Soon, they arrived before a towering, pristine building with grand carved pillars.
Above the main archway, golden characters read: ALCHEMY HALL.
“Intern Jiang, this is the Alchemy Hall,” Master Lu said, stopping near the entrance steps.
“It operates under the direct authority of Grand Master Bai.
You can head inside and take a look.
I’ll take my leave now.” “Brother Jiang, I have to attend to a few things as well,” Lu Jun added, waving his hand.
“See you tomorrow at the training grounds!” “Thank you both.
I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jiang WuShang nodded as Master Lu and Lu Jun departed.
Smoothing down his robes, Jiang WuShang walked up the grand stone steps toward the entrance.
However, before he could step past the threshold, a sharp, imperious voice cut him off.
“Stop right there!
Who do you think you are?” A young woman around eighteen years old stepped into his path, crossing her arms disdainfully.
She wore an intricate embroidered robe designated for upper-tier academy disciples, her chin raised with clear arrogance.
Jiang WuShang stopped and offered a polite bow.
“Greetings.
I am looking for Grand Master Bai.
He knows me, and I have an urgent matter to discuss with him.” The girl looked him up and down, her eyes landing on the basic intern token hanging from his belt.
“Who are you?
I know everyone who belongs in this hall.
This is my first time ever seeing your face.” “I am a new intern who joined the academy recently, which is why we haven’t met,” Jiang WuShang explained calmly.
“As for Grand Master Bai, he is aware of who I am.” “Well, you can’t meet him,” she snapped dismissively.
“He’s busy right now.
Come back tomorrow—or better yet, don’t come back at all.” Jiang WuShang frowned slightly.
“Is Grand Master Bai engaged in an important refinement?
I truly have an urgent matter regarding alchemy materials.” “What’s it to you?” she scoffed, waving her hand as if shooing away a stray dog.
“Go back!
He doesn’t want to see random people!” Just a low-ranking intern, she thought to herself inwardly, a sneer gracing her lips.
Trying to see my grandfather in your dreams?
You just want to lick his boots to build a connection.
I see dozens of opportunistic trash like you every single day.
Seeing her unyielding, hostile attitude, Jiang WuShang didn’t bother arguing.
“I see.
Have a good day.” He turned on his heel and walked away quietly.
The girl clicked her tongue as she watched his back.
“Hmph!
What a piece of trash.
Can’t get your way in, so you play hard to get?
If he dares to show his face here again, I’ll personally kick him out.” With a cold snort, she turned and disappeared into the Alchemy Hall.
Walking down the outer streets of the academy toward the bustling markets of Azure City, Jiang WuShang’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Without an established backing or authority, I can’t even enter a hall to buy basic materials, he mused.
It seems relying solely on the academy’s official channels will be too slow.
I need to build my own shadow network.
He altered his course, stepping off the main thoroughfare and heading into a quiet, abandoned valley just outside the city walls.
Ensuring no one was trailing him, he stood in the center of the silent clearing.
“Shadows…
come forth,” Jiang WuShang commanded softly.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Two dark beams of Qi condensed out of thin air before him, morphing into two shrouded figures clad in obsidian light.
Both dropped to one knee instantly.
“Your orders, Master!” “From this day forward, I name you two the Asura Guards: Wu and Sheng,” Jiang WuShang stated firmly.
“I have critical assignments for both of you.” “We await your command, Master!” the two responded in unison.
Jiang WuShang looked at the first figure.
“Asura Guard Wu, your task is to establish a hidden assassination organization named the Asura Death Hall.
You will take hit contracts for profit, but hear my order carefully—you are only permitted to eliminate those who have committed heinous sins.
No innocent lives are to be harmed.
Every month, you will personally deliver sixty percent of the Asura Death Hall’s earnings to me.
Furthermore, do not operate within the Imperial Capital for now; causing chaos there prematurely is suicide.” “Understood, Master!” Asura Guard Wu bowed deeply and vanished into thin air like dissolved smoke.
Jiang WuShang then turned to the second figure.
“Asura Guard Sheng, your task is to create an intelligence-gathering network called the Night Hall.
Gather information on every faction, power struggle, and hidden secret in this realm, and sell information for profit.
Deliver sixty percent of the revenue to me monthly.
Most importantly…
if anyone attempts to buy information regarding me or my actions, set the price astronomically high—and feed them convincingly fabricated fake information.
