Kyrian understood imdiately.
’mory. But also comprehension.’
It wasn’t enough to morize. It was necessary to understand. To comprehend applications. Characteristics. Compatibilities. Properties.
Why was a certain herb used in a particular pill? What would happen if it were replaced with another? How would it react when combined with a third material?
Even so... He wasn’t worried.
"You may begin."
Said Elder Wei.
Kyrian opened the book imdiately.
The first page appeared before his eyes, a detailed illustration of a red flower whose petals looked like flas.
Below it, descriptions.
Na: Eternal Fla Flower.
Region: Northern Volcanic Mountains.
Properties: Highly flammable. Contains pure fire Qi.
Uses: Base ingredient for Rank 3 to Rank 5 Fire Path pills.
Precautions: Keep away from explosive materials.
Rarity: Uncommon.
Kyrian read it. Turned the page. Second page.
Night Mist Flower.
Region: Southern Swamps.
Properties: Releases toxic mist when heated.
Uses: Antidote for certain poisons. Component in concealnt pills.
Precautions: Do not inhale the vapor...
Turned the page. Third page.
Silent Thunder Root.
Region: Central Plains.
Properties: Naturally conducts lightning Qi.
Uses: Base ingredient for Rank 4 and Rank 6 Lightning Path pills.
Precautions: May cause temporary paralysis if handled without protection.
Rarity: Rare.
Turned the page. Fourth page.
Crescent Moon Petal.
Region: Eastern Isles.
Properties: Purifies Qi when refined correctly.
Uses: Secondary ingredient in various Rank 2 to Rank 7 formulas.
Precautions: None known.
Rarity: Very Rare.
A few seconds later, the three elders began to frown.
Kyrian was turning the pages far too quickly. Much too quickly. Each page remained open for only a few seconds. Sotis less.
It was almost as if he were rely flipping through it. Not studying. Not analyzing. Just giving it a superficial glance.
Lio Han watched for several minutes. He observed Kyrian’s speed, astonishingly fast. He observed his focused expression. He observed his attentive eyes.
Then he quietly spoke to the others.
"Is he actually reading?"
Elder Sun crossed his arms, a gesture that conveyed skepticism.
"Impossible."
"Even I can’t absorb information at that speed."
"Even after decades of study, it takes much longer to process new material."
Elder Wei remained silent as he watched. His narrow eyes missed none of Kyrian’s movents.
After a few seconds, he replied.
"We’ll find out when the ti is up."
The others agreed. They returned to watching.
anwhile...
Kyrian continued forward. Page after page. Entry after entry. Herbs he had never seen before, so with bizarre forms, impossible colors, and contradictory properties.
Unknown spiritual fruits that grew in inhospitable places ripened once every century and changed color depending on their stage of developnt.
Extrely rare poisons capable of killing Spiritual Awakening cultivators, paralyzing ancient beasts, and dissolving Qi barriers.
Exotic alchemical materials.
Information from regions he didn’t even know existed, with strange nas, different customs, and alchemical laws adapted to extre environnts.
The amount of knowledge was absurd.
But for Kyrian, it was fascinating. His gaze swept across every line. Every illustration. Every note in the margins. Everything was absorbed. morized. Cataloged. Naturally. As if his mind had been made for this.
Lunar Phantom Flower.
"Used to stabilize injured souls."
"When combined with Midnight Pearl Powder, the effect doubles."
"Rarity: Extrely Rare."
...
Nine-Knot Scarlet Root.
"Highly poisonous when consud directly."
"But when purified through Rank 4 fire or higher..."
"It becos a powerful ridian-strengthening agent."
"The purification process takes exactly three hours and twenty minutes."
...
Azure Heavenly Fla Fruit.
"Primary ingredient in nurous Rank 5 formulas."
"Cannot be stored for more than one month after harvesting."
"Requires constant Rank 3 or higher refrigeration."
...
Kyrian continued onward. Without stopping. Without hesitating. Without returning to a single page.
The three evaluators observed every movent. They watched his eyelids, which barely blinked.
They watched his lips, which never moved, as though he were reading silently.
They watched his posture, upright, firm, and unmoving.
And little by little...
Their expressions began to change. Because Kyrian didn’t seem lost. He didn’t seem confused. Nor did he appear to be pretending. His gaze remained focused. Concentrated.
Like soone genuinely studying. Just at an absurd speed.
Twenty minutes later, the final page was turned. Kyrian closed the book. The low, solid sound echoed through the room. Then he placed the volu on the floor beside him.
And closed his eyes.
Silence.
The three elders remained motionless.
"What?" Murmured Elder Sun, his voice filled with disbelief.
"The ti isn’t over yet."
There were still forty minutes remaining. Forty. Kyrian simply remained seated.
Motionless. Eyes closed. Breathing steady. As though he were ditating.
But inside his mind, it was different. Very different.
The information flowed continuously. Every page. Every entry. Every illustration. Everything reappeared with perfect clarity.
He ntally reviewed every herb. Every poison. Every spiritual fruit. Relating properties. Comparing effects. Understanding interactions.
Transforming simple morization into true knowledge.
The more he analyzed...
The more impressed he beca.
The number of materials he had never seen before was enormous.
"Silent Storm Fruit."
"Grows on mountain peaks constantly struck by lightning."
"Naturally conducts electricity."
"Can be used to create Rank 4 pills that grant temporary resistance to electrical attacks."
"Rarity: Extrely Rare."
...
That book alone had already made the trip to the Association worthwhile.
Kyrian stored every piece of information. Cataloged it. Connected it. Understood it.
Ti continued to pass. Ten minutes. Twenty. Thirty. Forty.
The three elders remained watching. None of them interrupted. None of them spoke. They simply waited.
The silence in the room was absolute, broken only by the occasional low vibration of the bronze cauldron, as though it were alive.
Finally. A full hour had passed. Lio Han looked at the hourglass beside the table.
The glass was transparent, the wood dark.
The grains of sand, pale gold in color and faintly glowing, had finished falling. The final grain dropped.
He raised one eyebrow. Then spoke.
"Ti is up."
Kyrian slowly opened his eyes. Calm. Composed. As though he had rely finished a al.
Lio Han looked at the closed book beside him. Then he looked at Kyrian’s face, his calm eyes, his relaxed posture.
Elder Wei leaned slightly forward.
"Let us begin the first stage."
"Ask the first question."
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