Chapter Six: Leaving the Village
The small wooden house was filled with the soft scent of herbs and lingering traces of Qi.
Vera sat on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms as if testing her strength after her ordeal. Her silver-gray eyes studied Alexei with a curiosity that made him feel like one of his own experiments.
"I don't think I cultivate right," Alexei stated, unsure."I've only ever heard about cultivation from the merchants who travel to the cities. I asked one of them how to cultivate and he told me you begin with the Skin RefiningRealm, then the Bone Forging Realm, then the Visceral Purification Realm and then you begin the Qi Refining Realm. But… when I digest the mixtures I make, I seem to be going through all four at the same time."
Vera listened intently, her brow furrowing deeper with every word. Finally, she brightened and crossed her arms. "I think its because of your Alchemist Physique. Maybe your body is so perfectly designed for Alchemy that it naturally refines itself." She smirked. "It's amazing! You're probably the only person on the planet that can do it that way!"
"Amazing, huh?" Alexei shook his head, half amused. "Well, it was an accident, but I'll accept the praise."
She tapped her fingers against the wooden bedpost. "You need to start making pills. Proper ones. What you've been doing is impressive, but mixtures will only take you so far. If you refine your Qi through alchemy, it might help you understand why your body cultivates the way it does."
"Pills…" Alexei murmured, considering the idea. He had always used herbs in their raw form, never attempting the intricate process of alchemical refinement.
"And forging," Vera added, her tone firm. "Alchemists make pills and forge, don't just focus on one, you'll learn a lot from the act of smithing. My family can teach you."
Alexei met her gaze, seeing the confidence in her words. The Iron Flame Sect—he had heard stories of sects, but they were little more than distant rumors to him. Now he new someone from one and he was even invited to learn from them.
"You want me to come with you?" he asked.
"Of course," she said without hesitation. "Someone like you shouldn't waste away in the mountains. My family…no…the whole world will be interested in your abilities. Besides, I still owe you for saving my life."
Alexei was silent for a moment, letting the weight of the decision settle over him. This village had been his home for his entire life, but he had always known that one day, he would have to leave. His path as a cultivator had already begun to diverge from the ordinary lives of his fellow villagers.
Finally, he nodded. "Alright. I'll go with you."
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The next morning, Alexei gathered the villagers in the center of town, standing near the well that had served as the heart of their small community for generations. Familiar faces—old friends, neighbors, the merchant who often brought goods from the city—looked at him with curiosity.
"I'll be leaving with Vera," he announced, keeping his voice steady. "I need to learn more about cultivation, and she's offered to introduce me to her family's sect."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, a mix of surprise and quiet understanding. The elders nodded knowingly—perhaps they had seen this coming.
One of the older women, the village healer who had first taught him about herbs when he was young, stepped forward. "We always knew you were meant for something greater, Alexei. You have a gift."
Alexei gave her a grateful nod. "I'll come back when I can. And if I learn anything useful, I'll bring it home."
The merchant, a burly man with a thick beard, clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm headed to the city tomorrow. I can take you both in my cart."
Alexei and Vera exchanged glances. That settled it, then.
_____
The road stretched before them, the mountains at their backs as the merchant's cart rumbled along the uneven path. Vera sat across from Alexei, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
"You won't regret this," she said.
Alexei exhaled, feeling the weight of his choice pressing down on him—but beneath it, excitement stirred. The world beyond his village was vast, and he was finally stepping into it.
"Well," he said. "We will have to see."