Zhao Li walked among the crowd, hearing others eagerly discussing the Alchemist Competition, and his heart stirred.
Zhao Li remembered that in the Original Work, the Alchemist Competition was a top-tier event in the Jia Ma Empire, with major powers attending to watch. He immediately decided to participate, planning to use this competition to make contact with the major powers of the Jia Ma Empire and pave the way for future endeavors.
Zhao Li didn't delay. He asked a passerby for the location of the Alchemist Guild in Jia Ma Holy City. Although the person was puzzled why someone wouldn't know where that widely desired building was, they still told Zhao Li.
Knowing the location, Zhao Li followed the flow of people, passing through several busy streets. Finally, on a comparatively much wider and less crowded street, he saw a simple yet grand complex of buildings. It was the Alchemist Guild.
Zhao Li stopped, looking at the ancient and imposing building before him. It had a sense of age to it. Even before entering, a faint scent of medicinal ingredients wafted over.
Zhao Li could sense that the eyes of the people around him looking at this building always held a hint of awe and envy. This kind of gaze made everyone entering and leaving the Alchemist Guild involuntarily hold their heads high.
Zhao Li glanced up, confirming it was indeed his destination, and then walked over.
Two guards at the entrance were performing their duties and stopped Zhao Li, asking.
"Young man, this is the Alchemist Guild. Are you an Alchemist? If not, do you have a letter of introduction? Without a letter of introduction, you are not allowed to enter."
Zhao Li thought for a moment and took out his Alchemist badge, pinning it to his chest. Although the Medicine Cauldron on the badge only had two silver stripes flashing, it was enough to prove his identity as an Alchemist.
The guards, of course, recognized the badge Zhao Li took out. Catching sight of the two silver lights, their tone became gentler and more cautious. They carefully invited Zhao Li over, bowing and apologizing profusely for having stopped him earlier. If a Second-Grade Alchemist was displeased and casually killed them, no one would speak up for them. This was the helplessness of insignificant people.
"Esteemed Alchemist, please enter. I was blind and failed to recognize you. Please do not take offense."
Zhao Li nodded and hummed in response, then walked in. Seeing the guards act this way, Zhao Li naturally didn't make things difficult. He just felt more strongly about the rigidity of class and how the weak were constantly in fear.
Entering the Alchemist Guild, the hall wasn't very crowded. People were doing their own things. Noticing someone entering, they just glanced over and paid no further attention.
Zhao Li looked around, feeling that the atmosphere was quite similar to a library on Earth, and a hint of nostalgia arose in his heart.
A staff member saw Zhao Li looking around, seemingly searching for something, and quickly walked over. Seeing the Second-Grade Alchemist badge pinned to Zhao Li, she was a little surprised, but her good upbringing allowed her to quickly recover and ask.
"Mister, is this your first time at our Alchemist Guild? Is there anything you need help with?"
Looking at the young woman before him, though young, she was already extremely smooth in her dealings with people. Zhao Li felt a lot of emotion. She was only the age of a university student in his previous life. At that age, most university students were still in their ivory towers, not worrying about making a living, pure and sharp-edged, and would absolutely not be this smooth.
"Yes, it's my first time. I'd like to take the Alchemist rank assessment."
The woman said gently, "Mister, are you here for the Third Grade Alchemist certification? Please follow me."
Zhao Li shook his head and said calmly, "Fourth Rank."
The woman was momentarily stunned, then confirmed with Zhao Li.
"Sir, did you say you want to take the Fourth Rank Alchemist assessment?"
After receiving Zhao Li's confirmation, she said that this kind of assessment required the main person in charge. She arranged a seat for Zhao Li and then quickly ran off, presumably to report.
Zhao Li leaned against the table, idle, observing the Alchemists in the hall. The sound of two people arguing attracted Zhao Li's attention.
Zhao Li looked over and saw two young men with flushed faces, already arguing fiercely. But the people around them glanced over, then quickly averted their gaze. No one dared to intervene.
These two dare to argue here, and no one dares to intervene. Their status seems high, but their skill is limited. That young man, though, has some potential.
Neither of them would yield, and they were in a stalemate, just staring at each other. Zhao Li found it amusing and laughed.
This made him stand out particularly in the hall where everyone else was looking down, not daring to look at the two of them. It attracted their attention, and Buluo saw Zhao Li and snapped.
"Hey, kid over there, didn't your teacher tell you that you can only wear an Alchemist badge if you're wearing an Alchemist robe? Wearing a badge like that here makes it look like our Alchemist Guild doesn't have clothes for you."
Zhao Li frowned. He hadn't expected such a rule here. Seeing everyone in the hall dressed that way earlier, he had thought it was due to pride in their Alchemist identity.
Before Zhao Li could speak, the young man he thought had some potential spoke up.
"Buluo, what do you mean? You and I are arguing, so why are you taking it out on someone else? Young man, please don't take offense. This guy is always rigid and obsessed with rules."
Zhao Li was always happy to accept kindness from others, so he returned the gesture with a nod.
"It's alright. It's also my fault for not knowing the rules here. It's understandable to say something. Thank you."
"Heh heh, Jia Wen, you like being the good guy, huh? He doesn't appreciate it."
Hearing this, Zhao Li found this Buluo quite eccentric. He wasn't one to suffer losses, so he immediately stopped being polite.
"Some people haven't even learned how to be a proper person yet, so maybe they shouldn't be thinking about learning alchemy?"
Before Zhao Li's words finished, the hall fell silent. Everyone's eyes turned to Zhao Li, seemingly wondering why this young man was so bold.
Buluo was, after all, a Fourth Rank Alchemist, and even had a teacher who could advance to Sixth Rank Alchemist at any time, someone even a Dou Emperor would greet with a smile.
Buluo had never been treated like this before. After a brief moment of shock, he became furious.
"What did you say? You're just a mere Second-Grade Alchemist, what right do you have to criticize me?"
Zhao Li didn't care about that. Remembering the issue the two had been arguing about earlier, he started conversing with the young man called Jia Wen.
"Are you from the Imperial Family? What you said earlier is correct. Pill Formulas are not immutable. A so-called Pill Formula is just the most suitable combination discovered by Alchemists through continuous experimentation. But there are countless Medicinal Ingredients, and no one can test every possible combination. Someone proficient in Pharmacology might not necessarily know how to refine Pills, but they can still formulate Pill Formulas. Your idea is good. Daring to question what the predecessors left behind is already extremely difficult."
Zhao Li remembered that the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Family seemed to have the surname Jia, so he asked Jia Wen a question, then gave Jia Wen a few pointers.
Zhao Li had naturally heard the two arguing about Pill Formulas clearly earlier. With his current Alchemy Technique, from a high vantage point, he pointed out Jia Wen's doubts, which he felt were wrong but had no clue about, in a few words. Jia Wen was suddenly enlightened, realizing he had encountered a great opportunity.
When Zhao Li spoke, some quick-witted people sensed that something was wrong and, fearing the situation would escalate, quickly went to find the person truly in charge within the guild. They arrived faster than the young woman who had left earlier.
The person who arrived was Buluo's teacher, Ao Feng, a Dou King in Cultivation Level who had been diligently studying Fifth Rank Alchemist for many years and could break through to Sixth Rank at any time.
Buluo, who had been left aside, saw his teacher arrive and quickly recounted what had happened earlier to Ao Feng, and finally, he spoke ill of Zhao Li.
"He's just a mere Second-Grade Alchemist who hasn't even refined many Pills, yet he's boasting shamelessly, saying it's already difficult to dare to question the predecessors."
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