Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 17: Alchemist's Battle
The next morning, Lu Xingzhou let An Nuo push him out of the house, which was rare. Their destination was the Alchemy Department.

He went there to get certified as a seventh-grade alchemist.

The Alchemy Department is responsible for controlling and verifying the elixirs on the market to avoid problems such as selling inferior products as good ones or goods not matching the descriptions; it is also responsible for the grade assessment of alchemists and recommending outstanding alchemist seedlings to the court.

Alchemist is a highly respected profession in this world.

Because alchemists are often also doctors, everyone will inevitably encounter difficulties in treating illnesses, so people respect doctors. Moreover, many difficult and complicated diseases require targeted elixirs, which are simply not available on the market.

A more crucial factor is that important elixirs like those for assisting in clearing barriers, providing instant healing, or extending life aren't typically sold everywhere like lower-grade elixirs. Even when they are sold, they're rarely sold, often serving as a signboard to attract customers to major alchemy workshops. Most alchemists capable of refining these elixirs are recruited by powerful factions with substantial salaries, enjoying high status within their respective factions and even commanding the support of servants far more powerful than the alchemists themselves.

Not to mention the Nine-Revolution Golden Elixir that can truly allow people to ascend to immortality, which is the ultimate pursuit.

The imperial court naturally attached great importance to establishing a complete system for evaluating and recommending alchemists, and the best alchemists would of course be used by the emperor.

Being officially recognized as a high-ranking person naturally commands respect wherever one goes, and never worries about resources. Normally, alchemists throughout the world would prioritize passing the imperial rank assessment, climbing the ranks step by step.

There are also a few excellent alchemists who don't want to be noticed by the imperial court and don't like to participate in the assessment. Lu Xingzhou is a typical example. He is clearly at the upper level of the seventh rank, even halfway to the sixth rank, but he always presents himself as an eighth rank. It's not that he's playing dumb to trick the Danxia Gang, but he just didn't want to be noticed by the imperial court. It's also inertia that has kept him away from certification for the past six months.

Shen Tang's encounter with the Alchemy Bureau this time actually reminded Lu Xingzhou of this matter. In fact, he can now show himself openly, just don't stand out too much.

After all, it has nothing to do with Yama Palace now... On the contrary, after being certified as high-quality, it will be beneficial to some future plans.

As soon as he entered the Alchemy Department, he was surprised to find that Liu Qingcang and his daughter and Bai Chi were also here.

It seems that he is also in the process of seventh-grade certification, and is halfway through.

The criteria for judging an alchemist differ from those for practicing. Practice provides the alchemist with a stable flame, control, and sufficient heat. Refining high-quality elixirs naturally requires a corresponding level of practice; this is a prerequisite. However, the level of alchemy is judged by a separate system.

Ranks 7, 8, and 9 are considered the lower three grades, and the assessment is relatively easy. Ninth-grade certification only requires you to accurately follow the recipe, mix the appropriate proportions, and refine a corresponding elixir with an 80% yield rate. Consistently producing high-quality elixirs, or refining multiple pills simultaneously, is considered an upper-middle grade qualification.

The eighth rank is already the level where you can train apprentices. Besides refining elixirs of the corresponding grade, your understanding of elixirs will also be tested. For example, whether you can adjust the ratio of the same elixir formula for different patients, ensuring that it is tailored to each patient's condition. Ultimately, it's just fine-tuning existing elixir formulas, which is not difficult.

The seventh rank requires the ability to formulate a custom elixir based on the symptom, or to defy established methods and create a pill based on one's own understanding to achieve the same effect as an existing finished product. For example, Lu Xingzhou's Qi-boosting elixir, while its formula is quite different from commercially available ones, has the same effect and is also a Qi-boosting elixir.

Generally speaking, the seventh rank is already a bit of a high-ranking official, at least there are not many of them in Xiazhou.

When Lu Xingzhou came in, Bai Chi had already refined a designated seventh-grade elixir and completed the refining assessment. What remained was to assess his understanding of the elixir formula.

