The Man Who Broke Two Records in a Row

"All right, the assessment is over!"

Frank's voice rang out from outside the testing area. Everyone competing at the stone platforms had finished refining their pills.

The candidates all stood beside the pills they had refined.

Frank and Otto came down and began inspecting the candidates nearest to them.

Although Linda's and Xue Mei's pills had minor flaws, both still passed the assessment, allowing the two girls to breathe a sigh of relief. Apart from Xiao Yan and Xiao Fan, only two of the remaining candidates passed the first-grade Alchemist assessment.

When Otto and Frank reached Xiao Yan, they both paused at the sight of his prescription.

"So that's it. You actually drew the prescription for the Power Accumulation Pill."

Frank looked at Xiao Yan and smiled.

Otto smiled in agreement. "Such promise at such a young age!"

The other candidates' expressions changed. They were relieved they had not drawn such a monstrous task. After all, even newly qualified first-grade Alchemists could not guarantee that they would successfully refine a Power Accumulation Pill every time. For an apprentice taking the First-Grade Alchemist assessment to refine one successfully was an impressive achievement-especially since Xiao Yan was only nineteen!

Smiling, Otto picked up the pill Xiao Yan had refined and exclaimed.

"A pill pattern?"

Hearing Master Otto's words, Frank hurried over for a look. Sure enough, pale green, waterlike ripples encircled Xiao Yan's pill.

A pill pattern could only appear when a pill's color and luster reached their absolute peak. Its presence also meant that the pill's medicinal potency was greater than that of an ordinary pill.

Otto's gaze toward Xiao Yan instantly filled with curiosity. "I really am curious what sort of Alchemist could raise a little monster like you."

"Hehe, my teacher instructed me to keep his origins secret..." Xiao Fan scratched his head as he spoke to Master Otto.

"All right, we aren't going to force you to tell us."

Frank smiled, placed the pill back in its jade bottle, and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Congratulations, Xiao Yan. You've passed the first-grade Alchemist assessment."

With that, the two walked toward Xiao Fan's station.

Everyone's gaze followed Otto and Frank, converging on Xiao Fan.

After all, both Xiao Fan's flames and his pill-refining techniques had aroused everyone's curiosity during the assessment.

Otto and Frank stopped before Xiao Fan with a smile and picked up his prescription.

"The Swift Pill?"

As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows and glanced between Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan.

"You two really do have quite the luck."

Hearing the name of Xiao Fan's prescription, everyone around him grew even more curious about his results.

Of everyone present, only Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan had drawn such difficult tasks. Had anyone else received them, whether they could pass would have been another matter entirely. The other newly qualified Alchemists silently counted themselves lucky.

Frank reached out and took Xiao Fan's jade bottle. A plump, perfectly rounded, pale green pill rolled into his palm.

"Another pill pattern?"

Looking at the Swift Pill in his palm, its rich luster and the pill pattern that marked the pinnacle of refinement, Frank could not help exclaiming.

A sharp gasp swept through the room!

Every gaze fell on Xiao Fan.

Even Xiao Yan was astonished by Xiao Fan's results.

Although his own Power Accumulation Pill had developed a pill pattern, that was thanks to Yao Lao's regular guidance and his meticulous refinement of each ingredient individually. Xiao Fan, however, had tossed all the ingredients into the Medicine Cauldron at once. That placed an enormous strain on an Alchemist's spiritual power.

"Teacher, his refining technique is probably even better than mine!" Xiao Yan spoke quietly to Yao Lao in his mind, unable to conceal his shock.

"Yes, his talent is indeed extraordinary," Yao Lao said calmly.

"But don't lose heart. Your talent is no worse than his."

Xiao Yan was a disciple Yao Lao held in high regard. He wanted him to understand that there was always someone beyond even the greatest, but he did not want to deal too heavy a blow to his confidence.

Meanwhile, after inspecting Xiao Fan's pill and finding nothing wrong with it, Otto and Frank smiled and announced his results.

Just as everyone thought it was over, Xiao Fan spoke softly.

"Um... I'd like to continue with the Second-Rank Alchemist assessment."

As soon as Xiao Fan finished speaking, Otto's and Frank's pupils widened, and their smiles froze.

"You said... you want to continue with the second-grade Alchemist assessment?"

Otto asked uncertainly. Becoming a first-grade Alchemist at nineteen already required exceptional talent. A nineteen-year-old Second-Rank Alchemist was something he, at least, had never heard of.

Everyone in the hall stared blankly.

Seeing the expressions around him, Xiao Yan hesitantly asked Yao Lao in his mind.

"Then... Teacher, should I continue with the assessment too?"

Yao Lao heard both the refusal to admit defeat and the excitement of encountering a rival in Xiao Yan's voice.

He smiled and replied, "Yan'er, the Dou Qi Continent is so vast. Now that you've finally met an opponent truly worthy of respect, are you willing to retreat?"

Retreat?

Ever since Nalan Yanran had broken off their engagement, Xiao Yan had forgotten how to write the word retreat. What did he have to fear?

With a composed smile, Xiao Yan's voice rang through the hall as well.

"Master Otto, I'd also like to take the Second-Rank Alchemist assessment."

Before those around them could digest Xiao Fan's words, Xiao Yan's declaration struck them, plunging the hall into deathly silence once more.

