Chapter 64 - 28-39

Chapter 28: Miss Senior Alchemist

"Hi," Xiao Feng greeted Lianhua as he came to a stop before her. 

The Senior Alchemist studied him with an odd expression on her visage, regarding him with clear curiosity in her gaze. 

"I have been hearing rumors," She opened her address with a revelation. "A lot of rumors. Just what have you been up to?" Lianhua asked, her tone more amused than demanding. 

Oh, come on, Xiao Feng thought. Is there literally anybody who doesn't know about me at this point?

"Uh…," Xiao Feng trailed off, as he gestured with a quick swivel of his head in the direction of the peeking recruits. "Would you perhaps like to come in before I answer that question?" He asked her, resigned to the well of rumors his words would cause to spring up. 

"Sure," She replied, before she gave the peeking recruits a fierce glare. They scrambled out of Xiao Feng's line of sight, but knew that it wouldn't deter them for long. 

Inside Xiao Feng's room, Lianhua took a seat on the wooden chair placed before the study table, while he sat on his bed. 

"So," Xiao Feng began. "Before I explain everything, can you do me a favor? He asked. 

"Depends on the favor," Lianhua replied, her light-green eyes striking a stunning contrast against the azure, floral-imprint robes she was wearing. 

"Well," Xiao Feng got up, walked over to his pill furnace that he'd placed in one corner of the room before placing it on the table Lianhua was sitting before. "Can you heat that? Not too much, just a couple minutes at middle-layer Qi Gathering strength, if you could?" 

"What's in it?" Lianhua asked, her expression seeming a bit taken aback. "Did you try and refine a pill?" She asked, her tone carrying an edge of warning in it. 

"No," Xiao Feng replied. "I told you, I was going to make chai, didn't I? That's why I went to the alchemy vaults yesterday," he explained. 

"Alchemist Jun let you into the alchemy vaults?" Lianhua asked, her tone surprised. 

"You didn't know?" Xiao Feng asked. "What were those rumors you mentioned, then?" 

"I heard that a recruit who had recently joined our division bought enough spiritual herbs to start a herb garden of his own. Oh and that he is a serial womanizer who can't stop asking out female alchemists the moment he lays eyes on them," Lianhua explained, a teasing quality to her tone indicating that she didn't fully put her stock in the rumors. 

"Hey!" Xiao Feng protested. "I did no such thing. Alchemist Jun just helped me out with my concoction when I asked her to. That's all. And she only let me into the vaults after I left my pill furnace's lid outside. There's no real risk to brewing concoctions, right?" Xiao Feng rhetorically asked. 

"Uh…," Lianhua looked at him with confusion, her grace and poise nowhere to be found as she considered what he had just said. "Alchemist Jun helped you to brew concoctions?" She repeated, her tone sounding incredulous. 

"Yeah?" Xiao Feng replied, not sure why that would be a cause for surprise.

"Alchemist Jun, the straight-laced bookworm who does nothing except research and ignores even my father's requests unless they're direct commands, helped you?" Lianhua asked, her tone seeking confirmation. 

"Weeeell," Xiao Feng considered, before answering, "I only invited her after I had finished brewing the chai, because I needed someone besides me to sample it. Though she did end up being incredibly nice and helpful by giving me her notes from her recruit days. That was very kind of her," he explained. 

"Her… notes…?" Lianhua dumbfoundedly repeated. 

"Yeah," Xiao Feng confirmed, as he opened his desk drawer to reveal a well-worn, leatherbound notebook. 

"So the rumors were true. Hmph," Lianhua pouted, turning her gaze away from him in clear displeasure. 

"Oh come on," Xiao Feng protested. "Look, how about you heat the pill furnace and sample some chai for yourself, alright? Then you can test for yourself if her reaction was excessive," Xiao Feng challenged. 

"Those are some bold claims for a mere concoction based on a mortal drink," Lianhua replied, though interest did sparkle in her verdant eyes. "You do remember that you are talking to the youngest senior alchemist in the entire division, right?" 

"Well, if you're going to play hard to get, then you should also remember that you are in the presence of the Hero of the Zheyan Pass, Xiao Feng the Undying," He replied with a pompous tone that was deliberately exaggerated. 

"I still don't quite understand what draws someone like you to a place like this, but very well, bring it on, Xiao Feng the Undying," She accepted the challenge with the same zeal it had been issued with. 

Xiao Feng watched with fascination as Lianhua heated the side of the pill furnace with her blue Alchemist's flame. As flames met metal, it was not the unpleasant, smoky odor that wafted out as one would expect, but instead a robust aroma that reminded Xiao Feng of a well-seasoned soup back on earth— warm, comforting and herbal. He wondered how the properties of the alchemist's flame would modify the chai, but he did not expect a significant influence given how judiciously Lianhua was applying her alchemist's flame. 

"There," She said. "All done."

"Just a moment, Miss Senior Alchemist," Xiao Feng replied, as he opened his cupboard and retrieved one of six cups that had already been placed there for his perusal. 

He poured the Masala Chai for Lianhua with exacting care, careful not to spill even a drop. 

Lianhua inspected the light golden hued liquid with clear curiosity, before inhaling deeply. 

"Is that firedust I smell? And what are those sweet notes— don't tell me, emberfruit gems?" She asked rhetorically and then kept going, "Hmm, the texture is light yet creamy. You put some bi-horn milk in here and a few other ingredients are too diluted for me to catch. Hmm, the hints of earth though…," She trailed off, as she considered the answer.

"Humus root, maybe?" She asked. 

"Damn," The word slipped out of Xiao Feng's mouth. "I guess I'll have to add a lot of misleading ingredients in there if I want to keep my secrets."

"Well, how do I drink it?" Lianhua asked.

"Small sips, try to savor it," Xiao Feng replied. 

Still seemingly skeptical, Lianhua decided to just go for it. 

She took a sip and her cheeks flushed slightly red. There were no words exchanged as she took another sip. Beads of sweat started to build up on her forehead, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. 

"That is," She said, her tone tinged with awe. "the most delicious waste of precious ingredients I have ever tasted."

Chapter 29: Cheer up, Xiao Feng

"So you like it then?" Xiao Feng beamed at her, his expression one of pure victory. 

"Well…. Yes. But—," Lianhua tried to explain, but Xiao Feng wasn't willing to have any of it. 

"Hey, you liked it," Xiao Feng cut in, his expression joyous. "And as you said, you are a venerable Senior Alchemist. You liking it is a good enough proof of concept for me," He said, his tone perhaps a bit too enthusiastic. 

"I do," She replied, as the blush coloring her cheeks deepened a little. "However, when we first met, you told me that you wished to sell this concoction of yours," She pointed out, gesturing to the now empty teacup. 

"Yeah," Xiao Feng replied, his enthusiasm dampening a little. 

"Well, it's going to be tough to sell this if you raw materials alone cost you eight silver taels," Lianhua guessed and Xiao Feng wasn't particularly surprised that she had gotten it right. "Though I must say, diced humus root was quite the interesting touch. Really added subtle, earthy depth to your uh, what do you call it?" She asked, her tone not intending to offend. 

"The name of the concoction itself is chai, but what I served you is a specific variation of it that's called Masala Chai," Xiao Feng explained. 

"Your masala chai, then. Do you know what the full humus root is used for?" Lianhua asked, her tone a patient, supportive one that befitted an educator. 

"Nope," Xiao Feng replied.

"Though it can be used in a variety of different pills, its most important use is found in the Core Formation ranked Earth Infusion Pill," Lianhua explained. 

"An Earth Infusion Pill?" Xiao Feng asked, the question in his tone evident. 

"As you are well aware, to reach the core formation stage a cultivator must let heavenly thunder destroy the foundation base they have painstakingly cultivated," Lianhua said, referencing the elliptic construct of Qi that rested below Xiao Feng's dantain.

"Yes," Xiao Feng replied, nodding at Lianhua's words. When he cultivated, cycling his qi was done with the intention of reinforcing that elliptic Qi construct. It was a painstakingly slow process that his predecessor had only enjoyed because cycling his Qi across his body did also strengthen his physical body along with his meridians. 

"Once the foundation base is destroyed, your meridians are flooded with liquid qi that you have gathered across years and decades. Only a few moments are all you get to impress your command over that liquid qi and compress a core attuned to their element," Lianhua explained.

"Not everyone succeeds," Xiao Feng recalled. "Even those that do seldom achieve a perfect core," he added, vaguely seeing where Lianhua was going with her explanation. 

"Precisely," Lianhua said. "Foundation Establishment cultivators who had their dantian attuned to the Earth element go on to become Core Formation cultivators with an Earth core. The Earth Infusion Pill repairs damage to the Earth Core of a Core Formation stage cultivator. It also nourishes it. While the humus root is only a supporting material, it is still valuable to its refinement." 

"I see why you called it a waste of precious ingredients now," Xiao Feng replied, his tone a little guilty. 

"Oh don't feel down," Lianhua hurriedly moved to reassure him. "That was not my intention. The odds of successfully refining an Earth Infusion Pill even at the Senior Alchemist level is only still one in five attempts. Us alchemists are notorious for wasting resources yet we are allowed to persist, for such is the value of our refined creations," She offered him comforting words in a gentle tone. 

"I guess I have a long way to go before I can sell my Masala Chai," Xiao Feng replied, deciding to tamp down on his planned monthly expenditure on Chai. He'd feel terrible if his beverage was powered by magical ingredients required to heal someone's core, after all.

"How about this," Lianhua's expression brightened up as the guilt she felt at putting a damper on Xiao Feng's mood was overpowered by the novelty of an idea that had just struck her. "Today, I was planning on teaching you the common spiritual herbs used to refine pills at the Qi Gathering Stage. We'll still be doing that, but, how about I point out much cheaper alternatives that are similar in taste to the Mystic Palm leaf you used as the essence of your Masala Chai?" She proposed. 

