**Chapter 4: The Royal Alchemist's Test**
The announcement came two days after the gathering, delivered by a junior palace official who looked vaguely surprised to be standing outside Yu Jingming's quarters.
"The Royal Alchemist requests the honor of your presence at the Alchemy Pavilion tomorrow at the hour of the dragon. There will be a... competition of sorts. Among the younger generation." The official read from a scroll, his tone suggesting he thought this was a waste of everyone's time. "All interested princes and nobles are invited to participate."
Yu Jingming accepted the scroll without comment, nodded his thanks, and closed the door before the official could say anything else.
A competition. Perfect timing, really.
He unrolled the scroll and scanned the details. Master Chen, Rank 5 Alchemist and royal advisor, was looking for potential disciples. The competition would test theoretical knowledge first, then practical application for those who passed the initial screening. Winners would receive tutelage, access to the royal alchemy labs, and materials for independent study.
"Young master?" Xiao Mei poked her head in from the adjacent room where she'd been organizing his rapidly growing collection of basic cultivation materials. "Is something wrong?"
"No. Actually, something might be going right for once." He set the scroll on his desk and stretched, feeling his shoulders pop. This body was getting stronger, slowly. He'd been doing basic exercises every morning, forcing muscles to remember movements they'd never learned. "I need you to do something for me."
"Of course, young master."
"Find out who else is planning to participate in tomorrow's competition. Names, cultivation levels, any reputation they have regarding scholarly pursuits or alchemy knowledge."
She blinked. "How should I—"
"Servants gossip. Kitchen staff know everything. Just listen, and people will tell you." He smiled slightly. "You'd be surprised what information flows through the palace if you pay attention."
"I... I'll try, young master."
After she left, Yu Jingming pulled out the basic alchemy texts he'd requisitioned from the palace library. Not that he needed them—he'd memorized alchemical principles that wouldn't be discovered for another century—but anyone watching needed to see him studying. Preparing. Looking like someone who'd done his homework rather than someone who'd refined Rank 1 pills in his previous life while simultaneously fighting Divine Emperors.
The texts were almost painful to read. So simplistic, so wrong in places. He caught at least a dozen errors in the first chapter alone, misconceptions about material harmonization and qi infusion rates. But this was the accepted wisdom of the current era, so he'd need to know it. Need to answer questions the way they expected, not the way that was actually correct.
That night, he barely slept. Not from nerves—he could pass any alchemy test they threw at him—but from planning. How much knowledge to show. Which questions to answer perfectly and which to deliberately fumble. The performance needed to be calibrated precisely.
Too little skill, and he'd gain nothing. Too much, and the questions would start.
Morning came cold and gray, threatening rain. Yu Jingming dressed in scholarly robes—still expensive because he was a prince, but simpler than his formal wear. He'd noticed that Master Chen preferred students who looked serious about learning rather than those who looked like they were attending a party.
The Alchemy Pavilion sat in the eastern section of the palace complex, a three-story building that smelled of herbs and smoke even from outside. Yu Jingming had never visited in this body's memories—the original Yu Jingming had never shown interest in anything beyond feeling sorry for himself.
Inside, the main hall had been arranged for the competition. Tables lined the walls, each holding various materials, tools, and mysterious covered items. About thirty young people were already present, ranging from mid-teens to early twenties. Nobles, mostly, with a few princes scattered throughout. Yu Jingming recognized several faces from court gatherings.
And there was Yu Tianlong, standing near the front with a cluster of sycophants. Of course he'd participate. Couldn't let his seventh brother show him up again without responding.
"Prince Yu Jingming!" The voice came from an older man emerging from a side door, wearing the distinctive dark green robes of an alchemist. Master Chen, presumably. He was perhaps sixty, with a long beard and eyes that looked perpetually tired but sharp. "I was pleased to hear you'd registered. Your performance at the gathering was... unexpected."
"Thank you, Master Chen. I hope not to disappoint."
"We shall see." Master Chen clapped his hands, drawing attention from the assembled crowd. "Welcome, all of you. As you know, I'm looking for disciples—students with genuine aptitude and dedication to the alchemical arts. This is not a game for the frivolous or the lazy."
Several nobles shifted uncomfortably. Clearly some had shown up just for appearance's sake.
