Chapter 116: I’ll Take This Three-Star Mission!
Alchemy is an extremely delicate process.
Typically, alchemists must focus entirely on refining pills, as even the slightest mistake could result in failure.
But the young man before them defied all common sense. He was multitasking—refining his own pill while simultaneously guiding someone else in their alchemy!
This… was nothing short of unbelievable.
Under Jiang Chen's calm and precise instructions, Zhu Mingyuan successfully added all the required medicinal materials into his pill furnace, leaving only the Heaven-Heart Bamboo and Earth Spirit Sand.
However, when Zhu Mingyuan hesitated about what to add next, his pill furnace suddenly became unstable, the medicinal concoction inside becoming restless.
Panic started to creep into Zhu Mingyuan's expression.
"Stay calm. Take two-thirds of the Heaven-Heart Bamboo and ten grains of Earth Spirit Sand, and add them to the furnace," Jiang Chen's composed voice rang in his ears.
Not daring to delay, Zhu Mingyuan quickly followed Jiang Chen's instructions.
Moments later, the pill furnace that had been on the verge of failing began to stabilize.
The medicinal ingredients gradually turned into liquid, a sign of successful refinement. Excited by the progress, Zhu Mingyuan focused on condensing the pill.
A few minutes later, Zhu Mingyuan successfully refined the Heaven-Returning Pill, a crucial achievement for his assessment.
At the same time, Jiang Chen, having accelerated his alchemy process, finished refining the Innate Spirit Pill with remarkable ease.
The hall fell silent, and the young alchemists on the surrounding stone platforms were left in stunned disbelief.
The youth before them… was not human. He couldn't be judged by ordinary standards.
---
"Master Jiang, thank you!" Zhu Mingyuan exclaimed, bowing deeply to Jiang Chen, his expression filled with respect.
To Zhu Mingyuan, Jiang Chen was no longer just an ally; he was like a master in alchemy.
"This young man is a prodigy. With such talent in alchemy, I'm afraid it won't be long before the Great Xia Kingdom sees a new grandmaster alchemist," Dan Yichen said, finally recovering from his shock.
Dan Yichen then turned to the group and announced, "Would the three alchemists who passed the assessment follow me to receive their badges? As for the rest of you, please leave."
Jiang Chen, Zhu Mingyuan, and the black-clad youth were led by Dan Yichen into the guild hall.
Meanwhile, the others—particularly the purple-clothed girl—left in dejection.
---
After receiving his third-rank alchemist badge, Jiang Chen accepted Zhu Mingyuan's invitation to dine before returning to Lingyun Martial Academy.
Upon his return, one of the servants assigned to him greeted him.
"My lord, someone from the Mission Hall came earlier. They said you must complete an academy task this month and requested you visit the Mission Hall at your earliest convenience."
Jiang Chen nodded, acknowledging the message.
He recalled Meng Qingxue mentioning these academy tasks before. In Lingyun Martial Academy, all inner academy students were required to complete at least one mission each month. These tasks served as both training and a way to earn student points, which were essential for exchanging martial techniques and accessing special training facilities.
Since he had plans to spend some student points, this was the perfect opportunity to earn a large amount at once.
---
The next morning, Jiang Chen headed straight to the Mission Hall.
"You must be Junior Brother Jiang, the rising star of the inner academy. How can I assist you today? Do you have a specific type of mission in mind?" the deacon in charge of mission assignments asked warmly.
Jiang Chen smiled. "I'd like a task with a generous reward."
The deacon paused in thought before replying, "Not long ago, the academy posted a new three-star mission. It comes with a reward of 100,000 student points…"
Before the deacon could finish, Jiang Chen interrupted, his decision immediate and unwavering:
"Perfect! I'll take that three-star mission!"