Any and all trace of disappointment on Xiao Feng's visage vanished as he gazed upon Lianhua with poorly concealed awe, before asking, "You'd do that for me?" 

"Of course," She replied softly, as she turned away from Xiao Feng's intense gaze, a blush still coloring her cheeks. 

"Well then, what are we waiting for? I've got herbs to learn about."

The first impression Xiao Feng had of the Grand Library that was situated in the Cultivation Halls was that it didn't quite live up to its name. 

Compared to the multi-storey libraries he had visited back on earth, complete with hundreds of bookshelves that stretched as far as the eye could see, labeled according to genres and orders, designated reading areas with seating arrangements for hundreds of people, restrooms and sometimes even cafes or vending areas, the Grand Library was…. disappointing. 

That perspective drastically changed when Xiao Feng realized that every book, every scroll and every tome shelved within the Grand Library contained knowledge that could be compounded to refine pills of a thousand different kinds, from ones that healed ailments and patched up even the deadliest of wounds to pills capable of granting a cultivator the strength to fight above his layer. 

He was seated on a wooden table that came with attached benches, while Lianhua was sitting next to him, an open tome placed between them. 

Xiao Feng tried not to think about the other alchemist designates seated in the study area that overlooked the array of bookshelves that were sneaking glances at him, or more specifically, at Lianhua every few minutes, as he listened to her lesson.

Chapter 30: The First Lesson

"This is a Moonlit Dew plant," Lianhua said, as her index finger traced its illustrated stem. Well, perhaps illustrated was not an appropriate way to describe it, as it seemed like the original Moonlit Dew plant had been dipped in verdant ink before being pressed against the tome's page. 

The structure of the plant itself was rather ordinary, with a single stem standing upright like the trunk of a tall tree. Instead of branches, there were leaves alternating in equidistant intervals on the stem's either sides from top to bottom, their shape a delicate, cupped one. 

"Its taste has been described as minty, the effect on the body rejuvenating if consumed directly. Do you know why the leaves are shaped like that?" Lianhua asked, completely absorbed in the role of an instructor. She was good at it too, both patient and kind, making Xiao Feng wonder why she did not take in disciples. He supposed that the rumor-mongers were not all that hateful for having made him aware of that tidbit. 

"Uh…. no," Xiao Feng replied, ruffling his hair as he tried to reach for knowledge he did not possess. 

"Try and guess," Lianhua encouraged him. "Don't worry, I don't bite," She reassured him with a little more zeal than was perhaps required for a foundation establishment stage war hero.

"Erm so, the leaves are cupped right?" Xiao Feng mused out loud. "The spiritual plant is called Moonlit Dew plan, so I'm guessing that the shape of the leaves is conducive to gathering Water Qi during the night?" 

"Close!" Lianhua chirped up in happiness, only to suffer from a burn in her cheeks a few moments later as she realized that she was being too loud for the Grand Library. "Sorry," She whispered under her breath, before refocusing her attention on Xiao Feng. 

"The Moonlit Dew plant is very commonly found, even in the rocky patches of the Frontier. It gathers Water Qi through its roots during the day and instead of stockpiling it for itself, it only circulates the bare minimum it requires to live before discharging the excess Water Qi into its cupped leaves," Lianhua explained, her tone soft and gentle. 

"Why?" Xiao Feng quizzed, a bit baffled by the phenomenon. 

"The Moonlit Dew plant does not wish to be a target for herbivore beasts and it also wishes to propagate rapidly. Small, sticky seeds are concealed at the bottom of the pools of Water Qi that are held in its cupped leaves. The Jade-Plumed Swallow is a weak Qi Gathering realm beast, but few predators can ambush it due to its diminutive size and quick reflexes. It is also numerous in population," Lianhua explained. 

"The Jade-Plumed Swallows," Xiao Feng muttered in realization. "They spread Moonlit Dew's seed across Sephari and in return, they are offered Water Qi as bait. A symbiotic relationship."

A tender, nurturing smile graced her features as Lianhua looked at Xiao Feng with a hint of pride in her gaze, "That is correct. What do you think the advantages of such a spiritual plant are?" 

"They should be easily found…," Xiao Feng guessed. "And they should be cheap," He said. 

"Precisely," Lianhua replied. "There's enough stockpiled in the junior division to facilitate hundreds of refinement attempts. You missed out on one thing, though. The Moonlit Dew plant is an excellent base ingredient for a lot of Qi Gathering realm pills. It possesses large reserves of Water Qi if harvested before nightfall, which is a fairly neutral element that does not react adversely with others like fire, earth or wind," Lianhua explained. 

"Like the Pureflow Gel?" Xiao Feng asked, referring to the gelatinous substance he liked to think of as water jam. 

"Precisely," Lianhua replied. "If you were to refine a full humus root with a vial full of firedust into a pill, it would cause an explosion. However, refining pureflow gel and a full humus root together would not cause such an adverse effect. It would slightly dull the effect of the earth attunement and not be particularly useful to water element cultivators either, but by adjusting the pill formula, such weaknesses can be made up for".

"Huh," Xiao Feng hummed in thought, his gaze sparkling with interest as he took in the illustration with great interest. "Where can I buy some of this to eat?" He asked. 

A laugh that was just barely masked into a hacking cough echoed from his right, as an alchemist designate tried not to attract the fury of Senior Alchemist Lianhua. Xiao Feng wasn't sure about the tradeoff in such a decision, after peeking a glance at the brazen alchemist designate only to find that his cheeks had gone red— it seemed to him like the man would cough himself to death first. 

"The Junior Division, ask Alchemist Jia-Rui," Lianhua replied in a smooth tone, not dignifying the alchemist designate's laughter with a change in inflection. 

"Thank you kindly." 

"Well Xiao Feng, that should conclude our lesson for today. I've talked to our librarian, Alchemist Fei. You are authorized to borrow up to ten books from the Grand Library. For your first one, you are to take this tome with you and memorize details of the spiritual plants and herbs I have covered today. Is that understood?" She asked, a little sternness leaking into her tone. 

"Yes, ma'am," Xiao Feng replied with the utmost seriousness. He had not forgotten the weight of what he was being offered. The direct guidance of a Senior Alchemist, especially one as talented as Lianhua, was not something his vast material resources could buy. 

Lianhua left not long after while Xiao Feng still had to ask Alchemist Fei to make a record of the tome he was borrowing. That made sense to Xiao Feng, considering that the tome he held contained the ink-print illustrations of a hundred spiritual plants that came in all shapes and sizes. 

He would sooner drink coffee than let anything happen to the tome. 

Well, Xiao Feng thought, as he stepped outside the Grand Library. As fun as learning about alchemy and brewing chai has been, now that I am in the Cultivation Halls, it would be a waste not to test out the training rooms. I can't let my muscle memory go rusty, after all.

Chapter 31: More to give

Xiao Feng was surprised to find that his heart rate had picked up, as he stood before the double-doors that led to the training rooms. 

Is this my own reaction or is this a side-effect of absorbing Xiao Feng's memories? Is it trepidation I feel, or anticipation? He considered warily. What will happen to me if I cannot fight? What will happen to me if Elder Haoyun finds out? He wondered. 

Maybe he could explain away the loss of skill due to the grievous nature of the injury he had suffered. But was that enough? The continent of Tian was not a peaceful land. Xiao Feng could choose not to fight, but that was no guarantee that violence would not find its way to him. 

For he was still a member of the Frontier Sect and the Alchemy Division was only separated by a few hours from the border his predecessor had given his life to defend. 

If that happens, Xiao Feng mused. I don't want this place to fall, He thought. The Alchemy Division was his new home, the only home he had left. It was the place where his ambitions could mold themselves into reality, the place where he had more than qualified teachers willing to dedicate their precious time to him. 

To cast away his martial origin and roots entirely, was to accept a reality where he could not fight back against those that wished to take what belongs to him. 

I guess I need to find out, Xiao Feng thought, as he pushed open the doors to the training rooms. 

Unlike the small antechamber Alchemist Jun watched over the Alchemy vaults from, the reception area of the training rooms was a large, oblong room. A cultivator dressed in pure white robes, besides a silver threaded embroidered patch that depicted a sword crossed against an arrow, was calmly sitting behind a lacquered wooden desk directly opposite himself.

Xiao Feng's breathing relaxed. His knees slightly lowered, his upper body leaning forward as his hand reflexively snaked to the hilt of his blade, Windcarver. His gaze took in the cultivator on the other side of the room with exacting precision, ready to be unsheathed at the slightest hint of movement. 

"Excellent reaction," The cultivator who undoubtedly belonged to the Martial Division, praised. "Too good, in fact, for an alchemist. That must mean that you are Xiao Feng," He declared with a poise that told Xiao Feng that he was being expected by this man. 

"You flared your Qi on purpose," Xiao Feng accused, his expression clearly unamused. 

"I did. What of it?" The Martial Division cultivator asked in a matter-of-fact tone. "Have you forgotten, Xiao Feng? The demons lurk in the shadows, that is why we must be especially aware when we tread on the light." 

"I have not," Xiao Feng replied, knowing that a martial cultivator had to be especially prepared for combat when he thought himself most safe. 

"I am sure you have not, Xiao Feng the Undying," The Martial Division cultivator replied, using the title Elder Haoyun had bestowed upon him. 

"Who are you?" Xiao Feng asked, even though the answer was rather obvious at this point. 

"I am merely a peak-layer foundation establishment cultivator appointed to oversee the training sessions of alchemists. I have seen war, like you, if you are curious. That makes me qualified to teach even core-formation alchemists, well, if they are willing to learn," He chuckled wryly at his own words.

"I take it that they are not too interested?" Xiao Feng asked, thinking back on what he knew of the Alchemy Division. 

"A few are. Some see it as exercise, others as a good way to refine their Qi control, which is essential to alchemy. Most, however, are unfit for a battlefield," He stated the truth with a hint of disappointment in his words. 

"I see," Xiao Feng replied, not surprised. 

"Well, I take it you are here to book a training room," The Martial Division cultivator guessed. 

