The unluckiest ones were the alchemists near those two girls. When Xiao Yan's cauldron exploded, he had been able to withstand it himself and keep the blast wave from spreading.
Lin Fei and Xue Mei were another matter. They were only Dou Zhe, and they were closest to their Medicine Cauldrons. With the explosions happening at such close range, the blast waves instantly sent them flying.
Xiao Yan reacted swiftly, launching himself forward and catching one in each hand as though scooping up kittens, sparing them injuries from the fall.
"You... what are you doing? Put me down!"
Caught in Xiao Yan's grip, Lin Fei was both embarrassed and angry. She flailed wildly, struggling to get down.
Xiao Yan did not indulge her either. He simply let go, and the unprepared Lin Fei landed on her backside, making intimate contact with the floor. The pain left her grimacing.
"How dare you treat me like this! I'll kill you!"
Lin Fei rubbed her sore backside while hurling threats at Xiao Yan.
Xue Mei, held in his other hand, was considerably more rational.
"Th-thank you."
Her tone was calm, but as she looked at Lin Fei sitting on the floor, an almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips. She was clearly enjoying the other girl's misfortune.
"You're welcome."
Xiao Yan gently lowered her to the floor, a stark contrast to his treatment of Lin Fei.
"I told you long ago that your skills weren't up to the requirements, but you insisted on coming here to show off. Go back and train for another two years before trying again!"
Of course Otto knew how skilled Lin Fei was. Fortunately, Xue Mei's alchemy skills really were about on par with hers. Neither had finished, so in a sense, it was a