Alchemy Master

Chapter 479, Five Times

Translator: Silavin

“Oh, Elder Tian, do you think that the young man you recommended will be able to pass this first test?” Asked Duan Quan with a mocking smile as he looked towards Tian Liang.

*Hmph.* Tian Liang let out a light snort, ignoring him. However, his gaze remained fixed on Qin Yichen, who only had his head visible, with his brows slightly furrowed.

The latter was not struggling as much as he had imagined. There was not even a bead of sweat on his forehead.

If it were not for the flames rising from the Pill Furnace, he would have doubted whether Qin Yichen had already given up.

It should be noted that what needed to be refined was the Iron Heart Fruit. Even some ordinary Instructors from the Alchemy Manor had to give their all when refining it. How could he be so relaxed?

“Elder Tian, you didn’t just randomly find some young man to bring to the Alchemy Manor because you know your days are numbered and wanted proof of your existence, right?”

Seeing that Tian Liang was not answering, the mockery on Duan Quan’s face became even more intense. His former rival had now been reduced to such a state, so he did not want to miss any opportunity to taunt him. Each jab brought him immense satisfaction!

Faced with Duan Quan’s ridicule, Tian Liang did not argue back. He just silently gazed in Qin Yichen’s direction, but his hands inside his sleeves were tightly clenched, with fingers turning white, betraying his inner turmoil.

[This is his last chance to save myself. Do I really have to resign myself to being a beggar!?]

…

Under Tian Liang’s watchful eye, less than one-fifth of the two incense sticks remained. At this moment, the flames in one of the Pill Furnaces suddenly extinguished, and immediately, Duan Quan and that invigilator’s gazes turned towards it.

Indeed, it was Duan Zihai’s furnace. Judging by his appearance, he had probably refined the Iron Heart Fruit to his utmost limit!

Duan Zihai walked over with large strides, holding a jade box containing the already refined Iron Heart Fruit.

“How did it go?” Duan Quan asked with a smile. Upon seeing the latter confidently nod, a look of satisfaction appeared on his old face. He was indeed worthy of his high regard!

As time passed, the two incense sticks were about to be completely burnt out. However, the flames in Qin Yichen’s Pill Furnace were still rising. He had not finished refining yet!

“Has he still not finished refining? That doesn’t seem right…” Tian Liang gripped his hands tightly, muttering anxiously to himself.

“Alright, stop wasting time. Let’s start the next test already.” Duan Quan impatiently said to the invigilator.

The middle-aged invigilator glanced at the incense stick, which had only a small section left unburnt, nodded, and was about to announce that time was up.

“Wait! Since when did the rules of the Alchemy Manor allow an Elder to declare an incense is finished before it’s completely burnt out!?” Tian Liang, who had been silent all this while, suddenly shouted.

Hearing his shout, the middle-aged invigilator’s body trembled, and he swallowed his words.

“You old ghost. You just want to find someone to leave behind and remember your existence in your very last moments, right? Why use the rules of the Alchemy Manor to threaten an invigilator?” Duan Quan frowned and coldly snorted.

“Duan Quan, are you suggesting that you’re now above the position of the Manor Lord’s Guest Officers?” Faced with Duan Quan’s mockery, Tian Liang did not remain silent but coldly rebuked.

“Tian Liang, you can’t casually throw around such accusations!” Duan Quan glared and shouted, with a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“Casually? Isn’t that what you’re thinking? Arbitrarily disrupting an assessment. Aren’t you acting as if you have the same authority as the Manor Lord’s Guest Officers?” Tian Liang snorted back.

“You…” These words left Duan Quan momentarily speechless. Indeed, in the Ten Corner Alchemy Manor, only the Manor Lord and the two Guest Officers had the right to interfere with assessments. Elders like them, despite their respected positions, were far from qualified to interfere with an assessment!

“*Ahem!* Elder Tian, Elder Duan was just momentarily careless. It’s not as serious as you make it out to be…” Seeing Tian Liang bringing up the rules, the middle-aged invigilator hurriedly explained, lest the matter be spread and he be implicated.

During their conversation, the incense sticks had burned to their end.

Seeing the incense about to turn to ash, the invigilator cleared his throat and announced, “Alright, the time is…”

“Wait a moment!” Just as he was about to announce the end of the first round of the test, a calm voice came through. Looking in that direction, the flames in that Pill Furnace had already extinguished, and Qin Yichen was walking over with a jade box.

“Finally…” Seeing Qin Yichen finish the refinement, Tian Liang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hmph, to manage to finish in the last moments, what luck!” Duan Quan snorted.

“Hehe, in such a rush, he probably won’t meet the requirements of the test.” Duan Zihai glanced at Qin Yichen and mocked.

This time, the invigilator in charge of the assessment, perhaps due to nearly being severely accused earlier, didn’t mock. Instead, he lightly coughed and directly said. “Since both of you have finished refining, let’s begin the next test.”

After speaking, he took out an instrument resembling a crystal ball from behind him.

“This was made by a Forging Grandmaster invited by an Elder of the Alchemy Manor. It can accurately measure the purity of the materials you have refined.” The middle-aged invigilator said with great pride.

“Forging Grandmaster!?” Hearing this, Duan Zihai’s pupils contracted, with astonishment flashing in his eyes. To think there was such an instrument—truly worthy of the Ten Corner Alchemy Manor!

In contrast, Qin Yichen’s expression remained calm. Tian Liang even seemed to detect a hint of disdain in his eyes.

“This is where you place the material for testing. You just need to put your materials here,” The invigilator pointed to a depression in front of the instrument, then, pointing to the crystal ball’s surface with a stream of numbers, he continued, “This displays the purity of your refined materials, on a scale of one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten the highest. For the Iron Heart Fruit refinement, a score of three is required to pass!”

“Alright, place your materials here.” The invigilator said, then stepped aside to show he would not interfere, and that the instrument would judge impartially.

“I’ll go first.” Duan Zihai smiled, completely ignoring Qin Yichen. He walked directly to the instrument, placing the refined Iron Heart Fruit into the depression.

*Mmm…* After the crystal ball’s surface flashed a few times, a large numeral five appeared on its surface.

“Purity of five, refined five times!” Seeing the number displayed, the middle-aged invigilator’s pupils contracted, and he exclaimed in surprise.