Afraid the Pavilion Master might change his mind, Yun Jin enthusiastically declared: "Let's go! To the Alchemy Pavilion, right now!"
The Pavilion Master, equally curious to see if this girl was truly a genius, agreed without hesitation.
"Sister Lan Cen, you're coming too!" Yun Jin continued rallying the crowd. "I promised I'd take you to greatness!"
Lan Cen, still dazed, nodded blankly.
But Yun Jin wasn't done.
She turned to the other customers and waved grandly. "Everyone, come along! Witness the birth of the youngest first-grade alchemist in history!"
Wait—
Did she just call herself the youngest first-grade alchemist?!
The results weren't even out yet!
The crowd's mental roasting intensified.
[+10 Emotional Value.]
But Yun Jin only shouted louder, more animated than ever. "Fate brought us all to the same store today. That's destiny! Come, no one is allowed to skip out!"
Though everyone thought this girl was… a little unhinged, the spectacle was too entertaining to miss. Soon, a whole procession trailed behind her.
Yue Zhao massaged his temples.
He wanted to pretend he didn't know her.
"Senior Brother! Hurry up!" Yun Jin called back with a grin.
Yue Zhao dragged his feet like a prisoner walking to the gallows.
At this moment, he had only one thought:
Next time, he'd rather die than go out with Yun Jin again.
He considered himself pretty sociable, but Yun Jin?
Yun Jin was a social beast of the ancient world—a social rhino.
He stood no chance.
While Yue Zhao was mentally composing his will, Yun Jin skipped along the street, energetically calling out to everyone she passed.
"Sister, free? Come with us! I'm taking the alchemist exam!"
"Brother, join the fun! Witness history in the making!"
"Grandpa! Grandpa, want free eggs? Just follow our group!"
Her small, cheerful figure was oddly persuasive—especially with the growing crowd behind her. People assumed such a large procession had to be heading somewhere exciting, so the line kept expanding.
Still unsatisfied, Yun Jin scanned the crowd, spotted Yue Zhao trying to hide, and marched toward him.
The entire parade swerved like a giant snake, with poor Yue Zhao as its target.
Yue Zhao trembled. "J-Junior Sister… what now?"
"Senior Brother, my throat's tired from shouting. Got any magic tools that can amplify my voice?"
With shaky hands, Yue Zhao pulled out a stone. "This Echo Stone… records and replays sound."
"Perfect!" Yun Jin snatched it, and the crowd U-turned again.
Yue Zhao's face screamed: "Kill me now."
Soon, the entire market echoed with:
"WITNESS THE YOUNGEST ALCHEMIST'S BIRTH!"
The crowd grew even larger.
Yue Zhao was beyond numb.
Earlier, he'd worried about how Yun Jin would face the humiliation if she failed.
Now?
Just let the world end.
Death would be a mercy.
Finally, the parade reached the Alchemy Pavilion.
Even from afar, the pavilion staff heard her brazen slogans echoing down the street and were utterly dumbfounded.
They had worked here for years, yet had never heard such shameless proclamations.
One by one, they rushed to the entrance.
They had to see who was bold enough to shout such outrageous things.
Even Ming Heng, the only third-grade alchemist on duty, came out to investigate.
"Grandmaster Ming." The apprentices bowed respectfully.
Ming Heng waved them off, eyes fixed on the approaching mob. "I just want to see this 'youngest alchemist' for myself."
"It's probably just some clown seeking attention."
"Yeah, no real benefit in pulling a stunt like this..."
"Maybe they enjoy public humiliation?"
The apprentices murmured among themselves. Anyone who could become an apprentice here had at least some backing. Even so, becoming an official alchemist took decades of brutal training.
If it were easy, wouldn't everyone do it?
Yun Jin didn't care what they were thinking. She strutted forward, leading her human parade like a general marching into battle, and stopped in front of the pavilion.
The sheer momentum of her arrival made even the apprentices nervous.
Was she really here to take the exam?
Not to cause trouble?
Yun Jin's bright eyes locked onto Ming Heng.
"Uncle, are you in charge? I'm here for the first-grade alchemist exam!"
Ming Heng raised a brow. "So you're the self-proclaimed 'youngest alchemist'?"
Yun Jin paused. "How young is the current record-holder?"
"The Xuandan Gate has a prodigy who refined his first pill at six."
"...Second-grade?"
"The same child, at ten."
"...Third-grade?"
"Him again, at eighteen."
Yun Jin exhaled in relief. "I'm fifteen! Don't worry—I'll break his record by jumping three grades in a year!"
An apprentice scoffed. "Liar! Who do you think you are?"
Yun Jin smiled serenely. "Right now, my name means nothing. Soon, you'll beg to know it."
The apprentices' jaws dropped.
Ming Heng, however, laughed. "So, you're here for the exam? It costs ten mid-grade spirit stones—"
Yun Jin stepped aside, revealing the Pavilion Master.
"Grandmaster Ming," Chen Changrong said stiffly, handing over the stones. "I'm covering her fee."
Ming Heng pocketed the stones. "I'll proctor today. Follow me."
"Wait!" Yun Jin interjected. "I promised everyone a show. Can we move the cauldron outside? I want to refine in public!"