Application for Assessment

Black Rock City, one of the most prosperous cities in the Jia Ma Empire; compared to it, Wutan City is like a remote backwater.

The fact that there are even fourth-tier alchemists here, who are rare in Wutan City, is enough to show its prosperity.

Furthermore, Black Rock City also possesses a flight transport team...

Of course, this is not the main point of Xiao Lei's trip.

Leaving Green Mountain Town, Xiao Lei and Xiao Yi Xian rode her Blue Eagle, flying directly and rapidly toward Black Rock City, finally arriving at this majestic city several days later.

"Xiao Lei, you said you came here to take the alchemist badge exam, but aren't you already a second-tier alchemist? Why don't you even have a first-tier alchemist badge?"

Everything about Xiao Lei seemed very strange in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes; he possessed the cultivation of a Dou Grandmaster, yet used a Yellow-tier low-level cultivation method.

If you were to call him poor, he possessed Xuan-tier Dou Skills, and besides, there is no such thing as a poor alchemist.

Now, she had discovered that Xiao Lei could refine second-tier medicinal pills with extreme ease, yet he still lacked even an alchemist badge.

"The city I was in before didn't have a place to take the alchemist badge exam, so I never took it. That's not the point; passing it is. By then, given my current age, I should be invited by the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild to become an honorary elder, and at that time, I can help you obtain a poison-attribute cultivation method through them."

Having stayed in Green Mountain Town for so long, Xiao Yi Xian had long since condensed her Dou Qi cyclone and become a Dou Practitioner. The uniqueness of the Woe Poison Body allowed Xiao Yi Xian to continue increasing her cultivation even without having started a cultivation method.

However, a cultivation method was still necessary, and furthermore, poison-type Dou Skills were essential; otherwise, having a body full of poison Dou Qi would be useless if she couldn't unleash her strength.

Keeping Xiao Yi Xian by his side could reduce many variables. Xiao Lei wasn't sure how Xiao Yi Xian had grown up in the Chu Yun Empire in the original story, and if she were to kick the bucket in the Chu Yun Empire early because of him, wouldn't Xiao Lei be losing an assistant?

After much deliberation, Xiao Lei still decided to keep her by his side.

"To save time, I'll head straight to the Alchemist Guild. You can wander around Black Rock City as you please!"

Xiao Lei couldn't wait to witness the honorable countenances of the two alchemists for an extended period!

Xiao Yi Xian didn't say much. This was her first time leaving Green Mountain Town, and many things were fresh to her; her attention was focused on these novelties, and after receiving Xiao Lei's signal, she headed deep into the streets.

Soon, guided by passersby, Xiao Lei arrived in front of a building shaped like a medicine cauldron.

Without much conflict, Xiao Lei tipped the two guards standing at the gate with a piece of the lowest-grade medicinal pill and was allowed to pass.

After all, regardless of whether Xiao Lei was an alchemist or not, being able to use medicinal pills as a tip meant his strength was extraordinary.

Seeing Xiao Lei enter the door, a maid soon approached him in the lobby.

"Sir, may I ask what business brings you here?"

Seeing that Xiao Lei was not wearing an alchemist badge, the maid assumed he was there for other matters at the Alchemist Guild.

"I would like to apply for the second-tier alchemist examination. Please report it!"

Unlike the unified examination for the first tier, because the number of people taking the second-tier alchemist exam dropped sharply, the Alchemist Guild did not hold unified exams, but rather allowed alchemists to apply independently.

Upon hearing this, a strange look appeared on the maid's face.

"Has the master ever participated in the first-tier alchemist examination?"

Seeing that Xiao Lei didn't even have the lowest first-tier alchemist badge, the maid truly didn't dare to report it for him directly!

"If I recall correctly, your guild does not seem to have a regulation stating that one must first participate in the first-tier alchemist examination before applying for the second-tier one, right!"

The maid was speechless. The Black Rock City Alchemist Guild truly did not have such a regulation, as, according to the thought process of a normal person, one would have to pass the first tier before the second!

"Sir, why don't you go back for now? Wait a few more days for the first-tier alchemist examination to begin, and you can take the first-tier badge before applying for the second-tier exam?"

