"Tell me about the Tongsheng Gate."
Ye Yunfei walked alongside Huang Shang on the streets of Small Alchemy City.
"The Tongsheng Gate is a faction focused primarily on alchemy. It can be said that the most outstanding alchemists in the entire Eastern Region are within the Tongsheng Gate. Therefore, the gate's status in the Eastern Region is extremely high. Because every single faction, regardless of which one, needs to request pills from the Tongsheng Gate," Huang Shang explained.
"Hmm." Ye Yunfei nodded.
Indeed, in the world of martial artists, the status of alchemists was extraordinarily high.
"In fact, the true power of the Tongsheng Gate is not much inferior to even that of the Three Saints. Furthermore, there is absolutely no faction in the entire Eastern Region whose wealth can compare to that of the Tongsheng Gate. With a large number of alchemists, the wealth they generate is staggering," Huang Shang added.
"I estimate that the current Tongsheng Gate should have six or seven Yuan Foundation Realm experts. But, it's hard to say for sure. After all, it's been a very long time since I left. As for True Manifestation Realm experts, there should be several hundred. However, there's one point I want to remind you about. The Tongsheng Gate possesses Red-grade Spiritual Artifacts," Huang Shang said.
"I understand. I'll take the Three Crow Dark Fire and leave," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"The Three Crow Dark Fire is hidden within the Small Alchemy Tower," Huang Shang revealed.
"The Small Alchemy Tower? What is that?" Ye Yunfei inquired.
"The Small Alchemy Tower is a spiritual artifact brought out from the Alchemy Tower in the Central Region by the first generation master of the Tongsheng Gate. The Small Alchemy Tower has a total of nine floors. The interior is filled with Soul Power pressure, making it an excellent place to cultivate Soul Power. It can also be used to test whether a young person possesses aptitude for alchemy," Huang Shang explained.
"So that's how it is," Ye Yunfei nodded in understanding.
"Let's go! Let's go have a look. I heard the Tongsheng Gate is currently conducting a disciple recruitment assessment; it's supposed to be very lively."
"The Tongsheng Gate recruits disciples once every eight years. It's said that this time, many young people have come for the assessment. Well, it makes sense. Once you can enter the Tongsheng Gate and become an alchemist, it's like a carp leaping over the dragon's gate, soaring to the highest branch to become a phoenix!"
"I heard this assessment is extremely strict. Not only do they test the basics of alchemy, but in the end, you also have to enter the Small Alchemy Tower to test your alchemical talent."
...
On the street, Ye Yunfei suddenly heard waves of such discussions.
"Oh?" Ye Yunfei couldn't help but pause momentarily.
"At this time, it's possible that the high-level members of Tongsheng Gate are already stationed near the Small Alchemy Tower. Trying to force our way in might be a bit difficult. Even if you could enter the tower itself, those Yuan Foundation Realm experts would probably detect you," Huang Shang said.
"True," Ye Yunfei agreed.
After all, Yuan Foundation Realm experts possessed formidable power, and their Soul Power was also potent. Although, with Ye Yunfei's means and hidden cards, he could withdraw unscathed even if he encountered a Yuan Foundation expert. But, if a conflict arose with such experts, it would still be somewhat troublesome.
"In that case, I'll directly participate in the assessment," Ye Yunfei said after a moment of thought.
A short while later.
Ye Yunfei arrived at the location of the assessment.
A large plaza within Small Alchemy City.
At this moment, the plaza was already packed with people. Countless young people who had hurried over from all corners of the Eastern Region filled the square. There were also many spectators who had come to watch the excitement.
Several dozen platforms were set up in the center of the plaza. Those platforms were the sites of the assessment.
Currently, on each platform, over a dozen young people were simultaneously undergoing the assessment. The first stage assessed the foundations of alchemy.
"Just go over and sign up directly, then you can participate in the assessment," Huang Shang told Ye Yunfei.