An old man in front of him stroked his beard as he looked at the recipe in his hand, nodding continuously. "Although your detoxification pill is only of the ninth grade, it is indeed different from all the recipes on the market, and it is also inexpensive. The drawback is that it can only cure too few types of drugs..."

Bai Chi was a little proud: "This is just to make it easier to promote. If the number of antidotes increases, then we have to upgrade the product."

The old man hesitated slightly. "You are seeking a seventh-grade certification. Providing only a ninth-grade recipe is not enough. Either upgrade this recipe, or I will add another question..."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Lu Xingzhou, who had just entered the room. His eyes lit up and he smiled, "This young man's internal organs and meridians were severely damaged in his early years. After years of recuperation, the remaining poison has been cleared, but his internal organs have not been completely restored and some damage remains. You can formulate a prescription to help him recover. This is your seventh-grade test question."

Bai Chi turned around in shock and looked at Lu Xingzhou, who was also shocked. His expression turned very ugly: "I will help him cure his illness?"

The old man was stunned. "Why? I didn't ask you to treat your leg. That's beyond the scope. It's just to nourish your internal organs. How difficult is that?"

Bai Chi waved his sleeves and said, "Master Chen, please ask another question. I won't help him with the treatment."

Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "How about giving me this question?"

The old man, Chen Zhangsi, asked curiously, "Are you here to be certified as a seventh-rank official as well?"

"Not bad." Lu Xingzhou gestured to An Nuo to push him to the table. He took the pen and ink from the table and quickly wrote a recipe for an elixir: "This elixir can be called the Resurrection Pill. It heals hidden wounds in the body and regulates the meridians. Could you please appreciate it, Chief?"

Chen Zhangsi examined it carefully for a while, his expression somewhat delighted. "This recipe can be ranked as a seventh-grade pill. You created a seventh-grade pill recipe yourself. You are so young and have such an understanding of pills! What's your name?"

"Lu Xingzhou." Lu Xingzhou handed over his original eighth-grade certification card.

Bai Chi couldn't help but say, "He must have been thinking about his own illness for years. I don't know if it was caused by someone else's guidance, so it can't be counted."

This was indeed true. Director Chen looked at Lu Xingzhou and asked, "What does Mr. Lu have to say?"

"That's true. Actually, I cured my health by myself. It was just that the condition was too serious at the time, so it hasn't fully healed after all these years. I know my own affairs too well, so they really can't be counted." Lu Xingzhou smiled and said, "But even if he won't treat me, I can help him. Mr. Bai Chi has latent syphilis, which hasn't manifested yet, but it will break out sooner or later... I have a prescription..."

Liu Yan'er's face turned pale. Bai Chi slammed the table in anger and said, "Lu Xingzhou, stop slandering me!"

Chen Zhangsi looked at Bai Chi and fell silent. Liu Yaner: “?”

Liu Qingcang: "..."

Lu Xingzhou didn't bother to pay attention to Bai Chi's distorted expression. He leisurely wrote a prescription and handed it to Chen Zhangsi: "Whether he can treat it or not is his business. We will verify ours. Is this prescription okay?"

Director Chen looked at the recipe thoughtfully, without mentioning the grade. He simply said, "Mr. Lu's understanding of elixirs is indeed superior to Mr. Bai's. You can proceed with the refining phase and let me see your level... Hmm, how about refining the seventh-grade Guiyu Pill?"

"Wait!" Bai Chi suppressed his anger: "First come, first served, why are you letting him cut in line like this?"

Chen Zhangsi glanced at him and said calmly, "Don't say I'm giving you a hard time. If you can provide another eighth-grade elixir recipe that's different from the ones on the market, you'll pass. Also, don't try to trick me with Fenxiang Tower's unique elixir recipe. Even if I don't recognize the elixir recipe, I can still recognize Fenxiang Tower's unique characteristics."

"There's no way I can show you my sect's unique recipe!" Bai Chi's face was twisted with anger, and he slapped out another recipe: "Look at this!"

