blueteamnovel Chapter 23 – The visible punishment and the hidden reward
Chapter 23 – The visible punishment and the hidden reward
Inside the grand alchemy hall, black smoke filled the air, carrying a burnt stench.
Patricia Qing stood before the alchemy furnace, her face ashen.
All the white-robed disciples present were silent, not daring to make a sound, their fear palpable.
The furnace had exploded!
How could this happen out of the blue? Where did it go wrong?
Brandon Jiang was equally shocked. He had clearly identified the problem with the Green Bamboo Snake heart, so why hadn't the Clear Mind Pill been successfully refined?
Could it be that Patricia Qing made a mistake in another step, and he didn't notice?
This left Brandon feeling both panicked and helpless.
During the last alchemy class, he had too many things to worry about!@@@@
It was one thing for his alchemy knowledge to be tested, but if the teaching senior sister's alchemy skills were lacking, he would also suffer!
Faced with this situation, Brandon was at a loss. He could only keep his eyes down and pretend to be invisible among the crowd.
After a long silence, Patricia Qing suddenly laughed, her smile cold and chilling.
She scanned the crowd, finally fixing her gaze on the two individuals with the lowest cultivation and least experience.
Brandon Jiang and Ashley Taibai.
She stared at them and spoke coldly:
"Tell me, what caused the furnace to explode this time?"
"This question will be your assessment for today. If your explanation is reasonable, you will receive a grade of C or higher. But if you can't give a satisfactory answer, you know the consequences!"
The white-robed disciples exchanged bitter glances, feeling extremely distressed.
They were all taught by Patricia Qing. If she made a mistake in refining the pill, how could they possibly know why the furnace exploded?
Even if they did know the reason, they wouldn't dare say it!
Would they dare to say that Patricia Qing made a mistake in a certain step, leading to the failure of the pill?
That would be like cursing her to her face!
Whoever said that would be courting death!
No one dared to be the first to speak up, all of them shrinking back like quails.
Seeing this, Patricia Qing's expression grew even colder.
"A bunch of useless people. Since none of you are willing to step forward, I'll start asking questions!"
As she said this, her gaze never left Brandon Jiang and Ashley Taibai.
It was clear to everyone that she intended to make an example out of the two newcomers!
The older disciples felt fortunate. These two newcomers had top-grade A and B qualifications, respectively, which was quite extraordinary.
Once Patricia Qing absorbed their vitality and fortune, her mood might improve, and this matter would be over.
"You didn't participate in the alchemy. How could the furnace explosion be related to you?"
Brandon said with shame:
"In my humble opinion, all of your steps in refining the pill were flawless, Senior Sister."
"It could only be because I interrupted you earlier, speaking out of turn and delaying your perfect timing, which led to the failure of the pill."
"This is my fault. Please punish me, or I won't be at peace!"
After hearing this, Patricia Qing fell silent.
But the anger on her face gradually dissipated, and she looked at Brandon with increasing satisfaction, her appreciation evident.
Patricia Qing's reaction made the astute white-robed disciples immediately realize what was happening.
Brandon's actions seemed suicidal, but in reality, she was trying to earn merit!
She took the blame for Patricia Qing's mistake, preserving her dignity and authority. How could Patricia Qing not be pleased with such behavior?
Many couldn't help but curse inwardly. This young girl, Brandon, seemed so young, yet she understood so much about these intricate matters.
But despite their curses, their bodies were very honest, and they all knelt down in unison, pleading for Patricia Qing's forgiveness.
Seeing this, the remaining frustration in Patricia Qing's heart finally dissipated completely.
The failed alchemy wasn't a big deal to her. What mattered was losing face and authority in front of a group of Qi Refining disciples.
But with Brandon leading the way, everyone submitted, desperately taking the blame upon themselves. Naturally, there was no loss of authority.
Brandon's understanding was truly exceptional, worthy of being called a prodigy in cultivation.
However, no matter how much she liked Brandon, she couldn't show favoritism openly.
After a moment of contemplation, Patricia Qing said:
"Brandon, I'm pleased that you took the initiative to admit your mistake."
"But a mistake is still a mistake, and punishment is inevitable. The A-grade evaluation I promised you before will be downgraded to B-grade."
Brandon quickly replied:
"Thank you, Senior Sister Patricia, for your mercy."
Although losing the A-grade evaluation was regrettable, such a minor punishment was nothing compared to her life.
Moreover, on the surface, she lost the A-grade evaluation, but in reality, her standing in Patricia Qing's eyes had risen.
Patricia Qing nodded slightly, satisfied with Brandon's humility.
She then looked at the other white-robed disciples and said indifferently:
"As for the rest of you, you all receive C-grade evaluations. You may leave."
"Yes!"
The white-robed disciples all breathed a sigh of relief and left after paying their respects.
Brandon was also about to leave, but at that moment, Patricia Qing suddenly said:
"Brandon, stay behind. I have something to discuss with you privately."