"Yes." 

The martial division cultivator opened the second drawer from the top, plucked out a key and tossed it to Xiao Feng. 

He caught it with ease. 

"How did you know that I had transferred over to the Alchemy Division?" Xiao Feng asked. 

"Besides the rumors floating around you, Brother Xiao? The Martial Division cultivator who was much older than him replied with a rhetorical jest before continuing, "Elder Haoyun told me before you arrived. Told me to look out for you where I could, but that was rather unnecessary." 

"Well, how much do I owe you?" Xiao Feng asked, unsure what the martial division cultivator meant by unnecessary. Maybe he dislikes nepotism or something, He thought, wondering. 

"Owe me?" The Martial Division cultivator asked, his tone sounding incredulous. "Even without Elder Haoyun's request, I would not take even a single bronze tael from a cultivator who bled for the Frontier. As for a war hero? That will not happen as long as I remain standing," He declared, the iron in his tone enough to inspire respect in the hearts of men and women under his command. 

"Will that not get you in trouble with the Alchemy Division?" Xiao Feng asked, a bit concerned. Money was not an issue for the current him and if it helped avoid trouble for a potential ally, well, the answer was right there. 

"Were you considering how much trouble you would get in if you broke through the demonic army's ranks and caused chaos that led to the turning point in the war?" The Martial Division cultivator asked him in return. 

"Touché," Xiao Feng conceded. "Would you at least tell me your name?" 

"I am Cultivator Lei Jiao. I did not participate in the most recent war, rather the one before that. Unlike you, I am presently untitled. The next time I face the demons though, that will change," He declared, his tone carrying a bravado that had actual weight to it. 

After he had taken the keys from Cultivator Lei, Xiao Feng found himself in a wide chamber whose floor and walls were padded with sponge-like cushions that undoubtedly had some special properties. 

The bouncy and uneven terrain added another small challenge to navigating his way across the chamber, but any true martial cultivator would only welcome it. 

Xiao Feng was the only one behind a now locked door, which was odd, considering martial cultivators always trained in pairs and training sessions were done with many cultivators going up against each other in rotating schedules. 

Unfortunately, he had no one but himself to practice with. 

He closed his eyes. 

Xiao Feng focused on his breathing, felt the gentle, unattuned Qi in his dantian, held the wild Wind Qi in place that also had a place in his dantian. 

He unsheathed his blade, feeling the resonance with the Wind Qi in dantian almost immediately. 

His blade hungered for his Wind Qi reserves. 

Xiao Feng was almost there. 

The trance-like state his predecessor used to fall in while training, as he let the world slip by him— his thoughts, his worries, his considerations, holding no weight in the battlefield. Only the next move, the next action, the next swing of blade mattered. 

To achieve such a state while his eyes were open was beyond Xiao Feng, but maybe this way, he could reach it. 

To his surprise and then shock, something wholly unexpected happened. 

His eyes were closed and even his essence cultivation art would not work with closed eyes. 

Yet, he saw. 

He saw a person before him. Dressed in pure white robes that many in the martial division preferred. 

"I thought," The man standing before him spoke, his tone, inflection and pitch identical to his own yet somehow carrying more intent behind his words. "I had swung my blade for the last time. It seems the heavens feel that I have more to give, still."

Chapter 32: Xiao Feng's training partner

"How?" He asked, his tone echoing forth the shock he felt. 

"You know how," The white-robed Xiao Feng calmly replied. "I am not really here, yet I stand before you," He explained, his tone sounding introspective. 

"I don't know what that means," He replied, as his hands and consequently, his blade, trembled from the shock of what he was seeing. 

"Hmm," The white-robed Xiao Feng hummed in thought as he unsheathed his own blade and assumed a combat stance. "Are you familiar with visualization techniques?" He asked. 

"Myth," He replied from the bank of memories he had inherited. 

"Perhaps," The white-robed Xiao Feng conceded. "However, our current situation is rather similar to its myth. You wished for perfect calm, sought a refuge in your own mind—away from the troubles and whims of reality. Away from materialism and the glory. Away from it all. There, you found yourself… and me." 

"So it's like a side-effect of absorbing your soul?" He asked, a bit dazed by the concept. What did that mean for his own sense of self? 

"Exactly like a side-effect," The white-robed Xiao Feng confirmed. "I am a recreation from your mindscape, the embodiment of all memories you inherited from the original Xiao Feng. I reside in your mind, but I do not belong there. That is why I stand before you." 

"I…." He trailed off, uncertain how or what to feel about that. 

"Do not waver," The white-robed Xiao Feng's tone turned stern as addressed him. "Like you have inherited my memories and skills, I know everything that is to know about you by virtue of existing in your mindspace. So understand the source of hesitation, born from what you believe to be kindness." 

"I'm sorry," He replied, his tone heavy with guilt. He could not even begin to understand how the white-robed Xiao Feng felt, memory recreation or not. 

"Do not be sorry, child from Earth," The white-robed Xiao Feng shook his head. "I am here because I lost on the battlefield. I have no regrets, nor qualms. But I do have a question. I was defeated, so why am I here?" 

He did not know how to respond to that, so he chose silence. 

"But now, seeing you, considering your actions over the last few days, I understand," The white-haired Xiao Feng revealed. "Do you know what my greatest weakness was, in the end? Why I lost?" 

"I-I'm not— I don't know," He stuttered in reply. 

"I possesed a cause in me that burned the most brightly when I was facing the greatest of darkness, because the cause was worth dying for. This gave me strength that befuddled the notions of what others thought possible. Yet I lost. I lost, not because my Essence Cultivation Art was not strong enough or I did not plan thoroughly enough, no. I lost because I did not understand that a cause worth dying for also has to be one worth living for, even more strongly." 

"That's— I see," He replied, a tone of awe in his words as he confronted a realization that had required a lifetime to arrive at. 

"Do you like the Alchemy Division?" The white-robed Xiao Feng asked him. 

"I do, very much," He replied earnestly. 

"Do you wish for the strength to protect it?" The white-robed Xiao Feng asked, his tone rising in intensity by a notch. 

"Yes," The words escaped Xiao Feng's lips before he realized it. 

"Then perhaps, you will be able to master a sword I never was able to," The white-robed Xiao Feng mused, as his knees bent even further, poised to burst into motion. 

"What sword is that?" He asked. 

"A sword that is struck with intent to protect instead of kill. Now brace yourself, child of Earth. The heavens have bestowed upon me a second chance and I, Xiao Feng, do not make the same mistake twice," The white-robed Xiao Feng declared, his tone carrying an unnerving intensity. 

He watched as the white silhouette blurred forward at speed that rivaled what his own physical body was capable of at its peak. He cycled the spiritual Qi resting in his dantian to the meridians in his arms and legs, hitting as many acupuncture points in the process as he could. 

Even then, it was all he could do to block the white silhouette's wild slash in time. 

There should have been no impact when their blades collided. The white-robed Xiao Feng wasn't really there… right?

It certainly did not like it as his own blade was stopped in its tracks and then, with a jerk on the opposing side, pushed backwards. The impact was real, the sound of clanging swords was real but there was certain dreaminess to it. It was not a blade that had intercepted his own, but rather, a memory of a blade intercepting another that was being played back by his own mind. 

Does this mean I will feel pain if I get cut? He wondered and his expression darkened almost immediately. That was certainly something his predecessor would relish inflicting upon him, if it meant he would get stronger, faster. 

The white-robed Xiao Feng was relentless as he followed through with two thrusts of his blade. The first one, he barely dodged while backpedaling. The second was batted away by a desperate swipe of his own blade, lacking any of the grace his opponent's had. 

He dived. He ducked. He dodged. The martial forms he was trying to imitate collapsed as the white-robed Xiao Feng pressed him faster and faster, to the point where muscle memory was all he could rely upon. 

Finally, the inevitable happened and a slash sneaked past his guard, aiming for his right leg. 

If I try hard enough, I can probably wake up and dispel this, He thought, entertaining the possibility because it sounded much better than the alternative. No, no. I asked for this. I can't run now—-

His eyes went wide as the moment to think passed and pain flooded his right leg. He collapsed onto the floor like a kite with its strings cut, both arms clenched tightly as he wished desperately to be freed from a memory of his predecessor being wounded in battle. 

"Oh please, don't writhe on the floor," The white-robed Xiao Feng slightly grimaced as he took in the state he had left him in.

"Why?" He croaked out, noting that it was an unnatural expression for his predecessor to have. He had expected some gloating along with a lesson. 

"You have a guest. I guess this will suffice for an introductory lesson," The white-robed Xiao Feng said, before shrugging a bit helplessly. 

The state of focus he had fallen into, shattered and he returned to the real world. 

He was sprawled across the training room's floor, his forehead matted with sweat, his robes drenched much in the same way. 

Oh, He thought, as the realization came. I wasn't actually taking out loud, I was just thinking and that was enough. Now… what guest?

He turned his gaze towards the entrance of the room and finally noticed an alchemist designate who seemed to have accidentally stumbled upon the wrong training room. 

His expression was pale and their hands were slightly trembling, as he gazed at him with the same fright one would an ambushing demon. 

"Uhhhh, hi?" Xiao Feng offered. 

The alchemist designate, who was a foundation establishment cultivator much like himself, shamelessly ran away without looking back even once.

Chapter 33: Cultivating Rumors

"I'm telling you," The alchemist designate whispered in a conspiratorial tone. "Look, I know that Instructor Lei tells us that if we can reach the stage of sparring with ourselves, there's nothing left for him to teach us. But this? This," He repeated in an impassioned tone to the three other cultivators sitting on the same bench as him. 

"The recruit moved as if someone was actually there. His sword recoiled as if it had been parried. He dodged as if a demon was trying to bisect him in half," The alchemist designate finished explaining, having worked up a bit of sweat as he got caught up in his own emotions. 

