Fifth-grade Examination, Spirit Replenishing Purple Pill!

Alchemist Guild.

Everyone coming and going here wore the white robes exclusive to alchemists.

As the most privileged profession on the continent, alchemists were treated like stars wherever they went. Thus, most of them carried themselves with high spirits and extraordinary bearing.

Yet at this moment, among the many distinguished alchemists, a handsome man with an exceptional presence drew countless gazes.

Of course, it was not merely the man's looks and bearing that caught everyone's attention, but also the Four Gold Stars embroidered on his collar.

These represented the alchemist grade certified by the Alchemist Guild. Four stars meant... a Fourth-grade Alchemist!

"Gasp! A Fourth-grade Alchemist so young!"

"He looks only eighteen or nineteen, yet he is already a Fourth-grade Alchemist?"

"With such talent, I'm truly green with envy!"

"That young man is so handsome. Why can't I stop looking at him?"

"Stop swooning. A genius like him is far beyond our reach."

"..."

The person they were discussing was none other than Xiao Cang.

Listening to the astonished exclamations around him, Xiao Cang's lips curled slightly upward as he entered the Alchemist Guild.

Once inside, he headed straight for the President's Office.

"Elder Xiao? What brings you here?"

The moment Fama saw Xiao Cang enter, he immediately put down the pill formula he had been studying and revealed a friendly smile.

The news that Xiao Cang had become an Honorary Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect had spread throughout the Imperial Capital two days ago.

"What, President Fama? You don't welcome me?" Xiao Cang asked with a smile as he approached Fama's desk.

"What are you saying, Elder Xiao? Of course you are welcome."

A smile spread across Fama's aged face.

Not to mention that Xiao Cang had now advanced to the Dou Wang realm and possessed the strength to speak with him as an equal.

Even considering that Xiao Cang was Yun Shan's personal disciple and had become a Fourth-grade Alchemist at such a young age, Fama would have greeted him with a smile.

"Don't call me Elder Xiao. It makes me sound old. Just call me what you used to call me," Xiao Cang said, waving his hand.

"That works too. Calling such a young-faced friend 'Elder' really does feel rather strange to this old man," Fama said with a laugh.

"By the way, young friend Xiao, you still haven't said why you came."

"I came to find a pill formula."

"A pill formula? What kind of pill formula requires a trip to the Alchemist Guild? Isn't Gu He at the Misty Cloud Sect?"

Fama was somewhat surprised.

In the past, Misty Cloud Sect disciples often came to the Alchemist Guild to purchase pills and pill formulas. But ever since Gu He had joined the Misty Cloud Sect, the pills needed by its disciples could basically be supplied internally.

However, Xiao Cang revealed a meaningful smile.

Ask Gu He to refine a Fertility Pill for Yun'er? Wouldn't that be killing him and twisting the knife?

Besides, I don't trust him. Who knows whether he might tamper with the pill out of resentment.

What if the Fertility Pill became an abortion pill? Wouldn't that harm my countless future children?

"You needn't concern yourself with the pill formula. I'll pick out one I'm satisfied with later. My main purpose here is to take an examination," Xiao Cang said.

"An examination?"

Fama froze. Then his aged eyes widened slightly, and huge waves suddenly rose in his usually tranquil gaze.

"You mean... you want to take the Fifth-grade Alchemist examination?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Hiss..."

Fama sucked in a cold breath, his pupils trembling.

A Fifth-grade Alchemist!

Across the entire Jia Ma Empire, there were fewer than five.

Even he, the dignified president of the Alchemist Guild, was only a Fifth-grade Alchemist!

Moreover, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the art of alchemy and spent decades without breaking through to Fifth-grade Alchemist. Only after traveling the continent and receiving three days of guidance from a senior alchemist had he finally succeeded.

Yet Xiao Cang was only eighteen, and he was already attempting to become a Fifth-grade Alchemist?

"Xiao... young friend Xiao, you aren't joking, are you?" Fama asked with a dry laugh, unable to believe it.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Xiao Cang said, spreading his hands.

Fama fell silent, a storm raging in his heart.