"The first test is simple. Theory." Master Chen gestured to a servant who began distributing papers and brushes to each participant. "You will answer questions about materials, principles, and techniques. Those who pass will advance to practical demonstration. Those who fail..." He smiled without humor. "Will at least have learned something about their own limitations."
The questions were distributed, and Yu Jingming scanned them quickly. Twenty questions, ranging from basic material identification to more complex queries about pill refinement processes and alchemical array formations.
Elementary. He could answer these in his sleep.
But he wouldn't. Not all of them, anyway.
He picked up his brush and began writing, deliberately slowing his pace to match the others around him who were thinking hard about each answer. Question one: "Name three herbs that promote qi circulation and their optimal growth conditions."
Easy. He listed Spiritroot Grass, Azure Lotus, and Crimson Sage, along with their requirements. Correct answer, no showing off.
Question five: "Describe the process of material decomposition for iron ore infused with spiritual energy."
Trick question. The standard texts said to use direct fire and forceful qi extraction. The correct method involved gradual temperature increase and synchronized elemental manipulation. Yu Jingming wrote the standard answer, the one they expected.
He continued through the test, getting about seventy percent perfectly correct, ten percent close but slightly off, and deliberately fumbling twenty percent in ways that suggested incomplete understanding rather than total ignorance. Someone who'd studied hard but lacked practical experience.
Around the room, others were struggling. Some looked confident, but he could see mistakes in their answers from here. Yu Tianlong was writing quickly, probably getting most answers right—he had decent tutors and enough intelligence to memorize theory even if he couldn't innovate.
After half an hour, Master Chen collected the papers. "Take a break. I'll review these and announce who advances."
The tension in the room shifted to nervous energy. Nobles clustered in groups, whispering about answers and comparing notes. Yu Jingming found a quiet corner and watched, observing dynamics and calculating probabilities.
"Confident about your answers, seventh brother?" Yu Tianlong appeared at his elbow, smile sharp as always.
"As confident as anyone can be," Yu Jingming replied mildly. "The questions were fair."
"Fair? They were basic. Anyone with proper education should pass easily." Yu Tianlong's tone suggested he was already mentally counting Yu Jingming among the failures.
"Then I'm sure you'll advance without difficulty."
Yu Tianlong studied him for a moment, clearly trying to figure out if that was sarcasm or genuine deference. "You've been different lately. Since your illness."
"Nearly dying changes a person."
"Does it?" Yu Tianlong leaned closer, voice dropping. "Or does something else change them?"
Warning bells. This wasn't casual conversation anymore. Yu Tianlong was fishing, suspicious about his seventh brother's sudden transformation.
"I don't understand what you mean," Yu Jingming said, meeting his eyes steadily.
"Don't you? You were worthless for sixteen years. Then you almost die, and suddenly you're discussing trade policy and competing in alchemy tests." Yu Tianlong's smile was gone now. "It's remarkable. Almost like you're a different person entirely."
Dangerous. Way too close to the truth.
"Or maybe I was tired of being worthless," Yu Jingming said quietly. "Tired of being invisible, of being the embarrassment. When you think you're going to die, you realize you've wasted your life. So when I survived, I decided to stop wasting it."
It was a reasonable explanation. Believable, even. Deathbed transformations were common enough in stories.
Yu Tianlong stared at him for a long moment. "I don't believe you."
"That's your choice."
"But I'll be watching. Very carefully." Yu Tianlong straightened, smile returning but colder now. "Because if there's something unusual about my seventh brother's sudden improvement, I intend to discover it."
He walked away before Yu Jingming could respond, leaving behind a chill that had nothing to do with the room temperature.
That was a problem. A significant problem. If Yu Tianlong started investigating seriously, started asking questions, things could get complicated fast.
But there was nothing Yu Jingming could do about it now except continue the performance and hope suspicion faded once he established his new baseline.
"Attention!" Master Chen's voice cut through the nervous chatter. He stood at the front of the room, holding the stack of papers. "I've reviewed your answers. Many of you did adequately. Some of you... should perhaps reconsider your career paths."
Nervous laughter rippled through the crowd.
"The following will advance to the practical test." Master Chen began reading names. Yu Tianlong, naturally. A few young nobles from prominent families. Prince Yu Zhiming, fifth prince, who Yu Jingming barely knew. Several others.
