Chapter 1: Beware of Cultivators
The world spun around in circles as I stared at the wooden ceiling with a dimming gaze. A loud droning noise rang in my ears as someone shouted the end of the spar.
"Are you done already, Junior Brother? We still have many pointers to share," the boy said, smirking. I could barely make out his face, as colors splashed around in my vision, but from the sound of him, he could not have been older than fourteen.
"Peh, that was pathetic. Barely managed to take five blows. Let us leave brother, this scum is not worth our time."
I heard murmurs all around me, words full of disgust and occasionally some of pity were thrown my way. The other boy walked out of the arena, but I remained where I lay staring at the roof above me.
"Someone take Lu Jie to the Old Man, he seems to have hit his head hard." A man spoke, as a few people walked over. Two pairs of arms lifted me up, carrying me through my daze. I could barely register their voices as I started to gather my wits.
Two questions burned in my mind.
Where the fuck am I? And who's this Lu Jie?
***
The smell of herbs and incense touched my nose, and I felt something warm prickle my skin. With a painful groan I opened my blurry eyes, taking a look at where I found myself.
"Keep lying down Lu Jie, your wounds haven't healed yet. The pill is working but you need to rest."
An old man stood beside me, wearing a plain white robe. His hair was white, long bushy eyebrows set on a face with more wrinkles than skin and a long beard seen in all those Kung-Fu movies.
A boiling iron cauldron sat at the other end of the chamber, green smoke rising from it as it twirled in the air, floating around the old man's hand.
"I'll be making a Qi reinforcement pill, it will heal the damage to your dantian soon. You have nothing to worry about, you won't be crippled," the old man said, patting my shoulder gently with a kind smile.
I stared as the old man walked back towards his cauldron and let my head fall back onto the coarse and hard bed underneath me.
Where am I? The last I remember was falling asleep as I was preparing for my Physics test paper and the next instant I was being slammed around by some kids throwing magic bullshit at me.
I didn't have to wait long, as the answers started to come to me on their own. Lu Jie, a moderately talented kid from the Seven Rivers village who had found out he'd been blessed with Qi. Like every other kid from a village, he decided to strike out his luck in the city, to try and become a cultivator.
The rest went as typical Chinese cultivation stories go. But Lu Jie was no main character. He barely got into the sect on his talents and struggled to keep up with his peers as they moved further through the ranks. Years went by and he was now twenty, and still stuck at the third realm.
He got the short end of the stick when he caught the eyes of the insane twin young masters recently, being dumb enough to accept their proposal to have them give him "pointers".
Looking through his memories, it was obvious to me that the twins just loved to beat and bully those weaker than them, and used the spar as an opportunity to beat other disciples up. Lu Jie happened to be just exceptionally unlucky, dying from a hit to the head.
And now I'm Lu Jie.
Fuck me.
I tried to move but the pain shooting through my abdomen told me that any movement would make me regret all my choices so far. Stuck on the bed, I decided to go through the guy's memories. There was little else to do.
There was no family that I could think of for Lu Jie. For all of his childhood he seemed to have been raised by a kind farmer who'd taken him in. He hadn't left the sect in years. Outer disciples seem to be barely above servants in ranking here, and the only ranks Lu Jie had been rising in was that of age.
The old man here seemed to be the only one who'd ever cared for him, with his frequent beatings and injuries his visits to this place had been far more common than should be normal. I felt a bit bad about the old man, as I remember him telling Lu Jie of how he'd lost his grandchild to a particularly nasty disease. It was clear that he'd seen his grandson in him, and now the kid was dead too.
I had some measures of pity for Lu Jie as well. He had been an arrogant guy, believing himself destined for greatness and the shattering of his dreams had been harsh. He had never said it out loud, or even muttered a word of thanks to the old man, but he had been the only support the boy had had in his life in the sect.
It was a sad story. A death so pointless. Another nameless guy gone in a merciless world. But while I felt sad, I had no intentions of sticking around here. I had read enough cultivation novels to know how these went. Any young master could come in with a 'You dare??!' and I'd meet the same fate that Lu Jie had.
"Open your mouth Lu Jie. Swallow the pill and let it mix with your Qi." The old man said, as he placed a pill near my mouth. I opened my lips, stinging pain coursing through them at the movement.
I ignored the pain as I swallowed the pill, feeling it travel through my chest before it soon began to dissolve. A cool sensation formed in my gut as the Qi from the pill began to spill over, flooding what could only be my pathways. For a moment I panicked, the foreign sensation making me tense, but ingrained memory in my body began to circulate the energy on its own, moving it in circles through my dantian.
A mint like smell tingled my nose as the energy started to dissipate throughout my body, my wounds starting to itch. I felt a surge of Qi pulse through as the pain I'd been feeling began to fade.
"You should be able to walk soon, but don't channel your Qi or stress your Dantian for a couple of days. I will try and get the sect to let you take a leave for a couple of days," the old man said with a gentle smile.
I stared at the man, who saved me from death, or a life as a cripple, the only person who'd been there for me. The words that I- Lu Jie had never said out loud, I felt them fill my chest. Perhaps it was his last wish, or whatever remained of him, but I felt compelled to give it voice.
"Thank you."
The old man stared at me, his brows rising in surprise for a brief moment before he laughed gently. "No need to thank this old man Lu Jie, I am just doing my duties. You have a bright future in front of you, you should be careful not to squander it in quarrels."
My lips trembled as emotions not completely my own filled me. The grief of loss, the frustration of being insufficient. Anger at my own self. To have died like this. But then… grateful. To be able to say what I had never had the heart to.
I closed my eyes, feeling the Qi swirling in my dantian as the emotions passed by.
May you find peace Lu Jie.
***
"Yeah this is bullshit" I muttered out loud. In whatever language the people spoke here. Azure-Jade script. The thought came to my mind, alongside the context behind why the language was named such. I was too busy marvelling over my body to care though.
"Fucking Qi magic bullshit. I know I had a concussion and at least a couple broken ribs. All healed in a few hours." I said out loud, this time in English. Glad I hadn't forgotten how to speak it at least.
The pill had sent me into a strange haze induced state, where my mind had drifted through my thoughts, as the Qi within me had silently cycled itself over and over. I felt my dantian, now healed from the pill's effect, and I sensed the Qi filling it.
A meagre amount compared to all but the newest of disciples joining the sect. But even the weakest of cultivators were stronger than the average farmer. Super human strength and speed were just the beginning of their abilities.
I was not going to stick around these murderous drug addicted supermen and women. That's just asking to get killed.
I flexed my fingers, and moved my feet. The lack of pain was surreal. No medicine, no matter how advanced back home could have achieved what this simple low grade healing pill had done in hours.
I shifted my feet back onto the wooden floor and pulled myself up. The small room I was in was filled with book shelves. A small cauldron sat at one corner of the room, the remnants of the contents of the concocted pill sitting in there.
From what I could tell from Lu Jie's memories, Alchemy wasn't a noteworthy profession in this world. The alchemists, while respected by the lower end of society, worked mostly in service to some sort of lord or governor, and even the most famous alchemists were under the thumb of powerful cultivators.
They needed to have Qi, yet they didn't use it to focus on cultivation but instead used it to hone a different set of skills. The very concept was foreign to most cultivators. Why wouldn't you chase the eternal heavens and immortality through trials and tribulations and be the big dick chad god?
I walked up to the cauldron, picking up the little leather book lying on a table nearby. The script was foreign to me, but as with the language I could speak, I could also read these texts. It seems Lu Jie was an educated man.
The book opened up to show a list of herbs, denoting their names, common locations and their properties. Flipping through the pages I found various texts explaining how to process these herbs, and various mixtures to form balms and salves to help heal wounds.
The texts were somewhat primitive, yet the content within was still valuable. There were many plants that, I noticed, deviated from their natural properties. One plant was straight up made of fire. A Seven-Poison Flame grass that turned to fire when Qi flowed through it. There were several such strange spirit herbs listed in the book and quite quickly, I found myself sucked into the text books, as it guided me through the basics of Alchemy.
