"Miss Black Lotus, please follow me," the woman made a gesture of invitation and personally led Nan Gong Huan to the side hall, where the potion master certification took place.

  As soon as she approached the area, Nan Gong Huan caught a whiff of a rich medicinal aroma that invigorated her spirits.

  Dong Yan Cuo also smelled it. He swallowed and his hands twitched slightly, eager to touch the magical herbs, but the next second, a few candies were stuffed into his hands.

  Be good, you can’t just touch things here carelessly.

  As they walked, the sides of the path were lined with herb racks, displaying numerous magical herbs.

  Over the years, with Elder Ling’s help, Nan Gong Huan had used her spiritual energy to simulate the potion-making process, allowing her to become familiar with these magical herbs and the refining process.

  Dong Yan Cuo waited outside the side hall, while Nan Gong Huan entered. Inside, she saw several gray cauldrons of varying sizes, the smallest one fitting in the palm of her hand, while the largest required both arms to encircle.

  In the side hall, a noblewoman dressed in elegant attire and an elderly man were chatting harmoniously.

  "Your Highness, if there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to ask," Elder Xue, who was in charge of the assessment, said with a kind smile.

  "Teacher, please just call me Xi Ran. To be honest, I..." Song Xi Ran hadn’t finished speaking when Nan Gong Huan was brought in.

  Nan Gong Huan only caught these two sentences and glanced at the noblewoman. Was that the princess?

  It was said that in the Feng Xuan Empire’s royal family, there was an exceptionally beautiful princess, pure and graceful. Seeing her today, the rumors were indeed true.

  "Here for the assessment? Stand over here, child," Elder Xue beckoned to Nan Gong Huan, then said to Song Xi Ran, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. I’ll assess this disciple first."

  Song Xi Ran fell silent, sitting gracefully with her hands resting on her lap, her demeanor elegant and refined, while discreetly observing Nan Gong Huan.

  Elder Xue glanced at the form Nan Gong Huan handed over and pointed to a crystal ball nearby. "Place your hand here to test your affinity."

  Seeing that Elder Xue didn’t mind Song Xi Ran’s presence, Nan Gong Huan directly placed her hand on the crystal ball.

  At that moment, the crystal ball shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors, gradually turning red!

  "Hmm?" Elder Xue’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward, almost pressing his face against the crystal ball!

  In just a few seconds, the crystal ball turned a bright red!

  In the center of the crystal ball, the number one hundred appeared!

  "One hundred percent affinity?!" Elder Xue exclaimed in shock, his entire body frozen in place!

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  Was it broken? Elder Xue moved Nan Gong Huan’s hand aside and placed his own on the crystal ball. Soon, the number eighty-one appeared.

  It wasn’t broken! She really had one hundred percent affinity!

  He remembered that in historical records, the last person with one hundred percent affinity was over three thousand years ago!

  Elder Xue looked at Nan Gong Huan in astonishment, only to find that she herself looked equally surprised.

  Nan Gong Huan knew she had an affinity for magical herbs, but she didn’t know the exact percentage. Now, it turned out to be one hundred percent?!

  "Foolish disciple, the Earth’s spiritual energy grants absolute affinity with all natural beings," Elder Ling snorted, filled with pride.

  Song Xi Ran’s eyes lit up, thinking to herself that this person was a talent. If she could win her over...

  "You... your name is Black Lotus? Only sixteen years old? Could you remove your veil?" Elder Xue took a closer look at the form in his hands. When did Jianglou City produce such a genius? Was she the disciple of some old master?

  Nan Gong Huan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I’m sorry, Elder. I was burned as a child, and my face is covered in scars. I don’t want others to see it."

  "That’s fine. You may begin refining the potion," Elder Xue nodded, not pressing further, and began to feel sympathy for Nan Gong Huan.

  Nan Gong Huan first walked to the herb rack and selected some magical herbs. Then, she chose a cauldron of suitable size, held it in her hands, and ignited it with her spiritual energy, adding the herbs one by one.

  This time, she was refining a fasting potion.

  These steps seemed simple, but in practice, they required precise control and mental focus from the potion master.

  Nan Gong Huan used her spiritual energy to break down the herbs, constantly monitoring the changes within.

  As time passed, the liquid in the cauldron began to emit a strange blue light.

  After about a quarter of an hour, the liquid turned a deep blue. At that moment, Nan Gong Huan extinguished the flame and quickly poured it into a glass bottle, sealing it with a stopper.

  The deep blue liquid emitted an eerie glow, and for a moment, Nan Gong Huan was reminded of the deep blue in Dong Yan Cuo’s eyes.

  Both Elder Xue and Song Xi Ran couldn’t help but gasp!

  "Fasting potion, third-grade quality, one hundred percent fusion rate!" Elder Xue was stunned!

  Potion grades ranged from one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten the highest. The fusion rate corresponded to the potion’s efficacy absorption rate.

  Most potions on the market had a fusion rate of around fifty percent, meaning the potion could only deliver half its intended effect. For example, with this fasting potion, Nan Gong Huan’s version could last a month, while a fifty percent fusion rate version would only last half a month.

  For potions like advancement potions, a fifty percent fusion rate meant only a fifty percent chance of success. Therefore, people always tried to buy potions with higher fusion rates.

  Even the high-level potion masters among the elders could only achieve a maximum fusion rate of ninety percent. No one had ever achieved one hundred percent!

  "A chosen potion master!" Elder Xue excitedly stepped forward and grasped Nan Gong Huan’s hands. "May I ask who your master is? Could I meet them?"

  "My master... is called Elder Ling. He enjoys traveling and I’m not sure where he is now," Nan Gong Huan twitched her lips. Well, he was actually in her Di Ming Ring.

  Elder Ling? Elder Xue pondered. Among the top potion masters he knew, none had the surname Ling.

  Could it be some reclusive grandmaster?

  Elder Xue looked at Nan Gong Huan, growing fonder of her by the minute.

  "Alright, if there’s a chance, I’d love to meet him. Here, take this badge," Elder Xue walked to the table, rummaged through a drawer for a while, and took out a unique black-gold potion master badge. He engraved "Black Lotus" on the back and placed it in her hand.

  "This badge seems different?" Nan Gong Huan examined the badge closely. It was very different from ordinary potion master badges, with excellent texture and exquisite craftsmanship.

  "Hehe, this is a special badge for exceptional potion masters. With this badge, you’ll be treated as an honored guest wherever you go!" Elder Xue proudly explained.

  A master-level badge! Nan Gong Huan’s hand trembled, almost dropping it!

  She hadn’t expected to receive a master-level badge just from getting certified!

  At this moment, Nan Gong Huan didn’t yet realize just how precious this badge was. In the entire Feng Xuan Empire, there were no more than five people who possessed one!