The Mighty Mage-Chapter 411: Golden Phoenix Cauldron

"You fools should actually use your eyes before running your mouths. Do you even know what you’re looking at?"

The students stiffened, sensing something was wrong.

One of them hesitantly asked, "P-Professor... what do you mean? Isn’t it... a failure?"

Qiao Hange scoffed. "A failure? Open your eyes. This is not just an A-Grade pill. It’s an S-Grade pill."

The entire classroom froze.

Silence.

Then—

"W-WHAT?!"

"S-Grade?! NO WAY!"

"Professor, you must be mistaken! That’s impossible!"

"No... no way... How could SHE make an S-Grade pill?!"

Students scrambled forward, peering at the pill in Qiao Hange’s hand.

The golden sheen, the flawless texture, the perfect refinement—there was no doubt about it.

It was an S-Grade Vitality Pill.

Their faces turned pale as reality sank in.

Someone gasped, "T-That means... she didn’t just succeed... she completely surpassed the expected level!"

"B-But that’s impossible! Even true Peak Yellow Rank alchemists struggle to make A-Grade pills, let alone S-Grade!"

"How... how did she do it?!"

The students who had been laughing the loudest now looked as if they had swallowed bitter pills themselves.

Their mockery had turned into disbelief, then humiliation.

One of them stammered,

"But she’s just an orphan! How can she be this skilled?!"

Another clenched his fists.

"No way! This must be a trick! She must’ve cheated!"

Qiao Hange shot him a cold look.

"Cheated? Are you questioning my judgment? Are you saying I don’t know how to evaluate a pill?"

The student immediately shut his mouth, his face turning red with shame.

Gu Jin, who had remained silent through the entire ordeal, finally spoke.

"Are you all done? Or do you need more proof?"

Qiao Hange turned toward Gu Jin and asked with a complex expression,

"Child...do you possibly...have crossed over the Yellow Rank too?"

Gu Jin showed a fake smile and said,

"Teacher I don’t dare to tell, what if you think I was lying?"

Qiao Hange’s eye twitched at Gu Jin’s response.

His old face darkened, and the classroom felt even more suffocating.

The students, still frozen from shock, finally snapped out of their daze.

"What... What did she just say?"

"She’s joking, right? Hahaha, yeah! She HAS to be joking!"

"No way... She can’t be above the Yellow Rank... That’s impossible!"

"She’s just mocking the professor! How dare she?!"

The classroom, which had fallen into silence moments ago, burst into chaos again.

However, this time, the jeers were mixed with uncertainty and fear.

Qiao Hange narrowed his sharp eyes at Gu Jin.

"Watch your words, girl," he said, his tone dangerously low.

"You are suggesting that you have already reached Earth Rank. Do you understand the weight of such a claim?"

Even though making S-Rank pills at Yellow Rank seems impossible, for a 23-year-old to reach Earth Rank seems even more impossible.

"I do." Gu Jin said calmly.

She decided not to stay low profile and tell the truth,

"I am indeed at Earth Rank."

The room turned deathly quiet.

No one dared to breathe too loudly.

Then—

"H-Hah! Did you hear that? She’s actually claiming to be at Earth Rank!"

"This is even more ridiculous than before! Making an S-Grade pill was already crazy, but now she’s saying she surpassed Yellow Rank?!"

"She must’ve lost her mind after her little success!"

"What a joke! Does she think we’re all idiots? No way a 23-year-old can reach Earth Rank!"

Qiao Hange’s grip on his cane tightened.

His sharp gaze bore into Gu Jin like he was trying to see through her soul.

"Gu Jin," he said slowly, his voice cold,

"You are aware that not a single alchemist in the past few centuries has reached Earth Rank before the age of 30, correct? Even geniuses require 50 years to reach the Earth Rank."

Gu Jin only tilted her head slightly.

"Is that so? Then maybe...they aren’t geniuses at all.

"You—!"

The students gasped at Gu Jin’s words.

"Did she just say that?!"

"She’s actually looking down on every alchemist before her!"

"She’s insane! She’s completely insane!"

Even Qiao Hange’s expression darkened. His grip on his cane tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he would lash out.

But then, he let out a low chuckle.

