Chapter 97: Debating Alchemy

"How about giving the exam a try?"

Not only Ouyang Cheng was going crazy, but Du Man and the others on the side were also dizzy with confusion.

Brother, do you think alchemists are like cabbages or cucumbers, bought in piles at the market?

And you say 'give the exam a try'—are you messing with me?

Among the top nine professions, becoming a full member requires years of study and hardships beyond ordinary people's reach.

But you, with one sentence, 'try'...

Sis!

Do you even know what the exam entails? Do you know how to become a real alchemist?

"Ahem!" Ouyang Cheng steadied himself, suppressing the urge to spit blood, and looked seriously at Zhang Xuan: "To become an alchemist, it's not just about recognizing herbs and distinguishing them. You also need to know compounding, extraction, refining, condensation, and alchemy itself. There are thousands of alchemical techniques alone... It's not something you can just take an exam for!"

"Yes, in the alchemical process, mastery of the fire is extremely important. Any mistake in any step will lead to total failure. Only through serious study and day-and-night repeated practice can one succeed. It's impossible to achieve overnight!"

Du Man also explained.

"So complicated?"

Zhang Xuan was helpless: "Then it seems impossible to do within half a month?"

The freshman competition was in half a month. His purpose in coming here was simple: to find pills that could help Yuan Tao and Zhao Ya unlock their special constitutions, greatly improving their cultivation so they could win the competition.

He had to solve this problem within half a month. If he couldn't, what use would it be even if he became an alchemist?

Through his conversation with Huang Yu, he had already set his goal: to become a master teacher. This time, Lu Xun's challenge was both a danger and an opportunity. If he won, he would gain enough credentials and might be noticed by a master teacher!

Like alchemists, to become a master teacher, one must first become an apprentice. That was a necessary step.

If no master teacher noticed him, how could he become an apprentice?

"Half a month..."

Hearing his words, everyone was speechless again.

Which alchemist hadn't been an apprentice for many years before daring to take the exam?

But you, just after becoming an apprentice, want to try the alchemist exam... and in half a month—what a joke!

Especially Sun Tao and Zhu Huahua, who almost took off their shoes and threw them at him.

Brother, is it really okay to show off like this?

Becoming an alchemist is harder than becoming an apprentice. Haven't you seen how we struggled just to become apprentices?

Becoming an alchemist in half a month?

I think you're just dreaming...

"Zhang Xuan, don't aim too high. You're not yet twenty. If you become a real alchemist before thirty, that would break the record of Tianxuan Kingdom. Fifteen days—absolutely impossible! I advise you to study step by step, walk steadily, and don't think so much..."

Ouyang Cheng advised earnestly.

This guy had talent, but his mindset was too impatient. Becoming an alchemist in half a month—what a fantasy!

"Alright, since it's so troublesome, I won't take the exam. I'll think of another way!"

Hearing how complicated it was, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He wasn't very interested in alchemy. With the Heavenly Dao Divine Art, breakthroughs were as easy as drinking water and eating. He had no use for pills. What was the point of being an alchemist?

If it weren't for Yuan Tao, he wouldn't even have come here.

Seeing him give up, Ouyang Cheng and Du Man thought he was just avoiding trouble and couldn't help but persuade: "There are so many professions in the world, and alchemy is one of the noblest. You have such great talent and have specifically studied herbal knowledge. If you don't become an alchemist, won't all those years of hard work be wasted?"

"Years of hard work?" Zhang Xuan blinked.

It had only been two hours—where did 'years' come from?

"I have other things to do. Since the alchemist exam is so complicated and requires pill refinement, I definitely can't learn it in a short time. Forget it."

Without much hesitation, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Don't rush. There's actually another way to become an alchemist besides pill refinement!" Ouyang Cheng suddenly remembered something. "With your excellent memory, this method might suit you better!"

"You mean..." Du Man's face changed.

"That's right." Ouyang Cheng nodded.

"But... do you understand the consequences? If you fail, the punishment is severe, and you might never be able to take the alchemist exam again..."

Du Man was anxious.

"I know. But to become an alchemist quickly, this is the only way. Otherwise, alchemy requires thousands of refinements, repeated practice, and countless herbs. How can it be achieved in a short time?"

Ouyang Cheng said.

"But..."

"No buts. We're just telling him about this method. Whether to choose it is up to him." Ouyang Cheng shook his head.

"What method exactly?"

Seeing them talk so animatedly, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but look over.

"There are two ways to become an alchemist. The first is the normal one: refine a pill. As long as you can refine a first-grade pill, you naturally become a first-grade alchemist. This is the most orthodox and standard method."

Ouyang Cheng explained without hesitation.

"The second method is not pill refinement but 'Debating Alchemy'."

"Debating Alchemy?"

Zhang Xuan was puzzled.

Not only him, but even Zhu Huahua, Sun Tao, and the others seemed not to have heard of it, looking confused.

"That's right. Among the top nine professions, there is one called the master teacher, the noblest of all. You must have heard of it."

Ouyang Cheng said.

"Yes."

Everyone nodded.

Anyone who knew about the upper, middle, and lower professions would definitely know about master teachers.

This was the highest-ranked profession among the top nine, with a status far above alchemists.

"A skilled master teacher can guide others not only in cultivation but also in alchemy, artifact forging, formations, and so on," Ouyang Cheng explained. "But if a person spends a lot of time becoming a master teacher, how can they have the energy to learn alchemy, artifact forging, or even become an alchemist or artifact forger?"

"Yet if they aren't one of them, how can they guide others?"

"To balance this, a special examination method called 'Debating Alchemy' emerged."

"Take us alchemists as an example. To become a true alchemist, you must undergo extensive practice and refine pills continuously. But a master teacher certainly doesn't have that much time to waste. They only need to thoroughly understand the knowledge of alchemy."

"In other words, they don't need to actually operate; they only need to be able to explain the theory, and they can still pass the alchemist exam."

"Of course, this exam is not easy. It requires debating with ten real alchemists, discussing many details of alchemy. If you make a single mistake, you fail and receive severe punishment."

Ouyang Cheng slowly explained the other method of becoming an alchemist: 'Debating Alchemy.'