A gilded invitation landed in Ye Chen's hand, five gilded characters clearly visible—
Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly!
"Alchemy Assembly?"
Ye Chen's sword-like brows slightly furrowed. Seeing it was an alchemy assembly piqued his interest. Opening the invitation, he saw it was resplendent with gold light, lines of gilded script appearing within, dancing like dragons and phoenixes, vivid on the surface.
The meaning of the invitation was simple: the Tian Du Continent's once-every-ten-years alchemy grand event for the younger generation was about to be held in one year. This invitation was specially sent to warmly invite the young alchemy geniuses of this generation from Xia Feng Kingdom to participate in the alchemy feast, to share alchemy experiences and grow together.
If it were just that, it would be one thing, but the origin of this invitation was anything but simple—it was an invitation to the alchemy grand event issued by a force from the continent's center, the Alchemy God Hall.
And the three words 'Alchemy God Hall' caused Ye Chen's gaze to noticeably sharpen.
On the Tian Du Continent, a hundred kingdoms stood tall, three Great Emperors dominated, but the forces present were far from simple, consisting only of various dynasties, major kingdoms, or even the three empires of the central region. There also existed numerous powerful top-tier forces.
The influence of some of these supreme forces was not inferior to that of the one hundred and eight kingdoms. Forces like Tian Du Academy, Martial God Hall, and the Demonic Beast Mountain Range even stood above them, rivaling the three empires.
The Alchemy God Hall was similarly an extraordinary ancient force. Its numbers might not be vast, but the power it commanded made even the three empires and the great academy treat it with gravity.
Because this was the holy land for alchemists on the Tian Du Continent!
If the Alchemist Heart Palace was the gathering place for alchemists in Xia Feng Kingdom, then this Alchemy God Hall was the gathering place for almost all alchemists across the entire Tian Du Continent, possessing nearly all of the continent's most top-tier alchemy masters.
Precisely because of this, the terrifying influence of the Alchemy God Hall was something the Alchemist Heart Palace could not compare to, with an immense gap between them.
If the Alchemist Heart Palace could command respect from the Xia Feng Kingdom's royal family, then the Alchemy God Hall was a force that none of the one hundred and eight kingdoms on the Tian Du Continent dared to provoke, a force that even the mighty three empires and the great academy needed to treat with utmost respect.
Every alchemist was an existence capable of summoning wind and rain, able to call upon a group of powerful experts for assistance at any time. The Alchemy God Hall gathered nearly all alchemists; one could imagine its power to summon experts.
However, wanting to join the Alchemy God Hall wasn't as simple as just being an alchemist. Those One-Star Alchemists were at most the lowest-level peripheral members. Only by reaching the level of a Two-Star Alchemist or above did one qualify to become a true member of the Alchemy God Hall.
Precisely because of this, the Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly, the younger generation alchemy grand event held by the Alchemy God Hall every ten years, also possessed extremely high value, attracting countless young alchemy geniuses to participate.
Because at each Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Grand Event, some true alchemy masters from the Alchemy God Hall would appear. Sometimes they would give guidance, and occasionally, on a whim, even take on some young alchemists as disciples.
Once one became a disciple of these alchemy masters, even if only a nominal disciple, because of the reputation of the master above them, they would inevitably soar to great heights from then on, ascending to the heavens in a single step.
Such an opportunity was not something everyone could obtain, which was why each Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly was a peak grand event, with countless young alchemists frantically joining the alchemy competition.
Although the vast majority were only of ordinary skill, they still wanted to show their faces, holding onto a sliver of hope that luck would descend from the heavens, and some alchemy master would take a fancy to them, allowing them to ascend in a single step.
Of course, there had been examples of this happening. There had been times when an alchemy master, in a good mood, took a fancy to some young person with unremarkable alchemy skill and accepted them as a disciple.
But such examples were undoubtedly extremely rare. In the vast majority of cases, it was impossible, but that didn't stop countless young people from going crazy over it.
Ye Chen glanced at it, giving this ancient force, the Alchemy God Hall, a few more looks, but he wasn't the least bit interested in the actual Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly.
Shuangshuang, however, had a rather fervent gaze. That was a true alchemy grand event. Although it was only for the younger generation, it would gather over half of the alchemists from the entire continent, as many alchemists also wanted to select one or two disciples with alchemy talent from it.
The Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly was like a treasure-gathering place. The young alchemy geniuses that the Alchemy God Hall didn't fancy were often the alchemy geniuses valued by other alchemists, who could inherit their legacies.
And Shuangshuang also hoped to stand out from the crowd. Even if she wasn't valued by those top alchemy masters of the Alchemy God Hall, she at least hoped to be noticed by a Three-Star Alchemy Master.
Regarding this point, Li Yun did not stop her. He knew Shuangshuang's alchemy talent was extraordinary and didn't want it buried in his hands, hoping she could receive guidance from more formidable alchemists.
