17: Second-grade assessment

“Teacher… this!”

“Alright, Lin Fei, stop messing around!”

Otto had a headache; Lin Fei’s coquettish behavior wasn’t new. Just take the alchemist robe she was wearing now, for example.

Most people only received an alchemist robe after passing the assessment, but Lin Fei clung to him and got her alchemist robe first, wearing it with Divine Qi every day.

Seeing that this matter couldn’t be resolved through coquetry, Lin Fei withdrew her hands from Otto’s arm and crossed them over her chest.

“Xiao Lei, I bet you absolutely can’t pass the assessment!”

Xiao Lei chuckled. Kids, huh! How did this turn into a bet? And without any stakes… “If you win, I’ll introduce you to a beautiful woman! She said that if there’s any man in Blackrock City whose Alchemy talent is stronger than hers, she’ll be with that person…”

As she said this, Lin Fei couldn’t help but feel she was a Genius. If Xiao Lei didn’t pass, she could mock him. If Xiao Lei passed, she could watch Snow Charm make a fool of herself.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Lei just glanced at her.

“If you’re going to bet, bet yourself. What kind of bet is it to use someone else as the stake!”

“As for the beautiful woman you mentioned, keep her for yourself, I’m not interested!”

After their bickering, Xiao Lei, led by Otto, arrived outside a Pill Refining Room.

“The Rank 2 Alchemist assessment requires Frank and me to set the questions together, and then prepare the medicinal ingredients and so on. You can wait inside for a bit first.”

Good opportunity!

Lin Fei thought to herself. At this moment, she had time to go find Snow Charm.

“No problem, Senior, please take your time.”

Xiao Lei was still hoping to have a good talk with Otto about life ideals after the assessment, so he naturally had to be polite.

Otto and Lin Fei left one after another, leaving Xiao Lei alone to wait in the Pill Refining Room.

After a long while, Otto returned with a sleepy-faced Frank to Xiao Lei’s presence.

“Frank and I have discussed it. Your assessment task this time is to refine a formed Qi Recovery Pill. There are three sets of medicinal ingredients here. As long as you succeed once, you will pass the assessment.”

What a coincidence!

Xiao Lei had just given him a Qi Recovery Pill, claiming he refined it, and now he was given this task. If he couldn’t refine it, wouldn’t it clearly imply that he was lying earlier!

Couldn't tell, Otto, this old guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, was actually so devious!

Fortunately, Xiao Lei had the skill, so he wasn’t afraid of the assessment!

“Quick, Snow Charm, your future… is right here!”

Before Xiao Lei even began the assessment, Lin Fei’s chattering voice echoed from outside the door.

Snow Charm, following behind Lin Fei, looked displeased, but in the end, her curiosity got the better of her, and she wanted to see.

After all, becoming a Rank 2 Alchemist at sixteen was truly Heaven-Defying. One should know that Gu He hadn’t even become a Rank 1 Alchemist at that age.

Hearing Lin Fei’s voice, Otto knew things were going to be troublesome again. He rubbed his eyes and walked out the door.

“Lin Fei, who told you to come here? No one is allowed to disturb an Alchemist assessment. Go quickly!”

“Teacher…”

“Go!” Seeing Lin Fei about to use her coquettish skills again, Otto had to say it decisively. However, Otto didn't blame Snow Charm, who stood beside him. She was not only Frank's Disciple but also the City Lord's daughter.

“Then we can wait outside, right!”

“Yes, but no noise is allowed to disturb the assessment.” Unable to win against Lin Fei, Otto could only settle for a compromise.

Xiao Lei simply surveyed the medicinal ingredients before him, then placed his palms on the Medicine Cauldron and began the refinement.

As Dou Qi surged out, Otto immediately sensed Xiao Lei’s cultivation.

“Great Dou Master! A sixteen-year-old Great Dou Master?”

If it weren't happening right before his eyes, Otto would only find it absurd.

Nalan Yanran, the Young Sect Master of the Cloud Mist Sect next door, was also this age. Otto estimated she was, at most, a low-tier Dou Master. And now, a sixteen-year-old Great Dou Master suddenly appeared.

