Alchemy Hall

Now that he was here, Lin Cheng took the opportunity to point out some of the flaws in his disciple's cultivation.

A few hours later, he finally saw Meng Tangtang off.

Lin Cheng began studying his newly acquired secondary profession: alchemy.

Everyone knew which profession was the most sought-after on the continent.

More than ninety percent of people would answer without a moment's thought: alchemists!

Take the Mystic Pill Sect, one of the Ten Great Sects. Its disciples were weak, unscrupulous, and ruthless, and even its resident Innate Realm expert was only a recent breakthrough.

Yet its strength was still inferior to that of the former Jingyun Sect.

Still, the Mystic Pill Sect had always ranked among the top five of the Ten Great Sects!

Why?

Alchemists!

The Mystic Pill Sect had relatively few members, only a few hundred—far fewer than the thousands upon thousands of disciples in the other great sects. But every single one of its disciples was an alchemist!

Its Grand Elder was even a Yellow-Grade Alchemist.

With someone like that guarding the sect, who would dare set their sights on the Mystic Pill Sect?

Every sect came eagerly to curry favor with them. Even the Five Elements Sect, a second-star sect, didn't want to provoke the Mystic Pill Sect.

Just how terrifying was the influence of a high-grade alchemist?

A few scattered lines in historical records were enough to show.

The Southern Region had once been home to more than just the Ten Great Sects. There had been many other powers on equal footing with them, including a Lineage with a foundation no weaker than that of the Ten Great Sects.

But the head of that Lineage was too greedy and lustful, acting without restraint. He even set his sights on the beloved daughter of a reclusive Yellow-Grade Alchemist.

In his fury, the alchemist summoned five Innate Realm experts and even a Foundation Establishment Venerable.

In a single night, every member of that Lineage was wiped out—not even the chickens and dogs were spared.

A Lineage that had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Ten Great Sects was erased from the continent overnight.

Afterward, countless powers were left aghast, finally realizing just how terrifying a high-grade alchemist could be.

From then on, an unwritten rule began circulating across the continent.

Never provoke an alchemist lightly.

And if you did provoke one, don't hesitate—wipe them out root and branch!

Don't give them the chance to gather reinforcements.

Otherwise, you would meet the same fate as that great Lineage.

After reading the story, Lin Cheng had gained some understanding of the lofty status alchemists enjoyed.

"If a Yellow-Grade Alchemist is already this formidable, just how terrifying must an alchemist of a higher grade be? Surely someone like that wouldn't give a tiny place like the Southern Region a second glance."

Lin Cheng was full of anticipation.

With the system's help, now that his secondary alchemist profession had awakened, becoming a top-tier alchemist was only a matter of time.

He just needed to keep refining pills.

"I'm short on medicinal ingredients and don't have any pill recipes. A beginner has to start with the simple stuff, then gradually work up to more difficult recipes."

Lin Cheng did have plenty of good things in his system space, but they were mostly finished pills, divine weapons, cultivation techniques, and the like.

He really didn't have any pill recipes.

Nor did he have any medicinal ingredients.

What was he supposed to do? Even with all the talent in the world, an alchemist couldn't make pills without recipes and ingredients.

Ask the sect?

If he did so as the hidden patriarch, it wouldn't be a problem, but it would lead to all sorts of needless speculation and trouble.

Lin Cheng immediately dismissed the idea.

Ask his disciple?

He couldn't bring himself to do that.

As for other options, he was currently no more than a menial outer-sect disciple. The only way for him to get medicinal ingredients and pill recipes was by completing sect missions.

"If I remember right, Jingyun Sect has an Alchemy Hall. They've recently been recruiting disciples interested in learning alchemy."

"They must provide the ingredients."

"I might as well go take a look."

Lin Cheng acted as soon as the thought struck him. He told Xiao Jin to stay behind and keep watch, then immediately left the Library Pavilion and headed straight for the Alchemy Hall.

