Third-grade Alchemist, Gu He's Request

"It was me."

Lu Yu stepped forward, his expression calm.

"Teacher? Why did you come out?" Lin Fei looked at the suddenly appearing old man in surprise.

"It's Master Otto..."

Whispers immediately rose throughout the hall.

There were two Fourth-grade Alchemists in Blackrock City's Alchemist Guild. One was the guild president, Frank, while the other was Master Otto before them. These two prominent figures rarely showed themselves in public.

Master Otto's gaze sharpened, his deep eyes lingering on Lu Yu for a moment before he suddenly smiled. "You look unfamiliar, young man. It has been a long time since I last saw such a young Third-grade Alchemist."

"Have you taken the Alchemist Assessment before?"

"Never." Lu Yu shook his head openly.

"Oh?" Otto raised a brow, secretly astonished. What family raised this disciple? He only came for the assessment after reaching the third grade?

However, as an elder of the Alchemist Guild, he had long grown accustomed to all manner of situations, and not the slightest hint of doubt showed on his face.

Stroking his long beard, he said kindly, "Since you have never taken an assessment before, the rules require you to begin from the first grade. As it happens, I am free today. Why not let me supervise? Once you pass the first-grade assessment, we can proceed with the evaluations for the later grades."

The moment those words fell, everyone in the hall was startled, their eyes revealing a trace of envy. To have Master Otto personally supervise the assessment was an immense honor.

Only Lu Yu remained composed. He cupped his hands in salute and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Master."

Not long afterward, in the assessment hall.

Before a stone platform.

Lu Yu unfolded the prescription he had drawn, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.

Flame Condensing Pill—one of the most basic first-grade pills. Its only effect was to help a Dou Zhe condense fire-attributed Dou Qi. The question was so simple that he could not help looking up at Master Otto in the examiner's seat.

The old man was stroking his silver beard as he smiled and nodded at him, his eyes carrying a few traces of encouraging goodwill.

Is he... deliberately going easy on me?

Lu Yu understood at once, but did not expose it. He pressed his right hand lightly against the fire inlet of the Medicine Cauldron. As Dou Qi circulated through his body, a muffled pop sounded, and pale red flames immediately rose within the cauldron.

There was no need to use the Earth Core Flame within him to refine such a basic pill.

With practiced movements, Lu Yu added the first medicinal ingredient. His control over the heat was flawless, and the medicinal liquid slowly took shape within the cauldron. The entire refining process flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water, carrying an almost pleasing rhythm.

Master Otto narrowed his eyes as he watched the youth's fluid alchemy techniques, secretly praising him. I was right. This boy is no ordinary talent...

"It seems that today, Blackrock City's Alchemist Guild will gain another alchemy genius."

Time quietly passed amid the pill refinement.

The continuous assessments from the first grade to the third took far longer than Lu Yu had expected. By the time he finished refining the final batch of pills, the morning mist had long dispersed, and it was already noon.

Dazzling sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting mottled shadows across his sharply defined features and lending his young, handsome face an added air of nobility.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Lu Yu placed the newly refined third-grade Qi Recovery Pill onto the assessment jade tray. A servant respectfully carried the tray toward the judging table, and the entire assessment hall fell silent.

Those examinees who had failed widened their eyes, staring fixedly at the round, plump pill on the jade tray—its luster was clear and moist, its fragrance refreshing. It was unmistakably a pill of excellent quality.

Master Otto accepted the pill with a solemn expression. He took out a thin silver blade, lightly scraped off a little pill powder, and placed it in his mouth to savor carefully.

A moment later, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes. He nodded heavily and said, "What an excellent Qi Recovery Pill! Even if I refined it myself, my control of the heat might not surpass yours, young friend."

He rose to his feet, swept his gaze across the hall, and announced loudly, "Following the assessment evaluation, young friend Lu Yu has officially passed the Third-grade Alchemist Assessment!"

Before his voice had faded, astonished cries erupted throughout the hall. The Alchemists who had still harbored doubts now looked at Lu Yu with eyes full of reverence.

Such a young Third-grade Alchemist had likely not appeared in the Jia Ma Empire for centuries!

Master Otto smiled warmly and made an inviting gesture. "This way, young friend. By convention, the chief examiner should personally drape the robe over a newly promoted Alchemist."

His words sounded perfectly proper, but it was actually a spur-of-the-moment idea—the Alchemist Guild had never had such a rule. The old man merely wanted to take the opportunity to build a closer relationship with this young man of boundless potential.

Soon after, a servant approached with a jade tray in his hands. Neatly folded atop it was an exquisitely crafted black robe.

Resting atop the robe was a small medal—a simple Medicine Cauldron design, with three mercury-like ripples that seemed alive as they continuously wriggled slightly.

The Third-grade Alchemist Medal!

At the sight of that medal, a trace of emotion flashed through Lu Yu's eyes. After one year and more than three months, he had finally become a Third-grade Alchemist.

This was not only thanks to the solid foundation Old Man Yao, an eighth-grade peak Alchemist, had laid for him, but also to the inheritance insights he had obtained through simulations. Combined with the Heavenly Flames and the powerful soul of a transmigrator, these were what had allowed him to advance to a Third-grade Alchemist in such a short time.

Without those opportunities, even becoming a first-grade Alchemist would have been difficult.

Master Otto then solemnly draped the Alchemist robe over him and pinned the third-grade medal to his chest. A wave of praise immediately rose through the hall.

"Congratulations, young friend." Otto patted his shoulder, his voice filled with undisguised admiration. "A twenty-year-old Third-grade Alchemist is exceedingly rare even in the entire Jia Ma Empire. What are your plans next?"

Lu Yu lightly brushed the medal on his chest, but his gaze unconsciously drifted toward the guild entrance—Xian'er and Qing Lin must have been waiting for a long time. The corner of his lips rose slightly. "I am not from Blackrock City. I was planning to return..."

Before he could finish, Master Otto's attendant hurried forward and whispered a few words into his ear.

"What? Gu He wants to borrow the guild's fifth-tier Beast Flame?" Otto frowned tightly, his voice rising unconsciously. "Didn't he take people from the Misty Cloud Sect to the Tagor Desert in search of Heavenly Flames? How did this suddenly..."

The attendant lowered his voice. "I heard they met with misfortune in the Snake-human Sacred City. That sect leader from the Misty Cloud Sect was struck by the Snake-human Race's Five Snake Poison Brake Seal and is now at death's door. Master Gu He wishes to use several Beast Flames to temporarily suppress the poison..."

The hall immediately erupted in an uproar. Several elderly Alchemists exchanged glances, and one could not help interjecting, "The Five Snake Poison Brake Seal? That is a seal fused from the poisons of five Snake-human Dou Wangs. Ordinary antidote pills are completely useless against it!"

Another white-bearded elder shook his head and sighed. "Gu He may have miscalculated this time. How could Heavenly Flames be so easily obtained? Queen Medusa has guarded the Snake-human Race for decades. Even the Jia Ma Imperial Family does not dare act rashly..."

Lu Yu's heart jolted at those words. Thoughts of what he had done to the Mo Family flashed through his mind as he muttered inwardly, This isn't my fault, is it?