Ten Thousand Dragons Technique-Chapter 14: What Takes Others Ten Years, Lin Xuan Masters in Three Days!
For the next month, Lin Xuan remained in seclusion, learning the Alchemy Technique from the big black dog. The dog’s alchemical skills were profound, which made teaching Lin Xuan effortless. Lin Xuan, in turn, was a quick learner. In just half a month, he had grasped the fundamentals, and for the remaining two weeks, he began to attempt alchemy himself. He tossed one Medicinal Material after another into the Alchemy Furnace, controlling the flames within to melt them down. The materials formed a medicinal liquid, which then had to be fused together. This process was extremely difficult, and at first, Lin Xuan failed frequently.
However, his rate of failure began to decrease after a day. Three days later, he successfully crafted his first Elixir.
"Success! I succeeded! Hahahaha!" Gazing at the Elixir inside the Alchemy Furnace, Lin Xuan roared with excited laughter.
The big black dog was equally excited, howling toward the sky, "Great Emperor, do you see? Your descendant is also a top-tier genius! You have a successor!"
"Rest assured, I will definitely cultivate him into another Great Emperor and fulfill your last wish!"
Lin Xuan continued practicing alchemy for the next two days. His success rate soared, and the quality of his Elixirs improved steadily. At last, he managed to create a top-tier, first-grade Elixir.
Elixirs were also categorized into different grades. A first-grade Alchemy Master could naturally only create first-grade Elixirs, but even these were divided into four levels: initial, intermediate, advanced, and top.
A top-tier, first-grade Elixir was something very few could create. Even a second-grade or third-grade Alchemy Master might not be able to produce one. The difficulty was exceedingly high because the required Alchemy Technique was simply too demanding.
Yet, Lin Xuan had done it. This was partly because the Alchemy Technique he learned was extraordinarily profound and mysterious, and partly because his own talent was incredibly high.
The big black dog nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad. To reach this step in just over twenty days is beyond my expectations."
Originally, the big black dog thought that even if Lin Xuan managed to craft an Elixir within a month, it would only be an initial-grade one at best, perhaps intermediate-grade if he was lucky. Even that would have been heaven-defying. After all, an accomplishment others took around ten years to achieve, Lin Xuan had managed in just one month. The tale would be astonishing if it ever got out.
He never expected Lin Xuan to surpass his wildest projections and directly create a top-tier, first-grade Elixir. This filled the big black dog with immense joy.
Having reached this point, Lin Xuan decided to stop practicing. He now planned to take the Alchemy Master’s examination. Only by passing the test and becoming certified would he be a genuine Alchemy Master.
When Lin Xuan emerged from his room, he startled the rest of the Lin Family. The elders rushed over, asking nervously, "Young Master, how are you? Don’t push yourself too hard!"
"Yes, you must not practice to the point of qi deviation!"
They were all extremely concerned about Lin Xuan’s condition. Lin Xuan just smiled and said, "I’m perfectly fine."
A Lin Family elder carefully examined him before finally breathing a sigh of relief. Lin Xuan was indeed in great shape.
The Second Elder asked, "Young Master, will you continue practicing, then?"
"No, I’m done."
"Oh," the Second Elder nodded.
The others also sighed in relief, assuming the Young Master was finally giving up. That was for the best. If the Young Master focused all his energy on martial arts from now on, he could become a great expert one day. With his talent, becoming a Martial King was a certainty.
The Second Elder said, "In that case, Young Master, you should rest well for the next few days. When the time comes, we will send someone to escort you to the Heavenly Dao Academy."
They had to report to the Heavenly Dao Academy in less than ten days.
"Prepare a carriage now," Lin Xuan said. "I need to go out."
The Second Elder was surprised. "Now? Isn’t it a bit early to head to the Heavenly Dao Academy?"
"I’m not going to the academy."
"Then where are you going?"
"To the Pill Tower. I’m going to take the Alchemy Master’s certification exam."
"What?" The Second Elder was completely bewildered. The other elders just exchanged confused glances.
"Didn’t you give up on alchemy?"
"I didn’t give up; I succeeded. Now, all I need is the certificate to become an official first-grade Alchemy Master," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
Succeeded? The Second Elder and the others were in disbelief.
The Grand Elder spoke up, his voice filled with concern. "Young Master, have you lost your mind? Don’t scare me like this!"
The others were just as worried, wondering if the stress had stimulated him into madness or caused a qi deviation. It’s only been twenty-something days, and you’re a first-grade Alchemy Master? You must be joking. Sun Tian, the young master of an alchemist family, studied alchemy since childhood, but it still took him seven years to reach the level of a first-grade Alchemy Master. That just goes to show how difficult alchemy is. How could anyone possibly learn it in just over twenty days?
The Grand Elder didn’t believe him. The Second Elder didn’t believe him. In fact, no one in the Lin Family believed him.
Lin Xuan was at a loss. Sigh, I’m telling the truth. Why doesn’t anyone believe me?
He shook his head and left. If his family wouldn’t arrange his transport, he would simply go by himself.
The Pill Tower was not located in their Cloud Sea City, but in the nearby city of Qingyun City. Qingyun City was the main city of Yun Province, making it much larger and more prosperous than Cloud Sea City. The Pill Tower was situated there.
The Pill Tower was the organization for Alchemy Masters. Its headquarters was said to be in the Central State, and it was an immensely powerful entity, one of the top forces in the world. Besides the main headquarters, the Pill Tower had branches—which could be considered divisions—in important cities across the world. All this information came from the big black dog. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
After a long and dusty journey, Lin Xuan finally arrived in Qingyun City. Upon entering, he asked a few passersby for directions and quickly learned the way to the Pill Tower, heading straight for it.
The Pill Tower was located in the center of Qingyun City. It was a Treasure Tower that soared into the clouds, fiery-red and exuding a scorching aura, looking for all the world like a Flame Mountain standing proudly in place. The area around it was very quiet, with hardly any pedestrians.
Lin Xuan took a deep breath and walked toward the Pill Tower, soon entering. The inside was equally quiet, with only a handful of people present. Lin Xuan glanced around and spotted several windows on the first floor. One of them was manned, so he walked over.
Behind the window sat a middle-aged man, yawning out of boredom. Seeing Lin Xuan approach, he asked impatiently, "What is it?"
Lin Xuan said, "I’m here to take the Alchemy Master assessment."
"Which grade assessment?"
"First-grade."
"The assessment fee is one thousand taels of silver. After you pay, go to the second floor for the test," the middle-aged man said absentmindedly.
So expensive! Lin Xuan gasped. The status of an Alchemy Master was prestigious, but it was also incredibly costly. The Medicinal Materials for his practice had already cost him over 10,000 taels of silver, and now the registration fee alone was 1,000 taels. It was far too expensive. Alchemy required money at every turn; an average person truly couldn’t afford to pursue it.
The big black dog’s voice sounded in his mind. "Kid, don’t be stingy with this money."
"Once you become an Alchemy Master, the Elixirs you refine can be sold for a high price. Every Alchemy Master is extremely wealthy.
"The top-level ones are even more than just wealthy; they possess not only money but all sorts of Treasures.
"You know, when I became a Pill Saint, countless people begged me to refine Elixirs for them.
"All kinds of Treasures piled up like mountains.
"And whether I helped them or not depended entirely on if I had the time or was in the mood."
Lin Xuan was stunned. The status of an Alchemy Master is that high? He eagerly anticipated what his life would be like after becoming certified.
He took out one thousand taels of silver, paid the registration fee, and then, holding the application form, he headed to the second floor of the Pill Tower.
This time, he was determined to pass.
