Chapter 163: Grandmaster Ao Tuo
On the second day, right as the first morning light shone on the land, Xiao Yan left the inn. As he left, he inquired about the location of the Alchemist Association in the city.
Walking on the street in the early morning, Xiao Yan recalled the shock and adulation that appeared on the Innkeeper’s face when Xiao Yan was inquiring about the location of the Alchemist Association. He secretly found it funny and quietly sighed. It looked like the noble identity that alchemists had was something that was entrenched into the heart of everyone in the Dou Qi continent. Otherwise, these people would not display a expression of reverence when talking about the Alchemist Association.
Black Rock City indeed lived up to its name as one of the biggest cities in the Jia Ma Empire. Although it was extremely early in the morning, the streets were already bustling; full of the sounds and people. Moreover, there was the occasional soldier orderly passing by. The orderly armor clangings clearly rang out in the early morning air, as if they were the morning bell.
Following the direction that the Innkeeper had told him, Xiao Yan slowly passed by a couple of very long streets. He roamed for quite a while before he finally slowed his footsteps to a stop. Raising his head, he gazed at the majestic building that had appeared in front of his eyes.
This building was uniquely designed. Looking at the outline from outside, it appeared like a medicinal cauldron while the windows that surrounded the building appeared like the fire outlets of a medicinal cauldron. From at the top of the building, there was an enormous cover that creeped downwards, covering all the rooms below it.
Xiao Yan’s gaze fell onto a pale purple colored sandalwood inscription board outside of the building. There were two words in an ancient looking script that appeared slightly blurry in it’s flickering faint glow.
“Alchemist Association!”
Mumbling the words to himself, Xiao Yan turned his head and took a glance around him. He realized that most of those who passed by this unique building would throw a gaze filled with awe toward the inscription board. Of course, there were also some people who threw a surprised gaze toward Xiao Yan who was standing foolishly outside the Alchemist Association.
Ignoring the surrounding gazes, Xiao Yan gently touched the Heavy Xuan Ruler on his back before striding into the Alchemist Association.
When he entered the building, two fully armed big men that had already noticed him for a while extended their hands to block him. In a slightly unclear voice, one of them asked, “Little boy, this is the Alchemist Association. You want to enter? Do you have a recommendation letter from your teacher?”
“Uh? Recommendation letter?” Hearing this, Xiao Yan heart stopped for a beat. In his mind, he gently but doubtfully asked, “Teacher, what exactly is this recommendation letter?”
“… Uhh, I’m not sure either. Each country in the Dou Qi continent has their own Alchemist Association and their rules are also different. In the past, I seldom came to the Jia Ma Empire so I don’t know what is it.” From within the ring, Yao Lao said in a similarly stunned voice.
Xiao Yan helplessly shook his head. Just as Xiao Yan was worrying about what to say, a nice smelling wind suddenly blew from behind him. From his senses, the owner of this fragrance did not have any intention of stepping aside. Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan could only give way by moving his body, that was blocking the entrance, aside.
Almost immediately after Xiao Yan gave way, a petite figure hurriedly stopped at the spot he was occupying. Ignoring Xiao Yan, who was by the side, the figure turned around and called sweetly, “Teacher, hurry up!”
“Ugh. Girl, why are you rushing so early in the morning? That old man Frank may not have even risen yet.” An old voice helplessly sounded from behind.
TL: Yes, it’s actually Frank (Fu Lan Ke).
Xiao Yan tilted his head and his gaze swept across the old man who was slowly walking over with lazy footsteps. His eyes roamed around, finally landing on the badge on the old man’s chest. On the ancient looking medicinal cauldron were four meticulously drawn silver colored waves!
“Tier four alchemist.”
After mumbling with a surprised voice in his heart, Xiao Yan once again tilted his head and watched the purple dressed girl standing close to him. The girl’s age was around twenty and she had a delicate and pretty face which was enchanting. Her figure was a little petite but her body was shockingly well developed. The protrusion and depressions on her body were all in the right places. On her extremely matured delicate body, she wore purple colored tight alchemist apparel. At a glance, the apparel had a noble flavor. After all, an alchemist’s apparel was not something that could be carelessly worn. While she was wearing an alchemist’s apparel, however, the girl did not have any badge that represented her alchemy tier on her chest area.
The long black hair of the girl was tied with a purple ribbon and so long that it rested on her pretty butt. When it moved, it lightly tapped on the round and raised, pretty buttocks The light soft noise was like the claw of a cat, continuously scratching the hearts of the men with inappropriate gazes around her.
Appearing to have discovered Xiao Yan’s gaze sizing her up, the girl turned around and eyed Xiao Yan with his ordinary garbs. Her eyebrows involuntarily pressed together. After throwing a disdainful look to him, she faced the two big men blocking the entrance and snorted, “Move aside. Is it fun to block the way?”
“Ha ha, Lin Fei Xiao-Jie should be coming here to take the test for a tier one alchemist, right? Grandmaster Ao Tuo lives up to his reputation as one of the best alchemists in Black Rock City. In just three short years, he’s able to let miss become a true alchemist.” The girl’s voice was impolite but the two large men hurriedly gave an apologetic smile. They quickly moved their bodies aside and created a pathway.