Time flew by, as the further I read the more entranced I became by the things I saw. Everything in this book flew right in the face of all that I knew. It broke laws of physics and chemistry for breakfast, and would munch on the laws of Thermodynamics as a snack. Some pills had downright ridiculous procedures like, perform the dance of the Blood Lotus, and channel your spirit. The pill shall take the shape of your desires like what the fuck.
Yet, the ideas sparked something in me. I'd always enjoyed learning, it was one of the things that had stuck with me since my childhood. My desire to better understand the world around me. To discover the mysteries that may have been hidden right in front of our eyes. The harsh droning classes at university may have at times dulled that enthusiasm, but the desire had never really gone away completely.
Now, it seemed to have returned stronger than ever before. I was in a fantasy world. A world with mythical forces and pills that could save hundreds of lives. From every cultivation novel I had read, the setting had been historical, and backward in technology, but there was no need for things to be that way.
They already had medicine so advanced it could heal people in a day or two. If I could understand that, if I could find out what made this world tick, then perhaps I would not have to worry about some random young master being my doom. Afterall, science was just the understanding of the world around us. If the laws of my world did not apply, then I would just have to learn the laws of this one.
Alchemy could also serve as a way to earn money and save enough up to live on my own outside the sect. And possibly find some quiet corner where I could try and break down the magic behind this world.
It was as good a plan as I would have, of leaving behind the politics and cultivators and their squabbles. I did not want to live as a peasant. From what I could see in Lu Jie's memory, they had extremely simplistic lives, and lived in poverty. Not having the internet is bad enough, but having to work on some farm to survive may just kill me out of boredom. No, I'd much rather get a quiet mansion in a town, and sell alchemical potions and live a comfortable life.
I let out a breath, closing the book on my lap. The door creaked behind me, and I saw the Old Man, standing at the doorway, staring at me.
"W-what are you doing Lu Jie?" the old man said, a look of surprise on his face.
"I- umm. I just…" I murmured but my voice was caught in my throat. I paused for a moment, shuffling. Delaying would do nothing. This would have to be my chance. I took in a deep breath, as I looked up at the Old Man.
"I want to learn Alchemy."
Chapter 2: The Path of Alchemy
I stared at the Old man, trying to keep my expression as sincere as I could.
"Why so suddenly, Lu Jie? What about your dream of rising in your cultivation?"
I took in a breath, trying to emulate a dejected Lu Jie as best as I could. "The spar has opened my eyes Elder. I had been trying to deny it all this time, hoping that effort would be enough, but the heavens do not grant blessings equally. I have been stuck at the third realm for months now, unable to break through to the second circle." I sniffed once.
"I have seen the truth. I am talentless. And this is as far as I will ever go. I had despaired thinking there was no path in life that I could take. But, the pill you granted me made me feel a sense of purpose."
I paused for a moment, realising that I was almost being genuine here. Having the memories of Lu Jie, even though I could tell the memories were not mine, I still felt affected by them. His frustration and his defeat, and the realisation had all been true. He may have died, but I had lived through his memories, and I'd felt those emotions. I continued speaking, trying not to stop suddenly.
"I wish to be of some use. And I wish to repay you for all the kindness you have shown me one day." I turned around, pulling my knees together, as I bowed my head.
"Please take me as an apprentice."
Silence descended for a few moments, as I kept my head bent. The sound of footsteps sounded out as the old man walked closer.
"I am a bit disheartened to hear you give up on your dream Lu Jie. You may have had troubles, but I'd seen the resolve in your eyes. But the heavens have different plans for everyone. And it is the mark of youth to try and find your own path, and Dao. If you think it lies in this craft, then I would be glad to teach it to you."
I looked up at the old man, a frown sat on his wrinkly old face as he walked over to inspect his cauldron. "It has been decades since anyone has asked this old man to teach them. Know that I am no talented master, but just a humble man who has been working his craft for a long time." A pause descended as I sat for a moment.
"Think carefully, Lu Jie. The relationship of a Master and apprentice runs deeper than all but family. If this is truly the path you wish to take, then kowtow thrice and agree to take me as your master, and I will agree to teach what I know of Alchemy."
I exhaled, feeling partially relieved as I looked up. "I agree, Master." I replied, kowtowing thrice.
"I agree as well, apprentice, may the heavens be my witness."I felt a pulse of Qi travel through the room at his words as the apprenticeship was made official.
It had been partially a gamble to ask the old man, he really had no reason to accept me as a disciple. Officially I would still be a disciple of the sect. I would help him with his job, and do some chores, but outside of that, the old man was doing me a favour. I was a good deal nervous at being thrust in this position so randomly, but a part of me was also relieved as well.
Step 1 of plan 'Escape dumb cultivation sect' was a success.
I bowed my head once more, as the old man stood in front of me.
"What do you know about alchemy Lu Jie?" the old man asked.
I frowned for a moment, trying to dreg up a reply from Lu Jie's memories. "Alchemy is the craft of refining. To refine various herbs and resources to form Elixirs and Pills that can help purify the dantian and bolster one's cultivation. As well as cure ailments and heal injuries." I frowned at my reply. The Alchemy in this world may be primitive but it was still a field of study. The answer I'd given had completely ignored the nature of alchemy to instead put it as a tool. I felt a different reply bubbling in me, and I spoke up.
"Alchemy is the study of nature. It's the craft of understanding the body and the spirit, to create that which can heal and enhance both. It is the craft of medicine, and one of healing and conversion. A method to understand how the various herbs and essences work, and by extension, how everything under heaven does. It's a Path of understanding." I replied, and this time, the answer rang true, as my Qi swirled in my Dantian. This was my Path.
"My Dao will differ from yours. But all of them reside under the heavens as one, guided by its will. I had never felt it before Lu Jie, but now, I feel that the path of Alchemy may indeed be the one for you. That choice is not mine to make. All this old man can do is guide you along your Path."
I nodded in reply and the old man turned around. "Let us start with the very first thing. The ranks by which an Alchemist is known. You have taken your first steps in Alchemy as an Alchemy apprentice. The next step for you would be one of a Junior Alchemist, capable of refining the simplest of pills and elixirs. The next would be a Senior Alchemist. The rank this old man had been for the majority of his life. You can call yourself a true Alchemist at this rank. At the end of my life, I have taken my last steps to be a Grand Alchemist.
After Grand Alchemist, your path will take you to be a Master, a Grandmaster, a Saint, and at last an Alchemy Emperor. Such is the path in front of you."
I stared at the old man, seeing his passion as he spoke his words. The realisation of his old appearance dawned on me as well, and the time he had spent honing his craft. Few men looked old, the Qi in them keeping their appearances youthful even beyond a century. And the higher you cultivated, the slower you aged. Yet, Old Man looked older than any person I had ever encountered, he may not have a high cultivation, yet his skills and experience would be invaluable nonetheless.
"The first step in alchemy is the study of its ingredients. Which ingredient does what, and the potency of the herbs, the purity of the essence, and the time and technique involved in refining them." Smoke rose from the cauldron, twirling around the old man's hand as his hands moved to an unseen rhythm. Seeing things straight out of a kung fu movie left me awed as I gaped, watching with bated breaths as the minty smell of herbs filled the chamber.
"Your first lesson will be on how to use the cauldron, and refine a pill" the old man said, as a fire lit up under the iron cauldron on its own. The old man picked several books from his shelves, as he laid them out on the ground in front of me.
'The Fundamentals of Alchemy Part 1' the book read. A jade slip also rested next to it and I stared at the old man for an answer.
"That contains the recipe for three basic pills. When you can brew all three, is when you can call yourself an Alchemist. They are not rare recipes, but all alchemists have their own details and touches, and they are all passed from master to apprentice."
I looked down at the jade slip, a slight pulse of Qi showing me all three pills and their recipes. I felt my heart beat with excitement at the prospective of learning the first magic since arriving here.
It was time to make some cultivation drugs.
Chapter 3: Old Man 'Lao Zhang'
Lao Zhang was old, his name quite literally meaning Old man. It had been ages since anyone had called him by his own name, and he preferred the name he'd been given anyways. It represented the time he'd spent at the sect here.
