Alex awoke slowly, the first sensation not one of grogginess, but of profound, deep-seated rest. The aches from his hours-long trial, the bone-deep weariness from channeling every last wisp of his Qi, it was all gone. Golden sunlight streamed through the window of his cabin, dust motes dancing in the warm rays. He sat up, stretching his limbs, feeling a vitality that even cultivation couldn't quite replicate.
A quick glance at the sun's position told him it was late morning. 'Must have slept through the night,' he thought with a smile. A quiet laugh escaped him. 'Cultivation was a replacement for many things, but I guess a good night's sleep isn't one of them.' Feeling more refreshed than he had since arriving in this world, he pinned his new, grey cauldron badge to his robes and headed out. He had a meeting with an elder to attend.
The walk to the Alchemist's Pavilion was different this time. Before, he had been an anonymous outer disciple, invisible to the inner sect's elite. Now, as he walked the stone paths, disciples he passed would subtly alter their course. He received quiet, respectful nods. The whispers he overheard were no longer of scorn, but of awe and curiosity. His new badge, simple as it was, had changed everything. It was a tangible symbol of his victory.
He arrived at the main Guild Hall, its polished redwood columns gleaming. Just as he was about to ask a junior apprentice for directions to Elder Ming's office, a frantic voice called his name.
"Disciple Alex!"
He turned to see Finne rushing towards him, his usual arrogant posture replaced with one of hurried deference. He came to a stop a few feet away, took a deep breath, and then performed a formal, ninety-degree bow, his head held low.
"Senior Brother Finne," Alex said, taken aback. "You don't need to–"
"I do!" Finne interrupted, his voice thick with emotion. He remained bowed. "I came to offer my sincerest, most profound apology. My actions and attitude at the Exchange Hall and during the trial were despicable. I was blinded by my own arrogance and pride. I brought shame upon myself and the Guild. Please, forgive my transgressions."
Alex was stunned into silence for a moment. He had expected lingering resentment, perhaps a future vendetta, not this. He let out a slow breath. He was tired of having enemies.
"It's fine," Alex said, waving a hand. "Don't worry about it. If you think about it, all you really did was force me to take an assessment I would have needed to take sooner or later. You just sped up the timeline."
Finne slowly straightened up, his eyes wide. He had prepared for scorn, for a demand for compensation, for righteous fury. He had not prepared for... forgiveness. For simple, pragmatic understanding. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes.
"You... you forgive me? Just like that?" he stammered, his composure completely shattering.
Before Alex could respond, Finne's expression shifted into one of fervent, almost manic reverence. "Such magnanimity! Such skill! To be able to create a flawless pill without a recipe... to look upon my foolish pride and see only a minor inconvenience..." He took a step forward, his voice dropping to a low, intense vow. "Such mastery! In my eyes, no one but my sworn brother could possess such skill and character!"
He clasped his hands together and bowed again, even deeper this time. "From this day forward, I, Finne, swear an oath of loyalty to you! Brother Alex, if there is anything you ever need, you have only to ask!"
Alex's brain short-circuited. "Whoa, hold on, that's really not necessary."
"It is necessary, Brother!" Finne insisted, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I will not have it any other way!"
Alex opened his mouth to protest again, but Finne was already beaming, his earlier humiliation completely forgotten and replaced by the zealous energy of a new convert.
Alex just sighed internally. This was getting weird. And uncomfortable. He decided to just move on. "Okay... Finne. Do you know where Elder Ming's office is?"
"Of course, Brother! Allow me to guide you there myself!" Finne exclaimed, his excitement palpable. Before Alex could agree, Finne darted forward and grabbed his wrist, his grip surprisingly strong, almost desperate. "This way! The Elder's private chambers are in the east wing!"
As he was physically pulled along the pristine corridors of the Guild Hall, Alex found himself completely stumped. 'Who knew a guy could do a complete one-eighty like that?' he thought, glancing at the back of Finne's head. He tried to remember if Finne had always been this... intense. But then he realized he couldn't. They had only had one real interaction before this, and Finne had just been an arrogant accuser. 'Was this what he was like all the time?'
He let out another, deeper internal sigh and gave up trying to understand. Fine. Whatever got him to the elder's office faster. He had a new, overly enthusiastic sworn brother. He supposed there were worse things.
