Chapter 7: The Alchemy Hall
Life as an outer disciple was grueling. Li Wei was assigned a small stone hut on the pavilion's lowest island, barely furnished but rich with ambient qi. His days began at dawn, tending spirit herb gardens and cleaning training grounds. The Nine Worlds Ascension Art urged him to cultivate constantly, and he spent nights refining qi, pushing toward the fifth stage of Qi Condensation. The scroll revealed a new technique: Qi Flame Control, a method to manipulate fire qi for alchemy, hinting at its deeper uses in battle.
Elder Mei Ling, who oversaw the outer disciples, took an interest in Li Wei after his trial performance. She summoned him to the Alchemy Hall, a grand structure of jade and crystal where cauldrons bubbled with fragrant elixirs. "You have potential," she said, her voice calm but piercing. "Alchemy is the art of transforming chaos into order. Learn it, and you'll gain favor in the sect."
Li Wei's first lesson was to refine a Qi Gathering Pill, a basic elixir to enhance cultivation. The process was intricate: grinding spirit herbs like Moonshade Leaf and Firethorn Root, balancing their qi in a bronze cauldron, and using Qi Flame Control to maintain precise heat. His first attempt failed, the pill crumbling to ash, but Elder Mei's patience surprised him. "Failure is the soil of mastery," she said. "Again."
Days turned to weeks. Li Wei's Spirit Sense helped him detect subtle qi shifts in the herbs, improving his success rate. By his tenth attempt, he produced a flawless Qi Gathering Pill, its surface glowing faintly. Elder Mei smiled, a rare gesture. "You're no alchemist yet, but you've a cultivator's heart."
His progress drew envy. During a group lesson, a senior outer disciple named Fang Luo, broad-shouldered and at the seventh stage of Qi Condensation, sneered at Li Wei's success. "A peasant playing alchemist? Don't think you belong here." Fang's aura pressed against Li Wei, heavy with malice. Li Wei stood firm, his own qi steady, but he sensed danger. Fang's connections ran deep, rumored to include inner disciples.
That night, Li Wei cultivated in his hut, absorbing a Qi Gathering Pill. The elixir's energy surged through his meridians, pushing him to the fifth stage of Qi Condensation. The scroll pulsed, revealing a new technique: Qi Pulse Strike, a precise attack that disrupted an opponent's qi flow. As he practiced, a shadow moved outside his hut. Spirit Sense flared, detecting Fang Luo and two others, their qi hostile.
Li Wei gripped his fists. The Azure Cloud Pavilion was no sanctuary—it was a crucible.