The conversation with Pama made Guding realize that the video of him performing alchemy had become more popular than he had imagined. Not only had Madico watched it, but many high-ranking members of the Medicine God Alliance had also seen it. Besides Madico wanting to meet him, it seemed the alliance's executives also wanted him to participate in some competition.
He informed Pama that he could arrive at Fengyuan Star in about ten days and confirmed the location to meet Madico, then hung up the call.
"That newcomer ranking tournament, I've looked into it," Sea Emperor also knew about the Medicine God Alliance wanting Guding to participate. "The so-called newcomers are those who have been pharmacists for less than three years. Sazer has been out for less than a year, so his challenges have been unstoppable. In fact, there are three others in the entire Ascension Universe Country whose talents are similar to his. Those three have been pharmacists for more than two years, with two of them already becoming B-level pharmacists and one becoming an A-level pharmacist. So when Sazer challenged their Star Domains, they didn't come forward."
"In that case, there's no real comparison, is there? An A-level pharmacist only needs to refine a potion of perfect quality to make everyone else spectators." Guding hadn't expected there to be A-level pharmacists in the newcomer ranking tournament.
"That's not how the rules work. Generally, all participants are required to refine a uniform type of E-level potion. The more they refine within the stipulated time and the higher the quality, the higher their rank," Sea Emperor explained.
"E-level potion?" Guding was surprised again, "Are F-level pharmacists not allowed to participate?"
"In theory, all newcomer pharmacists in the Ascension Universe Country can join the ranking tournament, either in their own name or representing their Star Domain. But those who can't refine an E-level potion will be directly eliminated in the first round." Sea Emperor had researched the competition's rules and, based on records and video materials from past years, identified some restrictive clauses contained in these competition ordinances.
"The number of F-level pharmacists is just too high; such restrictions are understandable." Guding roughly understood the organizers' rationale. The number of F-level pharmacists might exceed the number of all other levels combined. If they were to participate directly in the competition, it might lead to chaos due to the sheer numbers. So, eliminating F-level pharmacists in the first round protects the subsequent rounds.
Furthermore, this ranking tournament itself targets newcomers. The purpose is to identify some relatively talented pharmacists among the newcomers, allowing some advanced pharmacists without apprentices to choose to mentor them, thus promoting the prosperity of the entire pharmacist industry. Everyone has the opportunity to participate for three consecutive years; as for those who, despite their efforts, have not advanced to E-level pharmacists after three years, it simply shows that they indeed have no talent in the field.
"What kinds of rewards are there for the newcomer ranking tournament?" Guding was still more concerned about the tangible benefits.
Dad had always taught that only things that can be held are good in value, and Guding always remembered this.
"The rewards for individuals are fairly limited; most are distributed to the Star Domain the participants represent. If participants do not represent any Star Domain, the portion meant for the Star Domain is retained by the hosts."
"The top 100 individuals can choose any one potion from those refined by participants, and the Medicine God Alliance will recreate the exact item and send it to these top 100 participants. Besides that, they will also receive a complete set of B-level alchemy instruments."
"The top ten individuals can choose any three potions from those refined by participants, and the Medicine God Alliance will also send these items. They will also receive a set of A-level alchemy instruments and the privilege to acquire pharmaceutical materials worth one billion Star Coins from the Medicine God Alliance for free within a year."
"The top three individuals can choose any five potions from those refined and will receive a set of A-level alchemy instruments and the privilege to acquire pharmaceutical materials worth 500 million Star Coins from the Medicine God Alliance for free within a year. There is also a certain chance to be chosen by an S-level Alchemist Master to become a closed-door disciple."
"As for the champion, they can choose any ten potions from those refined, receive a set of quasi-S-level alchemy instruments, and have the privilege to acquire pharmaceutical materials worth ten billion Star Coins from the Medicine God Alliance for free within a year. They will also receive an opportunity to meet and talk with an S-level Alchemist Master."
"Of course, these rewards do not stack."
Hearing these rewards, Guding was somewhat shocked, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "The Medicine God Alliance is truly wealthy!"
Excluding the value of the gifted potions, a complete set of B-level alchemy instruments was valued at around one billion Star Coins, while an A-level set generally ranged from 10 to 12 billion. As for a quasi-S-level set, it essentially had a price but was unavailable on the market, usually valued at approximately 25 billion Star Coins, albeit rarely attainable. Plus, with over a billion Star Coins worth of pharmaceutical materials obtainable for free within a year, the value leap from pharmaceutical materials to finished potions was at least dozens of times, and if refined to perfect quality, it would be a hundredfold value increase.
Just like when Guding previously refined an F-level Cell Enhancer, one set of materials cost just over a hundred Star Coins, but the market price for a potion of perfect quality was twenty-five thousand Star Coins, a more than two hundredfold increase. It's imaginable how wealthy the Medicine God Alliance has become over so many years.
Regarding being chosen by an S-level Alchemist Master to become a closed-door disciple, Guding wasn't particularly concerned. There were only three S-level Alchemist Masters in the entire Ascension Universe Country, all very busy, with more than a hundred disciples each. Even if he actually became an apprentice, he might not meet them a few times a year. In contrast, Madico, a top-notch A-level pharmacist, had a sincere attitude toward taking on disciples. According to Pama, Madico was quite outstanding, both as a person and in skills. If after this meeting, Guding felt that they got along well, he intended to become Pama's junior disciple, seeing no necessity to take on another teacher.
"Besides the newcomer ranking tournament, the Medicine God Alliance must have other exchange programs, right?" Guding wanted to know if he could participate in other exchange programs apart from the newcomer ranking tournament. Given the abundant rewards of the newcomer ranking tournament, the rewards for other competitions must surely be noteworthy as well.
"There's another competition called 'A Decade, A Dose,'" Sea Emperor continued. "Participants must have been pharmacists for over three years and under ten, and the age should not exceed thirty. They must at least be at the C-level pharmacist standard. The rewards for this competition are more than ten times more generous than the newcomer ranking tournament." He went on, "There's another top-level competition, where there's an ultimate showdown between A-level pharmacists from various Star Domains, broadcast live across the entire Ascension Universe Country. Every prize is valued at tens of billions of Star Coins. Unfortunately, you are not qualified to participate."
"You didn't have to add the last sentence..." Guding was left speechless at Sea Emperor's last remark.
"After saying so much, do you actually want to participate in that newcomer ranking tournament? Actually, the Medicine God Alliance headquarters' rewards are just a portion. If you achieve a good result, the Tianhe Star Domain Branch will surely provide additional benefits." Sea Emperor reminded him.
"Of course I'll participate! Dad used to say that it's foolish not to take available money!" Guding grinned widely, "Connect with Medicine King Valley, I'll have a talk with the Medicine God Alliance's Tianhe Branch."