At the Imperial Capital headquarters of the Alchemist Guild.
These days, the Alchemist Guild was a gathering of elites— a truly grand assembly.
A few days ago, President Hong Haotian announced to the elders that a mysterious alchemist would be tested for the honorary president position. Since then, the elders had been highly attentive.
After all, while an honorary president didn't hold actual power, the position was the face of the Alchemist Guild and concerned the dignity of all alchemists.
If someone without skill or reputation were to occupy this position, they’d be made a laughingstock by other guilds.
Everyone was especially curious since President Hong Haotian only mentioned a mysterious alchemist without revealing their identity.
"Could it be Fang Tianhua who has recently risen to fame in the Imperial Capital? He has been quite successful lately and was recently promoted to a sixth-grade alchemist."
"That's impossible. Although Fang Tianhua is a sixth-grade alchemist, he is far from having Master Yun Danqing’s skill level. How could he be qualified to be the honorary president?"
"That's true. But aside from Fang Tianhua, no one else seems to have reached the sixth-grade alchemist level recently. Who could this mysterious alchemist be?"
The elders of the Alchemist Guild were engaged in various speculations. Only Hong Haotian and Shangguan Chu exchanged a knowing glance, each revealing a wry smile.
Who could this young alchemist that Yan Cangtian claimed to be as talented as himself be?
At that moment, a figure of an old man and a young man was seen walking briskly toward the guild entrance.
The guards, upon seeing Yan Cangtian, respectfully saluted him. "Master Yan, please come in!"
Yan Cangtian nodded slightly. Seeing the large gathering of old acquaintances in the loft opposite of him, he stroked his long beard and chuckled. "What a big scene! Kid, let's go!"
Ling Feng touched his nose. It seemed that to become the honorary president and obtain the demonic core pill formula, he would indeed need to showcase his skills.
On the upper floor, many elders who heard the guards' shout all twitched their eyebrows.
"Yan Cangtian?" An elder's face changed dramatically. "Could the mysterious alchemist be Yan Cangtian?"
"No way! Yan Cangtian is a maverick. Though his alchemy skills are exceptional, his identity..." A very old elder immediately frowned. "President, since Yan Cangtian left the Alchemist Guild, why bring him back now?"
"Elder Hua, we can't say that. Although Yan Cangtian made some impulsive decisions over a decade ago, it's been many years since then. If he wants to come back now, it's a great thing. Over a decade ago, even Yun Danqing's reputation didn't match Yan Cangtian's!"
"Someone with such a character will only bring endless trouble to our guild, no matter how high his alchemy skills are!" Elder Hua said angrily.
"You're just being inflexible!"
"I absolutely disagree!"
Immediately, all the present elders split into two factions. One harbored resentment toward Yan Cangtian, while the other admired his talents.
"Enough!" Hong Haotian's eyes narrowed as he coldly said, "Stop arguing! The person taking the honorary president assessment is not Yan Cangtian!"
In an instant, all the elders and vice-presidents were stunned. If it's not Yan Cangtian, who would it be?
They had never even considered that the person taking the assessment would be the young man accompanying Yan Cangtian.
Even Hong Haotian and Shangguan Chu hadn't thought of this possibility.
Among the crowd, the face of an elderly man suddenly changed dramatically.
At first, seeing Yan Cangtian, he didn't have much of a reaction. But when he saw the young man beside Yan Cangtian, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.
The elderly man swallowed hard, a thought flashing through his mind: Could this kid be the one taking the honorary president assessment?
This elderly man was none other than the teacher of the general mansion's young lady Li Rong - He Taichong!
He had been thoroughly humiliated at the general's mansion last time and was reprimanded by Master Yun Danqing in person.
And the root cause of all this was the boy named Ling Feng.
A young man highly praised by even Master Yun should be qualified to serve as the honorary president, right?
However, this kid is way too young!
He Taichong took a deep breath, gazing at Ling Feng from afar while thinking: Let's see what kind of talent this boy, praised by Master Yun, really possesses.
While the crowd discussed, Yan Cangtian and Ling Feng, led by the guards, entered the loft.
Hong Haotian immediately stood to greet them, bowing from a distance with a smile, "Brother Yan, you're right on time!"
"Hmph. Hong, you've certainly made a grand arrangement today!"
Yan Cangtian glanced around. Everyone present was at least a fifth-grade alchemist, and many were old acquaintances of his.
However, a significant number of these familiar faces looked at him with cold eyes, still holding grudges over events from over a decade ago.
Yan Cangtian shrugged indifferently.
He had always done things his own way and never cared about the opinion of others.
"Selecting the honorary president of the guild is a matter that requires careful consideration," Hong Haotian said with a faint smile. "By the way, where is the alchemist you mentioned? Why didn't he come with you?"
"Are your eyes failing you, Hong Haotian? Didn't I bring him?" Yan Cangtian patted Ling Feng on the shoulder and said with a smile, "This is the young alchemist I recommend!"
Hong Haotian's eyes twitched violently as he glanced at Ling Feng and they nearly popped out.
This boy is certainly young, but too young!
He doesn't even look twenty! At this age, being a third-grade alchemist would already be considered a genius in alchemy, but to be the honorary president of the Alchemist Guild? He’d be far from qualified!
The vice-presidents and elders present all jumped from their seats.
"What a joke! Yan Cangtian, you're going too far bringing a kid here to mess with us!"
"Yan Cangtian, what do you mean by this? Even if you don't want to come back, there's no need to insult us with a junior!"
The elders voiced their dissatisfaction and anger, each one more upset than the last.
"Brother Yan, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation!" Hong Haotian's eyes flashed with anger. He had offered Yan Cangtian a chance to obtain the Demon-Transforming Pill formula, yet this guy brought a mere boy to dismiss him.
Does Yan Cangtian see the alchemy masters and seniors of the Alchemist Guild as no better than this kid?
"Explanation?" Yan Cangtian stroked his long beard, saying calmly, "Why should I explain? This kid's alchemy skills are no less than mine. Doesn't that qualify him to be the honorary president?"
The room fell silent!
Everyone's eyes turned to Ling Feng. This young man's alchemy skill is on par with Yan Cangtian's?
This is definitely a fucking joke!