"Alchemist Di, are you really going to ask Quentin Pooler to refine the Soulbind Elixir?" Holly Chance asked after a long pause, barely able to believe it.
Joe Di chuckled, "Of course I won't go right now. Besides, even if I did, Quentin Pooler wouldn't just let me refine pills for him after a single request."
Holly Chance let out a sigh, her concern making her anxious. After the first failed attempt at alchemy, Quentin Pooler had become extremely strict with any alchemist seeking to refine pills for him. Besides, few alchemists were willing to risk their lives doing so. She took out a jade slip, inscribed an address, and handed it to Joe Di. "This is Quentin Pooler's residence."
"Steward Holly, do you know about Trueglass Elixir?" Joe Di asked abruptly after taking the jade slip.
"Trueglass Elixir?" Holly Chance was startled, then replied, "I've heard of it, and I even witnessed a Trueglass Elixir auction once."
"Cauldron Haven has auctioned Trueglass Elixir before?" Joe Di asked in surprise.
Holly Chance was puzzled by Joe Di's keen interest in Trueglass Elixir, but she explained, "Not Cauldron Haven, it was Magic Garb Immortal Land."
In her view, Trueglass Elixir was of no use to Joe Di.
"Where is Magic Garb Immortal Land?" Joe Di asked in confusion.
If Great Cauldron City didn't have Trueglass Elixir, he had no reason to stay. The only reason he came to Cauldron Haven was for the Trueglass Elixir.
"One of the Four Immortal Lands—you really don't know?" This time it was Holly Chance's turn to be puzzled.
Joe Di shook his head. "I honestly have no idea."
Holly Chance looked speechless at Joe Di. She truly wondered where his alchemical skills came from if he didn't even know about the Four Immortal Lands.
Since Joe Di didn't know about the Four Immortal Lands, Holly Chance had no choice but to explain, "The first of the Four Immortal Lands is Illusory Rainbow Immortal Land, the strongest among them. The second is Magic Garb Immortal Land—many headquarters of Cauldron Haven's merchant houses are located there, including the main office of Starspire Apothecary. The third is Thunder Court Immortal Land, though I rarely hear of anyone coming from there. The fourth is Sifang Immortal Land. Rumor has it that the Fourfold Divine Cauldron, which stabilized the Immortal Realm's fortune, was stolen from Sifang Immortal Land, and now it has fallen into the Twilight Immortal Era and is likely to collapse soon."
Only now did Joe Di realize that he was originally from Sifang Immortal Land. It's true—if you never leave, you'll never see the broader world. Just like the cultivators who always lived in Sifang Immortal Land, all they could see was the narrow sky above their well.
"Do any people from Sifang Immortal Land come here?" Joe Di had meant to ask about Trueglass Elixir, but couldn't help asking about Sifang Immortal Land when he heard it mentioned.
Holly Chance glanced at Joe Di in surprise, then answered, "Cauldron Haven used to have a teleportation array directly to Sifang Immortal Land, and there were often cultivators from there. But ever since Sifang Immortal Land's fortune collapsed and it entered the Twilight Era, no one has come anymore."
Joe Di resisted asking where the teleportation array was and changed the subject. "I heard that Cauldron Haven once auctioned off an Emperor Lotus. Why wasn't the Trueglass Elixir auctioned there as well?"
Holly Chance smiled slightly. "Actually, all the truly good items are usually auctioned in Cauldron Haven. But the Trueglass Elixir auction was special. That time, Cauldron Haven was besieged by a horde of void beasts. There was no way to hold an auction—Cauldron Haven was on the verge of destruction until more than a dozen top experts from the major Immortal Lands joined forces to save it."
"Thank you, Steward Holly. I'm currently staying at Skyrest Lodge. Once I find a permanent residence, I'll notify Starspire Apothecary immediately." Joe Di was grateful to have gotten the answers he wanted.
"Alchemist Di, actually Starspire Apothecary has residences available. You're already our honorary alchemist, so if you don't mind, you could stay at Starspire Apothecary as well." Holly Chance was eager for Joe Di to live there.
"If I can't find a place to stay, I'll come back and stay at Starspire Apothecary." Joe Di had too many secrets and naturally wouldn't live there, so he politely declined Holly Chance's offer.
Seeing that Joe Di wasn't interested in staying at Starspire Apothecary, Holly Chance escorted him all the way to the entrance. Although many were still lining up to register at Starspire Apothecary, none of it concerned Joe Di anymore.
......
Back at Skyrest Lodge, the first thing Joe Di did was to set up a complete set of restriction arrays in his room. He wouldn't allow anyone to spy on his space.
Previously, he thought he'd only stay a few days, so he hadn't bothered with the restrictions. Now that Joe Di planned to advance to a Fourth-Rank Immortal Alchemist here, he needed to protect his space completely.
He possessed the Founding Cauldron and Dao Fire Starry Sky—if either of these was exposed, it would mean certain death for him.
