"To proceed and take the exams for the Alchemy Division requires you to pay upfront fifty sols coins," a stern male receptionist said, looking at Silver.
"Fifty sols coins? Could this help me lower the cost?" replied Silver, grabbing a sleek black card with Gold Spring Merchant Association VVIP in gold lettering imprinted on it. Even though he is extremely wealthy, a stingy person will always be stingy even if they became the richest person in the world.
"Definitely! It will be 10 sols coins," beamed the stern receptionist.
"Thank you, here's the 100 ethas coins," smiled Silver, chuckling softly, turning around to face Yong Satay who stood nearby.
"Alright, I will see you after the exam!"
"Silver, good luck!" replied Yong Satay, respectfully bowing.
'I must inform young master about Silver being a VVIP of the Gold Spring Merchant Association! This is great news for him and the Kiu Clan!'
After hearing Yong Satay's response, Silver turned back to the receptionist.
"Follow me," directed the male receptionist as he walked through a side door.
The Alchemy Division exam was in a large courtyard behind the association, taking a short trail that lasted fifteen minutes. Many numbered doors aligned as they strolled further into the Alchemy Division building.
Finally, the two stopped in front in a large open space within the building. Turning his head around, the male receptionist gave Silver a golden medallion with the number 18 engraved into it. Without wasting anymore breath, the receptionist left Silver alone with seventeen other participants that stood within the open room. Most of these participants were middle-aged men with a head full of white hair, mixed with some black.
Taking another glimpse around, there were a few young participants mixed within their group of eighteen. Soon, a group of high-tier alchemist came out from the left corridor of the building, following two old men emitting an imposing presence as they took long strides down the corridor.
Even then, a few of the tiered alchemists, from afar, quickly glimpsed and inspected Silver clothes. They mentally kept a note, figuring out Silver did not belong to any major family within Blue Dream City. None of them belittled him for that reason but held a strong curiosity. An individual with a VVIP status had to be someone with a strong backing and of prestige stature.
Not long after, the examiners stood in front of their group of eighteen.
"I am Grandmaster Guiying of the Alchemy Division," announced Guiying, cupping his hand respectfully towards the group. He then gave a soft smile, nodding with approval with the current batch of examinees.
"This here is my fellow Grandmaster Rain. We hope everyone here passes since we are in dire need of outstanding individuals in the field of alchemy. Many should be aware of the aftermath of the Ice and Flame War...those demons massacred thousands of alchemists to ensure their next victory. Although it is unknown when they will return from their injuries, we must ensure the alchemist continues to exist and have a firm foundation. There are three rounds containing three different topics. Each exam topic will be announced once you passed the following exam given. Currently, the first topic is alchemy knowledge. Please find your rooms based on the number given to you on your token. Your test will be shown on an array screen, inscribed into the desks within the rooms. Once ten hours are up, the array will disappear. Thus, concluding the first round. You will be using these room during the whole three rounds as well. Dismissed."
Hearing Grandmaster Guiying's instructions, all eighteen examinees took out their token and wandered around to find their testing room. Everyone felt a wave of admiration from Grandmaster Guiying's speech, giving their all to become alchemists. Everyone had their own unique reasons to become alchemists. Some for fame, some wanted power, some pursued money, while others wanted to travel their own unique path.
Soon, Silver found his room and continued inside.
After all the examinees entered the room, the group of examiners sat at a table in a large room near the main corridor. Some were leisurely drinking herbal tea, reading books or writing down their experiments detailing the cause and effects of each experiment they handled. Within each of their hearts, they hoped a few would pass the exam with flying colors.
Silver took his time to get ready, sitting on a chair as a floating small screen appeared over his desk.
[There are five hundred and thirty-one questions for the first round. There are all sorts of alchemy questions that you must answer to your fullest abilities. If you cannot answer it, you're allowed to skip and proceed onto the next. Must have a 98% or more to proceed onto the next round. Time will automatically start once you answer the first question.]
'No wonder there are so little alchemist! Just the passing rate for the knowledge exam is at a whopping 98% for the first round. I could understand where Mochi get his narcissistic personality from…'
Silver's gaze swept across the questions shown on the array as the corner of his lips curved up mischievously. These questions were simply too easy for him as his understanding towards alchemy had long surpassed this world's realm!
Twirling around the pen specifically made to write onto the array, he felt a tinge of worry if he went too far with the procedures and answers. With extreme effort, he deliberately simplified his answers to where even a donkey could understand alchemy. Although Silver wanted to remain low-key, he knew that without a strong backing, it would be harder to get by in this chaotic world.
**Ring (from a bell)
...
The two Grandmasters looked at each other, then stared back at the glowing array with the number 18 on it. It had been barely 3 hours since the first round started. How can anyone easily answer so many complex questions so quickly and easily?
"Most likely a person who has given up?" asked a Tier 8 alchemist, sitting closest to the array that rung.
"Impossible, it would have begun blinking red if they gave up or if the answers are under 90%!" replied another tier alchemist.
"I will check their answers. Please settle down," Guiying decided after raising his left hand to quiet down the alchemists.
Under normal circumstances, an ordinary person who has started the path of alchemy would need to take their time in answering each question carefully. To be able to answer three hundred and sixty questions or over while having a 90% or above within the allotted time frame was extremely hard but not near impossible. Many individuals would be stuck by a few difficult questions which they would usually skip and proceed onto the next.
After carefully reviewing the answers, despite a few mistakes, Guiying felt the world spin around him. Some questions were skillfully answered to point that it was simpler than simple itself. Over four hundred questions were correctly answered! Guiying took a few steps back in jubilation, allowing the others to take turns reviewing the answers. To be even more exaggerated, a few fainted from their excitement. Not only that, the higher tier alchemist gained tremendous benefits reaching a state of enlightenment as the continued reading the answers.
"This is a true genius!"
"A completely insane and monstrous genius! I would have never thought of those types of possibilities, I must memorize this and try them out myself."
The two Grandmasters were dumbfounded as their mood shot up like a flying sword into the sky. They all wondered who this young man's master was. His master must be proud to have hidden an alchemist prodigy or even god in the making. No one would be able to guess that this person from room eighteen was a reincarnated being who once followed the Dao of alchemy.
Within their hearts, someone this invaluable had to become a member of the Alchemist Division in the Gold Spring Merchant Association. No one was willing to give up an invaluable treasure that waltz right into their palms.
"If I remember correctly, he is the one with the VVIP backed by Manager Poe of White Lotus City," informed one of the tier alchemists, brightly smiling.
"His name should be Silver. Our receptionist contacted me about a VVIP member joining, so I did a background check and contacted the manager of this shop about him. Although I tried to inquire more about Silver, he gave me some vague details about him. I could tell he was unwilling to explain any further."
"It seems Silver has a powerful background that our manager is unwilling to divulge on him. Let's continue to observe him for the mean time. He will pass the next two rounds based off his profound knowledge within alchemy. Hopefully, he would take the tier promotion exams as well," replied Rain, a glint of delight shone in his eyes.
Soon, everyone began paying close attention to the array for room eighteen, thirsting for more knowledge. They had high hopes that Silver would become the very savior that would allow Alchemy to flourish in this chaotic era.