The white-haired elder led Xiao Yan to a special testing room with four large doors: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Xiao Yan was to be tested in the Heaven-Grade room.
"Follow me inside. I will personally conduct your test," the elder said, walking into the room. Xiao Yan followed without hesitation.
The testing process was simple: refine a Rank 7 pill. The rank would be assessed based on the quality of the refined pill, as well as the alchemist's technique and control of the heat.
"Heaven Dragon Pill, Yin and Yang Fuluo Pill, Breaking Yuan Pill. These are three common Rank 7 Intermediate pills. If you can refine all of them, and there are no problems in the process, then I can issue you a Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist badge," the elder stated.
Xiao Yan nodded. With a wave of his hand, several types of medicinal ingredients floated in the air. A flame suddenly appeared in front of him.
Fallen Heart Flame.
"Exotic Flame?" The elder's eyes lit up. An alchemist capable of subduing an Exotic Flame could not possibly be weak. Perhaps this young man truly possessed the skill of an Advanced Rank 7 Alchemist.
Under the scorching heat, the medicinal ingredients began to turn into liquid and integrate into the pill furnace.
"Refining three pills simultaneously?" The elder's expression changed. Xiao Yan was using one furnace to refine three pills at the same time? What kind of operation was this? It would explode the furnace!
Just as he was about to speak a reminder, he was stunned. The medicinal ingredients were as docile as kittens in Xiao Yan's hands, fusing smoothly with each other under the control of the Exotic Flame.
Watching Xiao Yan's movements, the elder felt a sense of delight, as if admiring a grand art performance. By the time he came back to his senses, all three pills had been refined, with a terrifying success rate of 100%.
"Elder, has my assessment passed?" Xiao Yan asked.
The elder seemed to awaken from a dream. "Passed, passed! Just call me Deacon Han! Your strength definitely far exceeds Intermediate Rank 7. Are you willing to go to the Pill Tower Headquarters for a higher rank assessment?"
Deacon Han spoke while taking out a dazzling, dark gold badge. In the center was a giant tower, upon which seven dazzling purple-gold stars flickered. This was the Intermediate Rank 7 Alchemist badge.
Xiao Yan casually put it away. "Of course."
Deacon Han then led him towards the core of the Pill Tower to meet one of its elders.
"Elder Sheng." Deacon Han went up to him and quickly explained Xiao Yan's matter.
Elder Sheng looked at Xiao Yan with great surprise. Beside him, a woman also looked at Xiao Yan with equal surprise. This was Cao Ying, the most outstanding prodigy in the Cao family's history and the personal disciple of one of the Pill Tower's Three Giants. She was currently a Rank 6 Alchemist. This Xiao Yan, who looked to be around her age, was actually already an Advanced Rank 7?
"You want to undergo the Advanced Rank 7 Alchemist assessment?" Elder Sheng asked. To be so young and not only a Dou Zun, but also a terrifyingly skilled alchemist? Unheard of.
Xiao Yan nodded.
Elder Sheng pondered for a moment. "For an Advanced Rank 7 Alchemist, refining pills is not the main assessment. This realm places more emphasis on the soul. Are you willing to test your soul power?"
"Of course," Xiao Yan agreed.
Elder Sheng led him to a stone monument with a smooth disc. "You input your soul power into it, and this mirror disc will test your Soul Value. If it can exceed 1,000, it means your soul power has reached the Advanced Rank 7 level."
Xiao Yan stepped forward and lightly touched the stone monument. It was cold, like a block of ice.
Elder Sheng, Cao Ying, and the others held their breath. Cao Ying had just tested herself, and her Soul Value was a full 600-700. At her age, that was already prodigious. She truly couldn't believe Xiao Yan could be stronger.
The hall fell silent. However, this silence only lasted for about half a minute.
A vast and majestic soul pressure, like an awakened giant dragon, swept outwards.
Boom!
A dull sound erupted. An invisible soul storm caused the surrounding space to become extremely distorted. Feeling this terrifying pressure, Elder Sheng quickly grabbed Cao Ying and rapidly retreated.
His gaze was fixed on the figure within the distorted space. He had never seen such a terrifying phenomenon.
A number appeared on the disc. "5,721…"
"Spirit Realm… Your soul power has actually broken through to the Spirit Realm!" Elder Sheng was utterly shocked.
The difference between a Rank 7 and a Rank 8 Alchemist was soul power. Only when one's soul broke through to the Spirit Realm could one refine Rank 8 pills. He never expected Xiao Yan's soul power had already reached that level.
This was no longer an Advanced Rank 7 Alchemist. This was a Rank 8 Alchemist. It was too exaggerated.
Cao Ying was even more dumbfounded. Her soul power wasn't even a fraction of his. If she was a peerless genius, then what was Xiao Yan?
[Inorin Note:
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