I am an incredibly handsome man, and my fiancée refuses to call off the engagement even at the cost

Just as the second-grade alchemist surnamed Chen turned around, Mu Qinghe called out to him again, "Wait!"

The second-rank alchemist surnamed Chen immediately turned around and stood there respectfully awaiting instructions. Mu Qinghe said, "Forget it, I'll go see for myself. I've lived for eight hundred years, what kind of peerless beauty haven't I seen? I don't believe anyone can be as beautiful as you describe."

Mu Qinghe was so curious, and since he had nothing better to do, he decided to go and see for himself. So he walked out, and the other fifth-grade alchemists, just as curious as he was, stood up and followed behind him.

Mu Qinghe led several fifth-grade alchemists out in a grand procession. Seeing this spectacle, everyone stepped aside, bowing respectfully and watching them walk away. After they left, the crowd exchanged bewildered glances. What major event had occurred that required Elder Mu and all the other officials to mobilize?

Driven by curiosity, many people secretly followed behind.

Mu Qinghe and his group arrived at the main hall for the First-Rank Alchemist Examination. The guards at the entrance hurriedly bowed upon seeing them. Mu Qinghe stepped into the hall with a serious expression. Everyone inside stood up, and someone recognized him and exclaimed in surprise.

"Senior Medicine King!"

Everyone looked towards Mu Qinghe, who asked, "Which one is Li Bai?"

After he finished speaking, all eyes turned to one direction. Mu Qinghe and the others behind him saw everyone make way, and they saw a handsome young man in white looking up at them.

Jade for bones, snow for skin, flowers for appearance, and the moon for spirit; pure, noble, and unparalleled.

The moment Mu Qinghe saw the handsome young man in white, he froze, as if his heart had been struck. Huo Tiandu looked on in disbelief and amazement. Wan Yun spilled all her melon seeds. Pan Yan stared blankly, her red lips slightly parted, and the fan in her hand fell to the ground.

"Master!"

When Liu Feiyan saw her master arrive, she walked towards Mu Qinghe and said with a smile, "Master, what brings you here? Let me introduce you. This is the senior Li Bai that I mentioned to my senior sister and you."

Mu Qinghe snapped out of his reverie and looked at his young apprentice. Li Bai? Oh, I remember now. No wonder the name sounded familiar. It was him, the one who saved his two apprentices at Yunlu Mountain.

He then looked at Gu Yan, who smiled slightly and cupped her hands in a respectful gesture: "Senior Medicine King, I have long admired your name!"

Gu Yan's smile made Mu Qinghe's heart tremble again. He had lived for eight hundred years and had seen all kinds of peerless beauties, but he had never seen a peerless beauty like this before. This face was simply unfair!

If I were a few hundred years younger, I'm afraid I would have already met my end.

Having seen his share of storms, Mu Qinghe composed himself and re-examined Gu Yan. A quick scan with his divine sense revealed his pupils to be shrinking sharply – early-stage Spirit King Realm!

He was actually a master at the early stage of the Spirit King Realm!

"Brother Dao, your cultivation has reached the Spirit King Realm. I dare not accept the title of 'senior'!" Mu Qinghe returned the greeting with a cupped hand and a smile.

Spirit King Realm!!

These words were like a boulder crashing into everyone's hearts, instantly creating a storm of emotions. The Spirit King!! He was actually the Spirit King!!

Liu Feiyan stared wide-eyed at Gu Yan. He... he was the Spirit King! Heavens!

The surrounding examinees were stunned. This peerless young man in white was actually an old monster at the Spirit King realm?

Pan Yan and the other fifth-grade alchemists were just stunned by Gu Yan's beauty. Now, after hearing Mu Qinghe's words, as they observed Gu Yan, a terrifying pressure followed. Wasn't that the aura of a Spirit King? A Spirit King! He was actually a Spirit King! My God!

With celestial-level beauty and the power of a Spirit King, how blessed he is!

Wait, a Spirit King realm expert is taking the exam to become a first-grade alchemist? This... this...

I've never encountered anything like this before.

Although the candidates who come to take the exam each year vary greatly in cultivation level and age, I have never encountered a Spirit King Realm expert participating in the First-Grade Alchemist Examination before!

Those who can cultivate to this level are all old monsters. Even if such an old monster suddenly becomes interested in alchemy, he has plenty of high-level alchemists in his circle to recommend him. Getting the status of a first-grade alchemist would be easy. Why would he condescend to come and take the exam with the Alchemist Association?

"Brother Dao, you're too kind. Although I'm stronger than you, I'm afraid there are still many things I need to learn from you in the art of alchemy," Gu Yan said with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist is too modest. You once saved two of my little disciples, and I haven't thanked you yet," Mu Qinghe said with a smile.

"It was nothing," Gu Yan said with a smile. "By the way, I heard we'll know the results right after the exam. Did I pass?"

"Fellow Daoist, you're quite the joker. If you can't pass, who can?" Mu Qinghe laughed.

"So I've passed the exam. Can I take the second-grade alchemist exam?" Gu Yan asked.

"Fellow Daoist, you are able to cure the poison of the Ghost-Faced Spider, and your alchemy skills far surpass those of ordinary alchemists. You could directly participate in the fifth-grade alchemist assessment. However, the fifth-grade alchemist assessment has already begun. How about this, I will give you a question on the spot. Passing it will be extremely qualified. Would you be willing?" Mu Qinghe said.

Gu Yan nodded: "Okay, please give me the question."

"Then please, fellow Daoist, refine the fifth-grade pill, the Purple Jade Nine Returns Pill, within twelve hours," Mu Qinghe said.

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but whisper among themselves. A fifth-grade pill, the Purple Jade Nine-Return Pill, had to be successfully refined within twelve hours? Wasn't that too difficult? Wasn't the assessment for fifth-grade pills supposed to take at least seven days? Was Senior Medicine King deliberately making things difficult for them?

Making things difficult for a Spirit King realm expert... that doesn't seem logical, does it?

Although these alchemy apprentices had low alchemy skills, they still had common sense. For example, the higher the grade of the pill, the longer the refining time usually was, and the more skilled the alchemist, the shorter the time it took to refine the same kind of pill.

Pan Yan and the others looked at each other. They knew that Mu Qinghe would not make things difficult for a Spirit King Realm expert and cause trouble for himself. In other words, he believed that this Senior Li in front of him was definitely capable of refining the Purple Jade Nine Return Pill within the time limit he set.

"No problem," Gu Yan said with a smile.

With a wave of his hand, Gu Yan unleashed a flash of purple light, and a purple alchemy furnace appeared before him. Upon seeing the furnace, Mu Qinghe and the others beside him, including Pan Yan, exclaimed, "What a magnificent furnace!"

Such a high-quality alchemy furnace is rare even in the entire Ruohe Empire. Anyone who possesses such a furnace must be no ordinary alchemist.

Gu Yan waved her hand again, and one after another, spiritual herbs floated in mid-air. After the herbs appeared, the lid of the alchemy furnace opened automatically, and the herbs transformed into beams of colorful light that flew into the furnace. Then, the furnace released purple flames, and the entire hall suddenly became extremely hot.

Under the scorching heat, many test takers were drenched in sweat.