials, maximizing their medicinal properties.

Some people, like that master and apprentice pair, use seemingly casual techniques that actually conceal hidden secrets.

Each displayed their unique abilities, refusing to yield to the other.

"This time it should work."

Tang Xixue's gaze remained fixed on the medicine cauldron in front of her.

Her method was the most orthodox way of alchemy, and every step was so meticulous that it was as if she were demonstrating according to the pharmacopoeia.

"The first herb to be appreciated by the snow-viewing herb."

Qingyan licked the bottom of the cauldron, gently nurturing it with a slow, steady flame.

The herbs inside the cauldron softened slowly under the licking of the flames, oozing a thin layer of emerald-green liquid, and a cool, refreshing fragrance filled the air.

Her fingertips hovered about an inch above the handle of the cauldron, tentatively probing the rising steam.

Using the warmth of one's palm to test the temperature inside the cauldron is the oldest and most precise method of fire control.

"The heat should not be too intense."

She slightly adjusted the heat, making the flames softer.

"Next, let's move on to the second one..."

Time passed slowly amidst the aroma of herbs.

More than one of the two incense sticks had burned down when the first batch of losers began to appear on the field.

Someone overcooked the heat, causing the medicinal liquid inside the cauldron to char and emit a pungent, burnt smell.

"Bang—"

Someone made a mistake in the order of adding the medicine, causing the medicinal properties to clash. The lid of the cauldron was blown off by the surging air and almost hit the person's forehead.

"Oh no, this is terrible."

Some people discovered it too late.

"There's something wrong with those medicinal herbs."

The medicinal herbs themselves had been tampered with; one of them had been replaced with a similar-looking but completely different variety.

"Oh no, oh no... I should have checked more carefully."

He didn't recognize it in the first test. It wasn't until he was in the oven and smelled that strange, sweet, burnt aroma that he suddenly realized he had been wrong from the very beginning.

The snow in Tangxi remains as solid as a rock.

Inside her cauldron, the medicinal liquid was slowly condensing, gradually gathering from the initial turquoise liquid into a warm, gelatinous embryo.

She had the timing and pressure just right, precisely at the most crucial moment in the refining of the Azure Jade Pill.

"Junior Sister looks so relaxed! How does she do it?"

Liu Fengchun, sweating profusely from secretly learning from her, frantically imitated her techniques while inwardly cursing her methods.

"Why is it that she can do the same steps so smoothly, while I look like a chicken with its neck being strangled?"

"When did our Divine Medicine Valley acquire such a powerful senior sister? How come I didn't know?"

Suddenly, a bronze cauldron not far in front of Tang Xixue first let out a sharp wail, and then the entire cauldron exploded from its core.

The shockwave, carrying scorching bronze fragments, shot out in all directions like a mini meteor shower.

"Be careful!"

Si Xingxuan instinctively stepped in front of Tang Xixue.

Even though he was physically weak and would be out of breath after taking just a few steps, his body reacted faster than his mind when he saw that she was in danger.

The wide, light blue fringed robe drew a sharp arc in the air, making her appear like a thin wall, completely enveloping her behind her.

The flying fragments were already close, carrying scorching flames, getting closer and closer.

If this had happened to Si Xingxuan, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Everyone jumped to their feet instantly, instinctively ready to make a move, but it was too late.