Under the eternal chase of Sun and Moon, Xiao Hong had lived in this world for two months.
Light pressed through the window lattice in thin bars and laid itself across the mat, gilding the girl seated in strips of gold. Her breaths came steadily, almost as if she were asleep. Within, Qi blazed through her meridians - re-built in reality - unhurriedly, each circuit returning to the Dantian with the grace of a veteran F1 driver.
Her eyes opened slowly.
A small smile touched her lips, "Peak Second-Stage: Earthen Origin."
She didn't feel any particular sense of achievement. It was merely a line crossed out. A task she'd completed.
Having achieved it hundreds of times kinda dilutes the sense of achievement, y'know?
And while those "hundreds of times" had not added a single gram to her Cultivation Base, it had given her a sort of intuition. An intuition that drove Qi into the paths she'd perfected; not because she forced it there, but because her subconscious bias favoured them.
It took her only half a day to reawaken this 'intuition' in reality. And in another half, she rebuilt the entire Meridian System - no less complex than the circulatory system - in reality. After that, the work was just patience: circulating Qi until the body learned to carry a more concentrated Qi, each cell adapting to its heavier presence.
Two months to reach this Stage was blindingly fast, even by the Purple Mansion Sect's standards. But, it was unsatisfying by the arithmetic in her head.
The average disciple of the Sect, if they had the Meridian System she'd built, could do that in a month. Monsters like Lin Fan? They'd be knocking on the doors of the Third Stage in a fortnight.
That was just how powerful a perfect Meridian System was.
All in all, her talent was shit. So, she wasn't particularly happy, just satisfied at having checked the box on a task.
She tossed the matters of her talent to the back of her head - she had more important things to do!
"It's time," she whispered with melancholy. She strode to the window, planting herself before it like a tragic heroine bidding farewell to her lover's ship.
With square shoulders and a martyr's breath, she reached into her sleeve and withdrew an imaginary white handkerchief. She dabbed at nonexistent tears, lower lip quivering so sorrowfully that even the air seemed to sigh in sympathy.
"Goodbye, late-Second Stage~," she sniffled. She waggled the invisible handkerchief toward the horizon as though her anthropomorphised Cultivation Base were standing there, suitcase packed, ready to leave her with zero intentions of writing back. "I will treasure our five glorious minutes together."
Imaginary handkerchief re-holstered, she squeezed her eyes shut and promptly sacrificed her Cultivation Base to the Enlightenment Palace.
It was not dramatic. It did not tear. It did not hurt. It just unwound.
While her left eye seemed to warm up, the intense Qi pumping through her entire body dimmed, thinning from a river to a canal, then to a little stream, then finally to the complete disorder of the early Second Stage.
The root-like network of her meridians softened, receding back toward the Dantian like silk unspooling in reverse. A coolness moved into her arms and legs on a thousand fine needles; a light fog slid over her thoughts and rounded their corners.
In mere moments, almost two months' worth of hard work was undone.
She let out the breath she was holding.
"Well, that sucked," she commented.
She rolled her neck, as if the motion might shake loose the fog, and stared at the space in front of her. She couldn't help but wonder if what she was about to do was really a good idea.
"I really hope it doesn't take too long," she sighed. It's not like she had a choice anyway.
Having memorised all of the theory thanks to the jade slips provided by Senior Brother Chen, and nearly two months of practice refining pills, she could now use them to accelerate her learning.
She clenched her jaw and whispered, calling upon the Enlightenment Palace, "Max Time Dilation, Max Enlightenment. Target: proficient creation of Grade 1 Medicine: Qi Gathering Powder."
A stinging ache pierced her right eye as the world shifted and rotated. A momentary loss of vision later, she was once again surrounded by the infinite red void she was so familiar with.
Without any further hesitation, she waved her hand, summoning tables and sets of Alchemy Equipment.
"Now," she gazed down at an empty table, "to confirm a hypothesis."
The Enlightenment Palace was powerful - very much so. But it could not create something out of nothing. It could not create something she did not have enough information on. This meant that, unlike herself, she could only replicate some of the properties of her target object.
"But that should be enough," was her idea. Even though she couldn't replicate it exactly, it didn't mean that she couldn't learn using the imperfect replications. If she gave it a material's habits - how it broke, how it resisted, its smell in early summer; its reaction to other materials, to Qi, to fire - it could make a version close enough to experiment with.