Lao Zhang had been working as an Alchemist for several decades now. A large portion that time had been spent here at the Cloudy Peaks sect, ever since the Sect Elder had seen his skill and hired him as an alchemist. He had spent his life's workings here, and only a few now remained who remembered him, as he was in his youth.
As he'd crossed a century in age, he had been free to leave the sect with his earnings gaining a venerable Elder solely on his age. He had refused of course. What purpose would he have in life if he stopped working for his sect? Perhaps if his grandson had been alive… Lao Zhang felt a pang of guilt at the memory, but the pain had dulled with time.
No, his purpose was right here. Working under the sect as he lived the last of his days trying to reach the truth of his own Dao. His age had offered him wisdom, and there were some things that you only saw, when death approached closer, and your own physique turned against you. It had been a while since something had surprised Lao Zhang. But here, today, that fact seemed to have been occurring more than once.
"Why hasn't anyone tried to test the original recipe? Or improve it?" the boy, Lu Jie asked, sitting crossed leg on the floor with text books opened all around him.
Lao Zhang frowned, as he looked at the boy with a strange expression through narrowed eyes. "These recipes were created by our Venerable ancestors, that too at the peak of their cultivation paths. To try and tamper with them would be folly." he replied, as the boy turned back down to read through the texts, murmuring something under his breath.
"Doesn't that mean they're outdated?" Lu Jie asked once more. And once again, Lao Zhang found himself lacking words. He stood silently for a moment trying to think of a suitable way to guide Lu Jie but the boy had already lost track of his words, busy leafing through the text books once more as he occasionally muttered words Lao Zhang had a hard time placing.
There had been something off about the boy ever since he'd lost his spar. The way he'd so easily chosen to give up had worried Lao Zhang that the defeat had been quite harsh and if his spirit may be in shambles. Yet Lu Jie appeared to be just fine, quite excited if anything to go by the smile that had crept on his face from time to time as he read the text books around him.
Perhaps the treatment of the head injury was not complete. Lao Zhang was versed in medicine, but he was no healer. And injuries of the head are often tied to injuries to the spirit. Perhaps he should ask a healer to have a look at the child.
Lao Zhang shook his head. This was not his grandchild, no matter what he thought at times. He shouldn't coddle Lu Jie, without tribulations, none would ever grow and find their Paths. All he should do is look after the child when he is about to fall. The same thing he'd do for any other disciple in the sect.
"I've memorised them," Lu Jie said, closing the text books.
"Already?" Lao Zhang asked in surprise. The text only had a few basic herbs but he'd still expected it to take a few days. It had barely been two hours. "What is the use of the Glacial spirit poison then?"
"Glacial spirit poison. A poison that acts on the heart and the body, slowing down its beat, as the blood and body begin to turn cold, before the victim eventually dies of heart failure. It can be used as an ingredient to counteract potent spirit poisons as the decreased blood flow can prevent the poison from spreading while the glacial Qi can be used to mellow the fever." The boy replied in a single breath.
Lao Zhang exhaled, staring at Lu Jie. "That… is correct. You memorized all of them?" he asked, perhaps this was the boy's true blessing.
A sheepish smile came onto his face as the boy looked down. "I know most of them by their descriptions. I got lucky for this one as I remembered the properties and application as well."
"Have you been taught Alchemy before Lu Jie?"
"No, Elder- err, master. This is my first time. But I had to memorise a lot of things as a kid, so I'm good at memorizing names and descriptions," Lu Jie replied, looking up at him.
Lao Zhang coughed once, hiding his pleasure at being called master. He hadn't had many disciples, his talent was too meagre to teach many, and those that had been there were all old like him. To be called a master after so long was pleasing.
"Very well, then let us start learning how to use the Cauldron," Lao Zhang said, as he watched Lu Jie's face light up with a smile. Ah, he was truly blessed to have such an enthusiastic disciple.
***
I once again thanked whatever god was listening for that video I'd watched on a memorisation trick. It had saved my hide more than once when I'd had to remember all the unholy reagent names and chemical formulas for multiple step chemical reactions, and it continued to give even here as I read the alchemy textbooks.
Rote memorisation was not something I enjoyed. It was dull and tedious and it led to no new information outside of simple memory storage, which could easily be taken care of by computers. Here though, memory had a much higher value. The easiest way of storing information was texts, and these Jade slates. The slates were far too valuable to be used for anything but cultivation techniques and such, so most of the information was kept in the books which took time, thus increasing the worth of memorisation.
Going through Lu Jie's memory, I couldn't find if printing technology was a thing here or not, but from the amount of books and their standardised text fonts I saw. They seemed to have some method of mass producing books.
I quickly returned my attention to the old man as he began to speak, trying to keep my excitement in check about learning magic. My heart still trembled with joy despite my best attempts and I had to fight to keep the smile off of my face.
"Do you know why we use the cauldron to refine, Lu Jie?" The old man asked and I considered the question for a moment.
"Because its shape allows for even distribution of heat? And because it can hold a lot of things in it?"
The old man nodded. "Those are reasons too, but size matters little, more proficient Alchemists often use small cauldrons that are much larger on the inside. There is a greater reason as to why we use cauldrons and it lies in its ability to hone Qi." The old man said, as he swept his hand out, his long sleeve billowing as Qi flowed around the chamber.
Old man went all edgy mode eh?
"There are three things that define one's talent in Alchemy. One's sensitivity to Qi, the ability to manipulate Qi finely, and finally, luck." I paused at the old man's words.
"A lot of luck is needed to get the right ingredients for a pill at times. Luck is also needed when refining the pill. The difference between a good alchemist and a poor one, is how often they fail. Even the most experienced of alchemists will have a chance of failing, and only the heavens can tell when they will favour you."
I frowned. I wanted to deny the old man's words, but even back home, experiments could often fail based on luck and no one could do anything about that. Yet, I felt that an awful lot of this was also simply due to the vague instructions in these elixirs and pills alongside the mystical approach of the heaven's favour may be why luck was such a factor in failure of success.
If these pills worked similar to any chemical reaction, but just magic. Then there should be conditions with the optimal chances of success and the optimal chances of yield etc. Narrowing down on those factors will be all that's needed. At least in theory. In principle, I could be completely wrong and things did actually work on spiritual magic bullshit. Who could say, this is a cultivation world after all.
"Since luck is out of our hands. We focus on the remaining two things." The old man continued, walking around the area as he picked up a few herbs from a nearby shelf. "Qi sensitivity and Qi control are both, heaven gifted blessings as well. There are pills and elixirs that can help improve one's innate abilities a touch, but they are rare and are not always effective either."
"Then is it all about being blessed then? To be a good alchemist, you need to be blessed?" I asked, and paused at the melancholic expression that passed over the old man's face.
"It is not all about being blessed, Lu Jie. The heavens turn a kind eye to those who work hard. Qi sensitivity and Qi control can both be trained to a certain extent. And it is with these two things, that the cauldron helps with. The cauldron is a tool to not only carry your herbs but also your Qi. A good cauldron allows for your Qi to pass smoothly without any interruptions, and it guides the essence inwards. A poor cauldron can contain impurities and deformities, disrupting the flow of Qi."
The old man put the herbs in the cauldron, the fire beneath it growing larger. "Pay attention to my Qi Lu Jie, you'll try this next," the old man said, as his Qi began to billow. I sat in surprise at the amount. I never really knew which circle or realm the Old man was, did I?
Qi swirled within the cauldron as the herbs began to break down, releasing their essence. I felt multiple swirling patterns all combining within the cauldron as the essences were guided towards one another. The smell of herbs rose from the cauldron as smoke began to escape and I watched with bated breath as the delicate movement of the Qi started to merge the essence together. In a swift motion the fire blazed as all the Qi within the cauldron condensed to one spot. I felt Old Man's Qi pulsing one last time, before a singular pill formed within the cauldron.
"This is a simple Qi refilling pill. It will nourish you, when your Qi is running low, though consuming too much can cause your Qi to overstrain and damage your Dantian," the old man said, showing the pill to me.
