Rumors about the appearance of an alchemy Grandmaster spread throughout the entire country like wildfire. Many alchemists were helplessly drawn into this matter, because all the principles and teachings that "Alchemy Empress" had written in the Elixir Problems Q&A thread were novel things they had never known before.
It was like opening a new world for the science of medicine concoction. They sat studying the Alchemy Empress's comments carefully, one comment at a time. And the more they studied deeply, the more they seemed to sink deeper into fascination with this path.
At the same time, even within the Alchemists' Association, her matter was the hottest topic discussed most frequently. At the rest area, several apprentice alchemists were also conversing about this.
"The beginner fire control arts that Alchemy Empress explained are more effective than the methods the Alchemists' Association teaches." A young man with a studious demeanor spoke to his friends in a whisper. He adjusted his glasses lightly while drinking juice from his glass.
"It's not just basic fire control. Did you go read the comments about Flame Qi that are being debated?"
His plump friend bit into a large piece of rice ball and opened the topic.
"The Flame Qi that requires at least a Tier 4 alchemist to use?"
"That's right. Because right now the only Tier 4 alchemist is Grandmaster Lu Qing. The people who came in to debate in those comments must be at minimum Tier 3 master alchemists or above." That man continued excitedly.
"What happened?"
His group of friends gathered around to hear closely.
"They got completely demolished..."
The plump man recounted with horrified feelings. He picked up his mobile phone to enter that thread to confirm what he said for his friends to see.
"Alchemy Empress said that Flame Qi doesn't necessarily require reaching Tier 4. Just Tier 3 alchemists with Martial Master power can use it comfortably."
He continued recounting while scrolling through those comments to show them.
"The Tier 3 master alchemists had a huge debate! I heard today the Association even urgently called a meeting about this issue, including the new knowledge that Alchemy Empress commented on."
"No wonder today people gathered at the Association in such numbers." His friends glanced toward the front gate, where cars were driving in and out more busily than ever. All the alchemists getting out of those cars had excited expressions.
"But the most pitiful must be Master Sun, right?" The plump man whispered.
"Yeah. Really unlucky. His Q&A thread got completely shredded by Alchemy Empress."
"Master Sun must be furious. It's like directly slapping his face." They began gossiping about Master Sun Mingchuan with relish. The bespectacled man who was drinking juice initially choked when his eyes caught sight of who was walking by.
It was Master Sun, or Sun Mingchuan himself. Right now the old man was in an extremely bad mood. Yesterday was like a nightmare for him. Many acquaintances had even called to ask if he had offended someone or had a grudge.
He really wanted to shout back!
His position as an alchemy teaching master—when would he be so idle as to pick fights with people!
His assistant himself was also sweating. After yesterday's incident, Master Sun had even canceled the afternoon lecture and went home immediately, clearly showing how bad his mood was.
But they returned to the Association again today because that meeting was quite directly related to Master Sun.
Of course, because he was the person who got attacked most by that person named "Alchemy Empress"!
Master Sun opened the door into the Association's conference room with an irritated demeanor. There were already nearly ten people sitting. When they saw Sun Mingchuan arrive, they all smiled at him weakly, tinged with pity.
An old man who looked about the same age quickly waved and called. He was also one of Sun Mingchuan's companions.
"Old Sun, what did you do to make someone so angry at you?"
He asked with a teasing tone. When Sun Mingchuan heard, he made a huffing sound. But regardless, he still walked in to sit beside him.
"What could I have done?"
And seeing that Sun Mingchuan had arrived, they immediately began today's urgent meeting. The meeting topic was:
"The Identity of Alchemy Empress"
That's right. They were so rushed because of this matter. The Alchemists' Association extremely wanted to know exactly who was using the account name Alchemy Empress in the cultivators' community!
"Elder Fang, that's not you, is it?" The old man serving as meeting chairman turned to ask a woman who looked middle-aged. She had a gentle face and small build, but crow's feet and wrinkles on that face indicated her real age wasn't young.
And it truly wasn't young, because she was older than many people in this room.
Because she always took care of her body and nourished her skin with elixirs, she could maintain her beauty this long. She was like an idol to many apprentice alchemists in the Association. Especially young women would particularly like her and constantly come ask her for tips.
Combined with her gentle and kind demeanor, she was very popular with the youngsters.
Elder Fang turned to look while sighing. Since yesterday, people had been asking her this question nonstop as well. Because that mysterious account used the name "Empress" instead of "Emperor," making people all think "Alchemy Empress" might be a woman rather than a man.
And the woman with social standing as vice president of the Alchemists' Association was only her. And she was also a highest-level Tier 3 master alchemist as well.