If any other eighteen-year-old claimed he wanted to attempt the Fifth-grade Alchemist examination, Fama would have thrown him out without hesitation.

An eighteen-year-old wanting to become a Fifth-grade Alchemist?

What a pipe dream!

But the one saying it was Xiao Cang...

He had no choice but to take it seriously.

Then Fama took a deep breath, rose to his feet, and said, "Fine. Since young friend Xiao has said so, this old man will personally proctor your examination. Please!"

Xiao Cang followed Fama toward the Alchemy Room. The moment they stepped outside, they encountered two people he had met once before.

Otto and Frank from Blackrock City.

When Xiao Cang had taken the Fourth-grade Alchemist examination a year ago, among the alchemists of that batch, only he and these two had successfully advanced.

"Elder Fama, Brother Xiao Cang."

Otto and Frank greeted them first.

"What are you two doing here?" Fama asked.

"The two of us have some matters to discuss with Elder Fama. We did not expect to find Brother Xiao here as well," Frank said.

"Brother Xiao, congratulations! We have all heard about your marriage to the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master."

"That's right. Everyone is happy for you."

Otto and Frank both offered Xiao Cang their congratulations.

"Thank you both for your blessings," Xiao Cang replied with a warm smile.

"Whatever it is, save it for later. This old man is taking young friend Xiao to an examination now," Fama said.

An examination?!

The two wore stunned expressions upon hearing that.

"If I recall correctly, at the Fourth-grade Alchemist examination a year ago, Brother Xiao Cang and the two of us all passed."

"That's right. I remember that Otto and I only barely succeeded in refining a Fourth-grade Pill on our fifth attempts, while Brother Xiao succeeded on his first try. Back then, he amazed everyone taking the examination."

Frank and Otto spoke in succession.

"You remember correctly. But this time, Xiao Cang is not taking the Fourth-grade examination. He is taking the Fifth-grade examination," Fama explained.

"Fifth-grade?!"

The two simultaneously widened their eyes. Looking at each other, they saw the shock and disbelief in one another's gaze.

"Elder Fama, you aren't joking, are you?"

"Does this old man look like he is joking?"

Fama repeated the words Xiao Cang had just said to him.

"Doesn't look like it..."

Frank and Otto shook their heads. When they looked at Xiao Cang again, their eyes were filled with turbulent shock.

"Less than a year has passed, and Brother Xiao Cang is already confident he can pass the Fifth-grade Alchemist examination? As expected of a supreme genius!"

"Elder Fama, Brother Xiao Cang, I have an unreasonable request. Could the two of us observe the examination? We mean nothing else by it. We merely wish to witness with our own eyes the birth of an eighteen-year-old Fifth-grade Alchemist," Otto requested.

Upon hearing this, Fama looked toward Xiao Cang.

"Sure."

Xiao Cang nodded with a warm smile.

There was no harm in letting them watch.

He could consider it having two more spectators cheering him on.

A moment later,

The four arrived at the Fifth-grade Alchemy Room.

Though it was called an Alchemy Room, it was actually a terrace atop the building.

There was not only no roof here, but not even any walls.

Xiao Cang was not surprised. Unlike the first four grades of pills, the refining process for a Fifth-grade Pill produced colored Pill Fragrance and ripples of medicinal energy.

If one refined it in a sealed room, then unless the walls were built from exceedingly precious and sturdy materials, or the alchemist personally possessed enough strength to disperse the medicinal-energy ripples in time, the room's structure would be destroyed by those ripples.

Thus, refining a Fifth-grade Pill on an open terrace actually spared them quite a bit of trouble.

As for safety... there was no need to worry.

Within the Jia Ma Empire, no one dared lay a hand on the Alchemist Guild.

"Young friend Xiao."

"The Fifth-grade Alchemist examination differs from the first four grades. There is no fixed test."

"As long as you successfully refine a Fifth-grade Pill within five attempts, you will have passed."

"So before you begin refining, you must choose what pill you wish to refine. This old man will retrieve the pill formula for you."

Fama spoke.

Xiao Cang's lips curved upward.

"As for that... I had already decided before coming here. I'll choose the Spirit Replenishing Purple Pill."