Before long, the two reached a quiet small courtyard.
The courtyard was very simple, without any luxurious decorations.
Someone who didn’t know better would think it was just an ordinary commoner’s home.
Ruo Lin stepped forward and knocked on the door, then spoke: “Principal Hu Gan, I have brought Xiao Ling.”
“Fine, let him in.
I’m quite curious about him.” A powerful voice came from inside.
Although it sounded somewhat old, its penetrating power was extremely strong and not to be underestimated.
Xiao Ling pushed open the door and entered the small room.
He first bowed to Hu Gan: “Student Xiao Ling greets Principal Hu Gan.” He looked up to examine Hu Gan.
He wore a black and white robe and a large white hat with gold patterns.
A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his aged face, and he had a tuft of white beard on his chin, giving a very friendly impression.
Hu Gan stopped writing, looked up at Xiao Ling, and didn’t care at all about the gaze that had just examined him.
He gave a kind smile and said, “Child, how old are you this year?
Why did you want to come to Jia Nan Academy, and what is your current cultivation?”
“Principal, I am eight years old and already a Battle Practitioner,” Xiao Ling said calmly, his eyes flickering with a maturity far beyond an ordinary child’s.
“I want to quickly strengthen my power, and I’m also very interested in alchemy, so I chose to join Jia Nan Academy.”
As he spoke, Xiao Ling released the unique aura of a Battle Practitioner.
Although it was still immature, it was enough to let people feel his potential.
Hearing this and sensing the aura from Xiao Ling, Hu Gan stepped forward and felt Xiao Ling’s hand.
His eyes grew brighter and brighter.
His heart was filled with joy.
His cultivation foundation was solid, his physical fitness was stronger than some Battle Masters, he already had a decent beast flame in his body, his attribute was Fire mixed with Wood, and his soul power was quite strong.
He was a natural alchemist.
Haha!
With such a genius, my Jia Nan Academy will surely be great once again.
Seeing Hu Gan’s gaze as if he wanted to eat him, a drop of cold sweat appeared on Xiao Ling’s forehead.
He quickly spoke: “Principal Hu Gan, is there anything else?”
Realizing he had lost his composure, Hu Gan’s old face turned red.
He coughed twice and said, “I won’t beat around the bush with you.
Your talent is the best in Jia Nan Academy in a century, and you could even be a top genius in the Central Plains.
We plan to put our full efforts into your growth, but benefits aren’t for nothing.
After you graduate, you are to serve as an elder of the academy.
I also know Jia Nan Academy won’t be your end; you can go out to train.
As long as you can help when Jia Nan Academy is in danger, it’s fine.
When you’re old, retiring here is also a good choice.
Moreover, our academy has a deep foundation.
Although the Principal isn’t here, he left many precious treasures.
This is definitely the best place to nurture you at your current stage.
If you don’t want to become an elder, we will still nurture you, though with less resource inclination than S-level students, it will still be better.
You just need to remember this bond in the future.
So, what is your answer?” After saying that, he stared straight at Xiao Ling, the smile on his face vanishing.
Looking at Hu Gan’s serious gaze, Xiao Ling didn’t hesitate much and spoke: “I am willing to become an elder after graduation.
The academy nurtures my growth, and I will surely protect its peace and contribute to its development.
I will not fail the academy’s cultivation of me.”
Hearing the satisfactory answer, Hu Gan laughed loudly.
“Fine!
Then go back to your dormitory and rest.
If you want to learn alchemy, go to the Alchemy Department tomorrow.
The mentors there will teach you.” After saying that, he took out a storage ring and handed it to Xiao Ling.
“Inside are medicinal materials for refining Tier 1 to Tier 3 pills, enough for your early practice.
If you run out, you can come find me again.”
Taking the ring and nodding, Xiao Ling thanked him, turned out of the room, asked Mentor Ruo Lin for his dormitory location, and told her he would go to the Alchemy Department tomorrow, then walked off alone.
Xiao Ling looked at the ring in his hand and was a bit moved.