"Now you try, Lu Jie," he said, and I nodded happily walking over to the cauldron.
I picked up the herbs, sensing the Qi present inside them. Taking the needed amount, I put the herbs in the cauldron and then tried to send a pulse of my Qi.
A few moments passed in silence as I stood in front of the quiet cauldron.
"Is something wrong Lu Jie?" The old man asked and I turned around trying to hide my embarrassment.
"How do you light the fire again?" I asked with an embarrassed smile, trying not to shrink under the quiet sigh of the Old man.
The path of selling drugs seemed to be a long one.
Chapter 4: Rat Dealings
Alchemy was expensive. That was the first thing I'd realised over the last few days of my stay here. Not only did the spiritual herbs cost money, but so did having to refill my Qi using pills because of the meagre amount I had. It was a vicious cycle where each herb I wasted would also require me to use up a Qi refilling pill, increasing the cost of waste a ton.
Looking at the higher tier pills all of them could need a lot of expensive materials, and the more potent the pill, the higher its chances of failure increasing the costs of making the pill even higher.
In short, I needed money.
It was easier said than done. Outer disciples got paid a very small amount, as the sect itself provided for most of their needs as long as they remained in it. It would make me think that the disciples would be a burden seeing how few were ever kicked out of the sect, if I wasn't out here sweeping the ground for the past four hours. We were free labour. Wage slaves without any wage. It made sense they only kicked disciples out when they committed some crime that had been caught and brought to an Elder's attention. Pretty much never.
Things got worse when I had a look at Lu Jie's finances, finding barely enough money to get food for a couple of weeks. The money would last me much longer if I took my leave and settled in some countryside farm but I refused to give up and turn to a life of labour so quickly. I can't start experimenting if I didn't have the resources, which would be far easier to find in the city.
Thus the problem turned into a vicious cycle, where I needed money to learn Alchemy to earn money to leave the sect and strike it out on my own.
"'Eat something funny Lu Jie? Your face is all scrunched up like you got a nasty stomach ache."
I turned to look at the other boy, sweeping the ground next to me, his two crooked front teeth peeking from under his lips, almost like a rat. Su Lin was the boy's name, one of the few outer sect disciples to be both on a lower realm than me, and of an older age. It made me wonder how he got accepted into the sect in the first place.
"Just recovering from the spar," I replied off handedly, as I returned my focus to sweeping the paths. There was a tinge of anger inside me, not an emotion I felt, but one born from Lu Jie's memories. He despised how Su Lin was content to live his life in the sect, and do menial labour with no hopes of ever rising through the ranks. It went against everything Lu Jie had believed in.
"I told ya, the young masters were trouble. They got the Thunder-phoenix bloodline, and the twin cultivation stuff. You can't beat em even if they're in the same realm as ya. That too not for long I reckon," Su Lin said, snickering once about something as he continued to sweep.
The jab at my bottleneck at the current realm was obvious, yet I couldn't care less. Perhaps if Lu Jie was here, he'd have been fuming, but I found myself curious about the guy instead. I watched the lanky guy. He was clearly old, not the oldest outer sect disciple around, but then anyone who doesn't go past the first circle before turning twenty five usually ends up taking a job at the sect, or leaving. Yet for some reason, Su Lin seemed to stick around.
An idea began to bud in my mind as I walked over to Su Lin.
"How long have you been in the sect?" I asked, as the lanky boy straightened a bit in surprise, his eyes scanning my face for any clues.
"Me? A decade? Dunno, been a while," Su Lin said, with a slight frown as he looked down at me. He was taller, but not by much. I returned what I hoped was a friendly smile, as I walked closer.
"So you've been here for a long time. You must know almost all the outer sect disciples then, perhaps even some inner sect ones?" I asked, trying to mask my question as idle curiosity.
"I do know a few I s'pose. What about it?" Su Lin asked, eyeing me from the corner of his eyes, his two crooked teeth visible.
Now was the difficult part. I had created a narrative in Su Lin's mind, without forcing the issue onto him. From an outsider's perspective, I'd just lost a spar and had holed myself in for a couple of days, not talking to anyone. No one besides the Old Man really knew about my apprenticeship or the fact that I'd been devouring Alchemy text books and trying to set up experiments in the Old Man's chamber. So to them, it'd look like I'd taken my defeat quite harshly.
"Nothing, nothing, no big deal. It's just… I was wondering y'know? You've been here for so long, and even if we're both outer sect disciples, you must get some respect for the time you've spent here serving the sect. The heavens may not bless us all equally, but hard work is valued equally."
I kept my voice even, looking at Su Lin's reaction. I was obviously trying to flatter him and I wasn't even trying to hide it at all.
What I said was total bullshit. Age meant next to nothing, and the only measure of respect people gained was strength. It was a typical survival of the fittest world of a cultivation novel. And thus, I suspected there were two ways Su Lin would react to this. The first, and the disappointing one would be where he just accepts the flattery thinking I genuinely am trying to flatter him and get a favour. Not optimal but I could still work with it.
The second, the thing I'd been aiming for, would be if Su Lin was not as dumb as he appeared. I had suspicions for his reasons for staying in the sect for next to no pay, working as a wage labour even when offered a job. This was my way of trying to prod him into confirming my suspicions.
"A bit. You do get to know people with time, and they know you instead," Su Lin replied, returning to his work.
A half answer then. Damn. At least this isn't the first option, so there's still a chance. I wasn't great at this subterfuge anyways, but I had to try this time. My future was hinged on this.
"So I was thinking. Do you know anyone who works in the spirit herbs garden?" I smiled as I watched Su Lin go still. The spirit herbs garden maintained by the sect was one of the most guarded locations in the outer sect. And one of the more difficult places to enter.
"And what if I do?" Su Lin said, setting his broom aside as he turned towards me, standing completely straight for once.
I struggled to hold my smile back, as my guess was proved right.
"I may have something that could benefit both of us," I said, digging into my pocket as I took out a single Qi refilling pill.
I watched Su Lin's eyes shift towards the Qi refilling pill, as they widened in surprise. Outer sect disciples only got elixirs and pills for the first month. If they showed no signs of talent, then their support was cut off. Someone like me carrying pills around had a very specific image presented from an outsider's perspective.
He thought I was stealing them.
"I've got more. But I need spirit herbs. You bring me spirit herbs and I give you five of these. You get to keep one-fourth of the money. And if I can trust you, then I also have some more potent pills lying around," I put the pill back in my pouch, tapping it lightly as I sent a pulse of Qi in it. A strong Qi presence similar to a high grade 1st circle pill drifted out, and I watched Su Lin's nose twitch. The bait was set.
"Near the second tree, next to the outer walls. Every seven days during the evening's work," Su Lin said quickly, turning around as he began walking away without taking a single glance back.
I stood at the same spot for a few more moments before I began to head towards my chamber, as I let out a sigh of relief.
The pill had been a bluff. The Qi refilling pill was the only one I'd successfully crafted in the last four days of work, out of the fourteen times I'd tried making them. Manipulating Qi was ridiculously tough and I'd still not found the optimal conditions required in making them. A lot more testing needed to be done.
The single pill I did succeed in making though, had still made me break out even in the cost. I still took a loss, which I could not afford, but with time I should be able to narrow down on the reaction conditions and become able to sustainably churn out pills.
The only problem with that had been gaining a sustainable supply of spirit herbs. And what the Old Man could afford to give me was very limited. Thus, this alternative method.
I tapped my pouch, glad about the fact that I carried some of the wasted pills I'd made. A pulse of Qi had broken them up, making them release their own Qi, which had briefly made it seem like I was carrying a high-grade pill on me.
I was glad Su Lin hadn't attacked me, tried to steal my pills. I was a realm higher than him, but the difference would not be much seeing how he was more physically fit than me from his extended stay at the sect.
It had been a gamble, seeing how I barely knew the guy. But the temptation of higher grade pills seemed to be large enough for him to not do anything rash. It was a good deal too. He got to triple what he would've earned from simply selling spirit herbs at minimal risk.
