Is this what a true genius looks like
Karsha, Xian, Elder June, and Nate, the apprentice, started moving from one store to the next. They avoided returning to the second floor since Master Artemis had warned them that the heirs of the Varon Family were still there with their minions.
So they stuck to the floors above and began selecting the herbs Karsha would need to concoct the antidotes he would take to Snake Island. He had no idea what kind of venom would find its way into his bloodstream, so he planned to make as many antidotes as possible.
Of course, he already had the recipes stored in his head; he possessed thousands of recipes any alchemist would kill for. But that was just a small portion of what was truly contained in the legacy. He hadn't even scratched the surface yet.
The access he had now was merely to guide him into the realm of alchemy. He would have to gradually raise his comprehension, and as he ascended, more and more knowledge would come to him.
Even the knowledge the Divine Alchemist acquired from walking the path of alchemy was included in the legacy. This meant that if Karsha continued to rise in levels, he would one day unlock that section. When that happened, endless possibilities would open for him.
"I'll take these three herbs and that root. Oh, add the cikic root too," Karsha kept pointing at items, and Nate continued to store them in his space ring. Deep in his heart, he felt a pang as Karsha kept selecting expensive items without concern for their value.
Given the opportunity to choose anything he wanted for free, and in return, to deliver the venom of ten snakes of Master Artemis's choosing, both parties considered it the best deal. Although Master Artemis might seem to be at a disadvantage now, he knew that once Karsha returned from the island, he would get his money's worth.
"Xian, do you have a pill in mind?" Karsha, having gathered all the ingredients he needed, asked. This was a one-time opportunity, and since he would be risking his life, he intended to take as much as he could from the old man.
"I want a body constitution pill and an impurity removal pill," Xian answered after a brief pause. "And oh, a strength enhancement pill," he added.
Nate glanced at Karsha for a moment before heading to a store to gather the required ingredients. Taking advantage of the privacy, Karsha turned to Elder June. "Elder June, do you need anything as well?"
Elder June arched an eyebrow and pondered the request for a while before shaking her head. "I see. Too bad; I've already selected an ingredient to create a new body transformation pill for you. The ones you're using are not safe for your health," Karsha said without hiding anything.
If there was one thing the legacy had given him, it was the ability to discern when a pill was harmful for consumption. He could tell that the pill Elder June was using would have adverse effects on her, but since he didn't want to pry into her private affairs, he remained silent.
However, now things were different. He knew the Elder, appearing like a 16-year-old, had made a promise, and even though he wasn't doing this solely because of that promise, he wanted to leave a mark on Elder June's heart.
A mark that would one day develop into something more. Since he would soon be venturing into the unknown, he saw it as a way to ensure the angel remembered him in his absence.
After several rounds of selections, they returned to the top floor, where Karsha retrieved his cauldron and sat in the middle of the room. He paid no mind to the audience.
His sole focus was to test how well he could control the flame. After meditating with the cauldron for a few moments, Karsha smiled before tapping its side. Instantly, a dim yet potent flame emerged and began circling the cauldron.
"Here goes nothing," Karsha said after waiting for five minutes. He then resummoned his green flame and began heating the already slightly hot cauldron with the flame.
"That will be enough," he declared, stopping the heating process. After recalling the flame, he carefully selected three ingredients - Ginkgo Biloba, Rosemary petals, and Lemon Zest.
He waited for a few seconds, then in one fluid motion, he threw everything into the cauldron and resumed heating it. Master Artemis, seated in the back, raised his eyebrow when he observed Karsha tossing the ingredients into the cauldron all at once.
In alchemy, it is an established rule that when concocting a pill, the ingredients must be added one after the other. There was no denying that rule. However, there are people who disobey that rule and toss multiple ingredients at once.
Such individuals are regarded as geniuses. But even these geniuses only toss a maximum of two ingredients at once. Only a select few go as far as three, but even they exercise caution since doing so has a high chance of causing an explosion.
However, Karsha had just nonchalantly tossed in the three ingredients, too. He didn't even take the ideal seriously. He simply placed the three ingredients in and started heating again.
'This young man, who is he?' Master Artemis wondered, 'Is this what a true genius looks like?' he added.
