Path of an Alchemist (1)

As the sun dipped below the horizon on the seventh day, a familiar city emerged in the distance. The unmistakable silhouette of Gale City filled him with a strange sense of homecoming. 

Greeting the familiar faces at the city gate, he continued his journey through the bustling streets, his carriage finally pulling up at the City Lord's manor.

City Lord Li and Li He greeted him with open arms and warm smiles. After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Feng presented his gift over a steaming cup of fragrant tea.

"A small token of gratitude," Liu Feng said with a slight bow as he presented the gift.

The City Lord's eyes widened in surprise and delight as he accepted the gift. "This is very kind of you, Young Master Liu," he exclaimed.

Liu Feng chuckled modestly. "Thank you, City Lord. I felt a small token was necessary after the trouble I caused you."

The City Lord Li chuckled, "Let's not dwell on the past," he exclaimed. "Besides, the city owes you a debt of gratitude."

With a final round of thanks and farewells, Liu Feng exited the city lord's residence. He was satisfied by how he handled the situation which not only cleared any unnecessary tension but also laid the groundwork for the future.

The Zhang residence was his next stop. As the current family head, making such arrangements was easy for Zhang Yan. At the entrance, Zhang Yan greeted Liu Feng with a wide smile.

"Boss! You're finally back!" he exclaimed, rushing forward to greet him. Their reunion was filled with laughter and genuine joy. Zhang Yan led him inside, where a cheerful Zhang Ling and Mei Lin awaited. They moved him into a spacious, elegantly furnished room prepared just for him.

After a brief moment to settle in, they gathered in the main room, catching up and exchanging news. The air crackled with excitement as Liu Feng presented his gifts. Zhang Yan's eyes lit up at the leather armband, while the girls received their jade pendants. Zhang Ling's eyes sparkled with delight, and Mei Lin nodded expressing her thanks. The evening flowed with lively conversation and laughter, culminating in a delicious home-cooked meal of roasted meats, soup, and steaming hot rice.

***

The week-long carriage journey, though physically manageable, had drained Liu Feng mentally. After the day's events, he excused himself and retreated to his private chambers within the Zhang residence.

Pushing distracting thoughts aside, Liu Feng settled into a meditative pose, focusing on his cultivation. Before his journey to the Royal Palace, he had already spent 10,000 Dao Points to upgrade his spiritual roots to middle grade and the result of this was evident. He was almost on the verge of a breakthrough to the next stage in both Qi and Body Cultivation.

Earlier, he had inquired about their progress. Much to his admiration, Zhang Yan's relentless hard work last couple of days had made him progress to stage four of Blood Refinement.

While Zhang Yan's tenacity was as impressive as always, Mei Lin's talent was truly remarkable. She had already reached the fourth stage of Qi Condensation and was on the verge of another breakthrough.

Her rapid progress, coupled with her crucial role in defeating the Chen Patriarch, left quite an impression on Liu Feng. Both of their advancement were phenomenal. A spark of competitive spirit, though he did not want to admit it, surged through him. He felt he could not let them surpass him. The pressure to maintain his lead fueled a renewed determination within Liu Feng.

But first, he needed resources. Although he had upgraded his techniques to almost their limits, his Dao Points dipped below 2000 now. He needed a way to replenish his points to ensure he wouldn't fall behind. With a determined glow in his eyes, Liu Feng began formulating a plan.

After some time, Liu Feng pushed his worries aside for the night and sank into the comfort of the soft pillows.

***

As the morning sun rays passed through the window, Liu Feng woke up with renewed energy. After a focused cultivation session and a hearty breakfast, he freshened up. Today he had a specific goal in mind - to visit Manager Qing of the Misty Medicine Pavilion.

With a plan in mind, Liu Feng sought out the current Zhang household butler, Butler Wei.

The previous day, Liu Feng came to know that, Butler Wei was the grandson of Old Gao, the previously retired butler of the Zhang household who was currently acting as the advisor to Butler Wei.

After hearing about the Zhang Family's situation he came to visit but his unexpected visit landed him and Butler Wei his current position.

Moments later, a comfortable carriage drawn by a pair of sturdy horses stood ready. The journey to the Misty Medicine Pavilion unfolded without any hiccups, allowing Liu Feng to mentally prepare for his encounter with Manager Qing.