"So, who won this shadow battle?" One of the other alchemists seated in a much smaller mess hall that was reserved for alchemist designates only and conveniently located down the residences pathway, asked. 

"That's the scary thing," the alchemist designate whispered. "You would ask yourself, how could one lose to the machinations of one's own mind. But he lost! I'm telling you, he lost to his own shadow," He explained, his tone sounding a bit haunted. 

The alchemist designate to his left tried to stifle what sounded like a cough and just about managed it. The two alchemist designates sitting facing him tried to do the same and failed, before bursting out into laughter that just about fell short of guffawing in his face. 

"I think…," One of the laughing alchemist designates managed to speak out in between bouts of laughter. "... you've been going a bit…. too hard on research. Take a break, Tao." 

The alchemist designate named Tao had no words left to retaliate with as his face went beet red. Only now did he realize how preposterous his words must've sounded to the other alchemist designates.

However, Tao knew what he had seen. 

I need to learn more about that recruit, He thought. There's something that's not right about him. 

Back in the sanctity of his dorm room, an exhausted Xiao Feng crashed onto his bed with a groan. 

"Oh, man, that was exhausting," He complained out loud, even though he knew that the white-robed Xiao Feng was gone and would be gone for as long as he did not willingly enter that state of perfect focus again.

Xiao Feng wasn't sure when he would be willing to subject himself to that intense training regimen again, but there was never a question ofif he would be willing to do it.

Strength was essential in the continent of Tian, Realm of Sephari. The Alchemy Division was a tranquil paradise, yes, but it stood only because of the strength of the Frontier Sect. His predecessor was willing to train him in his ways, grant him an opportunity to gain that strength— not to harm or wage war, but to protect. 

He would not spurn such strength. 

"I guess I'll go again in a week," He contemplated. "Okay, maybe three days? Learning magical martial arts isn't all that boring, now that I think about it. It just leaves me sore all around, but that's probably because I'm not fighting with the proper techniques yet," He mused aloud. 

Xiao Feng's hair was still damp, from having showered after he had dinner in the junior division's mess hall. He felt the tug of sleep weigh down on his eyelids. 

A touch of Qi and all that sleep would simply vanish, Xiao Feng thought. Sure, I would eventually need to sleep to pay off that debt, but my predecessor did go on without sleep for days on end because he wanted to cultivate. I really, really, don't want to artificially mess around with my sleep cycle, Xiao Feng concluded, really wary of doing something like that. Not because he hated cultivation, but because it would make him feel less… human. Less mortal and more immortal. 

He did not wish to distance himself from a part of his mortality, the essence of the human experience. 

"Oh right," Xiao Feng's eyelids snapped open as he remembered that he'd forgotten to check in on the egg. So much for sleeping on time, He thought wryly. 

He swung open the door to his wardrobe and took in the egg's physical form. 

"Huh," He intoned. "That's interesting," He muttered under his breath. Xiao Feng had poured some bi-horn milk on top of the egg and with its distinctive bluish-white color, the milk should've left some staining on the wardrobe's insides. 

Should have.

Xiao Feng only saw an impeccably clean wardrobe surface, with the egg resting peacefully where he had left it. 

He activated his essence cultivation art.

Immediately, Xiao Feng noticed that the pulsing and dimming cycle had sped up, but not to the alarming levels he had witnessed before. If the egg's action of draining his Qi had stabilized it to some degree, then did it absorb the milk to try and maintain that state?

"Only one way to find out," Xiao Feng muttered under his breath as he hurriedly got up from the bed and rushed to his study table. He wrapped his hands around a vial of milk and unstoppered it. 

He did not hesitate as he began to pour the precious bi-horn milk on the egg, it's flow unmitigated.

A sizzling sound echoed out as the milk touching the egg's surface evaporated or at least, seemed like it evaporated. 

Xiao Feng's lips curled up into a smile, for he knew better. After he poured the vial of milk past the halfway mark though, the sizzling stopped. 

The egg had once again reached a state of temporary equilibrium between life and death. For to Xiao Feng, it seemed like the tempo of the pulsing and dimming cycle had returned to what it was after the egg had gotten done absorbing his Qi. 

"It's not enough," Xiao Feng muttered. "How do I save you?" He asked the egg, but it was himself that gave the answer as the image of a woman in floral robes popped up in his mind. 

"Is that the only way, then?"

Chapter 34: Morning Chai

Once again, Xiao Feng found himself on the battlefield. He strode forward as if he was the scion of wind itself, his expression ferocious as his blade arced forward with explosive momentum. 

The Demon that obstructed his path fell prey to Xiao Feng's blade, even though the trajectory of his blade was poised to intercept Xiao Feng's own. A slight flick of his wrists was all it had taken, yet it should have been impossible to pull such a move on an opponent that well surpassed his own speed. 

Had he not predicted the motion of the attack with the aid of his Essence Cultivation Art, that logic would stand true for Xiao Feng as well. It was a gamble even then, for seeing through his enemy's intent did not mean that it was enough to bridge the gap in their capabilities. 

Yet, Xiao Feng had committed to the risky maneuver anyway and his blade had struck true. 

Such was his focus. His determination. Most of all, his desire for vengeance. 

The reward for his triumph came in the form of more breathing room, more space to continue his rampage. 

In that moment, Xiao Feng felt the exact opposite of invincible. He was tired, his Qi reserves were down to half and the margins he was obtaining victory through were growing thinner and thinner as the enemies that came after him grew stronger. 

Nevertheless, he moved forward. One step, a second and then… silence. 

The silence of the attack that struck him was so unexpected. It's speed surpassed the limits of his cognition. One moment, he was a foe to be feared on the battlefield, the next he was collapsing forward like a puppet with its strings cut.

There was no avoiding it. His essence cultivation art could not guard him against threats that he was too slow, too weak to deal with. 

His heart filled with dread, Xiao Feng waited for darkness to claim him. 

Then, he awoke. 

Finding himself in his dorm room bed, Xiao Feng woke up with a jerk of his hands. His back seemed to be drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding at a place that could not be healthy. 

Deep breaths, Xiao Feng thought, as he sat up and assumed a cross-legged posture. It took him a few minutes to stabilize his pulse rate, before Xiao Feng cycled Qi through his meridians.

Almost immediately, all traces of sleepiness left him and he felt refreshed, like he had just gotten done taking a warm shower. 

"See," He muttered in the direction of the wardrobe that housed the egg. "This is what happens when I don't get my morning chai," He complained.

The egg remained silent. 

"Well, time to do something about it then," Xiao Feng hopped onto his feet, landing against the ground with a light thump. 

After giving his appearance a once over in the washing area, he poured some bi-horn milk on the egg before leaving for the Junior Division. 

As it turned out, there was a botanical shop that sold spiritual herbs and plants in the Junior Division as well, but as Xiao Feng stood before it, he could not help but think of it more like a storage room. 

An alchemist designate was seated at the front of the store, her visage masked by tinted, metal-rimmed spectacles that seemed to serve a purpose, as she inspected a herb that had leaves fanning out in the general shape of a bouquet. 

Behind her stretched out a passageway more than a shop, with identical four-storied storage racks lining either side of the walls until the end of the passageway. A door on the other end presumably led out of the store, also likely where the hundreds of herbs piled on the racks came from.

There were so numerous in quantity, Xiao Feng could not possibly feel guilty about buying as many as he wanted. 

"Yes?" The alchemist designate asked, betraying a coldness to her otherwise professional tone that told Xiao Feng that she did not appreciate being disturbed. 

"Hello. Are you Alchemist Jia-Rui?" Xiao Feng politely asked, determined not to give the alchemist a reason to find fault with him. 

"I am indeed Alchemist Jia-Rui," She replied, as gaze focused on him more keenly. 

"Senior Alchemist Lianhua told me that I could purchase Moonlit Dew plants here. I would like to buy some if possible," Xiao Feng said. 

"Lianhua?" She repeated, before her gaze flashed with realization. "You're that recruit, Xiao Feng?" 

"Yes, Ma'am," He replied. 

"I…see," She muttered to herself. 

Xiao Feng wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, but for a moment his senses picked up on malice in Alchemist Jia-Rui's gaze. 

"So, Xiao Feng," She spoke, pronouncing his surname with a little bit more emphasis than required. "How many Moonlit Dew plants do you want?" 

"Fifteen," He replied.

"That will be thirty bronze taels." 

Xiao Feng offered a single silver tael. Only after Alchemist Jia-Rui took it and gave him his change did she move to pack the Moonlit Dew herbs. 

"Thank you," Xiao Feng offered, receiving the packet full of herbs with care. 

He moved to leave, but Alchemist Jia-Rui's words stopped him, "A word of advice, Recruit Xiao Feng?" She rhetorically asked, her emphasis on his rank blatant.

"Yes Ma'am?" He asked. 

"You should stay away from Senior Alchemist Lianhua. Someone like you isn't worthy of receiving instruction from a personage of her station," Alchemist Jia-Rui finally took off the mask and said what she had been thinking. 

Someone like you. Hm, Xiao Feng thought. She knows I'm from the martial division, but I don't think she knows exactly who I am. Most alchemists seem to hold no deep interest in the goings-on within the martial division, so it's not too much of a reach. 

Xiao Feng swiveled his head to the side, so he could meet Alchemist Jia-Rui's gaze, before speaking, "You have a very amusing sense of humor, Alchemist Jia-Rui. You should tell that particular one to Nascent Soul, Elder Haoyun. I'm sure he would appreciate someone trying to elevate the honor of a war hero." 

Turning his gaze away before he could study Alchemist Jia-Rui's expression, Xiao Feng mockingly waved goodbye to her before heading towards the Cultivation Rooms. 

I wonder if Alchemist Jun will like pudina chai, Xiao Feng mused, having already placed the interaction with Alchemist Jia-Rui out of his mind as he considered how he would tackle his second chai blend with the Moonlit Dew plant as it's base.

Chapter 35: Pudina Chai

"Good morning, Alchemist Jun," Xiao Feng greeted with a warm smile before he set down his pill furnace on the floor. 

