Xiao Tian sat cross-legged in the silence of the training room. He pushed his soul power to its limits, scouring the dark corners of his mind for those fractured memories, but found only a void. Finally, he exhaled and let the effort go. His intuition whispered that the memories weren't lost—merely sealed behind a door that would open when the time was right.
By then, the three who had gone shopping had returned to the Eternal Dream Realm.
That night, Xiao Tian and Xiao Yi Xian met in a clash of wills and passion. It was an intense battle, a desperate dance of giving and receiving where neither was willing to yield. Afterward, Xiao Tian couldn't help but marvel at the sheer resilience of a Dou Zong expert; even in their private moments, she had managed to draw out half of his true strength.
The next morning, Xiao Tian met Xiao Yan outside his room, and together they made their way to the Alchemist Guild.
The main street was a sea of people. It was testing day, a magnet for fans of the craft and minor patriarchs looking to buy their way into an alchemist's good graces. Xiao Tian walked with his hands behind his back, a subtle ripple of Dou Qi parting the crowd like a ship's prow, allowing them to reach the entrance with ease.
Just as they reached the gates, a collective gasp rose from the crowd. A grand, aristocratic carriage pulled up, flanked by a dozen guards in black armor. On its side was the imperial emblem: a ferocious beast wreathed in blue flames.
"The Imperial Family," Xiao Yan murmured, his eyes narrowing.
"Princess Yao Yue," Xiao Tian added calmly. "At this hour, she's the only one who would be arriving for the convention."
The curtain parted, and a young girl stepped out. She wore purple robes stitched with silver thread, her face delicate and framed by an air of quiet nobility. At first glance, she was the picture of elegance, but a closer look revealed a mischievous spark in her eyes.
"Taken with her already?" Xiao Tian teased.
Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile. "Don't start, Tian Ge. Her admirers would tear me apart just for looking." He rubbed his nose, his gaze turning serious. "But I can feel it... she isn't simple."
"She's a Third-Rank Alchemist," Xiao Tian noted, recalling the intelligence Ya Fei had gathered. "The Imperial Family has spared no expense on her. She even has a flame that could rival your Purple Flame—the Dry Blue Water Flame, harvested from a Tier 6 Abyssal Sea Flood Dragon."
Xiao Yan's eyes widened. "A Tier 6 beast flame? As expected of royalty."
"Don't let it get to you. You have your own cards to play," Xiao Tian said, patting his brother's shoulder. "Let's find Masters Otto and Frank. We need to know the procedures."
Inside, the guards recognized them from their previous visit and waved them through. They found Otto and Frank waiting, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"You're just in time," Otto said, handing them a parchment. "Look this over. It's a list of the heavy hitters you'll be facing. It's supposed to be a guild secret, so keep it between us."
Xiao Tian scanned the names. It was a sea of Third-Rank Alchemists, none of whom gave him pause. He handed the list to Xiao Yan.
"Tian Ge... you're ranked first," Xiao Yan whispered, his eyes darting down the page. "You're the only Fourth-Rank on the list. Even Liu Ling and the Princess are behind you."
"Those are just the ranks they *want* people to see," Xiao Tian replied with a knowing smile. "Everyone is hiding a trump card or two." *And if I weren't here,* he thought, *the biggest hidden hand would be you, Xiao Yan.*
"The reason we called you here early," Master Otto interrupted, "is for the internal test. All candidates recommended by branch guilds have to prove they aren't a fluke. Word is, today's test focuses on refinement."
"Refinement?" Xiao Yan repeated, testing the word.
"Simple enough," Xiao Tian said, patting Xiao Yan's head. "Nothing you can't handle."
They followed Otto through a long corridor to a set of massive double doors. As they swung open, light flooded the hallway, revealing a classically decorated hall filled with alchemists.
Two groups stood out. One surrounded a handsome young man with a gentle, somewhat feminine smile—Liu Ling, the disciple of Gu He. The other group swarmed around Princess Yao Yue, her admirers watching her every move with fervent intensity.
Xiao Tian's gaze lingered on Liu Ling. He remembered the ring he had taken from Gu He; the very cauldron Liu Ling would likely use today had technically been 'borrowed' from his master's collection.
As they entered, the room fell silent. Liu Ling's eyes met Xiao Yan's, flashing with an immediate, cold hostility. Xiao Yan simply looked past him, his expression flat.
Princess Yao Yue, however, looked straight at Xiao Tian. She appraised his rank and his calm demeanor, a flicker of genuine interest crossing her face. Growing up in the palace had taught her that only the strong were worth her time. She offered him a small, polite nod, but seeing Liu Ling's obvious grudge against his companion, she kept her distance.
The atmosphere in the hall turned thick with tension. Some looked at Xiao Tian with naked wariness, pressured by his Fourth-Rank badge. Others looked at Xiao Yan's Second-Rank badge and sneered, forgetting that they had once stood exactly where he was.
"Xiao Yan Zi," Xiao Tian said softly, loud enough for those nearby to hear. "Ignore the show-offs. We'll let the results do the talking."
Xiao Yan didn't even blink. "I've spent years being looked down on, Tian Ge. A few more glares won't change anything."