Assessment

Watching the crowd around them discuss the matter with unusual fervor, Lin Feng offered no further explanation. He led Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian inside amid the reverent gazes of the onlookers.

The three of them moved through the guild, where the vast interior was divided into several areas.

There was the Exchange Area, where one could trade for any medicinal ingredients they needed, provided they had enough gold coins. Of course, within the Alchemist Guild, gold coins were merely the lowest tier of currency. True alchemists had always disdained using gold coins for transactions.

Yet if one had enough gold coins, those esteemed Alchemists who appeared so proud would briefly put on an entirely different face before them.

Naturally, Lin Feng, as someone who had transmigrated and been reborn, did not have such faults.

After passing through the bustling Exchange Area came the rest area, which needed no further mention for now.

Continuing onward, the three arrived at the teaching and Exchange Area. It was much quieter here. The surrounding alchemists sat in circles, and from time to time, one would step forward to share their experience in pill refinement or introduce wondrous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

If someone took a fancy to the medicinal ingredients occasionally displayed on the stage, the Exchange Area would briefly turn into a trading area. Of course, such instances were rare; most of the time, everyone simply exchanged their experiences.

After listening here for only a quarter of an hour, Lin Feng already felt that he had gained greatly and that the trip had not been in vain. He could not help but sigh. "Sure enough, leaving Green Mountain Town was the right decision. In just this short time, Lin Feng has already filled in so many gaps in his foundation."

Looks like I can come here more often in the future, Lin Feng thought to himself.

"Young friend, how do you find it? Have you gained anything?"

Suddenly, an aged voice entered Lin Feng's ears, causing him, who had been studying intently, to freeze for a moment.

Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian reacted first, gently tugging at his hand.

"President Fa Ma..."

Upon seeing the newcomer, the people who had been exchanging insights all rose and bowed to him.

Immediately afterward, an alchemist with a Third-grade insignia on his chest stepped forward and cupped his hands. "President, what are your instructions?"

"Nothing, nothing. Hahaha, I merely wished to meet this young friend who can summon Beast Flame." An old man with white hair and a youthful face stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

"Young friend, this way, please." Fa Ma waved off the Third-grade Alchemist before speaking to Lin Feng.

Fa Ma's directness left Lin Feng somewhat taken aback, though he was not alarmed. Within this vast Alchemist Guild, even if Fa Ma wanted to do something, he would have to consider the Alchemist Guild's reputation.

After all, the Jia Ma Empire was not ruled by the Alchemist Guild alone.

Fa Ma and the three of them walked through the guild. Passersby would occasionally greet Fa Ma, and while they showed a trace of surprise upon seeing Lin Feng and the two girls beside him, no one asked any questions.

"I wonder who your master is, young friend. To possess such powerful Soul Force and such unfathomable strength at such a young age is quite rare in the Jia Ma Empire," Fa Ma asked with a smiling squint of his eyes as they walked.

Seeing Fa Ma's narrowed eyes, Lin Feng cursed inwardly, Old fox!

"Hahaha, Elder Fa, as the president of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Guild, you are widely traveled and knowledgeable. Why not take a guess?" Faced with Fa Ma's probing, Lin Feng did not yield an inch.

Seeing Lin Feng's calm expression, Fa Ma silently thought, Little fox.

As though their minds had met, the two exchanged a glance and both felt a chill run down their spines. Without showing it, they each turned their gaze elsewhere.

Perhaps out of his duty as host, Fa Ma was the first to speak again after they had walked for some time.

"Earlier, I heard that when you displayed your Beast Flame, young friend, you did not show an Alchemist Rank Badge. Could it be that you have never taken an alchemist assessment?" Fa Ma asked, a trace of confusion in his voice.

"Oh? Could it be that only alchemists recognized by the guild count as qualified?" Faced with the old fox's latest probe, Lin Feng turned the tables on him once again.

"Haha, not at all. Still, why not take the assessment this time? Having an Alchemist Rank Badge will make things much more convenient wherever you go."

Having endured the old fox's repeated probing, Lin Feng no longer bothered with empty pleasantries. "Then I'll trouble you, President."

"Haha, it is only proper." Fa Ma waved his hand and led Lin Feng toward another area.

At the end of the corridor, another section of the Alchemist Guild—its assessment area—appeared before Lin Feng and the others.

When they reached a registration desk, Fa Ma turned to Lin Feng and asked, "This old man has been negligent. I still do not know your name, young friend."

Lin Feng stepped forward and wrote in the register.

Lin Feng, eighteen years old, mentor... After a brief pause, Lin Feng swiftly wrote two words—Old Wu.

Following behind him, Fa Ma immediately searched through every high-level alchemist he knew for someone named Old Wu. When his search came up empty, he was briefly stunned.

He quickly recovered and looked at Lin Feng, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Oh? Is there a problem, President?"

"Not at all. It is simply that you are certain you wish to take the Third-grade Alchemist assessment?" Fa Ma pointed to the assessment rank listed in the register. This time, his reminder was sincere.

"You may not know this, young friend, but the medicinal ingredients used in the assessment are supplied free of charge by the Alchemist Guild. Therefore, to prevent alchemists from using the assessment for practice and wasting ingredients, the guild has stipulated that anyone who fails an assessment may not take another for one year. Are you aware of this, young friend?"

As soon as Fa Ma finished speaking, Lin Feng calmly waved a hand. "You need not worry about that, President. As for Third-grade pills, aside from some exceptionally obscure ones, this junior is confident in refining most of them."

"Since you are so confident, young friend, then please." Fa Ma waved his hand, and an attendant immediately stepped forward to lead Lin Feng to the assessment room.

"As for you two young ladies, will you wait here, or come with this old man to observe?"

"We'll wait here. We believe Brother will definitely succeed." Qing Lin spoke softly, her tone exactly like Lin Feng's.

Had Lin Feng seen Qing Lin at that moment, he would certainly have been greatly surprised. The obedient, adorably clueless Qing Lin she usually was around him actually had such a mature side.

"A Third-grade Spirit Awakening Pill? That's a pill formula gained for free." After carefully studying the formula in his hand, Lin Feng looked at the two sealed sets of medicinal ingredients on the table. "Two chances? That seems reasonable."

With a swipe across his Storage Ring, a Five Medicine Cauldrons appeared in the room. Then, with a boom, a ball of Beast Flame emerged from Lin Feng's palm. With a flick of his hand, the Beast Flame shot through the opening and into the medicine cauldron.

Outside the room, Fa Ma, who was personally overseeing the assessment, watched the rising Beast Flame and thought to himself, So it really is Beast Flame!