Silence.
Jiang Chen's calm words made the entire hall fall into a deathly quiet. It was so silent, one could almost hear a pin drop.
The seven or eight teenagers seated on the stone platforms, all about Jiang Chen's age, stared at him as if he were a fool.
After a moment, the silence was broken by waves of mocking laughter and disdainful remarks.
"What did this kid just say? Assess the third-rank alchemist? Is he out of his mind?"
"Ha! He's acting like a big shot. Does he even know if he can pass the first-rank test? What a joke!"
---
Jiang Chen's bold declaration also left Dan Yichen, the Guild President, momentarily stunned.
He turned to glance at Zhu Mingyuan, who stood beside Jiang Chen with a calm expression, as if this were completely normal. Dan Yichen's heart stirred with curiosity.
Could it be... this young man really had the strength to evaluate as a third-rank alchemist?
If that were the case, it would be nothing short of astonishing.
"Young man, are you certain you want to test for a third-rank alchemist?" Dan Yichen asked, the curiosity in his sharp gaze evident.
"Is there a problem?" Jiang Chen replied indifferently. "But... if you have the option to evaluate a fourth-rank alchemist here, I wouldn't mind trying for a fourth-rank badge as well."
Jiang Chen's words were like a bomb thrown into the crowd, causing immediate chaos.
"What?! This kid wants to test for a fourth-rank alchemist? He must have lost his mind!"
"Haha! A fourth rank? He's probably dreaming. I bet he doesn't even know how to make a basic pill!"
"If this kid can become a fourth-rank alchemist, then I'll be the next Yan Qingxuan!"
A fourth-rank alchemist!
The hall was filled with uproar, and even Zhu Mingyuan was visibly stunned.
Initially, he thought the third rank was already pushing the limits of Jiang Chen's abilities. But now Jiang Chen was confidently talking about testing for the fourth rank!
However, based on his understanding of Jiang Chen, this young man never boasted without reason. If Jiang Chen said he could do it, there was a high chance he actually could!
A fifteen or sixteen-year-old fourth-rank alchemist...
This thought alone was incomprehensible.
---
Dan Yichen's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Jiang Chen.
"Young man, we can only evaluate up to the third-rank alchemist here," he said with a slight smile. "May I ask what badge you currently hold?"
Jiang Chen shook his head and replied casually: "I don't have any badge yet."
"What?!"
The hall erupted once again.
"Hahaha! This guy doesn't even have a badge, and he wants to evaluate as a fourth-rank alchemist? This is the joke of the century!"
"He probably can't even make a first-grade pill properly. What a clown!"
Dan Yichen raised a hand for silence, though his lips curled slightly into a faint smile.
"According to the Alchemist Guild's rules, you must first evaluate for the first-rank alchemist badge. Only after successfully advancing can you attempt higher ranks."
The old man's sharp gaze fell on Jiang Chen. "Do you still wish to proceed with the test?"
Dan Yichen wanted to see for himself whether this young man was simply full of arrogance or if he was truly a once-in-a-lifetime genius.
"Fine, I'll go one step at a time," Jiang Chen said calmly.
With that, he strode forward and chose a stone platform near the front of the hall.
Coincidentally—or perhaps intentionally—his seat was right beside the purple-clothed girl he had clashed with earlier.
---
The girl's face darkened the moment she recognized him.
"Hmph, I didn't expect to run into you again!" she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery.
"Someone like you, who dares to talk about testing for the fourth rank, is delusional. I suggest you save yourself the embarrassment and leave. If you can't even refine a first-grade pill, I'll enjoy watching you crawl out of here."
Her biting words were filled with sarcasm, loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear.
Jiang Chen, however, remained unfazed.
He turned his head slightly, glancing at her with a calm and faint smirk.
"What happens to me has nothing to do with you," Jiang Chen said indifferently, his voice echoing clearly through the hall.
Then, in a calm yet confident tone, he added something that stunned everyone present:
"What's more... I can make a First-Grade medicinal pill in just three minutes!"