"Hello, Xiao Feng," Alchemist Jun tore her gaze away from the tome she was reading, her tone one of pleasant surprise. "Did something pleasant happen?" She asked. 

"Pleasant?" Xiao Feng muttered. "Oh. No, it's a saying from my village. I meant to wish you a good rest of the day," He explained. 

"Ah," Alchemist Jun nodded in understanding. "Well, a good morning to you as well, Xiao Feng. How may I help you?" She asked. 

"I would like to book an Alchemist Vault. Variable time, I'm willing to pay for as long as I end up staying in there," He replied. 

"Will you be…," Alchemist Jun realized the faux pas she was making just a few seconds too late, a light blush coloring her cheeks as she saw no way to conceal the lapse in professionalism she had just run head-first into. 

"I will be brewing a different blend of chai today," Xiao Feng enthusiastically explained, the eagerness in his tone making no note of Alchemist Jun's yearning. "There's always a bit of a risk associated with trying out new blends. It might be a bit brazen of me, considering I took up your time on my last trip as well, but Alchemist Jun you are more than welcome to try some pudina chai and do me a great favor by letting me know if you like it."

"Pudina….Chai?" Alchemist Jun tested the unfamiliar combination of words, her tone oh so curious. 

"Indeed. This blend isn't going to be as strong as the last one, but it is going to go heavy on the minty side of things, "Xiao Feng explained. 

Well, I've done my part. Lianhua told me that Alchemist Jun is as straight-laced as they come, so inviting her to goof off while she's on duty probably won't sit well with her. Though a recruit asking an alchemist for a favor? Hopefully, that would be a whole separate conversation. 

"May I ask you a question?" Alchemist Jun queried. 

"Yes, of course." 

"When we first met, you told me that you wished to recreate a mortal concoction from your home village. I thought your reason was nostalgia, a yearning for a life you cannot go back to. But now, you seem to want to improve upon that recipe. I am curious about the why," Alchemist Jun admitted, her tone soft and gentle instead of accusatory. 

Damn, she's perceptive, Xiao Feng thought. Not for the first time, Xiao Feng was reminded of exactly who he was dealing with. Alchemist designates were not to be underestimated. 

"Well," Xiao Feng ran his right hand through his hair. "It is true that I wanted to recreate chai because I missed it's unique flavor, one that I have only encountered in my home village. But, that is not the extent of my ambition, Alchemist Jun. I wish to open a tea shop," Xiao Feng boldly stated his ambitions, knowing full well how ridiculous they sounded. 

"A tea shop?" Alchemist Jun asked, her confusion evident on her visage. 

"I told you, remember?" Xiao Feng's lips curled up into a smile before he continued, "The final ingredient of any good chai is people. Without people to share a warm cup of chai with, it is no different from a mortal drink in my eyes. That is why I must find a way to bring it to both cultivators and alchemists at a cost they can afford," He explained. 

"Um, that is quite… interesting?" Alchemist Jun offered, clearly a little lost as she tried to follow his train of thought. 

"Well, that is a ways ahead of us," Xiao Feng cheerfully shrugged. "For now, Alchemist Jun, would you help me taste test some pudina chai?" He asked. 

"Sure," She replied with a tempered calm, clearly having held back most of her enthusiasm in reserve. 

Not long after, Xiao Feng found himself seated before his pill furnace, which was placed on top of a sturdy gas burner. 

It's a pity that the Alchemist's Haven doesn't have more spices. They require only a fraction of a spiritual plant or herb, so I don't need to feel guilty about using them. Well, they're expensive and only alchemists that can refine the big money pills would use something so extravagant to season their food but… as long as it is research and development for my future chai blends, I don't mind the cost, Xiao Feng thought, clearly having no qualms about using the inheritance he had received from his predecessor. 

"Now this is quite the conundrum," Xiao Feng muttered as he watched the Moonlit Dew leaves infuse the boiling water, dyeing it a gentle shade of azure. 

Even with pudina chai, the mint itself is no more than a spice. You'd still need to add tea leaves after the mint, along with the other spices have infused into the water. But the whole point of this exercise is to avoid using the expensive Mystic Palm and replace it with the Moonlit Dew, Xiao Feng mused, before deciding to go hands-on as he dipped a spoon into the mint-infused water before tasting it.

Xiao Feng winced as a sharp, herbaceous taste flooded his mouth, the menthol-like flavor causing an overpowering cooling effect that was more like a burn. 

"No, no, that's way too strong," He shook his head. I need to balance the flavor.

Xiao Feng reached for the jar of Pureflow Gel and scooped one then two spoonfuls into the infusion. 

That should dilute it a bit, He thought, but he was far from being done. Diced humus root was generously sprinkled into the infusion, as Xiao Feng figured that it's earthy undertone would balance it out some more. 

His gaze shifted to the firedust diamonds. 

Ah, I need to limit myself to half a diamond. Putting it whole will just get me a weird masala chai, Heregretfully shook his head, knowing how easy it would be to balance the mint if he used a full helping of his masala. 

Need to keep the sugar low as well. It'll take away from pudina chai's unique, minty flavor if I barrage it with sweetness, He considered, limiting himself to half a Emberfruit Gem. 

After the ingredients had infused into the chai, Xiao Feng dimmed the intensity of the burner and tasted the melange. 

"Ahhh…," He trailed off, his tone laden with disappointment. A touch of Qi was used to clear away the minty aftertaste that remained in his mouth. "There goes my attempt at keeping costs down. Maybe I can hop over to the Alchemist's Haven and get some Dark Root Shavings, but they will introduce a strong bitterness that isn't really a part of the pudina chai experience. Mmm, I guess I have no choice," Xiao Feng conceded his defeat, as he reached for the remaining Mystic Palms he had on hand from his original shopping spree. 

He tore away one leaflet from the five-fingered palm and let it fall into the infusion. 

He watched the color of the pudina chai simmered from a light azure to a shimmering gemstone green. He had no idea how or why the pigments in the ingredients he had used interacted, but Xiao Feng could appreciate beauty when he was confronted by it. 

He pulled out another spoon from a fiber bag, and sipped at the melange. 

"Oh," Xiao Feng muttered aloud. "Oh, yes," He cheered, his lips curling up into a smile. While it was still an expensive cup of chai, he had managed to bring down the cost by around a fourth of the original by using less of the Mystic Palm, Emberfruit Gem and Firedust Diamonds. 

Half a cup of bi-horn milk was added to the infusion, Xiao Feng choosing to go light on the creaminess as was ideal for pudina chai. The mintiness had to be the driver of the flavor profile. 

Finally, his second chai blend was complete.

Chapter 36: The first breeze of spring

Xiao Feng was feeling a bit nervous as he poured the now less shimmering green pudina chai into two cups, still having an entire cup's worth leftover for Lianhua by the time he was done. 

It hurts my heart to admit it, but pudina chai was pretty niche even back home. Alchemist Jun might be disappointed this time around, He thought, admittedly a bit dejected about it. 

He could only sell chai to the people if they liked the taste and considering that the very nature of cultivation seemed to encourage a utilitarian economy, his opening pitch had to pack a punch. 

Maybe I can add it later on if both Alchemist Jun and Lianhua don't like it. Perhaps as a connoisseur's special, something for the Elders to break bread over and feel smug about its perceived cost and exclusivity, Xiao Feng considered, unsure what their reaction would be when they realized that the most common of spiritual plants served as the core of his pudina chai. 

I'm getting ahead of myself, Xiao Feng shook his head, before getting up and this time, taking the warm cups of pudina chai to Alchemist Jun's table. Sure, he was at the center of a whirlwind of rumors that continued to get wilder everytime he checked but if people were going to spy on his every move, then he might as well use it to his advantage and get some advertising in. 

Inviting her to a cramped alchemy vault also wasn't a move he intended to repeat. 

On the other hand, Alchemist Jun's expression brightened up at his approach, her gaze tracking the two cups of warm chai with clear anticipation. 

He placed one cup on her table. 

"Oh," Alchemist Jun chirped in surprise as she took in the hue of the pudina chai. "This looks quite different," She observed, the curiosity reflected on her visage not an unpleasant one. 

The hue of the pudina chai had retained some of the original shimmering green, but it was inevitable for the bi-horn milk to diffuse that effect. The end result was a healthy green instead of a sickly one, much to Xiao Feng's relief. 

While appearances weren't everything, a beverage had to look appetizing to some extent if Xiao Feng wished to sell it.

"I used a different plant this time as the base," Xiao Feng explained. "As I explained earlier, I need to bring costs down if I want to sell chai and turn a profit. This is my first attempt," He candidly revealed to her. 

"Well, may I taste it?" Alchemist Jun politely asked. 

"Of course. Oh, but wait," Xiao Feng hurriedly added. "Can you bring your cup closer to mine?" He asked. 

Alchemist Jun took the odd request in stride, raising her cup towards Xiao Feng. 

Xiao Feng grinned and clinked the lip of his cup with with Alchemist Jun's before saying, "Cheers!" 

"Cheers?" She repeated, the question in her tone evident. 

"It's something we used to say before drinking. A toast of sorts," Xiao Feng explained. 

"A toast to whom?" Alchemist Jun asked. 

"To uhh, life I suppose? For letting us sample this warm cup of chai on a slightly chilly day," Xiao Feng replied, making up an answer on the spot. 

"Cheers, then" Alchemist Jun smiled at him, before clicking her cup back. Only then did she take a sip of the pudina chai followed by Xiao Feng. 

Alchemist Jun blinked. 

She took a second sip. 

She blinked twice this time. 

As Xiao Feng felt the chai flow down his gullet, he understood what Alchemist Jun was going through. 

The pudina chai that he had brewed had been warmed, yet it felt like a refreshingly cool, sweet liquid was tantalizing his taste buds with something it was not supposed to be. Xiao Feng felt like he had just gotten done taking a bath after a long day out under the sun, the Water Qi suffusing his dantian so soft and gentle. 

