Telan City Alchemist Association, Ya Fei's Troubles

Deep within the Telan City Alchemist Association, inside an office.

Three old men sat around a table.

"The next Alchemist Tournament should be held next year." The old man speaking wore a troubled expression.

His name was Kato Taka, a fourth-tier alchemist and also the president of the Telan City Alchemist Association.

The two men seated across from him were the association's vice presidents. The one on the left was Tian Zhong, while the one on the right was Barton.

Kato Taka asked, "How are the disciples you two have trained? Do they have a chance of passing the third-tier alchemist assessment?"

Tian Zhong's disciple was Jiang Fan, and Barton's disciple was Xia Yu. Both were twenty-five years old.

As early as five years ago, Telan City had begun preparing for the Alchemist Tournament. Many alchemist associations did the same.

If locally registered alchemists achieved high rankings in the competition, the association would receive preferential resource allocations from headquarters the following year.

As one of the Jia Ma Empire's few major cities, Telan City's Alchemist Association had not had an alchemist enter the top ten in many years.

"President, they'll be here for their assessments today. They have roughly a fifty percent chance of passing," Tian Zhong said.

Kato Taka's face brightened. "Good. If they pass, make sure to push them hard over the next year. We must strive for a good ranking in the Alchemist Tournament."

In previous Alchemist Tournaments, the alchemists competing for the top ten were mostly third-tier alchemists.

Knock, knock!

Someone knocked on the door.

"It must be Jiang Fan and Xia Yu, here for their assessments." Kato Taka smiled and called for them to enter.

The door opened, and a staff member led in a woman wearing a red dress.

"President Kato," the woman said.

Kato Taka frowned. "Miss Ya Fei, why have you come again? I've told you many times already. We're preparing for next year's Alchemist Tournament, so we truly cannot arrange a third-tier alchemist for you."

Ya Fei's expression did not change in the face of the rejection.

She was already used to it.

This was her third visit to the Alchemist Association. Her purpose was simple: to hire a third-tier alchemist as an adviser for the auction house, responsible for assessing the value of the herbs and pills acquired by the auction house.

Having left Wu Tan City, she was about to head to South Star City to become an elder of the newly opened Mittel Auction House branch there.

At that time, she would have full management authority over the auction house.

"President Kato..." Ya Fei tried to persuade him.

However, Kato Taka raised a hand to cut her off. "Miss Ya Fei, I know what you're going to say. It's useless. You should seek someone else."

Ya Fei's eyes dimmed as she left the office.

"A place like South Star City is not even as good as Wu Tan City. Yet a newly opened branch actually wants a third-tier alchemist stationed there," Tian Zhong said.

"Exactly. We can enjoy all the conditions she mentioned right here in Telan City. Why make a special trip to South Star City?" Barton echoed.

President Kato Taka himself was the affiliated alchemist of the Telan City Mittel Auction House branch.

"If Miss Ya Fei comes again, don't bring her here," Kato Taka instructed the staff member.

The staff member acknowledged the order and left the office.

The next moment, there was another knock at the door.

"This time, it must be Jiang Fan and Xia Yu," Tian Zhong said with a smile.

Kato Taka smiled as he looked toward the door.

A staff member hurried in, panting as he reported, "President, someone wishes to take the third-tier alchemist assessment."

"It's only a third-tier alchemist assessment. Just take him there. Is there any need for you to be so flustered?" Barton said.

Having been interrupted repeatedly, Kato Taka's anticipation for Jiang Fan and Xia Yu immediately diminished.

With an unhappy expression, he said, "See which third-tier alchemist is free and have them oversee the assessment. The two vice presidents and I have more important matters to discuss."

"President, the person taking the assessment is only nineteen years old," the staff member said.

Bang!

Kato Taka abruptly rose to his feet, knocking over his chair. "Say that again. How old?"

"Nineteen," the staff member replied.

Kato Taka immediately prepared to head out. "Quick, which assessment room is that alchemist in? Take me there."

"President," Tian Zhong called after him, "don't be so hasty. What if it's a prank?"

"Old Tian has a point," Barton said. "Even Pill King Gu He was only a first-tier alchemist at nineteen."

Kato Taka stopped where he was.

The Alchemist Tournament has put me under too much pressure. I nearly forgot to verify such important information properly.

He calmed himself and asked, "What is that alchemist's name?"

"Wang Teng. He registered with us five years ago." The staff member had checked the records on his way over and found the relevant information.

"Five years ago? He became a first-tier alchemist at fourteen?" Tian Zhong looked as though he had seen a ghost.

At the time, he had not yet come to Telan City to serve as the association's vice president.

"Wang Teng... That name does sound somewhat familiar," Barton said thoughtfully.

Kato Taka nodded in agreement and continued asking, "Who is Wang Teng's teacher?"

"Liu Jiang," the staff member answered.

It's him?!

Kato Taka remembered now.

Back then, after Wang Teng passed his assessment, Liu Jiang had strutted around proudly for quite a while, irritating several alchemists in the association so much that they wanted to beat him up.

"Quick, take me to see him." Kato Taka's heart was full of anticipation.

It has to be real!

He has to have a chance of passing the assessment!

He silently prayed. If Wang Teng truly completed the assessment, then Telan City would have the youngest third-tier alchemist in its history.

No! Not just Telan City—even across the entire Jia Ma Empire, he would rank among the very best.

If Wang Teng represented Telan City in the Alchemist Tournament a year from now...

A twenty-year-old third-tier alchemist!

Even if Wang Teng failed to win the championship in the end, such a young third-tier alchemist would still be enough to make the Telan City Alchemist Association famous.

Just imagine it: the Alchemist Tournament required alchemists under thirty to compete against one another.

If Wang Teng entered the top ten while being ten years younger than the others, would that not become another kind of sensation?

Tian Zhong and Barton followed behind Kato Taka.

Before the group had taken more than a few steps, they were stopped by a man and a woman.

"President, Teacher."

Seeing the three approach, the pair looked excited.

Could it be that the president learned we were taking the third-tier alchemist assessment today and was so excited that he came out personally to receive us?

Kato Taka swept his gaze over them, gave a soft acknowledgment, nodded once, and walked straight past.

He did not pause for even a moment.

The smiles on Jiang Fan and Xia Yu's faces froze.

What is going on?

What could be more important at the association today than our third-tier alchemist assessments?

"Follow us."

As Tian Zhong and Barton passed their respective disciples, they called out to them.

"Teacher, what is the president in such a hurry to do?" Jiang Fan asked curiously.

Xia Yu pricked up her ears, ready to listen.

"A nineteen-year-old alchemist has come to the association to apply for the third-tier alchemist assessment," Tian Zhong said.

"Nineteen?"

"That has to be fake, right?"

Jiang Fan and Xia Yu spoke at the same time.

They looked at each other and saw the same disbelief on the other's face.

"Hard to say. He registered as a first-tier alchemist at the association five years ago," Tian Zhong sighed.

Barton said wistfully, "If he passes today, his future achievements will not be below those of Pill King Gu He."

After Gu He won the Alchemist Tournament, he rose to prominence and became the Cloud Sect's alchemist elder.

Over the years, under the Cloud Sect's cultivation, Gu He had shown signs of becoming the most formidable alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire.

The Jia Ma Empire's imperial family appeared to have no reaction, but they surely had their own thoughts in secret.

If this Wang Teng passed the assessment, the news would certainly shake the Jia Ma Empire once it spread.

The imperial family would definitely take action.