Third-grade Alchemist

Time flew by, and Xia Mo and the others had already been at the academy for a month.

Over the past month, he had constantly refined pills and cultivated. Although his success rate was not high, he could already refine several kinds of third-grade pills. Moreover, through his unceasing pill refinement, his strength had broken through once more, successfully reaching the level of a two-star Da Dou Shi.

The academy had also learned that there was a prodigy in the Alchemy Department—a Second-grade Alchemist at such a young age, with strength at least at the Dou Shi level. There were even rumors that he could already refine third-grade pills. He simply had not yet undergone an elder's assessment, so everyone was looking forward to this academy-wide Third-grade Alchemist examination.

The next day, in the Alchemy Department, aside from Xia Mo, three other students were taking part in the Third-grade Alchemist assessment. No one knew how many would pass.

"Ahem! Students taking the examination, take note. The pill-refining test is about to begin. Please adjust yourselves to your best condition as soon as possible." At some unknown point, Elder Huo and two other old men had silently appeared on the raised platform in the testing hall.

"Candidates, report your names!" the old man standing at the far left of the platform shouted at the two people below.

"Liu Xing, applying for Third-grade Alchemist assessment!" one student called out loudly.

"Zhao Lei, applying for Third-grade Alchemist assessment!"

"Wang Fang, applying for Third-grade Alchemist assessment!"

"Xia Mo, applying for Third-grade Alchemist assessment!"

"Whoa..."

"He's that prodigy?"

"He really is so young."

"He's taking the assessment too?"

"Silence!"

The noisy chatter below was abruptly cut off. Casting a cold glance over the crowd, the old man standing at the far left of the platform spoke impassively once more. "The proctors for this assessment are Elder Huo, Elder Liu, and Elder Hao of the Alchemy Department. The assessment task is to refine a third-grade pill according to the alchemical formula provided by the academy within the allotted time."

"Those who pass this test will receive a Third-grade Alchemist badge and the corresponding rewards. Those who fail must wait three months before applying again. For a second application, the medicinal herbs must be paid for at your own expense. Now, candidates, proceed to the testing stations in front of you and open your alchemical formulas."

"Yes!" the candidates answered in unison.

"Explosive Fire Pill, low third-grade. Required medicinal herbs: three ten-year Ice Mist Grasses, two Fire Snake Sunflowers, one Great Strength Fruit, and one fire-element Monster Core."

Looking at the alchemical formula in his hand, Xia Mo let out a long breath. His spiritual power became highly focused as he entered a meditative state.

Third-grade pills were already quite a challenge for him, let alone the Explosive Fire Pill!

Over the past month, although he had refined many third-grade pills, those pills had all been low third-grade. They were nowhere near comparable to the Explosive Fire Pill.

"Old Huo, what kind of pill did you choose for them?" Seeing that the people beside Xia Mo had already begun refining while Xia Mo was still meditating, Elder Hao instinctively sensed that something was wrong. He secretly poked the old man in the middle and asked.

Judging from the others' pill-refining techniques, they were clearly novices who had only just entered the third-grade realm. Their alchemy skills were obviously not on the same level as Xia Mo's. Yet the others had already begun, while Xia Mo was still meditating. That made no sense.

After all, an alchemist usually meditated before refining only when they were not confident about the pill they were making. But the others were clearly refining third-grade Fire Dispelling Pills. They had all only recently entered the third-grade realm, so the pills in the same assessment ought to have been roughly equal in grade. Yet Xia Mo had already refined third-grade pills before. A pill of this level should not have been difficult for him!

"Old Huo?"

"Stop asking!" The speaker was the old man seated in the center—Elder Huo, the dean of the Alchemy Department. "I switched that kid's alchemical formula."

"Didn't you all keep saying how outstanding that kid's talent was? So I helped him raise the difficulty a little." Old Huo smiled mysteriously.

"Old Huo, what did you change it to?" Elder Hao finally could not help asking. The others had already refined several herbs, while Xia Mo had not even begun. He was anxious. If Xia Mo failed this time, it would cost him a whole year. He was still young, but the record for becoming a Third-grade Alchemist at his age would be different!

"Look, he's moving!" Elder Liu, the elder beside Elder Huo who had remained silent all this time, said.

Clang...

Xia Mo's hands flashed at incredible speed, cutting through the air. With lightning-fast movements, he grabbed the Ice Mist Grass and threw it all into the medicine cauldron before him without hesitation. The Dragon Phoenix Flame in his hand flickered, swiftly splitting into two streams of fire that wrapped around the Ice Mist Grass.

