"Seven...Seventh Grade High-Level?"
Ye Zhong's lips trembled. When "Xiao Yan" made the request, he had agreed, but hadn't inquired about the grade he wanted to be tested on.
In his view, the other party had a resounding reputation, so he shouldn't be too bad, but that was all; he couldn't be that powerful.
However, he never expected that this Xiao Yan, with the potential to become a Dou Di, would immediately declare himself a Seventh Grade High-Level.
He knew that after a lifetime of hard work, he had only barely reached the Seventh Grade High-Level.
Inside the testing room, more than ten people from the Qiu and Cao families were dumbfounded, their faces blank and stiff. They didn't believe it at all, but...this "Xiao Yan" was very famous, even the powerful Cao family in the Pill Domain didn't take him seriously, so they couldn't question him.
Not far away, Ye Xinlan, who was walking towards the Yellow Gate, had her mouth slightly agape. In Canaan Academy, although Senior Xiao Yan was also a Fourth Grade Alchemist and one of the founders of the Holy Gate...
But he was always overshadowed by the sect leader, Lü Yu, not only in alchemy skills, but also in reputation, cultivation, and strength. How could he have jumped from the fourth rank to the advanced seventh rank in just a few years?
A seventh-rank alchemist is already worthy of being called an alchemy master. How old is he?
"Hehe... Cao Dan, it seems you can't do anything about him!" Qiu Fan of the Qiu family chuckled from the side, his face full of schadenfreude:
"He looks about the same age as you and me, but to have achieved such success... I'm afraid only your witch can rival him."
Whether Xiao Yan is strong or not is irrelevant to him, but seeing the arrogant Cao family suffer a setback is a wonderful thing!
"Hmph!" Cao Dan snorted coldly, his face extremely ugly. He didn't believe Xiao Yan's words at all, but... the other party could easily suppress him, so his strength and reputation were beyond his doubt.
"Xiao Yan, this is no laughing matter," Deacon Han said seriously. "Besides, I can't test for the advanced seventh rank here. I'm just a low-level seventh rank alchemist; I can only rely on the intermediate seventh rank."
"Then let's test for the intermediate seventh rank," Lü Qiu smiled. To him, there was no essential difference between the intermediate and advanced seventh rank.
"Are you sure?" Deacon Han confirmed again, his tone earnest. "Young man, alchemy requires composure and steadiness. There's no room for impatience. Remember to be down-to-earth and not be overly ambitious..."
"I'm sure, Deacon Han," Lü Qiu's smile remained unchanged.
Hearing this, Deacon Han's expression turned serious. "Alright, since that's the case, then I'll help you with the test. Follow me!"
With that, he turned and walked towards the door with the character "Heaven" written on it. Lü Qiu followed.
As the two left, the entire testing room fell silent again. Ye Zhong's eyes flickered. He had had an idea about Xiao Yan from the moment they met; otherwise, why would he have helped him so casually?
But… how could he have imagined that the other party would be so powerful?
"Hopefully, he'll consider Xinlan's feelings…" Ye Chong clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly. He suddenly regretted scheming against Xiao Yan. This man's reputation was so great; he was definitely not just a figurehead.
Why had he even considered testing him?
Ye Chong's eyelids twitched slightly; he wanted to slap himself.
"Brother Cao, do you think this kid is really a high-level or mid-level seventh-grade alchemist?" Qiu Fan leaned closer to Cao Dan, speaking as if no one else was around, but his voice was quite loud.
"…I don't know!" Cao Dan's jaw muscles bulged, and veins throbbed. Just like Ye Xinlan had said, his and Ye Xinlan's families had only reached an agreement on a marriage proposal; it was still a long way from being finalized.
Logically, it wasn't worth offending someone like this, but… he was incredibly annoyed!
"Alright..." Qiu Fan shrugged, somewhat disappointed. This kid seemed to have sobered up a bit and wouldn't repeat his earlier outburst of anger.
It was truly disappointing not to see Cao Dan get beaten up.
...
More than ten minutes passed. In the testing room, the dozen or so people from the Cao and Qiu families had finished their assessments before Lü Bu and the other two arrived, but none of them left.
They were all curious whether Xiao Yan, with his potential to become a Dou Di, truly possessed the skills or was simply putting on a show.
However, to their surprise, before Ye Xinlan of the Ye family, who was taking the Yellow-level test on the far right, had finished, the Heaven-level test room on the far left suddenly creaked open.
Two figures slowly emerged. The younger one was playing with a dark gold badge between his fingers, a faint smile on his face. The older one was utterly shocked, his expression dazed.
"Seventh-grade mid-level...he really has that strength!" Cao Dan clenched his fists, his heart filled with fear, yet also with immense resentment.
"Good heavens... indeed, his reputation is well-deserved!" The Qiu family members' gazes sharpened, and they immediately felt a bit dismissive of "Xiao Yan's" Dou Di potential.
"Master Xiao Yan, you do indeed have the ability to assess a high-level seventh rank. Forgive my previous rudeness," Deacon Han said seriously.
"It's alright, it's your duty..." Lü Qiu said with a smile, "What if I want to assess a high-level seventh rank now?"
