66: Second-grade alchemist!

Mo Yuhan stood before the enormous medicinal cauldron, took a deep breath, and his eyes instantly became incredibly focused.

The medicinal pill he was to refine for his assessment was the Second-Rank Ice Heart Pill.

With a slight thought, a wisp of flame, dark like the Xuan Huang earth yet with a core that pulsed with a wild purple hue, rose gracefully from his fingertips.

The moment the flame ascended, a peculiar aura, hot yet profound, wild yet restrained, instantly permeated the air.

"Such a powerful flame!"

"This fluctuation... it doesn't seem like Dou Qi flame!"

A series of low exclamations echoed through the hall.

Frank and Great Master Otto's eyes simultaneously flashed with surprise, "Could it be a Heavenly Flame?!"

Great Master Otto concentrated and sensed for a moment, his brow slightly furrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "Although this flame's aura is strange and powerful, and its energy fluctuation far exceeds ordinary flames, it seems... somewhat different from a Heavenly Flame. It's more like the origin beast flame of some powerful fire-attribute magical beast."

"It's just... it seems to have been fused with a more pure and profound power? Frank, what do you think...?"

Frank also carefully sensed the Xuan Huang Purple Flame at Mo Yuhan's fingertips, stroked his beard, and slowly nodded:

"What you said is correct. Although this flame is strong, combining dominance and profoundness, its energy essence leans more towards a fusion with some kind of top-tier beast flame origin, rather than a Heavenly Flame born of nature."

"Perhaps it's some rare mutated beast flame, or fused with a special earth fire?"

Although there was surprise in his eyes, the extreme shock he had felt because of the 'Heavenly Flame' had largely dissipated.

A nine-year-old Second-Rank Alchemist was already astonishing; if he also possessed a Heavenly Flame, that would simply be mythical.

Now, the high probability guess was merely some powerful mutated beast flame. While still astonishing, it was at least within the 'scope of understanding'.

Upon hearing the two Great Masters' conclusions, the tumultuous waves of shock that had risen in the hall due to the suspected 'Heavenly Flame' subsided somewhat, but everyone's gaze towards Mo Yuhan remained filled with awe.

Being able to fuse and control such a powerful mutated beast flame was, in itself, an excellent proof of his talent.

Mo Yuhan paid no attention to the discussions and gazes around him.

He was fully concentrated, his Soul Power spreading like a tide, precisely sensing the temperature of the medicinal cauldron and the timing for adding the medicinal ingredients.

Under his exquisite control, the Xuan Huang Purple Flame was at times as docile as a lamb, emitting gentle heat to refine the medicinal properties, and at other times as wild as an enraged lion, with purple light surging, instantly incinerating the impurities of some medicinal ingredients that required intense fire tempering into nothingness.

The transition of the flames was smooth and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.

One by one, medicinal ingredients were added, refined, and fused... The entire process flowed like water, his technique so practiced it was astonishing, not at all like a child, but more like a Great Master who had been immersed in alchemy for decades.

The Second-Rank Ice Heart Pill he was refining was considered quite difficult among Second-Rank medicinal pills.

This pill required balancing the extreme cold of the ice-attribute main ingredient, 'Cold Marrow Branch,' with the dryness and heat of several fire-attribute auxiliary ingredients, placing extremely stringent demands on flame control.

A slight mistake would result in a conflict of cold and heat, leading to the pill being ruined and the furnace exploding.

Time passed in the oppressive silence and the humming of the flames.

When a peculiar medicinal fragrance, a blend of coolness and warmth, emanated from the medicinal cauldron, and a dragon-eye-sized pill, completely ice-blue with a subtle, dark purple-gold sheen on its surface, was retrieved by Mo Yuhan in a jade bottle, the entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Elder responsible for inspecting the pill tremblingly took the jade bottle, and after careful identification, announced in an excitedly distorted voice: "Second-Rank medicinal pill, Ice Heart Pill! Quality... excellent! Pill contains purplelines, perfect fusion of cold and heat, assessment passed!"

After a brief silence, there was deafening gasps of amazement and applause!

A nine-year-old Second-Rank Alchemist had truly appeared before their eyes!

The Black Rock City Alchemist Guild had given birth to a true prodigy!

Frank and Otto first stepped forward together to inspect, and after confirming everything was correct, their old faces flushed with excitement.

Frank even stepped forward and patted Mo Yuhan's shoulder vigorously: "Good! Good child, Gu Ni truly took in a good disciple! From now on, I will personally instruct you. You are the most dazzling new star of our Black Rock City Alchemist Guild!"

Frank showed no shame in taking over his disciple Gu Ni's apprentice. Gu Ni had also said in his letter that his abilities were insufficient and asked Frank to personally instruct Mo Yuhan.

It was just that before, Frank had thought Mo Yuhan's skill was ordinary and not enough for him to personally mentor.

But now, with his talent so high, Frank naturally wanted to take him under his wing.

Afterward, Frank personally placed a brand-new badge, imprinted with two silver ripples, on Mo Yuhan's chest.

Lin Fei stood in the corner, staring blankly at the small figure surrounded by the crowd, wearing the badge symbolizing the honor of a Second-Rank Alchemist on his chest. The shock in her heart was beyond words.

Her previous schadenfreude and desire to watch a show had long vanished, leaving only a deep, ineffable tremor.

He really did it...

A nine-year-old Second-Rank Alchemist...

Xue Mei Senior Apprentice's clear, cold eyes were also fixed on Mo Yuhan. On her ice-mountain-like face, for the first time, such clear astonishment and disbelief appeared.

What kind of terrifying talent was hidden within that small body?

She subconsciously clenched her hands, her fingertips slightly cold.

Just then, Frank also saw Xue Mei Senior Apprentice, and with a chuckle, he pulled Mo Yuhan over to her: "Yu Han, come, come, let me introduce you. This is Xue Mei Senior Apprentice, she is also my direct disciple, so she is your Senior Sister."

Mo Yuhan looked up at the silver-haired woman with a cold demeanor before him.

She was tall and slender, wearing a tight silver dress-robe that shimmered with a metallic luster, perfectly outlining her figure.

Long, straight legs, a slender, strong waist, and although her chest was not as exaggeratedly full as Lin Fei's, it was round and perky, forming a cool yet alluring curve.

She had long, silver hair that reached her waist and hips, flowing like moonlight, smooth and lustrous.

Her face was as exquisitely carved as ice and snow, her eyes clear but with the coldness of a mountain spring, and her slender, delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, exuding an aura of aloofness that kept others at bay.

"Xue Mei Senior Apprentice."

Mo Yuhan calmly bowed.

"You... Hello, Junior Brother."

Xue Mei Senior Apprentice's clear, cold voice carried a subtle fluctuation.

She had just been wondering who this astonishingly talented child was, never expecting him to be her own Junior Brother!

Looking at the brand-new Second-Rank badge on Mo Yuhan's chest, and then at the First-Rank Alchemist badge she had just earned on her own chest, an unprecedented sense of pressure quietly arose.

"Precisely."

Mo Yuhan nodded.

Xue Mei Senior Apprentice took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart, and looked directly at Mo Yuhan with her clear, cold eyes, nodding slightly: "Junior Brother Yu Han, congratulations."

Her voice, though still clear, had a touch more warmth than usual.

"Hmph!" Lin Fei, standing nearby, found this scene inexplicably jarring and couldn't help but let out a soft snort, pouting her small lips.

However, her mind was still filled with Mo Yuhan's demeanor during the alchemy just now, so this snort was more like dissatisfaction with herself.