Starting as a supporting character in Doupo

After all, he wanted to tie himself to the Black Skull Tomb. Seeing how he was behaving, he must have thought that he had seen a wider world, which is why he was trying so hard to take on missions and wanted to integrate into it.

However, unbeknownst to them, everything Xiao Fan did was a facade.

Because the Eagle Protector is still here, Xiao Fan has no way to leave and find an opportunity to infiltrate Canaan Academy. As for the soul imprint of the Eagle Protector in his mind, Xiao Fan is still unable to remove it. Not only has he not found a way to remove it for the time being, but if he removes it now, the Eagle Protector will realize that his imprint has disappeared and will naturally not let Xiao Fan go.

Now, after a month of performance, it seems that Protector Eagle has put aside his concerns.

"Don't worry, I have a new mission and need to leave for the time being. You will stay here from now on."

Inside the Eagle Protector's room, the Eagle Protector looked at Xiao Fan with satisfaction, his calm voice echoing in the space.

A hint of joy flashed in Xiao Fan's eyes. He suppressed his emotions, frowned, and asked softly, "How long will it take?" He feigned concern that his backer was about to leave.

Seeing Xiao Fan's worried expression, Protector Eagle understood that Xiao Fan wasn't worried about his own safety, but rather that he would be targeted in the Black Skull Tomb after he left. This only showed that Xiao Fan had gradually integrated into the group.

Eagle Protector paced around the room with satisfaction. After all, his goal was to make this kid rely on him. His physique was special, and his future achievements were immense. He was a trump card for turning the tide, and he had to keep him firmly on his chariot.

The Eagle Protector turned to look at Xiao Fan and said "kindly," "Don't worry, although I've left, they won't dare do anything to you. The identity token I gave you is your protection; no one will dare harm you. You can stay in the Black Skull Tomb and continue your cultivation." Then become my pawn. The Eagle Protector naturally wouldn't be foolish enough to say the second half of the sentence.

Seeing Xiao Fan nod in understanding, Protector Eagle waved him away. After all, summoning Xiao Fan was merely a means of winning him over. What truly mattered was the matter at hand...

Back in his room, a hint of pleasure flashed in Xiao Fan's eyes. In his opinion, spending a month in the Black Skull Tomb was extremely tedious, not only wasting time but also not contributing much to the improvement of his cultivation.

"Ding! New mission: Head to Canaan Academy! Mission rewards: Voidbreaker weapon, 3000 Source Coins, 100 Experience Points, 100 Battle Qi Points."

The system's voice rang in Xiao Fan's ears at just the right moment, and the joy in Xiao Fan's eyes grew even stronger.

Now, everything is ready. After the Eagle Guardian leaves the Black Skull Tomb, I will use the excuse of receiving a mission to go out and find a suitable opportunity to go to the peaceful town where Canaan Academy is located.

Chapter 82 The Alchemist Tournament

Dou Qi Continent, Jia Ma Empire, Imperial Capital!

Just as Xiao Fan was waiting for an opportunity to leave the Black Skull Tomb, there was only one month left until Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran's three-year agreement.

The Gama Empire also ushered in a grand event—the Alchemist Conference.

The alchemist competition square was bustling with activity.

Countless spectators sat around the main square, their eyes fixed on the massive steps erected in the center. These steps, several meters above the ground, allowed the surrounding stands a clear view of each alchemist's performance. On the steps, over two thousand alchemists had taken their designated positions, awaiting the referee's whistle to begin.

In the very center of the stone platform, there were more than ten positions that were higher than those of the other contestants. These positions were specially prepared for the contestants who had passed the internal selection of the Alchemist Guild and achieved outstanding results.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, all the contestants arrived at their respective positions.

"In my capacity as the president of the Alchemists' Guild of the Gama Empire, I hereby declare the Seventh Alchemists' Conference to begin!"

The voice of Fa Ma, the president of the Alchemists Guild of the Gama Empire, amplified by his battle aura, easily resonated throughout the bustling conference venue, reaching the ears of every spectator.

"boom!"

The stadium erupted in cheers, which resounded throughout the entire capital city.

The first round of the Alchemist Tournament has officially begun.

