The person asking that question could be none other than "Novice Alchemist."
He and Brother Yang, or "Alchemy Is Life," after receiving news that Alchemy Empress had arrived at this event, were extremely excited. They and the Empress's fans gathered at the wide courtyard area on the side, waiting for their Empress to appear so they could confront "Grandmaster Bai Fanxian," who came to impersonate Alchemy Empress together.
Unexpectedly, at noon came news of Grandmaster Bai's test, so they changed plans and decided to observe here like everyone else.
In this hall, Empress fans were scattered in small groups.
Bai Fanxian's display of power and sublime bearing made many have thoughts of abandoning the plan, because if she truly became a Tier 4 alchemist, they could have problems following.
But no one expected the first opening question would be like this!
Elder Fang frowned. She was about to speak but was interrupted by Bai Fanxian first.
"...I know her."
Though her words didn't need shouting, they could be heard clearly amid the chaos inside the hall!
Naturally, her answer shocked the hall again!
"She knows Empress?"
"Of course. Empress is famously renowned. Even Grandmaster-level beings know her."
"But even knowing her, she still imitates Empress's methods?"
"Right. This really can't be accepted."
Elder Fang Niang saw the situation getting chaotic, so she proceeded with the test before it became more tumultuous.
"Next question, please."
The selection was naturally random again. This time the chosen person was in a corner far from the first.
"Uh... what does Grandmaster Bai think about Alchemy Empress?"
Who would think they still couldn't escape this topic!
It seemed the scattered distribution of Empress fans throughout the hall became an unexpected coincidence. They got randomly selected twice in a row. And since someone opened this topic, they didn't hesitate to continue to the end.
Bai Fanxian raised an eyebrow at the question. Wasn't this no different from being asked "How do you feel about yourself?"
How should she answer?
"She's not that great yet... there are many things she still needs to learn."
Bai Fanxian chose to answer somewhat humbly. After all, she'd only known this era's world a short time. There were many things she still needed to gradually learn—whether history, culture, or technologies she herself wasn't yet proficient in.
But wasn't the question a bit strange?
...It wasn't related to alchemy science at all.
But her answer again shocked the audience in the hall, especially the Empress fans who frowned in displeasure.
What did this answer mean? Didn't it mean Alchemy Empress still couldn't match her?
Before they could explode in anger, the microphone was randomly sent again. This time it went to one young woman's hand.
Elder Chen, sipping tea beside the stage, felt somewhat relieved seeing her, because that person was one of his studious students. She devoted herself to learning so much that even he admired her. And she was a girl too—she definitely wouldn't be an Empress fan.
"Do you mean you're superior to Alchemy Empress?"
WHOOSH!
Why did it become this question again!
Don't say even a girl like this was an Empress fan too!
Bai Fanxian made a thoughtful expression. Since both people were her anyway, how should she answer?
"No... our abilities are about equal."
Since Alchemy Empress was her and she was Alchemy Empress, answering like this was probably most accurate and correct.
Her answer naturally made many people feel displeased. Alchemy Empress was a being they worshipped and respected. The knowledge and ability she displayed could make them prostrate themselves and become loyal fans.
But in the minds of neutral people not closely following the situation, they felt this matter looked strange.
Alchemy Empress who never revealed herself, and Bai Fanxian who just appeared in the industry—both proficient in high-level alchemy science, both with strangely similar habits.
Weren't these two the same person!?
But their thoughts were dismissed by Empress fans without care, whose eyes were also extremely firm and confident.
"There's no way Grandmaster Bai is Empress. No way!"
"Right! No way at all."
They all insisted like this with strange expressions while speaking, making outsiders not understand at all what was happening.
A chaotic situation was forming. Empress fans gradually moved to gather at one point as a group to discuss what to do.
"Should we wait for Alchemy Empress to arrive first?"
"Right, that's probably best."
"She said she'd arrived."
While they were huddling together, through another unexpected coincidence, the microphone was sent to one of them.
"Grandmaster Bai, could you please wait for one person to arrive?" The one who received the microphone was "Alchemy Is Life," or Brother Yang, one of this fan group's core leaders.
"Uh... the event must continue. I'm afraid this..." Before Elder Fang finished speaking, she was interrupted by Bai Fanxian again.
"Alright..."
Bai Fanxian nodded. One chair floated onto the stage behind her perfectly. The young woman leaned back on that chair with bearing that looked sublime like sitting on a throne.
Some audience members were captivated by this image until unable to look away. Director Wang even ordered all cameras to capture this moment as best as possible.
Because unexpectedly the young woman accepted easily, the fan group leaders quickly checked the forum and typed urgent messages begging their Empress to appear as quickly as possible.
