At this moment, Steward Cai sat opposite Zi Linling, with a disheveled old man beside him.
The old man had a face full of anger.
He was a Grandmaster Alchemist in the Alchemists Guild, named Nian Youyu.
Today, he was in the crucial stage of closed-door alchemy when Steward Cai interrupted him.
This interruption had ruined a furnace of pills, so Nian Youyu emerged radiating an explosive aura.
But before he could unleash his fury, Steward Cai informed him that someone wished to undergo the advanced alchemist assessment.
Upon hearing that someone was to be assessed as an alchemist, Nian Youyu could only swallow his anger.
Because he was in charge of this month's advanced alchemist assessment.
However, when Steward Cai brought him here and he saw a young girl of thirteen or fourteen and a scruffy boy of fourteen or fifteen, the anger he had suppressed instantly ignited.
"Cai Wenjie, are you deliberately toying with this old man?"
Cai Wenjie was Steward Cai's full name.
Although he was a steward in the Alchemists Guild, he dared not offend these alchemists, so he hurriedly said with a smile, "Old Nian, how would I dare to toy with you! It's just that Miss Zi wishes to undergo the advanced alchemist assessment?"
Nian Youyu angrily retorted, "Cai Wenjie, you're becoming quite the character! I am already one hundred and fifty years old this year, yet I only recently passed the Grandmaster Alchemist assessment. She's merely a young girl of thirteen or fourteen, what right does she have to assess as an advanced alchemist?"
Cai Wenjie continued to placate him with a smile, "Old Nian, Miss Zi stated that the assessment of an alchemist has nothing to do with age. Since the young lady wishes to be tested, grant her an opportunity!"
"Nonsense, utter nonsense!"
Nian Youyu flicked his sleeves, preparing to leave.
"Old Nian, wait! Please stay," Zi Linling said with a smile.
Nian Youyu, seething with anger, said, "Young girl, considering your tender age, this old man will not make things difficult for you. You should leave quickly!"
Zi Linling smiled, "I am here to be assessed as an alchemist. Why does Old Nian wish to drive me away?"
Nian Youyu said impatiently, "At your age, to be assessed as an advanced alchemist is utter nonsense.
And because of your absurdity, the pills this old man painstakingly refined for a day have been ruined.
I am not asking you for compensation out of consideration for your youth. Driving you away is simply to prevent you from continuing your foolishness."
Zi Linling's smile remained unchanged, "Why does Old Nian presume I am being foolish?"
Nian Youyu said agitatedly, "Looking at your age, merely thirteen or fourteen, this old man has been an alchemist for over a hundred years and has never seen an alchemist of thirteen or fourteen, let alone an advanced alchemist?"
Zi Linling calmly replied, "Since Old Nian has never seen one, why not broaden your horizons today?"
Her words were quite audacious, but Nian Youyu, relying on his seniority, wanted to strip her of her assessment qualification based solely on her age.
"Broaden my horizons?"
Nian Youyu's expression turned cold and he said, "This old man is very busy and has no time to indulge in your foolishness! Cai Wenjie, escort her out!"
After saying this, he turned to leave.
He wanted to take advantage of the lingering insights from his previous alchemy attempt to refine another batch of pills.
"That doesn't seem quite right, does it?" Cai Wenjie hesitated.
This was not the outcome he desired.
If Zi Linling were to be driven away, how would he witness her embarrassment?
Just as he was about to persuade Nian Youyu further, he heard Zi Linling speak, "In the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill, the medicinal properties of the Seven Star Soul Gathering Herb are too potent. It requires the Magnolia Ganoderma to neutralize its effects to safely form the pill. Otherwise, even if everything else proceeds smoothly, the pill will be destroyed at the moment of formation."
Zi Linling's statement caused Nian Youyu, who had already walked three zhang away, to halt his steps.
This was because the pill he had been attempting to refine was precisely the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill.
Furthermore, he had been researching this Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill for a long time and had refined it no less than ten times, only for it to be destroyed each time at the point of formation.
Zi Linling had directly named the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill and pinpointed the exact problem, leaving Nian Youyu utterly shocked.
He quickly returned to Zi Linling's side and asked, "How do you know about the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill?"
Zi Linling smiled, "Didn't you tell me?"
"When did this old man ever tell you?" Nian Youyu asked, confused.
Zi Linling smiled, "The Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill is a top-grade Earth-level pill among Grandmaster-level pills. Haven't you been refining it recently?"
Nian Youyu's face changed drastically, and he sternly asked, "Speak! Who told you!"
He had not mentioned his recent efforts in refining the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill to anyone, yet Zi Linling's confident demeanor made it seem as though she had been watching him from beside him all along.
Zi Linling smiled faintly, "Old Nian, there's no need to be nervous. I mean no harm.
Moreover, your refining of the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill was indeed something you told me yourself!
Firstly, you are carrying the scent of the herbs required for the Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill, especially the Seven Star Soul Gathering Herb.
Secondly, this scent is very strong, not something that could be acquired from a single refining session. Judging by its intensity, you have refined this Seven Star Soul Gathering Pill more than ten times.
The reason I can discern this is a basic skill for an alchemist: discerning herbs by scent, and knowing the pill from the herb. There is nothing strange about it."
Hearing Zi Linling's explanation, Nian Youyu was even more astonished.
One must know that what Zi Linling described, discerning herbs by scent and knowing the pill from the herb, was indeed a fundamental skill for an alchemist.
However, not to mention himself, even within the entire Alchemists Guild, only the Guild Master possessed this ability.
And Zi Linling, at merely thirteen or fourteen years old, had already achieved this level, making her a genius among geniuses, a prodigy among prodigies in the alchemist profession.
"Can you truly discern herbs by scent and know the pill from the herb?"
Nian Youyu had to confirm again.
Zi Linling smiled noncommittally and asked, "May I ask, Old Nian, if I can now proceed with the advanced alchemist assessment?"
The anger that had been simmering in Nian Youyu's heart had long since vanished.
He nodded and said, "If you have truly reached the stage of discerning herbs by scent and knowing the pill from the herb, then you can naturally proceed with the advanced alchemist assessment.
However, I am curious, at your level, is the advanced alchemist certificate still important?"
This time, he did not refer to himself as "this old man."
If Zi Linling had truly reached that level, even he would not dare to be arrogant and rude.
Zi Linling nodded and said, "It is important! It concerns whether I, as a newcomer, can obtain an identification plaque!"
"You could undergo an even higher level of assessment!" Nian Youyu said, confused.
Zi Linling rolled her eyes speechlessly, "I would love to directly assess as a Grandmaster Alchemist, but isn't a certificate as an advanced alchemist required to undergo the Grandmaster Alchemist assessment?"