Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.
Yun Yun had a thousand things to say, but did not know where to begin.
Xiao Yan, however, simply had not recovered from the awkwardness of calling her "Master's wife" earlier.
His mind was still filled with Yun Yun's "Good boy"!
He was so embarrassed he could have clawed a hole in the ground with his toes!
"Mister Li..." Yun Yun began, trying to break the silence.
"Let's go."
But Xiao Yan cut her off.
He was genuinely afraid that if they kept gazing tenderly at each other like this, his facade would collapse on the spot!
He had to change the subject and defuse this lethal awkwardness!
"Let's go to the Alchemist Guild," Xiao Yan said succinctly. "I want to get my alchemist rank certified."
A trace of disappointment rose in Yun Yun's heart. Why was he unwilling even to exchange a few words with her?
But then her heart jolted.
Yun Yun, oh, Yun Yun, how did you become so caught up in romantic feelings?
Have you forgotten that you and Mister Li became cultivation partners, not lovers?
With Mister Li wholly devoted to cultivation, wasn't he doing precisely what a proper cultivation partner should?
After countless thoughts churned through her mind, Yun Yun finally set aside her romantic feelings for the time being and followed Xiao Yan to the Alchemist Guild.
The Black Rock City Alchemist Guild stood in the very heart of the city.
Like the city walls, its building was constructed entirely from massive black stones.
A huge sculpture of a medicinal cauldron crowned its roof, silently proclaiming the prestige and distinction of this place.
Security at the entrance was quite tight, but Xiao Yan casually released a wisp of alchemical flame and entered without difficulty.
The guild's interior was spacious and bright. A rich medicinal fragrance greeted them, refreshing the mind and lifting the spirits.
There were few people in the hall, only the occasional hurried passerby dressed in alchemist robes.
After asking someone where to register for alchemist certification, Xiao Yan came to a counter.
Unexpectedly, quite a few people were standing before it.
The most eye-catching among them were two elderly men and two young women.
"Brother Otto, congratulations! Miss Lin Fei is only twenty, yet she can already attempt first-tier alchemist certification. Her future is boundless!"
"Heh, Foklan, spare me the false modesty! Your disciple Xue Mei is even more talented than Lin Fei!"
The two elderly men stood there smiling, each praising the other's disciple.
Several young people who were also taking the rank certification stood around them, whispering among themselves.
After listening for a little while, Xiao Yan understood.
The disciples of the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild's president and vice president were completing their apprenticeships together today and taking the first-tier alchemist certification.
Xiao Yan first glanced over the two presidents.
Both were elderly, with graying beards, and both were fourth-tier alchemists.
Turning his head, Xiao Yan then looked at their two disciples.
President Foklan's disciple Lin Fei had a voluptuous figure, striking looks, and a lively personality.
Vice President Otto's disciple Xue Mei, meanwhile, was slender and delicate, with a cool bearing and a quiet disposition.
At the sight of them, Xiao Yan's heart immediately trembled!
It was not attraction. He was a little scared!
This body of his attracted a ludicrous abundance of romantic luck!
These two women were clearly far more beautiful than most. Surely they would not become entangled with him in karmic ties too?
He had to tread carefully!
Under everyone's gaze, the two women approached the counter with undisguised pride, took a form each, and began filling in their registration details.
Once they finished, they prepared to leave with their teachers.
The other applicants watched the two women go, their faces full of admiration and adoration.
Xiao Yan, however, had no interest whatsoever in looking at them.
Seeing everyone standing there in a daze, he went straight to the counter and began filling out his form.
Name: Li Feiyu. Teacher: Yao Chen. Age: twenty-seven. Certification rank: fourth-tier alchemist.
After finishing, Xiao Yan stood quietly to one side.
President Foklan and Vice President Otto were heading toward the certification hall together, chatting and laughing.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out behind them!
President Foklan immediately frowned and looked back.
"Fourth tier! This masked fellow actually wants fourth-tier alchemist certification!"
Once he heard what the commotion was about, President Foklan's frown deepened!
Fourth tier?
What kind of joke was this?
Even he, the president, was only fourth tier!
Wouldn't he know whether anyone in Black Rock City was qualified to seek fourth-tier alchemist certification?
It had been a long time since anyone had dared cause trouble at the Alchemist Guild!
Had his usual kindness emboldened certain people?
Especially when today was the day his treasured disciple completed her apprenticeship!
If he did not give this person a small punishment, the younger generation of Black Rock City might think he was merely a kindly old man who did nothing but smile!
With a stern expression, President Foklan returned to the registration counter.
"What has you all making such a commotion here?"
As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward the focus of everyone's attention.
Two people in black robes, a man and a woman.
The man wore a mask, concealing his appearance.
The woman wore no mask and was exceptionally beautiful. At the moment, she looked perfectly calm and composed.
However, she appeared to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and there was nothing remarkable about her aura. Presumably, she was merely some minor figure, a Dou Shi or the like.
Foklan coughed and looked at Xiao Yan and his companion. "What is going on with you two?"
His tone was not particularly harsh, but his authority in Black Rock City was so deeply established that even his calm words frightened everyone around him into silence.
Vice President Otto had also followed with Xue Mei by then, and he smiled as he tried to smooth things over:
"Foklan, they're still children. Don't frighten them."
At that moment, the clerk at the counter hurried over and whispered into Foklan's ear:
"President, this person wants to apply for fourth-tier alchemist certification."
As he spoke, he handed over Xiao Yan's registration form.
Foklan took it and glanced at it.
Li Feiyu?
Never heard of him.
His teacher was Yao Chen?
Never heard of him.
Twenty-seven years old?
Not so young anymore.
Certification rank: fourth-tier alchemist?
What kind of joke was this?
Holding the registration form, Foklan frowned at Xiao Yan.
"Young man, twenty-seven is hardly a child's age. Why are you still behaving so recklessly? Aren't you showing a little too little respect for the rules?"
Xiao Yan frowned as well.
Black Rock City wasn't exactly a small place. Why was its alchemist guild president acting like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world?
Was a fourth-tier alchemist really worth making such a fuss over?
What he did not know was that, at least in the Jia Ma Empire, "twenty-seven years old" and "fourth-tier alchemist" were two descriptions that could not possibly apply to the same person.
Naturally, one glance was enough for Foklan to disbelieve that he had genuinely come to take the assessment.
With Foklan speaking first and setting the tone, the others gained confidence and began accusing Xiao Yan of treating the matter as a joke.
Xiao Yan frowned at the chaotic scene.
A faint irritation stirred in his heart.
He was just about to flick his hand and summon his purple flame to cow the entire room when he suddenly noticed the two women beside President Foklan. A thought struck him, and he inwardly exclaimed how close that had been!
If this scene followed its normal course, he would stand coldly defiant beneath a thousand accusing fingers, then reveal his strength and deliver a stinging slap to everyone's faces.
But if he did that, wouldn't he attract the attention of those two beautiful women?
Those two beautiful women had only ordinary talent. If his performance gave them ideas about him, wouldn't he become entangled in romantic karma again?
He was genuinely terrified of this body's destiny of romantic entanglements!
At that thought, Xiao Yan immediately turned and walked out without a word or a backward glance!
To hell with it! I'm not taking the assessment today!
Let's see what other ridiculous complications can crop up now!
Before you continue