Michael turned around and walked towards the outer city. I need to get out of here, he thought.
"Wait! What are you doing?" Iris interjected.
"Didn't you hear them?" Michael asked. "Someone from his family is on his way. I need to get away."
"Why are you so panicked? How would he ever find out about your involvement if you stay? Just stick to your plan and avoid him if you want, but don't leave in panic."
After thinking for a while, Michael had to agree with Iris. How would they find out? For the time being, I will stay and follow my plans. Let's just hope I don't run into him.
With the new resolve to stay and get things done, Michael finally went ahead to find a herb store. Since he didn't want to spend too much time within the inner city to avoid meeting someone from the Hai family, he changed his approach and started to ask people for the way towards the next store.
Sadly, just like before, the people tried to avoid him. Even after actively stopping them to ask about the closest herb store, most of them would just claim that they didn't know anything and walk away fast.
How is this possible? Michael thought and was about to use his powers to spot the next shop until he finally found one at the end of the road.
It wasn't a huge shop, yet not a small one either. The elegant decor on the walls and the fragrance of herbs drew Michael towards the entrance, which he passed and went towards the bored clerk sitting on a wooden stool.
"Can I have two of every herb, please?"
The clerk looked at him surprised yet kept his composure. "Please hand over your token, and we will calculate the price."
"Token?"
"Yes, the token proving that you are either an alchemist or associated with one. Oh, you must be a new alchemy servant, right? It's the token your master gave you," the clerk explained with a slightly annoyed look.
"Well, I'm an alchemist, but I don't have a token. Is that a problem?"
"It's not a problem for ordinary herbs and ingredients, but tier 1 herbs are only available to someone with a token. Are you sure that you are an alchemist? Every alchemist should have an alchemist token as well as other, different tokens for their disciples and servants."
"I'm new here, so I do not have a token or anything else that can identify me as an alchemist. But if you want, I can prove that I am an alchemist by making a pill. Would that be enough?" Michael asked, hoping to head back soon before someone might question him regarding young master Hai.
But the clerk didn't seem to want to comply. "Sir, I'm not here to judge your alchemy; I abide by the rules set by the city lord and the Alchemy Association, nothing more. If you don't have a token, you should leave now," he said, clearly annoyed by Michael.
"Alright then, I won't bother you. Alchemy Association, you said? Then I will head there and get myself a token. Can you tell me where the Alchemy Association is?" Michael said. He didn't need to waste any more time in this store and instead intended to become an official alchemist.
"I'm not a guide; I'm just a shopkeeper. If you want a map, you can buy it over there, but stop bothering me," the clerk shooed Michael away.
Michael walked away without saying anything. This clerk was just another unwelcoming person. This city has been anything but friendly towards him.
Shortly after, he purchased a map from another unfriendly shopkeeper and went towards the Alchemy Association. A detour he didn't want to take, yet it was necessary to finally put his and Iris's plans in place and make some money.
On the way to the Alchemy Association, Michael closely observed the people on the streets, asking himself if they were unfriendly in general or just to him. Unfortunately, after seeing most of the people laughing and having fun or talking with smiles all around until they saw him, Michael realized once more: he was the problem.
"It's like they know I'm not from here," he spoke to Iris. Something was definitely off here, and it wasn't just his "ugliness" or "bad smell."
"Hmm, well, what could it possibly be?" Iris, who, in contrast to Michael, used her powers to snoop around the city, knew the real reason for Michael's unpopularity from the beginning.
Michael, aware that Iris probably already knew the real reason, thought for some time until something finally dawned upon him. "I know it! It has to be the token handed to me by the guards. That is the only thing that would identify me as an outsider. Even though I don't wear it on the outside and keep it in my robes, it… Yes! It has to exude something? Something that makes me stand out as an outsider. Well, Iris, you need to cheat and use your power to find out about stuff like that while my intellect is high enough to figure it out with the limited information given to me."
To Michael's boasting, Iris, surprisingly, had nothing to say. Yet on the inside, Iris had to try really hard. She had to try really hard to suppress her laughter.
After some time of uneventful walking and unfriendly stares, Michael finally arrived. In the distance stood not just a building but a complex of several buildings, all exuding wealth and power by their external design. He had finally found the Alchemy Association, as the huge sign over the main entrance indicated.
Now let's just go in and get a token. It shouldn't be that complicated.
With this mindset, he walked through the main entrance, where he saw a beautiful female attendant greeting him with a friendly smile.
"Welcome to the Alchemy Association, esteemed customer. Which elixir would you like to buy from us today?"
"Hello, I'm not here for any elixirs. I would like to become an official alchemist, or rather, get an alchemist's token to purchase some herbs. How can I acquire one?"
