Damn it, he managed to show off again.

Chapter 52: Damn it, He Got Assigned Again

When Xiao Se entered the examination hall, it was already crowded with many people whispering and discussing endlessly. At the top of the hall sat two elderly men, each wearing a badge signifying a fourth-rank alchemist. One was Otto, whom Xiao Se had seen earlier; the other was a leaner elder. Listening to their conversation, Xiao Se finally recalled this minor alchemist’s identity: Falkland, the president of the Blackrock City Alchemist Guild.

Next to Vice President Otto stood Lin Fei, who kept glancing at Xiao Se and whispering. Otto gave Xiao Se a apologetic smile, which left Xiao Se somewhat speechless.

In the center of the hall were more than ten separate stone platforms, each laden with medicinal herbs and alchemical tools. Five young candidates stood impatiently behind their respective platforms.

“Falkland, I heard you recently took on a disciple?” Otto cast a friendly glance at Xiao Se, then turned to Falkland with a smile.

“Heh, you old fellow already took Lin Fei as your disciple, so why can't I have one too? I’ll tell you, that girl Xue Mei has considerable talent. Sooner or later, she’ll surpass us old timers,” Falkland said, stroking his beard with a cheerful expression.

“Surpassing us would be best,” Otto sighed, “Right now, Blackrock City’s alchemist guild is short on young blood. If it’s just the two of us holding the fort, I’m worried the resources from headquarters will keep dwindling.” His gaze swept over the five candidates on the platforms, full of a mingled frustration and hope. When his eyes landed on Xiao Se, his expression softened. Internally, he hoped this youngster would bring a pleasant surprise.

Noticing Otto’s gaze, Xiao Se nodded slightly and smiled back.

Behind Otto, Lin Fei noticed the exchange and grew even more irritated. She pointed at Xiao Se and said to Otto, “Teacher, this guy pretended to be a fourth-rank alchemist and fooled the guild guards. Why are you still smiling at him?”

Hearing someone accused of impersonating a fourth-rank alchemist, Falkland put down his teacup and frowned deeply. The guild had zero tolerance for anyone impersonating alchemists. His voice turned cold: “Is that really the case?”

Seeing Falkland’s anger, Otto quickly stopped Lin Fei: “Falkland, don’t listen to this brat’s nonsense. That lad only condensed genuine fire; he never claimed to be a fourth-rank alchemist.”

Realizing she had overstepped, Lin Fei closed her mouth, no longer speaking.

“Genuine fire?” Falkland’s brows relaxed, and his eyes brightened. He ruffled through some papers on the table and found Xiao Se’s profile. “Xiao Se, sixteen years old. He’s so young. If he truly can condense genuine fire, even if he doesn’t pass today’s exam, our Blackrock Guild must do our best to win him over.”

“That’s only natural,” Otto rubbed his rounded belly and smiled.

Soon, the exam began.

Otto glanced at the sandglass, which was nearly empty, then solemnly told Falkland, “President, time’s up.”

Falkland nodded lightly. Both stood and announced loudly, “Now, I declare the first-rank alchemist examination officially started.”

With a clang, Otto struck a bronze gong nearby and flipped the hourglass over.

Hearing the exam begin, Xiao Se shrugged casually, walked to his assigned platform, and picked up a parchment. It was a recipe for the Power-Boost Pill, designed to increase personal strength to some degree. Among first-rank pills, it was not considered too difficult. Yet for a newcomer taking the alchemist exam for the first time, it was quite challenging.

“Should I show off a bit?” Xiao Se glanced at the three sets of herbs on the platform, a faint smirk on his lips as he whispered to himself. But he quickly dismissed the thought. It was still too soon to be flashy; he needed to stay low-key and not get carried away just because he had some skill.

He pressed his right palm against one of the furnace’s fire inlets, channeling his fighting spirit inside. His soul perception followed, and with a pop, the furnace ignited with a deep yellow flame. Methodically, he began adding the herbs one by one into the furnace. Soon, the herbs inside were transformed into medicinal liquid.

At the top seats in the hall, Otto and Falkland watched the novice candidates intently. More specifically, they were focused on Xiao Se. His practiced fire control and the smooth flow of herb placement made him seem like a master alchemist honing his craft for decades.

“If this lad isn’t just putting on a show, then Blackrock City has truly found a treasure,” Falkland said, stroking his beard with a look of enjoyment. For an alchemist, witnessing a master craft a pill was a rare pleasure.

“Indeed, but don’t forget, he hasn’t used genuine fire yet,” Otto added with a smile, patting his round belly.

“You mean Xiao Se is hiding his true strength?” Falkland was surprised.

“Quite possible. We’ll see soon enough. If he really can condense genuine fire, he’ll definitely take the second-rank alchemist exam too,” Otto answered with a grin.

“Second-rank alchemist? Then I’ll be watching closely,” Falkland smiled and fell silent, eyes fixed on Xiao Se’s pill-making.

Lin Fei, standing nearby, listened to the two fourth-rank alchemists’ conversation with a complicated expression. She murmured to herself, “Could he really be that formidable?”

Before long, the exam time ended.

As usual, Guild President Falkland and Vice President Otto rose to inspect the pills produced by the candidates. As they expected, all five before Xiao Se had failed to produce a successful pill.

When it came to the sixth candidate—Xiao Se—both men nervously picked up the jade vial from his platform. They removed the stopper and tilted it, letting the pill roll into their palms. Otto and Falkland’s pupils constricted sharply. They trembled as they said, “Xiao Se’s Power-Boost Pill—flawless.”

The hall instantly fell into complete silence, as if deathly quiet. All eyes shifted to Xiao Se, as if gazing upon a monster. Even Lin Fei and the failed candidates looked on in astonishment.

It was well known that pills were graded from first to ninth rank, and within each rank, there were subtle quality distinctions.

Crafting a high-quality pill marked one as a pivotal figure in that rank. “Flawless” meant perfect, the pill’s quality was absolutely impeccable.

While producing the Power-Boost Pill was not difficult—most badge-holding alchemists could do it easily—achieving flawless quality was a different matter. Even some third-rank alchemists wouldn’t claim they could create a flawless Power-Boost Pill. It required not only talent and strength but also the accumulation of experience. Without a renowned master’s guidance, such perfection was beyond most.

[End of Chapter]

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