Chapter 5: Progress

It had been three winters since Michael had discovered the miraculous Golden Elixir. His looks had become even more dashing since before. His hair was as dark and long as ever and his eyes had become a tad sharper. This was to be expected as he had finally had his last burst of maturity. 

His body had grown taller, due to his nutrition and strenuous training he had overcome his genetic disposition. Although his father was only 1.7 metres, he had already grown an extra 20 centimetres, his figure slightly towered over the rest of the manor's inhabitants.

He was currently sitting in a lotus position as his face scrunched in serious thought. The original demon representing the Fiend's Day art was no longer, in its place a new image was taking hold. The giant of over 9 metres slowly shrunk until it was just over three metres, while its skin tone became a light green, a floral pattern was etching itself into its rough leather-like skin.

The three contrasting faces slowly merged into one, its slightly hazy face slowly changed until it became a mirror image of Michael's own. The six arms became two, though they were still incredibly muscular. Following a stale breath, the last piece of the puzzle was finally placed. A lotus slowly fell from the ether and merged into the nature demon's forehead. As it became completed, the qi flowing through Michael's meridians shuffled between a state of chaos and force to one of tranquil order. His breathing began to follow a certain rhythm which translated into his body, causing it to vibrate in a certain frequency. 

Michael felt himself enter into a surreal state and as he noticed the energy filling his meridians he realised that he had not only managed to merge two techniques together, no, he had also managed to become an advanced apprentice. 

The three stages of a knight apprentice were known as initiated, intermediate, and advanced. Initiated referred to a state of meditation where one could begin to feel their innate qi, while intermediate referred to an accumulation of physical training and meditation where one could begin to move their qi at will. Advanced referred to a further accumulation of knowledge, meditation, and amount of qi and only when one had reached advanced apprenticeship could one begin to condense their qi bit by bit until they could condense a qi seed. 

This was of course Michael's understanding of the process. He had translated it into terms that he could understand and that allowed him to cross reference his past knowledge of martial cultivation.

The energy in his body had become one long wisp that became interconnected through the nigh uncountable branches. 

'It wasn't as hard as Brute described.'

Michael recalled his uncle's repeated warnings and found them to be quite exaggerated, but then again he hadn't heard anyone else mention their successful accolades in modifying an already existing knight art. It could be attributed to his natural talent in understanding these things, or it could also be due to his accumulated knowledge from his previous life, or it could be both.

'Now to begin the condensation, this is where the Longevity Art would show its true benefit. Being able to condense the qi seed requires quite a decent control of one's qi.'

Michael took in a deep breath and allowed it to fall into his lower stomach, as if catalysed by this one breath his body began to vibrate, as his energy rotated in a specific path and rhythm. Time passed as Michael continued his deep meditation and it was only about six hours later that he stopped.

'Fuck. Now I understand the difficulty of condensing this 'life seed'. Although my energy is more abundant due to practising two techniques this whole time, but this, this is really something.'

Six hours of meditation had only allowed him to condense 0.01% of his innate qi, and he could already feel it trying to revert back. And, it wasn't like it was due to an especially large amount of energy, if the average advanced apprentice was at 1, he would only be at around 1.5.

Michael jumped off the ground, he reached into his wardrobe and pulled a simple white tunic and some dark brown trousers. 

He walked downstairs and into Jeffrey's office. He felt a sense of deja vu as he walked inside after a light knock.

"Uncle, I'm here to pick up my monthly allowance."

"Mmhm, here I had set it aside for you already."

Jeffrey opened a drawer for a brief second before he handed Michael a leather pouch. 

"Did father raise my allowance again?"

Michael felt the usual weight of the pouch had increased once more.

"Yes, it's 15 gold coins now."

Jeffrey's gaze turned downcast as he mentioned this, as if it was not a cause of celebration but for mourn, instead.

Michael's gaze similarly looked pensive. His father had slowly increased his allowance by a gold coin every couple months since three years ago. It wasn't that he had a use for such a great wealth, instead it was preparation for what was to come. William was not confident in Michael's progress and he had limited time left, leaving only one person to whom he could transfer his wealth and position before he died, to Brute. Although William considered him his brother, one truly did not know a person until they had everything they wanted, only then would they feel it unimportant to hide their ambitions.

