The Alchemist Association of Wu Tan City was a fortress of gold and medicinal fragrance. As Chen walked through the towering doors, his Doubled Perception immediately went into overdrive. He could smell the distinct notes of over a hundred different herbs—the bitter tang of Devil's Bone, the sweet, airy scent of Cloud-Mist Grass, and the heavy, metallic odor of Refined Iron Sand.
He approached the reception desk. The clerk, a young woman named Xiao Die, looked up. She was used to seeing rich young masters, but this boy was different. He wore the simple robes of a Xiao Clan disciple, yet he walked with the grounded weight of a mountain.
"I am here for the 1st-Rank Alchemist Certification," Chen said, his voice calm and steady.
The lobby grew quiet. Several older men in silk robes turned to look at him. One of them, a 1st-Rank Alchemist named Han Fu, let out a dry chuckle.
"Little boy, this isn't a playground. To even sit for the exam, you must be a Dou Zhe with a Fire-attribute affinity and a trace of Wood-attribute soul force. Do you even know how to ignite a cauldron?"
Chen didn't glance at him. He simply extended his hand.
Fuuu—
A wisp of orange-emerald flame danced on his fingertip. It wasn't the flickering, unstable flame of a novice. It was a dense, vibrating fire that seemed to suck the oxygen out of the immediate area.
Han Fu's laughter died in his throat. His eyes widened. "Dual-attribute... and that flame density... it's impossible for an eleven-year-old."
The clerk, now pale with realization, scrambled to her feet. "I... I will fetch Great Master Ao Tuo immediately! Please, Young Master, wait in the VIP lounge!"
The Inner Sanctum: The Test of Ten Fires
Ten minutes later, Chen was led into a private refining room. Standing there was Ao Tuo, a 2nd-Rank Alchemist whose reputation spanned the entire Jia Ma Empire. Beside him stood his disciple, Lin Fei, a beautiful girl who was known as the top genius of the city.
"You are Xiao Chen?" Ao Tuo asked, his eyes sharp and analytical. "I've heard the rumors of a new genius in the Xiao Clan. But alchemy is not about breaking arms, boy. It is about the precision of the soul."
"I am aware," Chen replied. "I am ready."
Ao Tuo pointed to a massive, black-iron cauldron. "The 1st-Rank exam requires you to refine a [Blood-Qi Condensing Pill]. However, because of your age and the quality of your Qi, I will add a condition. You must reach a medicinal purity of at least 70%. If you fail the purity, you fail the exam."
Lin Fei gasped. "Teacher! 70% is the standard for a 2nd-Rank practitioner! Most 1st-Ranks can only hit 50%!"
"If he wants to be a genius," Ao Tuo said, "he must prove he is a monster."
The Doubling Effect: Divine Alchemy
Chen stepped up to the cauldron.
"System," he thought. "Analyze the internal structure of the Ironbark Vine."
[Analysis Complete]
Current Purity Potential: 100% (Due to Doubled Perception)
Optimal Temperature: 412°C.
Note: Host's Doubled Soul Strength allows for 'Multi-Layer Refining'.
Chen slammed his palms against the cauldron. The [Green Wood Flame Heart] roared to life. Unlike other alchemists who carefully fed the fire, Chen's Qi output was so massive—thanks to his Doubled Foundation—that the cauldron began to glow cherry-red in seconds.
"He's going to melt the cauldron!" Lin Fei cried out.
"Wait..." Ao Tuo whispered, his eyes fixed on the smoke. "Look at the rhythm."
Inside the cauldron, the Ironbark Vine wasn't just burning. Chen was using his Doubled Soul Perception to "vibrate" the heat. He was hitting the impurities at their resonance frequency, shattering them into dust while leaving the medicinal essence untouched.
To a normal Alchemist, this was like trying to perform surgery with a sledgehammer. But to Chen, it was as easy as breathing. His 2x Comprehension allowed him to track three different chemical reactions simultaneously.
Ten minutes passed.
Twenty minutes.
Suddenly, Chen's eyes snapped open. "Condense!"
He clapped his hands together. The liquid essence inside the cauldron whirled into a vortex.
BAM!
The lid of the cauldron flew off, and a pillar of crimson light shot toward the ceiling. A fragrance so potent it made Lin Fei feel lightheaded filled the room.
Ao Tuo rushed forward, his hands trembling. He peered into the cauldron. There, lying on the bottom, was a single, deep-red pill. It didn't just have one 'pill ring' indicating quality—it had three.
"99% purity," Ao Tuo whispered, his voice cracking. "This... this is a Peak-Grade 1st-Rank Pill. No, with this purity, it's more effective than a 3rd-Rank healing elixir."
He looked at Xiao Chen, who was barely breaking a sweat.
"Who is your master?" Ao Tuo demanded. "Who taught you the 'Vibrational Refining' technique?"
"I have no master," Chen said, wiping a drop of sweat from his brow. "I just saw how the heat moved and followed the flow."
Ao Tuo sat back, stunned. Followed the flow? This boy wasn't just a genius; he was a natural disaster.
The Badge and the Protection
Ao Tuo didn't just give Chen a 1st-Rank badge. He walked to a locked cabinet and pulled out a robe made of silver-silk, embroidered with a golden cauldron.
"This is the robe of an Honorary Elder of the Wu Tan City Branch," Ao Tuo said solemnly. "Xiao Chen, as of this moment, you are under the absolute protection of the Alchemist Association. If the Xiao Clan Elders try to lay a finger on you, they will answer to me—and to the Emperor."
Chen took the robe, feeling its smooth texture.
[System Mission Complete: Path of the Alchemist]
Reward: 1x 'Heavenly Soul Expansion' (Pre-requisite for 4x Soul Doubling at Dou Shi Realm).
"Thank you, Master Ao Tuo," Chen said, bowing slightly.
As he walked out of the Association, the silver robe shimmering in the sun, Chen knew that the "branch orphan" was dead. When he returned to the Xiao Clan estate, the guards didn't just stand tall—they knelt.
The Confrontation in the Great Hall
The news reached the Xiao Clan before Chen did.
The First Elder was in the middle of a screaming fit in the Great Hall, pointing his finger at Xiao Zhan. "That brat crippled my grandson! He must be crippled in return! It is the only way to maintain—"
The heavy oak doors of the Hall swung open.
Xiao Chen walked in. He wasn't wearing his faded disciple rags. He was wearing the silver-silk robe of the Alchemist Association, the golden badge gleaming on his chest.
The First Elder's voice died. His jaw dropped.
Xiao Zhan stood up, his eyes wide. "Chen... is that...?"
"1st-Rank Alchemist, Peak Purity," Chen said, his voice echoing in the silent hall. He looked directly at the First Elder. "I heard someone was talking about 'crippling' a member of the Alchemist Association. Would you like to repeat that for the record, Elder? I'm sure Master Ao Tuo would be fascinated to hear your legal theories."
The First Elder turned purple, but he couldn't speak. To touch an Alchemist was to invite the wrath of the entire empire.
Chen turned to Xiao Zhan. "Clan Leader, I will be heading to the Magical Beast Mountain Range tomorrow. I need higher-grade materials to continue my cultivation. I trust there will be no more 'discussions' about my status while I'm gone?"
Xiao Zhan could only nod, a look of profound realization on his face. Xiao Yan was his son, but Xiao Chen... Xiao Chen was becoming something else entirely.