Xiao Lei was doing this only because the first-tier exam was still a long way off, so he decided to just take the second-tier one directly.

"To dare apply for the second-tier alchemist examination without even a first-tier badge—are you here to waste the guild's medicinal herbs?"

Just as Xiao Lei was arguing the reasonableness of his actions with the maid, an arrogant voice rang out from behind him.

Xiao Lei turned his head and saw a girl of about twenty standing behind him with her hands on her hips, looking at him.

Xiao Lei first looked at the other party's eyes.

Hmm, she was staring at him.

That was fine!

Xiao Lei shifted his gaze elsewhere. Lin Fei was wearing a purple dress today, yet the loose clothing still failed to conceal her formidable "strength."

Her legs were not as good as Xiao Yu's!

That was Xiao Lei's assessment.

"If we are talking about wasting the guild's herbs, I'm afraid I'm no match for Miss Lin Fei. After all, this is my first time participating in the exam, whereas for Miss Lin Fei... well, Xiao doesn't know about that!"

Xiao Lei retorted without hesitation. Just because she was pretty didn't mean she could do whatever she wanted; he, Xiao Lei, was so handsome and yet still kept such a low profile.

"You... you!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Fei's face turned red with shame. She had insisted on participating in the last exam, only to nearly blow up the cauldron while refining, losing all face in the process.

"Since you know who I am, how dare you be so presumptuous! Apologize to me at once!"

He was only speaking the truth, so why did he have to apologize!

Xiao Lei couldn't be bothered to pay her any mind. She was, after all, just a disciple of Otto, possessing no real strength of her own, so Xiao Lei didn't take her seriously at all. Instead, he turned back to continue bickering with the maid.

"If you cannot make the decision, then report it to Master Otto or Master Frank for a final verdict."

Although Xiao Lei had never met the two, according to the original story, he knew they were very fond of geniuses. If he could get the matter in front of them, the examination could basically proceed.

After all, in the eyes of the two, the medicinal ingredients required for a single Tier 2 medicinal pill were far less important than a sixteen-year-old Tier 2 alchemist, if such a thing were even possible.

"Hmph, I'll report this to my teacher, and I'll make sure your application is rejected!"

Lin Fei had already decided in her heart how she would use the limited influence of her master-disciple relationship with Otto to obstruct Xiao Lei and force him to apologize to her.

Just thinking about it made her a little excited!

"Who is making a ruckus in the hall!"

Just as Xiao Lei and the others were at a stalemate, Otto's voice suddenly rang out through the hall.

Shortly after, an old man was seen walking toward Xiao Lei and the others with a lazy gait.

On the old man's chest was a rustic badge, and upon that badge was a medicine cauldron accompanied by four delicate ripples.

Before Xiao Lei could even speak, Lin Fei rushed to Otto's side, grabbed his arm, and began to act spoiled while tattling on Xiao Lei.

"Teacher, this guy isn't even a Tier 1 alchemist, yet he came to apply for the Tier 2 alchemist examination. I just said one thing, and he started mocking me about my previous examination attempt, even saying it was because of your poor instruction!"

Avoiding the important points while exaggerating the details—this was a skill possessed by everyone who loved to tattle.

Xiao Lei shrugged, too lazy to explain; the truth of such matters was often unimportant, as it all depended on what Otto himself chose to believe.

Xiao Lei took a Qi Recovery Pill from his Storage Ring and handed it to Otto.

"Master Otto, this pill was refined by this junior. Whether you believe it or not is unimportant, but if this junior fails the examination, how about using this pill to offset the cost of the medicinal ingredients?"

Otto took the Qi Recovery Pill and opened the cap to observe it carefully.

"The pill fragrance is rich and the luster is bright; it must have been refined recently. It is indeed possible that he refined it himself."

After just a brief inspection, Otto had a good idea of the situation, and he handed the pill back.

"The Black Rock City Alchemist Guild does not require candidates to pay for their own medicinal ingredients for the Tier 2 examination; the guild covers them. Take it back, lest others say that our Black Rock City Alchemist Guild is stingy."

"As for the examination... follow me!"

Hearing this, Xiao Lei was not the least bit surprised, but Lin Fei was...