“Perhaps he really is!”

The last trace of doubt in Otto’s mind regarding Xiao Lei’s Alchemist strength vanished.

With his cultivation as a six-star Great Dou Master, Xiao Lei quickly refined all the medicinal ingredients.

The entire process was seamless, making Otto exclaim that Xiao Lei must not have recently achieved Rank 2, but rather had been at the Rank 2 Realm for a long time.

“This… this is simply unimaginable. A sixteen-year-old Rank 2, and he broke through long ago. It seems my Alchemist Guild in Blackrock City is destined to make a big splash in the Jia Ma Empire!”

Thinking of the youngest Rank 2 Alchemist coming from his Guild, Otto couldn’t help but feel proud.

“After this assessment, I must find a way to make him an honorary Elder of the Guild!”

If Xiao Lei knew Otto’s thoughts at this moment, he would definitely gloat and say: The fish is hooked!

As long as Otto wanted Xiao Lei to become an honorary Elder, Xiao Lei would find a way to manipulate it, copying his cultivation and Alchemy.

The medicinal liquid in the Medicine Cauldron quickly fused, forming several Medicinal Pill prototypes.

The difficulty in refining the Qi Recovery Pill lay precisely here, because a single batch of Qi Recovery Pills would yield several at once, which severely tested the Alchemist’s Soul Strength level.

Fortunately, Gu Ni was also an experienced Rank 2 Alchemist. Xiao Lei, by copying his Alchemy and Soul Strength, found it effortless to handle the current assessment.

“Condense!”

With a soft cry, the Medicinal Pills in the Medicine Cauldron rapidly took shape, and then a brilliant light erupted.

Clang!

Xiao Lei lifted the Medicine Cauldron, took out all the Qi Recovery Pills, and handed them to Otto and Frank.

“Great Master, please examine the Medicinal Pills!”

Otto and Frank each picked up a Medicinal Pill and examined it carefully.

“Bright in color, rich in Medicinal Pill fragrance, round Medicinal Pill, extremely high quality!”

“Young Brother Xiao Lei, you have passed your assessment. You just need to wait a bit, and the alchemist badge and alchemist robe will be delivered by the Guild!”

Having personally witnessed Xiao Lei refine a Rank 2 Medicinal Pill, Otto became somewhat fawning towards Xiao Lei.

“May I ask, Young Brother, who is your Senior? Perhaps I even know them!”

Generally speaking, Alchemists all have a Legacy, but Otto, seeing Xiao Lei’s direct Rank 2 assessment performance, merely assumed it was due to not having a teacher to guide him.

So Otto kept an eye out. What if Xiao Lei truly didn’t have a teacher! If he took in such a Genius, wouldn't he profit greatly!

“Junior has no Legacy. My Alchemy was self-taught after receiving the Legacy and guidance of an Alchemist Senior. That Senior left behind complete Alchemy knowledge, which allowed Junior to barely self-study.”

Excellent! Otto almost shrieked with excitement.

What is fate? This is fate!

To have such a Genius, who self-taught to become a Rank 2 Alchemist, delivered right to his doorstep—it would be a sin not to take him in!

“May I ask if Young Brother is interested in becoming my Disciple? At that time, I can teach Young Brother Rank 3 and 4 Alchemy!”

Otto even forgot about making Xiao Lei an honorary Elder; now he only wanted to be Xiao Lei’s teacher!

“Uh, I haven’t seen Senior’s Alchemy before. How can I become your Disciple just like that!”

Hearing this, Otto became anxious. Couldn’t his alchemist badge prove his strength?

“If Senior can refine a Rank 4 Medicinal Pill in front of Junior, then Junior will become Senior’s Disciple!”

Hmm!

Otto immediately brightened upon hearing Xiao Lei’s words, feeling that Xiao Lei simply thought he shouldn’t casually take a teacher, but still wanted to, so he made a seemingly simple request.

Otto had been a Rank 4 Alchemist for a long time, only limited by his own Dou Qi strength which prevented much further progress.

“It’s a deal!”

Watching Otto laugh heartily, Xiao Lei couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for him. This guy had no idea what he was about to experience!