Actually, you can, as you've all been rewarded with ten spirit stones each for your patience during the last trial. But to buy anything or request any service, the currency is spirit stones," he replied, leaving us all in awe.
"By the chiefs?" asked one of the new disciples excitedly.
"Yes," replied Senior Disciple Wang Lie as he handed ten pieces of spirit stone to each of us.
"Thank you, chiefs!" we all chorused excitedly with a bow, even though the chiefs weren't with us.
"Yang Hua, let's go there," said Fei Fei and Mimi, pointing towards a stall that had rings.
"Welcome, ladies, to the magical ring stall. I sell normal rings used for beautification, and also magical rings where you can store things, a ring where you can hide different equipment," said the senior disciple with a broad smile.
"Senior disciple, how much is it actually?" asked Mimi.
"Just five spirit stones," said the senior disciple.
"For all!" exclaimed Fei Fei excitedly, as she grabbed the box containing the magical rings.
"Ahem, five spirit stones for just one," yelled the senior disciple, grabbing the box back from Fei Fei.
"Five spirit stones for just one, isn't that cruel?"
"I'm running a business here. If you have no spirit stones with you, kindly leave here and let good customers patronize me," yelled the senior disciple scornfully.
"Your sect members are quite rude," I whispered into Fei Fei's ear, since the senior disciple was also dressed in red, a disciple of the master of the sword, but she just ignored me.
"Alright, the master of earth is already waiting for you at the studio. Kindly make your way there, new disciples. You don't keep your masters waiting on the first day," said Senior Disciple Wang Lei.
"We haven't bought anything yet," complained Mimi.
"We will later, or better still, capture some spirit animals and exchange them for spirit stones," I said as I winked at her, after which we followed Senior Disciple Wang Lei steadily to the alchemy studio.
The master of earth was already waiting for us, and from his expression, he must have been waiting for us for quite some time now.
"Greetings to the master of earth," we all chorused with a bow.
"You...you... how dare you all?" yelled the master of earth at the sight of us.
"On your knees," he commanded, and with this, we all knelt down with fear written all over our faces.
"First kowtow to the master of earth," said Senior Disciple Wang Lie, and we all complied.
"Second kowtow to the master of earth," he said again, and we all complied.
"Third kowtow to the master of earth," he said, and we all did it for the third time, after which we were asked to get up and settle down in our seats.
Fei Fei and I sat down together, while Muyang and Mimi sat together behind us.
"Welcome to the alchemy studio," said the master of earth with a smile.
"In front of you all is a cauldron, cooker, and herbs and roots," said the master of earth, who was also seated elegantly in front of us, with the same listed tools in front of him as well.
"Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water divide the human body into five systems."
"The Wu (five) shen of the Chinese are five spirits that represent the Yin internal organ system in the body."
"Yin is negative, dark, and feminine, while Yang is positive, bright, and masculine."
"Their interaction is to maintain the harmony of the universe and to influence everything within it."
"Is he already teaching?" asked Muyang from behind.
"Yes, of course, or what do you think he's doing?" said Mimi sarcastically.
"And I'm not jotting down anything," exclaimed Muyang with a worried face.
"You're one of his disciples, you're one of those they said it takes ten years to attain the second mark on your name plate," said Mimi.
"You..."
"You two there, behave yourselves. You're interrupting my class," said the master of earth.
"We're sorry, master," pleaded Muyang and Mimi, standing up.
"It's okay, you can have your seats. Wang Lei, kindly help with the medicine scroll. I don't know where that disciple of mine, Qui Kong, is," said the master of earth with frustration on his face.
Senior Disciple Wang Lie was soon back with a box full of scrolls as he started to distribute them to us one by one.
The scroll contained pictures of different herbs and roots, with their names written right underneath. It also gave full details about the usefulness of different herbs and roots, as well as their origin.
"You're all new disciples. You can't make any medicine yet, but look into those scrolls you have with you. There are drawings I marked with red paint. You all will be going into the sect forest and bring me those herbs. That is your first assignment as my students," said the master of earth.
"Ginseng, Astragalus, Ginkgo, are the herbs marked with red marks here. Every other participant also has the same herbs marked."
Although I didn't really understand his lessons, I was really excited to go on an excursion to identify herbs, I thought with a bright smile.
Senior Disciple Wang Lie soon led us to the medicinal forest, which was the forest where we took our first trials as disciples.
"Here we are! Bring out your scrolls and knives with you. Begin identifying the herbs and cut them into your baskets. Hurry! We don't have time to waste," said Senior Disciple Wang Lie, and with this, we all started the search mission.
Demon Realm
Yang Xiu defeated the scorpion and was soon out of the dream world, with her body covered in bruises.
"Lady General," yelled Luli and Gang, running towards her after sealing the dream world.
She vomited a mouthful of blood as Luli inspected her.
"She's poisoned," said Luli with a worried expression. Gang, understanding the assignment, carried her on his back, running all the way to the demon clinic.