The chief examiner sat in the middle, an elder with a long white beard and eyes sharp like an eagle’s; it was clear at a glance that he was an experienced Master of Magical Potions.
Ron immediately recognized him—Magnus Crow, one of the most senior teachers of the School of Magic Potion Making.
"Welcome to this Potion Certification Exam."
Magnus’s voice was loud and strong, showing no signs of age:
"I am the chief examiner, Magnus, and today I will be evaluating your performance along with two assistant examiners."
He briefly introduced the examination process: "The exam is divided into three stages—Theory Test, Material Identification, and Actual Refining. Only those who meet the passing standard in all three can receive Potion Certification."
The assistants began distributing the theory test papers, and after Ron received his, he quickly skimmed through it.
The questions covered all aspects of Basic Magic Potion Theory, including basic knowledge points and some advanced problems requiring deep thinking.
Thanks to his diligent study during this period, he found that most of the questions were within his grasp.
Calm and composed, Ron started answering, his thoughts clear and his pen seemingly guided by a divine hand:
"There are four basic principles of pharmacology; please explain and give examples..."
"Differences in the reactions of Star Grass and Moon Shadow Flower at different temperatures..."
"Why does a ’Wakefulness’ potion need to be brewed in a special sealed container..."
As he answered one question after another, Ron felt as if the knowledge in his mind was spontaneously weaving itself into a web.
Those once scattered knowledge points were now naturally merging into a cohesive whole, and every answer gave him a sense of thrill and satisfaction.
During the theory test, he was surprised to find that he could even recall every page of the "Basic Magic Potion Making" book, including those small notes and diagrams.
This near-photographic memory allowed him to answer with ease.
Two hours later, the theory test ended.
Ron reviewed his answers once more and handed in his paper after ensuring there were no mistakes.
A premonition flashed through his mind, as if something was about to change.
Next was the Material Identification stage:
Each candidate was led to a workstation, on which twenty different materials were laid out. The task was to correctly identify the type and general quality of each material within thirty minutes, and point out the counterfeits among them.
Standing before the workstation, Ron took a deep breath, focusing his spirit entirely.
Thanks to the Herb Recognition skill—and the High-speed Identification trait gained after reaching the Skilled Level—he could almost instantly determine the authenticity and quality of most materials.
He started identifying with swift and precise movements.
As his fingers touched the materials, various pieces of information surged into his mind through a special perception:
This Silverlight Mushroom had been picked too long ago, its activity slightly decreased;
This Dragon Blood Leaf was genuine, but improper storage had weakened its efficacy;
This so-called Star Dust Crystal was actually processed quartz powder and a complete counterfeit...
During the Material Identification, Ron realized that not only was Herb Recognition at play, but he could also compare these materials with the records from various esoteric books he had read in the past.
Those once scattered knowledge points now surfaced in his mind, forming a complete cognitive map.
"Time’s up!" announced the proctor. "Please stop identifying."
Ron exhaled softly and glanced at his answer sheet, which he had scrutinized repeatedly, ensuring there were no errors.
He was confident in his judgments, especially about the counterfeits deliberately mixed in, all of which he had identified one by one.
The candidates around him showed mixed expressions: some looked confident, some appeared solemn, while others seemed dejected, evidently unhappy with their performance.
"Apprentice Ron, please come over here," Magnus suddenly called out, gesturing for Ron to approach the examination table.
Ron felt a tightness in his chest and quickly walked up to the chief examiner: "Master Magnus."
"Your judgment on the eighteenth material is quite interesting," Magnus said with a hint of curiosity in his eyes:
"Half of the candidates thought it was the rhizome of a Moon Shadow Orchid, but you judged it to be a counterfeit disguised as Winter Night Grass. Can you explain your reasoning?"
After a moment’s thought, Ron answered directly:
"The true rhizome of a Moon Shadow Orchid has seven concentric rings on its cross-section and emits a faint sweet fragrance when crushed. Although visually similar, the eighteenth material only has five rings, and its crushed scent is bitter, which is a typical trait of Winter Night Grass."
Magnus nodded expressionlessly: "Very well, continue."
"Moreover," Ron calmly added:
"The silver stripes on a Moon Shadow Orchid rhizome shift positions with the phases of the moon. Today is the first quarter moon; the genuine article should have left-biased patterns, whereas the eighteenth material has fixed right-biased patterns, clearly the result of artificial coloring."
Magnus’s eyes flashed with surprise, then returned to seriousness: "Where did you learn your material recognition skills? This ability to observe details is quite unusual."
"I once worked at a magic pharmacy, where the store owner taught me some basic methods."
Ron answered truthfully: "The rest was experience accumulated through practice."
"A magic pharmacy, huh..." Magnus squinted, seemingly forming a guess in his mind: "Alright, you can go prepare for the next stage."
The Actual Refining stage is the most crucial part of the evaluation:
The staff prepared a relatively isolated refining station for each candidate, equipped with basic refining equipment and common materials.