Peak Fourth Grade

[Constitution: None.]

[Copy Time: Twenty Minutes.]

[Copy?]

Clearly, as Xiao Lei's cultivation rose, the time he needed to copy Otto's abilities shrank dramatically. After all, Xiao Lei had the Woe Poison Body.

The side effects of copying had also lessened. Of course, alchemy was delicate work; even the slightest mistake could put out the flame.

Just as expected, halfway through his third attempt at refining a pill, he burned the ingredients again.

Looking at the pill cauldron before him, Otto let out a long sigh.

"Ah! Forget it. It seems we're not fated to become master and disciple. Let's call off the apprenticeship."

"Oh—psst!"

"Little fellow, wait here for a while. I need to go relieve myself. I'll be back shortly to personally give you your Alchemist Badge and alchemist robe!"

At the same time, the copy timer before Xiao Lei's eyes ran out.

[Copy successful.]

[Please choose an option to copy.]

"Copy Alchemy Technique!"

There were only two things about Otto that Xiao Lei wanted. Alchemists weren't good at fighting, and after looking over Otto's Dou Techniques, Xiao Lei hadn't found them very appealing. As for soul power, the system would forcibly raise Xiao Lei's soul-power level when he copied the alchemy technique.

[Copy successful. The host has become a high-level Fourth-Rank Alchemist, and his soul power has risen to the level of a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.]

It went remarkably smoothly. Just like that, Xiao Lei became a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.

A flood of information poured into Xiao Lei's mind. It was all knowledge Otto had accumulated over the several decades he'd spent learning alchemy, including the Bone Tempering Pill he had just tried to refine.

Since the system gave Xiao Lei everything related to alchemy, he also acquired plenty of knowledge that only touched on the subject.

For example, knowledge about Heavenly Flames and how to refine Beast Flames...

Among the knowledge he'd gained from Otto, Xiao Lei found a way to obtain a Beast Flame, though it was rather difficult.

"Blood Flame. Offer the flesh and blood of a fire-attribute magical beast as a sacrifice, use the bloodline of a magical beast of at least the sixth rank as a catalyst, and condense a Blood Flame..."

No wonder Otto had been so shocked to see Xiao Yan's Beast Flame in the original story. If obtaining a Beast Flame required meeting those standards, then one really did need either great fortune or immense strength.

"Little fellow, the pill that old Otto was refining is called the Bone Tempering Pill. It's the pill he's best at making, and he usually succeeds nine times out of ten. But for some reason, he's made mistakes three times in a row today. Even I'm astonished..."

"Given that, perhaps you really aren't suited to becoming master and disciple..."

Frank spoke earnestly, unaware that Xiao Lei's gaze had already swept over his head.

[Target: A renowned Alchemist of Black Rock City.]

[Cultivation: Six-Star Dou Ling.]

[Cultivation Method: Flame Chasing Art, Middle Huang Rank.]

[Dou Technique:...]

[Alchemy Technique: High-level Fourth Rank.]

[Constitution: None.]

[Copy Time: Ten Minutes.]

[Copy?]

Now that Xiao Lei had a high-level Fourth-Rank Alchemy Technique, the copy time for Frank, whose skills were similar to Otto's, had shrunk again.

"Copy."

Xiao Lei sent the thought to the system, then turned to chat with Frank.

"Then may I ask what kind of pill you're best at refining, senior?"

"Marrow Cleansing Pills, naturally. Back when I studied under my master, I got the formula for them from him. Like the Bone Tempering Pill, they can improve one's natural talent to a degree, so they're very popular with the children of prominent families. After reaching the fourth rank, I refined them many times."

"But the more I made them, the more I felt that the formula passed down by my master had flaws. It involved many cumbersome techniques during refinement, which only made the process more difficult."

"So I spent several years studying it in depth and eventually improved the formula. The Marrow Cleansing Pill became the pill I'm best at refining..."

Frank rambled on, recounting the most stirring achievement of his life to Xiao Lei...

Even the discomfort caused by the system's copying had no effect on Frank's impassioned speech, though the discomfort would only last ten minutes...

Xiao Lei listened quietly, nodding from time to time.

