The silence in the room, as if a needle could be heard falling, lasted for a few breaths before Meng Qinghua, the Pavilion Master Meng, chuckled, "A'mo, your request is truly a bit difficult."
Placing his teacup down gently, Pavilion Master Meng seemed to have an intention to refuse.
Nangong Mo, unhurried, simply looked at him and uttered softly, "The ten-year contract can be voided."
Pavilion Master Meng was taken aback, then burst into three loud laughs before saying, "A'mo, you are truly like an iron tree blooming, a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Since you are so sincere, so be it, then this third trial assessment..."
"No need. This young lady is open and aboveboard, acting with integrity, and naturally will not engage in cheating. I request Pavilion Master Meng to proceed according to the rules here."
Gu Qianying interrupted Pavilion Master Meng before he could finish his words.
"Hahaha! Look at this straightforward young lady. A'mo, your efforts are truly in vain."
Pavilion Master Meng's gaze towards Nangong Mo held a hint of amusement.
Nangong Mo's expression remained unchanged. He swept his gaze towards Gu Qianying, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment before saying, "Do you really not need this king to pave the way for you?"
Gu Qianying lifted her chin extremely high, "Of course not. This young lady believes in her medical skills and is confident she will stand out in the third trial assessment."
She was, after all, someone reborn.
In her previous life, she had worked in the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Pavilion for many years, thus she understood the people and affairs here more thoroughly, and had some knowledge of the internal three-stage assessments of the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Pavilion.
Even without these, she believed that with her poison skills, she could win the third trial assessment.
"Since that is the case, then this king wishes you good luck."
Nangong Mo uttered this blandly.
After speaking, he looked at Nangong Li at his side, "This king is tired."
Nangong Li flicked his fan, "Oh, got it!" Then, he looked at Pavilion Master Meng, "Did you hear? Our Ninth Imperial Uncle is tired and wants to rest. Hurry up and have your people prepare a guest room!"
Pavilion Master Meng smiled and gestured to the medicinal boy behind him, "Light the incense, and find two people to clean the room thoroughly. Go."
"Yes!"
Several medicinal boys retreated.
Nangong Mo had Bai Qi push him away.
As he left, he glanced sideways at Gu Qianying, saying nothing.
Nangong Xuanning, who had wanted to speak all along but never did, happily followed behind Bai Qi, chattering to Nangong Mo about the things that had angered her during her days at the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Pavilion.
Gu Qianying watched them leave from afar, a complex feeling stirring within her, as if their receding backs were somewhat glaring.
"Ninth Imperial Aunt, don't be angry. My Ninth Imperial Uncle has always been like this, changing his mood faster than flipping a book. This prince has long been accustomed to it."
Nangong Li suddenly leaned his face close to Gu Qianying, glaring at her with a "fellow sufferers" demeanor.
Gu Qianying: "..."
Nangong Mo did not interfere with the third trial assessment.
As a result, the third trial assessment proceeded as scheduled.
During this period, after everyone witnessed that Gu Qianying was indeed the first person that Prince Nangong Mo held in his heart, as rumored, no one dared to discuss Gu Qianying behind her back anymore.
The third trial assessment was both the simplest and the most difficult.
The assessment content was to distinguish various herbs and poisons, classify them, and then use the original materials to prepare a poison that could save lives. In addition, the prepared poison had to be classified into three grades, and finally, it would be written on the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Pavilion's internal list of life-saving poisons.
The last item was also an affirmation of the abilities of the disciples who were about to become Divine Poison Doctors.
Only those who completed the last item could meet the Divine Poison Doctor and have the honor of receiving a one-on-one assessment from them.
At this moment.
Gu Qianying, sitting in the invigilation room, her gaze calmly falling on the pile of difficult-to-identify poisonous herbs and grasses placed before her, her delicate brows furrowed.
Baiducao (Detoxifying Grass) and Shilongcao (Stone Dragon Grass) were the two most difficult poisonous herbs to distinguish in the world.
From their color to their shape, the two were almost identical, and even their scent was very similar. However, the effects produced after ingestion were completely different.
Taking two qian of Baiducao into medicine could detoxify sores and relieve dampness and itching. Using its root and leaves as medicine made it highly poisonous; ordinary people who consumed it would surely die. If it was used by someone poisoned by Fenghuangchi (Phoenix Obsession), it would fight poison with poison, and the medicine would cure the virus.
The latter, Shilongcao, was a poison that could cause hallucinations. Its effect was solely as a poison, not medicine.
