Chapter 18: A Bitter Reunion at the Alchemist Guild

Entering the Alchemist Guild, a faint, soothing medicinal aroma wafted forward, instantly refreshing the senses.

Though it was still early morning, the grand hall was already bustling with activity. Alchemists gathered in small groups, their hushed conversations filling the air.

It wasn’t until Lu Yuan entered with Merlin that a few gazes finally turned their way.

“Oh~ if it isn’t Grand Alchemist Lei Yin!”

Lu Yuan looked up to see a young man approaching, his face wreathed in a smile. Yet, there was a peculiar dissonance to his expression, a superficial grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Dutaine?” Lu Yuan retrieved the man’s identity from Lei Yin’s memories.

Alchemist Dutaine had been Lei Yin’s fellow disciple, entering the Alchemist Guild alongside him. His talent for alchemy was undeniably top-tier.

Indeed, had Lei Yin not existed, Dutaine would undoubtedly have been a dazzling star within the Usutar Alchemist Guild.

However, fate had cruelly placed a prodigy like Lei Yin among his peers. Lei Yin, who became a Grand Alchemist at such a young age, completely overshadowed Dutaine’s brilliance.

The classic lament, ‘If Zhou Yu was born, why was Zhuge Liang also born?’, perfectly encapsulated Dutaine’s deep-seated resentment.

When Lei Yin’s medicines were exposed as problematic, drawing the condemnation of countless people, Dutaine had been quick to revel in his downfall. He had not hesitated to add insult to injury.

Even before the President of the Usutar Northern Alchemist Branch had formally declared a stance, Dutaine was the first to leap forward, firmly establishing Lei Yin’s culpability.

Lei Yin, unable to withstand the immense pressure, had succumbed to alcoholism and died. While his girlfriend’s actions were a factor, Dutaine’s involvement had also played a significant role in his demise.

“Today marks the qualification review for our core alchemists. You’ve been conspicuously absent from the Guild’s affairs these past few months, haven’t you?

Were you perhaps diligently researching your new medicine? Have you achieved any breakthroughs? Will you even manage to pass this qualification review?”

The Core Alchemist Qualification Review was a periodic performance assessment conducted by the Alchemist Headquarters. It was designed to evaluate all officially employed alchemists within the Guild.

While it might be acceptable for ordinary registered alchemists, the Alchemist Guild had no patience for idlers among its officially designated core members.

According to regulations, the criteria for passing the qualification review were threefold: first, demonstrating progress in the development of new medicines; second, cultivating new alchemists who met the required standards; and third, achieving a specific quantity of refined medicinal products.

“Considering you still have the leisure to wander around, you must be quite confident in passing the qualification review! Look here,” Dutaine gestured expansively, “these are all the alchemist apprentices I’ve mentored this year—a total of twelve.

Each and every one of them possesses the ability to perfectly pass their apprentice assessment.”

A thick layer of superiority coated Dutaine’s features.

Indeed, his sole purpose in being here was to flaunt his advantage.

Lei Yin had squandered several months following the counterfeit medicine scandal. He hadn’t just neglected new medicine research; he hadn’t even touched a single herb.

The private compounding room reserved for Lei Yin within the Guild was undoubtedly thick with dust. How could he possibly pass the qualification review now?

The once-celebrated star had devolved into a failure, struggling even to retain his core alchemist position. Having been so thoroughly suppressed by Lei Yin in the past, how could Dutaine possibly let this prime opportunity to flaunt his superiority slip away?

Sure enough, a group of youths followed behind Dutaine, each clad in the plain white robes of alchemist apprentices.

“Everyone, allow me to introduce you,” Dutaine announced with a flourish. “This is Grand Alchemist Lei Yin, a true celebrity of our Guild! He is, in fact, the *only* Grand Alchemist in the Guild’s long history to ever transform healing potions into poison, and Holy Healing Potions into Corrupting Bone Potions!”

Dutaine presented him with mock grandeur.

“He refined Holy Healing Potions into Corrupting Bone Potions?”

“Ah, I heard about that when I arrived! They said a Great Knight who took his medicine had his entire skeletal system corrode. If not for the intervention of a royal alchemist, he would have been completely crippled!”

“I heard it too. Many people warned me before I came here never to consume any medicine he concocted, or else you wouldn’t even know how you died.”

“To think it was him,” another muttered. “He looks so ordinary.”