I let thoughts of Su Lin be as I walked into the somewhat familiar chamber, my notes spread all around with little parchments containing half scribbled notes in English and some in the language for words I failed to translate.
Something chittered from under the notes and I frowned. A black figure peeked from under one of the books a portion of the page in its mouth. On instinct I moved ahead, jumping as I grabbed the little creature under the sheet of paper, before grabbing it in my fist.
I stared at the little rat in my hand, as it tried to escape my grasp. But no matter how weak, I was still a cultivator and a rat couldn't free itself from my strength.
"So you're the one who was eating all those pills huh?" I said, glaring at the little pest as I finally realised who had been chewing up all my paper and eating all the residue from my Qi pills.
The rat froze, shivering once as if it realised that it had messed up. I was about to let the creature go, not willing to kill it over just feeding itself when I noticed the tiny bead of Qi present at its core.
My eyes widened in surprise as I stared at the rat. The black furred pest squeaked in terror and a chuckle escaped my mouth. It too seemed to have realised that I could sense what it was.
A grin split my face in two as I stared at the little treasure in my hand.
I'd just caught myself a spirit rat.
Chapter 5: Gotta catch em all?
"What should I do with you now?" I asked as the little rat stared at me. I doubted it could understand my words. The creature had barely any Qi in it right now, nowhere enough to have a mind capable of thinking proper thoughts.
Kneeling on the floor I set my hand with the rat in it down and the rat squeaked once, shivering in place as it stared at me. Perhaps in surprise that it was still alive. Making sure to not make any sudden movements, I took out my Qi refilling pill, and brought it near the rat.
"I know you like this, go ahead. Take a bite," I said, despite knowing it could not understand me. But something about a fuzzy little creature being terrified of its life in my hand just made me wish to talk in a soothing manner to it.
The little rat's nose twitched, as it inspected the pill for a while before it quickly began to nibble at it. I let the rat go, keeping my hand nearby to quickly grab it if it tried to escape.
"Stay there. Got it?" I said, infusing my words with Qi. A neat trick I'd learnt while studying. The rat's Qi pulsed in response and I took that as an acknowledgement.
I moved nearby. Going through the textbooks I'd been given by the Old Man before I quickly found the one mentioning spirit animals. A quick read confirmed my thoughts to be true. The rat was a spirit animal.
I stared at the little rat, still eating the pill. From what I knew, occasionally, animals could gather Qi and form a core in their bodies. The majority of spirit animals were born with Qi, but some could gain one further in their lives as well. And at a high enough cultivation realm, they could take human forms as well. Typical cultivation stuff.
I didn't care much about the human part, though the process itself was something I'd love to study, but my interest lay in another area entirely. Their ability to smell spirit herbs.
Spirit animals were uncannily good at finding spirit herbs, usually found near areas filled with them. And the rat, being a, well, rat. I suspected if I could tame it then it could completely solve my spirit herb problem and remove my dependency on Su Lin.
"I wonder if you'll stick around," I said out loud to the little creature, before digging out some of the other unfinished pills that had failed. They still contained qi in them and were made of herbs, nothing that would harm the creature. The rat's nose twitched once more as it shot towards the pill in my hand, grabbing it as it began to devour the treat.
I smiled, petting the rat on its furry little head. It squeaked once, before it continued to devour the pill like the greedy rat it was.
"You wouldn't happen to know how to shoot lightning right?" I said to the rat, who turned towards me for a moment, and returned to its pill soon when it couldn't decide what I meant.
I shook my head, setting my jokes about electric rats aside for the moment, as I turned my attention back to my notes.
My little project that I'd so far been working on was a standardised refining process to create a Qi refilling pill. The first goal was reducing the time of refining, which tended to be around fifteen minutes to half an hour of time. And that variation was nuts. You don't cook something for fifteen minutes more and get the same results, you just don't.
So I looked away from the physical, and tried to delve into the magical. Here was where things got rough. To understand magic, I'd first have to understand Qi. And I had no idea whatsoever about how Qi worked. I could feel the Qi in my dantian, and I could even draw it out and use it. The only technique to directly apply Qi that Lu Jie knew was the basic technique given to all outer sect disciples of the Cloudy Peaks sect.
Serene Mist Arts, it was called, a lesser version of the Celestial Peak Arts. The technique was about all the martial arts kung fu jazz of sitting down and doing nothing while gaining powers. You'd think with how much the stronger cultivators meditated they'd be wise and shit, but here we are.
The art was useless to me, as the technique was about light steps and martial arts and I sucked at those. The thing that was good for me was the ability to reinforce my body with Qi. That and the ability to reinforce other things with my own Qi.
The former was very easy. I could easily use my Qi to run a bit faster, jump a bit higher, be more aware, all that jazz. It was fascinating and I planned to dissect how exactly a human body can generate superhuman strength like it doesn't make sense considering the muscle fibres should rip apart but then these guys can shoot light- the rat squeaked interrupting my thoughts as it walked closer with its eyes staring at me in anticipation. It stood on its back legs, extending both of its front legs out as if begging for more.
Smart rat.
I smiled and took out a spirit herb this time, and gave it one tiny leaf. That would be it for its treats today.
Anyways, where was I? Right, Qi reinforcement. It was quite useful as it allowed me to study how exactly things worked when infused with my qi.
I brought up the spirit herb in my hand, looking at the little plant. Outside of the Qi present in it, there was nothing special about it. It was just a small leaf. But, here was the interesting part. A pulse of Qi going through the plant made its leaves shimmer. There was a very thin layer of coating forming over the leaf itself that gave it the shimmer. If I added some more Qi, the plant would glow a bit brighter before it would reach a saturation point. If I pushed any further beyond that, then it would shrivel up and die as if drained of life.
It made no sense to me why it behaved this way. The shimmering may be due to the Qi agitating the plant into releasing some chemicals that shone in the light. Or it could be a layer of Qi itself. But why did the plant die out when excessive Qi was passed through it? Did the Qi burn its insides?
In contrast to the spirit herb, normal plants seemed to barely react unless excessive Qi was passed through them. In which case they usually burst into pieces as if bloated from the inside. I did find that very careful application of Qi could make the plants grow faster, but I wasn't good enough to produce visible results from that. I didn't have the needed control. At least for now that is.
Man I wish I had a microscope to shove all this under. Maybe I could make a simple one given time. Just another dream item for my quickly growing list.
I was also testing if feeding a certain amount of Qi to a plant everyday would result in that plant turning into a spirit herb. It would be a massive waste of Qi even if it did. Unless, I managed to produce a completely new type of herb not seen before.
That, and I wonder how cross pollination and or grafting etc would work for these plants. If there were spirit herbs, then surely there would be spirit bushes, and berries and trees out in the wild right? They'd probably have a developed ecosystem that may have a whole hidden layer that was dependent on Qi, which may just be key - pun absolutely intended - in finding out how Qi interacted with living things.
One thing was for sure, it wasn't any of the fundamental forces of nature that were found in my world. It did not depend on materials and particles and laws but people. I could manipulate it by thought. Perhaps there was some organ in this body's brain that could move the physical or energy form of Qi around but I doubted it. Then what I was challenging here was an honest to god super natural force that was layered on top of normal physics and could interact with it without breaking reality as we knew it.
Magic.
I scribbled down on my notes, trying to come up with theories and possibilities as I thought about other things I wanted to test.
I returned to my notes on the Qi refining process going through the various factors I'd listed out. There was the temperature, the properties of the herbs themselves that formed the pill. The time spent in the cauldron was the mixture of various ingredients which wasn't much like chemistry outside of herbology or just cooking. Just throw the herbs in, mesh and blend them together, and it was done.
The problem I was facing was in narrowing down the factors that made the pill work. There was firstly the essence of the herbs themselves, that is to say, the Qi in them, which gave the pill its ability. The time spent in refining was solely focused on drawing the Qi out of these ingredients and melding them. The melding process was where things tended to get drastic. A small mistake in coaxing the Qi together could at times be explosive and make the Qi explode outwards.
