"Teacher, really? We're going to attend the examination for the Titled Alchemist this year?" Tang Yun Long couldn't help but feel excited. Naturally, he was very happy with what Elder Wei Xuan had said.

After all, Tang Yun Long is turning eighteen this year. And even amongst all the disciples from both elders, his talent in Alchemy was the highest. But regardless of how he requested, Elder Wei Xuan would always reject him when it came to permission to attend the Titled-Alchemist Examination.

No matter how much he begged, the elder would deem he was not ready for the test yet. Counting from the year he had been asking until now, it was almost four years past. But today, the sun seems to be rising from the west.

Of course, Tang Yun Long realized that the change in Elder Wei Xuan's mind did not come from him but from Chen Tu. Without bathing in this junior brother's brilliance, he might have to wait another year or two before his chances arrive.

Obviously, there was a reason for the elder's sudden change of mind. After all, the elder himself was also a Lower-Tier, Bronze-Titled Alchemist.

Except for a few older generations of the Blood Refining Grotto, nobody knew how much effort the elder had given to achieve this recognition. Furthermore, back then, the field of alchemy wasn't as well recognized as this, and the number of resources was pitifully little.

This was a little-known fact. The elder had spent nearly ten years refining pills for the Blood Refining Grotto to obtain the necessary experience. But even with that rich experience of ten consecutive years, he still had to retake the examination three times and failed two.

There was a strict rule passed down by the Heavenly Alchemist Association back then. Each Alchemist could only fail three times in their career. This means Elder Wei Xuan had already lost two of his chances, which was also his greatest regret.

It was also because of this reason Elder Wei Xuan stopped attempting to take the promotion test for a Middle-Tier Bronze-Titled Alchemist.

"Of course. Old Jiang had been nagging at me for a while. Furthermore, you've been with me for close to six years now... I am sure you're now mentally ready for the examination. Still, you cannot take this lightly." Elder Wei Xuan smiled at Tang Yun Long.

As his alchemy teacher for over six years, how can he be oblivious to Tang Yun Long's lifelong dream and wish? Was the disciple's wish not the teacher's as well?

"Xiao Long would ensure that he studied hard and fully prepared for the exam. I will not disappoint the teacher's trust!" Tang Yun Long said. The excitement he had made him couldn't help but shake a little.

"I will rely on you to guide Xiao Tu on what he can do most of the time. Remember to come over to my weekly workshop for your lesson without fail. And remember, five months later, the opening of Verdant Sky Small World. Seven months later, the Titled-Alchemist Examination."

"We will make our way to the Crimson Flame City by then. If there's nothing else, both of you may excuse yourselves." Elder Wei Xuan said to them.

"We will, teacher! Thank you, teacher!" the two quickly cupped their fists together and bowed at the elder politely before leaving the workshop.

None of them, except the elder himself, could notice that the one who was the most excited out of all was himself.

(Three-Star Pill at the age of ten... And using merely a month to make this happen... Hahaha... The heaven is finally looking at our Blood Refining Grotto at last!)

...

"Senior brother Tang... What is this Verdant Sky Small World is all about?" Chen Tu asked after they left the elder's workshop. The two had to stick together for a while anyway, as there was something Tang Yun Long had to tell Chen Tu before they separated.

"Well, I am not very well informed either. But it was said to be an independent world rich with Spiritual Herbs and inheritance belonged to a deceased cultivation and alchemy expert. The record of this individual was limited, and only we only know him by his name." Tang Yun Long replied.

"Verdant Sky Pill Overlord." he added. It appeared to be quite a majestic name.

"Ah... No wonder this small world is called Verdant Sky Small World..." Chen Tu nodded.

"Well, wherever there's a profit, it would always come along with danger. The Verdant Sky Small World is definitely attractive, but you have to know that there are plenty of Spiritual Beasts in there too."

"If you're not careful, they'll be the predator, not you. But of course, so far, I've yet to hear from anyone saying that they had a loss from going inside the small world." Tang Yun Long continued.

They eventually came to the canteen to have dinner. Borrowing Tang Yun Long's status as the top ten disciples in the Outer Grotto, they naturally could dine on the first floor.

"Also, rumor says that the Verdant Sky Pill Overlord's inheritance was there. I remembered that the elder once said someone in their generation found a third of a piece of an Information Jade inside that small world."

"By relying on that piece of jade, that elder had a smooth journey to the seventh level of the Golden Core Layer. The only saddening part is his cultivation stagnated there afterward, and until today, he's yet to give up on the opportunity to enter the small world once more." Tang Yun Long shared.

A rumor like that wasn't rare at all.

After all, didn't Qin Lei's father ride along with the rumor to find a tomb of an expert, which resulted in him losing one of his legs in the aftermath? Of course, he wasn't alone at that time. From the look of it, the sixth elder of Outer Grotto, and possibly Lady Shuiyue Liu, too, had participated.

"Oh..." Chen Tu nodded. That was quite a lot of information for him to handle for today.

"Before I forget, remember that you're the fourth elder's second official disciple from today. You should go to the Registration Building tomorrow to collect your monthly salary and your new Disciple Token."

"Just note that you no longer had to work with the others for the daily task available in the Mission Pavilion." he added.