"I can help you contact headquarters!" Deacon Han said immediately.
That's exactly what he wanted... Lü Qiu chuckled, "Then thank you very much, Deacon Han..."
Hearing this, Deacon Han was overjoyed. Being able to assess such a high-level seventh rank alchemist would greatly enhance his prestige within the tower, and the benefits would naturally be greater.
"However..."
At this moment, Lü Qiu suddenly changed the subject.
"Please speak!" Deacon Han said respectfully. For him, a low-level seventh rank, being respectful to a high-level seventh rank was not something he found difficult to say. "
However, let's forget about the high-level seventh rank and directly assess the eighth rank," Lü Qiu said with a smile.
"You... what did you say?" Deacon Han's pupils suddenly contracted, a look of shock appearing on his face. Eighth Rank?
Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically. Unlike before, when they could still chat and laugh about the Seventh Rank, even if they surpassed it now, they could reach it in the future. However, the Eighth Rank...
how many people on the continent were stuck at this step, unable to make any progress in their entire lives?
Just look at Elder Ye of the Ye family. Ye Chong had probably been at the advanced Seventh Rank for decades, but the Eighth Rank... unless there was an extraordinary opportunity, it was impossible for him in this lifetime!
Lü Qiu chuckled: "Deacon Han, are you trying to persuade me to be down-to-earth again?"
As soon as he finished speaking, an invisible pressure quietly permeated the testing room. Deacon Han immediately felt a heaviness in his chest, as if a hundred-pound boulder was pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe. He
immediately slumped down, his face covered in cold sweat, his breathing extremely heavy.
Compared to him, the dozen or so people from the Qiu and Cao families were even worse off. Many of them sat in chairs, their faces flushed, hunched over, trying to relieve the invisible pressure.
In the entire testing room, only Ye Zhong was in slightly better condition. He was a seventh-grade advanced alchemist, but even so, his legs felt weak, as if he might collapse to the ground at any moment.
"I...excuse my impertinence..." Deacon Han managed to utter a sentence, barely managing to withstand the pressure on his soul.
As soon as he finished speaking, the invisible pressure on his soul vanished instantly. Deacon Han staggered, almost falling, but his face was full of relief, as if the world had suddenly become vast and boundless.
"Then I'll trouble Deacon Han..." Lü Qiu chuckled.
"Senior, please follow me!" Deacon Han said respectfully, his form of address changing abruptly.
He felt perfectly justified in addressing Lü Qiu as "senior"!
With that, he led Lü Qiu out of the testing room, disappearing from everyone's sight.
"Huff...that guy...no, he's actually an eighth-grade alchemist?" Qiu Fan gasped for breath, wiping away sweat with lingering fear. He had only ever felt this terrifying pressure from his clan's ancestor before, and it was truly terrifying.
"This guy... could this person really have the potential to become a Dou Di?" Cao Dan clenched his fists, his face deathly pale. Where did this bastard come from? How come he had never heard of this person before?
"This is troublesome..." Ye Zhong's face was even paler. He actually schemed against an eighth-grade alchemist? This was simply courting death!
"No... I have to apologize..." A trace of fear flashed across Ye Zhong's expression. He finally understood why that powerful Dou Zun was so willing to follow Xiao Yan.
However...
"Damn it... what could possibly be worth an eighth-grade alchemist's attention?" Ye Zhong's lips twitched. That was an eighth-grade alchemist!
A genuine alchemy grandmaster, even being richer than a country didn't do him justice!
...
In the center of the Pill Domain, a black giant tower soared into the clouds, estimated to be hundreds of feet tall.
This black giant tower, like the North Thunder Tower of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, was built on a mountain range, but this Pill Tower was many times taller than the North Thunder Tower of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion.
Near the mountains, a rich, fragrant aroma of medicinal herbs permeated the air. These mountains were not only the core of the Pill Tower but also the carefully cultivated medicinal herb plantation of numerous master alchemists and grandmasters, who all resided here. These people were also the core of the Pill Tower.
Of course… this was only the outsider's perception. Only those who had reached a certain level knew that this was merely the Pill Tower's apparent strength. The true foundation and core of the Pill Tower naturally lay with the Lesser Pill Tower…
Lü Yu stood in a manor, observing his surroundings with great interest. This place was completely out of place in the bustling, vibrant Holy Pill City. It was
tranquil, pleasant, with continuous mountain ranges and the fragrant aroma of medicinal herbs carried on the breeze, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.
He was to be assessed as an eighth-grade alchemist, so naturally, he couldn't be assessed like a seventh-grade alchemist, crammed into a testing room with a large group of people.
Compared to seventh-grade alchemists, eighth-grade alchemists were truly at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent; even half-saints and Dou Sheng could not underestimate them.
Mu Gu was well-qualified to speak on this point; it was precisely because he was appreciated by the Soul Hall Master, Hun Miesheng, that he was able to regain his physical body and be reborn.
"Damn...it's so comfortable here!" Hei Qing looked around, his mouth practically stretched to his ears.
Dragon Island was nice, but how could it compare to this delightful medicinal herb mountain range?