The interaction between the various Qi of the herbs and their bodies was dependent on both how I manipulated my Qi, and how well I maintained the flame and a Qi-pressure around them.
The Qi-pressure was what I'd named the process of surrounding the cauldron with my Qi and pushing from all sides uniformly. It sort of worked like an ideal gas in that sense where it followed the gas laws of pressure, though I doubt it did so as an ideal gas would. But the fact that pressure increased boiling point seemed to be true. There was a very fine margin of pressure under which I'd found that the Qi seemed to mix together very well with one another, melding into a singular uniform solution that formed the pill.
But so far, I'd been unable to replicate my one time success.
"Maybe if I can find some sort of reactive reagent of Qi? Perhaps treating the Qi as a chemical reaction would be better. Treating each element's Qi as a separate chemical to be mixed in a reaction. I could try feeding some Qi to the rat to see how my Qi reacted with a spirit animal."
A chittering voice broke me from my thoughts as I saw the rat climbing up my leg as its nose sniffed around my pouch.
"Bad, bad rat. Stay put," I said out loud, and to my surprise, it stopped, and climbed back down onto the ground. Perhaps it was smarter than I'd thought.
I was contemplating what to do with the rat, perhaps I could teach it to come to me for food every so often. I hummed to myself in thought about the little critter I'd caught when it used the most ferocious move any creature could use.
The cuteness attack.
Its little pink nose twitched, as it let out the most pitiful squeak I'd ever heard and my defences started to crumble. I steadied my heart looking it in the eye with a stern expression. Two black beady eyes stared at me as it lifted one paw, rubbing it against my leg.
I felt my heart melt, as my cute meter exploded from overdose. I tried to resist, yet all was futile against those pitiful eyes, their cuteness surpassing all under the heavens.
I dug out a little bit of my remaining pill residue, handing it over to the rat who gladly began to chomp down on its feast.
"You, you evil smart little creature. I'd say you'd make a fine assistant. I think I have just the name for you as well," I said out loud.
"Lab Rat. That'll be your name. Labby for short," I said, gently petting its head as Labby squeaked once more. Perhaps out of delight from the petting, or the pill I'd given it.
"Got my first cultivation pet. Time to catch 'em all?" I smiled, snorting at my own lame reference.
A horde of ideas began to flood me. The possibilities of being able to test on a spirit animal exciting me. I wouldn't harm Labby, he was too precious. And I wasn't cruel enough to be able to kill something I'd named. No, Labby would live as my assistant as I broke down the mysteries behind his magic.
I turned towards Labby, as he froze from my glance. I flashed a grin, that even I knew must've looked quite evil.
"We're gonna have some fun times together, my new friend."
The little rat squeaked quietly and I cackled with all my mad scientist glory. I would untangle each mystery this world had to offer me.
Beware ye secrets of magic, I come for you!
Chapter 6: A Peaceful Day
The sizzling of food filled my ears, as I stirred the large pot of vegetables around, occasionally picking up a couple of logs to throw into the campfire I'd made.
"Got anything Labby?" I asked the little rat, and got a squeak as my reply. Labby ran closer, a little plant filled with Qi in its mouth.
"Good boy!" I praised Labby, petting him once before I let him back out again. I stored the herb into my pouch, as I put my attention back to my lunch.
I'd come out into the little forest area near the backside of the sect. The Cloudy Peak sect, quite aptly with its name, was situated on two cloudy hills. The smaller hill being the outer sect where I was, and the larger one being the inner sect compound.
The amount of land combined under the sect's control was massive, spanning around both hills as it spread into a forest. All of which was within the Sect's premises. The city outside was a five minute walk away.
I'd decided to spend my 'Cultivation' time, to do something far more productive, and gather some spirit herbs. Labby had proven his worth as he'd quickly sniffed out the spirit herbs among the regular plants and herbs.
The spirit herbs I'd gathered were not potent, unlike what the spirit garden would produce. These wild spirit plants had minimal Qi in them, and were quite weak, but they were also relatively easily found. Making them perfect for any testing I wanted to do.
I stirred the vegetables and meat fry once more, as its scent filled my nostrils.
"Nothing quite like campfire food," I muttered, smiling as I hummed some random song under my breath. I sprinkled some of the spirit herbs into the food. Any outer disciple would've gasped in horror at that, but I found myself not caring too much. Labby had gotten me quite a few spirit herbs today, enough to create the needed pills for my deal with Su Lin and have a few spare for testing as well.
I picked up my bowl, sitting next to me on the grass, as with a flick of my wrist I made the fire go away. I smiled smugly at the little trick I'd learned from the Old Man for starting the fire under the cauldron.
Starting the fire was quite simple, all I had to do was focus on where I wanted to concentrate my Qi, and envision it turning warm. The Qi would then provide enough energy to start combustion in whatever fuel you were providing it.
The process made me wonder how exactly the energy transfer would work, and further questions on how people even controlled their Qi anyways, but I wasn't going to be solving all mysteries in one day was I?
Putting out the flame had been a bit more tricky. I had to direct my Qi fast enough over the flames that a layer formed for an instant over the wood, cutting the oxygen supply as the fire died instantly.
I served myself the fried meat and vegetables, taking a little bowl out for Labby as well. A gentle breeze blowing through the grassy plains brought a smile to my face. The air here was much fresher, and I could feel the Qi of the land around me. No doubt, the sect had been located here due to the Qi present in its environments.
Labby ran closer with another squeak, carrying a cut off herb. I saw a few chewed leaves at the end, and shook my head as I took the herb from its mouth, and gave it a pet in thanks.
"You can eat the food too, if you want to," I said, holding out another small bowl of my homemade recipe of stir-fry poor college student edition. His little nose twitched a couple times as he inspected the food, before Labby dug in.
I sighed contently, as I ate my lunch out in the open. A couple of animals curiously walked by from the denser tree groves nearby, but none were curious enough to come out into the open grasslands.
I ate my food, soaking in the sights around me, as I marvelled at the mystical magic of Qi that flowed all over this place. Following a whim, I took out my notes, taking a look under the section where I'd tried to test on the spirit herbs, to see if I could make them grow faster with Qi or not.
I stared at the problems, the drying leaves, the shimmering energy, and a whole bunch of messy notes that I'd written. I leafed through the pages, my eyes wandering over the text yet not reading them.
An instinct called out to me, and I began to channel my Qi. It swirled in my dantian, rotating in circles, the Qi of the land began to soak into my veins, as I kept reading through my notes. Idly making remarks on portions.
Time flew by in a daze, as I heard the wind tell me something. There was something wrong with my Qi. I frowned, still lost in a strange trance, as the words faded across the wind. I absently held a quill in my hand, writing something down, as the answer became obvious.
Two circles, one flowing into the other. Like an infinite never ending loop. I changed the pattern, and something shifted inside of me.
One circle… Two circles…
The Qi swirled.
Fifteen circles… Sixteen circles…
Something began to form in my dantian.
Eighty circles… Eighty one circles…
With a pop, the Qi settled down, as my sight came back into focus. The Qi within my Dantian changed, and as if with a sigh, the Qi of the land began to flow into me. I sat there, letting the wind flow through my hair for a while before my mind finally broke free of the daze it had been stuck in.
I looked down, and found Labby sleeping quietly on my lap. I smiled, gently petting his head as I put the rat into the herb basket. Stretching my limbs out, I stood up.
I looked at the sky, noticing the high mid-day sun as I realised that it had been hours since I'd started.
"Must've lost track of time… I had felt that writing in my notes was strangely meditative but wow." I heard Labby squeak, as he woke up, peeking over the basket.
"Yeah, little buddy. Sorry about the delay. Let's go now," I said, packing my stuff up, and clearing up my little campfire, when something caught my attention.
"Is the grass longer here?" I said out loud, staring at the grass under my feet. For a few feet around me, the grass seemed marginally longer than everywhere else. I looked around once more, as the wind bent the grass, merging them all into a single green blanket. I shrugged once, chalking it up to an optical illusion of some kind.
Labby chittered, playing with the spirit herbs as one sat on its head like a crown made from one single leaf. I laughed, feeling strangely at peace.