"Prince Yu Jingming."
He let out a quiet breath. First hurdle passed.
In the end, twelve people advanced out of thirty. The failures were dismissed with varying degrees of grace—some left with dignity, others looked like they were fighting tears.
"Now," Master Chen said once the room had cleared, "the interesting part. You each claim theoretical knowledge. But alchemy is not accomplished through books alone. It requires understanding, intuition, and most importantly, control."
He gestured to the tables along the walls. "You will each attempt to refine a basic Qi Gathering Pill. A simple task—any true alchemist should manage it. You have standard materials, standard tools. Begin when ready."
A Qi Gathering Pill. Rank 9, the absolute lowest grade of alchemy, typically used by beginners to slightly accelerate cultivation at the Spiritual Sea realm. Yu Jingming could refine perfect Qi Gathering Pills with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back.
Which meant he absolutely could not refine a perfect pill now.
He moved to one of the tables and examined the materials provided. Standard quality, nothing special. Red Spirit Grass, a bit of Qi Stone powder, some binding agent. The furnace was basic bronze, heat supplied by standard formation arrays underneath.
Around him, others were beginning their attempts. Some looked nervous, some overconfident. Yu Tianlong was already manipulating materials with practiced ease—definitely not his first time attempting pill refinement.
Yu Jingming took his time, moving deliberately through the preparation steps. Cleanse the materials, establish proper proportions, activate the furnace to the correct temperature. He could feel the qi flows in the air, sense exactly how the materials would interact, know precisely when to add each ingredient and at what rate.
But he couldn't show that.
So he added the Red Spirit Grass slightly too early, creating a small inefficiency in the fusion process. Let the temperature fluctuate a bit more than ideal. Made his qi control look competent but not refined.
The pill that formed at the end was... decent. Not garbage, but not impressive either. Probably seventy percent purity, which was respectable for someone supposedly attempting pill refinement seriously for the first time.
He examined it critically, then set it aside and looked up to find Master Chen watching him.
The old alchemist's expression was unreadable.
Around the room, results varied wildly. One noble had created something that looked more like charcoal than a pill. Another had decent purity but terrible shape, suggesting poor material control. Yu Zhiming had failed entirely—his furnace had actually produced smoke at one point.
Yu Tianlong, predictably, had created a respectable pill. Maybe sixty-five percent purity, which was solid for his age and experience level.
But it was another participant who drew everyone's attention—a young woman Yu Jingming didn't recognize, maybe seventeen or eighteen, who'd refined a pill that looked nearly perfect. Eighty-five percent purity at least, with excellent form and color.
"Well," Master Chen said, moving from table to table to examine results. "This is informative."
He spent a long time at the mystery girl's table, asking questions about her technique and background. She answered confidently but respectfully—clearly she had real training from somewhere.
When he reached Yu Jingming's table, Master Chen picked up the pill and examined it closely. "Seventy percent purity. Respectable. The form is good, though your timing was slightly off during the fusion phase."
"Yes, Master. I noticed the temperature fluctuation too late."
"Mm." Master Chen set the pill down and looked at Yu Jingming directly. "Tell me something. You deliberately added the Red Spirit Grass early, didn't you?"
Yu Jingming's heart skipped. "I... I thought that was the correct timing based on the texts I studied."
"The texts are wrong about many things," Master Chen said quietly. "And someone with your theoretical knowledge should know that. So either you're more ignorant than your test scores suggest, or you're hiding your true capabilities."
Silence. Everyone nearby was listening now.
"Master, I don't—"
"Your test answers," Master Chen continued, pulling out Yu Jingming's paper. "Question fifteen asked about material decomposition. You provided the standard answer. But you hesitated before writing—I saw the ink pause. You knew the standard answer was incomplete, didn't you?"
How had he seen that? Yu Jingming had been so careful.
"I... I read some alternative theories in older texts, but I wasn't sure if—"
"What's the correct method for iron ore decomposition?" Master Chen asked directly.
Everyone was staring now. Yu Tianlong looked fascinated. The mystery girl looked curious.
Yu Jingming made a decision. Lying now would only make things worse.