Finne led Alex to a heavy redwood door, intricately carved with symbols of cauldrons and blooming herbs. He knocked three times, a precise, respectful rhythm. "Elder Ming, Disciple Alex is here to see you."
A calm, warm voice answered from within. "Come in."
Finne opened the door and gave a deep bow, both to the elder inside and, to Alex's immense discomfort, to him as well. "I shall take my leave, Elder. Brother." He then closed the door, leaving Alex alone with Elder Ming.
For the first time, Alex stood in an Elder's private office. It was a sanctuary of quiet wisdom. The air smelled of old scrolls, dried herbs, and the faint, calming scent of plum blossom tea. Bookshelves packed with ancient texts lined the walls, and a small alchemy station sat in one corner, a testament to a lifetime of dedication. It was a place for contemplation and learning. The elder sat behind his desk, a gentle, amused twinkle in his eyes.
"I see you've already made an impression on Disciple Finne," Ming chuckled, gesturing for Alex to take a seat. "He was here yesterday, apologizing profusely for his conduct and begging my forgiveness. I told him it wasn't my forgiveness he needed to seek." He looked Alex over. "But I must admit, I did not expect to see you two arriving together."
"He was... insistent," Alex said, feeling the need to explain the awkward situation.
"So I see." Ming's smile widened. "I was expecting you yesterday, but I heard you were resting. Two full days, was it?" He feigned a stern expression. "A promising disciple should not neglect their cultivation for so long, you know."
The joke landed on Alex with the weight of a sincere scolding. He shot to his feet and performed a deep, panicked bow, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Elder Ming, my sincerest apologies! I did not realize so much time had passed. The trial was... more taxing than I anticipated. I will redouble my efforts!"
Ming let out a hearty laugh, the sound warm and genuine. "At ease, my boy, at ease. I am merely teasing. The rest was well-earned. Very few could have endured the pressure of that test, let alone succeeded so spectacularly. You have more than proven your mettle."
Alex slowly straightened, his relief palpable.
Ming's expression then shifted, the gentle amusement fading into a profound seriousness. He leaned forward, his hands clasped on the desk. "But that is not why I asked you here today. Alex, I have observed you since your arrival. I have seen your impossible breakthrough, your diligence in your chores, and your unparalleled talent in the dao of alchemy. A talent like yours, left to wander the outer sect, would be a tragedy."
He looked directly into Alex's eyes, his voice steady and full of weight. "I wish to take you on as my direct disciple."
The words hung in the air. Alex was speechless. A direct disciple of an elder? The head of the Alchemist Guild? It was an honor so far beyond his station that he couldn't comprehend it.
"I will teach you everything I know," Ming continued. "You will have access to any material you need, and a private workshop here in the Guild Hall will be yours to command."
Alex's mind flashed to the pristine, high-level alchemy labs he had been escorted past, places that hummed with a density of spiritual energy he could only dream of. The offer was a golden road, a straight path to the peak. But as he thought it over, he pictured his own small, repaired cabin. The quiet solitude. The little garden he had built with his own hands. The one place in this world that felt truly his.
He took a deep breath, his decision made. "Elder Ming," he began, his voice respectful but firm. "I would be honored to become your disciple. It is more than I could ever have hoped for. But I have one condition."
Ming raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh?"
"I wish to continue using my own cabin as my workshop," Alex stated.
Ming was silent for a long moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You mean the herb garden you have cultivated behind Barrack 32?"
Alex froze, a jolt of alarm shooting through him. How did he know that?
As if reading his mind, Ming's expression softened. "There is no need to be alarmed, Alex. Since you first arrived, I have taken an interest in your well-being. It is an elder's duty to ensure a new seedling is not choked out by weeds before it has a chance to grow." His gaze turned warm with genuine praise. "And I have been impressed. I saw you stand up for Disciple Jay, offering him guidance when he had lost all hope. I saw you share your resources with your friends. Your alchemy is not just a talent; it is a tool you use to lift up those around you. You embody the very values this sect was founded upon."
He leaned back, a genuine smile returning. "If your only request is to remain in the place where you have found your own path, then I can see no problem with that. A true master does not chain his disciple; he simply ensures the disciple has a safe place to fly."
A wave of warmth and gratitude washed over Alex. He bowed deeply once more. "Thank you, Master."