More than two thousand alchemists lit fires and refined pills at their respective positions, which greatly impressed the spectators around them.

After all, alchemists hold a prestigious position in the Dou Qi Continent and are rarely seen on ordinary days. Now, thousands of alchemists have gathered together to refine pills, with all sorts of flames rising and a rich medicinal fragrance filling the air, making the surrounding audience feel that the trip was worthwhile.

A giant hourglass stands next to the square. The first round of the test is to successfully deduce the formula for the second-level pill "Bone-Growing Pill" from the incomplete pill formula given by the Alchemist Guild before the hourglass runs out, and successfully refine the pill.

The organizers prepared only two doses of medicinal herbs for each contestant; failure would result in elimination.

As the last sand in the hourglass fell, one-third of the alchemists on the plaza failed to successfully refine the correct "Bone-Regenerating Pill," and the alchemy tables in front of them emitted dazzling red beams of light, signifying their failure in this alchemist competition.

The second round of the competition simply requires participants to successfully refine the pills according to the recipes provided by the Alchemist Guild.

Everyone was surprised when they saw the exam questions in front of them.

It's not that it's too difficult, it's that it's too easy.

According to the formula, alchemists can generally succeed in refining pills successfully, as long as the formula is not too difficult.

On one of the special platforms in the middle, Xiao Yan stared at the pill formula in front of him, feeling something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Xiao Yan refined and fused the pill without any problems, but at the very last moment before it was completed, the pill inside turned into pitch-black dregs, which meant that Xiao Yan's refining attempt had failed.

Xiao Yan's failure was not the first; many alchemists around him had failed, and none of them had figured out why they had failed.

"The recipe for this pill provided by the organizers must be fake!"

"How is that possible? I didn't make a single mistake. I followed the prescription exactly."

Only in an inconspicuous corner of the alchemy platform, a person dressed in a gray robe with a badge pinned to his chest, and a sun slowly rising from the horizon, stood, bearing the badge of the Izumo Empire, the enemy of the Gama Empire.

"Hmph! These little tricks again..." A faint voice came from his mouth, and then he skillfully began to refine the medicine. His skillful technique increased the pressure on the surrounding alchemists, who showed envious expressions. However, when they saw the emblem of the Izumo Empire on his chest, their expressions immediately turned into disdain and hatred.

In the VIP section, Fa Ma stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the gray-robed youth. He said with a puzzled look, "Such skillful techniques are something even many third-grade alchemists don't possess. Without decades of alchemy experience, it would be absolutely impossible to master them. But I've never heard of such an alchemy genius emerging from the Chuyun Empire. And why would they be so confident in sending such a genius to participate in the Alchemist Conference?"

His gaze then shifted to Xiao Yan and the others.

"You little ones, you absolutely mustn't let your guard down..."

Most people guessed that the champion of this year's Alchemist Conference would be either the little princess of the Jia Ma Empire, Liu Ling of the Yunlan Sect, or the biggest dark horse, Yan Xiao.

After all, the little princess's alchemy skills were renowned far and wide, Liu Ling was the personal disciple of Gu He, the Pill King of the Jia Ma Empire, and Yan Xiao had only come to the attention of many high-ranking officials of the empire because he had solved the strange poison that even Gu He had troubled the head of the Nalan family. Everyone had high hopes for the three of them.

On the stands, Nalan Yanran watched the many alchemists who looked at each other like stunned fools after their failed attempts, and said softly, "Although I am not an alchemist, I know that following the pill formula can greatly increase the success rate of alchemy. But it seems that not only the other alchemists, but even Liu Ling and the little princess have failed."

Not far from Nalan Yanran, Yao Ye casually crossed her long, beautiful legs over one leg, her small feet swinging freely. Observing the strange atmosphere in the square, she said in a peculiar tone, "This test question seems to contain a hidden mystery."

Back on the refining table, looking at the ashes in his cauldron, Xiao Yan carefully considered his refining process.

“My alchemy technique is fine; the only problem lies in the formula…” Xiao Yan carefully considered the formula provided by the conference and quickly discovered the conflicting properties of the ingredients.

"Is that so..."

As the dark horse of the Alchemist Conference, Xiao Yan received no shortage of attention. His failed alchemy attempt drew the attention of the surrounding alchemists.