Five minutes had passed since Karsha tossed the two ingredients into the cauldron, yet there had been no explosion. Instead, the only thing emanating from the bubbling mixture was the tantalizing aroma of medicinal essence being extracted from the herbs.
Another ten minutes passed, and still, there was no explosion. Master Artemis, who had been sitting originally, now stood from his chair and began walking closer to the center of the room where Karsha was calmly heating the cauldron.
'How is this possible? This fragrance is almost 100% Pure King-grade Pill,' Master Artemis exclaimed, inhaling the scent of the Stamina Pill Karsha was concocting.
After working on the pill for close to an hour, Karsha slowly withdrew the flame. Successfully withdrawing the flame, he opened the cauldron, allowing a plume of black smoke to escape.
As the smoke dissipated, a white pill hovered at the center of the cauldron. "96%, huh," Karsha muttered as he used a pill bottle to collect the pill.
"You... you crafted a 96% king-grade pill in less than an hour," Elder June, who had been quiet for almost the whole time, finally spoke, her tone filled with shock.
"Yeah, too bad. I was aiming for at least 98%," Karsha lamented, disappointment evident in his voice. Unbeknownst to him, the legacy he carries comes with its own set of expectations, almost as if it possesses a sentience of its own. Witnessing the disciple of a Divine Alchemist produce only a 96% pure pill, and a mere King-grade at that, made Karsha feel as though he had failed a crucial test.
However, the people gathered around him wore a different expression. "What kind of monster are you? You just crafted a 96% pure king-grade pill; what's there to be disappointed about?" Elder June said, gazing at Karsha with a shocked expression.
"Do you even understand what you've achieved?" Master Artemis asked, causing Karsha to furrow his brow. "You have just broken a record set by the King of Alchemy in the whole of the Drono Kingdom. If news of this gets out, you will either be in danger or revered by many," the old man said, his expression a mix of shock and happiness.
Karsha, noticing the happy expression, let a smile escape his lips. "I am sensing there is no reason to be alarmed since you have no plans of revealing my existence," he asked.
"Of course not. Why would I do that? You are still too young, and doing so will only endanger you," Master Artemis replied. Who in their right mind would reveal someone like Karsha's existence to the general public?
The young man standing before him is a money mansion. With him joining the Alchemy guild, it won't take them long to rise through the ranks and become the best there is in the whole Drono Kingdom.
Then, after amassing great support from powerhouses, Karsha's existence will be revealed, which will soon help them win more support from other kingdoms.
With that much power and support, no one will be able to touch the young man. Unbeknownst to him, the legend of the then-divine alchemist was but a mere spectacle; soon, the legend of the Young Asura Alchemist would spread far and wide in the world and the universe alike.
"You can keep that if you want; I don't have a need for it," Karsha said, handing the pill to Elder June. After gulping down five mouthfuls of water, he sat down and began preparing another pill.
This time, he aimed to create a pill with a purity of 98% or higher.
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High above in the heavens, nestled beneath an orange tree, an old man with a long white beard puffed on a 30-centimeter-long pipe, his smile faint but content. With a snap of his fingers, a stunning young lady with fiery red hair and eyes materialized and knelt before him.
"Your sister had indeed found the best disciple for that Old Alchemist," The Man said pulling another mouthful of smoke. The redhead lady smiled.
"He is indeed the chosen one to fulfill Master Rizz's legacy," she nodded.
"Indeed," the old man exhaled a plume of smoke before continuing, "At this pace, he'll be advancing to the next stage in a matter of days. We can't allow that, so I need you to do me a favor."
"What is it, Master?"
"I need you to expedite his journey to the island. Instead of ten days, make it three. He mustn't break through while on the human continent," he instructed, and without hesitation, the hell sister rose, transforming into a slightly older woman. "We can't afford for his enemies to detect his presence this early," the old man added solemnly.
"I won't fail you, Master," the lady vowed before vanishing into thin air.
"Good luck, kid. Your destiny awaits," the old man muttered, drawing another mouthful of smoke before reclining in his comfortable armchair. "Your destiny awaits..." he echoed softly.