He could not stop himself from taking another sip, before exhaling. Placing the cup of chai on the table, Xiao Feng cupped his right hand before his mouth and exhaled again, noticing that his breath had taken on a minty aroma. 

"Wow," Alchemist Jun muttered in awe. "This is so invigorating," She complimented without reservation. 

"Isn't it?" Xiao Feng replied, his own enthusiasm leaking into his tone. It wasn't necessarily his own preparation that had led to such wonderful results, but he supposed that there was a reason why the Moonlit Dew plant was so successful in luring in the Jade-Plumed Swallows to spread its seeds. 

"I liked the Masala Chai you brewed earlier but I can see myself drinking this more frequently. I can tell that there's some firedust in there to balance the mintiness, but this pudina chai of yours is like the first breeze of spring— cool but not cold, comfortable for it is not too warm nor chilly and energizing," Alchemist Jun offered her honest critique, giving Xiao Feng exactly what he'd asked for. 

"That's so heartening to hear," Xiao Feng replied, his tone pleasantly surprised. What was a niche drink on earth found itself new legs on Sephari, due to the magical nature of the ingredients he was using. 

"Oh, uh, also thank you for letting me sample this," Alchemist Jun replied with a slight blush coloring her cheeks, as she decided to drop the pretenses a little. 

"No, no, the pleasure is all mine. Your feedback is worth it's weight in gold taels, Alchemist Jun," Xiao Feng thanked before offering her a quick bow. 

"Well, I'll be happy to offer more feedback as long as you find it valuable," Alchemist Jun gingerly replied, as if she were no longer sure if she was overstepping the bounds of what she thought professional or if she even cared any longer. 

"Naturally," Xiao Feng cheerfully replied. 

"Unfortunately, I don't have anything to give you in return this time around. But if you ever run into queries while researching spiritual herbs, do feel free to ask. I might not be as distinguished as Senior Alchemist Lianhua, but it might be easier to learn some topics from someone who isn't a genius," Alchemist Jun offered, her tone soft and gentle as she revealed that she had looked into Xiao Feng's rather unique identity within the alchemy division.

"Thank you, Alchemist Jun. I will be sure to take you up on that," Xiao Feng replied, wondering why her expression looked nervous before he left.

Chapter 37: Alchemist Jia-Rui

Alchemist Jia-Rui had a visibly angry expression on her face as she pushed the door to her private chamber down the residences passageway open, if only slightly, before stepping inside. 

She was not surprised to find another sitting on bed, a man who shared most of her defining features. His azure hair was streaked with strands of vibrant jade green, his gray eyes mired in thought before he turned to acknowledge the new entrant in the room. 

Alchemist Jia-Rui's expression turned to one of concern as she took in her brother's features, his high cheekbones and aquiline nose that stood in contrast to her slightly plump, rounded face and button nose. 

"I didn't have to look for him," Alchemist Jia-Rui initiated the conversation, her tone echoing her dissatisfaction. 

"Oh?" Alchemist Zhi-Rui remarked, a question contained in his inflection. 

"He came to my store in the Junior Division," Alchemist Jia explained. "Wanted a bunch of ordinary Moonlit Dew plants."

"And?" Alchemist Zhi asked, an almost desperate eagerness to his tone. "Did you tell him to leave Lianhua alone?" He asked. 

"I did," Alchemist Jia replied through pursed lips. "He refused." 

Alchemist Zhi gazed into his sister's gray irises, searching for any sign that she was jesting with him.

He found none. 

"That arrogant recruit," Alchemist Zhi snarled, pure venom leaking into his tone. "Does he have any idea how long I've spent trying to get in Lianhua's good graces? Just when I was beginning to finally see progress, he comes along out of blooming nowhere!" He bellowed in rage, his visage taking on a pinkish-red hue from the sheer anger flowing through his veins.

"I understand but—," Alchemist Jia tried to explain, only to abruptly cut off. 

"I'm going to teach him a lesson," Alchemist Zhi snarled. 

"You will do no such thing," Alchemist Jia's tone sharpened, her expression tightening as she met her brother's rageful gaze head on. 

"Sister dearest of mine," Alchemist Zhi addressed, his tone softening a little as he remembered that the one before him had done nothing to deserve the tone he had been speaking in. "Surely you understand why Lianhua is so important. Must I really say it out loud?"

Alchemist Jia's firm expression deflated a little as she listened to her brother's words. 

"We, the both of us, do not have what it takes to become Senior Alchemists, let alone reach the Grand Alchemist designation," Alchemist Zhi spoke the unadulterated truth, the fact that they had been dancing around for the last few years. "Yet, our legacies need not end there. I am not proud to admit that my own talent, bestowed upon me by the heavens, is lacking. But it is a gap we can bridge. If I secure Lianhua's hand in marriage, then no matter how stuck up Grand Alchemist Xin Wu is known to be, as his son-under-the-heavens, his alchemist's flame will be ours," Alchemist Zhi appealed to emotions he knew his sister would resonate with. 

The plight of those who had seen the true nature of the pinnacle they were chasing only to be crushed by what they had found. 

"What do you intend to do?" Alchemist Jia asked. 

"I can drug him," Alchemist Zhi said. "It is a simple enough matter to arrange as long as he takes his meals in the Junior Division's mess hall. Don't look at me like that, sister. It will not leave any long term effects, just weaken him enough for me to knock some sense into him," He explained his cowardly plan without an ounce of shame. 

Alchemist Jia shook her head, before speaking, "You don't know who he is, do you?" She asked, her tone laden with annoyance. 

Realizing that there was more to it than he had initially thought, Alchemist Zhi decided to first answer the question the best he knew, "A disciple from the Martial Division, here to try and make money. Don't worry, I will not underestimate him. Maybe I'll wear a mask while I send the message." 

"He is a war hero, elder brother!" Alchemist Jia all but bellowed, her tone shrill. "He survived the strike of a Nascent Soul Demon on the battlefield. Do you know how impossible that is? There is not a single precedent before him in the entire recorded history of the Frontier Sect. You could not defeat him if he had his arms and legs chained to a mountain," She angrily explained, watching as the color drained out of her brother's face. 

That had not been Alchemist Jia's intention, but it was better than having her brother make a grave mistake. 

The silence between the two siblings stretched on for minutes on end as Alchemist Zhi considered the crucial new bit of information that had been forced upon him. 

"A war hero," He muttered under his breath, his expression grim but not defeated. "Do you think that is why Lianhua has decided to personally tutor him?" Alchemist Zhi asked, the envy in his tone unmasked. 

Of course, it was not Lianhua he coveted, but rather an Alchemist's flame that had been refined by a Grand Alchemist of all people. 

"Almost certainly. Though if their interactions in the Grand Library are anything to go by, they have gotten quite close," Alchemist Jia explained, revealing that she had been monitoring their interactions. 

Alchemist Zhi was silent, except for the sound of his clenched fist striking his own thigh echoing out. His features were warped out of the frustration he felt, before he got up from the bed and began to pace around the room in thought. 

"If you remove this Xiao Feng out of the picture, somehow managing to convince him to leave the Alchemy Division, are you truly certain you can win her over?" Alchemist Jia asked, her tone betraying the unease she felt at the thought of messing with a veritable war hero. 

"I'm certain," Alchemist Zhi replied, as confidence returned to his firming gaze. "The other alchemists think Lianhua cold, but I know that it is only a facade that she has put up. She has had a tough upbringing, with her mother tragically passing away and her father being absent for most of her growing years. It is not surprising that she chose to focus on her alchemy, to best assist her father as she could, even if it came at the cost of distancing herself from her peers," He assessed, his tone devoid of any real compassion for her plight. 

"How will that help us?" Alchemist Jia asked. 

"A facade remains a facade no matter how much you wish it were real. Once I snake past the guard she maintains, her real personality will blossom. She is naive when it comes to matters of the heart, so it will not be difficult after," Alchemist Zhi explained, having thought his plan through many times. 

"That's not very honorable," Alchemist Jia jested, though her tone didn't seem all that amused. 

Alchemist Zhi was on the verge of countering, of asking what Lianhua had done to deserve an alchemist's flame that she had very easily just inherited from her father, when a thought struck him like lightning. 

"Honor," He said. "The Martial Division cultivators value honor above all. That's how we get him to leave."

Chapter 38: I happen to be the best

Xiao Feng's expression was tense as he poured Lianhua a cup of pudina chai that he had saved for her. Their one-on-one teaching session had already concluded, with Xiao Feng walking away a few herbs' worth of knowledge richer and while it was far from recompense, Lianhua had called his Masala Chai delicious. 

Hopefully, the pudina chai would be more treat than punishment. 

"Why do you look like you're in the middle of an advancement exam?" Lianhua asked him, her tone tinged with amusement as she studied his expression. 

Xiao Feng, who had seated himself on his bed, was caught off-guard by that assessment, "Well, uh…. I guess it kind of is?" He offered. "Pudina Chai was pretty niche even in my mortal village, so I'm not sure if I'll have as many takers for it". 

"Niche, huh," Lianhua hummed in thought, her expression betraying the new-found curiosity she gazed at the cup of chai with. "That is a hue I would expect from a pill, not a beverage," She said, before taking in the aroma. 

"Oh, not again," Xiao Feng protested, as he made his mock-annoyance known.

"Moonlit Dew Plant," Lianhua noted without much suspense, as the corners of her lips turned upward in amusement. "You are quite cheeky, recruit," She assessed, before breaking out into a small giggle. 

"There is a saying that comes from my mortal village, Senior Alchemist Lianhua," Xiao Feng began, intending to match jest for jest. 

"Quite a lot seems to come from this mortal village of yours," She keenly observed, though there seemed to be no accusation in her words. 

Oh, uh… oops, Xiao Feng thought, realizing that he'd been going a bit too hard on the otherworldly wisdom. 

