Chapter 53: Tier 2 Alchemist (Part 1)

Chapter 53: Tier 2 Alchemist (Part 1)

"Two Masters, have I passed the examination?" Taking in the astonished gazes of the crowd, Xiao Se asked calmly.

"Pass... Passed, of course you passed. If you didn't pass, someone would say that the Rock City Alchemist Guild has shady dealings," Frakkel was the first to snap out of his astonishment, quickly saying, "Congratulations, Xiao Se. From today onward, you are a Tier 1 Alchemist."

Hearing this, everyone in the hall cast envious and amazed glances toward Xiao Se. To become a Tier 1 Alchemist at such a young age meant his future was boundless.

"Haha, good lad! There aren't many alchemists who can refine a flawless Vigor-Enhancing Pill; even some Tier 3 Alchemists cannot achieve this." Otto recovered from his shock, patted Xiao Se on the shoulder, and praised him with a hearty laugh.

At some point, Lin Fei had walked to Xiao Se's side. She grabbed his arm, admiringly saying, "Xiao Se, you are amazing! To be able to refine a flawless Tier 1 pill at only sixteen years old—this is a record that Rock City hasn't seen in a hundred years."

Feeling the softness in the young girl's embrace and the faint fragrance emanating from her, Xiao Se twitched the corner of his mouth and inwardly clicked his tongue. She truly was a woman who flipped her face faster than turning the page of a book. Not long ago, she had been giving him the "you're a liar" look while pointing fingers, but now, in the blink of an eye, she had turned into a little fan-girl.

Without lingering too long on the softness of the girl's embrace, Xiao Se withdrew his arm, bowed in salute to Otto and Frakkel, and asked, "Two Masters, may I continue with the Tier 2 Alchemist examination?"

...

...

As soon as Xiao Se's voice fell, the gazes of everyone in the hall suddenly went blank.

Lin Fei slightly parted her alluring red lips, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief. Who could have imagined that this youth, whom she had constantly looked down upon and even suspected of being a fraud, not only easily passed the examination by refining a flawless Tier 1 pill, but was now actually applying for the Tier 2 Alchemist examination? Just what kind of monster had she run into today?!

The word "monster" was not only Lin Fei's thought, but the thought of everyone present. A sixteen-year-old Tier 1 Alchemist was already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns in the Jia Ma Empire; a sixteen-year-old Tier 2 Alchemist was difficult to find even across the entire Northwestern Region.

The prerequisite for becoming a Tier 2 Alchemist was that one's personal cultivation had to reach the Dou Shi level. To say nothing else, a Dou Shi at just sixteen years old was already terrifyingly impressive.

After a moment, Otto was the first to react. While wearing an astonished expression, he shot a smug smile at Frakkel and said with a smile, "How about it, Frakkel? I told you this little fellow would definitely take part in the Tier 2 Alchemist examination!"

"Indeed," Frakkel nodded in amazement, then solemnly said to Xiao Se, "Are you truly going to take the Tier 2 Alchemist examination? The standard for examining a Tier 2 Alchemist requires not only the ability to refine a Tier 2 pill, but your own strength must also reach the Dou Shi level."

Xiao Se did not answer verbally; he directly proved it with his actions. His right hand suddenly shot out into a fist, and a thin layer of gauze-like Dou Qi abruptly covered his entire body. Over this Dou Qi gauze, wisps of purplish-cyan light occasionally flickered and surged.

"Dou Qi transforming into gauze! He truly is a Dou Shi expert!" Everyone in the hall cried out in astonishment. Looking at Xiao Se once more, their previous amazement and envy completely transformed into reverence and worship.

"Hah! Follow me then, little friend Xiao Se," Frakkel took a deep breath and gestured for Xiao Se to follow. At this moment, he seemed to foresee Xiao Se's future rise—one that would unleash a powerful storm upon the Jia Ma Empire and even the entire Dou Qi Continent.

"Then I will trouble you, Master." Xiao Se cupped his fists in a salute and followed Frakkel out of the hall.

"Alright, although you didn't pass the examination today, you mustn't become discouraged. Keep working hard and strive to pass the next examination to become a true Tier 1 Alchemist." Otto, still wearing an astonished expression, encouraged the newcomers who failed the test, and then followed closely behind.

"Teacher, I'm coming too." Seeing her teacher leave, Lin Fei trotted along to catch up.

As Otto took slightly hurried steps, he warned, "You can come, but once we get there, you are not allowed to make trouble, and certainly not allowed to make any noise, otherwise I'll punish you by copying the medical formulas a thousand times!"

"I know, I know, let's hurry over." Lin Fei pouted her lips and pushed Otto's plump body forward at a brisk pace.

Before long, the group arrived at another hall, which was much more luxurious than the previous one.

"This is your examination content," Frakkel pointed to the stone platform ahead.

Xiao Se nodded slightly, walked up to the stone platform, picked up the medical formula on it, and fixed his eyes upon it. The corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch: the pill on this formula was actually a Tier 2 pill—the Bone-Marrow Building Pill—which possessed quite good healing effects.

Xiao Se inwardly remarked that he had already brewed heaps of this stuff back in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

"Heh heh, how is it, Xiao Se? Are you ready?" Frakkel pinched his beard and said with a beaming smile.

"At any time." Xiao Se looked at the surrounding medicinal herbs, which were neatly prepared in three portions, and briefly inspected the alchemy apparatus. Confirming there were no issues, he nodded.

"In that case, let's begin." As he spoke, Frakkel waved his large hand, and a protective light barrier suddenly enveloped Xiao Se and the stone platform, then he cast a glance at Otto. Otto nodded, and a crystal hourglass appeared in his hand. He inverted it, placing the empty end down on the desk beside them.

Xiao Se nodded slightly. There was nothing left to hide at this point. He took a deep breath, raised his palm, and with a thought in his mind, a cluster of purplish-cyan flames rose from the center of his palm.

This was a brand-new flame born after the Flame Mantra devoured the purple fire and fused with the beast flame of a Tier 5 Fire-Devouring Jiao; its power was nearly double that of the pure purple fire.

Since he wanted to extract some materials for devouring Heavenly Flames from Otto and Frakkel, he had to show enough of his cards—there was no need to hide his strength.

Bang!

Xiao Se thrust his hand forward, and with a muffled sound, the surging purplish-cyan flames abruptly rose from within the cauldron. Under the control of his spiritual perception, the roaring, churning purplish-cyan flames inside the cauldron instantly quieted down, becoming extremely gentle without a trace of their previous tyrannical aura.

Outside the light barrier, the moment the purplish-cyan flames rose from Xiao Se's palm, the pupils of Frakkel, Otto, and Lin Fei violently constricted.

Although they had heard rumors that Xiao Se could condense genuine flame, seeing it with their own eyes still left them utterly shocked.

"He... he can actually condense genuine flame?" Lin Fei's alluring red lips parted slightly as she cried out in shock. Looking once more at Xiao Se's fair and handsome face, a blush inevitably crept onto her pretty cheeks.

"Could this be a Heavenly Flame?" Otto was equally shocked and exclaimed.

Frakkel beside him shook his head and said solemnly, "No, this shouldn't be a Heavenly Flame, but rather a beast flame. Have you forgotten? That little princess of the Jia Ma Empire's royal family also possesses a beast flame, though Xiao Se's beast flame seems even more powerful than Princess Yaoyue's."

Hearing this, Otto came to a sudden realization and stared unblinkingly at Xiao Se's fluid and graceful alchemy movements.

Before long, the pill was successfully refined.