Go.” “By your command, Master!” Asura Guard Sheng bowed low before dissolving into the surrounding shadows.
Now that the groundwork for my shadow network is laid, I can lay low and collect resources in peace, Jiang WuShang thought with a smirk as he walked out of the valley.
Now…
as for alchemy herbs, if the Alchemy Hall refuses my entry, I can simply purchase them from the city’s private shops.
Returning to the commercial district of Azure City, his eyes swept across the grand storefronts until he spotted a medium-sized shop labeled: Su Alchemy Shop.
Su Alchemy Shop…
If I remember correctly, Su Lurong mentioned her family runs a medicine shop in the city.
This must be her father’s establishment.
Stepping inside, the pleasant scent of dried herbs and medicinal earths filled his senses.
Behind the main counter, a young clerk looked up and greeted him warmly.
“Welcome, dear customer!
What can I get for you today?
We have a wide variety of spirit herbs and basic pills.” “I would like thirty batches of Vitality Grass, thirty batches of Qi Fruits, and thirty portions of Spirit Qi Water,” Jiang WuShang requested directly.
The young clerk’s eyes lit up at the sizeable order.
“Yes, right away!
Please give me just a moment to pack those for you!” Within a few minutes, the clerk returned with three neatly wrapped packages.
“Here are your materials, customer.
The total comes to thirty silver taels.” Thirty silver taels…
that’s practically all the pocket money Bai Lu gave me when I arrived, Jiang WuShang thought with a dry chuckle.
He reached into his pouch and handed over his remaining silver.
The clerk bowed respectfully.
“Thank you for your business!
Please come again!” Before stepping out, Jiang WuShang paused.
“By the way…
do you happen to know anything about the Sun Tree?” The young clerk scratched his head thoughtfully.
“The Sun Tree?
I’ve read about it briefly in ancient alchemy records, but it’s an extremely rare primordial tree.
I don’t know much beyond that, customer.
If you’re looking for deep knowledge on ancient botanical treasures, your best bet would be asking the elders at the academy’s Alchemy Hall.” Back to the Alchemy Hall again, Jiang WuShang thought helplessly.
Looks like I’ll eventually have to meet Grand Master Bai in person inside the academy.
“Thank you.
I’ll check the Alchemy Hall another time,” Jiang WuShang nodded and exited the shop.
With his packages secured, he made his way back to the intern quarters of Azure Academy.
Meanwhile, inside the main refining chamber of the Alchemy Hall…
Grand Master Bai sat cross-legged in meditation, surrounded by glowing copper cauldrons.
Hearing footsteps approaching, he opened his eyes and looked at the young woman stepping through the doors.
“Little lass, you’re late,” Grand Master Bai said with a slight frown.
“What took you so long outside?” The girl—Bai Ru—grinned casually, waving her hand.
“It was nothing, Grandpa!
Just some low-level intern trash hanging around the entrance.
I handled him.
He had the nerve to claim he had an urgent matter to discuss with you, but I checked him out—he had zero background or status!” Grand Master Bai shook his head softly.
“A backgroundless intern?
Then it was likely nothing important.
Come, sit.
We will begin today’s lesson.
You are my granddaughter, Bai Ru; you must work twice as hard.
If you fail the alchemy advancement exam this time, I will send you straight back to the standard martial path!
Who knows if you’ll ever get a chance like the young genius Jiang WuShang…” At the mention of that name, Bai Ru’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
“Jiang WuShang…
I’ve heard all about him!
He’s the peerless genius who triggered a Sudden Enlightenment for six whole hours, completely shattering the five-century record of the academy!
Everyone is talking about how he humiliated the A1 class instructor.
I would love to meet him in person!” Grand Master Bai stroked his beard with a small smile.
“Indeed, a rare dragon among men.
Oh, by the way…
which intern showed up at the door earlier?
What class was he from, and what favor was he seeking?” Bai Ru scoffed disdainfully.
“Oh, he was just a nobody from the absolute bottom class—Class Rank C9!
Imagine an intern teaching C9 having the audacity to demand an audience with you!
He must have lost his mind!” Clang!
Grand Master Bai froze mid-stroke, his face going completely pale.
He whipped his head toward her, his voice rising in panic.
“What did you just say?!