Huang Zihan standing beside the stage heard notification sounds bursting continuously from Grandmaster Bai's laptop. He could only shake his head at the misunderstanding growing increasingly far.
Hopefully everything would end today!
And he thought Grandmaster Bai didn't intend to hide anything! She was just being normal and probably didn't even realize this misunderstanding occurred!
Waiting took over five minutes. Without waiting for Elder Fang Niang to say anything, it was Bai Fanxian who frowned slightly and asked first.
"...Must I wait much longer?"
Bai Fanxian's question startled the Empress fans. They glanced at the thread hoping for a reply from Empress.
"Uh... could you wait a bit more?" Brother Yang tried to negotiate. He himself worried why their Empress was so late.
"...Fine." Bai Fanxian sighed wearily. She didn't think this public test would be this boring. But since both Fang Niang and even Chen Deming didn't object, that meant these things were correct, right?
But who knew that because of the fear and consideration of both alchemy teachers toward Grandmaster-level beings, they allowed the situation to become like this!
While waiting, the audience saw the elderly butler jump onto stage with the laptop. In just seconds, he created a tea table in the middle of the stage and served quality tea to his lady, who'd already opened a website to pass time.
Bai Fanxian entering the cultivators' community noticed massive notifications still increasing without stopping beside her. She clicked in to find urgent messages telling her to come to the hall—hundreds of messages.
The young woman was surprised. She swept her hands across the keyboard quickly.
Comment 2130 (Alchemy Empress)
I arrived long ago
Alchemy Empress's answer nearly exploded the thread. They cheered joyfully while trying to ask where she was, some asking her to show herself.
Comment 2138 (Alchemy Empress)
You still don't see me?
Bai Fanxian frowned in confusion. Right now she sat in the middle of the stage, both raised high and prominent. Who in this hall could be blind enough not to see her?
But unexpectedly, not one of them saw her. Some asked her to photograph her current location.
"Huang Zihan, to take a photo, I do it like this?" Bai Fanxian turned to speak to the elderly butler questioningly. She'd studied these things from books or the internet but never tried doing it herself.
Naturally, Huang Zihan didn't disappoint his lady. He opened the laptop's camera. This model had both front and back cameras and was small, making it extremely convenient.
The audience in front of the stage didn't know what Bai Fanxian was doing, because suddenly Grandmaster Bai lifted the laptop and aimed it their way.
"Like this?"
Bai Fanxian awkwardly pressed the photo button. In moments she got one picture of the large crowd in front of the stage. She quickly posted that picture in the comment field.
Comment 2252 (Alchemy Empress)
Does this work?
Her comment popped up with one attached picture. Empress fans rushed to check that comment, ready to help find which corner of the hall she was in.
But seeing the full image, they frowned, because the angle was straight, photographing the audience thoroughly.
There was no way someone standing in the crowd could photograph like this.
It should be from a slightly higher angle?
They tried tracing their gaze while comparing things in the room. Brother Yang who opened that picture did the same. He turned around trying to find the most similar angle.
Before his gaze snagged on center stage.
Wasn't that angle, that degree—only someone on stage could photograph...?
His thoughts flowed swiftly. The possibility they dismissed returned to his head again with sweat flowing until soaking.
His hand holding the microphone trembled slightly. Even his voice shook lightly when speaking.
"Gr-Grandmaster Bai, do you know the cultivators' community?"
Bai Fanxian looked up from the laptop and nodded lightly.
"I know... I often go pass time playing there." She answered honestly.
"Th-then what's your account name?"
Brother Yang felt this question took all his year's courage. His eyes shook slightly as he forced himself to speak.
Bai Fanxian herself didn't think of hiding anything that much. Initially, Huang Zihan only worried there'd be chaos following if choosing to reveal identity on the forum. But having reached this point, they could only let it go.
"...Alchemy Empress."
Those words seemed to echo in the audience's heads. Though they didn't know much behind-the-scenes detail, if still in this industry, they'd heard that currently famous name!
Alchemy Empress!
The mysterious being who came out demolishing threads in the cultivators' community effortlessly, filled with ferocity and arrogance no one could oppose.
And Bai Fanxian!
The new Grandmaster who just appeared while creating many shocking events recently. Even a being like the Red Widow Queen was defeated and followed meekly behind her like a tame kitten!
The conclusion—these two were the same person!
Seeing the hall become silent, Bai Fanxian frowned slightly with small annoyance.
"...But has anyone seen those idiots looking for me in the thread? I'm sitting center stage this much—are they all blind?"
This sentence was like lightning striking the Empress fans! They felt like their bodies were being electrically shocked. Even that studious girl weakly sat down on a chair while both hands covered her flushed face!
"Empress!!"