I continued cultivating, and two hours later, the assistant calmly clapped his hands.
"Now, all the students will be called for the final approval stage. Individuals will be called in one by one and evaluated by us—the two assistants—and the Grand Alchemist Jair. Both the results of your potions will be revealed, and there will be a short interview with oral questions to further test each student's knowledge."
He hesitated slightly when mentioning the oral questions, even glancing at the other assistant for a moment, but proceeded calmly. Everyone agreed, and the three of them left the area, heading to a small room where each student would be called individually. It might take a while, as there were still quite a few students present.
I didn't return to cultivating but instead sat down and calmly observed my surroundings. That's when Barney came over to my side, holding a large apple pie, tearing pieces off and shoving them into his mouth. His hunger seemed intense.
That was all I could think about as I watched him.
"Alex, how did the test go? And, by the way, do you want a piece of pie?"
He asked the second question with great hesitation. Normally, I wouldn't have accepted, but seeing how reluctant he was, I felt a bit mischievous and decided to take him up on the offer.
"Sure, give me a piece."
When I said that, his face seemed to turn pale, but he still slowly moved, hesitating as he brought the large plate toward me. I could barely hold back my laughter but managed to keep a straight face. I reached for a large piece of pie, which made him go even paler, like snow. Smiling, I switched to a smaller piece.
He let out a deep sigh, as if he had been carrying a heavy burden.
I tasted the pie, and to my surprise, it was delicious—a crispy, moist crust, perfectly sliced apples, and a mildly sweet yet flavorful taste. Even compared to my usual cooking skills, this pie was top-notch. It seems Barney not only loves eating but also has refined taste.
"This is a delicious pie," I told him, watching as he puffed out his chest with pride.
"I made it myself! I love to eat, so I learned to cook really well. That's also why I'm here... but from what I've seen of my products, they're not that great. I don't think I have talent in alchemy... much less as an alchemist chef, just like my master said."
Indeed, the items he produced weren't of high quality. While they weren't complete failures, they couldn't be called successful either.
"Well, the path of an alchemist is difficult, let alone that of an alchemist chef. The fact that you have a blacksmith master shows that you have fortune and talent in that field, which is a good thing," I reassured him, growing curious about his master. Although having a master isn't uncommon in the cultivation world, it's still not entirely usual.
I also admired his desire to pursue the path of an alchemist chef. Alchemist chefs are even rarer than alchemists for several reasons. One is that they need a deep understanding of both the Dao of alchemy and the Dao of cooking. Of course, there are pros and cons to this profession. The effects of dishes don't last as long as alchemical items, and preservation is more difficult, especially as the need for food diminishes with higher cultivation levels. However, their effects are more potent than some potions due to the unique methods they use, combining two Daos. Additionally, in my view, one key advantage is that the taste... is divine. I'm interested in pursuing this path myself, but that's something for the future, as the library doesn't have much material on it.
In any case, Barney and I exchanged opinions on various topics, and he told me all about his master. For instance, he mentioned how, when he was just a mortal, he was captured by a dark cultivator and almost turned into a puppet. However, his master came and easily eliminated the enemy, saving him.
Afterward, recognizing Barney's talent, his master took him directly to his home. My curiosity about this master grew, and I asked more, but Barney said that his master never told him much because his cultivation base was too weak to know such things. This made me raise an eyebrow in curiosity, but since Barney didn't know anything more, I didn't press further.
We spent more time talking and sharing stories about ourselves, and I felt he could become a great friend in the future.
...
After some time, I was alone again, meditating and harmonizing my mental energy. Barney had already been called, so I was by myself.
"Alex Alberian."
Hearing my name, I opened my eyes and made my way to the room, prepared for the evaluation and subsequent processes.
...
Inside the room, Professor Jair stood in the center, with the two assistants flanking him like guardians, or perhaps servants, which might be a more accurate description.
I positioned myself in the middle and felt the strong, penetrating gaze of Professor Jair. There was a slight tone of hostility in his demeanor, but I also sensed something else in his expression, which piqued my curiosity. Focusing more carefully, the hostility seemed somewhat mixed.
This continued for a few minutes until I finally heard a sigh and the professor's voice.
"As for your pills, they appear to have a relatively high level of purity, even though the ingredients and recipe were designed for a novice level. The potion itself is extremely difficult and complex to create. The purity reached an upper level of 61%, which should not be possible... unless the profession level is apprentice or you possess extraordinary talent. So, which is it?"
I could sense his expression, but I responded calmly. During the creation of the potion, I had deliberately held back my performance and reduced the potion's level. However, due to my knowledge and comprehension—and perhaps a bit of excitement—the purity still ended up being high. Despite being useless for Qi condensation and only somewhat useful for foundation building, it was still a surprising result. At the very least, an enemy in Qi condensation wouldn't easily recover from this potion, even with antidotes—unless it was created by someone of a higher level.
"I'm not. I probably just have some talent and a bit of luck," I responded with a serious smile, without a hint of embarrassment. Of course, my answer was illogical but not impossible, as someone at the novice level could theoretically produce a potion with perfect purity. Although it's extremely unlikely under normal circumstances, there's still a slim chance.
He looked at me coldly but chose not to ask further.
"As for the Fluffy Cloud Potion, the purity seems to be at a medium and satisfactory level. However, it feels strange. I sense the element of thunder, which would render the potion useless under normal conditions. Care to explain?"
Upon hearing his question, I smiled.
"May I approach?"
He stared at me but nodded in affirmation.
"Go ahead."
Taking the potion from his hand, I quickly moved and jumped off the ground, grabbing hold of a small ledge in the room. I climbed to the top of the testing chamber and, without hesitation, threw the bottle to the ground and let myself fall in the same direction.
My rapid and unusual series of actions shocked everyone in the room.
However, I maintained a calm, even excited smile.
-----
NOTE
Each potion's usefulness depends on the herb level and the individual's ability. The professions are currently explained as follows:
- **Novice**: Cultivation from Qi Condensation to the beginning of the Golden Core stage.
- **Apprentice**: Golden Core stage and early Nascent Soul.
Purity measures the quality of the potion. The MC, with a cultivation strength at the apprentice level, can create potions suitable for Qi Condensation, foundation building, and even Golden Core cultivators. However, if he creates a Golden Core potion, the purity will likely only reach a lower level. But if he creates one for Qi Condensation, there's a chance he could achieve a perfect score.
That's why, in the test, despite the recipe being designed for Qi Condensation, it still received a high score, even though Alex tried to reduce the quality.