The Ice Mist Grass slowly melted, gradually softening before turning into a drop of pale cyan liquid. At the same time, a faint fragrance drifted out.

Xia Mo then continued refining the other two Ice Mist Grasses, ultimately merging them into a single drop of cyan liquid...

He picked up the two Fire Snake Sunflowers again, refining them one by one into red powder before tossing it into the cyan liquid to merge...

"Ice Mist Grass? Fire Snake Sunflower?" Elder Liu muttered. "He's refining a third-grade Explosive Fire Pill?" He suddenly looked at Elder Huo in the center. Though his words were phrased as a question, his gaze had already confirmed the answer.

No one knew better than them how many alchemical formulas the Alchemy Department possessed!

"Although the third-grade Explosive Fire Pill is only a low third-grade pill, because of its explosive medicinal properties, it is no weaker than some mid third-grade pills. Isn't it too difficult as an examination question?" Elder Hao could not help trying to dissuade him.

"Only something difficult enough can reveal that kid's talent!" Elder Huo remained utterly unmoved. He swept a disdainful glance around before smiling. "Besides, the little fellow himself hasn't complained that it's difficult. What are you old geezers nagging about? Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"

Xia Mo had no idea Elder Huo had set him up. He picked up the Great Strength Fruit, refined it into a drop of pale green liquid, and merged it into the mixture. As the green liquid entered, a pitted, uneven pill embryo slowly took shape...

Finally, Xia Mo picked up the Third-tier fire-element Monster Core and began refining it...

After an unknown amount of time, the fire-element Monster Core was refined into a mass of pure energy. The final fusion was also the most difficult step. It was precisely because of the several violent energies within the Explosive Fire Pill that it could allow a Da Dou Shi to unleash strength far beyond their own, but it also made the final fusion extremely difficult...

Xia Mo carefully controlled the Dragon Phoenix Flame, slowly roasting the various energy essences without daring to rush in the slightest. He could feel the violent turbulence caused when those energies came into contact.

Under the Dragon Phoenix Flame's relentless heating, the pure energy refined from the Monster Core slowly merged into the pill embryo. The pits and unevenness on the pill embryo gradually vanished, and it became smooth and round...

As the final wisp of energy entered, a pill fragrance spread through the air...

Watching Xia Mo's series of skilled movements flow as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water, Elder Huo wore an astonished expression. "What a monster!"

"The assessment is over. Those who succeeded, bring your pills over," Elder Liu said.

Only two people stepped forward. As expected, the other two had failed.

"Liu Xing, third-grade Fire Dispelling Pill, successfully refined. Congratulations," Elder Huo said with a smile to the student.

"Thank you, Elders," Liu Xing replied.

"Xia Mo, third-grade Explosive Fire Pill, successfully refined. Very good, young man," Elder Huo praised.

"Thank you, Elder."

"For this assessment, four participated and two successfully refined their pills. Xia Mo and Liu Xing have passed the assessment and will be awarded the Third-grade Alchemist badge." Elder Hao smiled as he took out the badges and handed them to the two. The academy elders were quite pleased to see such talented students emerging from the academy.

"You may choose your reward for passing the assessment: either an Alchemical Formula below the fourth grade, or one chance to select a heavenly treasure. Naturally, you will have to choose it yourselves, which will test your discernment," Elder Huo said.

"I choose an Alchemical Formula," Liu Xing said.

"I choose one chance to select a heavenly treasure," Xia Mo said.

Holding the voucher Elder Huo had given him, Xia Mo found the materials warehouse. He intended to see whether Jia Nan Academy had a Flame Receptacle.

Flame Receptacles existed only within high-grade Spirit Stones and were incomparably precious. They could open up a small space within one's body to store Heavenly Flames. After all, the energy of Heavenly Flames was far too violent; if placed directly inside the body, it would burn everything away. Opening a small space within the body eliminated that hidden danger.

Xia Mo entered the warehouse. "Skyfall Iron... Fire Essence Profound Gold... This one seems to be called... I don't know!"

Xia Mo walked over to a pile of Spirit Stones and examined them for quite a while. He eventually spotted a thumb-sized gray stone, smooth as jade all over without the slightest flaw. Within its core, a faint blue glow slowly wriggled, like a tiny living worm.

A Flame Receptacle. I didn't expect there to really be one. The academy's collection truly is extensive, Xia Mo thought.

Having found what he wanted, Xia Mo had no intention of staying any longer. He was afraid he would not be able to resist packing up the entire place...