Don’t look at how easily Xiao Yan refined medicine in the original story; besides his talent, it was mostly because he had the ‘number one alchemist of the continent,’ Yao Venerable, teaching him personally.
Even so, Xiao Yan consumed many materials.
This shows how resource-consuming alchemists are.
Coming back to his senses and not thinking more about it, he reached his dormitory and pushed open the door.
Sitting on the bed, the exhaustion from days of travel and practice hit his body.
After a stretch, Xiao Ling fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning:
Xiao Ling woke up in his dormitory bed.
After washing up, he put on the school uniform on the nightstand, looked in the mirror, and was very satisfied with the look.
Leaving the room, he couldn’t wait to head toward the Alchemy Department.
Walking on the bluestone paths of the campus, watching the young men and women in uniforms coming and going, talking to each other, Xiao Ling felt dazed, as if he had returned to the university life he was familiar with in his previous life.
He smiled and shook his head, “I can never go back.”
Before long, he reached the Alchemy Department entrance.
Xiao Ling found a middle-aged man who looked like a mentor and expressed his desire to join the Alchemy Department.
The mentor first asked if Xiao Ling had alchemist talent and if he had studied alchemy before.
Explaining that he only had the attribute but hadn’t studied alchemy yet, and confirming it through testing, the mentor first began telling Xiao Ling the basics of the Alchemy Department.
“First, in our department, there will be periodic lectures by mentors of Tier 4 or higher.
These classes are public; anyone can listen and ask the mentors questions afterward.”
“Of course, if a student’s talent is outstanding and they are taken as a disciple by a mentor, the mentor will naturally spend time teaching them everything.
That’s a different story.”
“Second, in our department, every time you advance as an alchemist, you can obtain three pill recipes as a reward; you can choose the types.
If you want more recipes, you need to exchange contribution points for them, which can be earned by refining pills for the academy.
Remember, recipes obtained from the academy must not be passed to outsiders.”
“Naturally, the materials for refining for the academy are provided by the academy, but you must guarantee a success rate.
Additionally, alchemists of different tiers can apply for a certain amount of materials for practice each month.
Regardless of success or failure, successful pills go to the academy, and the academy covers the materials for failures.”
“However, you’re still a rookie.
Don’t worry about so much for now; just study hard.
Remember my advice: an alchemist’s growth consumes massive resources.
Buy some materials to practice first.
Once you enter a tier, you can help the academy refine to obtain subsequent resources.”
Xiao Ling nodded in understanding.
Looking down at the ring in his hand, if not for the academy’s material support, he might have had to work desperately for resources just to improve his alchemy.
Suddenly, an old man walked out of the department.
Seeing Xiao Ling, his eyes lit up and he spoke: “Kid, you must be that new student, Xiao Ling, right?
I am the Tier 5 alchemist in charge of the department; you can call me Elder Huo.”
The news of the academy recruiting an eight-year-old Battle Practitioner was already known to all the high-level members.
An eight-year-old Battle Practitioner was so exaggerated; he had never seen such a person in his life.
Given time to grow, he would at least be a Battle Venerable expert.
He was countless times stronger than Hu Gan’s so-called witch granddaughter.
When Elder Huo first learned about Xiao Ling, besides his outstanding cultivation talent, he also had alchemist talent.
He planned to quickly take him as a disciple.
After Xiao Ling grew up, he could even brag to his old friends.
But just as he was about to go find Xiao Ling, that old man Hu Gan came to his door and told him that the child needed to be guided by the academy’s elders together, and that if he were to take a master, he should have several.
So, his plan was rejected.
Out of curiosity, he came today to see just how good the child’s alchemist talent was.
Even if he couldn’t take him as a disciple, he had to teach the alchemy part himself.
That way, when Xiao Ling became a high-tier alchemist, it would be he who taught him by hand.
“Student Xiao Ling greets Elder Huo.
I am Xiao Ling,” Xiao Ling stepped forward and bowed.
“I heard your cultivation talent is extraordinary, but I wonder how your alchemy talent is.