A smile adorned my face as I looked at the basket of spirit herbs in my hand.
It was time to do some Alchemy experiments.
***
Qi stirred within the cauldron, its contents bubbling and frothing more like a witch's poison, than any life saving elixir. I stirred the liquid lightly, as I kept adding my own Qi to the mixture.
The smoke from the potion stung my eyes as it started to gush forth, the herbs letting their essence out as they began to mix into the solution and turn homogenous. I continued my stirring, keeping my speed even.
This was my sixth recipe to make a Qi Refilling elixir, as I'd shifted my focus from making pills to an elixir. I'd found that the saturation point of water for Qi was much higher than that of spirit herbs. Which was a bit strange since herbs should naturally contain a lot of water in their cells, but leaving that aside for a moment. In just a cup worth of water, I could drain all of my Qi and the water would hold it, so long as I didn't boil it away.
Unlike water, steam sucked at holding my Qi whatsoever. I didn't have any ice to test with, but I suspected the same was true with that as well. My theory so far was that Qi was an intermediate stage of Energy, a transition element of sorts where it was on me to guide how the energy was being applied. The reason why steam could not hold on to my Qi was due to the particles being far too excited, making the Qi excited as well, and unable to mesh properly.
Similar to mixing sugar in hot water, the Qi could dissolve in hot water, but impossible to do so in steam. It was just a hypothesis for now, I'd need to run a lot more tests before I could prove any of this, but I felt like I was moving in the right direction.
With a bubbling noise, the Qi within the cauldron poured forth. The smoke coming out of the cauldron contained leftover Qi that had begun rising, and I knew that I'd reached the saturation point.
Taking out a couple of the spirit herbs from yesterday, I gently added them to the mixture, stirring evenly as I increased the Qi-pressure inside the cauldron. There was a light shimmer to the green potion now, as I mixed it, and I was starting to think that what the herb's shimmering glow was, was just the layer of water molecules on its leaves latching onto the Qi, as they evaporated through the pores.
"Labby! Can you get me that flower?" I called out, keeping my eyes on the cauldron as I pointed towards the flower on the nearby shelf. Labby chittered, climbing up the wooden shelf, as he grabbed the flower.
Taking a small run, he leapt from his perch landing on my knee before he climbed up to my shoulders, the flower in its mouth. The best lab assistant ever.
"Thank you," I said, gently petting Labby, as he jumped back down, going off to do whatever he was doing.
I looked at the spirit lotus petals in my hand. This was the part that made me nervous. The alchemy book had called the spirit lotus to have Earth and Water Qi, similar to the muddy waters it grew in. The properties from those Qi, being the ability to sustain and coagulate Qi into them.
The lotus petal was usually used in pills to bind the Qi together. It was a common ingredient. The regular method of brewing the Qi refilling elixir simply involved pouring in spirit herbs, and holding the solution at the right Qi pressure as I melded in my own Qi, waiting for it to dissolve into the mixture, and then boiling the excess water away slowly.
My intention was to use the lotus petal, to increase its capacity. The Old Man would've probably frowned had he been here, another reason why I'd asked permission to get a small cauldron for my own chamber, where I could experiment freely.
I took a breath and let the petals fall into the potion. I stood nervously waiting for the reaction to go horribly wrong and splash me with boiling water everywhere, but the petals simply floated in the bubbling solution, slowly starting to break down.
The musty smell of earthy Qi hit my nose and I hurriedly started to churn my Qi through the solution. My heart began beating faster, as I felt my Qi turn thicker. I added more intensity to the flame under the cauldron, as the water began to boil faster.
Labby chittered from behind me, almost as if sharing my nervous excitement and I smiled. This was the fun part.
The Qi gushed forth,swirling on its own now, as a whirlpool of Qi formed. The earth essence was heavier than normal Qi, refusing to be moved by my meagre Qi as it started to form a lump at the centre. Panic began to grow in my heart, as the Cauldron started to turn hotter and hotter. The Qi was swirling, as the solution began to glow.
I dimmed the flame, focusing all my attention on the cauldron as I tried to spread the Earthen Qi uniformly through the solution. The Qi spread under my will, mixing in with the essence of the spirit herbs. The energy began to focus, as I guided it all together. With a pop, the cauldron shuddered, a cloud of smoke spewing forth from the potion, as Qi gushed forth.
I coughed, taking a step back as my eyes watered from the smoke, the Qi burning my nostrils and throat. I took a moment to clear my vision, before I walked closer and my heart dropped. Clumps floated in the potion, bobbing up and down in the now brown and murky potion.
The earthen Qi hadn't spread properly, binding the solid particles of the solution into clumps. I let out a dejected sigh, about to drain all the potion into a bottle to store away when I heard Labby squeak.
With a jump, the little rat stood on my shoulder, before leaping into the cauldron. I panicked, my hands shooting out to grab him when he expertly grabbed on to the cauldron's rim, as he dunked his little head into the potion while taking a drink.
A happy chitter sounded out, as Labby sipped the potion and I walked closer. My heart fluttered as I saw the layer of brown gunk float away, as the underneath bright green potion became visible.
Realisation hit me the very next moment as to what had happened. The Earthen Qi, had sucked out not the herbs, or their Qi, but the gunk from the Cauldron and the low grade spirit herbs instead.
I skimmed the filth away, taking out a porcelain container, as I poured the light green potion in. I grabbed the elixir, swirling it once as I took a small sip. Qi rushed through my body, filling up my dantian as it swirled around.
I grinned as I stared at my first successful experimental potion.
"Quest complete. Reward is a caffeine substitute," I said out loud, snickering as Labby squeaked, licking his paws for the little remaining bits of elixir left on them.
I shook my head, still smiling from my successful results as I turned back towards the cauldron. I needed to make notes on the process, and increase its success rate, but this was my first step towards making a working formula for the brewing, and even the refining process. There was no way I could stop smiling even if I tried.
I took another sip from the elixir, feeling its refreshing energy travel through my body before I closed the bottle and put it away.
It was time to crank out some cultivator energy drinks.
Chapter 7: Totally not Drug Trafficking
Wrinkles upon wrinkles merged into one, as the Old Man stared at the green Elixir in my hand. He hummed to himself thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing down to two dark slits hidden under his wrinkly face.
I kept my expression straight, kneeling nearby as I held out the Elixir to him. The fact that I wasn't smiling with a smug expression impressed me a lot, as my cheeks hurt from having smiled all the while I'd tested the new Elixir. My tests had shown that it was around 4% more potent than the normal version, and 19% faster.
That may not seem like much if not for the fact that I'd only barely just started learning alchemy. Results like this may have been a fluke for now, but it was extremely promising nonetheless for the potential of much more development.
Even back home, chemistry began as alchemy and the desire to create gold. Same with the immortality chase and herbal science in Asia. Both of these fields were fuelled by the greed of the rich and powerful. Yet, both of these fields eventually led to become something far more valuable to humanity, and a way to study the world around us. If I could show the potential Alchemy had, research it and break it down in an understandable way, then perhaps I could spark a change in this world as well.
I doubt it would happen in my lifetime, and I didn't know if I'll even manage to succeed in breaking down the mysteries behind this world within my lifetime. But that did not matter. Even just a start would be enough for me. And this was a cultivation world, perhaps I'd pick up enough tidbits to live a bit longer. Worth it if it let me further my research.
"So you've done it, despite my warnings then," the old man said, and I nodded. He sighed once, walked forward as he took the porcelain bottle, swirling it once.
"Did you succeed in improving the recipe Lu Jie?" the old man asked, inspecting the elixir.
"Somewhat," I replied, "There's a lot to be improved even now. But it's marginally better, and slightly more cost efficient," I said as Old Man's continued to stare at my elixir.
"Do you know why, trying to improve these recipes is frowned upon, Lu Jie?" the Old Man asked, I shook my head, straightening up slightly. Something about the tone of his voice made me worry.
