Leaving the Lin family estate, Lin Feng stepped into the main streets of Qinghe City.
The moment he crossed the outer gates, a wave of noise and life surged toward him like a tide.
"Fresh spirit herbs! Just harvested this morning!"
"Steam buns! Get your steamed buns here, fresh and hot!"
"Low-grade Qi Quenching Pills sold here! Limited stock!"
Vendors lined both sides of the wide stone-paved road, some even ventured out of their stalls to hassle passersby, trying to attract them to their stalls overflowing with goods of every kind—from steamed buns, candy on a stick, to even daily cultivator necessities such as weapons, jade bottles filled with medicinal liquids, scrolls of unknown techniques, and even pills that assist in cultivation. Though most are fakes, and the sellers often disappear after selling them to unlucky individuals and appear in another city entirely. After all, this is a fantasy world—such things as fraud can't be regulated; one can only blame oneself for falling victim.
Ordinary citizens could be seen walking about, adults hurrying to tend to their various activities, while the children played games with their friends without a care in the world. From time to time, cultivators of all kinds moved through the streets.
Some wore luxurious robes to showcase their wealth and status. The majority were dressed in rough clothing, their eyes sharp and cautious, likely rogue cultivators who survived by taking risks, while the rest were clothed in large black robes, concealing their bodies and identities.
Lin Feng walked calmly through the bustling crowd, his gaze sweeping across, taking in everything, as he had only ever read about places like this in web novels and manga in his previous life.
Although Qinghe City was not comparable to the imperial capital, its prosperity was still impressive to him, a traverser.
"This world… as expected, it really is a fantasy world," he thought.
Despite the lively atmosphere, beneath it all was an unspoken tension.
Every smile hid a knife.
Every transaction held calculation.
In this world, strength dictated everything.
After walking for nearly half an hour, the flow of people gradually began to change.
The stalls became fewer.
The noise, though still present, grew more orderly.
And ahead of him, rising above the surrounding buildings like a silent giant, stood a massive structure.
It was the Alchemist Association of Qinghe City.
The building towered several stories high, constructed from dark green stone that seemed to shimmer faintly under the sunlight. Intricate patterns were carved into its surface—ancient runes that emitted a subtle pressure, making ordinary people instinctively lower their voices upon approaching.
At the very top of the structure, a massive cauldron emblem was engraved, radiating a sense of authority and prestige.
Even before stepping close, one could feel the difference.
This place was not just a building—it was a symbol.
A symbol of status.
A symbol of power.
A symbol of knowledge.
In front of the entrance, two long queues stretched across the plaza on one side of the entrance, winding like a snake.
Hundreds of people stood in line, each holding something in their hands—herbs, prescriptions, jade slips, or bottles—waiting patiently for their turn.
On the other queue was relatively shorter, with their reactions varying.
Some looked anxious.
Some hopeful.
Some desperate.
Standing at either side of the grand entrance were two guards clad in dark armor.
Their expressions were cold, their gazes sharp like blades as they scanned the crowd.
The aura they emitted was far from ordinary—both were clearly at least in the Martial Master realm.
No one dared to cause trouble here.
Even the most arrogant cultivators in Qinghe City restrained themselves in front of the behemoth Alchemist Association.
Lin Feng stopped for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the scene before him.
"This is the Alchemist Association…"
"Not bad."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Without hesitation, he walked forward to the back of the last person in the short queue.
"Hello, fellow Daoist, is this line for the alchemist exam?"
He said to an old man who appeared to be in his seventies, dressed in a rough and dirty robe, who was hunched over.
"Yes."
"Young man, are you here for the trial?"
The old man turned around and answered, then asked, clearly surprised at how young Lin Feng was.
"Yes, old sir, I am," he replied respectfully.
"Is there any limit to age?"
"No, but are you sure? Because the exams are very tough. It's not uncommon for 97% of examinees to fail."
"You see that guy over there at the front of the queue? This is his third attempt. He failed the last two; he couldn't even make it past the first round on his second attempt."
"The fifth guy on the line has tried four times and failed."
"Everyone on this line has had at least two attempts without success."
"I myself am on my seventh attempt, and the highest I've gotten is the final third round, but unfortunately, I couldn't make it through in the end," he patiently explained the situation of the test difficulty and sighed dejectedly at his own situation.
"Well, I just want to try. Who knows? I might be a super genius," Lin Feng joked, while secretly being impressed at the old man's resilience.
"Good! Good! Good! This is how youth should be—taking risks."
"But remember, whether fortune or disaster, it is all up to fate."
The old man couldn't help but say "good" three times. Then he gave Lin Feng some advice and turned forward, stopping paying attention to him.
Lin Feng nodded solemnly but was not worried. Although the tests were hard for ordinary people, after all, he received the inheritance of an alchemy powerhouse. Although partial, it was enough, and if he still couldn't pass a little alchemy entrance test, he should find a block of tofu and kill himself.
Time passed slowly.
The line moved inch by inch.
Eventually, it was finally his turn.
Just as Lin Feng stepped forward and was about to enter—
"Get out of the way!"
"Get out of the way! Are you deaf? Can't you see our young lord is passing here?!"
The sound of people yelling reached Lin Feng's ears.
"STOP!"
Lin Feng frowned and turned around towards the voice, spotting two people: one in rough-looking servant clothing confronting him in an overbearing manner, while the other was dressed in a white-colored, scholar-like alchemist robe with a circular badge on the left chest side. The robe contained one full star and a half-full star standing out on it.
"Yes, can I help you?"
Lin Feng asked, trying to be reasonable.
"I asked you to move. Don't your ears work?"
"Or don't you take my lord seriously?"
The servant raised his voice, spittle flying. Lin Feng frowned as some of it hit him.
"Who is this mad dog spitting on everybody in public?"
"And yes, I do not take your lord seriously. Who is he? What does he have to do with me?" Lin Feng spread his arms as he said nonchalantly.
"Hmph, how can a country bumpkin know?"
"Open your eyes and see. My name is—"
"Ouyang Jun!"
"GASP!"