The grand establishment exuded an aura of prestige as Liu Feng stepped through its imposing doors. At the reception desk, a young woman with youthful features framed by a neat braid greeted him. Dressed in a pristine green dress, an aura of professionalism exuded her.

As Liu Feng presented the Golden Token, a flicker of surprise momentarily crossed her eyes. Quickly replaced by a spark of excitement, she bowed, "Esteemed Guest, Please welcome to the Misty Medicine Pavilion. Manager Qing will be thrilled to see you. Please allow me to escort you to the guest room."

A sudden thought hit Liu Feng, he realized this was the "Golden Token" treatment he was receiving.

Following the lady's lead, he was guided into a lavishly decorated chamber. Exquisite paintings and silk tapestries decorating the walls created a pleasant atmosphere. Neatly dressed servants arranged a tempting array of fine teas and delicacies across the table. Their meticulous attention to detail impressed Liu Feng.

The air of anticipation crackled until Manager Qing arrived. He was a man in his early forties, exuding an air of charm. His neatly trimmed sideburns framed a face that, despite its pleasant demeanor, hinted at a shrewd mind lurking beneath the surface.

"Esteemed guest," he began, "my apologies for the wait."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, the young hero of Gale City, Young Master Liu Feng."

Liu Feng rose in greeting, returning the smile politely, "The pleasure is mine, Manager Qing. I must admit, your establishment is truly impressive."

Manager Qing chuckled in response. As their conversation flowed easily, Liu Feng felt the time was right to steer it towards more serious matters.

"Now to move onto serious topics," Liu Feng interjected with a firm yet polite voice.

"Manager Qing, I am thankful for your invitation but I would like to inquire about your intentions behind it?"

Manager Qing's initial surprise quickly morphed into appreciation for Liu Feng's directness. He replied with a smile, "The Misty Medicine Pavilion, as you might be aware, deals in a vast array of goods – be it precious herbs, refined pills, high-quality medicines, or even rare treasures we can provide you with anything. We pride ourselves on providing the finest items in the market, thanks to our skilled alchemists, physicians, and herbalists."

"Perhaps some of our collections might pique your interest, young master," as he suggested, he gestured towards one of the servants. He bowed himself out to carry out the manager's instructions.

A glint of interest flickered in Liu Feng's eyes. "Alchemists, huh?" he inquired, interrupting Manager Qing. "Do you also offer alchemy supplies, such as furnaces and medicinal herbs?"

Manager Qing's eyes glowed with the vision of new opportunities. "Indeed," he replied, a hint of pride evident in his voice. "We have contracts with skilled alchemists all over the Great Qin and we provide them raw materials and various supplies."

Manager Qing was curious, "Perhaps you are skilled in alchemy as well, young master?"

Liu Feng was surprised to hear this question. Just what did they assume his background was?

"Unn…, I do have some interest in alchemy so I was just curious", Liu Feng was determined to maintain his image.

Seeing the spark of interest in Liu Feng's eyes, Manager Qing was thrilled. "The Misty Medicine Pavilion offers a great deal of benefits to alchemists who join our ranks. From the vast network of our pavilion to a steady supply of the finest ingredients available in the market, you will have everything at your disposal. You would also have the opportunity to exchange pill recipes with fellow alchemists, and of course, you would be entitled to special discounts when selling your creations through our establishment."

"Naturally, there are some restrictions," Manager Qing continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

"As a valued alchemist of the Misty Medicine Pavilion, you will have the freedom to sell your refined pills independently, however, you must meet the Pavilion's requirements established in the contract. You must ensure the quality of your pills so that the pills meet the pavilion's standards, and for this, we require you to use our established recipes while refining the pills. In such cases, you can not reveal these pill recipes to others. Additionally, to ensure stability, we require you to establish a three-year contract with us."

Liu Feng raised an eyebrow, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. The offer was undoubtedly tempting – easy access to ingredients and information but the three-year contract felt like a significant disadvantage.

***

//Hey guys, please leave some reviews in the comments. Sometimes even I feel my writing style is very boring so I need some reviews to improve this. 

//Also let me know if you are curious about the summoning technique and what creature MC will summon. any suggestions are welcome!!