A simulation, in essence.
With another wave of her hand, Spirit Herbs, Fruits and other Alchemy Materials wrote themselves into existence on the table.
One by one, she carefully processed the materials; filtering, purifying and storing them. With a snap of her fingers, a burner lit up, and a large cauldron appeared atop it. One after another, she added the processed ingredients as the recipe directed her.
On the surface, everything looked orderly: flame at a mild blue, Ginseng Essence mixed thoroughly with the Spirit Grass Extract, the mixture frothing just a little. But the moment she added the Bloodwood Tree sap into the mixture, everything spiralled. Before she could even realise what had happened, the cauldron belched out thick black smoke, filling her lungs with the acrid smell of burnt rubber.
"Right," she murmured, "the model hypothesis works. However, there are a few minor details I've yet to hash out.
With a casual flick of her wrist, the table emptied. She closed her eyes and envisioned each and every material before materialising them.
The second attempt also failed, obviously.
"Made the properties of the Materials too strong, resulting in a disbalance," she explained to the uncaring red void.
The third time, her models were perfectly usable. However, her method of preparation was immature, turning the whole thing into a waste pill.
The fourth time, the fifth time… Hours and days flew by as she completely lost herself in the preparation.
After who knows how long, she stood back from the cauldron, hands loose at her sides, and let the silence of the Palace settle as she stared down at the new ingredients, a small smile quirking the corner of her lips.
The Max Enlightenment setting was something incredible.
Stray facts that never shook hands before - Senior Brother Chen's offhand remark about Blue Spirit Lotus harvested after a cold rain, the way the Bloodwood Tree's sap behaved in healing medicines but not in others, an obscure note about Ginseng Extract's reaction to overheated Spirit Grass Essence - rose together and clicked into place like gears on an intricate pocketwatch.
In five runs, the models stopped being guesses and became a lattice: every scent, viscosity shifts and flame colour snapping into place until the recipe wasn't a list of steps but a map she could walk blindfolded.
A hundred times her base comprehension: that's what it felt like. Threads she'd normally track one by one - temperature, fragrance, viscosity, mixture ratios, Qi fluctuations in material, the interaction of her Qi with the materials' Qi and so on now braided together in her awareness without confusion.
She could follow all of them and still have room to notice her Qi level, how she stepped closer to the cauldron, how her face apparently liked being blasted by Alchemy fumes…
By the eighth attempt, she had hammered out all inefficiencies in her preparation.
By the twentieth attempt, she had already had a success rate of 30%. By the thirtieth, it had shot up to 80% - achieving the goal she had set at the beginning and was promptly kicked out of the Enlightenment Palace.
"Damn thing sure is precise," she grumbled as she slowly stood up from her Cultivation Mat.
With max enlightenment and max time dilation, she'd been away from the real world for about half an hour.
'Now, it's time to test out the real thing,' she thought, closing the door to her home.
***
It took her seventeen attempts and a little less than six portions' worth of materials. That was barely a twentieth of the amount of materials the average Alchemist spent trying to refine their first Grade 1 Medicine.
Thus, it was no wonder that Senior Brother Chen's eyes were trying their hardest to flee their cosy homes in his skull as he beheld the clump of low-quality Qi Gathering Powder.
"Y-you… What…? How?" He tilted the plate a little, as if the angle might reveal the trick. Apparently unsuccessful, he turned to her, the disbelief in his voice practically weighing it down, "Is, is this really your first time refining Qi Gathering Powder?"
"Hm?" Xiao Hong just tilted her head in confusion. "Yes? It's like… Something just clicked, and everything became so much easier. I just, hm, look at it differently now? It's like I understand the materials better." This was the explanation she came up with after much thought and research: a 'Sudden Realisation'. And it wasn't exactly a lie.
Senior Brother Chen's eyes widened, "I see. W-well, it seems, Junior Sister, that your talent in Alchemy far surpasses my expectations."
He took a deep breath.
"In fact," his eyes bore into hers with a fervent intensity she'd never seen in them before, "it is almost beyond my comprehension!" He grabbed her hand with both of his, staring at her as though he'd discovered the biggest Spirit Stone mine in history. "I want to take you as a disciple on behalf of my Master!"
"Uhm… W-What?" Xiao Hong nearly flew back at his unexpected and overwhelming enthusiasm and blurted out, "C-can I consider it?"