Joe Di brought out piles of immortal spirit herbs and began studying the refinement of fourth-grade immortal pills.
For Joe Di, after forming his own alchemical path, becoming a fourth-grade master alchemist was not a difficult task.
......
Grand Cauldron Apothecary—the largest pill tower in Cauldron Haven.
As the largest pill tower in Cauldron Haven, Grand Cauldron Apothecary was far more impressive than Starspire Apothecary. Even its building and grounds were dozens of times larger than Starspire Apothecary.
At this moment in the assessment hall of Grand Cauldron Apothecary, a goateed man was watching a bearded alchemist refine pills. Sitting in the guest seat beside him was a short, middle-aged man, who frowned as if deep in thought, paying no attention to the bearded alchemist's work.
The bearded alchemist was Yan Jue, who had participated in the alchemy assessment with Joe Di. He had just finished the pill collection technique, and nine third-grade green pills landed on the jade tray.
Yan Jue was very satisfied. For this application at Grand Cauldron Apothecary, five of the nine pills he refined were of medium quality, and only four were of lower grade.
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This result was even better than when he was tested as a third-grade Immortal Alchemist. After all, this time he had refined Rainmist Elixir, which is harder to make than the Profound Origin Pill. This showed his alchemical skills had improved.
"Alchemist Yan, not bad. Your alchemical skill fully qualifies you to be a third-tier employed Immortal Alchemist at Grand Cauldron Apothecary." The goateed man carefully inspected the nine pills and nodded in satisfaction.
Yan Jue was overjoyed and quickly stood up to bow in thanks. "Thank you, Steward Lü."
To become a third-tier employed Immortal Alchemist at Grand Cauldron Apothecary was a remarkable achievement for him.
Steward Lü nodded. "In a moment, you can go and register for your third-tier employed Immortal Alchemist badge at Grand Cauldron Apothecary..."
He paused, then suddenly asked, "Alchemist Yan, wasn't there another alchemist who passed the third-grade Immortal Alchemist assessment with you yesterday? Do you know where he lives?"
Yan Jue was taken aback. Someone else passed the third-grade Immortal Alchemist certification yesterday besides him? He immediately thought of Joe Di.
There were four people tested for third-grade Immortal Alchemist yesterday. The two before him failed, and after he left, there was Joe Di. If anyone other than him passed, it had to be Joe Di.
"Steward Lü, was that alchemist Joe Di?" Yan Jue asked, uncertain.
In his view, Joe Di couldn't possibly have passed. Within two hours, Joe Di had to complete both a medicinal theory exam and refine a batch of Profound Origin Pills... and judging by his demeanor, Joe Di didn't seem like a very skilled alchemist.
"Yes, yes, that's him. Do you know where he lives?" Steward Lü asked eagerly.
As the top pill tower in Cauldron Haven, Steward Lü naturally knew that two alchemists had passed the third-grade Immortal Alchemist assessment at yesterday's alchemy conference.
"Joe Di also passed the Immortal Alchemist assessment?" Yan Jue asked instinctively.
Steward Lü confirmed, "Of course. Not only did Joe Di pass, he refined a top-grade Profound Origin Pill. Most of his pills were superior Profound Origin Pills."
"That's impossible! Joe Di hadn't taken the assessment before, and he still had to spend time on the medicinal theory exam," Yan Jue said in disbelief.
Steward Lü's tone grew cold. "What's impossible? Joe Di scored ninety-nine points on the medicinal theory exam. Only the last question was wrong—the rest were all correct."
He was a little displeased. If Joe Di were mediocre, he wouldn't care, but because Joe Di's results were outstanding, he kept thinking about him, hoping he wouldn't go to another pill tower. Yet, Joe Di hadn't come to Grand Cauldron Apothecary for the assessment today. In his mind, since Joe Di and Yan Jue took the exam together, they must know each other.
"Steward Lü, did you say Joe Di scored ninety-nine on the medicinal theory exam in the alchemy conference? He didn't get any points on the last question?" The short middle-aged cultivator suddenly stood up, asking in astonishment.
"That's right, Steward Shen..." Steward Lü replied, puzzled by the man's reaction.
The middle-aged man called Steward Shen was visibly excited. He had come to Grand Cauldron Apothecary for other matters, but unexpectedly learned something extremely important.
Steward Lü didn't understand the significance of the last question on the medicinal theory exam, but Steward Shen knew it well. That question was set by the Young Palace Lord, and any alchemist who answered it without using Decision Stone might be the one he was searching for.
Although he hadn't seen Joe Di's test paper, if Joe Di didn't score on the last question, it clearly meant he hadn't used Decision Stone. Anyone who used Decision Stone would not get zero on that question.
The trap in that question was unknown even to some of the examiners at the alchemy conference. The one who set the question was Elder Luan of Star Demon Palace, the top Alchemy Sovereign. If Joe Di scored ninety-nine, he was certainly not an ignorant alchemist. Not using Decision Stone for the last question meant Joe Di was very likely the alchemist the Young Palace Lord was looking for.