Besides, the truly good places on Dragon Island were in the west, south, and north islands; their East Dragon Island was the weakest, so the areas they had seized naturally couldn't compare to the other three islands.
"The people from the Pill Tower should be arriving soon. Brother, do as you please, just don't leave this mountain," Lü Bu chuckled.
The Pill Tower had three giants, below them were eight elders.
Deacon Han was merely a deacon, not even an elder, so naturally he couldn't directly contact the three giants.
Therefore, Steward Han could only report to the eight elders about Lü Qiu's desire to be certified as an eighth-grade alchemist. Elder Sheng, one of the eight elders, then brought Lü Qiu here. Next, if he wasn't mistaken, the three giants should appear.
On the surface, the Pill Tower only has four or five eighth-grade alchemists, so they couldn't possibly ignore them.
"No... they've already arrived," Hei Qing shrugged.
"Huh?" Lü Qiu was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, and his gaze swept across a void.
But at the same time, a ripple slowly spread across that void, and three figures slowly emerged: an old man in white, a beautiful woman with exceptional looks, and a young woman in black.
This woman was tall and slender, dressed in a black dress, with skin as white as snow, extremely charming, and her graceful figure swayed in the wind, occasionally appearing.
Her narrow and alluring eyes shone with light, occasionally revealing a few bewitching rays.
"Eh... Ancient Void Dragon?" Xuan Kongzi looked at the incredibly burly Hei Qing with surprise as soon as he appeared. The fact that an eight-star Dou Zun could sense their arrival was extraordinary.
Upon closer inspection, Xuan Kongzi finally noticed something amiss.
"It's been a long time since I've seen the Ancient Dragon Clan..." Xuan Kongzi said with some emotion.
"Greetings to the two alchemy masters!" Hei Qing bowed slightly in greeting.
While an eighth-grade alchemist was worth befriending, there was a prerequisite: they had to be close to the Ancient Dragon Clan, like Lü Qiu.
These two giants of the Pill Tower were clearly not to be won over, nor could they reveal anything about the Ancient Dragon Clan. As for the woman in the black dress... Hei Qing simply ignored her.
Xuan Kongzi didn't care; the Ancient Dragon Clan was always incredibly proud. He then looked at Lü Qiu. This young man had also managed to detect their arrival; he was truly not to be underestimated!
"As expected, a Spirit Realm Soul, good lad..."
"I am Xiao Yan, greetings to the two guild leaders... and this young lady." Lü Qiu chuckled, thinking to himself that it was indeed so, but he couldn't completely disregard an eighth-rank alchemist.
Hmm... but the Medicine Clan is definitely capable. Although an eighth-rank alchemist is not bad, he is still far inferior to a full-fledged alchemy grandmaster.
"Hehe, young friend Xiao Yan, there's no need to be so polite. I am Xuan Kongzi, as you probably already know." The white-robed elder chuckled, "This is my disciple, Cao Ying. I brought her out to broaden her horizons, please don't take offense."
Cao Ying nodded slightly. Although she was surprised by "Xiao Yan's" eighth-rank alchemist, she didn't show any unusual reaction. A genius is just a genius, isn't he?
"Senior is too kind. Miss Cao Ying's achievements are no less than mine," Lü Qiu smiled, then looked at the beautiful woman and greeted her, "Greetings, Senior Xuan Yi."
If he remembered correctly, this Guild Leader Xuan Yi should be Yao Chen's lover. Unfortunately, Yao Chen rejected her advances because he wanted to raise the young Han Feng.
"Poor thing...
Yao Chen and Xuan Yi are both so pitiful, running into such an ingrate like Han Feng.
" Xuan Kongzi chuckled and nodded amiably, "Good lad, I really don't know how you cultivated, reaching the Spirit Realm Soul at such a young age."
"It took me countless years to barely break through, you lad are truly enviable, could it be that you really have the potential to become a Dou Di?"
"Haha, senior, please excuse my rudeness..." Lu Qiu's lips twitched, and he subconsciously pursed his lips.
He suddenly felt a little embarrassed, wondering if Xiao Yan would be so embarrassed when faced with the reputation of "potential to become a Dou Di" that he would dig his toes out of his body?
"We already know your requirements, an eighth-grade alchemist... this can't be called an assessment, it should be called an exchange." Xuan Kongzi chuckled, "If you can refine an eighth-grade pill, you will gain our recognition, and if you are willing to join the Pill Tower, then you will have a place among the eight elders."
"Oh..." Lu Qiu raised an eyebrow, about to agree.
But just then…
"No rush, I have some questions!"
Suddenly, Xuan Yi, who had been silent all along, spoke up, her gaze shifting to Lü Yu, a hint of coldness flashing in her beautiful eyes:
"Boy, state your name, you are not Xiao Yan!"
"Hmm?" Cao Ying raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, a playful look appearing on her delicate face. "This is getting interesting..."
Lü Yu grinned. What's going on? How come everyone in the Pill Tower knows Xiao Yan?
The matter of Yao Lao rejecting Xuan Yi because of Han Feng is explained in "The Legend of Yao Lao"...