"Even Rock Owl failed to refine it?"

The surrounding alchemists looked at the medicinal herbs that had turned to ashes in Yan Xiao's cauldron, and many of them said with disappointment.

"Hehe, a bunch of trash. The alchemists of the Gama Empire are nothing special. It looks like the second round champion is mine."

Just when everyone was disappointed, a sarcastic voice gradually rang out on the alchemy platform.

"Who?"

"Who is speaking?"

"It was him, a spy from the Izumo Empire."

The surrounding alchemists quickly identified the speaker as the young man from the Izumo Empire, dressed in a gray robe. Many alchemists were furious at his words but had no way to refute them.

"Not always!"

Yan Xiao's calm voice rang out, followed by a confident smile as he looked at the gray-robed youth.

"Heh, so what if you've discovered it now? Your speed in refining medicinal herbs still can't match mine. This first place is definitely going to be mine, the Izumo Empire."

"hehe..."

Xiao Yan did not reply, but chuckled faintly. Then, a cyan flame lit up from his palm.

"This...blue flame?"

As the azure flame appeared, the flames in the cauldrons of the numerous alchemists on the alchemy platform all bent slightly towards the direction of Xiao Yan's flame. It was as if they were paying homage, eliciting gasps of amazement from the alchemists and spectators alike.

"What...what's going on?"

"Are these flames... in worship? Do flames have life?"

In the VIP section, Fa Ma gazed at the azure flame in Xiao Yan's palm and murmured, "A strange fire! So it's real..."

Liu Ling and the little princess, who were not far from Xiao Yan, were also surprised by the strange fire that Xiao Yan suddenly used.

"Wasn't the internal assessment just his full potential?"

With the appearance of Xiao Yan's strange fire, the speed of refining medicinal materials also increased significantly. The surrounding alchemists also stopped what they were doing. Anyway, if they continued, they would fail to refine the medicine without finding the cause. They might as well watch the two of them fight fiercely.

Everyone at the conference was captivated by Xiao Yan and the gray-robed youth from the Chuyun Empire's crafting process.

"The alchemist from the Izumo Empire is extremely skilled, wasting not a single moment. Even though Yan Xiao has the advantage of the strange fire, he fell behind at the beginning and may still not be able to catch up." Fa Ma said softly, watching the two people in the arena skillfully extracting medicinal materials.

"Haha, even if you have a different kind of fire, it's still useless if you're behind me." The gray-robed youth scoffed, then continued his refining process. As long as he continued, even if Yan Xiao had a different kind of fire, he still wouldn't be able to catch up with him. At that time, he would be able to crush the alchemists of the Jia Ma Empire.

Two medicine cauldrons, one emitting a blue flame and the other a yellow flame, were set up. All the medicinal herbs had been placed inside, and the cauldrons were quietly awaiting the moment when the pills would be formed, drawing everyone's attention.

As time passed, a faint fragrance of medicine wafted out from the medicine cauldron the two of them.

"The Rock Owl Pill is almost ready!"

"The people from the Izumo Empire are faster!"

"No, at this rate, we won't make it." Xiao Yan glanced at the furnace in front of the gray-robed youth, his eyes narrowed, and then decisively slapped the cauldron. The pills inside, which were not yet fully formed, burst through the furnace with a blue flame.

"Reckless!" Fa Ma slammed his hand on the table in front of him in agitation at Xiao Yan's actions. "The pill isn't fully formed yet. If it comes into contact with air, the undiluted parts inside will completely disintegrate, and it will fail!"

"How dare he?" Liu Ling and the little princess were so shocked by Xiao Yan's actions that they couldn't help but exclaim.

"You're a madman!" the gray-robed youth roared excitedly at Xiao Yan's actions. To risk so much just to outpace him in the later stages of refining, Xiao Yan was, in his eyes, a complete madman.

Amidst the overwhelming roar and astonishment of the crowd, the pills Xiao Yan had sent out to his alchemy furnace, baked by the strange fire, finally took shape in the azure flames after nearly a minute, and a rich medicinal fragrance filled the venue.

"Phew...he did it!"

Looking at the young man on the refining table, everyone exclaimed with excitement and joy.