"Indeed," He replied sagely, mostly because he was not sure what else he could do there."The saying goes, if you learn from the best, you eventually become the best," He reiterated, holding back a chuckle.

"Are you calling me cheeky?" Senior Alchemist Lianhua asked, her tone sounding positively scandalized. 

"No," Xiao Feng replied with a broad smile. "I'm calling you the best." 

Lianhua's cheeks were colored by a light blush faster than she could come up with a retort as her gaze interlocked with Xiao Feng's own for a long moment. 

She turned away with a "hmph," before she reached for the cup's handle and hurriedly took a sip. 

Her eyes widened in surprise as the cool, refreshing liquid flowed down her gullet. She placed the cup back on the table, took a few moments to study the taste with a contemplative expression before taking another sip. 

"Mmm, this is quite different," Lianhua voiced her first impressions, her tone neutral. 

Xiao Feng's heart dropped a little, as he noticed a marked difference from Lianhua's reaction to the Masala Chai. 

"Different?" He queried. 

"It's sweet. Cool. Refreshing, too. I'd love to drink some after a training session, yes. But I am too used to the effects of pills to be impressed by a beverage that is more show than purpose," Lianhua revealed to Xiao Feng her honest thoughts, proving that she didn't take his aspirations of opening a tea shop as a jest. 

"I…," Xiao Feng trailed off, as he blinked repeatedly. "... didn't consider that at all. Of course, you work with pills day in and day out. A concoction where the ingredients don't complement each other will not impress you," He muttered in realization. 

"No, don't take it that way," Lianhua reassured. "I really enjoyed the Masala Chai because it had a kick to it. It was refreshing in a different way, like an exciting jolt of energy. The Pudina Chai is not as punchy, not as unique. Though I see that you have limited yourself to a fifth of the Mystic Palm, reducing the costs by quite a significant amount," Lianhua explained, her tone encouraging. 

"You can even tell that?" Xiao Feng asked, his tone sounding a bit dumbfounded. Sure, telling what ingredients he used from the aroma and taste made sense, but even the amount? He didn't think Alchemist Jun was capable of doing something like that. 

"Well," Lianhua's lips curled upwards into a cheeky smile, "Like you said, I happen to be the best." 

Xiao Feng felt his pulse rate pick up a bit as he was bested at his own game. 

Once again, he wondered if he should tell Lianhua about the egg and see if she was willing to help him. He liked Lianhua and she seemed worthy of her trust, but Xiao Feng had only known her for so long. 

He was no longer on Earth, but rather the realm of Sephari, continent of Tian. Secrets were not easily granted to others and as his predecessor had displayed, sometimes, cultivators would go to great lengths to ensure that they were the only ones in possession of a secret. 

What was the true value of the dying egg he had discovered? Was it valuable enough for comrades to betray each other? 

He wanted to trust Lianhua but Xiao Feng just didn't know enough, as that slight bit of hesitation held him back. 

I'll study the egg for a few more days. If it continues deteriorating, I'll bring her in. Even if I don't get to keep the egg, if I can save it— maybe that's enough, He thought, deciding on a course of action. Cautiousness was good, but Xiao Feng would not allow himself to slip into paranoia and lose sight of the greater purpose. 

A mistake that his predecessor had perhaps, ended up making.

Lianhua left not long after, leaving Xiao Feng with food for thought as he contemplated her words. Sure, he could take the easy way out and just sell chai to the martial division cultivators, but was that really what he wanted? 

No. 

To learn concoctions, I must learn how to refine pills, He thought as he walked down one of the smaller pathways that led to the mess hall.

He would've happily continued his deliberation, if it were not for a unique hairstyle catching his gaze— azure hair peppered with streaks of jade green. Thankfully, it was not a woman sporting that hair style, ruling out the possibility of it being the oddly antagonistic Alchemist Jia-Rui. 

Xiao Feng took in the man's gait for a little longer, wondering how common that unique hair color was as the two men passed each other. 

Xiao Feng's raw instincts flared to life as he noticed a buildup of Wind Qi concentrating on the azure haired man's left palm. 

His essence cultivation art was activated on reflex and Xiao Feng was on the verge of defending himself when something completely unexpected happened. 

The azure haired man's left palm turned inwards instead outwards and a burst of Wind Qi was released onto his own abdomen.

Xiao Feng's expression turned aghast as the azure haired man who sported a hair color eerily similar to Alchemist Jia-Rui crashed against the pathway's left wall. 

"Recruit, what have you done!" A male voice bellowed at him angrily, almost as soon as the azure haired man landed against the wall with a muffled thump. 

Xiao Feng's inherited memories told him that the reaction from his audience was quick. Too quick. Almost as if it had been rehearsed. 

What the hell, He thought, completely caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events.

Chapter 39: Shameless Feng

Xiao Feng's expression was calm as he studied the group of alchemists that were encircling him, their body language aggressive and their faces conveying a spectrum of emotions that ranged from shock to anger. 

"Did what?" He posed the question to the group of alchemists that had him trapped in a circular formation, giving him about six feet to work with in any direction. 

"You know what you did!" An alchemist designate with fiery pink hair that was cut short accused him, a hint of malice leaking into her accusatory tone. 

"I don't," Xiao Feng replied, as he saw not the person but the network of dantian, meridians and acupuncture points that comprised one. "Pray tell, what accusation are you leveling against me?" He asked, his tone deliberately unhurried. 

"You attacked Alchemist Zhi with a burst of Wind Qi," Another alchemist designate replied, his long, wavy red hair flowing with his movement as he turned to look upon the person of his address. 

Xiao Feng followed his gaze, noting that a female alchemist designate had already arrived at his side, her expression one of concentration as she pressed her palm against his chest and closed his eyes. 

Of course, he did not need to wait for the purported healer's assessment, as he observed Alchemist Zhi through the lens of his essence cultivation art. 

His meridians near the left ribcage are stressed. He's injured but that burst of Wind Qi was more performative than real. The more important question is, why is he willing to go so far? What have I done to him? Could a dislike for the martial division really prompt such an extreme response? Xiao Feng wondered, knowing that he was missing something crucial but unable to figure out what. 

"One of his ribs are fractured," The alchemist designate tending to Alchemist Zhi's wounds announced, her tone feigning urgency and doing a pretty convincing job at it. 

The alchemist designates that were surrounding him erupted into whispers all at once, their expressions turning to disgust and rage as they directed their gazes to the source of their discontentment. 

Him. 

"I did not attack this person," Xiao Feng replied, knowing that he could not say that this Alchemist Zhi had attacked himself. 

They're all in on it, He realized, as his predecessor's instincts finally clicked to reach a conclusion. The way they had reacted, the urgency of the first accusation that was thrown at him without a shred of confusion, the quickness with which the ostensible bystanders had come together to cut off any chance of him escaping.

Xiao Feng already had a feeling that a few of the alchemist designates were working against him, but all of them, even the one tending to Alchemist Zhi's wounds and conveniently declaring that he was injured? 

That changed the nature of the conspiracy. 

The whole pathway he was standing in was a set-piece for a play to be staged on and he was the main actor they had been waiting for. 

Xiao Feng's expression sharpened as his index and middle finger were held outwards from an otherwise clenched fist. 

Qi Scalpel was the name Xiao Feng had given to a simple, nameless move that his predecessor had very rarely gotten the opportunity to employ. It was not a secret technique and perhaps, barely even deserved to be qualified as a technique for it was movement that was nigh impossible to do on an opponent of the same stage. 

After all, to inject foreign Qi into an opponent's acupuncture points while they were moving was a hellish ask to pull off if they were anywhere near you in speed, strength and cognition. No trained martial cultivator would employ such a risky move in actual battle. However, if one were to succeed in doing so, the opponent would need to clear the foreign Qi in their acupuncture points before they would be able to resume cycling their Qi. 

The precious time they would require to do so was time they would be reduced to a mortal. 

Xiao Feng could not only visually observe their acupuncture points, he could also preempt what meridians they were cycling their Qi down. Targeting all acupuncture points was unrealistic in the midst of combat, but if he only targeted the ones the were focusing their Qi through, he could reduce cultivators to mortals and knock them out without injuring them. 

One of the alchemist designates could not stand still any longer, a tall, heavy-set man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with raven black hair that was neatly combed and brown eyes that regarded him with fury. He stepped into the circle, stopping only after he was face to face with Xiao Feng, the latter still taller than the former. 

"Why did you attack Alchemist Zhi, recruit?" He asked in a gravelly voice, his fist clenched in fury.

"Like I said, I did not attack him. Are we speaking the same language here?" He rhetorically asked, mocking the far bulkier man. 

The raven black haired alchemist seemed unable to accept the humiliation, as he pulled his right fist back and poised to strike. 

"I would not do that if I were you," Xiao Feng calmly replied, all his mirth forgotten as he gazed into the man's brown eyes. 

"Oh? Will you strike me down then?" He asked, the anger in his tone only rising. "Like you did Alchemist Zhi." 

"I did not strike him down," Xiao Feng replied. "However, if you land a blow on me, that will be legitimate cause for self-defense. So like I said, I would not do that if I were you," He repeated, an iron in his voice that finally made the heavy-set man flinch as his fists lowered. 

They're baiting me, He thought. I guess I should be panicking considering how elaborate this set-up is but it's hard to do that when I can't really fear these alchemists. 

Taking a different tack, the heavy-set man retreated to using his authority, as he asked, "I ask you as an alchemist designate, recruit— tell me who your instructor is," He demanded more than asked. 

"I'm sure you know that already. Ugh, drop the charade would you?" Xiao Feng chided, as if he were talking down to a group of bumbling children. 

"I asked you who your instructor was, recruit," He bellowed angrily, putting special emphasis on his rank. 

"It's Senior Alchemist Lianhua," Xiao Feng replied, as he considered if this was a ploy to get to her instead of him. Targeting him made little sense, after all. 

"I'll go and get her," The alchemist with the long, wavy hair offered and the others nodded in agreement. 

