Watching Frank and Otto's wide-eyed amazement, the throats of everyone in the hall subtly rolled with quiet awe—by the look of it, the young man's second-tier examination had clearly... passed. "Such a remarkable individual," the crowd exchanged glances, each silently sighing. A second-tier alchemist at just nineteen? That truly set a new record for the Gamma Empire. "Actually... he did it? He reached the Battle Master level at nineteen? How is that even possible!" Linfei's red lips parted as she murmured in astonishment. Beside her, Xue Mei nodded slightly—this person was truly extraordinary. Gazing at the stunned faces of the crowd, Frank and Otto exchanged a mutual smile, deeply impressed by the close observation of Xiao Yan's alchemy skills during a single batch of pill preparation. Although Xiao Yan was new to the pharmaceutical formula during his first examination, his exceptional control of the timing and temperature was certainly no less than that of any true second-rank alchemist. Moreover, his precision in extracting and refining the essences from various herbs was outstanding. If a seasoned second-rank alchemist demonstrated such performance, Frank and Otto would hardly have been surprised. Yet the person standing before them was only nineteen—just nineteen! When they were that age, they had still been learning basic herb identification under their mentors. "Such a surprising young talent," Frank remarked with a wry smile. "Now I'm even more curious—how could any master have produced such an outstanding student?" "Well, though this young lad has an exceptional talent for alchemy, even the finest raw jade will struggle to become truly outstanding without careful refinement. His mysterious mentor is truly remarkable—had it been us two teaching Xiao Yan from a young age, we'd certainly not have achieved such results." Otto sighed, expressing his admiration. "Still, that purple flame of his—indeed, it's not an unusual fire. While it's considerably stronger than ordinary flames, it lacks the commanding power and otherworldly nature of true divine flames." Frank recalled Xiao Yan's earlier alchemical work, frowning slightly with mild curiosity. "Hmm, it doesn't quite resemble a divine flame. Yet that's not surprising at all. On the Continent of Qi, there are countless extraordinary individuals and events, many of which go unnoticed. This purple flame, though strong, merely surpasses the typical qi-flame of alchemists of the same rank—it's clearly far from the caliber of a divine flame." Otto smiled. "Indeed." Nodding, Frank turned his head and looked toward the room, smiling, "Alright, little one, everything's packed. Then come out." As Frank finished speaking, Xiao Yan slowly stepped out of the room, gently brushing off some medicinal powder that had settled on his ordinary garments, and then glanced over the faces of the guests in the hall, offering a slight smile. Upon seeing Xiao Yan's gaze, the various alchemists in the hall returned warm smiles. Though, as alchemists, they held top-tier status in Black Rock City and were usually greeted with courtesy by everyone, the evident talent Xiao Yan displayed in alchemy made them feel no less attentive—after all, who knew that this young man might one day surpass even Frank and Otto in achievement as a master alchemist? As soon as Xiao Yan stepped out, Frank waved to one of his subordinates, who promptly hurried out of the hall and a moment later entered with a set of elegant black robes carried on a jade tray. This is a specially crafted robe for a second-rank alchemist. The fabric of this long robe is first soaked in the medicinal pools cultivated by the guild before being woven. Don't underestimate its value—once worn, the medicinal liquid absorbed during soaking gradually releases a unique aroma as it interacts with the air. This aroma helps the wearer remain mentally alert at all times. Moreover, under the stimulation of this scent, the skin becomes more sensitive, which in turn makes it easier for alchemists to precisely control the heat when preparing medicinal pills. "Receiving the jade tray, Frank proudly detailed the robe's various functions: 'It also offers immunity to certain toxins. Moreover, thanks to the guild's special craftsmanship, this apothecary robe boasts a defensive strength far exceeding that of ordinary armor. If it weren't for its high cost, it wouldn't have been mass-produced—otherwise, the empire would have seized it for military use long ago...' Hearing Frank's explanation, Xiao Yan was quite astonished. He hadn't expected such a seemingly elegant robe to possess so many impressive and desirable features. 