An intern from Class C9?!
Girl…
tell me the exact truth right now!
What did he look like, and what did you say to him?!” Bai Ru blinked in total confusion, startled by her grandfather’s intense reaction.
“G-Grandpa?
Why are you so worked up?
It was just a C9 trash intern!
I kicked him out like any other bootlicker…” “YOU FOOLISH GIRL!” Grand Master Bai slammed his palm onto his seat, roaring in fury.
“If he is trash, then every alchemist in this hall is worse than garbage!
Do you have any idea who you just drove away?!” Bai Ru stammered, shrinking back.
“G-Grandpa, what are you talking about?!
His status is at the bottom!
He’s just an intern assigned to Class C9!” “That intern you called trash…” Grand Master Bai gritted his teeth, his expression twisting in absolute dread, “…is the peerless genius Jiang WuShang himself!” “W-WHAT?!” Bai Ru gasped, her mind going completely blank as if struck by lightning.
“Jiang WuShang?!
The one who entered Sudden Enlightenment for six hours?!
How…
how could he be teaching Class C9?!
With his talent, he should be in Class A1!” Grand Master Bai stood up, his face dark as a storm cloud.
“Bai Ru, I don’t care how you do it—you will go out there right now and earn his forgiveness!
You will apologize, beg him, or kneel before him if you must!
If you alienate him from our Alchemy Hall, I will disown you on the spot!” “B-But Grandpa…” Bai Ru hesitated, her pride wounded.
“NO BUTS!” Grand Master Bai shouted furiously.
“You only know about his six-hour enlightenment!
What you don’t know is that before entering that state, he mastered the Nine Swords of the Azure Dragon with a single glance and identified nineteen flaws!
Even the Mortal Emperor only found sixteen!
His martial and mental comprehension is beyond human comprehension!” Bai Ru’s breath hitched in sheer horror.
“Nineteen flaws…?
Comprehension greater than the Mortal Emperor…?
What…
what have I done?!” Tears of panic welled up in her eyes.
“Grandpa, I was wrong!
I’ll go right now!
I’ll beg for his forgiveness!” “Go!” Grand Master Bai ordered coldly.
“Find him immediately!
Tell him that I am personally waiting for him in the Alchemy Hall—or if he prefers, I will personally travel to his quarters to meet him!” “Y-Yes, Grandpa!” Bai Ru scrambled out of the hall as fast as her legs could carry her.
Meanwhile, inside his quiet room in the intern quarters…
Jiang WuShang sat cross-legged on his bed in the lotus position.
He placed his hands together and called out internally: System, extract my reward—the Qi Cauldron!
A flash of divine light burst forth, and an ancient, intricately carved miniature cauldron materialized, hovering above his palms before settling down.
Examining the bronze runes etched into its sides, Jiang WuShang nodded in satisfaction.
According to the alchemy knowledge in my mind, this Qi Cauldron is perfect for refining Mortal High-Rank pills.
While refining Earth-Rank pills would require an Earth-Rank cauldron, Mortal High-Rank pills are more than enough for my current needs.
He searched his vast library of newly acquired memories.
Good.
I have thirty batches of Vitality Grass, Qi Fruits, and Spirit Water—enough to refine thirty Vitality Pills and thirty Qi Gathering Pills!
First step…
converting inner Qi into Alchemy Fire!
Following the exact pathways outlined in the primordial alchemy texts, Jiang WuShang channeled his inner Qi, condensing it rapidly toward the center of his right palm.
“Focus…” he muttered, sweat glistening on his forehead.
“Compress the Qi to a single point…
create the spark…
let it ignite!” He forced his spiritual energy to collide at extreme pressure within his palm.
Suddenly, a sharp spatial crackle resonated through the room.
The ambient temperature spiked violently!
Fuuu!
A dazzling, pure white flame ignited above his palm, radiating immense heat that caused the air around him to warp and distort.
“It worked…” Jiang WuShang stared at the dancing white flame in his hand, his eyes wide with ecstasy.
“I created a Mortal High-Rank Elemental Flame!
Hahaha!
Hahahaha—” Before he could finish his triumphant laugh, the sheer exhaustion of condensing elemental fire drained his remaining Qi reserves instantly.
Darkness swept over his vision, and Jiang WuShang collapsed backward onto his bed, falling fast asleep.