There were far too many people in this world who would rather pay attention to the trivial details of a celebrity's life than listen to the passion surging in the heart of someone beside them...

Ten minutes passed in a flash.

[Please choose a copy option.]

"Alchemy Technique!"

Xiao Lei calmly sent the thought to the system. Ever since he'd first copied Guni's Alchemy Technique, he'd wondered whether copying an Alchemy Technique worked like copying cultivation, overwriting what he already had, or...

A familiar sensation came over him. Knowledge related to alchemy raced through Xiao Lei's mind, and the pills recorded within felt as if he'd refined each one countless times.

The tremendous flood of information left Xiao Lei dazed. His head throbbed and spun for a long while before the feeling finally passed.

Frank noticed something was wrong with Xiao Lei and was about to ask, but Xiao Lei waved to show that he was fine.

"Otto's and Guni's Alchemy Techniques were so different that fusing them didn't have much of an effect. But after adding Frank's similar technique, I've actually gained so much."

[Copy successful. The host now possesses a Peak Fourth-Grade Alchemy Technique.]

Xiao Lei rubbed his temples, and the discomfort in his head finally eased a little.

Otto's and Frank's Alchemy Techniques had just fused rapidly in his mind, giving him many insights that neither man possessed. In an instant, his alchemy skills had reached the peak of the fourth grade. From now on, refining fourth-grade pills could no longer trouble him.

After all, the system itself had judged it to be peak fourth grade!

"So copying Alchemy Techniques is incredibly valuable!"

There weren't many top-grade alchemists in this era. The alchemists capable of refining Ninth Grade Profound Pills could be counted on one hand. If Xiao Lei's copies of Alchemy Techniques merely overwrote one another, the best he could do would be to refine Ninth Grade Profound Pills just like them.

But things were different now. Xiao Lei might be able to gather the world's Alchemy Techniques into one, achieve a great breakthrough, and refine Ninth Grade Golden Pills—or even something higher!

Of course, that was still a long way off.

Even in Xiao Lei's current situation, though, the implications were significant.

"What level could I reach if I copied Fama's and Gu He's Alchemy Techniques at the same time?"

Just thinking about it got him a little excited!

Frank saw Xiao Lei suddenly grin like an idiot...

"Uh... did something just give the little fellow a shock?"

Fortunately, Otto returned looking refreshed. He hadn't felt this comfortable in a long time.

"Little fellow, come with me to collect your Alchemist Badge and robe!"

Seeing how refreshed Otto looked, Xiao Lei was surprised. Hadn't he said he was uncomfortable? Why did he look like nothing was wrong?

Xiao Lei remembered how Xiao Zhan had looked at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, as if he'd eaten... something, and had been forced to endure it until cold sweat poured down his face...

"This alchemist robe is made from special materials. Its defensive properties are even better than the armor issued to the empire's soldiers. It's one of the benefits of joining the Alchemist Guild."

"Additionally, you can use the guild to collect any resources you need. You only have to provide suitable compensation."

Listening to Otto explain the various benefits of being an alchemist, Xiao Lei couldn't help but marvel at the absurdly exalted status alchemists enjoyed on the Dou Qi Continent.

"In that case, sorry for the trouble, but I'd like the guild to help me buy some poison-attribute Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques!"

Xiao Lei made no attempt to hide it. He was a Six-Star Dou Ling now and had no need to skulk around in the shadows.

"Poison-attribute Cultivation Methods?"

"Oh! No problem. I'll do my best to find them through the guild's channels."

"Also, I'd like to invite you to become an honorary elder of the guild, Xiao Lei. What do you say?"

Xiao Lei didn't answer, only putting on a thoughtful expression.

"Oh, an honorary elder doesn't need to hold any position in the guild. You'd mainly serve as a public face. After all, an alchemist as young as you who's already a Second-Rank Alchemist is a rare sight even in the empire's history!"

"Haha, sounds good, Master Otto. It's just that I still have a lot to take care of. I'll be leaving Black Rock City in seven days, so I'll give you an answer then."

Xiao Lei soon left the Alchemist Guild, and as soon as he was gone, Otto immediately gave the order:

Do everything possible to gather poison-attribute Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques within seven days!