Follow me; I’ll teach you some alchemy basics first.” After Elder Huo finished speaking, he walked into the department.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling first thanked the middle-aged mentor from before and then quickly followed.
Walking into a study in the department, Elder Huo first handed Xiao Ling a storage ring and spoke: “This ring contains some techniques and battle skills suitable for alchemists, as well as some books, pill recipes, and a pill cauldron.
Take them back and read them.
Your status in the academy is special; if there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me directly.”
Seeing Xiao Ling’s sincere attitude and respect for elders, without the arrogance of a typical young genius, Elder Huo stroked his white beard and showed a smile.
He greatly appreciated Xiao Ling’s attitude.
“You haven’t touched alchemy before.
I’ll tell you some basics.
To refine medicine, you must first have a pill cauldron.
An alchemist’s cauldron is like a warrior’s weapon; it is indispensable.”
“Cauldrons have levels.
The more fire vents a cauldron has, the higher and rarer it is.
These vents aren’t just holes poked in it; there is mystery inside that outsiders can hardly detect.
The vents are the essence, requiring high-precision polishing.
Any error during creation results in a failure.
So, cauldrons with more vents have better auxiliary effects.
Of course, to control multiple vents, one needs strong soul perception.”
“Besides the cauldron, the fire we use is usually Battle Qi transformed fire, so to refine high-quality pills, one needs deep cultivation.
Even the lowest pills require Battle Practitioner rank, which you fortunately reached early.”
“For us alchemists, the best fire is naturally the divine Heavenly Flames nurtured by heaven and earth.
They are born in the most dangerous and difficult places, so they are sought but rarely found.” Elder Huo’s eyes also showed a longing for Heavenly Flames.
“And our Jia Nan Academy has one.”
“More than one; there are two!” Xiao Ling muttered in his heart.
He was someone who knew the academy’s secrets.
One mature, one juvenile—both Fallen Heart Flames.
Anyone would be dazed.
Unfortunately, the academy’s high-level didn’t know this.
Otherwise, the one that had been making a fuss would have been refined long ago.
Elder Huo saw Xiao Ling’s eyes grow heated with his story and thought he was eyeing the academy’s Fallen Heart Flame.
He shook his head nonchalantly.
“Don’t even think about that Heavenly Flame.
It is the foundation of the academy.
Whoever tries to take it is an enemy of Jia Nan Academy.
You’ll know the specifics when you reach the Inner Academy.
Don’t tell others about the fire, either.
Although the academy isn’t afraid of trouble, don’t add to it.”
Hearing the warning, Xiao Ling nodded solemnly and said, “Understood, Elder.
I won’t tell anyone.”
“Don’t be discouraged just because you don’t have a Heavenly Flame.
Besides those, you can find other fires to replace them, like beast flames; the effect is also good.”
As he spoke, Elder Huo extended his right palm, and a ghostly black flame appeared.
The space around the flame distorted slightly, and Xiao Ling, standing near him, could feel terrifying heat.
Hearing this, Xiao Ling also summoned his fused beast flame.
He spread his palm, and a ball of blue-pink flame drilled out, looking very nimble.
He then spoke: “Actually, I have also refined a beast flame.
What does the elder think of its quality?”
Seeing this, Elder Huo became interested.
He examined the flame in Xiao Ling’s hand with interest and gave his evaluation.
“This flame of yours looks a bit like the Tier 6 Blazing Wolf’s, but it has a bit more softness.
Although I haven’t seen it before, its quality should not be low, even higher than an ordinary Tier 6 beast flame.
Although the energy isn’t powerful yet, it matches your current cultivation perfectly.
As your strength grows, the flame will grow, and it will be suitable until the Battle Sect rank.”
Withdrawing his gaze, Elder Huo continued: “The theory is mostly done.
Now it’s time to get hands-on.
Follow me to the refining room.
I’ll demonstrate once, and then you can practice.
I’ll be watching from the side; you can ask any questions.” After saying that, Elder Huo left the study.
Xiao Ling also followed quickly, his heart filled with joy.
His alchemy path was finally beginning.