Although he had thought of Sir Qian, he shook his head, feeling that was impossible. Moreover, he didn't want to risk Sir Qian's displeasure by making an introduction.
Li Yun said, "The Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly, the alchemy grand event held every ten years on the Tian Du Continent, is a grand event that only young generation alchemy geniuses are qualified to participate in. It will focus on and bring forth the continent's true alchemy masters, making it a rare alchemy feast."
"Although our Xia Feng Kingdom's Alchemist Heart Palace gets the chance to participate each time, our results have always been mediocre, even disastrous several times, not taken seriously by others."
"This time, I originally wanted to send Shuangshuang to participate in the grand event. After all, with Shuangshuang's alchemy talent, which is rarely seen in our Xia Feng Kingdom's history, although she is still young, her participation this time should yield better results than before. However, this time I also hope Young Friend Ye Chen can participate."
At this point, his gaze grew fervent. Having heard Ye Chen's verbal guidance at the Ye family, he deeply knew that this youth before him was absolutely extraordinary in alchemy.
If he also participated in this Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Grand Event, he would surely achieve notable results for Xia Feng Kingdom. Even if not top ten, Li Yun estimated top thirty was possible.
Shuangshuang also widened her beautiful eyes, looking at Ye Chen, clearly having considerable anticipation for Ye Chen's potential participation in this auction grand event.
But Ye Chen shook his head: "Sorry, I have no interest in this kind of children's alchemy assembly."
When saying this, he seemed to forget that in this life, he was only a twenty-six-year-old youth, not much older than the 'children' he spoke of.
Shuangshuang's apricot eyes widened in shock. Li Yun was also quite stunned—aren't you just a young man too?
Only then did Ye Chen realize his slip of the tongue, but he shook his head without explaining. With his combined age from two lifetimes, even Li Yun might not compare. Participating in this alchemy assembly full of what he saw as little brats would just be asking for boredom, wouldn't it?
Moreover, given his alchemy strength, those so-called alchemy masters of the Alchemy God Hall on this Tian Du Continent weren't qualified to guide him.
Li Yun smiled wryly. He knew that with Ye Chen's temperament, there was a ninety percent chance he wouldn't participate. This youth, clearly only twenty-six or twenty-seven, still with a touch of childishness, yet displayed maturity in many aspects, often making Li Yun feel like he was interacting with a peer, which was very strange.
"Young Friend Ye Chen, although you won't participate in this Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly, I hope you can trouble yourself to look after Shuangshuang when the time comes," Li Yun said.
Ye Chen nodded. The location of the Dragon-Phoenix Alchemy Assembly was actually in the continent's center, and Tian Du Academy was also there. Li Yun deduced that Ye Chen would definitely pass this enrollment trial, hence this request.
And Ye Chen's impression of Shuangshuang wasn't bad, so he didn't mind looking after her a bit when the time came.
After Ye Chen left, Shuangshuang couldn't help but say, "Teacher, is this Ye Chen really that amazing? But his alchemy insight is indeed sharp, seeing through the flaws in my alchemy just now at a glance."
Li Yun shook his head and sighed, "Disciple, don't underestimate Ye Chen. His master, Sir Qian, is extraordinary. The reason I was able to reach the level of a Two-Star Alchemist is also because of Sir Qian. The Spirit Refining Method you cultivate was bestowed upon me by Sir Qian. Moreover, I can sense that Ye Chen's alchemy strength is not much inferior to mine at all. If you truly underestimate him, that would be the biggest mistake."
Shuangshuang was dumbfounded. She hadn't expected Ye Chen's teacher, Sir Qian, to be so formidable.
As an alchemist, she deeply knew how difficult it was to advance from a One-Star Alchemist to a Two-Star Alchemist. Otherwise, among so many alchemists in the Alchemist Heart Palace, there wouldn't be only a scant five Two-Star Alchemists.
As for the Spirit Refining Method, that cultivation secret art hailed as a divine treasure for alchemists, it was a priceless treasure.
She had cultivated it, so she deeply knew the importance of the Spirit Refining Method, but she never expected it was all bestowed upon her teacher by Ye Chen's master, Sir Qian.
Ye Chen, just who was he?
After leaving the Alchemist Heart Palace, Ye Chen returned to the Gravity Pagoda to cultivate. When he appeared at Xia Feng Academy, many students from afar cast looks of awe and reverence at him, because of the previous Power Monument test, and even more because of the frenzied slaughter of demonic beasts on the Demon-Suppressing City battlefield and stopping that turmoil.
Ye Chen paid them little mind, quietly cultivating in seclusion within the nine-story Gravity Pagoda. Although the ninefold gravity's effect on him was much less than before, this place seemed to have become his dedicated cultivation ground.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. The highly anticipated auction grand event had arrived. Ye Chen rose from his cultivation, left the Gravity Pagoda, gazed into the distance at that Heavenly God Auction House in the royal capital, slowly let out a long breath, and softly said, "Is it finally about to begin?"