svetikya Chapter 35 You want to skip a grade?
Chapter 35 You want to skip a grade?
Ya Han led Xiao Zheng through the side door of the hall, and after walking along the bluestone-paved corridor for a while, they arrived at a spacious stone hall.
This is the examination area of the Alchemist Guild. More than ten alchemy tables are neatly arranged inside the hall, complete with medicine cauldrons, medicinal materials and measuring tools. The air is filled with a faint fragrance of medicine and the smell of burning flames.
"Mr. Xiao, this way please."
Ya Han stepped aside to lead the way, gesturing towards an elderly man in a brocade robe in the center of the hall.
The old man had white hair and beard, but his face was ruddy and full, and his eyes were bright and piercing. He was looking down at a parchment scroll.
Ya Han led Xiao Zheng to the old man and respectfully said, "President Frank."
Xiao Zheng raised his eyebrows. The old man in front of him was Frank Yao, the president of the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild and a fourth-grade alchemist.
Frank looked up, his gaze first falling on Xiao Zheng, then sweeping over the registration information that Ya Han handed him.
When he saw the word "None" in the "Master-Disciple" section, his brows furrowed immediately: "Yahan, what's going on with this master-disciple relationship?"
Ya Han quickly stepped forward and lowered her voice to explain how Xiao Zheng had demonstrated his strange fire and claimed to have mastered it without a teacher.
"Oh? A different kind of fire?"
Frank's doubt was instantly replaced by interest.
He sized up Xiao Zheng's young face, already making plans in his mind. If this young man was truly gifted, he might take him as his disciple.
Frank put away the parchment scroll, a smile spreading across his face: "Young friend Xiao Zheng, Ya Han said you possess a strange fire?"
"I have been refining medicine for many years, and I have only seen a handful of unusual flames. Would you be so kind as to broaden my horizons?"
Xiao Zheng smiled apologetically: "Please forgive me, President, but the Strange Fire is my personal property and is not convenient to display easily."
Frank's smile froze for a moment; he hadn't expected the boy to be so disrespectful.
Having lived most of his life and being a figure of considerable influence in the Blackrock City alchemy world, this was the first time he had been so directly rejected.
However, upon further reflection, it's understandable that people who possess extraordinary fire are often arrogant and value it highly, so it's reasonable for them to be unwilling to display it.
Frank suppressed his slight displeasure and gave an awkward smile: "It was I who was presumptuous."
Although he didn't see the strange fire, Frank's desire to take on a disciple remained undiminished. He then said, "Since you're here to participate in the assessment, then let's follow the rules."
"You should refine a Grade 1 Healing Pill first. As long as the quality is above average, you can become a Grade 1 Alchemist."
"A Grade One Injury Recovery Pill?"
Xiao Zheng raised his eyebrows, finding the first-grade assessment a bit troublesome, and said, "I already have the strength of a second-grade alchemist, can I directly take the second-grade assessment?"
Frank's smile vanished instantly, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
In his opinion, the boy was far too arrogant.
So what if you're self-taught?
So what if you possess a different kind of fire?
The art of alchemy requires a steady and methodical approach. The timing, proportions, and fire control techniques all require years of accumulated experience.
How dare a self-taught individual with no formal training spout such arrogant claims about skipping a grade and taking the second-rank exam?
I'm afraid they think they're so great just because they can barely refine a few low-quality first-grade pills with their strange fire.
Frank's goodwill towards Xiao Zheng plummeted, and his original idea of taking him as a disciple wavered.
With such an arrogant and impetuous nature, even with great talent, it's difficult to achieve great things.
His tone was much colder: "Since the establishment of the Alchemist Guild, there has never been a precedent for skipping levels in the assessment."
"Rules are rules. You should refine a qualified first-grade pill first, then we can talk about the second-grade assessment."
In Frank's view, Xiao Zheng's confidence must have come entirely from the strange fire.
Without the blessing of a different kind of fire, this self-taught kid probably wouldn't even be able to refine the most basic pill form.
Seeing that the other party was determined, Xiao Zheng stopped arguing and nodded, saying, "Alright, let's do as the chairman says."
After saying that, he walked towards a medicine-refining platform not far away.
On the table was a three-legged bronze medicine cauldron with simple patterns engraved on its body. On the tray next to it were neatly arranged the medicinal materials needed to refine the Healing Pill.
Frank and Yahan stood watching from a distance. Frank stood with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with a scrutinizing gaze.
He was certain that Xiao Zheng would immediately summon the strange fire, because in his opinion, the strange fire was the biggest reliance that enabled this young man to become an alchemist.
But what happened next surprised Frank slightly.
Xiao Zheng raised his hand and grasped the handle of the medicine cauldron, slowly channeling his internal fighting spirit into it.
Golden flames of battle qi quickly formed beneath the medicine cauldron.
For most alchemists, when their cultivation level is low, they cannot condense battle qi flames without relying on a cauldron.
Therefore, this time he chose to use the medicine cauldron to generate the battle qi fire, in order to avoid Frank asking all sorts of questions later.
"This is his strange fire? No, it's just ordinary battle qi flame."
Frank raised an eyebrow slightly.
Is this kid surnamed Xiao not using any strange fire?
He clearly relies on the strange fire, but he's not using it now. Could it be that he wants to challenge himself?
Haha, challenging yourself during the assessment?
I'm afraid I'll fail the assessment directly.
Frank's face showed a hint of disapproval.
While he was mentally making various comments about Xiao Zheng, Xiao Zheng had already begun refining medicine.
Xiao Zheng's process of refining medicine was smooth and skillful. Adding ingredients, controlling the fire, stirring, and condensing were all done in a series of smooth and effortless steps without any pause or awkwardness.
That composed demeanor hardly resembled that of someone who had learned the ropes without a teacher.
He clearly resembles a seasoned alchemist who has been immersed in the art of alchemy for decades and whose cultivation level is at least at the second rank!
Ya Han, standing to the side, stared in disbelief, her eyes filled with shock.
She had worked in the Alchemists' Guild for many years and had seen many alchemists taking the exam.
Even those renowned masters and their disciples would inevitably feel nervous when refining first-grade pills, but Xiao Zheng remained as steady as a mountain throughout the entire process, his exquisite technique leaving everyone speechless.
Frank's initial indifference faded, his brows furrowed more deeply, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
He began to doubt his previous judgment.
This skillful alchemy technique, this precise control over the heat and medicinal materials, is definitely not something that can be achieved by chance using a special fire.
Behind this lies diligent study day after day and a wealth of practical experience.
Could this kid really be a genius at alchemy?
Or perhaps, the so-called "no teacher" is just something this kid is deliberately hiding?
Frank felt the latter was more likely.
But whatever the reason, he may have to retract his previous idea.
Based on his calm and composed demeanor, this young man surnamed Xiao might actually be able to refine a medium-grade, or even higher-quality, healing pill.
Thinking of this, Frank's gaze became even more focused, staring intently at the medicine cauldron in Xiao Zheng's hand, a sense of anticipation rising in his heart.
Meanwhile, Xiao Zheng, standing beside the alchemy table, remained focused on manipulating the flames.
Under his control, the medicinal broth inside the cauldron continuously fused and condensed, and a rich medicinal aroma gradually spread, becoming more and more mellow!