Chapter Ninety-One: Blackrock City, the Alchemist Guild

Unknown to everyone, a force drifted by like a passing breeze, and one power vanished without a sound.

The two who had completed their grand vendetta returned to Wolf Village and stood before Clear Stranger.

"Oh? That quickly? I thought you would toy with your prey for a while. How does it feel?" Clear Stranger asked from a chair on the balcony, sipping the tea in his hand.

"Reporting to the Hall Master, we feel amazing!" Ma Lie and Ma Li bowed slightly, smiles blooming at the corners of their mouths.

They were truly exhilarated now. Their strength had risen, and the enemies who had slaughtered their kin had been wiped out in turn. How could they not be happy?

"I said that after your revenge was complete, I would require you to carry out your first mission. Do you remember?" Clear Stranger said indifferently.

"We remember, Hall Master," Ma Lie replied.

"Have you ever dug up a grave?" Clear Stranger suddenly asked, turning his head and giving them a ghostly smile.

Seeing that smile, the two knew nothing good was coming.

"No, we haven't!" They shook their heads. They truly had never done such a thing.

"Good. Then go and experience the pleasure of digging up someone else's grave." With a slight movement of his fingers, two maps appeared in their minds. After a pause, Clear Stranger continued, "Follow the map I gave you to find that burial site. It was left behind by ancient people, and it contains many treasures. Bring everything back to me. Within it lies the chance for you to reach the level of Battle Sect. Whether you obtain it depends on your luck. Remember: where there are treasures, there are naturally guardians protecting them. What kind of guardian, and what level it is, you will know when you get there. In any case, it will not be weaker than a Battle Sect expert."

"The two of you rest for one day, and set out tomorrow morning. Also, spread the word of the Hall of Reincarnation while you're at it. Before each of your appearances, you must add the name of the Hall of Reincarnation."

"Yes, Hall Master!" Their eyes shone with faint excitement. They could finally test themselves against a Battle Sect expert, and the fighting spirit within them could no longer wait.

"Go down."

The two exchanged a glance, then turned into two shadows and vanished.

Clear Stranger looked up at the blue-white sky, thoughts turning silently in his mind.

At last he finished the tea in his cup. "Depart. Black Rock City."

The matter of Wolf Village thus came to an end. It had never truly been his concern to begin with; what happened next would depend on their own fortune.

In the Gamma Empire, Black Rock City

Wolf Village was not far from Black Rock City, and within a few steps he had arrived. Outside the city, the sounds of clamor, hoofbeats, and the cries of merchants selling their wares filled the air.

He paid the bustle of ordinary life no mind and headed straight for the Alchemists' Guild.

The Alchemists' Guild stood in the eastern part of Black Rock City. Along the way, many people saw him walking in that direction and proactively gave way. In particular, young women who passed by would stop and stare at him for a long while.

Being watched by so many eyes made Clear Stranger feel somewhat unnatural. He understood why, though: anyone going to the Alchemists' Guild was either there to be assessed for an alchemist rank, or a respected elder. To the people here, such a profession was lofty and sacred. An alchemist was like a god to them. But to Clear Stranger, it was nothing special. In the early stages, alchemists were indeed impressive, and no one dared offend them. But in the later stages, he would kill one on sight. They became worthless things; without at least seventh rank, they had no standing at all.

Tenth rank was naturally the level of an imperial alchemist, and that was what Clear Stranger was now.

He arrived smoothly at the entrance of the Alchemists' Guild. Standing before the gate, he could see it was indeed quite large. He stepped inside. This outer gate had no guard; the real entrance was farther in. There, he saw a guard on each side. Their level? Only around four- or five-star fighters. To him, they were barely enough to fill his teeth.

Clear Stranger walked past them calmly. As a person of refinement, he ought to show a certain refinement in manner as well.

"Stop. To enter the Alchemists' Guild, do you have an alchemist badge?" the gatekeepers asked, weapons raised to block his path.

"No," Clear Stranger replied lightly.

"Then do you have a recommendation from a master?" Seeing that he had none, the two guards exchanged a glance and asked again.

"No," Clear Stranger said once more, smiling at them. "I'm here to take the alchemist assessment." He raised his hand, and a flame appeared. Talking so much was pointless; showing them the real thing was faster.

Seeing the flame rise in his palm, the two guards cried out, "Condensed true flame? A fourth-rank alchemist?"

Heh, if they said so, so be it. Clear Stranger paid them no mind and simply asked, "Am I qualified to enter now?"

"Y-yes, sir! Of course you are qualified to enter! It was our ignorance just now. Please do not blame us." The two hurriedly apologized in fear and stepped aside.

"Very well. You were only doing your duty; I won't blame you." With that, Clear Stranger walked inside.

Seeing him go, the two finally breathed in relief. "That was close, that was close. Otherwise we would have offended a fourth-rank alchemist—and he looks so young too!" They patted their chests.

Clear Stranger ignored them and walked toward the counter.

"Hello. I'm here to take the alchemist examination." He did not bother explaining further and simply summoned his true flame again.

"Condensed true flame?!! Fourth-rank alchemist?!!" The woman at the counter shrieked just like the two guards before her.

"Can I register now?" Clear Stranger asked.

"Ah—y-yes!" The woman stared at him, dazzled. He was truly too handsome, and to think he was already a fourth-rank alchemist at such a young age. She almost wanted to marry him and bear his children. At his voice, she finally came back to herself and hurriedly nodded, her cheeks flushing from her earlier embarrassment.

She quickly opened the drawer and took out a yellowed, ancient parchment. Holding a pen in her delicate hand, she looked up at him somewhat nervously and said, "Young master, please tell me your name, your age, and your master's name. Yahan will register them for you." So the woman's name was Yahan.

Clear Stranger glanced at her and said indifferently, "Clear Stranger, twenty, System."

"What? Twenty... Young master, you are truly a prodigy."

Hearing that he reported his age, and that it was even younger than she had imagined, she could not help but exclaim again. Her brows then drew together, and she set down the pen in her hand. After thinking for a moment, she asked somewhat awkwardly, "Young master, your master's name does not seem to be listed among the records of our Alchemists' Guild..."

"What? Does registration have to be under a name already recorded by the Alchemists' Guild? If that's the case, forget it. I'll go elsewhere." Clear Stranger's tone turned a little displeased. Just to register, and it had to be so troublesome? Yahan's words had irritated him, and he turned as if to leave.

"It's not that! I was only curious. The guild has no such rule—I was merely asking. Please don't be angry; I'll process it for you right away."

Seeing that he was about to go, the woman hurried out to stop him. This was a fourth-rank alchemist, and only twenty years old at that. She absolutely could not offend him, or she would be finished.

Seeing her reaction, Clear Stranger found it amusing. Who would behave like this? And she was a woman, too. Forget it—he had no intention of leaving anyway. Besides, he had not really planned to go. He had only wanted to see how she would react.

The end of the chapter.