"Consider?" He echoed, baffled. Then his expression flipped, eyes widening in grand realisation. He nodded vigorously, "Right! How foolish of me! Master may be a great Alchemist, but he definitely isn't worthy of teaching someone as talented as you!"
Xiao Hong: ???
"Uh…" Is it really okay to diss your Master so casually?
Senior Brother Chen, however, didn't seem bothered about the consequences of his Master discovering his 'rebellious thoughts'. Though his excitement had smoothed itself into something more usable.
"Have you practised any other Medicines?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Tomorrow, we'll do the Grade 1 Healing Salve. For now, let's review your preparation of the Qi Gathering Powder," he said, speaking with an enthusiasm she'd never seen in their sessions before.
"Your control over the flame is nearly perfect; there is nothing to criticise there.
"But you do need to work on your timing - you tend to over-refine materials. Impurities aren't all enemies; sometimes they're the glue that binds everything together. You need to find the right balance..."
He continued jabbering away, enumerating every single flaw and inefficiency he'd seen, while Xiao Hong tried her hardest to memorise everything he said.
By the end of the day, her success rate hit a hundred percent in reality - all High-quality.
***
Just like that, another week passed, and Xiao Hong found herself walking into the Alchemy Hall along with Senior Brother Chen.
"The Grade 1 Alchemist assessment, while not as strict as the Grade 2 assessment, is nonetheless quite difficult," Senior Brother Chen explained. "It consists of three parts: a theory part that assesses your overall knowledge; a practical prerequisites test where you must demonstrate the necessary skill in flame control, equipment handling and material interactions; finally, you need to demonstrate your ability to refine all twelve Medicines…"
"All twelve?" She raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that kinda heavy on the Sect's pockets?"
"It is heavy indeed. But the first two parts essentially weed out the unworthy; those that make it through them are considered 'Apprentice Alchemists'. As long as they put in the effort, most of them are guaranteed to become Grade 1 Alchemists.
"And when they do, the return is easily twice the Sect's investment. Usually more. So the Sect is more than happy to fund your journey as an Alchemist."
"I see…" she nodded thoughtfully. "Then-"
"Ah, Junior Sister Hong! It has been a while. How have you been?" A hateful, all too familiar voice interrupted her.
Xiao Hong froze in her tracks, an insidious chill sliding down her back. Her head whipped to the side, facing the owner of the voice that called her. The voice continued, "I had been expecting you to show up at the Disciplinary Hall for over a month now. It's really put a damper on my investigation - you not showing up."
"Why are you here, Senior Brother Mo?" tone clipped, she turned fully to face the loathsome man.
"You say it as though I'm not allowed in the Alchemy Hall, Junior Sister. It doesn't belong to Alchemists alone, you know?" he smirked down at her. "But, to answer your question, I was here to collect my Qi Condensing Pill - it seems I might break into the half-step Fourth Stage soon."
Her heart clenched. 'If he truly breaks through to the Fourth Stage, even a Grade 1 Alchemist-'
"Oh, my! Congratulations, Junior Brother," the jovial voice of Senior Brother Chen interrupted her thoughts. "I never knew that Junior Sister Xiao's Cohort had such a talented member.
"To break into the half-step Fourth Stage on your first attempt - what a feat! It seems Junior Sister Jun is undeserving of her position as the most talented among the Cohort of 1580!"
The smirk on Mo Tong's face was instantly wiped out. He turned to Senior Brother Chen, an edge creeping into his voice, "And who might you be? And why are you interrupting the Disciplinary Hall's investigation? Do you not know the consequences of impeding the Hall's processes?"
"Chen Yu, Grade 1 Alchemist." Senior Brother Chen casually straightened his Alchemist Badge. "Since when did you people start investigating people right at the Alchemy Hall's door?
"And… Consequences? What consequences?" He tilted his head in apparent confusion. "Junior Sister filled me in on the details. As far as I understand, she is not a suspect in whatever case you're working on, right? The Disciplinary Hall can't really investigate a Sect member casually. She can simply choose not to talk at all."
Mo Tong's eyes narrowed into slits, searching Chen Yu's face intently. Then, the corner of his lips curled up. "Ah. I remember now. You're the Chen Family's rising star, aren't you? Master Alchemist Yun's newest disciple.
