However, it was evident that Maria wouldn't receive the same support as Barbara.

"Mom, don't let such a minor matter upset you."

Julie, caught in a fit of anger, suddenly felt Maria's gentle hand grasped hers.

"Sweetheart, they did it on purpose. Julie was really pissed off.

Maria shook her head and smiled, saying, “It's merely an examination.

Don't fret over it."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Jenkins narrowed her eyes.

She was aware that the Pill Alchemist Association's examination was quite distinct from conventional ones.

Firstly, it was meant to be an open-book exam.

Along with the notice, there was a list of examination questions attached to it.

In essence, candidates could pre-prepare their answers and provide them on the exam day.

However, the most challenging aspect of the exam focused on something else.

Only the Pill Alchemist Association could do so. Their confidence stemmed from their belief that even if exam questions were distributed beforehand, they could still discern the genuine talents among the numerous candidates.

In fact, Mrs. Jenkins had already seen the question of the examination which called Creating Something from Nothing.

The question appeared quite enigmatic. On the exam day, candidates were tasked with concocting a pill based on this theme.

After evaluating the pills, the examiners would promptly declare whether the candidates had passed.

This type of examination posed a real challenge. Mrs. Jenkins had enlisted Elton's help to assist Barbara, and it took Elton a considerable amount of time to devise a solution.

With just three days remaining until the exam, Mrs. Jenkins couldn't help but ponder how capable Maria was.

At this moment, Maria opened the envelope and found the exam question attached.

“What does this mean?" Julie asked, clearly puzzled.

Though Isla couldn't sit for the exam this time, she was still intrigued by the question. After all, she was an established pill alchemist herself.

“Does it imply that you cannot utilize any medicinal ingredients in the pill-making process?" Julie inquired with a hint of anxiety.

Maria smiled and replied, "Mom, I'm a pill alchemist, not a magician versed in sorcery. The question doesn't have that interpretation."

"Okay..." Julie nodded, still wearing a perplexed expression.