Translator: Silavin
Facing those predatory gazes, Qin Yichen seemed to ‘cower’ timidly, shrinking his head. Seeing this, several Senior Apprentices could not help but snicker.
Confronted by a Two Stars Apprentice whose eyes flashed with hidden intentions, Bian Lingzhu’s delicate brows furrowed. Finally, she turned her gaze towards Qin Yichen as if seeking help.
“Hmm?” Noticing Bian Lingzhu looking elsewhere, Xiu Shashu followed her gaze. Upon realising it was Qin Yichen standing at the back, he could not help but sneer, saying to the remaining Senior Apprentices, “Alright, quickly take them over. Bullying newcomers, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at by others? Stop dawdling here.”
Subsequently, the Senior Apprentices led Qin Yichen and the others into the Alchemy Tower.
Upon entering the Alchemy Tower, instead of the expected confined space, they found themselves in a hall as vast as a huge square. Under the guidance of Xiu Shashu and other Senior Apprentices, Qin Yichen and his group directly followed a passage in the hall.
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, they still had not reached the Dormitory. This caused some of the New Apprentices to ask questions in confusion. However, to their inquiries, Xiu Shashu and the other Senior Apprentices only responded with ‘gentle’ smiles, not directly answering but repeating simple phrases like ‘we’re almost there’.
The Senior Apprentices’ evasive answers made the New Apprentices even more uneasy. However, being new to the Alchemy Tower and knowing nothing, they could only follow these Senior Apprentices.
Walking at the end of the line, Qin Yichen looked at this passage, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth. This was not the way to the One Star Dormitory at all, but the path to the gambling arena!
Sure enough, after walking for some time, a spacious area appeared before everyone. In this area, there were nearly a hundred stone platforms, each with two Pill Furnaces about one metre high.
“Alright, Junior Brothers, now we’ll give you your first lesson in the Alchemy Tower.” After arriving here, Xiu Shashu stopped. A Senior One Star Apprentice directly walked up to a stone platform and said to Qin Yichen and the others with a smile.
“That Junior Brother, you look in good spirits. Insert your Alchemy Card there and come up.”
The One Star Apprentice on the stone platform pointed to a slot in front of the platform, speaking to Qin Yichen who wore a face of kind smiles.
His eyes gleamed as he looked at Qin Yichen, like a predator eyeing a Lamb ready for slaughter.
Hearing his words, many Senior Apprentices felt a pang of regret, having been beaten to the punch.
“It’s fine, New Apprentices entering the gambling arena for the first time can keep five Contribution Points. At worst, we can invite him again in a few days.” Several Senior Apprentices thought to themselves, then turned their gazes to examine the other New Apprentices, looking for the easiest targets.
At this moment, Qin Yichen, like a naive youth, obediently inserted his Alchemy Card into the slot, then with a polite and kind smile, curiously stepped onto the stone platform.
*Ding!* As soon as Qin Yichen leapt onto the stone platform, the Senior Apprentice on the platform also inserted his Alchemy Card into the slot on the side. Instantly, a crisp sound rang out.
Then, a voice that made several New Apprentices’ faces change colour sounded mechanically. “New Apprentice Qin Yichen, you have accepted the challenge of One Star Apprentice Yang Yang, with a wager of five Contribution Points. Given your Apprentice levels, this challenge will test the refinement of a Second Grade Pill, the Qi Bursting Pill.”
“In the duel, both parties can use Spiritual Energy to interfere with the opponent’s Pill Furnace, but may not attack the opponent directly. The first to successfully refine the Pill wins. The winner will gain five Contribution Points from the opponent, and one point will be deducted for material usage.”
Hearing the mechanical voice’s introduction, the New Apprentices immediately understood why the Senior Apprentices had led them here with smiles on their faces – they were after the Contribution Points in their Alchemy Cards!
Then, from the centre of the stone platform, two sets of materials for the Qi Bursting Pill rose up.
“Qin Yichen, you’ve heard the introduction, so I won’t explain further, *hehe…*” The Senior Apprentice opposite Qin Yichen directly took a set of materials and walked to the Pill Furnace, saying to Qin Yichen with a grin.
In response to his words, Qin Yichen also smiled mysteriously, and following suit, took the materials and walked to the opposite Pill Furnace.
“Both Apprentices ready, duel countdown, ten, nine, eight… three, two, one, begin!”
As soon as this mechanical voice finished, the barrier on the Pill Furnaces in front of Qin Yichen and his opponent disappeared. The duel has officially begun!
Tricking New Apprentices onto the gambling platform had been an unspoken rule in the Alchemy Tower for many years.
“Hehe, even after deducting for materials, I’ll still earn four Contribution Points. Not bad, not bad.”
Yang Yang was as pleased as if he had found a treasure, his face beaming with joy. He skillfully threw the materials in his hand into the Pill Furnace and began the refinement process.
“This Yang Yang, he’s actually taking it seriously. Does he want to finish off that kid and then snatch another one?” Seeing what Yang Yang was doing, the Senior Apprentices below could not help but mutter among themselves.
“This kid is really unlucky, being the first to be cut. I guess he hasn’t even realised what’s happening yet?”
“Oh? He’s started too. This kid’s reaction speed isn’t bad.”
Seeing Qin Yichen also throw his materials into the Pill Furnace, a flash of surprise appeared in the eyes of several Senior Apprentices. However, it was only for a moment. In their view, New Apprentices were just meat on the chopping board, especially this kid who got out of the last carriage and ranked last in the Alchemy Tower Test.
At this time, in a room above the gambling arena, the examiner was staying with several Alchemy Tower Instructors who managed the arena. Looking at the scene below that was unfolding just like in previous years, several Instructors felt extremely bored.
“This kid doesn’t look eighteen yet, right? He’s so young. To think he has managed to enter the Alchemy Tower.”
“En, not bad, not bad. Let’s hope he does not get completely discouraged after this setback.”
Looking at Qin Yichen on the stone platform, a flash of surprise also appeared in the eyes of several Instructors.
“Ahem, well, Old He, you guys watch Apprentices gamble everyday, don’t your hands itch to join?” At this moment, the examiner coughed lightly and said to these Instructors.
“What? Does the new examiner want to bet with us?”
“What are we betting on? Quickly, tell us.”
Hearing his words, the Instructor called Old He and the others’ eyes flashed with delight, and one Instructor could not help but directly call out to start the bet.
“Well, that kid called Qin Yichen, I bet he wins.” The examiner said, a hint of a smile flashing in the depths of his eyes.
“Him? Haha… Alright! I bet one hundred Contribution Points! Do you dare to accept?”
“Count me in for a hundred too!”
Hearing the examiner’s words, the Instructors in the room could not help but shout.