"The Ancestors, who established the Seven Celestial peak, from which the Cloudy Peaks sect branch was formed, had also formed a vault of alchemy. It is now run by a council of elders and holds many of the recipes that our ancestors had left behind," the Old man's voice was fraught, as he looked at me. "They safeguard the recipes, and the commonly available alchemical books only contain the simplified versions. Any alternate brewings are shut down, and added to the vaults."
I frowned, sighing somewhat. I'd expected this. Partially at the very least. It was difficult not to. No matter how backwards the technology might be, these Alchemists and cultivators lived for centuries, and are leagues better than what I can do with my own Qi. Something as simple as mixing in the Spirit lotus into the elixir would not remain untested for such a long period of time.
The obvious answer that I'd come to the conclusion to had been that some powerful figure was controlling the recipes present in the market.
"I've known a few, who'd still continued, trying to explore the depths that their knowledge and gifts would take them. They usually die, by some misfortune, or in some explosion from their elixirs or pills," The old man said, handing me the bottle of elixir back.
"Do you really wish to continue down this path Lu Jie? It isn't too late. You can climb much higher than this old man ever did. I've seen the drive in your eyes boy. But it doesn't have to go against the Elders to pursue that path," the old man said, his voice heavy and tired. I think he knew my answer, and the concern on his expression hurt me.
I stared at my elixir, frowning. I could go through the hoops, live as an Alchemist under the sect, and rise through the ranks, while experimenting on the side. But was that truly what I wanted to do?
No, definitely not. I wanted to be no part of these politics, and bullshit. Even as an alchemist, being part of the sect would mean interacting with cultivators, which I already had to do more than I'd like to. Not to mention, other alchemists might try to steal my recipes, or betray me, or just push me down a notch if I rise too fast. It was far too tedious.
No, I'd instead be free. I had no intention of going against any elders, or organisation, but I had no intention of being tied down either. What I needed was a lab. A lab of my own, where I could freely experiment, as I pleased, and research all I want, free from the concerns of the cultivator nonsense.
I raised my head, taking a deep breath in when the Old Man raised his hand, shaking his head.
"No need boy, I know that look," the Old Man said with a tired sigh. "You have the spark I lacked as a youth Lu Jie. Perhaps this truly was the path chosen by the heavens for you, but I see your desire to learn, and it is not one to be bound under chains, but one that wishes to soar like a dragon in the open skies," the old man said, smiling.
I scratched my nose, embarrassed by the heaps of praise. "I don't plan to go against the Elders, Master. I have no desire for conflict. But, I do not wish to be tied down by the sect. I would like to pursue my own craft, and stand on my own two feet," I replied. Had this been anyone else, I wouldn't have let my thoughts out so openly. Yet, even in just a few days, I'd come to think of the Old Man as my Master. And lying about this would've been an insult to him.
"There are free alchemists around. Usually more merchants than alchemists. It is difficult to make it out on your own, Lu Jie. Not in these cities. The lords of the empire provide for the sects, and any new rising powers are crushed with impunity."
I nodded. I knew this already, with how the sect was structured to favour strength. Not just the sect, but the entire empire. It was strength that ruled in these lands, and competition was not tolerated.
"I'd be more than happy to live a quiet comfortable life, pursuing my dream master. I don't dream of any more than that," I said, and the old man nodded.
"Very well, my disciple. You have chosen your path. As your master, all I can do is guide you along it. Let us begin the lesson," the old man said, and I smiled, taking out my little textbook as the now familiar scent of burning herbs and boiling elixirs touched my nose.
I'll follow my dream, and my Path. One step at a time.
***
Labby squeaked in my pouch, and I nudged his nose, trying to get him back in as I made my way.
For some reason, Labby had been refusing to leave my side for a few days. He'd climb on my body or my shoulder, or even sit on my head sometimes as I went through my notes. I hadn't been able to tell why he was doing so, so far. Nothing other than luring him with a pill or spirit herb would get him to leave me alone.
I ducked my head, keeping my eyes on the ground as a cultivator walked by. I wasn't particularly afraid of the disciples in the outer sect, but I still preferred not to stand out or be remembered by anyone if I could help it. The fewer people knew me, the easier it would be to leave the sect when I had enough money.
I smiled at the thought, patting my other pouch containing the spirit pills I'd agreed to give to Su Lin, in exchange for spirit herbs and a 3/4th share of what he got from the pills. The reason why I was even doing so, despite having Labby, was threefolds.
Firstly I did not know anyone who I could sell my pills to. Trying to explain where I got them would be annoying, and I had a feeling Su Lin would not care for the source so long as he got the pills.
The second would be, even if I knew someone who I could sell to. I'd have no idea how much these pills would cost, or how to get a good price for them. I wasn't a merchant or trader or anything, and Lu Jie had had no encounters with alchemy pills, or their prices, so his memory did not help either.
Lastly, I just didn't want to get involved. Perhaps Su Lin would sell these to whatever merchant he knew, or there genuinely was some smuggling going on. I did not care enough to stick my foot in there either way. Being an outside source, and creating my own pills means what I was doing was not illegal by any means.
There was the issue of Su Lin lying about how much the pills had sold for, which is why I'd asked the Old Man, how much these would roughly go for. The prices tended to vary but two silver and fifteen copper was his reply. Quite a bit more than I'd expected out of a single batch.
If Su Lin planned to lie to me, I'd be able to tell. But I suspected he would not do so. I'd tempted him with the promise of higher grade pills, it would be much more beneficial for him to have a good relationship with me.
I spotted Su Lin standing in the distance, under the shade of a tree, to a side path. I followed the way, walking nearby and Su Lin turned around walking away as he noticed me, a bit further ahead.
Stopping for a moment in confusion, I followed behind him. The way took me around the corner, behind the sparring chambers into a small bamboo thicket. I was starting to grow wary, wondering if an ambush was waiting for me here. Murder would be far too difficult to hide, and Su Lin did not seem the type to me, but I kept my guard up.
As if sensing my worries, I felt Labby's Qi flare. The little rat had grown a decent bit, though I suspected he was still not at the first realm yet. I gently patted his head, as he seemed to calm down somewhat.
"Do you have it?" I heard Su Lin ask from further ahead, his two crooked teeth showing as his nose twitched once. Definitely rat-like. Though Labby was far more precious.
"I do, do you have the herbs?" I asked, eyeing Su Lin.
He held a pouch in his hands, showing me the herbs. I stopped myself from snickering at how much this interaction felt like I was dealing drugs.
I took out my own pouch, and opened the bag, dropping the Qi refilling pills in my hands. I saw Su Lin's eyes go wide as he saw them. Unsurprising, it was difficult to get your hands on any pills as an outer disciple. I suspected a lot of them would be willing to pay me more than the pill's worth, just for the chance to cultivate better. It would make me money, but exploiting those disciples, or getting involved with them was something I wanted to avoid.
I held my hand out, handing the pills to Su Lin, and took my little herb bag.
"I never knew ye had it in ya Jie. I was expecting ya to not show up today," Su Lin said, storing the pills.
"Three fourths of the money goes to me," I said, looking at Su Lin, the lanky fellow nodded once, snickering.
"Got yourself a hand on the key perhaps. Nah, don't say it. I won't hear where you get these from. You'll have the money by next week, when we meet," Su Lin said, walking further into the grove.
I sighed, feeling slightly exhausted from the interaction. It was tough being a cultivation drug dealer.
"Let's go back eh Labby?" I said, and paused, when I didn't see Labby in my pouch. "Labby?" I called out, as panic began to build up in my chest. I walked out of the grove, trying to sense Labby's Qi when I heard an ear piercing shriek.
I ran towards where the noise came from, and just a bit further ahead, I found Labby frozen with a half eaten pill in his hand. A young girl stood with her fists bare, wearing intricate robes filled with Qi as lightning crackled among her fists.
"What is that rat doing here?" the girl shrieked, as her face turned red.
I felt my heart drop into my gut, as Lu Jie's memory informed me who she was. The girl I stared at was the young prodigy of the Inner sect, a famous young beauty, and the granddaughter of an Elder, Yan Yun.
Fuck me Labby, you'll get us both killed.