If these two were not distinguished, it would harm human lives.
Yet, these two poisonous herbs were extremely difficult to differentiate.
And placed on the other side before her was the second most difficult poisonous herb to distinguish in this world.
Qichong zhi San (Seven Insects Powder) was named a precious and hard-to-find poisonous herb and grass in the world.
Its efficacy was such that three liang of it in medicine could save someone on the verge of death, but if half a gram more was used, it would cause someone to fall into an eternal sleep, becoming a living dead.
The difficulty in distinguishing it lay in identifying the juices of the seven poisonous insects used in Qichong zhi San.
These required some effort.
However, her assessment time was limited, and moreover, distinguishing between Baiducao and Shilongcao also required some effort.
Completing the assessment before her within the limited time was somewhat difficult.
She glanced sideways at the poisonous herbs and grasses placed before Nangong Xuanning.
Maqianzi (Nux Vomica), Hedingshan (Aconite), and Zhushalei (Cinnabar Tear) were three poisons whose medicinal materials used in their preparation were all common and easy-to-distinguish herbs.
In less than half an incense stick's time, Nangong Xuanning had classified all the medicinal materials for preparing various poisons before her. In addition, she had mixed the juices of several less toxic poisonous herbs and grasses to create a new poison, which could only temporarily alleviate the effects of aphrodisiacs.
"Gu Qianying, look how amazing I am! The winner of this third trial assessment will definitely be me, haha."
Nangong Xuanning proudly showed off to Gu Qianying.
At this moment, Gu Qianying did not become disheartened or give up because of the difficult-to-distinguish poisonous herbs and grasses before her.
She took out the silver needles from her pouch and the poison pills she had prepared.
Next, she broke open the poison pill in her hand, crushed it, and placed it in a small jade bowl.
Taking out the poisonous leaves and stems before her and placing them in the small bowl, she mashed them together with the poison pill in the bowl. As the color changed, by using the golden needle to test the depth of the color, she could differentiate Baiducao and Shilongcao. Then, using her years of medical experience, she could extract two liang and three qian from them to create a new poison that could treat poisoned individuals.
The poison pill she brought was Baidouqing (Hundred Poisons Clear), which contained various precious poisonous medicinal materials. Among them, the most valuable poisonous medicinal material was Longkui zai (Nightshade Seed), which, when mixed with any poisonous herbs and grasses, could reveal its inherent characteristics.
And according to the memories from her previous life, this was the only method to distinguish between Baiducao and Shilongcao.
After half an incense stick's time had passed.
Gu Qianying began to distinguish the juices of which poisonous insects were used in Qichong zhi San.
To quickly distinguish them this time, she had to rely on her years of medical experience and some tips for identifying poisons taught to her by her master, the Divine Poison Doctor, in her previous life.
Time passed bit by bit.
A few beads of sweat appeared on Gu Qianying's forehead.
At this time, all the participants present had already distinguished the poisonous herbs and grasses they were supposed to identify and had also prepared a new poison according to the requirements of the third trial assessment.
Of course.
Apart from Gu Qianying, all the other participants had the poisonous herbs and grasses placed before them as the most common and easiest-to-identify ones.
Only Gu Qianying alone had the most difficult-to-distinguish poisonous herbs and grasses in the world, which they had either seen or never seen before, only heard of.
And Qichong zhi San was also one of the poisons they rarely encountered. If Gu Qianying could truly complete this assessment, she would be considered a genius in the field of toxicological medicine.
"Could Miss Gu truly complete such a difficult assessment within the allotted time?"
"Hmph! It's just a pretense, what's so great about it!"
"No, look, she can even distinguish Baiducao and Shilongcao. If she can do such a difficult thing, then perhaps she can also identify the juices of the seven insects in Qichong zhi San."
"Then we'll just wait and see! Hmph!"
"However, speaking of which, I wonder which supervising elder gave Miss Gu such a difficult question? Could it be that some supervising elder dislikes Miss Gu and intentionally made things difficult for her?"
"Which supervising elder? Ha! You're wrong! If you ask me, it must be Pavilion Master Meng who deliberately wants to trouble Miss Gu, causing this situation. Don't you think that a supervising elder alone can influence the questions for the three trial assessments?"
"But why would Pavilion Master Meng act like this?"
"Are you an idiot? What has happened at the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Pavilion these past two days that doesn't involve Miss Gu? Who would like such a showy and troublesome young lady? It's only natural to dislike her!"
"‘We like her, you can all shut up!’" Zijin roared softly at those who were chattering behind her.