Smack!
A crisp slapping sound echoed through the hall, followed by a voice full of disbelief: "Damn, that actually hurt. So I really wasn't dreaming — there truly is a monstrous anomaly here."
Frank and Otto were also startled awake by the slap. Frank stared at Xiao Tian with wide eyes. "You really want to test for Third-Rank Alchemist? You're not joking, are you?"
"I'm serious," Xiao Tian replied with absolute certainty.
Otto and Frank exchanged a look of pure shock. If Xiao Tian truly passed the Third-Rank assessment, it would bring immense glory to the Blackrock City Alchemist Guild and even greater rewards and medicinal support from the main guild. Both elders trembled with excitement.
"Quick! Quickly prepare the Third-Rank Alchemist assessment procedures! No, never mind — we'll prepare them ourselves!"
The two old men activated their Dou Techniques, leaving streaks of afterimages as they rushed to the Third-Rank assessment room to make preparations.
Lin Fei walked up to Xiao Tian and poked his arm. "You… are you even human? I even suspect you're some old monster in disguise."
"A genuine young man, no fakes here," Xiao Tian said, patting his chest.
"Then how did you manage to qualify for Third-Rank at this age?" Lin Fei pinched his arm again.
"I just kept refining, and the rank went up. It's not that hard," Xiao Tian shrugged.
Lin Fei couldn't help but grind her teeth — it was quite irritating to hear.
"Little friend Xiao Tian, please come over. The assessment room is ready," Frank's voice called out.
Xiao Tian walked to the entrance of the Third-Rank assessment room and stepped inside. Otto closed the door firmly behind him.
About an hour later, Otto and Frank emerged with a contradictory mix of excitement and desolation on their faces.
"He's simply a monster. There's no comparison. We're old… we're truly old, and we can't deny it," Frank lamented.
The excitement came from the fact that Xiao Tian's success would bring enormous benefits and prestige to the Blackrock City Alchemist Guild.
The desolation came from being utterly defeated and disheartened by such overwhelming talent.
After Xiao Tian finished tidying up, he walked out. Seeing him emerge, Frank waved a subordinate over, who approached with a black robe on a tray.
Frank said, "You should already know the functions of an Alchemist's robe, I presume."
Xiao Tian nodded.
Frank continued, "There are also some hidden functions that you'll only experience once you wear it out in public."
Xiao Tian was initially confused, but then, thinking of the status an Alchemist enjoyed, he understood.
He took the Alchemist's robe. On its chest was an alchemy cauldron emblem with three ripples inside.
Xiao Tian removed his current robe and put on the new one. A cool, refreshing sensation spread through his body, making him feel even more invigorated.
Wearing the luxurious Alchemist's robe, his already ethereal aura became even more noble — like an exiled immortal, incomparably distinguished.
Xue Mei and Lin Fei, seeing Xiao Tian enhanced by the robe, couldn't help but stare at his face, momentarily lost in thought.
Frank said to the others, "Those of you who passed the assessment can go to the front to register and then collect your Alchemist's robes."
Watching the others leave, Frank led Xiao Tian outside and said, "Little friend Xiao Tian, in half a year, the capital city will host an Alchemist Convention. Not only will alchemists from the entire Jia Ma Empire gather, but alchemists from other empires will also come to participate. If you have time then, you can join. With your strength and age, you can gain valuable experience and perhaps even make a name for yourself — it would be greatly beneficial to you."
"Alright. If I have time, I'll go check it out," Xiao Tian nodded, accepting the invitation.
He had originally planned to attend the Alchemist Convention in half a year anyway, because after the convention would come Xiao Yan's three-year agreement.
"Good, good, good! We'll wait for you at the Alchemist Guild in the capital city then," Frank and Otto said, laughing heartily and applauding as they walked, clearly pleased that Xiao Tian had agreed.
The Little Fairy Doctor saw Xiao Tian walk out of the assessment hall and quickly approached him. "How did it go?"
"As expected," Xiao Tian said, pointing to the three-ripple emblem on his robe.
"Is this an Alchemist's robe? It looks so good, and it feels so comfortable. What rank is yours?" The Little Fairy Doctor paused, smiled, and nodded, reaching out to touch the luxurious fabric.
"Third-Rank. Not bad, right? Don't I look even more handsome in this outfit?" Xiao Tian smiled proudly, taking her hand that was touching his clothes.
"Ahem, be mindful — there are elders present," Otto, unable to watch any longer, coughed and said.
"Couldn't help myself, couldn't help myself," Xiao Tian replied, his face not flushing and his heart not skipping a beat.
The Little Fairy Doctor beside him had a flushed face and looked down at her feet. As the saying goes, if you can't see your toes when you look down, you are a peerless beauty. Well, that had nothing to do with the Little Fairy Doctor, as her toes were clearly visible.
"Masters, do you know where I can get poisonous herbs and poison-attribute Dou Techniques?" Xiao Tian asked the two elders.
"What do you need those for? Do you want to become a poison master? Poison masters are not well-regarded, and it would waste your talent," Frank frowned, advising against it.
"I just want to collect them; I won't use them," Xiao Tian said.
"As long as you're clear on that. We don't have either of those at our guild, but I know where they can be found," Frank said after looking carefully at Xiao Tian.
Xiao Tian cupped his hands. "Please inform me, Guild Master."
"These two items can only be bought in the black market. Blackrock City happens to have an underground black market, but you need a token to enter."
"Where is the underground black market? And how do I obtain a token?" Xiao Tian asked curiously.
"The underground black market is in the west of the city. I have a golden token here, and a golden token can also bring three people inside. I can give it to you, but you need to keep your identity secret and be careful once inside." Frank took out a golden token from his storage ring, on which a black skull was drawn.
Xiao Tian took the golden token. "Thank you, Guild Master Frank."
...
After bidding farewell to Frank and Otto, Xiao Tian and the Little Fairy Doctor bought two masks and two black cloaks on the way. Completely wrapped up, the two followed Frank's directions to a secluded street in the west of the city and entered a shop called 'Zhi Zhen Tower.'
Xiao Tian and the Little Fairy Doctor walked into the shop, approached the shopkeeper, and showed the golden token. Upon seeing the golden token, the shopkeeper's eyes widened. In all of Blackrock City, the number of golden tokens was extremely small.
The shopkeeper carefully led the two into the back hall, where they came to a hidden small door. Inside, two burly men stood guard at a large door.
"Please show your token," one of the burly men said sharply.
Xiao Tian once again took out the golden token and showed it to them.
Seeing the token, the two doorkeepers quickly opened the large door, bowing slightly and gesturing for them to enter. "Masters, please come in."
Xiao Tian led the Little Fairy Doctor through the large door. Inside was a staircase leading underground, illuminated by moonstones on both sides.