"Gradual temperature increase over twelve stages, synchronized with elemental qi manipulation that matches the ore's natural affinity. Direct fire and forceful extraction damage the spiritual properties and reduce usable material by thirty to forty percent."
Complete silence in the room.
Master Chen smiled. Actually smiled, the first genuine expression Yu Jingming had seen from him.
"Correct. Absolutely correct, and a fact that most Rank 7 alchemists don't know." He turned to address the room. "This is why alchemy requires more than memorization. It requires thinking, questioning, understanding principles rather than just following instructions blindly."
He looked back at Yu Jingming. "You deliberately performed below your capabilities. Why?"
Because revealing too much too fast gets you killed. Because drawing attention invites investigation. Because—
"Because I've been the waste prince for sixteen years," Yu Jingming said quietly. "And I know what people expect from me. I didn't want to seem... improbable."
"Improbable." Master Chen actually laughed. "Young man, you're already improbable. The question is whether you're also exceptional."
He raised his voice to address everyone. "I'm accepting three disciples from this competition. Lady Feng Yue—" he nodded to the mystery girl who'd created the impressive pill "—Prince Yu Tianlong, and Prince Yu Jingming. The rest of you showed promise or adequate skill. I encourage continued study. Those who wish may audit lectures on basic theory."
Yu Tianlong's face was a mask of barely controlled anger. Being chosen alongside his embarrassment of a brother was clearly not what he'd wanted.
The dismissed participants filed out, some looking relieved, others disappointed. Soon only the three chosen disciples remained with Master Chen.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll report here every morning after dawn assembly. I'll teach you properly—not this simplified nonsense they put in beginner texts." Master Chen fixed each of them with a sharp look. "I expect dedication, intelligence, and honesty. If I discover any of you are wasting my time, you'll be dismissed immediately. Clear?"
"Yes, Master," they answered in unison.
"Good. Now get out. I have pills to refine and no patience for lingering students."
They left together, an awkward trio. Lady Feng Yue walked ahead, clearly uninterested in socializing. Yu Tianlong fell into step beside Yu Jingming, his expression dangerous.
"You played me," he said quietly. "Made yourself look weak, then revealed just enough to seem talented but not threatening."
"I didn't—"
"Save it." Yu Tianlong's voice was cold. "I don't know what your game is, seventh brother. But you're not as clever as you think. Master Chen saw through you in minutes."
"Then maybe there's nothing to see through."
Yu Tianlong stopped walking. "I don't believe in miraculous transformations. Something happened to make you different. And I'm going to find out what."
He walked away, leaving Yu Jingming standing alone in the corridor.
This was getting complicated. Too many people noticing, too many questions being asked. He'd been trying to stay under the radar, but apparently that ship had sailed the moment he opened his mouth at the gathering.
Maybe he needed a different strategy. Maybe instead of trying to seem weak, he should establish a new baseline. Let people think he'd found some hidden talent, had some breakthrough. Give them an explanation they could accept so they'd stop looking for others.
It was risky. But staying invisible wasn't working anyway.
Yu Jingming made his way back to his quarters, mind racing with new plans and contingencies. Xiao Mei was waiting with tea and information—apparently half the palace was already talking about the seventh prince's surprising performance in the alchemy competition.
Good. Let them talk. Let the rumors spread and solidify into accepted fact. Yu Jingming had changed. The waste prince had found his potential. Everyone loved a good underdog story.
As long as no one looked too closely at the details, he might actually survive this.
Might.
He spent the evening cultivating, pushing his Spiritual Sea toward breakthrough, feeling his foundation solidify with a quality that no one his age should possess. Tomorrow he'd start formal alchemy training with Master Chen, learn things he already knew, and pretend to be impressed by techniques he'd mastered decades ago.
It was exhausting. Playing weak. Playing normal. Playing human when he'd been something far beyond that in his previous life.
But he'd manage. He always did.
Outside his window, the palace hummed with its usual nighttime activity. Somewhere in those halls, Yu Tianlong was plotting. Master Chen was probably analyzing what he'd seen. Lady Feng Yue was doing... whatever mysterious prodigies did when no one was watching.And Yu Jingming sat in his room, red eyes reflecting candlelight, and planned his next dozen moves.This life was going to be interesting.Probably too interesting.But at least it wouldn't be boring..