Chapter 677: The Alchemist Assessment?
Catching these words, Huang Xiaolong’s eyes narrowed into thin slits, and he was inwardly shocked.
That Xiang Mingzhi actually got his hands on one of the four great divine fires, the Azure Dragon Divine Fire!
Although Huang Xiaolong had no idea what it was, he could deduct from the conversation that it was an amazingly powerful flame.
For an alchemist, other than their own skills, their own flame was also extremely crucial. Like Huang Xiaolong, if it weren’t for his true immortal essence fire, it would not be possible for him to refine sacred grade divine pellets no matter how high the degree of his refining skills was.
Even the Ascending Moon Old Man showed a surprise expression hearing this. He had stayed on the Golden Dragon Peak for a decade instructing Huang Xiaolong in his alchemy, therefore he understood some matters related to this disciple. For instance, Huang Xiaolong’s grudge with this personal disciple of the Azure Dragon Institute Principal, Xiang Mingzhi.
“Xiang Mingzhi, that brat, actually subdued the Azure Dragon Divine Fire!” the Ascending Moon Old Man’s face turned somber.
Watching the old man’s serious expression, Huang Xiaolong raised a brow in doubt.
Looking at Huang Xiaolong, the Ascending Moon Old Man pondered for a moment before saying, “In our four galaxies, there are four great divine fires. According to legend, these four great divine fires were extremely powerful flames born of nature. But, they have disappeared for more than a million years, I didn’t expect it to fall into the hands of that brat, Xiang Mingzhi!”
Huang Xiaolong looked at the old man with a baffled expression.
Extremely powerful fires?! Huang Xiaolong, however, felt that the Azure Dragon Divine Fire was more than a mere ‘extremely powerful fire’. The old man was still hiding something from him.
Perhaps the old man was worried he’d feel great pressure after knowing how remarkable the Azure Dragon Divine Fire was?
“After integrating with the Azure Dragon Divine Fire, Xiang Mingzhi’s physique is being tempered by the divine fire at all times. I heard that his strength improved significantly and he already became a late-Seventh Order God Realm!”
“The Vermillion Bird Institute Principal’s personal disciple, He Feifan, and the White Tiger Institute Principal’s personal disciple, Wan Zhengxing, are here as well. Both of them are peak late-Tenth Order God Realm masters, close to reaching the perfection stage, and don’t forget that their alchemy refining skills have reached the level of an Alchemist Master. They are also aiming for the Pill King title this time around!”
“I heard that the Black Warrior Institute Principal’s personal disciple, Huang Xiaolong, will also be participating in the competition. I wonder if it’s true. His cultivation talent is already recognized to be number one in the four galaxies, but who knows how is his alchemy skills are.”
“So what if his cultivation talent is the highest in the four galaxies? This cannot prove that his refining skills are just as good. There are so many talented cultivation geniuses, but they merely possess average refining skills. This time, Xiang Mingzhi has let the word out that he will defeat Huang Xiaolong in this Alchemist Grandmaster Competition and make him kneel and call him Ancestor!”
A cold light flickered in Huang Xiaolong’s eyes hearing this, he turned around to look a the man who spoke.
However, that man did not notice Huang Xiaolong’s expression as he continued proudly, “Honestly telling ya’ll, I witnessed with my own eyes when Xiang Mingzhi refined a batch of Wuji Divine Pills in three hours!”
The other three people were stunned, “Sacred grade divine pellet, the Wuji Divine Pill?!” Moreover in three hours!
It was shocking! This was more than some Alchemist Masters were capable of.
“See, scared now?” The complacency on that man’s face grew, “You guys think that Huang what’s-his-name Xiaolong can do that? Can he refine a batch of Wuji Divine Pills in three hours? Forget three hours, give him three years, even three hundred years, I say he still wouldn’t be able to do it!”
Surprisingly, the Ascending Moon Old Man was not enraged hearing this, he then smiled sweetly at Huang Xiaolong, “Brat, looks like there aren’t many people that look favorably on you in this Alchemist Grandmaster Competition.”