'It's no wonder so many apothecaries prefer joining the apothecary guild—these benefits are truly compelling,' he mused. Holding the sleek, black robe, he glanced at it, noticing a medicinal guild insignia affixed to the chest area. On the insignia, an ancient cauldron displayed two waves resembling liquid mercury, constantly subtly undulating, as if alive." His palm glided over the dark robe, the softness of the fabric reminiscent of a woman's delicate skin—exquisitely pleasant. "Hm, hm... As a pharmacist, you truly are the most esteemed profession on the Continent of Qi. Just this long robe alone—its cost must surely exceed ten thousand gold coins." Holding it fondly, Xiao Yan removed his plain cotton outer tunic and donned the robe. Instantly, the skin beneath the fabric felt as though it had been submerged in water—cool, refreshing, and a subtle, lingering fragrance seeped into his nose, invigorating his slightly weary spirit. After nearly a year of rigorous cultivation, Xiao Yan's physique had grown more refined. Though his face still carried a touch of youthfulness, the well-fitted, sleek black robe now gave him a graceful, flowing elegance, completely concealing the last traces of his youthful freshness. Looking at Xiao Yan, now almost completely transformed with his robe of a Pharmacist, Frank and Otto nodded with smiles, clearly pleased with his new appearance. Snow Mirage and Linfei, who had been closely observing Xiao Yan throughout the hall, were also momentarily surprised by his transformation—though their gaze lingered a bit longer on his smiling face, subtly. "Excellent," Xiao Yan said, enthusiastically nodding as he personally experienced the many benefits of the Pharmacist's robe. Seeing Xiao Yan's satisfied expression, Frank smiled gently—there was no doubt the influence of a Pharmacist was immense. To gather such prestigious, energy-rich professions under one roof, the Pharmacist's Guild had truly invested considerable effort. "Well," he said, "the assessment is complete. Everyone may now disperse." Frank waved to the group gathered in the hall, then turned to smile at Xiao Yan. "Do you have a moment? If so, I'd like to chat with you." Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded with a smile and said, "That would be great—I actually have a few things I'd like to ask the Chairman to help with." "Heh, Snow Mei, Lin Fei, you and the other young ones who passed the review—go ahead and collect your first-class alchemist insignia and robes. We have a few things to attend to, so we won't be joining you." Smiling at Snow Mei, Frank exchanged a glance with Otto, then the two of them took the lead and walked toward the hall's entrance. Observing the clearly less favorable treatment, Lin Fei could only nod in resignation, then gave Frank a discontented grimace, muttering, "Favoritism!" "Come on, stop complaining. The teacher has every right to be biased. If you're not satisfied, go take the second-class alchemist assessment right away," Snow Mei said, rising and stepping toward the hall's exit, her voice light and cheerful. "Hmph… What's so impressive about it?" Linfe huffed, though her steps followed him closely—her voice clearly lacked conviction. Even becoming a first-rank alchemist was already a challenge; to reach second rank? She certainly knew her limits. "Since you've now registered with the guild, we naturally need to attend to some formalities, hmm... Regarding your mentor entry—your previous registration seems a bit off. In my memory, there isn't a Master of Pharmacy named Yao Lao in the Gamma Empire." Frank held up the documents Xiao Yin had submitted earlier, smiling as he asked. "I'm sorry. When I left, my teacher mentioned that I shouldn't reveal his identity. He indeed hasn't been recorded with the guild." Xiao Yin spread his hands, explaining. Frank and Otto both shook their heads in resignation—seeming it would be quite difficult to extract any information about the teacher from this young man. "Well, if you're not willing to share, we won't press you. After all, within the Gamma Empire, there are indeed several reclusive masters who prefer to remain unknown." "Exhaling a long breath, Otto pondered for a moment and asked, 'My final question concerns the purple flame you control. Perhaps you're aware that your flame is not actually a rare flame?' 'Ah, that would indeed be nice...' Smiling slightly and shaking his head half-seriously, Xiao Yan said, 'This purple flame came to me through a fortunate coincidence. I obtained it from the Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King. Don't ask me how exactly—I happened to meet him in the Monster Mountain region, and he suddenly blew a burst of flame directly at me. If it hadn't been for some means of survival, I might have been incinerated right then and there. Later, I discovered that a small amount of this purple flame had settled within my body.' 'The Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King?' "Heard that, Frank and Otto both paused, then nodded in sudden realization: 'Now I see it—indeed, it's the purple flame of the Purple Crystal Wing Lion King. I always thought it carried a wild, restless energy. You're truly fortunate to have obtained such a rare flame; many alchemists back then had tried to claim it, but all ended in failure.' 'Well, never mind,' Frank sighed, waving his hand with a touch of resignation. 'After all this questioning, you haven't revealed a single useful piece of information.' 'What's on your mind?' he asked. 'Heh,' smiled Xiao Yan, pressing his lips and fixing his gaze firmly on both of them. 'I need something. Would either of you be able to assist me in checking whether any other alchemists possess it?' 'What kind of thing?' 'The Ice Spirit Cold Spring!'