“Well, Maria, don't rush. Take your time," Mrs. Jenkins remarked with a self-satisfied air.

Even Julie could see that Mrs. Jenkins was flaunting it so blatantly.

It was clear that Barbara had already deciphered the question, and her next challenge was to concoct a pill that aligned with its essence.

"It's not challenging to grasp the question's intent," Maria stated confidently.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Jenkins’ eyes widened in disbelief, and a vicious glint flickered in her gaze.

So quickly? How had Maria managed to discern the question's essence in such a brief span?

“Clouds float in the sky, and fish inhabit the water. Everything has its designated place. The term ‘Creating Something from Nothing’ implies that examinees should operate in a contrary manner," Maria explained impassively.

Maria whispered her words, yet they landed heavily in Mrs. Jenkins ' her ears, making uneasy.

How had Maria discovered this? If Mrs. Jenkins had seen this happen earlier, she would have waited until the day before the exam to give Maria the notification letter.

A wave of sadness washed over Mrs. Jenkins.

Concerned about causing unrest among other seniors, Mrs. Jenkins sent Maria the notice after just a few days.

Thinking there were only three days left, Mrs. Jenkins had thought Maria would have to struggle with that and couldn't decipher the correct meaning of the question.

To Mrs. Jenkins' astonishment, Maria comprehended it almost instantly!

Barbara and Elton spent days poring over resources and studying past exam patterns. Finally, they cracked the challenge. How was Maria so swift in her understanding?

Had a wise figure aided her?

Mrs. Jenkins acknowledged Maria's brilliance.

But to think Maria was that advanced? She denied it.

A thought struck her. Perhaps Goodwin, the retired sage from the Pill Alchemist Association, had helped Maria.

Lost in her assumptions, Mrs. Jenkins crafted a plausible explanation in her mind.

She sneered inwardly. Even with Goodwin's guidance, the chances of Maria crafting an elixir fitting the exam's criteria were slim.

The nature of the test allowed budding alchemists to reference materials, but they had to practice at home.

The concoction had to embody the essence of "Creating Something from Nothing." Outside of this, there were no stringent stipulations regarding its potency or characteristics.

Simply put, all examinees were tasked with innovating their own formulations!

No matter their ranking or how potent their elixir turned out, their primary task was to embody the idea of "Creating Something from Nothing."