"I'll speak to my father later, for now thank him on my behalf."

"Will do."

Michael walked off in a certain direction as Jeffrey looked at the door slightly lost.

_____________

Looking at the herbs and goods being displayed around the shop, Michael couldn't help but enjoy the smell. This familiar shop had brought him many benefits through these years.

An old man walked from the shadowy areas of the shop when he heard the shuffling of Michael's boots. A woman of about twenty followed him from behind.

"Mister Leonard, I came this time with a question, I hope you can help me."

"It's not everyday someone as knowledgeable as yourself needs help, Michael. I don't know if I know more than you, what gives you the idea that I can answer a question from you?"

The old man looked the exact same these three years, except for his occasional teasing, Michael had grown a decent relationship with the old alchemist.

"You surely jest, Leonard. How can someone of your stature still have the heart to play with a youngin' like me."

Michael similarly lowered his status, and spoke amicably.

"Alright, alright. We can stop here. I've been working on a project recently so I haven't got the time right now. What was it that you wanted to ask?"

'This manic old man.'

Michael wanted to call him out for starting the mind games, yet he held his tongue on account of the respect he had for the old man.

"Well, I wanted to know if you had anything that can help me condense my life energy at a faster pace?"

"You broke through?"

The old man was not really surprised, with the resources Michael was consuming, even a pig would have become an advanced apprentice.

"Yes."

"Alright then, let me see. Mhm, what is the characteristic of your technique?"

The old man fiddled with some herbs in the cabinets below, his legs slightly bent.

"My technique incorporates both the brutality and ferocity of a demon, yet it contains the peacefulness of a lotus's bloom."

Michael thought of a simple explanation.

The old man looked up and met Michael's eyes.

"It has two characteristics, and they're both opposing forces?"

"Yes, actually it's the result of combining two different techniques."

Michael smiled a bit as he found the opportunity to mention his recent achievement, but the old man just looked at him in shock.

"You said, that you, you…"

Leonard stopped for a moment as he pointed at Michael explicitly and asked for confirmation.

".. merged two techniques with opposing forces into one?"

"Yes, Leonard I already said it once, don't undermine me."

Michael had a certain degree of respect for Leonard, but the old man seemed to be making a spectacle of him.

"No, no. I'm not making fun, Michael. Actually I was looking for a helping hand recently as Amelia was going to visit her family for a little while, why don't you come here and learn from me for a bit? What do you think? Learning some alchemy for a little help isn't too bad a deal right?"

"What? So you want to take me as an apprentice?"

"No, no, no. You wouldn't be considered my apprentice per se. Well, I mean it's not impossible, but it won't be as such for now."

Michael didn't care if he was an apprentice in name or not. He wouldn't miss his chance on learning some alchemy, the most mysterious and effective profession he had come across as of yet.

"Well, if you're serious then yes. I would definitely like to work under you."

Michael was in a bit of shock. He was planning on taking a gamble on asking Leonard some time in the future to sell him some knowledge, but he hadn't expected that he would instead come asking him. 

"Good, good. Forget about payment, just come in tomorrow morning at about daybreak, I'll have it ready then."

Leonard waved his hand in typical old man fashion, this time walking Michael out of the shop. His treatment had taken a complete 180. 

As Michael's carriage disappeared into the stream of the evening crowd, Amelia turned her head in curiosity. 

"Master, why did you ask him for his help? I know I'll be gone for a bit, but it will only be about five months."

"Amelia you don't understand, it's not about your absence. I'll be blunt, you aren't at the level to be able to help me with the Eternal Spring elixir, but this young man is different. His creativity and comprehension is definitely sufficient for this, since he was able to merge two conflicting ideas, he has proven he is beyond capable."

Leonard looked at the crowd of window shoppers and smiled lightly as he looked forward to the near future.

"But, what if he's lying? What if he is not as capable as he says?"

Amelia was a bit jealous of her master's evaluation of Michael, and couldn't help but throw him some shade.

"I'm not too worried over that. My taste for punishment has long passed, if he is lying to me then I'll just stop selling him goods."

Leonard's face only became serious, it was devoid of his malicious smile from the past.