"Is that so?" the Saint Alchemist was truly surprised that there was someone out there that didn't want his inheritance at all.
It had been a long time since someone didn't put him on a pedestal when they were around him, and that felt a little refreshing.
"You do know that even with your little stunt, the choice of choosing the inheritor lies with me at the end, right?" the Saint Alchemist said.
"Eh?" the girl said in surprise.
"Huh?" the young man who had fully expected to become the inheritor was also taken aback a bit. It was pretty much settled in his mind that he was the inheritor. But now, hearing what the Saint Alchemist was saying, he felt like his world shattered twice on the same day.
Even the crowd that was gathered for the award ceremony was surprised. They started talking in hush voices, discussing what they had just heard.
There were some noises that spoke about breaking rules and some such, but the Saint Alchemist didn't bother with any of them.
He kept looking towards the girl who was still hooded and smiled.
"You want to choose me as the inheritor? Not him?" the girl asked.
The Saint Alchemist simply smiled and didn't say anything.
"No, no, no, no, no. You can't choose me? Choose him. He won," the girl said.
"Yes, senior Saint Alchemist. You can't go against the rules you've set on your own," someone else said.
"You should choose the young man. He won and it's his right now," another person spoke.
Almost all of the people started speaking in the favor of the young man who was getting more and more dejected as every second went on.
The Saint Alchemist didn't listen to the crowd and kept staring at the girl.
"You know, a single moment of failure is not enough to define what you can do and can't do. Just because you didn't give a single pill back doesn't mean you don't have the right to be my inheritor," the Saint Alchemist said.
He then turned towards the young man and said, "Same goes for you, young man. A single low-grade pill would have never determined your future by any means. Yet, you let the stress of it all pile up on your head."
"Huh?" the young man felt like he heard it wrong. "You mean…?"
"That's right. I've seen both of your talents in the field of Alchemy and am willing to take you both as my disciples. Do you agree?" the Saint Alchemist said.
The young man looked at the saint alchemist dumbfounded, while the girl's face couldn't be seen through her robes. Still, people could guess what her face must've been like right now.
"Hey! Quickly kowtow in front of your new master," someone shouted from behind. Following that person, others started urging the two of them as well.
The young man woke up from his stupor and immediately got on his knees and touched the ground with his forehead before screaming, "Thank you, master." One could hear his sniffling as the young man soon started crying from joy.
The saint alchemist smiled when he saw that and looked over to the young girl. "What about you?" he asked.
The young girl lowered her body and bowed as well. However, she didn't kowtow.
"Thank you for the opportunity, but I already have a master," she said.
"Eh?" the saint alchemist was surprised. "You have a master? Um… you won't have to leave your master to come to learn with me, you know?"
"It's fine. My master is quite good too," the girl said.
"Even… when compared to me?" the Saint Alchemist asked with curiosity.
"Yes. Perhaps… even better," she said.
Everyone including the Saint Alchemist was surprised, to say the least. Sounds of murmurs started appearing from around the crowd.
"Umm… can you tell me who your master is, little girl? To impart you with such great knowledge of Alchemy, they certainly can't be a small figure," the Saint Alchemist said. "I would love to meet him or her someday.'
"Oh, you can do it right now," the girl said. Suddenly, she pointed her hands towards the crowd.
"Huh?"
Ning was perhaps the most surprised of them all when he saw the little girl point towards him. "Me?" he asked in confusion.
'Is she someone from the academy? I don't remember there being someone so talented,' he thought. Given how much knowledge the little girl had, she could most likely become a teacher.
Everyone, including Ely, turned to look at him. Ning was getting even more confused as to who the little girl was.
Just then, someone tapped on his shoulder a single time from behind and said, "She's not pointing at you. She's pointing at me."
Ning's eyes went wide and immediately turned around to look at the hooded figure who had just spoken. The voice of the person… he wouldn't so easily forget the voice of someone so dear to him.
"Anya?" he asked in surprise.
The hood fell off to reveal Anya who was standing behind him with a face full of smiles.
"Surprise!"
"Huh? Anya? But you told me you weren't coming?" Ning said.
"I lied, master. Obviously. The greatest competition the planet has ever hosted is taking place and you think I would miss it? Of course not," Anya said.
The Saint Alchemist looked at Anya and was surprised. She looked like she was barely in her later 20s, and yet the aura she gave off was one of something ancient.
There was also a very strong medicinal smell coming from her that make his nose prick a little. 'That girl is no small master in the art of Alchemy,' he thought.
"Fellow Daoist, are you the master of this child here?" the Saint Alchemist asked.
Anya stopped talking with Ning and moved out to meet the Saint Alchemist. "It's a genuine pleasure to meet you, senior Saint Alchemist," she said. I am truly sorry if my granddaughter's little stunt harmed the integrity of the competition you were holding."
