Alex's heart swelled with pride, yet he remained aware that success in alchemy wasn't guaranteed every time. Suppressing his pride, he exited the Alchemy room.
As he stepped out, a girl in a pink skirt caught his attention in the small hall. Seeing her, Alex was momentarily bewildered. He questioned in a confused voice, "Mia, why are you here?"
Mia, looking at Alex with a bright smile, responded, "What? Can't I come to find you, Big Brother Alex? And it's always me who comes to meet you " She added, tears welling up in her eyes.
Alex, scratching his head in embarrassment, admitted that he had intended to find Mia in the past.
However, his focus on alchemy, particularly refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill, had isolated him from everyone for the past month.
Walking toward Mia, he gently brushed his hand over her head. The girl blushed, her face turning bright red in response.
A genuine smile formed on Alex's face, "Of course, you can always find me. I just got caught up with some alchemy experiments."
After that, Alex presented a small bottle containing a Silver Pill – the very pills he had just successfully refined.
Mia eagerly opened the box, her eyes widening. She exclaimed, "What kind of pill is this, big brother? Did you really refine it?"
Alex grinned, responding, "I refined it with some inspiration. It serves the same purpose as the Origin Heart Pill, but it costs ten times less and provides an 80% chance of breaking through the barrier, compared to the 50% chance offered by the Origin Heart Pill.
I want you to give it to Elder Ethan for verification. Since I'm introducing a new type of pill, it needs to be confirmed by a King Rank Alchemist to be officially recognized. And the only one I trust in the Alchemy Pavilion is Elder Ethan, a close friend of Grandpa Harrison."
Mia, now looking at the pill with a serious expression, nodded.
She said in a determined voice, "Certainly, I will convey it to my master. But big brother, refining a new recipe at your age is simply astonishing!" Her stern demeanor added a touch of cuteness to her appearance.
Mia lowered her voice to a whisper, continuing, "Big brother, with your talent, you could even become the disciple of the Alchemy Pavilion Lord and most likely reach the pinnacle of Alchemy."
"Hahahaha," Alex burst into laughter at her remark, causing Mia to puff her cheeks in irritation.
"I don't know about that, but I do have some plans. If everything goes well, I might be able to achieve it," replied Alex mysteriously, leaving Mia puzzled.
Mia sighed and said, "Okay, big brother Alex."
After spending some time chatting with her, Mia hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Big brother Alex, there's something I wanted to ask you. Could you please help me in the team task?."
Alex smiled, "Of course, Mia. I'd be happy to help you with the team task. What is your task?"
Mia told about the task and both of them decided to go together after three days to complete the task.
********
Alex went to his room and took a bath. And had a look at his status.
[Name: Alex Obsidian
Race: Human(*****)
Age: 18
Affiliation: Obsidian Clan, Heavenly Star Academy.
Cultivation: Golden Core 4th stage
Bloodline: Sky Rumble Bloodline {Demi God Rank}
Physique: Celestial Eyes { ***** Rank }
Cultivation method: Sky Rumble Emperor Cultivation Method.
Skills Learned:
1. Lightning Slash - Human Rank Sword Skill { Proficiency - 100%}
Sword Intent Prototype - 100% { 400% increase in attack power }
2. Whispering Shadows - Earth Rank Agility Skill { Proficiency - 40% } ]
He still hasn't practiced the Earth Rank Sword technique, since he still hasn't formed his sword heart which is a requirement for practicing it.
As the sun cast its early rays, Alex strode purposefully towards the Task Center.
Upon reaching the second floor of the task building, Alex was greeted by Supervisor Dorian, recently promoted after breaking through the Martial Ascendant stage.
Dorian, now looking remarkably youthful, savored his tea as Alex approached.
Leaping from his seat Elder Dorian, catching sight of Alex, couldn't contain his astonishment. "You've already reached Golden Core 1st stage!" he exclaimed with genuine disbelief, oblivious to the fact that Alex had surpassed even further stages, concealed by his Celestial Cloak skill.
"Yesterday, a burst of inspiration hit me, and suddenly everything just clicked," Alex casually mentioned with a smile.
The disciples in the room were left wide-eyed and exchanged puzzled glances upon hearing it.
Dorian, after a moment of confusion, burst into laughter. "I knew you had talent from the start, you little brat! Eighteen years old and already reaching the Golden Core 1st stage! You're destined to be a standout in this generation."
Blushing with embarrassment, Alex scratched his head and patiently waited for Elder Dorian to regain composure.
"Are you here for a new task?" Elder Dorian inquired once he settled down.
"Yes, Elder," Alex confirmed, mindful of the ticking clock with one month left to complete the task according to the rules of academy.
Elder Dorian, deep in thought, eventually pulled out a wooden token and presented it to Alex. "This is a D-level task, and I believe you're up for it."
As Elder Dorian handed over the task, Alex's eyes sharpened, sensing something significant.
"You've got 15 days to wrap this up. Once finished, inform me without delay," Dorian instructed, waving his hands dismissively.
Alex gave a thumbs up in response before stepping out of the building. With a gentle tap on the token, a stream of information flooded his mind, revealing a virtual screen before him.
[ Task: Kill the Outer disciple Mia (without any suspicion)
Level: D Rank ( Secret task )
Issued: Outer Elder of Shadow Pavilion
Reward: 500 Shadow tokens
Time limit: 15 days
Penalty: Removed from the Shadow Pavillion ]
As he absorbed the details, a regretful sigh escaped him, thinking, 'Looks like it's confirmed.'
At that moment, two people were already waiting outside the task center. Spotting Alex, they rushed up urgently, asking, "Brother Alex, are you okay?"
Shaking his head, Alex reassured them, "I'm fine. Wait for me after three days at our usual spot in the Outer area of the Mountain Forest range; we've got a team task to tackle."
Upon hearing this, the two nodded with a serious demeanor and promptly departed.
Observing their departure, Alex continued on his way, reflecting on the day he first joined the Shadow Pavilion.
The Shadow Pavilion, the academy's tenth Pavilion, operated in the shadows with members working secretly in all Pavilions and everywhere in the academy.
Their mission was to safeguard the stability of the academy and no one knows about the information of the members except the three Supreme Elders and Headmaster of the academy.
His entrance into this secretive group was made possible by the Pitch Black Amulet given to him by his grandfather, Harrison, during their brief meeting in the Obsidian clan.
Initially, Alex resisted the idea of joining the Shadow Pavilion, but the allure of its substantial benefits left him with no alternative. The Pavilion fell under the watchful eye of a Supreme Elder, who held a formidable position at the half-step Eternal Sage stage.