At the entrance, a slender figure stood, her clear eyes reminiscent of icy springs on a snow-capped mountain. Her exquisite face, delicate eyebrows, and svelte figure were adorned in a tight silver robe, which, against her warm, porcelain-like skin, exuded an irresistible, metallic allure. What was most surprising, however, was her long, waist-length silver hair. This was not the dull, ashen hue that results from some malady, but rather a lustrous, silky sheen that gave her an almost ethereal appeal. After a thorough inspection, Xiao Yan marveled inwardly; no wonder she had captured the rapt attention of so many in the hall. Such beauty and grace were indeed remarkable. Compared to her, the one named Lin Fei seemed to lack a certain otherworldly charm, particularly when it came to the radiant softness of those three thousand silken strands of silver.
Xiao Yan scanned the room, then slowly averted his gaze, stepping aside to clear a path. The silver-robed woman approached, her eyes fixed straight ahead as she passed by Xiao Yan, making her way directly to Frank.
Standing to the side, Xiao Yan inhaled a faint, lingering scent left in her wake, musing to himself, “Exquisite.”
“Teacher!” Before Frank, the silver-robed woman’s face bloomed into a gentle smile, a breathtaking vision like a snow lotus unfurling upon a glacier.
“Haha, you’re finally here. Otto has been eagerly waiting,” Frank said, his eyes filled with warmth and pride for his accomplished student.
“Master Otto!” The silver-robed woman turned slightly, bowing respectfully to the white-eyed Otto standing nearby.
“Xue Mei, always so polite, unlike my… Ah, never mind. Good, good, let’s get started now,” Otto chuckled, glancing back at his own disgruntled student, shaking his head.
Xue Mei nodded slightly, stepping into the stone platform under everyone’s watchful eyes. She took her place just one empty platform away from Lin Fei. Their gazes met, and sparks flew—evidently, there was no love lost between them.
“Hmph, don’t go blowing up your cauldron again. Your failure is your own, but don’t disturb me,” Lin Fei said, tapping the standardized alchemy cauldron before her, nose upturned.
“I think, even without interference, your chances of failing are quite high,” Xue Mei replied coolly. Despite her seemingly frosty demeanor, it was difficult for her to remain completely calm when facing her longtime rival.
“Alright, alright…” Frank interjected, shaking his head at the rising tension, then turning to Xiao Yan with a smile. “Young man, you may take your place. I am very much looking forward to your performance. But if you fail, there’s still plenty of time.” His words suggested he did not hold out much hope for Xiao Yan’s success.
Shrugging, Xiao Yan followed Frank’s pointed finger, only to sigh at the realization that he would be sandwiched between the two bickering women. They both glanced at him briefly, neither finding reason to object, then returned their focus to their tools.
Xiao Yan shook his head, ignoring the envious stares from the other young candidates, and ambled over to the stone platform, taking a quick look around. The contrasting beauty of the two women offered some solace. He then began to examine his tools.
The first requirement for a junior alchemist was to successfully produce a fully formed pill, regardless of its type, as set by the Alchemists Guild. Picking up a piece of parchment, Xiao Yan examined it—it was the formula for a Strength Accumulation Pill, a potion that could temporarily enhance one’s strength. Though not among the top-tier of grade-one pills, it posed a significant challenge for a novice.
Clutching the parchment, Xiao Yan observed that each candidate had a different formula. The two women beside him appeared confident about their respective assignments.
“Is this old man intentionally making things hard for me?” Xiao Yan muttered, eyeing Frank’s smug grin, and shook his head, refocusing on the stone platform. On it, the ingredients for the Strength Accumulation Pill were neatly arranged in triplicate, leaving no margin for error. Failure to use these sparingly would mean disqualification. Beside the ingredients lay several well-polished jade vials, presumably for the finished product.
Scanning the platform, Xiao Yan felt a growing sense of determination. With his current skills, and the added advantage of his purple flame, producing the Strength Accumulation Pill should not be overly taxing. Yet, as the examination had yet to officially begin, he casually glanced at the neighboring stations. The herbs on their platforms hinted at the formulas they were attempting—Restoration Pills and Flame Condensation Pills.
“Why is my formula the most challenging?” Xiao Yan grumbled, noticing that his task was the most difficult of the three. “These two old coots are playing favorites,” he fumed inwardly, bitterly denouncing Frank and Otto.
“Everyone ready? If so, let’s begin!” Frank announced, sweeping his gaze across the platform. Seeing no objections, he waved his hand, and a gust of energy struck the ancient iron bell hanging above, filling the hall with its resonant chime.
As the bell tolled, all candidates except Xiao Yan promptly placed their hands on the vents of their alchemical cauldrons, unleashing their inner energy. Flames soon flickered to life, save for Xiao Yan, who looked somewhat lost, drawing unwanted attention.
“What is that boy doing?” Frank asked, puzzled.
“Not sure,” Otto admitted, equally confused.
“Does he have a letter of recommendation? Let’s see who taught him,” Frank instructed an aide.
“President, he seems to have no such letter, but his record mentions a Pharmacist Chen as his mentor,” the aide reported, baffled.
“Pharmacist Chen?” Frank blinked, looking to Otto for clarification. “Never heard of any alchemist by that name in Jia Ma Empire.”
“Forget it. We’ll ask after the exam. I fear we’ve been played for fools,” Frank grumbled, his expression souring at the thought of this embarrassment spreading to other guilds.
Meanwhile, inside the transparent barrier, Xue Mei and Lin Fei watched in astonishment as the boy, apparently unaware of the attention, sighed and finally placed his hand on the vent. As his purple flames roared to life, Frank, mid-sip, spat out his tea in shock, his eyes wide.
“Purple flame? An Inner Flame?!”
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