Yasuo opened his eyes. He was lying down on top of a comforter with a warm towel on his forehead. He looked around him. He was alone.
"Jishi... do you remember all of the skills I asked you to make?"
< "Yes. Would you like me to apply them now?" >
"Yeah."
A chime sounded.
Suddenly Yasuo glowed with soul force and returned to normal. He sat up.
Yun walked into the room with a bowl of stew. She almost screamed. "How are you awake?! Lay back down!! You're sick!"
Yasuo looked at himself. "No I'm not. See?" He held up an arm.
"Huh...?" Yun was bewildered. "But I'm sure that you... how?"
"I'm a god."
"A god?"
"Yeah."
There was an awkward silence.
Yun chuckled. "Okay, don't tell me then. This isn't the time to be telling jokes. Are you hungry?"
Yasuo nodded. "I could eat."
He took the bowl and ate a spoonful. Yun sat on her knees politely.
"Ack!" Yasuo started choking. He struggled to swallow it all. "That... wasn't pleasant."
Yun smiled. "I'm not a good cook. I've always had other people cook for me."
Yasuo put the bowl down.
Yun dropped her smile. "You're crazy, you know that? Why would you deliberately put yourself in danger? You shouldn't involve yourself with me."
"I'm a selfish person. If I want something, I'll get it, no matter what it takes. What's so wrong about wanting to be friends?"
"It's not that I don't want to... you're a good person, I can see that, but... I don't want to get attached to you. I won't live much longer."
"Why not? Are you sick or something?"
She shook her head. "I'm the vessel of the legendary dragon, Vekyrtr." (vek-kyur-tur)
"Vekyrtr?"
She nodded. "It's the dragon of disaster and chaos. It has the power to destroy the world, and won't stop until it does. It was awakened eighteen years ago in Liu, and then traveled to Alverus, our allied city. A Sage Profound Realm cultivator from our Emperor Jade Family, Xiao Hua, my grandfather, was able to seal the beast inside of a sage-realm soul crystal. But the seal wouldn't last long. To avert the crisis, my family decided that it would be best to sacrifice one of us to become a vessel. They thought it best to choose someone young, so I was chosen soon after my birth. At a young age, I was married off to the Morning Lotus Sect to establish good relations between us. The marriage takes place on my nineteenth birthday, which is the day the seal will break. Before that happens I will be executed as a sign of a peace treaty to Alverus. With my death, Vekyrtr will also die, the world will be safe, and my family will not be targeted by the Morning Lotus Sect."
Yasuo looked sad. "That's not fair... why did they put everything on you?! Why not one of the old guys? They're already about to die!"
Yun smiled to herself. "I'm happy that you're so concerned for me, but this is fate. It can not be escaped. I've already learned to accept it."
Yasuo stood up. "I wont accept it! You can't let go of your life like that! Don't you wanna live?!"
Yun's eyes watered. "Of course I do, but I don't want to think about that. So don't do that to me Yasuo. Foolish hope is for children. Now please, leave. I wish we could've been friends."
Yun was silent now, looking down. Yasuo knew that if she talked anymore, she'd break down.
< "It'd be best for you to leave, at least for now." >
("Yeah. I know.") Yasuo got up and headed for the door. He took one more look at Yun before closing it behind him.
—
Yasuo walked back to his shabby, old home. He stepped inside and sat against the wall. "What can I do..."
There was a knock at the door.
Yasuo looked over. "Who could that be...?" He saw a shadow at the door. "Come in, it's open!"
The door slid open. "Ahh, finally, I've been looking for you for almost three weeks now!"
A young man walked in, wearing a dark blue uniform. He had short brown hair and thick glasses with circlular frames. "My name is Lee. I'm a Senior Alchemist."
"Lee? Just Lee?"
"Yes. Just Lee. I don't come from a high background, actually I was an orphan. Luckily I made a name for myself with my talents. Emperor Fang has sent me to watch over you, a Junior Alchemist."
Yasuo sighed. "Look, no offense, but I don't need anyone to look over me."
Lee took a bag off of his back and set it on the floor. "I'm sure you feel that way. I've heard that you can make saint-realm elixirs with a common cauldron and basic river water. While that certainly makes you quite the prodigy, my job is to guide you in the right direction so that you can hone your skills even further. I've been in the study for ten years now, and I promise you that my skills are top-notch."
Lee pulled out a golden cauldron from his spatial ring, along with a black pestle, some herbs, and a few minerals. "Now watch as I make a tier 3 saint-realm elixir."
Yasuo took a glance. "Don't bother, you're just wasting ingredients."
Lee looked up at him. "Hm? What do you mean?"
Yasuo scooted closer. "This is supposed to be a fire element enhancing elixir right?"
"You can tell? I'm surprised. Yes, this elixir increases the powers of the fire element."
Yasuo pointed. "Garo Leaf isn't good for the fire element. Even though it has the properties of a fire element herb, its chemical makeup is better for wind, so it doesn't mix will with Pyro Crystals. That's why fire elixirs are trickier. Use the seeds of the Joker Fruit instead. Much easier to handle, and produces a stronger effect. Also, halve the amount of Pyro Crystals you have here and use Octane Crystal Ore instead, it enhances the effects of the ingredients you add with it."
Lee's mouth hung open. "H-How... how do you know all of this?"
Yasuo sat back. "Because I know everything there is to know about alchemy. Inside and out."
Lee was skeptical. "Show me then, make the Fire Enhancement Elixir!"
Yasuo cracked his knuckles. He pulled a variety of ingredients from his ring, and started working.
As Lee watched, he became more and more amazed with Yasuo's work. By the end, he was gawking, at a loss for words.
Yasuo set down a pot full of glowing orange liquid.
Lee's hands shook as he reached out to the pot. "You're...! You're a true genius!! I've never seen such techniques, even among the masters! The precision of your soul force, your knowledge of herbs and minerals, everything is above the top marks!! You're... a God of Alchemy!!"
Yasuo chuckled. "I like the sound of that. Drink it."
Lee looked at him desperately. "Can I?!!"
Yasuo nodded.
Lee greedily started chugging down the pot of elixir.
His soul force started flaring up. "This elixir...!! THIS IS A TIER 1 GRANDMASTER-REALM ELIXIR!!!"
Yasuo put a finger to his mouth. "Shh! I don't want the whole world to know!"
Lee put the pot down. He got into kowtow position. "I beg of you! Please make me your student!!"
"For real? I'm only sixteen you know."
"Out of all my years, I've never seen someone with such knowledge and skill as you!! I don't care if I'm older than you! It's as they say, you can never be too old to learn!"
Yasuo didn't take long to think it over. "Yeah okay, I'll teach you some things."
Lee put his hands together. "Thank you! I'll make sure to learn everything I can!!"
Yasuo had finally gained his first follower inside the Great City of Liu... inside of a dark, dirty, and run-down house.