"It's not me... why would I go pick a fight with Master Sun?" Her voice was neither soft nor loud, giving a relaxed and safe feeling.
On this point Sun Mingchuan nodded in agreement. Elder Fang would never be fierce like a keyboard warrior like that Alchemy Empress. When she needed to admonish someone, she would always call them to talk privately and admonish with reason and good intentions.
"We can't rule out the possibility that Alchemy Empress is a man." One old man spoke up.
"That's right. Regardless, it's an internet account. You can set any name." Some of them nodded in agreement.
"Can't we request information from the cultivators' community?"
"No. Their security standards are reliable. They would never tell outsiders about users' personal information or any accounts."
"Sigh... then what should we do?"
"An alchemist with that much knowledge hiding their identity?"
"Or could they not be from the Alchemists' Association?"
"It's possible... besides our Alchemists' Association, there's also the Yi Clan in City C and the Tang Clan in City A who might have that ability and knowledge."
"But they're affiliated with the Association. Can we call them in to ask?"
"Probably not them. I know the Tang Clan and Yi Clan heads well. At most they're highest-level Tier 3 alchemists like us in this room."
The elders in the room all nodded in agreement. Regardless, this field wasn't that broad. Though there were many apprentice alchemists, those who could step into Tier 3 were extremely few.
"...Or could it be an ancient being from somewhere?"
"That's most possible. From the sentences and language she uses, it looks similar to ancient era language that's not used nowadays."
Having finished speaking, the meeting chairman brought up one of Bai Fanxian's comments as an example to view. Now in that Q&A discussion room, comments had exceeded over one thousand.
Especially Alchemy Empress's comments, which received tremendous likes. There were also reply responses praising and lauding her in droves.
Her popularity soared among cultivators. The magnificent name, fierce expression, but directly on-point and full of tremendous knowledge.
Many alchemists were starting to see her as an idol.
To the point where people had gone in to compile her comments together, so it would be easy for newcomers to study.
Along with the question everyone was most curious about after that:
"...Who is the Alchemy Empress?"
This question was what cultivators across the country were paying attention to and wondering about. And after yesterday when Alchemy Empress came in to answer many questions in the thread at once, today that account was extremely quiet. Many people came out to create threads addressing her. Some posted questions they wondered about, hoping to be lucky enough to receive an answer from this mysterious Empress.
No one knew where she had gone today.
Meanwhile, Tang Tianjie was almost the only one besides Uncle Huang who immediately knew who Alchemy Empress was. The old man had been with Bai Fanxian for a while and had seen miracles from her elixirs with his own eyes. After receiving confirmation from the old butler, he almost rushed straight to Bai Fanxian's house immediately.
Huang Zihan went out to receive his clan head into the house. The first time Tang Tianjie was also surprised by this border. But once he started getting used to it and knew who created it, he stopped caring, because his interest focused only on the science of elixirs!
The old man had even written down questions that had troubled him for a long time on paper and brought a thick stack. He hoped Bai Fanxian, or "Alchemy Empress," would help resolve all his doubts today.
He chose an appropriate time, because he knew well that in the afternoon until evening Grandmaster Bai might be helping train the children. So he rushed here at ten o'clock.
When he entered the living room, he saw Grandmaster Bai lazily reclining with crossed legs on the long sofa chair. Before her was a small portable computer that was extremely convenient to use.
He hurried over happily.
"Grandmaster Bai, hello!" Tang Tianjie greeted cheerfully. Though already so elderly, when happy he still acted childish. Bai Fanxian herself, though her gaze was fixed on the screen, still sent out an acknowledging sound.
"Mm..."
"What are you doing?"
"Mm..."
Tang Tianjie felt strange, because though Grandmaster Bai was still before him, it seemed her mind had already escaped into that screen. She didn't care to the point of not even knowing what his question was but still acknowledged.
The old man quickly whispered to his former close friend in surprise.
"Huang Zihan, is Grandmaster Bai alright?"
Hearing the question, Uncle Huang could only smile dryly. "Grandmaster Bai is reading a book..."
"Is that so? An online book, right? About what? Alchemy?"
Tang Tianjie's eyes sparkled and he quickly asked. A book that could make Grandmaster Bai's mind absent from body must be extremely excellent. When he went back, perhaps he should find it to read.
"...Does the clan head really want to know?"
"Of course! It must be extremely profound. For Grandmaster Bai to pay that much attention." Tang Tianjie nodded in confirmation. Uncle Huang, feeling helpless, sighed once.
"Uh... she's reading Little Bear."
"...Li...Little Bear?"
"...Little Bear. But it's the novel version. I think it's called 'Little Bear and the Future World in Another Ten Thousand Years.'"