"Hmph, how can a country bumpkin know?"
"Open your eyes and see. My name is—"
"Ouyang Jun!"
"GASP!"
.....
"What, he is actually Ouyang Jun?"
"How could such a genius be here?" Those who were more informed gasped at the revelation of his name.
"Ehn, who is that? Is he famous?"
Those who had no background were confused and asked those who knew to explain.
"Hmph, let me tell you, you ignorant person. Ouyang Jun is the eldest son of the imperial city Ouyang family."
"Not only that, but he is also the youngest person to pass the alchemist assessment and become a one-star alchemist at eighteen."
"Now, at twenty, he is preparing to take the two-star test to be promoted to a two-star alchemist. You tell me, is this awesome or not?"
"Awesome, very awesome!" Hearing the explanation, everyone else gasped and couldn't help but nod and agree that it was indeed awesome. After all, whether it was Ouyang family young patriarch or youngest alchemist at eighteen, putting each one on an individual was a terrifying identity. Now both titles are placed on an individual—how can that not be awesome?
"But if he's such a big shot, how could he be here in a small place like Qinghe?"
"This... I don't know, but it seems that young man is in trouble."
"Tch, I thought you're a big shot pretending to be cool. Why don't you know this?"
Some scoffed at the man explaining, and his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Hey, who are you talking to? Wanna fight?"
"Tch, who is afraid of whom?"
Over in Lin Feng's queue, Ouyang Jun remained silent, indifferent to the praises, but if one would look closely, one would find that his nose was turned up higher toward the sky than previously, while his lackeys had smug and mocking smiles.
Lin Feng, on the other hand, frowned briefly upon hearing the imperial capital again, but almost immediately returned to normal, as it didn't matter where the other party was from. Even if it was the king of hell, it was useless.
"Boy, if you know what's good for you, better move, and maybe my young master can give you a few pointers that would change your life."
"Otherwise, with just a word, he can make you no longer get along in this place."
Hearing the lackey's words of giving pointers and the threats of boycotting, Lin Feng couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"Boy, what is funny?" Seeing Lin Feng laughing at his threats, the lackey's face turned gloomy.
"Do you think the Alchemist Association is your family property—allow when you want, ban when you don't want? What kind of shit are you?" Lin Feng said.
Hearing Lin Feng scolding him, Ouyang Jun couldn't help but get angry. According to his original arrogant character, how could he endure a small village boy scolding him? No, he could not bear such humiliation, so he instantly lost his patience.
"Er Huo, what are you waiting for? Quickly dispose of this person and stop wasting time," he berated the servant to speed things along.
"Yes, young master. I will take out this trash now." He bent very lowly, acting in a servile manner, then turned to Lin Feng, looking sinister.
"Boy, don't blame me. This is what you forced—my hand." Then he burst out with his cultivation of 5th level Martial Warrior and rushed toward Lin Feng.
On the other hand, Lin Feng, feeling the aura of 5th level Martial Warrior, looked solemn and got into an offensive stance, preparing to rush forward, not allowing Er Huo to gather too much momentum so as not to lose the initiative, him being the weaker party.
He rushed forward, using his maximum speed. As they reached a few meters from each other, they both drew one fist back, preparing to launch it forward with all their strength.
As they were about to make contact with each other—
"BAM!"
Suddenly, a massive pressure, much stronger than them, descended on them, fixing them in place.
"Private fights are prohibited on the Association grounds. Those caught will be punished according to the rules."
It was the guards at both entrances that finally took action to suppress both of them, warning them, then taking back their aura, no longer paying attention to either.
"Yes!" they both bowed in acknowledgement.
"Hmph, boy, count yourself lucky today," Er Huo said.
Lin Feng shook his head, no longer paying attention to the mad dog, then walked into the interior of the building's first floor.
Crossing the threshold, Lin Feng stepped into the first floor of the Alchemist Association, and a wave of refined fragrance washed over him. The interior was vast and brightly lit, with polished jade tiles reflecting soft golden light. Counters lined the hall in neat rows, each displaying bottles of pills, bundles of spirit herbs, and neatly labeled ingredients. Attendants in uniform robes moved efficiently, attending to customers with practiced ease, while cultivators haggled or examined goods with intense focus. The atmosphere was busy yet orderly, every transaction precise and controlled.
Standing near the center was a middle-aged man in a gray robe, a badge with one star shining brightly and another star which was very faint pinned to his chest—clearly a deacon. His sharp eyes swept across the newcomers before settling on Lin Feng and the others.
"For the alchemist examination, proceed to the second floor," he said calmly, gesturing toward a wide staircase at the back.
Lin Feng nodded and followed the deacon and other trialists.
As he climbed the stairs slowly and steadily, he was bumped in the shoulder by Ouyang Jun as he walked ahead of Lin Feng.
"Boy, you embarrassed me today. Don't let me find you otherwise..." he said, turning to look at Lin Feng, hoping to see some kind of dread, but he was wrong.
"Hmph." He turned gloomy, and he quickened his footsteps so that he walked just behind the deacon as a symbol of his status as a peak one-star alchemist.
The second floor was far quieter, the air heavier with the scent of burning herbs. Several stone platforms were arranged across the hall, each holding a furnace. Candidates stood beside them, faces tense, while examiners in alchemist robes observed from a distance, each with a badge of two bright stars and a dimly lit half of a third star pinned to their chests, identifying them as elders of this branch. Here, there was no noise—only focus, pressure, and the silent test of skill.
"Emm." Once they were settled at their own furnaces, an elder stepped forward and cleared his throat to make sure he had everyone's attention, then nodded as he had achieved his purpose.
"Welcome to the first of two Alchemist Association trials this year."
"I'm sure I don't need to explain the rules to you, so I'll go straight and tell you the tests."
"The trials will be divided into three parts."
"For the first part, we are going to place a number of herbs in front of you, and you're going to write down their names, uses, effects, and counter-effects, if there are any, in the scroll to your left."
Everyone simultaneously looked to their left to find that there was indeed an open scroll there. They nodded.
"Good. For round two, we will provide you with some alchemy problems, of course of your level, to test your research knowledge."
"One hundred questions, one point for each correct question, one hundred points for full marks."
"Note that for the second round, the pass mark to move on to the final stage is a minimum of 85 points."
"Hiss!" Hearing it required a sky-high mark of 85 points to progress, everyone couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
Waiting for it to sink in a little bit before the elder continued.
"For the last phase, you will be required to refine a tier-one alchemy pill of your choice."
"Of course, the grade to pass—the pill must at least be of the first-level, middle-grade pills, and you will only be provided with three sets of materials."
"Which means you'll have only three chances to meet the requirements. Don't waste it."
"And by now, I'm sure you know that you are required to pass all these three tests in order to pass these trials and become an official grade-one alchemist."
"Which means if you fail one, you will be eliminated instantly—no do-overs."
He clapped his hands, and a few pill boys came in with trays full of alchemy herbs and presented them to each trialist.
"Alright, now sta—"
"Excuse me, elder," a voice belonging to Ouyang Jun sounded.
The elder frowned slightly, as he was displeased by being interrupted, but decided for the sake of face not to argue with a junior. He turned to meet the voice.
"What is it? Any questions?" he asked.
"No, elder. It's just that I'm here for the second-grade exam."
The elder was shocked at how young he was attempting to become second grade, but he did not let it show on his face.
"Oh, stand aside then," he instructed him.
Then he turned back to the others.
"You may begin now."