Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Alchemist Guild (2)

The receptionist led Li Feng to an empty table in the center of the room, already stocked with neatly prepared herbs and ingredients. “Sir, please wait here. The assessment will begin shortly.”

Li Feng gestured for Goldie to take a seat among the spectators before turning his attention to the others in the testing area.

There were both young and old; some of them were even in their sixties or more with white hair, long beards, and one man so frail he needed a cane just to stand upright.

Li Feng gave a strange smile at the sight and inwardly pondered, ’All these individuals are Rank 1 alchemists…? When can just about anyone actually become an alchemist?’

After a short wait, the doors at the far end of the hall slowly opened.

An old figure appeared, his long white beard flowing down his chest and robes embroidered with subtle alchemical symbols. His gait was steady but commanding, each step carrying the weight of decades of experience. The hall fell slightly silent at his presence, a mixture of respect and curiosity in the air.

Trailing behind him was a young woman of remarkable grace. Her movements were precise and elegant, each step measured, and her blue robe flowing like water around a slender figure, not as overtly voluptuous as Wei Meilin’s exaggerated body, yet possessing curves that were perfectly shaped in all the right places.

Li Feng’s eyes couldn’t help but roam over her body, taking in the subtle, tempting lines beneath her robe.

Her black hair was tied with refined elegance, befitting a noble household’s young lady. At first glance, her eyes radiated gentle courtesy, yet a fleeting glint of cunning flickered within. There was an air of calm authority about her, and the way she carried herself suggested she was no mere assistant, but perhaps a trusted aide or even a disciple under the Master Alchemist’s personal guidance.

The old man walked to the front of the hall, his steps unhurried but carrying a weight that made the murmurs fade into silence. He swept his gaze over the participants, pausing briefly on each face before speaking.

“Today’s assessment,” he said in a calm yet commanding tone, “will test your precision, speed, and control in pill refinement. You will be given a set of ingredients and a single attempt. No second chances.”

Then, with a casual sway of his hand, a big scroll appeared. In it were the name of the pill and its detailed instructions. It was called Mind Calming Pills. Despite being a mid-grade Rank 1 pill, it was probably one of the most difficult pills to refine, as it involved many delicate ingredients and precise timing.

A ripple of tension moved through the room after the scroll was revealed. A few candidates shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the herbs in front of them as though they were already doubting themselves.

“You may begin,” the old man said.

A hum of spiritual energy filled the air as flames roared to life beneath the cauldrons.

Li Feng, however, didn’t immediately start. He took his time, picking up each herb, turning it in his fingers, and setting it down again. This earned a raised brow from an old man at the next table.

“Boy,” the man muttered, “if you waste time showing off, you’ll be the first to fail.”

Li Feng glanced at him, smiling faintly. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll finish before you even stabilize your flame.”

That earned him a snort, but the man quickly turned back to his cauldron.

Finally, Li Feng moved. His hands were steady and precise, every motion smooth as though choreographed. His flame sprang to life with a soft whoosh, not too bright, not too weak, just perfectly balanced. The herbs entered the cauldron in a deliberate order, each at exactly the right moment.

Then a subtle, fragrant aroma soon began to drift from his cauldron, pure, rich, without even the faintest hint of impurity.

Around him, the atmosphere was far less serene. A young man two tables over cursed as his mixture began to bubble too early. An elderly participant coughed violently when a puff of black smoke erupted from his cauldron. The man beside Li Feng was sweating heavily, his flame flickering and unstable.

Within minutes, Li Feng was already in the final condensation stage. The old man next to him glanced over, disbelief flashing across his face. “How the hell are you already—?”

“Old man, you should focus on your own work,” Li Feng said without looking up.

By the time the incense stick burned out, Li Feng’s batch of pills was cooling neatly in a jade bottle. Each was perfectly round, their surface glossy like polished pearls.

The others… did not fare so well. Some presented uneven, lumpy pills; others had nothing at all to show but scorched residue at the bottom of their cauldrons.

A low murmur swept through the spectators.

The old man descended from the platform, his gaze sharp as he examined Li Feng’s work. He picked up one pill, holding it to the light before letting it roll between his fingers.

“High grade…,” he said at last, his tone carrying a mix of surprise and approval. “On the first try.”

The young woman beside the Master Alchemist leaned in for a closer look. Her calm expression wavered slightly, the faintest crease forming between her brows.

“Such steady control…,” she murmured. “Amazing. The spiritual energy in these pills is perfectly locked. Not even a trace lost during refinement.”

Li Feng gave a small shrug, his lips curling as he glanced toward the old elder before him. “So, Elder, do I manage to pass?”

“You can call me Elder Wang, and yes, for this assessment you are the only one who has passed,” Elder Wang said with a smile, casually declaring everybody else a failure. With his skill, he can judge the others’ results with just a glance.

Then, as he seems to just remembered, he turned toward the young woman beside him and introduced her to Li Feng.

“This one is Peng Meirong; she is my disciple.”

Li Feng tilted his head a bit when he heard the family name of this young woman. If he remembered right, she should be from the Peng Family, one of the four major families that also has a Master Alchemist in their ranks and has dominated the pill market in Cloudveil City for a long time. They might be his business opponents in the future too.

He gave a weird look toward this master-disciple pair. The Peng family should have their own Master Alchemist so why Peng Meirong is Elder Wang’s disciple instead?

Just as the thought emerged, Li Feng shook his head slightly. This was their affair, not his business, and he also introduced himself: “My name is Li Feng. I am an Outer Sect disciple from Azure Moon Sect.”

Peng Meirong gracefully smiled at Li Feng. “Young Master Li is truly extraordinary. It is an honor to meet you today.”

She took the pills Li Feng had refined, and a glint of light flashed in her eyes. “It seems Young Master Li’s alchemy attainment has long surpassed the early stage…. even the middle stage of Rank 1.” She shot him a sidelong glance. “Perhaps… you already reach the late stage of Rank 1.”

“You praise me too much, Miss Peng,” Li Feng replied, meeting her gaze. He didn’t bother explaining that he had already reached the peak stage of Rank 1. The talent provided by the system was truly terrifying.

Elder Wang, who was beside them, had long noticed Li Feng’s skill and smiled. “It seems it won’t be long before we have another Master Alchemist in the city.”

While they were chatting, the dejected failed participants and the crowd began to leave.

From among the crowd, a small figure shifted. A young and short, timid-looking female apprentice peeked out from behind a group of people, clutching the hem of her robe. Her wide, nervous eyes were locked on Li Feng, almost glowing with admiration after seeing his way of refining pill.

She bit her lip, her hands tightening as if she had just made up her mind about something.

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