Chapter 11: Joining the Association

Having just sold the scrolls and kept 5 for himself Ye Xing walks into the alchemist association reception and presses the bell on the counter desk.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

The bell rings thrice calling a startled alchemist running from a building across the courtyard.

"Ha Ha Ha! How may I help you today?" the clerk says between breathes.

"I'd like to join the Alchemist Association."

Astonishment clear on his face he asks "You want to join the Association? Aren't you a little young?"

"What you think I can't complete the test?"

"No it's not that" He hurriedly replies "It's just I thought you would have better things to do than study alchemy. I apologise if I insulted you."

I was genuinely surprised at this clerk because he was genuinely apologetic and didn't use a 'Holier than Thou' approach when talking to me like most adults do, in this world at least, when dealing with teens.

"Can I get to the test then please?"

"Right this way. Lee! I've got a test so you man the counter!"

I follow this energetic clerk into the depths of the Association building.

"How will this test be conducted?" I ask.

"Oh, right I forgot to explain! Uh... Yes um I will take you to one of the testing rooms and you will select 3 pages of question and fill them out. After you have completed 3 pages or 3 hours has past, I will grade your paper. From there you will either join the Association or not" The clerk explained at a rapid pace, far faster than I would of liked if I was anybody else.

He opens a door labelled 'Testing room, Apprentice' and took our seats opposite each other.

"Here are your 3 sheets. You may begin."

Having personally memorised the ENTIRE alchemy records in the school library and ALL the books provided from the Association for the test so needless to say in 20 minutes I was done. It only took so long because I wanted a perfect answer for every question like all good reincarnators/transmigrators do.

"Done."

Having had barely enough time to boil water for his tea, needless to say he was shocked. He walked over to me and read over each of the questions carefully time and time again for 30 minutes or so before asking me "Where did you learn this?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because the answers on this paper exceed the knowledge on a apprentice and I saw no cheat sheets or the like, neither did you get stuck or paused at any question so all it could be is you know more than the work given out by the Association."

"Well I can speak the Snow-Wind Empire language and Woodland Empire language. I translated the old and ancient scriptures which holds well ancient long lost knowledge" I stated like it was obvious.

The clerks brain stops starts then stops again before asking "Who taught you those languages?"

"My self as our language stems from the Woodland language and it subsequently stems from the Snow-Wind language."

"Now can I get my pass or what?"

"Huh? Ah, yes you have pasted and here is your robe" he stumbles his words at my simple but infuriating statement as translating languages is not so simple as I made it seem to be.

"Thanks. When can I apply for Journeyman testing?"

"You want the next test already?"

"Yes!"

"Follow me."

The clerk sighed and beckoned me forth. We soon arrived at a new room but this time labelled 'Journeyman testing room' and inside was 3 desks and 2 pill furnaces.

"Here you'll be given 5 sheets worth of questions and you will have to make 1 successful pill, all in under 5 hours for a pass."

I sit in the desk in the centre of the room and start my paper test. That test took 30 minutes to complete and then i moved on to pill assembly/refinement. I had 3 options of pills to choose from and I chose a pill that increases the consumers strength for 5 minutes the 'Fighter's Fever' pill.

I spend the next 30 minutes preparing the cauldron so as to remove anything that may cause issues in the refinement process because that's where I would put the first true test to determine an alchemist through their work ethic. in this time I also go over the pills recipe and it's ingredients.

I stand up and walk behind a protective wall, there to protect valuable herbs encase of an explosive failure in the test. I pick 20 grams of Blood root, a vial Blue Ape blood, 3 Wild Heart petals and 1 Crimson Devil vine instead of 10 grams of Crimson Devil fruit. It will produce a much more potent pill for 1/3 the price of a whole fruit.

I fail my first 6 attempts because I have vast amounts of theoretical knowledge but no actual experience in alchemy. 3 hours later I complete the test producing a pill with far above anyone the clerk knows from the look on his face while staring at the pill.

"Here" I said as I place the pill before him for examination.

Seconds turn to minutes and 5 minutes later he places the pills down and says "You are a monster you know that!"

"How did you make this pill work! You didn't even use Brown Back wolves blood!"

"The Brown wolves blood is to bring down the after effects right? Use Crimson Devil vine, 20 grams to be exact, and remove the fruit and wolves blood altogether for a more potent pill while using cheaper materials which don't react as harshly to each other."

Sigh.

"Here is your pass and robe. I'll need to register you with the Director, please follow me" he said with a face that shows he is both enjoying and dreading the meeting to come.

...

After receiving an audience from the Director I enter the office to find my guide standing in front of the Directors desk. She motions for me to take a seat while my guide just stands.

"Who are boy?" Director Yang asked in a sultry voice.

"Ahem! My name is Ye Xing Director Yang. It is a pleasure to meet you" I reply trying not to gaze lower down.

"Well then ye Xing where did you learn alchemy because these answers are far above the study materials provided" She stated while leaning into the chairs back and folding her arms underneath her breasts.

Not swayed by this I reply "My Grand-Uncle spends most of the year outside of Glory City, finding lost ruins, other human survivors and even lost knowledge. To survive he has cultivated a team of people far more capable than those in Glory City as they can spend anywhere from 3 months to 5 years at a time outside the city. With the help of lost knowledge they can scavenge all the herbs necessary to make pills them selves. One of his subordinates is an 'rogue' Alchemist working for himself and he is my mentor."

What I just told her was the story I had come up with knowing that nobody could actually verify anything apart from the old man spending large amounts of time outside of the city therefore they cannot prove or disprove what i have to say. I do realise that they could ask the old man if they found him but I find myself doubting if they could in fact catch him.

"Hmm, well anyway here is your badge for the Journeyman Alchemists and please do introduce me to your Mentor some time" said Director Yang in her oh so temptatious voice.

"With pleasure Director Yang and please do schedule both my Senior Alchemist and Master Alchemist exams for a month from now."

'Ignore her, Ignore her, Ignore her...'

"Alright" said Director Yang with a wry smile.