"Interesting." His sharp eyes gleamed with something unreadable.

"Then, I assume you are willing to prove it?"

Gu Jin gave a light shrug. "If that’s what you want."

Then she paused and looked at the professor with a serious expression,

"However I will only do it if there is a price money or prize."

Qiao Hange understood Gu Jin’s words and waved his hand.

Immediately, a huge golden cauldron with intricate patterns and a beautiful phoenix embedded inside the pot appeared in front of Gu Jin. The weight of the cauldron’s aura made all the students below super rank have difficulty in breathing.

Qiao Hange smirked and presented the cauldron as if it were a treasure.

"This is Golden Phoenix Cauldron."

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow. She didn’t know much about cauldron. With the golden cauldron provided by the space 4 years ago, Gu Jin never felt the need to switch to another cauldron.

She did learn various types of cauldrons and how to identify a good cauldron but she never went out of her way to find out about other cauldrons.

From her observation skills, she could tell that the cauldron was definitely extraordinary.

The golden patterns shone under the light, and the phoenix carving looked almost alive as if it could fly off at any moment.

Gasps filled the room.

"T-That’s the legendary Golden Phoenix Cauldron?!"

"I’ve heard about it! It’s one of the most powerful alchemy cauldrons in the entire academy!"

"Professor Qiao is actually willing to bet something this valuable?!"

Gu Jin narrowed her eyes.

"This seems too generous, Professor. Are you sure you’re not trying to trick me?"

Qiao Hange chuckled.

"Hmph, I am not that kind of person. If you can prove your words, then this cauldron will be yours. But if you fail, you will be expelled immediately."

The students went silent.

This was no longer just a simple test—it was a gamble with everything on the line.

Some of them sneered.

"Heh, she’s doomed. No way she can pass."

"Hah! She should just give up now and save herself the embarrassment!"

Some of them were uncertain,

"I don’t know...maybe she is telling the truth? After all, she was able to make S-Rank pills."

"Yeah...if she can make S-Rank pills then maybe...just maybe, she truly knows what she is doing."

Some of them had malicious intentions,

"Hey, this Golden Phoenix Cauldron is too precious, Gu Jin already has been acknowledged by the Gu Family, even if she wins, she should give up that cauldron to us."

Gu Jin glanced at the students, her eyes cold.

"Are you all done whispering?" she asked, her voice calm but sharp.

The room fell silent again. Some students looked away, embarrassed. Others glared at her, their jealousy obvious.

Qiao Hange tapped his cane against the floor.

"Enough. Since you have agreed, Gu Jin, then let’s begin. You will refine a pill in front of everyone. If you succeed in making an Earth Rank pill, the Golden Phoenix Cauldron will be yours."

Gu Jin however turned toward the crowd and said,

"All those who think is lying has to pay me some compensation too if I am able to prove that I wasn’t lying in the first place."

The students were stunned.

"W-What?!"

"She wants us to pay her too?!"

"Is she crazy?!"

Gu Jin crossed her arms and smirked.

"What? You all talk so much, but now you’re scared?"

Some students clenched their fists.

They had been mocking her just a moment ago, but now that she was challenging them, they didn’t know what to say.

Gu Jin sensing there unwillingness said,

"How about this, if I lose I will pay each people 10 million, and if I win each of you will have ot pay me 10 million."

Beijing University had elite students, among which 90% belonged to the wealthy family.

10 million wasn’t much for them.

But since the alchemy class consisted of more than 200 people, giving each one 10 million would nearly account for 2 billion yuan.

If Gu Jin was lying then she was bound to cry later.

The students whispered about the possibility and after some thought decided to take the gamble.

After all, it was unheard of a genius who had reached the Earth Rank before the age of 20.

A young man with a proud expression sneered.

"Fine! I’ll bet! But if you fail, you have to kneel and apologize to everyone here!"

Gu Jin tilted her head. "Sure. But if I win, you better pay up."

More students joined in, their pride not letting them back down.

"Hah! I’ll bet too! No way she’s telling the truth!"

"Yeah! Let’s all make this interesting!"

Qiao Hange’s eyes gleamed with amusement, but he said nothing.

Once the bets were settled, Gu Jin stepped forward.