The carriage Wangu Yanhui rented was fast, hence, their group reached the Alchemist Grandmaster Union headquarters in a little over three hours.
In fact, their headquarters was more like a small city, formed by a cluster of both tall and low buildings. The number of halls was akin to mushrooms in a forest after the rain.
Alighted from the carriages, Huang Xiaolong, Wangu Yanhui, Wangu Ye, and the other Wangu Clan disciples strode towards the main entrance, stepping inside.
The main hall was undoubtedly built and decorated in a grand manner, yet at this moment it was crowded with people. Looking around, Huang Xiaolong saw an array of disciples in robes of various styles and colors, hailing from the numerous galaxiesâ families and sects. There were so many people in the main hall that one could hardly find room to maneuver.
Since Wangu Yeâs group already had official Alchemist positions, they were here to register for the grand competition which was different from the location where Huang Xiaolong was going for the assessment. Thus, Huang Xiaolong separated from the Wangu Clan disciples, going on his own.
When he reached the assessment registration side hall, he was met with two queues as long as two dragons, with several hundred people in each of them.
Huang Xiaolong frowned. Lining up and waiting for these people to complete their assessments one by one, it still wonât be his turn after a month of waiting.
âBrother, youâre also here to take the trial to become an Alchemist, right?â At this time, a certain family disciple approached and spoke to Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong looked oddly at this person, but answered âThatâs right.â
âHow about it, my brother is now lined up at the thirty-second spot in this queue, do you want it? I can sell the spot to you.â The family disciple stated his intention.
Selling spots?
Huang Xiaolong was surprised, then immediately understood. These disciples were basically standing here to make the queue longer, having nothing better to do, then selling their spots to people who really came to take the assessment.
However, this was an unexpected good surprise to Huang Xiaolong. He was just troubled by this matter.
âDo you have any spots closer to the front?â Huang Xiaolong asked the question he wanted to know most.
The family disciple gave Huang Xiaolong a glance over, then chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eyes, âThere are some spots closer. One is at the fifth spot, another one is at the sixteenth spot, and thereâs also one at twenty-third, which one is this brother interested in buying? You should know; the further up front, the higher the price.â
Huang Xiaolong was deadpan, âHow much is the fifth spot?â
The family disciple raised one finger: âOne top divine grade spirit stone.â
One top divine grade spirit stone was roughly eighty million.
One spot was selling for eighty million!
But Huang Xiaolongâs brows didnât even wrinkle, and was too lazy to bargain. He directly threw a top divine grade spirit stone at that disciple.
The man looked dazedly at the top divine grade spirit stone in his hands, but in the next second his face turned red from ecstasy as he fawningly led Huang Xiaolong over to the fifth spot in the queue, having the disciple who was standing there give out his place to Huang Xiaolong.
Even though this scene was witnessed by more than a few Alchemist Grandmaster Unionâs disciplinary hall disciples, no one did anything to stop them.
Clearly, since these people dared to do this, they had already âcommunicatedâ with these disciplinary hall disciples beforehand.
Thanks to being in the fifth spot, it didnât take long for Huang Xiaolongâs turn to arrive.
However, when he spoke his name, the eyes of the person in charge of his registration, Alchemist Li Jiang, seemed to light up, asking, âYouâre that Highgod Advancement Tournament champion, Huang Xiaolong?â
Huang Xiaolong frowned hearing this. âThat is so.â
âWhat?! The first place winner of the Highgod Advancement Tournament, Huang Xiaolong!â
âItâs Huang Xiaolong!â
The surrounding disciples definitely heard what Li Jiang said, hence all of them were looking at him with astonished expressions.
In an instant, Huang Xiaolong became the center of attention in the assessment side hall.
Alchemist Li Jiang stood up, chuckling meaningfully and saying to Huang Xiaolongâs face, âSo youâre the Highgod Advancement Tournamentâs champion, but it seems your reputation precedes you ah. I canât see whatâs so great about you.â
Huang Xiaolong was indifferent, âWhat exactly do you want to say?â
It was already clear in Huang Xiaolongâs mind that this Alchemist Li Jiang was instructed by Sun Yi to make things difficult for him. He had expected early on that Sun Yi would not permit him to breeze through the alchemist assessment.
Watching Huang Xiaolongâs calm manner, Alchemist Li Jiang was secretly surprised, but sneered outwardly, âHuang Xiaolong, your cultivation talent was hailed as hard to come by in a billion years, so Iâm wondering if your alchemy refining skills are just as startling. How about this, as long as you can refine a Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill right here in front of everyone, Iâll deem you as having passed the assessment.â
âWhat? Heâs actually telling Huang Xiaolong to refine a Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill! Hasnât the assessment requirement always been refining the Exquisite Nine Flood Dragons Pill?â
âThe Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill, not even a Unionâs Elder could successfully refine it on the spot!â
âItâs very obvious theyâre deliberately making things difficult for Huang Xiaolong! During the Highgod Advancement Tournament, he killed the Fortune Gateâs Fang Chu, and Fang Chuâs Master is an Eminent Elder of the Alchemist Grandmaster Union. Only being able to pass if he successfully refines a Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill, this must be Sun Yiâs doing!â
âSun Yi is one of the Unionâs Eminent Elder and no one can change his order, looks like thereâs a good show coming up. If Huang Xiaolong cannot to refine the Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill and fails the assessment, how many people present will laugh?â
Various tones of voices sounded in the side hall, from guessing to schadenfreude. Some were anticipating a good show, others were indignant on Huang Xiaolongâs behalf, while some felt pity.
Alchemist Li Jiang ignored the cries and mockery around, merely staring at Huang Xiaolong, âWhat? Huang Xiaolong, didnât you want to take the Unionâs alchemist assessment? Donât tell me that after hearing the condition youâre being a scaredy cat. If you donât have the guts, then roll out of here this instant, donât take up space, there are other disciples waiting to take the assessment.â
A sharp gleam shone in Huang Xiaolongâs eyes. In the next moment, a sudden overwhelming pressure soared to the sky.
Facing Huang Xiaolongâs terrifying pressure, Alchemist Li Jiang felt his soul tremble, his knees knocking against each other.
The noisy bunch of disciples paled considerably looking at Huang Xiaolong.
âThis... Fifth Order Highgod Realm!!â
âHeavens, heâs actually a Fifth Order Highgod Realm master, didnât the rumors say that Huang Xiaolong was just a Third Order Highgod Realm at the end of the tournament? Why is it Fifth Order now! Just how long has it passed?!â
Shock crashed onto the crowd of disciples.
Although in actual fact Huang Xiaolong had broken through to Seventh Order Highgod Realm, the time wasnât ripe for him to expose his true strength just yet, hence suppressing his strength to Fifth Order Highgod Realm. But even then, the pressure was already too much for these disciples.
âHuang Xiaolong, y-you, what are you doing?! This is the Alchemist Grandmaster Union, do you dare to commit murder here?â Alchemist Li Jiang detected the killing intent from Huang Xiaolongâs body, forcing himself to calm down even though his voice was quivering.
The overwhelming pressure coming from Huang Xiaolongâs body went away just as abruptly, looking coldly at Alchemist Li Jiang, âDonât worry, I wonât kill you right now.â Then his tone changed, âCan we begin the assessment, the refinement of the Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill?â
Hearing Huang Xiaolong agreeing to refine the Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill, Li Jiang was confounded, and so were all present disciples.
Could it be that Huang Xiaolong thought he could scrape through by luck and successfully refine the Star Eclipse Heavenly Pill?
However, after being burnt by Huang Xiaolongâs terrifying pressure earlier, Li Jiang dared not spout any more words of mockery.