After leaving the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
Xiao Yan controlled his Purple Cloud Wings and descended into the territory of Black Rock City.
This major city, which had not received much attention in the original work, ranked among the best in the entire Jia Ma Empire.
Its Alchemist Guild even had two Tier 4 Alchemists.
Xiao Yan had come here for only two things.
First, to verify his Alchemist rank, which would allow his subsequent plans to proceed more smoothly.
Second, to show off.
Yes, it was that simple and unpretentious.
As a young man, having stayed in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for so long, he could not help but feel pent-up frustration.
Coming here to show off and satisfy a young man's vanity was not a bad way to vent it.
With that thought, Xiao Yan registered to enter the city like any other cultivator.
He found an inn in the city, checked in, and rested briefly.
Meanwhile, outside Black Rock City.
A small Flying Boat bearing the Misty Cloud Sect's emblem descended.
A delicate-looking young woman and a Misty Cloud Sect elder whose cultivation had reached the Dou Ling realm slowly stepped off the Flying Boat.
"Ah, ever since the Sect Leader returned more than a month ago, she suddenly began gathering Beast Flames and had people collect things that could lessen the pain of absorbing them. It is truly puzzling." Yun Jing shook his head in confusion.
Hearing this, the young woman smiled lightly. "Elder Yun Jing, my master has her own considerations. We need not overthink it."
"For example, when Master went out to obtain Purple Spirit Crystals, some of the sect elders criticized her for wasting her efforts. But did she not succeed in the end?"
Yun Jing smiled and nodded. "Haha, the Young Sect Leader is right. When the Sect Leader returned, she not only brought back Purple Spirit Crystals, but also two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills. Her gains were truly considerable."
"Young Sect Leader, you are already a high-level Dou Master. Once you break through to the Da Dou Shi realm and take those two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills, your strength will rise once more. When the Three-Year Agreement comes, that Xiao Yan will certainly be no match for you!"
At the mention of Xiao Yan's name, Nalan Yanran's expression turned cold. She gritted her silver teeth. "Hmph, I will never forget the humiliation he brought upon me that day!"
"During the Three-Year Agreement, I will definitely defeat him!"
"Young Sect Leader..." Yun Jing was stunned. He had not expected Nalan Yanran to be so obsessed with the Three-Year Agreement.
Nalan Yanran exhaled and returned to her usual expression. "Elder Yun Jing, let us not discuss this. My master sent us here because she learned that Elder Gu He's brother, Gute, has Ice Spirit Cold Spring in his possession. We are to trade for it."
"Since we do not know Mister Gute's exact address, let us ask at the Alchemist Guild here."
Yun Jing had no objections. "All right, then let us go."
After resting at the inn and easing the exhaustion of his long journey, Xiao Yan regained his vigor. He took out an ancient, textured white mask patterned with flames from his Storage Ring and put it on.
After leaving the inn, Xiao Yan asked a passerby for directions to the Alchemist Guild and headed straight there.
At the entrance to the Alchemist Guild, two guards stopped Xiao Yan and asked for a letter of introduction.
Xiao Yan did not waste words. With a flick of his wrist, he turned his palm upward, and strange Purple Flame emerged.
"A real flame! You are a Tier 4 Alchemist!" the two guards cried out.
Xiao Yan raised a finger, signaling for them to be quiet. His voice was calm. "Do not make a fuss."
The two guards immediately shut their mouths, silent as cicadas in winter.
Xiao Yan ignored them and strode into the hall.
A faint medicinal fragrance wafted toward him. Xiao Yan's nose twitched slightly as he instinctively named the Medicinal Herbs: "Soul-Calming Grass, Curved-Tail Flower, branches of the Four-Wind Tree... The pairing is not bad. The person who blended this incense is reasonably skilled."
"Only reasonably skilled?" An aged voice sounded behind Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan turned and saw an old man in Tier 4 Alchemist robes smiling at him.
"There is not enough Soul-Calming Grass, the Curved-Tail Flowers are not old enough, and there is a better substitute for the branches of the Four-Wind Tree. Improve all three points, and the quality of this incense can rise several levels."
As the old man listened to Xiao Yan, his eyes suddenly lit up. "That is indeed true. I always felt this incense had some flaws, but I could never put my finger on them. I never expected you to point them out so easily. I will improve it when I return."
Xiao Yan came to his senses and respectfully cupped his hands. "So this incense was blended by you, sir. Pointing out its flaws in person was somewhat discourteous of me."
The old man immediately laughed. "Haha, calling yourself junior? Tell me your age. You may not necessarily be younger than I am."
"Based on the skill you displayed just now, you must have studied Medicinal Herbs for countless years and encountered who knows how many of them to develop such ability. Even if you have disguised your voice to sound young, I do not believe you are truly young."
Xiao Yan did not refute him. He was waiting to make a big show of it, so he said, "I came here to have my Alchemist rank assessed. Since you are a Tier 4 Alchemist, senior, why not make an exception and help me finish the assessment quickly?"
The old man nodded in agreement. "For the sake of your pointing out the flaws in my incense, I will make this exception for you."
"Oh, right. My name is Frank, and I am the president of the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild. What is your name?"
"Yan Xiao."
"Yan Xiao? I have not heard of you. Are you an Alchemist from another empire?" Frank guessed.
"No. I previously studied alchemy with my master deep in the mountains and never had my rank assessed, so it was delayed until now," Xiao Yan explained.
"I see. That is rather rare. Then what rank of Alchemist are you preparing to be assessed for?" Frank asked.
The corners of Xiao Yan's lips curled beneath his mask. "Sixth Tier."
"Sixth Tier? Then come with me... Wait, what rank did you say?!" Frank's expression froze as his eyes widened.
"Sixth Tier." Xiao Yan secretly reveled in it and repeated himself.
Frank instinctively lowered his bearing. "Sixth-Rank Alchemist, our small place has no way to assess that rank. After all, we cannot even gather a complete set of Medicinal Herbs for a Tier 6 Medicinal Pill."
Xiao Yan shook his head indifferently. "It does not matter. I have a set of Medicinal Herbs for a Dou Ling Pill in my Storage Ring. Your guild need not prepare any Medicinal Herbs."
"A Dou Ling Pill?! You said you are going to refine a Dou Ling Pill?!" Frank's breathing grew heavier, his eyes filled with delight.
He no longer cared whether the person before him had some hobby of disguising himself as a young man.
Bringing his own Medicinal Herbs for a Tier 6 Medicinal Pill solely for a rank assessment—it could not possibly be a prank meant to toy with him.
This also meant that he might actually have the fortune to observe a Sixth-Rank Alchemist personally refine a pill, and a Dou Ling Pill at that, one of the most difficult Tier 6 Medicinal Pills!
It was no exaggeration to say so.
If the person before him could truly refine a Dou Ling Pill and he watched the entire process with his own eyes, his alchemy might advance considerably.
How could he not be delighted?
Just as Frank was rejoicing, two figures appeared at the entrance of the Alchemist Guild.
An old man and a young woman, both dressed in clothing bearing the highly recognizable patterns of the Misty Cloud Sect.
As soon as they entered, the young woman spoke first. "Which one of you is President Frank?"
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