The Alchemist Association was a branch of the Sect's Medicine Palace.
It was an association built and led by students, managed by disciples.
It was a place created inside the sect to nurture those who have a talent for becoming an alchemist. Their alchemical skills leave room for improvement; however, their selling point was cheapness.
Because Master-Class creations from the Medicine Palace with 100% purity were too expensive, many disciples had to make do. In the past, disciples did backroom deals, but this changed during the Crimson Moon Demon's time.
It's said that a disciple proposed it to the Demon Council, but it remains a mystery.
The sect distributes medicinal pills each month to nurture disciples. However, what the disciples received was grossly lacking in quantity and quality. Lower rank disciples like Ace received a regular Restoration pill each month.
Although this Restoration Pill is a lower rank pill, its quality and purity were superior to the Restoration Pill found in the Old Dragon Continent.
It was noon, and even though the sun was glaring from above, many people still gathered around the Medicinal Pill Workshop. Many of these students have been saving up on sect points in their medallions by doing various odd jobs and selling some treasure for the sect.
Sect points were the currency used inside the sect; sect points were obtainable through various means like selling a treasure and obtaining merits from the sect by completing missions they posted from time to time.
Ace stood in front of the Alchemist Association. The structure in front of him was a nine-layered pagoda, while behind him was the Medicinal Pill Workshop that had been conducting business ever since the sun rose from the east.
But he wasn't here to buy any medicinal pills from the Medicine Pill Workshop but to join the Alchemist Association and learn how to create a medicinal pill himself.
"This should be the place." Ace said, looking at the carved sign.
Ace walked forward, then went ahead and entered the Alchemist Association. Upon entering, Ace smelled the wonderful aroma that lingers in the air from the pill-making process.
Ace walked over to a female receptionist behind the desk.
'Huh, she kinda looks familiar.' He noted she looked familiar but just let it go. "Does the Alchemist Association accept newcomers?"
The young receptionist raised her head and saw Ace's youthful face and answered with a genuine blissful and welcoming smile, "Of course, we are, in fact, in need of manpower. Also, if you do not have any experience in pill concoction, we will gladly give you proper guidance."
He shuddered in anxiousness looking at the receptionist's face for some reason.
'Somehow, this feels wrong.' he thought while feeling a little scared by how welcoming they seemed. Though Ace thought that, he still smiled when he said, "I don't have any experience in pill concoction, but can I join the association?"
"When do you want to join, now? Just take out your medallion, and I will record your name in our Association's records."
"Ju-just like that? There are no tests?" What he heard shook him. To join an organization so quickly, he did not expect it to be so easy, "Is there no such thing as a test?"
"Hoho, how diligent. A senior will test you, but nothing more." The receptionist explained with an even bigger smile.
Like what the lady said, Ace took his black medallion that hung over his neck and passed it over to the lady so she could record his name. The process didn't take long, and the lady immediately gave the medallion back.
"Come with me."
The receptionist stood up from her seat and started leading Ace from the front desk to the second floor of the pagoda. They stopped walking after reaching a two-meter door carved out from some ancient wood.
"Senior brother Min Ren, someone wants to join the association."
"Enter." A voice came from the other side of the room.
The lady opened the door. Ace stepped inside the room together with the receptionist lady and found someone sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room with a pill furnace.
That person looked young from behind, but the way he handled the pill furnace and the flames were very elegant and precise. His every movement showed great power, yet it didn't seem overbearing, and the orange flames he was using were constant and didn't show any unusual flickers.
After Ace and the lady entered the room, the pill furnace floating in the air slowly came down, and that person turned around and presented a very manly aura. Despite how elegant his flames danced earlier and how meticulous he used the fire, the person in possession of the fire looked like a bear that was able to enter the sect by disguising himself as a human.
Wearing a blood-red robe with gold linings at the edge of the sleeves, the burn on his face made him look like an arsonist mixed with a bandit. Ace froze over after seeing that person's face.
"So, who is this?" Min Ren asked the lady who stood beside Ace.
"Senior, this is the person who wishes to join the Alchemist Association and become a true alchemist." The lady replied respectfully.
"Junior greets senior brother Min Ren." Ace bowed respectfully to Min Ren, showing his goodwill.
But Min Ren didn't seem too pleased when he saw Ace acting like that to him, and his brows met in the middle of his forehead, and then he spoke some words directed towards Ace.
