Fame Spreads Through the Outer Court

After confirming that Liu Xi truly possessed the ability of a Third-grade Alchemist, Elder Huo promptly settled the treatment Liu Xi would receive in the Alchemy Department.

Although he regretted that Liu Xi already had a master and could not become his disciple, the Alchemy Department was delighted to have such a genius join them.

Elder Huo put away his regretful expression. Looking at Liu Xi, who was respectfully bowing before him, he broke into a hearty smile and patted Liu Xi on the shoulder. "Why are you being so formal, kid? Do you think I'm some old fossil? Relax. If you run into any problems in the future, you can come find me."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Looking at the straightforward Elder Huo, Liu Xi replied with a smile. At the same time, he thought, This Elder Huo is quite forthright. If I want to improve my alchemy in the future, I can discuss it more with him.

Before long, a middle-aged instructor approached them and took out a badge engraved with an exquisite Flame Pattern from his Storage Ring.

The middle-aged instructor respectfully handed the badge to Elder Huo first, while staring in shock at Liu Xi's excessively youthful face. To become a Third-grade Alchemist at such a young age—his future achievements would be immeasurable!

Elder Huo accepted the badge and handed it to Liu Xi. "From now on, you are a Third-grade Alchemist recognized by the Alchemy Department."

By the time Liu Xi left the Alchemy Department's headquarters, it was nearly noon. After taking care of lunch at the academy cafeteria, he returned to his room.

Liu Xi played with the badge in his hand, the smile on his youthful and handsome face gradually deepening.

His foundation was still too shallow, and he had no cheat to rely on. If he wanted to grow stronger quickly, he could only use alchemy to accumulate enough resources for his own advancement.

He had to make proper use of his status as a Third-grade Alchemist. Putting away the badge, he took out the prescriptions he had obtained from Elder Huo. Speaking of which, Elder Huo truly was generous. When Liu Xi said he wanted some high-quality pill formulas to study, Elder Huo had given him a whole pile of scrolls without a second word.

Liu Xi carefully sorted the scrolls. There were more than thirty formulas for Third-grade Pills and over ten formulas for Fourth-grade Pills. They were enough to keep him studying for a long time. After sorting them, he casually pulled out one Third-grade Pill formula and began studying it.

At the same time, news that Liu Xi had just joined the Alchemy Department and successfully refined a Third-grade Pill under Elder Huo's witness, becoming a Third-grade Alchemist of the Alchemy Department, spread wildly throughout the academy.

"Have you heard? Our Outer Court has produced another Third-grade Alchemist. He already had the ability of a Third-grade Alchemist when he first joined the Alchemy Department."

"I asked around. This alchemist is called Liu Xi. He's a new student who enrolled this year, brought back from the Jia Ma Empire by Instructor Zhang Yan."

"I wonder where I can find Master Liu Xi. Such a young Third-grade Alchemist—I have to get acquainted with him."

After all, most elites, whether instructors or students, were in the Inner Court. There were only a handful of alchemists above the third grade in the Outer Court. Countless people wanted to ask alchemists to refine pills for them, and the supply of high-quality pills would always fall short of demand!

The next day, Instructor Zhang Yan came to Liu Xi's place early in the morning. His eyes gleamed, and his face was filled with shock. The first thing he asked Liu Xi was, "So you're already a Third-grade Alchemist?"

Yes, Zhang Yan was shocked once again. He had already held Liu Xi's talent in high regard. Liu Xi had exceptional cultivation talent as well as the talent of an alchemist, so his future prospects were boundless!

Yet now, the entire academy was spreading word that this kid he had brought back from the Jia Ma Empire had joined the Alchemy Department yesterday and passed the assessment, becoming a Third-grade Alchemist.

Heaven have mercy—he was an instructor of Jia Nan Academy and a Da Dou Shi. Sometimes, just to obtain a Third-grade Pill, he had to shamelessly beg others for one, and they might not even deign to acknowledge him.

Now people were telling him that Liu Xi, whom he had taken as a student only two days ago, had suddenly become a Third-grade Alchemist he himself would have to curry favor with. At the time, he had only felt as if his face had been slapped again and again. That was why he had come personally so early in the morning, wanting to confirm it.

"That's right. I am indeed already a Third-grade Alchemist." Liu Xi looked at the shocked Zhang Yan before him and replied with a warm smile on his handsome face.

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" Zhang Yan felt his face heat up. Only two days ago, he had promised to secure the best treatment for Liu Xi, but now Liu Xi, as a Third-grade Alchemist, enjoyed even better treatment than he did.

"Instructor, you never asked me." Liu Xi replied somewhat speechlessly.

"That's true. Now that the academy's instructors have heard you're my student, many requests for you to refine pills have come to me. What should we do? Do you want to meet them yourself?" Zhang Yan sighed and nodded, then revealed the main purpose of his visit.

Liu Xi considered it. He did not want to spend too much time handling these interpersonal matters in the Outer Court. His main goal now was to improve his cultivation and alchemy. Then he looked at Zhang Yan and asked tentatively, "Could I ask you to handle it for me, Instructor? If someone asks me to refine pills, mainly accept requests for Third-grade Pills. As for Second-grade Pills, those can be accepted too if the reward is high enough. As compensation for you, Instructor, I can refine pills for you free of charge, though you will need to provide the ingredients yourself."

"No problem. Leave it to me from now on." Hearing such generous terms, Zhang Yan naturally agreed with a broad smile.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Instructor." Liu Xi did not know anyone well at Jia Nan Academy, and Zhang Yan was the only one he was relatively familiar with. Hearing Zhang Yan agree, he replied with a smile.