The attendant was shocked for a moment yet kept her professional attitude. "To get a token for purchasing grade 1 or higher tier herbs, you would need to either join an alchemist, becoming their servant or alchemy disciple, or become an alchemist yourself. As a servant, your master will strictly tell you what herbs to buy, and you are not allowed to use the token for personal purchases. If caught, you would be executed. If you are an alchemy disciple, you can use the token for yourself to some degree and purchase grade 1 herbs for training yourself, but you can't buy any higher tier herbs. As an alchemist, you would be completely free to use the token to buy any herb you desire," the clerk explained long-windedly.
"So I have to become an alchemist to buy what I want. How can I become one?" Michael asked, surprised by the lengthy explanation without even asking for it. Finally, a friendly person in this city.
The attendant, looking Michael up and down, sighed and continued explaining. "It would be better not to aim too high. Although it is said that if you aim for the stars, you will land on the moon, sometimes aiming too high can lead to disappointment and no progress at all. To become an alchemist, you need to pass the tests set by our Alchemy Association. There is a test every month of the year and only about 1% of the participants pass it. Combined with the little interest in alchemy in contrast to martial arts, as well as the high costs of becoming one and buying the necessary equipment, there are only about 1 to 3 new alchemist disciples every year. While there hasn't been someone directly becoming an alchemist within this city for the last 100 years. And it's not like people don't study for the tests. There is a class lasting for three years hosted by the Alchemy Association to prepare people for the test, yet at most 3 people do good enough to become a disciple, while no one can get over the mark of 95% across all tests to become an alchemist directly. Do you understand now?" The attendant kept on rambling.
"I understand," Michael replied without a visible reaction on his face. "So when is the next test?"
"You still want to participate?" the attendant asked in shock.
"Yes, sure. I'm quite confident in my alchemy skills," he said without any self-doubt.
"Al… Alright then," the attendant said, respecting his self-confidence. "The participation fee is a single gold coin or the appropriate silver. The next test will take place in 5 days and consists of..." While explaining, she browsed through the different drawers of her desk and finally pulled something out and handed it to Michael. "Here are the registration papers for you to fill out and give back to me with the payment. Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the first part of the test, which should be nothing to worry about for someone as confident as you. It is just a simple memorization test, a basic requirement even for alchemy servants. There will be drawings and descriptions of herbs, which you will have to name. But as I said, it shouldn't be a problem."
Wait, a test where you would need to write down the names of different herbs? Wouldn't that mean that I would have to learn how to write each herb in this language? Oh no, I will need a book for all herbs. Well, I will ask after registration. There should be more than enough herb books within this Alchemy Association.
Michael quickly filled out the form while laughing about his own humor from time to time. After a few minutes, he handed the now-filled-out registration back to the attendant.
Name: Michael
Age: 20, I guess
Teacher: self-taught
Years of Learning: longer than you think
Years of Learning under the Alchemy Association: (0-0)
Ambition: selling drugs legally :)
"Are you sure about this?" The attendant asked after taking a quick glance.
"About what?" Michael asked with a sly smile on his face.
"A 20-year-old self-taught alchemist is completely unheard of even outside of this city, and what are these answers to the last two questions?"
"As I said, I'm confident that I can pass the tests. And the last two answers were just too funny. Well, I guess on the last one I "meant" to say selling "pills" legally. You can cross out the drugs; it was my mistake," he said while winking at the attendant, who just shook her head, thinking this day of entertaining customers had become more fun than most.
She changed the last answer from drugs to pills and put the registration away.
"Oh, one more thing," Michael suddenly said. "Can I purchase some books regarding herb and pill names from you?"
"Herbs and pills? Are you sure that you will be able to pass the test?"
"No need to question me, just tell me if you can."
"The Alchemy Association sadly can't sell their books to any outsiders. You will have to purchase entry to the library to read them," the attendant said somewhat regretfully. If it weren't strictly forbidden, she would give this man some of her books; she was very interested in how he would do in the next test.
"And how m…" Before Michael could ask how much he would need to pay for entering the library, suddenly one of the doors to the side of the entrance swung open, and a young man in his twenties rushed in.
"Sister Zhengyi I need 10 stalks of bluewind grass right now."
"Wait, Mao Ping, first of all, stop calling me Sister Zhengyi. I'm Qiu Zhengyi. Secondly, students are supposed to buy their herbs in the designated student herb shop. And third of all, this customer came before you, so I will naturally attend to him first," Qiu Zhengyi said with an annoyed tone.
"Sister Zhengyi, don't you think you should prioritize me?" Mao Ping gave Michael a look of disgust. "Before this poor commoner."
"A customer is a customer; I will treat him first, so wait in line."
Mao Ping had an ugly look on his face as he felt himself losing face before a commoner and, even worse, in front of someone from the outer city.
"Hey commoner, let me skip the line, and I will give you a gold coin," he said while tossing a gold coin on the floor. "Now take it and wait."
Michael, not really wanting to get involved, was about to pick up the coin before Qiu Zhengyi yelled. "Don't pick it up! You were here first, so you will receive what you need first."
Michael heard her words yet continued to lean down towards the coin, about to pick it up, so Qiu Zhengyi spoke up once more.
"I will give you the same if you stay," she said while angrily glaring at Mao Ping.