"Good," Ming said, his voice now carrying the authority of his new role. He reached into his robes and placed two items on the desk. One was a small, well-worn leather-bound book. The other was a simple silver ring. "Take these. The book is my personal alchemy journal from when I was younger. My notes may prove useful. The ring... is a storage ring. It will serve you better than a simple pouch."
He stood, his presence filling the room. "From this moment forward, you are my direct disciple. Do not bring shame upon my name. Now go. You have much work to do."
Alex accepted the gifts, his heart pounding with the weight of the moment. He gave one final, deep bow. "Disciple Alex thanks Master."
He left the office, his mind reeling. He was no longer just an outer disciple. He was a recognized alchemist. He was the direct disciple of an elder. His life had changed, again.
As the redwood door closed behind him, he was so lost in thought that he almost didn't notice the figure waiting patiently by the wall.
Finne's face lit up the moment he saw him. "Brother Alex! How did it go with Elder Ming?"
Alex stared at him, the reality of his new situation crashing back down with an almost comedic thud. "You... you've been waiting here this whole time?"
Finne beamed, his loyalty absolute. "Of course! Where would I go without my brother?"
Alex let out a long, slow sigh and simply rolled his eyes. This was, he decided, going to be very troublesome.
He shook his head, pushing Finne's overeager face from his mind, and focused on the gifts in his hand. The leather-bound journal felt heavy with knowledge, and the simple silver ring was cool to the touch. He slipped the ring onto his finger and, following the instructions he'd read in a basic artifact scroll, channeled a wisp of his spiritual sense into it. He felt a slight prick, a momentary connection, and then a vast, empty space bloomed in his mind's eye. It worked.
With a thought, he willed his old, worn pouch and Elder Ming's alchemy journal into the ring's storage space. They vanished from his hands and reappeared in the mental void, floating serenely. It was an incredible feeling.
Just as he was about to withdraw his consciousness, he felt a strange, irresistible pull. It wasn't coming from the ring, but from deeper within him. From the Book of Ascension.
His spiritual sense was drawn inward, away from the storage ring's space and towards the familiar black book. As he watched, the book flipped open on its own, not to his status page, but to one of the previously blank, greyed-out pages.
Golden script shimmered into existence at the top of the page, forming a single word.
Inventory.
And below it, an organized list appeared, meticulously cataloging not the contents of his old pouch, but everything Elder Ming had just gifted him within the storage ring.
*************************
[ INVENTORY ]
Mid-Grade Spirit Stones....x1
Low-Grade Spirit Stones....x430
Low-Grade Fire Spirit Stone....x10
Low-Grade Water Spirit Stone....x10
Low-Grade Earth Spirit Stone....x10
Low-Grade Wind Spirit Stone....x10
Mind-Calming Fern....x30
Frost Lily (bulb)....x50
Moon-Dew Flower (petal)....x20
Azure Spore Cap (dried)....x15
Cragscale Lizard Powder....x4
Glimmerwing Finch Feather....x6
Venom Spine Toxin....x3
*************************
Alex stared, his mind reeling. The book was interfacing directly with his artifact. But as he scanned the bottom of the list, a new set of characters scrawled themselves into existence, glowing with a distinctly petulant golden light. It was a note.
'I thought I was your Master, but I guess I'm not good enough for you. Here's a reminder that I'm better than that kid who's still wet behind the ears.'
As he read the last word, the list updated.
Rainbow Daisy...x5
Alex's jaw went slack. Master? He re-read the jealous, almost childish note. The cryptic words the old pervert had spoken before he passed out..."You are now the disciple of this supreme immortal." It hadn't just been a proclamation; it was a formal declaration. The realization was so stunning, so absurd, that he said it out loud to the empty corridor.
"So that's what this relationship is supposed to be?"
"Yes, Brother!" a voice said with fervent enthusiasm.
Alex jumped, startled, to see Finne still waiting patiently by the wall, his face beaming with misunderstood conviction. "We are sworn brothers! And I, Finne, vow never to leave your side!"
Alex just stared at him, completely exasperated. The old immortal thought he was his master. Finne thought he was his brother. It was official: his life had become a comedy of errors wrapped in a cultivation tragedy.
He let his head fall forward with a low groan. This was going to be very, very troublesome.