340: Wenxingdan

Before coming, Feng Ming had expected that the Alchemist Guild wouldn't be so easy to enter.

At this moment, Feng Da pointed at the two large drums next to the guild's main gate and said, "Young Master, since they won't let us in, let's go beat the drums."

"I asked around before we came; these four drums aren't as simple as they look. They represent Alchemist Ranks, starting from grade six up to grade nine. You choose the drum based on your strength; as long as you can make it sound, you can take the assessment."

Feng Ming nodded. Clearly, his previous plan to meet Xing Fangsong as a Junior was now impossible. Since that was the case, he would just follow the formal procedure.

He immediately walked toward the drums. As he drew closer, Feng Ming was shocked; from left to right, these four drums represented the four Ranks of Alchemists: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth!

"Whatever your strength is, that's the drum you strike. Once it sounds, you can take the assessment!"

Hearing this, Feng Ming didn't waste any words and immediately walked toward the drums.

Upon approaching, Feng Ming clearly saw that among the four drums, the surface of the one representing the Sixth-Grade Alchemist was already heavily worn and polished from use, the seventh-grade one was slightly better, and the surface for the Eighth-Grade Alchemist showed only a bit of wear.

The drum surface representing the Ninth-Rank Alchemist looked as good as new; clearly, the number of Ninth-Rank Alchemists was small.

Feng Ming walked over, picked up the drumstick, and began to strike. He thought it would require great effort, but to his surprise, the moment his strike landed, the drum surface erupted with a powerful sound.

With a loud bang like an explosion, the sound instantly spread in all directions, immediately attracting people from the street.

"Quick, go look! Someone is beating the Alchemist Guild's drum. With such a loud noise, could it be the ninth Rank?"

"Ninth Rank? Ninth-Rank Alchemists are rare; there haven't been many over the years. To have a Ninth-Rank Alchemist assessment today is truly a rarity."

"You're overthinking it. If someone is already at the ninth Rank, what's left to assess? They could practically just join the staff. It's truly enviable; I don't even know if I'll ever have the hope of reaching the ninth Rank in this lifetime."

The arriving crowd was abuzz with discussion, but when they reached the entrance of the Alchemist Guild and saw Feng Ming beating the drum, they were instantly dumbfounded.

They had expected the person beating the drum to be an old man with white hair and a beard, but they never imagined it would be a young man not even twenty years old.

"Wait, am I seeing things? He's only sixteen or seventeen, right? Beating the Ninth-Rank Alchemist drum—did he make a mistake, or did I?"

"Is this a joke? Whose kid is this? When I was that age, I was still playing with mud."

"Wait, haven't you considered another possibility? For example, what if he's a powerful cultivation master who has achieved rejuvenation?"

"Do you have any common sense? If a Cultivator had such a high cultivation, how could they also be a Ninth-Rank Alchemist? If you ask me, this is definitely some kid being mischievous."

While everyone was debating, the doors of the Alchemist Guild opened from the inside, and a group of people walked out.

These people were wearing the exclusive robes of Alchemists. Leading them was an elderly man with white hair and a beard; he looked like a transcendental being, possessing the aura of an Immortal.

After his gaze swept over Feng Ming, he spoke: "This old man is the Honorary Grand President of the Alchemist Guild, Xing Fangsong." He sized up the two of them and then continued.

"Was it you who struck the drum just now?"

Feng Ming nodded, "It was me!"

Before the other could finish speaking, Feng Ming caught the underlying meaning. Not wanting to waste any more time on this, he immediately spoke:

"Rest assured on that point, President Xing. Since I dared to strike this drum, I naturally have the strength. Furthermore, I've come because I wish to join the Alchemist Guild and become an Honorary President. I wonder what the requirements are."

Xing Fangsong was visibly stunned upon hearing this, but then he asked, "Then may I ask your name, and why you wish to join my Alchemist Guild and even become an Honorary President?"

Although Ninth-Rank Alchemists were rare, not just anyone could become an Honorary President.

Feng Ming nodded and answered without hesitation, "I am Feng Ming. There is a medicinal herb I need that only the Alchemist Guild possesses, and the way to obtain it is to become an Honorary President. I had no other choice but to come and join you."

Hearing this, Xing Fangsong's suspicions were dispelled, and he laughed. "You are quite straightforward, young friend. However, becoming an Honorary President is no easy feat, and I cannot make that decision alone."

"However, if you truly have the level of a Ninth-Rank Alchemist, I could make an exception and gift this herb to you."

Feng Ming smiled and said, "No problem. Whatever assessment you want, conduct it as soon as possible; I'm fine with anything. But I have one condition: the medicinal herbs for the test must be provided by you."

He was joking—he didn't have any herbs for a Ninth-Rank Alchemist at all.

Xing Fangsong nodded. "You are a straightforward person, young friend. Providing the herbs is no problem. For the assessment, why don't you refine a wen xing pill?"

"No problem," Feng Ming replied.

Xing Fangsong immediately flicked his long sleeve, and a narrow table appeared before Feng Ming. There were no herbs on it, but there was a Storage Ring; clearly, the herbs were inside the ring.

Seeing this, the surrounding crowd instantly erupted. "Wait, what's going on today? It's like I haven't woken up from a dream. Just what kind of miraculous person is this Feng Ming? He doesn't look like he's just putting on an act."

"To be honest, I also suspect I'm dreaming. Such a young Ninth-Rank Alchemist—it's a once-in-a-lifetime sight."

"Clearly, President Xing is also very surprised, bringing out the herbs for an assessment immediately. It's just that for this wen xing pill, won't the difficulty be too high?"

"No, no, no, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Because this Medicinal Pill is the standard test pill for Ninth-Rank Alchemists. I've heard that the wen xing pill can have up to nine pill-veins; if an ordinary Alchemist can refine three veins, their level is already quite good."

"Right, right, I remember an Honorary President who was exceptionally appointed precisely because he refined a six-vein wen xing pill." "This youth is so young; I wonder how many veins he can refine."

"Regardless of how many veins, if he can refine it at all, that's impressive. Is anyone starting a betting pool?"

"A bet? We must bet! I'll bet on three veins."

"One vein!"

"Two veins!"

"I bet he can't refine it at all..."

Feng Ming clearly didn't take the surrounding crowd's discussions to heart.

With a flip of his hand, he took out the herbs from the Storage Ring. Then, those herbs floated to the side in a specific order.

With a point of Feng Ming's finger, a wisp of Pill Fire instantly flew out, and thus the Alchemy assessment officially began.

Xing Fangsong observed Feng Ming's movements. Seeing the herbs in mid-air flying into the Pill Fire in a specific sequence, he couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.

"The sequence is correct, and the heat control is very precise. He does seem to have some skill, but I wonder how many pill-veins he can produce."

After Feng Ming began his Alchemy, the surrounding crowd also quieted down.

Even if they had doubts about Feng Ming's strength and age, they wouldn't speak up to disturb him at this time.

For an Alchemist's Alchemy, the environment is very important. It would be inappropriate for them to interrupt or affect him with noise.

Therefore, everyone fell silent.