Michael looked in between the both of them, and suddenly they also looked at him, waiting for his decision. While Qiu Zhengyi gave him an encouraging look, Mao Ping looked at him like he was about to kill someone.
"How come I am the one in trouble?" Michael cried out. He was already in trouble with the Hai family. Why was this Mao Ping guy so mad at him?
"Just kill this guy and move on?" Iris questioned.
"Are you crazy? I'm not just going to kill him within the Alchemy Association. Or even at all."
In the end, Michael just decided to trust the only person that had been nice to him since he came to the city and try to not get Mao Ping too mad. "Alright, let's continue my purchase, and don't worry, Brother Mao Ping, it won't take long. So how much do I need to pay for one day in the library?"
"The library?!" Mao Ping was furious. "Someone like YOU wants to learn alchemy?!"
"Well, I don't really want to learn; I just need to read some books and then take the tests, brother," Michael answered without knowing that Mao Ping would become even more enraged.
"Just need to read some books??? Then take the tests??? Hahahaha, that is the funniest joke I have heard in a while. Sister Zhengyi, how could you let someone like him dirty the Alchemy Association's floors? How could you treat an uncultured fool better than me???Someone like him should be kicked out immediately! Leave right now, commoner, and don't dare to call me brother ever again! You are not even qualified to lick my boots, let alone become my brother."
"Mao Ping!" Qiu Zhengyi yelled in return. "Today I am in charge of taking in customers. You can't decide on whether they should be kicked out. Your father might be the head of this branch of the Alchemy Association, but until he speaks up, you have nothing to say. You are a student just as I am!"
"But Sister Zhengyi," Mao Ping turned away from Michael and faced Qiu Zhengyi with an apologetic smile. "Can't you see what this commoner is doing? He says he can participate in the test without prior knowledge. He doesn't even put the Alchemy Association in his eyes. He is disrespecting the noble alchemists that create miracles for everyone. Someone like him should not be allowed here."
"And? Even if anything you said were true, you still wouldn't have the authority to kick him out if I am in charge of attending customers. If he really is as worthless as you say, then let him participate in the tests. He will fail while losing his money, and I won't continue to defend him." Qiu Zhengyi said angrily. She had enough of Mao Ping and his baseless slander.
Yet Mao Ping tried to lecture her, "Sister Zhengyi, you are truly too naive. What will someone like him do in the library? He will try to steal the books this place is safeguarding. What will he do while participating in the test? He will try to cheat his way through and sully this place. Once he realizes that he knows nothing, he will rely on deceit like the coward he is."
"For the last time, don't call me "Sister Zhengyi"; say my full name! …"
While both Qiu Zhengyi and Mao Ping became louder and louder with every sentence that was spoken, all Michael did was listen with an increasingly annoyed face. There was only one question in his mind. How can a guy that just met me hate me so much? "Something is seriously wrong with him, right?"
"Honestly, quite a reasonable reaction to you wanting to participate in a test." Iris answered.
"Yeah, he needed some herbs fast, and now he is just in an endless quarrel with this attendant. It seems like I was the only one who really wanted to get my business done quick."
"As I said, you can still kill him."
"…"
Some time later, Qiu Zhengyi finally spoke the long-awaited words of freedom to Michael, while Mao Ping was angry yet couldn't do anything. Although his father was the head of this branch, Qiu Zhengyi's family was not to be trifled with.
"Alright, participating in the tests and entering the library for one day will be 1 gold and 50 silver in total. I will pay one gold coin for the test for you so you only need to spend 50 silver today," Qiu Zhengyi said with a smile on her face.
Michael handed over the money without hesitation. The day of his library allowance would be tomorrow, so he tried to get out quick before being stuck in a pointless and, more importantly, endless conversation again.
He turned around and started to head towards the exit before Mao Ping sadly interrupted. "Commoner. I will be participating in the test in five days as well. I studied alchemy since I was little and throughout the last 3 years within the classes of the Alchemy Association. If you somehow pass the alchemy test and become an alchemy disciple, I will personally apologize and call you grandfather, but if you fail the test, I will make you regret ever taking this test," he said with a serious voice before leaving angrily without even looking at the coin he threw on the floor.
Him picking up coins from the floor like a beggar? He was a dignified young master; he would never stoop this low for a single golden coin.
Michael didn't care too much about Mao Ping's words, as he was confident in passing the tests without any problems. He quickly looked around and at Qiu Zhengyi before picking up the gold coin while nearly nobody was around.
Qiu Zhengyi wanted to apologize due to the troubles he now faced, partially because of her, but Michael just thanked her for her help and left.
Meanwhile, Michael walked with swift strides toward the exit of the inner city and back to the comfort of the place he had called home for the past days.
Curiously enough, though, while Michael returned to the outer city, a meeting of a few particular individuals took place. These people were different from almost everyone else within the city. All four of them were cultivators.
"Alright, everyone seems to be present. Let's start with our weekly meeting."