"Young Master Xiao Li, are you also here to participate in the Alchemist Convention?"
Seeing Xiao Li at the back of the line, Jia Xingtian asked with great surprise.
"So it's Elder Jia. Yes, I'm also here to participate in the Alchemist Convention." Xiao Li smiled slightly.
"In that case, let's go in and register together. With your status, there's no need for you to queue here," Jia Xingtian said.
For a dignified Dou Wang expert to participate in the Alchemist Convention, and for Fa Ma not to personally come out to greet him, that was already a big problem.
"I just arrived, so I'm not very familiar with things."
"Hahahaha, it's fine. Then you can come in with us."
Jia Xingtian was very willing to build a good relationship with Xiao Li.
No one wanted to offend a Dou Wang expert—if he knew that Xiao Li was already a Dou Huang, he would probably be shocked speechless on the spot.
The little princess Yao Yue, however, was displeased that Jia Xingtian had proactively invited Xiao Li to join them.
"Great-grandfather, who is he? Why did you ask him to come along?"
The little girl didn't know Xiao Li, so she naturally acted arrogantly and didn't need to consider Xiao Li's feelings.
After all, she was a little princess; others had always been the ones to consider her feelings.
"Little Yue'er, don't be rude. This is Young Master Xiao Li, be polite," Jia Xingtian reprimanded her in a low voice.
Yao Yue stuck out her small tongue, not caring.
"Moreover, Young Master Xiao Li is also participating in the Alchemist Convention. If you're not more polite, be careful that Young Master Xiao Li might bully you until you cry in alchemy," Jia Xingtian said playfully, a rare occurrence.
"Hmph, hmph, I'm a Third-Grade Alchemist. It's not certain who will bully whom," Yao Yue said, her delicate chin raised, her small face full of defiance.
"Is that so? Then how about we make a bet to see whose alchemy is stronger?" Xiao Li also became interested in this tsundere loli.
Yao Yue and Green Scale were similar in age, but their temperaments were completely different.
Green Scale was a maid, accustomed to harsh conditions, with a timid, introverted, and quiet personality.
Yao Yue, on the other hand, was a princess who had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, carefree, mischievous, and charmingly pretty, possessing a unique allure.
This was the result of different environments.
"Why should I compete with you?" Yao Yue wasn't stupid; she wouldn't foolishly agree to compete with a stranger.
"You are the little princess of the Jia Ma Royal Family, with astonishing alchemy talent. Don't you want to prove it to your great-grandfather?" Xiao Li coaxed.
Yao Yue's eyes darted around; she was actually thinking.
Finally, she was moved: "Alright, then we'll compete!"
The little girl had a bit of cunning, but only a bit.
"So what's the stake?"
"Whoever loses agrees to one arbitrary request from the other, how about that?" Xiao Li continued to set the trap.
"Alright, it's a deal!" Yao Yue agreed without thinking.
Because she thought she was very powerful, and Xiao Li, this guy who appeared out of nowhere, definitely couldn't compare to her.
Jia Xingtian just smiled from the side and didn't interject.
He knew Xiao Li was setting a trap for Yao Yue, but not only did he not object, he was actually happy to see such a situation.
That little girl Yao Yue, relying on her alchemy talent, was usually too disobedient; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was arrogant, and few people could keep her in check.
Now that Xiao Li was willing to play with this little girl, it could just temper her arrogance and let her know that there are always people stronger than oneself.
Furthermore, regarding Xiao Li, his willingness to bet with Yao Yue was also a good thing for Jia Xingtian.
It could bring him closer to Xiao Li, with all benefits and no harm.
"Hehe, you're bound to lose." Yao Yue was already gloating, skipping towards the Alchemist Guild, her twin pigtails bouncing with her.
"Elder Jia, don't you think I'm bullying this girl too much?" Xiao Li said with a smile.
"Hahahaha, it's her honor that Young Master Xiao Li is interested in betting with little Yue'er. It's good for her to see that there are always people stronger than oneself," Jia Xingtian laughed.
The two then officially entered the Alchemist Guild... Inside the Guild, staff members were engaging with those who came to register, and it was bustling.
As soon as Xiao Li and the others entered, someone came specifically to greet them.
"Elder Jia, little princess, you've arrived." Fa Ma personally came to greet them.
"Yes, bringing the little girl to register."
The appearance of Jia Xingtian and Yao Yue was within Fa Ma's expectations.
But Xiao Li, who was beside them, was truly unexpected to Fa Ma.
"Young Master Xiao Li? You've also come."
"Yes, I'm also here to participate in the Alchemist Convention. President Fa Ma shouldn't mind, right?" Xiao Li said with a smile.
Fa Ma took a while to recover, his smile becoming even brighter: "Young Master Xiao Li is joking. All who come are guests; we never refuse any Alchemist."
News from the Mittel Family indicated that Xiao Li was a Fifth-Grade Alchemist.
But no one had personally seen him refine medicine or provided any strong proof.
If he could use this Alchemist Convention to prove that Xiao Li was indeed a Fifth-Grade Alchemist, it would be perfectly justifiable.
As for whether it would be a dimensionality reduction strike against other contestants... it was fair competition; if one's skills were inferior, no one could blame anyone else.
As long as Xiao Li met the conditions for participating in the competition, the Alchemist Guild had no reason to interfere... With a specially opened route, the registration process was quickly completed.
The requirement for this Alchemist Convention was that only people under thirty could participate, and the method for testing age was bone age measurement.
Xiao Li's bone age was nineteen.
This secretly startled both Jia Xingtian and Fa Ma.
A nineteen-year-old Dou Wang, this was too monstrous.
They had originally guessed that Xiao Li only looked young on the outside, but his actual age must be considerable, possibly even a person in their forties or fifties disguised.
After all, in the Jia Ma Empire, reaching Dou Wang at thirty was already considered a genius.
But Xiao Li was actually only nineteen, which was simply too monstrous!
"Hmph, hmph, just wait until then to admit defeat!" Yao Yue was unaware of Xiao Li's identity; she just wanted the Alchemist Convention to start quickly so she could thoroughly defeat Xiao Li and see him cry bitterly.
"Alright," Xiao Li smiled.
"The official competition begins in three days. We look forward to your performances," Fa Ma said with a beaming smile.
In fact, they were more looking forward to Xiao Li's performance.
If he truly was a Fifth-Grade Alchemist, then he would be the youngest Fifth-Grade Alchemist in the entire Jia Ma Empire.
This title would make a resounding name not only in the Jia Ma Empire but also in several surrounding empires.
"Alright, we'll see each other in three days."
Xiao Li didn't linger and turned to leave.
Registration was over; next, he had to start preparing the materials for alchemy.
The most direct way to prepare materials was to buy them.
But Xiao Li didn't need to—he possessed the 'Small World: Realm of Growth,' which allowed him to grow medicinal herbs himself.
Medicinal herbs could be completely self-sufficient!
...