After collecting all the pills from the contestants, the female judge stepped to the center of the examination hall once more.
"It will take a while to evaluate your pills... so please remain seated and wait patiently."
"This assessment will not be rushed."
She raised one slender hand and made a brief gesture.
Instantly, several robed assistants stepped forward and began collecting the trays one by one with extreme care.
Each pill was placed into a transparent jade casing, sealed with a strip of spirit paper bearing the contestant's number but not their name... ensuring anonymous, unbiased evaluation.
Qi Nue watched as her pill was gently lifted and sealed.
She had given her all—every shred of knowledge and control, every bit of insight her master had instilled in her.
Whether that would be enough was now in the hands of fate… and the judges.
As the judges retreated to the raised dais where the pill evaluation would take place, the atmosphere within the hall shifted.
