Fourth-Rank Alchemist

Su Zhao smoothed things over. "They're only accompanying us today and won't be taking part in the assessment."

Otto and Frank were both shrewd men. Seeing Su You's aloof, unapproachable demeanor, they did not press further. They merely nodded, exchanged a few pleasantries about the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, then immediately went off to arrange the alchemist assessment.

Given Su Zhao's bearing, they did not dare slight him. How could a young man capable of subduing a sixth-rank Magic Beast lack the backing of a major power?

Before long, the assessment was ready.

Since Su Zhao had never taken an alchemist assessment before, the rules required him to begin with the most basic first-rank alchemist examination.

Su Zhao did not mind. First rank it was.

He had roughly estimated that, with his current cultivation as a seven-star Dou Master and the enhancement of his Fire Spirit Body, refining third- or fourth-rank pills should not be a problem. Over this past month of cultivation, his dou qi cultivation had also risen by another star.

Although he possessed the Dan Emperor's inheritance, with every experience, technique, and even the entire process of alchemy clearly laid out in his mind, each step incomparably distinct, he had never personally refined a pill before.

Those were the Dan Emperor's memories of alchemy. As for his own first attempt at pill refining, he was still somewhat expectant.

All pill furnaces and medicinal ingredients required for the alchemist assessment were provided by the Alchemist Association.

There had originally been no alchemist assessment scheduled for today, but Otto and Frank had specially arranged an individual assessment for Su Zhao.

Naturally, the two of them would personally serve as the examiners.

Su Zhao's first-rank alchemist assessment was to refine a first-rank Strength-Accumulating Pill.

He knew the formula for the Strength-Accumulating Pill. The Dan Emperor's inheritance contained refining methods for countless pills, and the first-rank Strength-Accumulating Pill was merely an insignificant little entry among them.

He swept his gaze over the medicinal ingredients prepared before him. After confirming that there were no mistakes, he reached out and picked up the pill furnace.

Su Zhao slowly closed his eyes and carefully familiarized himself with the full process of refining a Strength-Accumulating Pill from his memories. From igniting the fire to purification, from fusion to pill formation, he rehearsed every step in his mind.

A moment later, he opened his eyes. With a lift of his hand, a crimson flame rose from his palm. As the flame surged, countless tiny beastly phantoms churned and roared within it.

Otto and Frank, who were observing from the side, were both startled!

That crimson flame, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of beastly phantoms, carried an ancient, savage aura. It clearly possessed the unique characteristics of a Heavenly Flame!

"This is..."

Otto cried out in shock, while Frank nodded blankly.

"A Heavenly Flame! This is a Heavenly Flame! Judging by its form and color, it should be the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, ranked twenty-second on the Heavenly Flame List!"

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

Alchemists who possessed Heavenly Flames were already exceedingly rare. Yet Su Zhao was so young, with cultivation only at the Dou Master realm, and he had already mastered a Heavenly Flame!

Such fortune was truly enviable!

But this was only their initial surprise. What truly left them dumbfounded was Su Zhao's pill-refining technique that followed.

Igniting the fire, controlling the temperature, tempering, purifying.

Su Zhao's movements flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water, without the slightest unnecessary motion.

Every step was precise to the extreme, and every adjustment of the flame was perfectly judged.

Though it was clearly his first time personally refining a pill, his manner was like that of a battle-tested grandmaster alchemist casually refining an ordinary pill.

Under the scorching heat of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, the ingredients in the pill furnace rapidly melted, purified, and fused. Impurities were removed, while the medicinal liquid gradually solidified.

The entire process took only about a minute.

As Su Zhao struck the pill furnace with his palm, the lid sprang open. A crimson pill flew out, tracing a smooth arc through the air before landing steadily in his palm.

The pill's surface was glossy and rounded, with faint patterns flowing across its body.

"Gentlemen, a first-rank Strength-Accumulating Pill. Please judge it."

Su Zhao handed over the pill.

Otto hurriedly accepted it and stared closely. "Pill patterns... These are pill patterns! A first-rank Strength-Accumulating Pill actually has pill patterns... Supreme grade! A supreme-grade Strength-Accumulating Pill!"

Frank also leaned forward from the side, scrutinized it for a moment, and repeatedly nodded.

Although it was only a first-rank pill, it had been casually refined to supreme grade. Even the two of them could not necessarily guarantee such a result.

Otto drew a deep breath, his expression growing more solemn. "May I ask who taught you alchemy, young friend? The master capable of teaching an alchemy genius such as yourself must surely be a renowned alchemy master."

Su Zhao chuckled and waved his hand.

"My master travels the world and has forbidden me from casually revealing his honored name. Please forgive me."

"Of course, of course. We were presumptuous."

Otto hurriedly cupped his hands and did not ask further. Instead, he smiled.

"Young friend, congratulations. You have passed your first-rank alchemist assessment. From this day forward, you are a distinguished first-rank alchemist."

Su Zhao smiled calmly, showing no wild delight. Instead, he continued, "Prepare the second-rank alchemist assessment. I want to continue."

"You... you want to continue?"

Otto and Frank exchanged a glance. Su Zhao looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.

A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old taking the second-rank alchemist assessment? Yet when they recalled Su Zhao's fluid technique while refining the first-rank pill, they began to waver. With that kind of technique, passing the second-rank alchemist assessment seemed entirely possible.

They said no more and immediately began preparing the assessment for a second-rank alchemist.

A moment later...

The doors to the assessment room finally opened again. Su Zhao walked out first, while Otto and Frank followed behind him, their expressions already somewhat numb.

A closer look would reveal that Su Zhao now had a brand-new alchemist badge pinned to his chest. Four faint lines flowed across it—it was unmistakably a fourth-rank alchemist badge!

That was right. Su Zhao had taken four consecutive assessments, rising from first rank all the way to fourth rank and becoming a genuine fourth-rank alchemist.

This was only because, with his current cultivation as a seven-star Dou Master, the dou qi stored in his body was enough to support the refinement of fourth-rank pills. Otherwise, he felt that he could have continued onward and challenged even higher ranks.

The Dan Emperor's inheritance rewarded by the system was simply too powerful. Those alchemy techniques, flame-control skills, pill formulas, and medicinal principles all seemed carved into the depths of his soul. He had even skipped the stage of learning them; he merely needed to become familiar with putting the techniques from his memories into practice.

Otto and Frank followed Su Zhao out of the assessment room. They exchanged a glance, and both saw profound shock in the other's eyes.

Sixteen years old and a fourth-rank alchemist—such talent could not be found a second time, not just in Blackrock City, but even across the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Otto cupped his hands, his tone filled with undisguised admiration. "Young friend, your pill-refining skill is truly astounding. As you said, you are only sixteen this year. A sixteen-year-old fourth-rank alchemist... I would not dare say there will never be another, but throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire, there has at least never been one before."