Alchemist Guild

In the Magical Beast Mountain Range, towns like Qingshan Town, populated almost entirely by mercenaries, were rare.

Most were large cities like Wutan City, and at the easternmost edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range stood one such city: Black Rock City.

Compared with Wutan City, Black Rock City was undoubtedly considerably larger. The entire city had been built upon an enormous expanse of black rock.

The walls, constructed from black rock, were said to have withstood a combined strike from two Dou Wang experts without so much as trembling, a testament to their formidable defenses.

The reason Xiao Yan had come here was that this was the only city within several hundred li with an airship station.

Although Xiao Yan was already an Eight-Star Great Dou Master, if he flew the entire way using Eagle Wings, he probably would not reach the capital of the Jia Ma Empire even in a week.

Thus, riding one of the airship station's giant flying Magical Beasts was his best option.

Xiao Yan had another reason for choosing Black Rock City as well: it had an Alchemist Guild.

Ever since obtaining Lu Chang's notes, Xiao Yan had been practicing pill refinement without interruption.

Although most of the pills in Lu Chang's Storage Ring had lost much of their medicinal potency, there was no problem using them to refine pills.

During the month or so he had lived with Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yan had practiced over and over every day.

With his cultivation and the assistance of Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yan had quickly grasped the basics.

By now, he had an eighty to ninety percent chance of successfully refining a First-Rank Pill.

Across the continent, an alchemist was always a walking signboard. Taking this path was undoubtedly a chance to soar straight into the heavens.

Xiao Yan was heading to the capital of the Jia Ma Empire to seek out Pill King Gu He at the Misty Cloud Sect and become his disciple.

Before that, however, he had been trying to refine First-Rank Pills himself. If he could successfully become a First-Rank Alchemist in Black Rock City, it would undoubtedly bring him many advantages.

The moment he entered Black Rock City, all manner of noisy sounds flooded his ears.

For Xiao Yan, who had grown accustomed to the tranquility of the little valley, it felt somewhat unfamiliar.

"I'll find an inn and stay for a day first. Get some proper rest."

Since he was going to take the First-Rank Alchemist examination, he naturally had to make sure he was in peak condition.

As the first rays of dawn shone upon the earth, Xiao Yan rose early and headed out.

When he asked the innkeeper where the Alchemist Guild was, the old man's previously impatient face instantly became exceedingly respectful and fawning.

The contrast made Xiao Yan chuckle despite himself, while also demonstrating just how exalted alchemists were.

After repeatedly asking for directions along the way, Xiao Yan passed through several long streets and finally found a magnificent building in a relatively quiet area.

The building resembled an enormous medicinal cauldron, its windows ingeniously designed to look like the cauldron's air vents.

Above the roof, a massive cauldron lid capped the structure, covering the entire building.

A sandalwood plaque hanging on the building bore the words "Alchemist Guild" in large characters.

Somewhat excited, Xiao Yan made straight for the entrance, only to be stopped by the two guards at the door. Both were fully armed, with cultivation above that of an Eight-Star Dou Zhe.

It had to be said that strength sufficient to become the deputy leader of a mercenary group in Qingshan Town only qualified someone to guard the door here.

"Sir, this is the Alchemist Guild. To enter, you need a letter of introduction from your teacher or an official Alchemist Badge. Please show us one before we can let you through."

Xiao Yan was taken aback. He genuinely had not known the Alchemist Guild had such a rule.

He had learned all his alchemy from a book of notes. Surely he could not just say his teacher was already dead.

"Enough, Teacher. I think I've mastered it. This time, I'll definitely pass the First-Rank Alchemist examination!"

Just as Xiao Yan stood barred from entering the Alchemist Guild, a girl's voice rang out from afar.

"Oh, my little mistress, with your current skill, you can't even form a properly rounded pill. Don't come here and make a spectacle of yourself!"

Beside the girl stood a somewhat kindly-looking old man. On his specially tailored robe was a Medicine Cauldron badge bearing four delicate silver ripples, proving his rank.

A Fourth-Rank Alchemist!

Someone like him counted as an important figure throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire.

In front of the old man stood a girl wearing a revealing outfit that showed off her curvaceous figure.

She was petite, with a playful face that still held a trace of childishness, and looked a year or two older than Xiao Yan.

Her temperament was lively and spirited, much like a wild little kitten.

Ignoring Xiao Yan entirely, the girl walked up to the two guards. "Having fun blocking the way? Move aside, both of you. I'm here to take the First-Rank Alchemist qualification examination today."

The two guards clearly recognized her, and smiles immediately spread across their faces. "So it's Miss Lin Fei! You truly deserve to be called Black Rock City's genius alchemist. You've only studied under Master Otto for a year, yet you're already ready to take the First-Rank Alchemist examination!"

Lin Fei clearly enjoyed their flattery. "Naturally. Once I become an official alchemist, I won't forget to reward you."

"Of course, of course! We'll be counting on your patronage then, Miss Lin Fei!"

The two guards stepped aside with smiles and let Lin Fei enter.

The old man behind her sighed and followed.

"Master Otto, you truly deserve your reputation as one of Black Rock City's greatest alchemists. You've trained a First-Rank Alchemist in just a year. Even Pill King Gu He only became a First-Rank Alchemist at her age, didn't he?"

Upon hearing their conversation, the old man's expression became decidedly strange, but in the end, he was too embarrassed to swallow his pride and explain.

"Excuse me, that young lady didn't seem to show a letter of introduction or an Alchemist Badge either. Why was she allowed inside?"

After Lin Fei entered, Xiao Yan immediately posed his question.

"Young man, a letter of introduction is an endorsement from an alchemist of the third rank or higher. The man following that young lady just now was a Fourth-Rank Alchemist. His word carries more weight than any letter."

It was not that the two guards were breaking the rules. That young lady's teacher was one of Black Rock City's top alchemists and had long been a familiar face here.

This put Xiao Yan in a difficult position. He had neither a letter of introduction nor an Alchemist Badge.

Just then, another group approached. "Why is someone being stopped at the entrance so early in the morning? Has something happened

here?"

A gentle voice rang out as another old man slowly approached the Alchemist Guild's entrance with a young girl.

Like Master Otto before him, this old man also wore four silver ripples. He was another Fourth-Rank Alchemist!

At this moment, however, Xiao Yan's attention was focused entirely on the girl beside him.

Her expression was impassive, and she seemed like an elf from legend, ethereal and mysterious.

Most striking of all, her hair and eyebrows were not the usual black, but a luminous silver that shimmered faintly!