As president of the Alchemist Guild, Frank was the first to regain his composure.

"You should understand that becoming a Second-Rank Alchemist requires you to refine a second-grade pill independently. And to refine a second-grade pill, your strength must have reached the Dou Shi level. You're both still young..."

Before Master Otto could finish, his answer came in the form of the Dou Qi Veil slowly condensing around Xiao Fan and the Dou Shi-level aura radiating from Xiao Yan.

"Hahaha!" Seeing the looks in Xiao Fan's and Xiao Yan's eyes, Frank knew such a sight was rare. He swept his hand through the air and declared, "Good! Today, let's see whether our Black Rock City can produce an alchemy genius who will shake the empire!"

He immediately ordered preparations for the Second-Rank Alchemist assessment.

Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan followed Frank into the room marked for the Second-Rank Alchemist assessment.

Once they entered the second-grade assessment area, no one besides Otto, Frank, Xiao Fan, and Xiao Yan was allowed inside.

Frank instructed them, "All right, the refining procedure is the same as before. Now let's see what you can do."

Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance. Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled with the joy and excitement of finding a worthy opponent, while Xiao Fan had no choice but to put on an ecstatic expression too.

Little Cousin Xiao Yan, I have a system. How are you going to compete with me?

Xiao Fan laughed inwardly. Although his system sometimes seemed a little dim, it was still a system. It could improve his talent! Crushing the competition would be no problem at all.

Xiao Fan glanced at his prescription. He was to refine the second-grade Pulse-Protecting Pill.

The Pulse-Protecting Pill prevented damage to the meridians. It was usually taken during breakthroughs or when absorbing heavenly treasures containing toxins or other attributes. Among Grade Two Pills, its difficulty was moderate; it was not particularly hard to refine.

He glanced at the ingredients on Xiao Yan's table: frost flowers and a second-tier water magic core. It looked as though he would be refining the Ice Heart Pill, a second-tier pill.

The Ice Heart Pill kept the soul clearheaded. Like the Pulse-Protecting Pill, it was mostly used during breakthroughs or while treating injuries.

It had to be said that, since the resources needed for the Second-Rank Alchemist assessment were more precious than those for the first grade, only one set of ingredients was provided. That meant anyone who failed would have to wait until the next assessment to try again. As a result, there had practically never been anyone who took consecutive Alchemist assessments and passed them all.

Xiao Fan followed the same pill-refining steps as before. Purple flames burned in his Medicine Cauldron once more, and just as he had done with the first-grade pill, he tossed every ingredient inside. With ease, he refined the second-grade Pulse-Protecting Pill.

Watching Xiao Fan's movements, Master Otto and Frank exchanged a glance, neither able to conceal the shock in his eyes.

Even many second-grade Alchemists could not accomplish what Xiao Fan had just done. It depended not only on the strength of one's Soul Power but also on an Alchemist's familiarity with the ingredients.

After Xiao Fan finished ahead of Xiao Yan, he watched Xiao Fan's practiced pill refinement. Although it was not as fast as Xiao Fan's, the speed was still astonishing.

Watching Xiao Yan's practiced techniques, Master Otto could not help nodding to himself.

He had never imagined that heaven would send him two such geniuses during this Alchemist assessment in Black Rock City.

The ingredients in Xiao Yan's Medicine Cauldron slowly dwindled to their essences under the refining flames. As Xiao Yan poured in his Soul Power, they gradually formed a pale blue pill.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had finished as well, Master Otto and Frank followed the procedure and inspected both their pills.

Amid their shock, the two discovered that the Ice Pulse Pill Xiao Fan had refined had once again developed a pill pattern.

This made them even more curious about the teacher behind Xiao Fan. When Xiao Yan saw Xiao Fan's pill, he felt a little disappointed, but he recovered within a few breaths, leaving Yao Lao increasingly pleased with his temperament.

"Teacher, I suppose only Senior Brother could surpass this Mo Shang!"

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly to Yao Lao.

"What? You want to take the Third-Rank Alchemist assessment too?"

Frank's startled cry pulled Xiao Yan from his thoughts.

Once he registered what had been said, Xiao Yan's pupils widened further. Having come this far, he understood how difficult it was to advance as an Alchemist. He had only reached this level so quickly because of his teacher's guidance. Yet this man had not fallen behind in strength, and even his talent for alchemy was so terrifying.

Master Otto and Frank discussed it briefly. Looking at the pill pattern on Xiao Fan's second-grade Pulse-Protecting Pill, they ultimately allowed him to enter the Third-Grade Alchemist assessment room.

Master Otto asked Xiao Yan to remain where he was.

Before long, Xiao Yan saw Xiao Fan emerge, flanked by Frank and Otto.

Master Otto's face was filled with astonishment. His expression alone was enough to reveal Xiao Fan's assessment results.

"Hehe! Who would have thought? We two old fellows have lived so long and are still only fourth-grade Alchemists, yet you've already reached the Third-Grade Alchemist level at just nineteen."

Looking at Xiao Yan and Xiao Fan, Frank spread his hands and gave a rueful smile. "Who would have thought that, in a single day, our Black Rock City Alchemist Guild would break two records in a row? Not only have we gained the youngest second-grade Alchemist, but the youngest Third-Grade Alchemist as well..."