Huang Xiaolong suppressed his rising killing intent, his face calm and composed, “In the past Black Warrior Institute’s assessments, no one has looked favorably on me, including Master Feng Yang. But, in the end, I’m still number one.”
The Ascending Moon Old Man revealed a rare appreciative smile, “Good! How domineering, heroic, bullish, mighty, kingly!”
Huang Xiaolong rolled his eyes. ‘This old man, what bullish, what mighty, what kingly? A load of nonsense!’
Shi Xiaofei, who had been sitting quietly, smiled widely listening to this master-disciple conversation.
“Fine, fine, let us men drink to our hearts’ content!” The Ascending Moon Old Man urged, “After this, we still need to make a trip to the Alchemist Grandmaster Association.”
“To the Alchemist Grandmaster Association?” Huang Xiaolong was puzzled.
The Ascending Moon Old Man pretended to be annoyed, “You didn’t pay the slightest attention to the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition? To participate in the competition, the first and foremost requirement is having an alchemist identity registered with the association. How are you going to participate without an alchemist identity?”
Huang Xiaolong showed an embarrassed smile, he really did not pay much attention toward matters related to the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition, most of his time was spent on the Golden Dragon Peak. Other than cultivating, he only practiced his alchemy skills. Therefore, he really did not know that there was such a requirement to participate in the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition.
Only now did he know the reason why the old man wanted to bring him to the association.
With the restricted quota placed on the Royal Pill Wine, it was fated that they wouldn’t be able to drink to their hearts’ content.
After finishing the wine that the restaurant owner Deng Caizhi brought up, the Ascending Moon Old Man stood up while patting his stomach, wishing for more. The three of them left the restaurant, but not before taking their two jugs of wine each.
Of course, the money came out of Huang Xiaolong’s pocket.
Despite not coming here for several tens of thousands of years, the Ascending Moon Old Man maneuvered on the streets with great familiarity. The city did not change much even after time had passed.
Soon, they arrived at the Alchemist Grandmaster Association headquarters. Huang Xiaolong and Shi Xiaofei entered, following behind the Ascending Moon Old Man.
Looking at the splendorous, grand yet elegant building in front of him, the Ascending Moon Old Man’s gaze was filled with complexity; there was nostalgia, happiness, excitement, yet there was also a hint of regret...?
Huang Xiaolong felt strange noticing the regret in the Ascending Moon Old Man’s eyes, what was there to regret about the Alchemist Grandmaster Association?
“It has been sixty thousand years since I was last here...” the Ascending Moon Old Man sighed. “I wonder if the inside has changed. Come on, let’s go in.” With that said, he took the first step through the entrance. Since no guards were stationed at the entrance, their actions were not hindered by anyone. This was because the Alchemist Grandmaster Association believed that no one would dare to make trouble here.
Huang Xiaolong and Shi Xiaofei followed behind the Ascending Moon Old Man.
Stepping across the threshold, they came to a large hall. In the four corners of the hall were old furnaces emitting an ancient aura and a light medicine fragrance.
What Huang Xiaolong didn’t expect was the crowd inside. People from all four galaxies were rushing over to participate in the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition, and just like Huang Xiaolong, some of them did not have their alchemist identity yet, while others accompanied their friends over to watch the liveliness.
Although the Ascending Moon Old Man was the Alchemist Grandmaster Association’s Grand Elder, he did not reveal his identity. Instead, he told Huang Xiaolong to go line up, take a number, and honestly wait for his turn.
Just as Huang Xiaolong was waiting for this turn, Lin Yanhan who returned to his manor in a sorry state heard his subordinate report that Huang Xiaolong went to the Alchemist Grandmaster Association to take the alchemist assessment. Lin Yanhan couldn’t resist laughing when he heard this, “Taking the alchemist assessment? Punk, wait and see how this Young Master is going to play you to death!” He immediately led a group of subordinates, heading to the Alchemist Grandmaster Association headquarters.
Although he wasn’t an Elder like his father, he was a Hall Deacon of the Alchemist Grandmaster Association. Moreover, he was an intermediate rank Hall Deacon.
Whether Huang Xiaolong could pass his assessment or not, one word from him could influence the result.