“Be reassured that once I become an alchemist, none of you will be treated shabbily!”
As the lady laughed, her gaze carelessly drifted toward the ordinarily dressed Xiao Yan. Although her teacher and father had frequently taught her not to judge a book by its appearance, after sizing Xiao Yan up carefully, she could not find anything special about him. If one were to talk about appearance, there were many in Black Rock City who were more handsome than him. Even if Xiao Yan was stronger than a seven star Dou Zhe, it was nothing special in her eyes. In this Black Rock City, even a Dou Shi would have to respectfully call her Lin Fei Xiao-Jie when they saw her.
Gradually withdrawing her gaze, Lin Fei shook her head slightly and finally removed all her attention from Xiao Yan. During this first encounter, she may not have had any disdain in her heart towards him but she did not bother to remember him either. She simply treated him as an ordinary passerbyer.
“Ugh, let’s go. Girl, you better not cause me to lose face today. Otherwise that old man Frank would definitely not give up the chance to laugh at me.” At that moment, the old man behind the girl lazily arrived and teased her.
“Grandmaster Ao Tuo!” Seeing the old man, the two large guards hurriedly and respectfully bowed and greeted the old man.
“Hehe.” The old man who was addressed as Grandmaster Ao Tuo smiled and nodded to the two. He took a step forward and swept his gaze around. Suddenly, he stopped on Xiao Yan who was bored from waiting. He could not help but still slightly. For some unknown reason, he could vaguely feel that the young man in front of him was different. As for what exactly it was, he was unable to explain it.
“Relax, Teacher. Isn’t it simply just refining a medicinal pill that has taken shape? Do you think that this would pose a challenge to your disciple?” Lin Fei smiled lovingly as she pulled Grandmaster Ao Tuo’s arm, acting like a spoilt child.
TL: Pills that don’t “take shape” aren’t counted as pills and thus those who refine those are known as “physicians”
Patting Lin Fei’s head in a pampering matter, Ao Tuo gave Xiao Yan beside him a kind smile before pulling Lin Fei and headed into the interior of the Alchemist Association.
“Teacher, why are you so nice to that person? This isn’t usual style.” After walking into the association, Lin Fei asked in a surprised voice.
“Haha, I somehow feel that the guy has something different about him but I can’t describe it. Maybe it is just a hallucination…” Ao Tuo smiled and carelessly said.
Hearing this, Lin Fei helplessly shook her head as she followed Ao Tuo and quickly walked toward the inside of the building.
“Little boy, have you found the recommendation letter from your teacher?” After sending off Ao Tuo with his gaze, one of the large guards once again smiled and asked Xiao Yan. However, there was suspicion in his expression that belied his thoughts that Xiao Yan would not be able to take it out. Naturally, the truth was as he suspected.
“I’m sorry. I don’t possess such a thing.” Xiao Yan waved his hand helplessly and then scratched his chin, “That young girl just now did not appear to give you any recommendation letter to check.”
“Lin Fei Xiao-Jie’s teacher is the tier four alchemist, Grandmaster Ao Tuo. Don’t tell me you have not heard of this name?” Hearing Xiao Yan’s question, the gaze that the large man used on Xiao Yan was the one that was reserved for fools.
Sighing helplessly, Xiao Yan suddenly extended his hand in a gradual manner.
“What do you plan to do?” Seeing Xiao Yan’s action, the two large men’s expression immediately changed. They instantly grabbed their weapon from their waist and shouted.
Ignoring the two of them, Xiao Yan gaze focused on his palm. A moment later, a tempestuous purple colored flame suddenly rose from his palm. The high temperature from the Purple Flame caused the two men expressions to change drastically.
“ Real Agglomerated Fire? Tier four Alchemist?”
The startled voices disbelievingly escaped from the mouths of the two of them. With their experience from frequently guarding the Alchemist Association, they naturally knew that a Real Agglomerated Fire was something that required being a tier four alchemist to create. However… if the one who summoned a Real Fire was an extremely old man, they would still be somewhat calm. Except, the person in front of them… was obviously a young man who had yet to reach twenty!
“Sorry but I’m not a tier four alchemist. For some reason, however, I am able to summon it, that’s all.” Xiao Yan’s gaze glanced around and realized that there were many people who were attracted by the two guard’s shout. Some of them who had sharp eyes clearly saw the Purple Flame on Xiao Yan’s hand. Outside the Alchemist Association, there were a few who were so shocked that their intake of cold air was clearly heard.
Observing this scene, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly. He could only shake his hand and quickly extinguish the Purple Flame as he faced the two guards and asked, “Now, can I go in?”
“Yes, of course. Little b… oh, Sir, please enter!” After exchanging a glance, the two guards quickly bowed their bodies and respectfully said.
Seeing that he had to use such a troublesome manner just to enter the building, Xiao Yan could only laugh bitterly in his heart. His inclination to keep a low profile was coming back to bite him.; not only did he not have an Alchemist badge, he also never had a rank badge from the Rank Association.
TL: For Dou Zhe/Dou Shi and other ranks
Sighing, Xiao Yan flicked his sleeves with his finger before gradually stepping forward and entering this building which housed those that had the highest status among all who lived in this Black Rock City.