Oh man, these people are really annoying, Xiao Feng thought. Well, I can't get angry. That's what they want. 

He decided to adopt a calm, almost bored expression as he waited for Lianhua to come, so that the act could continue. 

Ten minutes later, she arrived with thundering footsteps, her cheeks flushed from what was either anger or surprise as she took in the odd gathering of people. 

"Xiao Feng, what happened?" She asked, her gaze directed only at him as she came to a stop before the encirclement. 

Surprise flashed on Alchemist Zhi's visage, his pain forgotten for a moment as he studied Lianhua with confusion. 

"These people," He gestured to the alchemists that were surrounding him. "... are accusing me of hurting that guy. Now he may be actually hurt, but I had nothing to do with it," He stated calmly. 

Lianhua's gaze shifted to Alchemist Zhi and indeed, there was a moment of recognition that flitted across her features.

"Alchemist Zhi," She acknowledged.

"Senior Alchemist Lianhua," Alchemist Zhi returned the greeting, before breaking out into a small cough. 

"Xiao Feng has recently joined our alchemy division and from what I understand, he has shared a limited amount of interaction amongst even his own peers. Why would he attack you in a pathway with these many witnesses," She asked him, her eyes narrowed.

She's defending me. Huh, Xiao Feng thought, as unbeknownst to even him, his cheeks flushed a little. 

Alchemist Zhi paused for a few moments, considering the question before he responded, "I must admit, Senior Alchemist Lianhua. I fear this may in part be my sister's fault." 

"Oh?" Lianhua asked, her tone sharp. 

"Please, do not misunderstand. Senior Alchemist Lianhua, we know that you are only teaching this Xiao Feng because of political considerations. My sister, you know her. You know how much Jia admires you. She has wished to become your disciple for years now and when she saw that you were forced to accept one due to… unwelcome reasons, she could not stop herself from criticizing Recruit Xiao Feng," Alchemist Zhi explained, his tone managing to sound vulnerable yet angry. 

"What does that have to do with you?" Lianhua asked, her tone unperturbed by the appeal to emotions. 

"A martial cultivator will not strike a woman, Senior Alchemist Lianhua. I, as her brother, was forced to take the brunt of this vicious and cowardly attack," Alchemist Zhi trembled with anger, as he broke away his gaze from Lianhua to glare daggers at Xiao Feng. 

"It is quite bold of you siblings to presume what I want and do not want," Lianhua's words were slow and unhurried, yet they had an sharp edge to them that seemed very out of character for her.

"No, no," Alchemist Zhi shook his head. "That was not our intention." 

"And the rest of you," Lianhua addressed the crowd of witnesses. "Are you willing to testify for Alchemist Zhi's claims?" She asked. 

Nods and yes ma'am's followed. 

"I see," Lianhua muttered, her expression stony. 

Her gaze returned to Xiao Feng. 

"Xiao Feng, did you do it?" She asked. 

"If I wanted to harm anyone in the Alchemist Division," Xiao Feng began, his words slow and measured. "This would not be how I would do it," He stated bluntly, his words not a threat but a fact that was based on his reputation and capability. 

"I would think as much," Alchemist Lianhua nodded, her tone soft and gentle while speaking to Xiao Feng. "Unfortunately, it is your testimony against eight alchemists. Alchemist Zhi, as the one wronged in this incident, I will give you an opportunity to put forth your claims to rectify the wrong that has been done to you," She said, her words bitter and hollow. 

"Senior Alchemist Lianhua," He began, his tone turning formal even through a fractured rib. "As you are well aware, I have a standing reputation amongst both my fellow alchemists and recruits. Today, a mere recruit has caught me in a cowardly blow and fractured my rib. To make the loss to both my reputation and body whole. I challenge this recruit to an alchemist's duel!" Alchemist Zhi bellowed, his expression firm and unyielding. 

"Hear, hear!" The heavy-set alchemist from earlier bellowed and a few moments later, every alchemist designate present took up the call. 

Lianhua raised a hand and the chants ceased. 

"What will be at stake in the alchemist's duel?" Lianhua asked, as she called upon the rules of the ancient rite. 

"The loser of this duel," Alchemist Zhi replied, his expression neutral as he passed the equivalent of a death-sentence in the world of alchemy. "....shall permanently leave the Alchemy Division." 

Silence filled the pathway, as even the recruits who had gathered to observe the drama from a turn in the pathway did not as much as whisper. 

"I'll agree to it," Xiao Feng replied, "On a few conditions," He added, halting the smile that was threatening to creep up on Alchemist Zhi's features. 

"Conditions?" Alchemist Zhi asked, his tone sounding incredulous. "First you harm me in the presence of witnesses, fracture my rib and then demand conditions? Have you no honor?" He asked, his tone sounding wronged. 

I see now, Xiao Feng thought. I finally get it.

"Honour?" Xiao Feng asked, as he pointed at the seated figure of Alchemist Zhi. "You dare to bring a claim on my honor?" He asked, before he burst out into a boisterous, amused laughter. 

Xiao Feng was the only one laughing in the pathway, as the other alchemist designates wondered if he had gone mad. 

"You are an amusing kind, Alchemist Zhi," Xiao Feng complimented him with mirth in his tone before continuing,

"I, Xiao Feng, fought in the battle of the Zheyan Pass. I alone slew sixteen demonic path cultivators by myself, on the edge of my own blade. One of them was the son of a Nascent Soul cultivator, who struck me down by an arrow that would have claimed the life of anyone standing in this entire division. That distraction allowed Elder Zheng to claim the Nascent Soul's life in turn. That is what I have done for the Frontier. That is my honor. If you think your weak claims can besmirch my honor, then go ahead, call me Shameless Feng from now on," He replied with a final laugh, not missing how the alchemist designates who had tried to frame him took cautious steps away from him. 

Alchemist Zhi's expression went pale as the meaning, the weight and the true import of a war hero stared him in the face. 

"What are your conditions," Alchemist Zhi asked, his tone markedly subdued as he struggled to maintain his facade. 

"First," Xiao Feng began, "Since you are an alchemist and I am a recruit, I will choose the pill we are forging for this alchemist's duel. I assume that's fine?" He turned his gaze to Lianhua, who nodded. 

"It is usually chosen at random by the adjudicator, but this is an acceptable proposal to make," Lianhua replied. 

Alchemist Zhi seemed taken aback by this proposal, likely having expected Xiao Feng to open with something much stronger. 

"That is fine. I accept," Alchemist Zhi replied. 

"Secondly," Xiao Feng spoke, "I would like to make changes to the loser's conditions," He stated. 

"What changes?" Alchemist Zhi asked, his tone cold. 

"I, Xiao Feng, do not fear failure. If I did, I would not be fit to be called a martial cultivator. If I lose, I will leave the alchemy division," He declared with pride echoing in his tone, a moment before recruits burst into chatter, no longer able to contain their reaction. 

"However," He continued. "If you, my honorable and just Alchemist Zhi, lose, then I do not require you to leave the Alchemy Division. Instead, I have a question for you." 

"Ask?" Alchemist Zhi replied, seeming a bit dazed by the proposal. 

"What are you worth?" Xiao Feng asked. 

"Pardon?" 

"If you lie, this alchemist's duel is off. So, how much are you worth?" He asked again. 

"Worth what?" Alchemist Zhi replied. 

"Your net worth. All your assets, your gold taels, add it all up. How much is it all worth," Xiao Feng asked pointedly. 

"This is…," Alchemist Zhi trailed off, clearly panicking. "I can't give you an exact figure, but it should be around forty gold taels." 

Xiao Feng raised an eyebrow, noting how a mere alchemist was manifold times richer than his predecessor had been. 

"Well," Xiao Feng replied. "If you lose, you get to stay in the Alchemy Division and all your money, every last bronze tael, goes to Daoist Jian's Pill Furnace Shop. Any recruit who is not wealthy enough to own a pill furnace can access those resources and request one," He stated. 

The recruits, who were watching from afar, went wild with whispers. 

"I…," Alchemist Zhi trailed off. "... can accept that," He stated, even as his features twisted into a grimace. 

"My third condition," Xiao Feng said and every gaze in the pathway locked on to him, the anticipation in the air palpable. "... is that all of the people who were willing to testify against me moments ago," His pointed finger swept across all the offenders. "Wager ten gold taels each on you— a wager that I will match. You can ask the senior alchemist if I have the funds or not." 

"He does," Lianhua calmly stated, not letting any more of her emotions leak out. 

Alchemist Zhi's brows rose in astonishment, first gazing at Xiao Feng then at Lianhua with disbelief in his gaze. 

Finally, he gestured for the alchemist designates to approach. 

They talked hurriedly, in hushed whispers, requiring only a few minutes to reach a conclusion. 

"All of them are willing," Alchemist Zhi replied, his tone slightly wavering as things derailed even further away from his original plan.

"That's quite a quick decision to make, Alchemist Zhi," Xiao Feng flashed a toothy grin at them. "Almost like you know each other and were friends. Ten gold taels is no small sum, after all," He mocked them unhesitatingly. 

"My fellow alchemist designates are simply confident in my abilities," He replied tersely. 

"Then you admit you are bullying a recruit as a full-fledged alchemist?" Xiao Feng asked. 

"You were the one who—," Alchemist Zhi tried to explain, only to be cut off. 

"Let's be done with the grandstanding, shall we. You don't like me. That's fine. My final condition is simple. Let the duel be held in four months. You know, so I can actually learn enough alchemy to beat you," Xiao Feng stated. 

"Four months?" Alchemist Zhi asked, blinking. "I had intended for the duel to take place in a year's time," He replied.

Is he trying to mess with my confidence? No, maybe he's actually being honest. Time works differently for these people, after all, He thought. 

"Four months, Alchemist Zhi is all Shameless Feng needs to beat you at your own game," Xiao Feng boldly declared, his voice echoing the confidence of a cultivator who was willing to brave heaven's tribulation to advance. "That is my last condition." 

"I… accept."