Under normal circumstances, no one was allowed to join midway through the competition. After all, the contestants from the previous rounds had already expended a great deal of mental strength.
Mental strength was also known as Soul Power.
It recovered extremely slowly.
"Therefore, for the sake of fairness, you must also pay a price."
Frank said with a genial smile, "Before participating in the competition, every alchemist must undergo a test. Only by refining medicinal ingredients a certain number of times can they be deemed to possess the most basic alchemical ability."
"The more times one refines medicinal ingredients, the more mental strength one consumes."
"Only after refining them more than five times and expending a certain amount of mental strength can you join the competition midway, considered to be starting from the same line as the other contestants."
Xiao Yan nodded slightly and thanked him.
"Don't thank me just yet."
Frank folded his hands together and smiled. "There is a condition to my help. I need you to promise that you will never join the Chu Yun Empire."
"What about other empires?"
"Do as you please."
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.
"Xue Mei, take Xiao Yan to be tested. You can observe as well."
Since it was an informal test, there was no need for influential figures like Frank and Otto to be present.
Xiao Yan rose, thanked him, and headed to the testing site with Xue Mei.
After he left, Frank and Otto once again revealed troubled expressions.
They seemed to be agonizing over something.
"Xue Mei, what a coincidence!"
On the only path leading to the testing site, Yao Ye smiled. "This is the first time I've seen you so close to a man. This is...?"
"My teacher." Xue Mei returned to her icy demeanor.