Alchemist Certification

Standing behind the counter was a manager, a woman in her early thirties wearing a pale green dress. With bright eyes and white teeth, she was quite a beauty. As soon as she saw Ye Xiu walk in, her lovely eyes swept over him, and she hurried forward to greet him.

"This gentleman, you look like a new face. Is this your first time visiting our Heiyan City Alchemist Guild?" the woman asked with a smile.

Ye Xiu nodded. "I'm here for the alchemist certification."

The woman in green was slightly taken aback and took another look at Ye Xiu. It was rare to see such a young applicant.

She asked with a smile, "May I ask what grade you wish to certify for, sir?"

Ye Xiu replied, "What is the highest grade you can certify here?"

The woman in green looked puzzled, but she answered truthfully, "The Heiyan City Guild can certify up to a fourth-grade alchemist. Anything higher than that requires going to the headquarters in the Jia Ma Holy City."

Ye Xiu nodded. "Then let's start with a fourth-grade certification."

The woman in green: "..."

The smile on her face stiffened instantly.

Fourth-grade?

This kid looked like he was only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet he was asking for a fourth-grade certification right off the bat?

She gave a dry cough and said, "Sir, a fourth-grade alchemist certification is not a game. You are required to refine a fourth-grade medicinal pill on the spot, and there are strict requirements for the success rate and the quality of the pill. You..."

Ye Xiu interrupted her, "I know. Lead the way."

The woman in green opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Ye Xiu's calm demeanor, she swallowed her words. She turned and walked quickly toward the stairs, clearly going to report the situation.

After all, a fourth-grade alchemist certification was not something one could just request on a whim.

Footsteps were soon heard from upstairs, and two old men walked down the stairs.

The man in the lead was in his sixties, wearing a gray-white alchemist robe with four silver ripples embroidered on the cuffs; he was none other than the guild president, Frank. Following behind him was Otto, who was also a fourth-grade alchemist.

The two men walked up to Ye Xiu and looked him up and down.

A flash of surprise crossed Frank's eyes; with his level of strength, he was actually unable to discern the background of the young man before him.

"Little friend, you want to certify as a fourth-grade alchemist?"

Ye Xiu nodded. "That's right."

Frank stared at him for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Interesting. Very well, come with me."

He turned and headed back upstairs.

Ye Xiu followed, and Little Doctor Fairy hurried along behind him.

The second floor was a large hall. Walking inside, there was an Alchemy Hall with a medicine cauldron placed in the center. The cauldron was half a person's height and had five fire vents.

Several people were standing around—all alchemists from the guild—who had rushed over to watch the excitement after hearing that someone wanted to certify for the fourth grade.

However, on either side of the medicine cauldron, two slightly smaller cauldrons were placed. Two young women were standing in front of them, focusing intently on controlling their flames.

The one on the left had silver robes and silver hair, with a cold temperament and a slender figure wrapped in a simple dress; she was Xue Mei, the disciple of President Frank. Inside the cauldron in front of her, pale yellow flames were wrapping around several medicinal herbs, refining them with great care.

The one on the right wore a purple dress and was bright and charming; she was Lin Fei, the disciple of Otto. She was also refining a pill, and while her movements were slightly less polished than Xue Mei's, they were still quite professional.

When Frank brought Ye Xiu in, the two women had just finished a round of refinement and were adjusting their flames in preparation for the next step of fusion.

"Teacher?" Xue Mei looked up, saw the young man behind Frank, and was slightly startled.

Lin Fei also stopped what she was doing and looked at Ye Xiu with curiosity.

Frank waved his hand. "Continue, don't mind us. This little friend wants to certify for the fourth grade, and I'm showing him the venue."

"Fourth grade?" Lin Fei was stunned. Her gaze swept over Ye Xiu, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Hey, you guy, how old are you? Do you even know what a fourth-grade alchemist implies?"

Ye Xiu glanced at her but didn't speak.

Lin Fei wasn't annoyed; instead, she became interested. She walked out from in front of her cauldron, crossed her arms, and looked him up and down. "Looking at you, you're not even as old as me. Have you even certified as a first-grade alchemist yet? And you're already trying to test for the fourth grade?"

Although Xue Mei didn't speak, her gaze held a hint of scrutiny. She was more composed than Lin Fei and simply stood to the side, watching this boy who had suddenly intruded.

Ye Xiu said indifferently, "Whether the guild allows the test is their business, and whether I can pass is my business. None of this has anything to do with you."

Lin Fei raised an eyebrow. "Oh, quite a temper you have. Let me tell you, a fourth-grade alchemist doesn't just need to refine fourth-grade pills; they must also possess the strength of a Dou Ling. Do you know what a Dou Ling is? Don't tell me you're a Dou Ling yourself?"

As soon as she said this, the surrounding alchemists all laughed. A Dou Ling? A fifteen or sixteen-year-old Dou Ling? No one had ever heard of such a thing in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Ye Xiu ignored her and walked straight toward the medicine cauldron.

Lin Fei felt embarrassed at being ignored and was about to say something more when Otto gave a light cough. "Lin Fei, don't cause trouble."

Lin Fei pouted and stepped aside, but her eyes remained fixed on Ye Xiu, wearing an expression that said, "I'll see how you make a fool of yourself."

Xue Mei watched this scene quietly, her gaze lingering on Ye Xiu for a moment before she withdrew it and continued to focus on her own cauldron. She didn't like to join in the fun like Lin Fei, but she was indeed curious: what gave this boy the confidence to attempt a fourth-grade certification?

Ye Xiu took a pile of medicinal herbs out of his Storage Ring and placed them on the table nearby.

When the people around saw those herbs, their eyes lit up.

Purple Leaf Gold Vein Grass, Green Spirit Fruit, Angelica Flower, Earth Dragon Root...

They were all fourth-grade medicinal herbs, and they were all of excellent quality.

Lin Fei's mouth opened slightly, and the words that were about to come out were swallowed back down. Each of these herbs was worth a fortune, and to be able to pull out so many of them so casually—his background was likely not simple at all.

Xue Mei's hands paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her beautiful eyes.

Ye Xiu ignored the chatter, walking up to the medicine cauldron and pressing his hand against its side. He closed his eyes, using his soul power to probe the state of the interior.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and flipped his palm.

Puff!

A cluster of purple-gold flames erupted from his palm and surged into the medicine cauldron.

The temperature in the entire hall rose by several degrees in an instant.

Frank's pupils constricted.

"This flame..." he muttered.

Beside him, Otto was also stunned: "This color... it isn't an ordinary Dou Qi flame, is it?"

"Definitely not." Frank lowered his voice, "This kid has some real skill."

Xue Mei and Lin Fei stopped what they were doing at the same time.

The purple-gold flames blazed within the medicine cauldron, gold shimmering through the purple, surging yet docile, completely under Ye Xiu's control.

Neither of them had ever seen a flame of this color, let alone this technique of flame control; the fire seemed to have a life of its own, dancing according to Ye Xiu's will.

The corner of Lin Fei's mouth twitched. She had wanted to watch him make a fool of himself, but now her face burned with embarrassment.

At the very least, the flame control Ye Xiu was currently displaying was far beyond anything she could hope to achieve!

Xue Mei watched in silence, her gaze shifting from the flames to Ye Xiu's profile. The young man's face was illuminated by the flickering purple-gold light, but his calm and unhurried demeanor reminded her of her own teacher when refining medicine.

No, he seemed even more composed than her teacher!