Manager Chen frowned slightly and looked at him, seeming a little hesitant.

Because it was slammed directly on the table, Lu Xingzhou saw it and burst out laughing: "Is this a pill or poison? The yin and yang are out of balance, the monarch and the ministers are out of balance, and the toxicity is so strong."

Bai Chi didn't care about being seen. After all, he was in front of the head of the Alchemy Department. If Lu Xingzhou really stole his elixir formula in the future, he would sue him and make him bankrupt. Hearing this, he said proudly, "What do you know? This is a breakthrough elixir that helps to break through to the eighth level of cultivation. Breaking through the realm requires a fierce medicine. No matter how poisonous it is, many people will be happy to take it!"

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Breakthrough Pill, amazing! I've never made this before."

Chen Zhangsi was silent for a while, then slowly said, "This recipe is indeed effective, but it is also very poisonous... From the perspective of an alchemist, I don't like this kind of quick-success-oriented approach to preparing medicine, but in terms of qualifications, you can barely be considered..."

Before the word "pass" came out, Lu Xingzhou suddenly interrupted: "Wait."

Bai Chi said angrily: "What are you going to do now?"

Lu Xingzhou quickly wrote a few words and handed them to Chen Zhangsi, blinking: "Don't show him..."

Chen Zhangsi looked at it for a while, then stood up suddenly. "Great, great! This adjustment will not only keep the effect, but also greatly reduce the toxicity. Good idea, good idea!"

Bai Chi's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Director Chen leaned back in his chair leisurely. "The Xiazhou Alchemy Bureau hasn't certified a seventh-grade alchemist in at least three years... Mr. Bai is here today, and I was originally thinking of just barely passing to save face for Xiazhou. But now that Mr. Lu is such a shining example, Mr. Bai's skills pale in comparison. I simply can't let him pass. Mr. Bai should go back and practice, and come back next time."

Bai Chi was so angry that he almost exploded: "You are colluding with each other and maliciously making things difficult for me! I will report you to the city lord!"

Chen Zhangsi rolled his eyes. "Although I follow the City Lord's orders in government affairs, the City Lord also has to smile at me privately. Do you really think that we, the Alchemist, have no respect? Come on, show me out!"

Bai Chi wanted to say something, but Liu Qingcang, who had been silent and had a dark face, finally reached out to hold him back and shook his head slightly. Bai Chi shut up angrily.

Liu Qingcang turned to Lu Xingzhou and said calmly, "Xingzhou, you're mistaken if you think you can make us regret this. My Danxia Gang is thriving lately, ten times better than when you were here. What future do you have following Shen Tang around selling those cheap sword talismans? If you're willing to come back..."

Lu Xingzhou waved his hand to interrupt: "I know you are anxious, please don't be anxious."

Liu Qingcang's breath got stuck in his throat and he almost choked to death.

"Is it really thriving?" An Nuo timidly poked his head behind Lu Xingzhou: "Can you give me fifty gold ingots first to see your strength?"

"You!" Liu Qingcang took a deep breath and walked away, "You're so stubborn!"

The Liu family father and daughter, along with Bai Chi and the other two, were filled with rage and left the Medicine Bureau in anger. Just as they reached the door, a member of the gang rushed over: "Boss, Boss! Something bad has happened!"

Liu Qingcang kicked him and said, "If you have something to say, just say it!"

The gang member rolled on the ground after being kicked, then scrambled to his feet in a panic. "Someone in the city has been spreading rumors these days, saying that our Shenqi Pills are 70% to 80% more toxic than regular Qi-boosting Pills! With the city-wide campaign to purify the poison, many people are demanding returns, and all the major pharmacies are refusing to accept Shenqi Pills!"

Liu Qingcang went over this news several times in his mind, and his face turned pale.

I recommend a book called "The Tyrant and the Divinely Rich".

This is a pure love story with multiple female protagonists. The author said that it is a pure love story, but people under 18 are not allowed to read it.



(End of this chapter)