25: Chapter 25 First-Rank Alchemist

Soon, the examiner for this assessment appeared on the central terrace, a middle-aged man named Xiao Yan.

He wore a white Taoist robe and said in a clear voice, "The First-Grade Alchemist assessment now officially begins!"

When he finished speaking, accompanied by the ringing of a clear chime, the Alchemy assessment officially began.

Baili Yunche formed a hand seal, and the earth fire stove ignited with a boom.

An orange-red flame gushed out, licking the bottom of the Pill Furnace.

Preheating the Pill Furnace.

This was an action he had done a hundred times, and he wouldn't make a mistake even with his eyes closed.

But his movements remained cautious, and his Divine Sense probed into the furnace like threads of silk, perceiving the subtle changes in temperature down to every inch.

When the furnace walls took on a uniform light red hue, he withdrew his incantation formula, and the flame stabilized at a level six mild fire.

The first medicinal material — Bone-Washing Flower.

The pristine white flower fell into the furnace, coming into contact with the scorching airflow, making a slight "hissing" sound.

Baili Yunche's Divine Sense tightly wrapped around this flower, guiding it to be heated evenly at the bottom of the furnace.

The petals began to soften from the edges, oozing milky white juice.

When the entire flower completely melted into a pool of white liquid, he did not hesitate to drop in the second medicinal material, Clear Fragrance Grass.

Then came the third, fourth, and fifth...

All six auxiliary Materials were thrown in, smelted, and fused.

Baili Yunche did not dare to be the slightest bit careless, slowly throwing the main ingredient, Spirit Gathering Grass, into the Pill Furnace.

The emerald-green Spiritual Plant fell into the furnace, and the moment it met the six-colored medicinal liquid, a deep hum issued from within the Pill Furnace.

Baili Yunche immediately adjusted the heat, dropping from a level six mild fire to a level four mild fire, and the flame turned into a soft pale gold.

The Fusion of the medicinal liquids.

This was the most crucial and most perilous step in Alchemy.

Seven spiritual Materials with different medicinal properties needed to blend together perfectly under the traction of his Divine Sense.

Baili Yunche closed his eyes, carefully sensing the changes in the medicinal liquid.

Gradually, the threads intertwined into a colorful ball of light.

The ball of light slowly rotated, spinning faster and faster, shrinking smaller and smaller.

The Pill Furnace also continuously emitted a "gurgling" sound.

After quite a while, Baili Yunche began to increase the firepower to condense the liquid into pills.

This process was extremely long and also extremely mentally exhausting.

But since Baili Yunche possessed Divine Sense, it was no big deal to him, and he grasped the heat for condensing pills extremely well.

Seeing that the time was about right, Baili Yunche patted the Pill Furnace and struck out an incantation formula.

"Rise!"

The furnace lid flew up, and five bolts of cyan light burst out of the furnace!

He had been well prepared; with a scoop of his jade bottle in mid-air, all five Medicinal Pills fell into the bottle.

Until the jade bottle landed in his palm, he let out a long breath.

Baili Yunche looked closely; this time he performed beyond expectations.

Five spirit gathering pills.

Three with one pill pattern, Low Grade.

Two with three pill patterns, Medium Grade.

Holding the jade bottle, Baili Yunche revealed a relieved smile.

He took a deep breath, put the jade bottle into his sleeve, stood up and walked toward the central bluestone platform, coming before the examiner Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly sweeping over the jade bottle in his hand, and he let out an exclamation of surprise: "You refined it so quickly?"

"Yes." Baili Yunche offered the jade bottle with both hands, "Please take a look, Junior Martial Uncle Xiao."

Xiao Yan took the spirit gathering pills refined by Baili Yunche, and with a sweep of his Divine Sense, he knew the answer. He smiled and said: "One portion of Materials, yielding five pills. Three Low Grade, two Medium Grade."

His voice was not loud, but it was enough to make the examinees at the nearby Alchemy platforms cast sideways glances.

"Extremely good! To be able to refine Medium Grade spirit gathering pills using only one portion of Materials."

He paused, his gaze lingering on Baili Yunche's face for a moment, "Your talent can rank in the top ten among the newcomers of the past three years."

Baili Yunche lowered his eyes: "Thank you for the praise, Junior Martial Uncle Xiao."

"However," Xiao Yan's tone shifted, "Although Alchemy is good, your cultivation level must not be left behind."

He pointed at the Miscellaneous Chores Peak insignia on Baili Yunche's chest: "The fourth layer of Qi is ultimately too low. If you want to advance to a second-grade Alchemist in the future, without Foundation Establishment cultivation to support your Divine Sense, no matter how good your talent is, it will be like a tree without roots."

His tone was not heavy, but every word was earnest.

Baili Yunche's heart stirred slightly, and he respectfully bowed: "This Disciple will remember Junior Martial Uncle Xiao's teachings."

Xiao Yan nodded and said no more.

He took out a palm-sized blue badge from his sleeve, and also took out a neatly folded crimson Taoist robe, handing them over together.

"This is the First-Grade Alchemist badge and the standard Taoist robe of the Pill Tower. From now on, you are an officially certified Alchemist of the Pill Tower."

With an excited expression, Baili Yunche took them with both hands.

This badge was blue, only the size of a palm, forged from special Materials.

The front was engraved with the logo of the Pill Tower, and beneath the logo was engraved a single bar, representing a first-grade Alchemist. The back was engraved with the four large characters of Baili Yunche.

Baili Yunche couldn't wait to put on the Taoist robe, and immediately wore the Alchemist badge as well.

He looked himself over carefully, suddenly having a strange feeling.

From this moment on, he was no longer just a Utility Disciple.

He was finally no longer at the very bottom of the Sect!

Because he was now a first-grade Alchemist certified by the Pill Tower! His status was at least comparable to an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple!

He turned around and walked toward the exit of the square.

Outside the door, Su Bingqing was standing under the corridor, looking at him with a smiling expression.

"Congratulations to Junior Brother Baili Yunche on successfully becoming a first-grade Alchemist! If Junior Brother Gu knew, he would definitely be happy for you too! I haven't failed his trust either!"

Her voice was brisk, with her ending notes curling upward like the chirping of birds in the forest.

Baili Yunche said with great gratitude: "It is all thanks to Senior Sister Su's proper guidance; without Senior Sister Su, there would be no today for me, Baili Yunche."

"I propose that tonight we treat Senior Sister Su to a huge meal at the Xianwei Pavilion!"

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