721 SL sees a messy BY who had rushed back, telling him he missed a good show. He had used LX and AYM as decoys but was obstructed from entering the palace on time. At the Su Manor, SZ is excited at the results and determined to improve their father-daughter relationship, when he notices a letter in the window stating that SL isn’t his daughter.
722-724 Since SL can contend with LYY, he can’t easily disown her, so SZ angrily smashes things in his study instead. In her room, SL contemplates over the next hurdle, when the three stooges arrive in her room with 3 bags of books before fleeing, leaving an overwhelmed SL. They had gotten AL drunk enough to slip that the next hurdle was a theoretical exam, testing Apothecary knowledge. The dragon comforts her with a purple crystal to place in her space, making time pass 10 times slower within it. This gives her 100 days’ worth of time to study. She laughs due to how much LYY’s crystal had helped her. She and the dragon study/train in her space. Despite the added time, SL’s foundation is too low to comprehend and she decides to memorize the contents instead, straining herself to recite one book each day.
725 At the palace, everyone is waiting but SL still hasn’t arrived. AL is anxious, while the rest assume SL had fled as her level was too low to contend with the Advanced level LYY. Hearing remarks from the Jade Lake family, AL mocks LYY since she couldn’t win over her in the first round and is forcing SL to quit out of fear.
726-727 SL arrives, still sleeping, on a palanquin carried by the three stooges who are trying to wake her. They had found her asleep amongst a pile of books. RY breaks the palanquin, waking SL. Confronted with stares after waking, she hurries to greet the Emperor and RY (former reacts with disdain while the latter is indifferent to her messy state). RY gives her 15 minutes to tidy up before they sit the exam. The questions range from Primary to Advanced level.
728-729 LYY is confident SL will fail, while LAQ mocks her, before being rebutted by BY, having difficulties adjusting to his own weakened state. SL looks confused at her blank paper, before remembering her spirit can enter her space and access the actual books, switching between the two states. LYY finds some of the questions difficult and is even more certain of SL’s failure.
730 Finishing the exam, LYY finds RY looking at SL with interest, asking her if she’s tired rushing around (having recognized her cheating), which is different from his usual indifferent state. RY checks the exam papers while the room is split into 3 – SL’s faction, LYY’s and neutral. SL’s faction have little confidence and comfort her. The results are announced and both achieved full marks.