As one of the Ten Great Sects of the Southern Region, Jingyun Sect offered its disciples a wide range of paths to cultivate.

Cultivation was its main focus, but it also had other halls.

For example, the Alchemy Hall.

Anyone with talent who passed the test could become an alchemy apprentice and learn the art of pill refining.

Jingyun Sect wasn't known for alchemy, but its skill in the art was still respectable, aside from the Mystic Pill Sect.

Accordingly, the Alchemy Hall held a very high status within Jingyun Sect.

Anyone who joined it—even a mere outer-sect menial—could receive treatment on par with an inner-sect disciple.

As a result, large numbers of outer-sect disciples came every year to try their luck.

Even if they truly lacked talent, getting noticed by an alchemist and becoming a fire-tending apprentice would still be a leap to the heavens.

When Lin Cheng arrived outside the Alchemy Hall, he found a long line already winding its way around the place. It was quite a sight.

"Not qualified!"

"Next batch!"

The middle-aged steward called out with a dark expression. Several disciples left with their heads hanging, and a dozen more went in, hearts full of apprehension.

"Not qualified!"

"Not qualified!"

One rejection after another left the hopeful disciples thoroughly dejected.

The middle-aged steward remained expressionless. Alchemy was the most prestigious profession on the continent—how could it be easy to enter?

Nearly a hundred disciples had come over the past month.

Only a tiny handful with real talent had been kept on.

Alchemists were a rare breed to begin with.

"Next!"

After waiting for nearly an hour, it was finally Lin Cheng's turn.

"Come with me."

The middle-aged steward glanced at Lin Cheng and gave him the usual warning. "Once you're inside, don't touch anything. Do whatever they tell you to do. If you break something, you couldn't afford to pay for it even if they sold you. Don't get yourself into trouble. Understood?"

"For an outer-sect disciple, having a third-stage cultivation is pretty good. Good luck!"

With that, he left without looking back.

To keep his identity hidden, Lin Cheng had naturally suppressed his aura to around the third stage. With the Great Concealment Art, hiding his cultivation was easy.

Inside an alchemy room sat three alchemists in white robes.

Two were low-grade, and one was mid-grade.

From lowest to highest, the grades went: low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade.

Only after those came Yellow-Grade Alchemists.

"Name!"

"Outer-sect disciple, Lin Cheng."

"Cultivation?"

"Peak third stage."

At this, the alchemist asking the questions showed a hint of surprise. Most who came here were outer-sect disciples, and normally their cultivation was below the third stage. Reaching the third stage meant pretty good talent.

The man gave a slight nod and pointed.

"See the Spirit Bead on the table? Put your hand on it. If it lights up, you pass."

Lin Cheng was surprised. All he had to do was put his hand on it? Was it really that simple?

As if he had read Lin Cheng's thoughts, the man gave a muffled laugh. "Young man, don't think it'll be easy. This Spirit Bead contains fire energy and a trace of wood energy. It can test an alchemist's talent. If you can resonate with it and make it light up, you pass."

"This has stumped more people than you can count."

"For an alchemist, talent comes first and hard work second. Without talent, no amount of effort will help."

As he spoke, the man seemed to recall something, and a wistful look crossed his face.

Lin Cheng nodded.

Without another word, he put his hand on the bead.

Only by becoming an alchemist could he take on medicinal ingredient missions in large quantities.

With ingredients, he could refine pills quickly.

His progress in cultivation depended on it.

The test was simple, but it was still necessary.

Countless curious eyes turned toward him. The three alchemists watched the Spirit Bead too. They didn't expect much, but a few promising candidates always appeared among the applicants. Every new alchemist raised Jingyun Sect's overall strength by a notch.

If a Yellow-Grade Alchemist appeared, Jingyun Sect could instantly rise to the level of the Mystic Pill Sect. Even second-star sects would be willing to treat it as an equal.