"I have always wanted to make your acquaintance," he cupped his fist in greeting, "Senior Brother Chen."
"Haha, for Junior Brother to have heard of me, it's quite embarrassing…" Senior Brother Chen laughed, nary a sign of his supposed embarrassment showing in his face.
Mo Tong also laughed, "My cousin, Mo Yan - he talks quite a lot about you. Recently, though, I've heard more about the Chen Family from the Disciplinary Hall than from him. The Heir of the Chen Family - I heard he'd gotten himself in a spot of trouble some time back… Something about a missing resource supply?"
He stepped closer to them. "I, for one, think he was wrongfully accused. The Disciplinary Officer in charge of the case - he's my Second Uncle's disciple. I'm sure I can convince him to look at the case with new eyes."
Left unsaid was that he could also convince the Disciplinary Officer to look at it more critically.
The easygoing smile on Senior Brother Chen's didn't falter. But Xiao Hong could tell how stiff it had become. Her heart clenched tighter, 'I can't implicate someone innocent.'
"Senior Bro-"
"You've got quite the pull, Junior Brother Mo!" Before she could speak up, however, Senior Brother Chen exclaimed in surprise. "I'd imagine only the Clan Elders and the Heir should be able to interfere, no?
"Oh, wait!" He looked at Mo Tong with 'extreme surprise'.
"Have you been named the Heir of the Mo Clan?" Then, he slapped his forehead, "Ah! What a foolish question that is! Of course, someone as talented as you would be named the Heir. Forgive my ignorance - I've been focusing on my Alchemy Studies for the Grade 2 Certification."
"... The Heirship of my Clan is not for outsiders to discuss, Senior Brother," a chill crept into Mo Tong's tone.
"So is the investigation into the Clan Heirs, I imagine." Senior Brother Chen replied evenly.
Xiao Hong's eyes widened just a tad. This was the first time she'd seen anyone get under his skin. 'So the Clan's Heirship is a sore point for him?' The corner of her lips twitched just a bit before she schooled it.
Mo Tong finally permitted himself to look directly at Xiao Hong again, as though Chen Yu had been a small detour he had politely endured.
"I am concerned for you, Junior Sister," he said. "Yet, you regard my care with such hostility."
"You imagine things, Senior Brother," she replied smoothly, "I have nothing but respect for you. But your concern is a bit… unnecessary." She moved half a step closer to Senior Brother Chen, "I have great friends who lose sleep over my well-being. And adding more people only burdens me more.
"So please, Senior Brother, don't worry about me." She clasped her hands in respectful salute to signal the end of this conversation.
"... Very well, Junior Sister. I shall take your words to heart." He nodded politely and clasped his hands in return. "However, I still hope you'd join my team for the Compulsory Missions."
With that, he left.
"What an irritating fellow," Senior Brother Chen remarked.
"Truly." Xiao Hong nodded. Then, she quickly turned to him. "About your Clan's Heir, will-"
"You worry too much, Junior Sister," he waved his hand dismissively, "While the Mo Clan does hold sway over the matter, they won't do anything. Mo Tong is simply not qualified. They won't change their stance just because one of their Young Masters threw a tantrum. Besides, the Heir of our clan is not at fault; it is just a few rival Clans throwing their weight around."
"That's good to know…" Xiao Hong sighed in relief.
She looked up at Senior Brother Chen, her voice warm with gratitude. "Thank you for your support, Senior Brother. You took the risk to offend someone for no reason-"
"No reason?" He laughed, "You, Junior Sister, are reason enough! You learned to refine seven Grade 1 Medicines in as many days! That sort of talent - the Sect would bend over backwards to acquire!"
"Uhh… sure." She felt somewhat embarrassed. She truly wasn't that talented at all. But she could hardly explain the Enlightenment Palace to him. So, all she could do was go along with it. 'Let's just hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the ass later…'
"Anyway, go get your Alchemy materials for this month," he continued, unaware of her thoughts. "We'll practise five other medicines for the Grade 1 Alchemist assessment. For the rest of the month, I'll help you prepare for the exam and raise the quality of your concoctions. At the end of the month, you'll participate in the assessment."
"Eh? Already?" She gasped.
"You are ready for it." He shrugged. "I daresay you're much better prepared than I was when I passed the assessment." He smiled, "I look forward to working with you next month onwards, Junior Sister."
***