"Alright." Ye Yunfei walked into the plaza, approached a platform, registered his name, and then waited for his turn to be assessed.
He saw that most of the participants were teenagers in their teens.
"Look! Sima Xuan, the young prodigy of the Sima Family, has arrived!"
Suddenly, a commotion of amazement rippled through the plaza.
A boy around fifteen years old, surrounded by a large entourage, swaggered into the plaza with great fanfare. Though young, his brow was well-shaped and handsome, his appearance outstanding, his aura extraordinary, and his face brimming with arrogance.
"I heard Sima Xuan ignited his Alchemy Fire at the age of eight, displaying astonishing alchemical talent. He became a first-grade alchemist at ten, a second-grade alchemist at thirteen, and a third-grade alchemist at fifteen!"
"Such talent is simply the most monstrous alchemical genius the Eastern Region has seen in centuries!"
"It's said that a reclusive Elder of the Tongsheng Gate has already taken Sima Xuan in as his personal disciple in advance. This assessment is merely a formality for Sima Xuan."
...
People in the plaza looked at the impressive Sima Xuan and talked animatedly among themselves.
"Mediocre," Ye Yunfei swept a glance at Sima Xuan and thought to himself.
One must know that Ye Yunfei had once been an Alchemy Venerable. Countless young, monstrously talented alchemists from across the world had yearned to become his disciple. However, Ye Yunfei had been obsessed with cultivation, single-mindedly focused on transcending the divine tribulation, and had zero interest in taking disciples. This Sima Xuan's alchemical talent, in Ye Yunfei's eyes, was actually quite ordinary.
A moment later.
It was finally Ye Yunfei's turn to go on stage for the assessment.
To his surprise, he found himself assigned to the same platform as Sima Xuan.
"Look! The gate master of the Tongsheng Gate is coming over!"
"Elder Long has come too! It is said that Elder Long was the one who took Sima Xuan in as his personal disciple in advance!"
"So many high-ranking members of the Tongsheng Gate are here! They've come to watch Sima Xuan's assessment."
"Heavens! This Sima Xuan receives too much attention! These Tongsheng Gate elders have specifically come to watch his assessment performance!"
...
Exclamations filled the plaza.
"These traitorous disciples!"
At this moment, Huang Shang suddenly spoke up with extreme fury.
"Oh? Among these high-ranking members of the Tongsheng Gate, are there your disciples?" Ye Yunfei asked.
"Gate Master Huangfu Sheng was my first disciple. And that Long Hai was my second disciple. Back then, in order to nurture these two disciples, I spent immense amounts of time and effort. To think that in the end, they actually betrayed me and tried to take my life," Huang Shang seethed with overwhelming rage, wishing he could pounce on those two rebels and fight them to the death immediately.
Ye Yunfei's gaze swept over. He saw that the gate master, Huangfu Sheng, was an elderly man in a cyan robe with three long strands of beard hanging down his chest, looking remarkably energetic and vigorous.
Long Hai, on the other hand, was tall and corpulent with a ruddy complexion.
Both were Yuan Foundation Realm experts!
Besides Huangfu Sheng and Long Hai, there was one more Yuan Foundation Realm expert present. In total, three Yuan Foundation experts of Tongsheng Gate had come.
"Elder Huang, don't act rashly for now. There will be ample time for revenge," Ye Yunfei advised.
"Alright. The assessment begins. Sima Xuan, you may proceed onto the platform," Long Hai announced loudly to Sima Xuan. His gaze towards Sima Xuan was filled with appreciation.
"Yes, Master." Sima Xuan bowed respectfully to Long Hai, then walked up onto the platform with his head held high.
"The rest of you, also go up. Don't waste time," a middle-aged man responsible for overseeing the assessment by the platform declared loudly.
Thus, another dozen or so young people walked onto the platform.
Ye Yunfei was among them.
However, everyone understood that the protagonist of this platform was Sima Xuan. The others were merely there as supporting figures.