"Boy, being an alchemist is not easy. To become an alchemist, you must have a will that will not waver. To control the aggressive flames to purify the medicinal herbs, one will need an unfaltering heart that will not be affected by external interference. Lastly, to become an Alchemist, you must put enough effort until you cry blood and not complain about it, so if you are like the other juniors who came here to join with half-hearted resolve and determination, I will break every bone in your body just like the others."
Min Ren's eyes flashed with hostility as he looked at Ace.
Ace gave a deep bow and thundered, "I will not run and complain; I wish to learn the way of Alchemy and concoct pills. I will follow every instruction of senior and will give it my all to become on becoming an alchemist."
With a loud voice full of sincerity, Ace announced what's inside his mind to everyone inside the room.
[Ding… Extra Carrer unlocked, Alchemist.]
[Ding… level one Alchemist (0/10).]
Ace's face suddenly changed after the system announced his new career path.
'Just like that? I haven't even concocted a single pill.'
Ace was immediately delighted and wanted to experiment with this new job, but that had to wait until he left.
Min Ren saw his sincerity and nodded; he looked at Ace and then at the receptionist.
"Lei-Lei give him three books, <
Min Ren smiled at Ace, and although it was supposed to be a friendly smile, Ace's heart still skipped a beat.
"Follow me."
The lady receptionist led Ace back to the reception, and there she passed him four thick books. The four books from top to bottom was, <
Three of them were the ones Min Ren told Lei-Lei to give Ace, and the 'Illustrious Journal of Medicinal Plants' was something extra from Lei-Lei.
Lei-Lei showed Ace a wonderful smile and said.
"Read the three books tonight, and you might finish it in six days. As for the <
Lei-Lei gave a soft sigh and looked at Ace, who may be the only recruit they get this year. Giving the book was to make sure that he would join them; she even tried sounding pitiful to make him feel sympathetic... all for recruiting a single member.
Her face hurt from all the smiling she did, and now, she's resorted to bribing, 'Gotta keep at least two of them, or we will have nothing to show to the other Association.'
Right now, Lei-Lei wishes Min Ren to go back to his master; then, the Alchemist Association would surely be able to gather more members.
"Well, do your best at least; if you finish reading those books, come back and make your report. Senior Min Ren will show you how to concoct a pill if you pass. After you learn how to do it, you will have to contribute to the Association, and as for lower rank members such as yourself, you would be tasked to create fifty Restoration Pills every month."
Lei Lei once again sighed when she started thinking of the arduous process of repetitive purification of ingredients that made her want to complain. After chatting with Lei-Lei for a while, Ace left the Alchemist Association and went back to his place.
…
Ace placed the books on the bed and picked them up one by one.
[Ding… acquired, <
"Learn."
'Ding… acquired, <
"Learn."
[Ding… acquired, <
"Learn."
[Ding… acquired, <
"Learn."
[Ding… learned <
At this moment, a variety of different information entered Ace's mind just like that. He clearly understood what was described in the books.
Medicinal plants that he had never even heard of were listed inside his head and recite their contents with no problems. Pills that had appeared over the ages were recorded in his mind. Description of a furnace and how to concoct a pill flooded his mind.
"I can even learn the contents of regular books without any problem whatsoever." Ace nodded his head and checked the extra career column.
Ace tried clicking the word Alchemist, and a bronze furnace appeared from out of nowhere and floated in the air. Seeing the furnace, Ace was surprised, but he was able to calm his mind before long.
The furnace was already there, and he also already had the knowledge needed to start concocting pills but had no ingredients he could use to concoct even a single Restoration Pill.
Ace wanted to immediately come back to the Alchemist Association and get some ingredients, but he highly doubted that he could get anything out of them in this case. He was a mere outer sect disciple that does not have any background with pill concoction, and he made that clear to Min Ren.
Ace had dropped a stone on his foot with his bold statement. Even if he were to go there now and miraculously show them that he can concoct some pills that will only sow suspicion and may even question him, he chose to wait for a week before going back there.
Ace didn't know what to do at this time; his cultivation was naturally different than the rest, so meditating did not have any use for him leveling the <
He lay on his bed and tried thinking of ways; he was silent for a while when an idea entered his head.
"Can I also gain experience by defeating others?"