Qing Xuanling inspected the examination room with curiosity—but it turned out simpler than expected. Just an entirely empty chamber.

  Elder Gong noticed her looking around and left her be. Instead, he produced a metallic box with a pill-sized indentation on one side. He looked expectant.

  "Girl—you said these were your first pills, correct?" Elder Gong smiled. "Come—let's see how good they are. For reference, my first pills had twenty percent purity! Let's see if yours measure up!"

  Qing Xuanling, Qing Wentian, and Alchemist Lin gathered close, all curious about the purity grade of Qing Xuanling's inaugural pills.

  Elder Gong placed a Qi Recovery Pill into the indentation. It fit perfectly. The box glowed faintly for an instant—then a number appeared on its side:

  32.

  Everyone's eyes widened.

  "Girl—are you sure you didn't just buy a pill bottle outside and bring it here?!" Alchemist Lin was the first to react. "Even I struggle to make pills with thirty-two percent purity!"

  Elder Gong unconsciously nodded—but Qing Xuanling frowned.

  "Are you insulting my intelligence? Why would I do that when I still have to pass a practical examination?" Qing Xuanling snorted disdainfully. "Just because you can't do something doesn't mean others can't!"

  Qing Wentian gave a thumbs-up while munching sunflower seeds that he found somewhere. 'The sister Xuanling sounds so cool!

  Qing Xuanling and Alchemist Lin locked gazes—until Elder Gong interrupted.

  "Enough useless bickering. I've already appraised the Brave Pill—it has fourteen percent purity." He returned the pill bottles to Qing Xuanling. "You're incredible, little one. Ready to begin the examination immediately? Do you have a cauldron?"

  Qing Xuanling nodded. "I have one—but I've run out of ingredients. Used them all while practicing."

  "Natural. Alchemy is one of the most expensive arts. It's common for novice alchemists like you to exhaust their supplies." Elder Gong produced five sets of Qi Recovery Pill ingredients. "That's why the Alchemy Hall provides five ingredient sets to examinees."

  Qing Xuanling nodded gratefully. She also finally understood why the theoretical exam came first—it would be impossible for the clan to hand out five ingredient sets to every passerby with alchemical delusions. A filter was necessary to prevent wasting the clan's reserves.

  As she thought this, she struggled to retrieve her alchemy cauldron from her storage pouch. The pouch's opening was quite small—she'd stretched it considerably when first put the cauldron.

  Fortunately, the storage pouch was made of highly durable leather and hadn't torn. But now it was causing her trouble again—nearly impossible to extract the cauldron.

  She gritted her teeth—and with one final effort, the cauldron popped out. Qing Xuanling let it drop to the floor as she breathed deeply.

  'Finally!'

  But as she caught her breath, she noticed Elder Gong and Alchemist Lin's eyes bulged.

  "A mid-grade alchemy cauldron?!" Elder Gong knelt beside Qing Xuanling's cauldron. "No—is high-grade one! Girl—how do you possess a high-grade cauldron?!"

  Alchemist Lin was more direct. "Who did you rob?! These cost over ten thousand spirit stones! Even my cauldron—a gift from my master—is only low-grade!"

  Alchemist Lin's ominous premonition peaked. He was certain he'd been scammed. This girl must have had an alchemy master for years!

  However, Qing Xuanling's eyes also widened at the price. "Ten thousand spirit stones?! But Madam Yechan sold it to me for two hundred…"

  "What was that last part, girl? You spoke too softly." Elder Gong looked at her curiously—he too was deeply curious about the cauldron's origin.

  Though ten thousand spirit stones wasn't much for a first-rank grandmaster alchemist like him, it wasn't trivial either. He'd need to live frugally for a month to save that much.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "It's… a gift from an older sister. Though I didn't know it cost so much…" Qing Xuanling smiled awkwardly and changed the subject. "Can we begin now? I have matters to attend to afterward."

  Elder Gong nodded. "Very well—you may start immediately. We'll observe from the side. Pay us no mind."

  Qing Xuanling nodded and stood before the cauldron. She arranged the Qi Recovery Pill ingredients she'd already grown familiar with—and took a deep breath.

  Her face lost all expression. Her arm moved—conjuring a human-head-sized sphere of Clear Flame that dropped into the cauldron. A pool of transparent flame formed at the bottom.

  She immediately tossed in the moonlight sunflower stem and let it shrink for a time.

  Elder Gong—who had been scrutinizing every one of Qing Xuanling's movements, even how she arranged her ingredients—grimaced upon seeing the transparent flame she'd summoned.

  He muttered furiously, "Which damned fool sold that trash technique to someone in our Qing Clan?! I swear I'll kill him…"

  Qing Wentian's ears perked up. He quickly asked, "Elder—is there something wrong with Xuanling's fire-control technique?"

