Xiao Ning's eyes stayed on the latter for an instant before he turned his attention and blankly looked at the alchemist associations building. 

Like Xiao Ning, Xiao Yan also discovered the latter's presence, and unlike Xiao Ning, Xiao Yan's face clearly showed a shocked expression. 

Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows after he looked towards Xiao Ning and his gaze stopped at Xi Yian for a moment, after which he lowered his head. He was not a lustful person; it's just her appearance that surprised him. 

"Huh! Interesting! Xiao Yan, it seems that your cousin had a fortuitous encounter; he is already a Dou Grandmaster." At this moment, Yao Lao's old voice sounded in his mind. 

Xiao Yan, who had lowered his head, had a stunned expression on his face. His mental strength fluctuated as his emotions surged, and he clenched his fists.

'How is this possible? How could Xiao Ning become a Dou Grandmaster?' Xiao Yan thought in his heart. He, a genius with the help of a top expert like Yao Lao, could only step into the Dou Master realm. Yet, in the same time span, Xiao Ning without any experts help turned out to be a Dou Grandmaster. 

How could he accept it? Even with all he has been through, Xiao Yan's face changed, and he almost couldn't endure it. 

"Huh! What are you doing, brat? Xiao Yan! wake up!" Yao Lao's old yet stern voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind. 

Listening to his teacher's voice, Xiao Yan immediately became sober. He couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat off his forehead and sighed. 

"Fortunately, I recovered." Xiao Yan knew that he almost broke down. He took a deep breath and tried to adjust his mood. 

......

Even though Xiao Ning was looking at the building, he was absorbed in his thoughts. After seeing Xiao Yan, all kinds of thoughts appeared in his head. 

'It seems that some things won't change. Xiao Yan still met Yun Yun. Anyway, it won't affect anything,' Xiao Ning muttered in his mind. 

The next instant, Xiao Ning sensed a spiritual fluctuation; he immediately recovered from his thoughts and glanced towards Xiao Yan with a look of doubt on his face. 

'Did he go insane?' He thought to himself. Xiao Ning didn't know that it was his current appearance that stimulated Xiao Yan to this level. 

At the moment, Xi Yian, who had been quietly standing next to Xiao Ning, lightly squeezed his hand and asked, "Is everything alright?" 

Xiao Ning smiled, "let's go." 

After seeing that nothing was wrong with him, she also smiled back in return. 

Xiao Ning no longer paid attention to Xiao Yan and walked towards the door. 

The guards standing outside stepped forward, blocked Xiao Ning's way, and asked, "Mister, this is alchemist association. Please, state your intentions." Drops of sweat appeared on their forehead as they spoke. 

The wild yet noble aura surrounding Xiao Ning brought out fear in their hearts. The guards felt as if a mighty dragon stared at them. The two parties were not at the same level at all. 

"I am here to obtain an alchemist tier badge." Xiao Ning spoke in an unhurried manner. 

After listening to him, the guards secretly sighed and felt relieved. A smile appeared on their faces, and they respectfully asked, "Sir, do you have a recommendation letter from your teacher." 

"No." Xiao Ning spoke casually. 

"Why? Without a recommendation letter, I can not enter the association?" He continued. 

The guard's face showed an ugly expression and said, "Sir, I am afraid it won't work." 

"Oh!" Xiao Ning raised his eyebrows, and a frightening momentum condensed around his body. 

Everyone, including Xiao Yan, sensed Xiao Ning's rising aura, and their bodies became stiffened. 

The guard who stood up to Xiao Ning widened his eyes in horror; he opened his mouth, yet words didn't come out. He struggled to lift his trembling arm and pointed his finger at Xiao Ning. 

At this moment, two new guests, one young and one old stood nearby and looked at the scene with interest. Apart from Xiao Ning and Yao Lao, no one noticed their arrival. 

......

A smile emerged on Xiao Ning's face; he unhurriedly raised his right arm and opened his palm. The temperature in the surroundings began to rise, and a green-golden flame appeared above his palm. 

The fire element in the atmosphere frantically rushed towards the flame in Xiao Ning's hand as if bowing to their emperor. 

Even the purple flame within Xiao Yan's began to struggle as if it was afraid of something. Xiao Yan swiftly revolved his dou qi and soothed the purple flame. Doubts appeared in his mind, and he quickly asked, "Teacher, is it a Heavenly Flame?" 

"No, there is still some distance, but I am more curious about what did this brat encountered that increased the quality of his flame." Yao Lao's old voice showed a rare excitement. Even after traveling most parts of the continent, Yao Lao dare not say he knows everything. If possible, he wanted to discuss with Xiao Ning and hoped to obtain his method of raising the flame's quality. 

The old man who stood nearby and was looking at them with interest; his face also changed after seeing Xiao Ning's flame. He didn't dare to stand aside anymore and quickly came forward. 

......

The guard's face changed after seeing the flame in Xiao Ning's palm. He immediately connected Xiao Ning's identity to a four-tier alchemist. Before he could say anything else, the guard saw an old man approaching them and blurted out, "Grandmaster Ao Tuo!" 

The old man wearing an alchemist robe casually waved his hands and gestured the guard to step away. The next second, a warm smile appeared on Ao Tuo's face, and he said, "Young friend, what can I do for you." The flame in Xiao Ning's possession was enough for him to treat the latter as equals. 

Xiao Ning smiled in his heart; he retracted the flame, cupped his hands, and spoke, "Grandmaster Ao Tuo, I am here to get an alchemist tier badge." 

Ao Tuo's eyes shined, and he continued to ask, "Oh! Which tier badge does my friend want to apply for?"

Xiao Ning did not answer immediately but looked around and saw that everyone's eyes on the scene were on him; they waited for his reply. 

"Third-tier alchemist badge." Xiao Ning spoke softly. 

Everyone, including Yao Lao, stood stunned as if thunder struck them. 

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