  Alchemist Lin also pricked up his ears while continuing to watch Qing Xuanling's alchemy. He too had never seen such a strange flame.

  "Sigh… It's not that it's flawed—it's just quite famous in the alchemy world." He grimaced. "It's called the 'Fool-Attracting Technique'—a unique method created by a Pill Saint years ago. Not especially useful—and damnably difficult to learn."

  He paused and coughed embarrassedly. "I know because I bought it in my youth too… That technique's a cursed pit. Took me a full year to finally produce a tiny flame—but when I did, I discovered it was impossible to control! Practiced day and night for three more months—saw no results! Threw it away after that!"

  Elder Gong breathed heavily, chest heaving with frustration. But his gaze suddenly turned subtle. "Though somehow… this girl seems capable of controlling that flame with ease…"

  Alchemist Lin's expression grew complex as he realized what that implied.

  Qing Xuanling paid no attention to their chatter. She'd already reached the step of adding beast core powder and the ten blood ants. Her movements were precise—adding five grams every three seconds.

  She tossed in the ten ants along with the final five grams of powder, waited a few seconds—then added the yellow ginseng root.

  She took a deep breath. She'd arrived at the most difficult part.

  Her brows furrowed as she separated the medicinal extract with her Clear Flame—forming ten perfect spheres containing the portions of the extract within.

  Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she maintained concentration. One minute later, she released her control over the Clear Flame. Ten steaming pellets dropped into the cauldron.

  Qing Xuanling smiled. Her skill with this pill had improved greatly after making it twice already. She placed the pills into a bottle—then turned around. A broad smile graced her face.

  "What do you think, Elder? Alchemist Lin? Do I deserve my alchemist title?"

  Elder Gong nodded vigorously—while Alchemist Lin's face soured.

  "Of course! Of course! You not only deserve the alchemist title—you deserve the title of Qing Clan's alchemical genius!" Elder Gong's eyes shone brightly. "Haha—who would've thought I'd finally witness the Clear Flame in action in my lifetime!"

  Qing Xuanling was slightly surprised. "You know my fire-control technique, Elder?"

  Elder Gong waved dismissively. "Who in the alchemy world doesn't know it? It's a famous fool's trap! But who'd have thought that with sufficient mastery, it could display such effects? You have nearly a hundred percent pill-formation success rate—as long as you don't lose control of the flame!"

  Qing Xuanling was stunned to hear her technique called a famous fool's trap—but quickly brushed it off because Elder Gong's final remark.

  "You have a keen eye, Elder. Unlike other alchemists who must shape pills by controlling them with Qi, I can do it with the Clear Flame—which lacks the destructive properties of ordinary fire. That simplifies many things." Qing Xuanling smiled happily.

  She chatted with Elder Gong a while longer—then turned toward someone in the room who'd been suspiciously quiet for some time.

  The alchemist Lin.

  Qing Xuanling smiled playfully. "Alchemist Lin—why don't I see you taking out those three high-grade recipes? Or do you plan to break your word~?"

  Alchemist Lin's already sour face darkened further. He opened and closed his mouth, searching for words. Finally, he merely sighed and produced three skin scrolls from his spatial pouch.

  "Here you are—Alchemist Xuanling." His face seemed slightly uncomfortable—but his voice was clear. "I also wish to apologize in advance for my earlier behavior. I let pride carry me away and said unpleasant things."

  Qing Xuanling looked at Alchemist Lin in surprise—but quickly remembered he was within her clan. No matter their disputes, they remained family. It was natural for someone to be willing to apologize to kin.

  She, of course, wouldn't be petty toward someone who'd already apologized.

  "It's fine, Alchemist Lin. I understand these things happen." She smiled as she accepted the skin scrolls. "Perhaps in the future, we'll need to assist each other. Best to forget this minor dispute."

  Alchemist Lin immediately sighed in relief. "I'm glad! If you have time—perhaps we could discuss the three recipes I gave you. They're quite unique. I'm still studying them myself."

  Qing Xuanling accepted with a smile and continued speaking with Alchemist Lin and Elder Gong before departing with Qing Wentian.

  She wore a happy smile. Elder Gong had promised to do everything possible to elevate her treatment to high-tier seed status and begin training her formally as an alchemist—exactly as she'd desired.

  She turned, ready to boast before Qing Wentian—but noticed a disappointed expression on his face.

  "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy for me."

  "Yes, yes—I'm quite happy… But!" He put on a pained look. "I was expecting a dramatic slap-in-the-face scene where Alchemist Lin wept blood and swore vengeance for the humiliation! The ending was too bland!"

  Qing Xuanling slowly turned her head—and began ignoring everything Qing Wentian said thereafter. She had no idea why she'd brought such a drama-hungry fool with her today…