Blossoming Path

Chapter 43: Initiation Into Alchemy

Elder Zhu stood a few paces away, his keen eyes watching over my first steps into alchemy, a well of patience and wisdom. He had explained that the pill furnace before me was not just a tool but an entity in itself, a critical medium through which the natural essences of ingredients could be refined, transformed, and harnessed.

I swallowed nervously. This was a test. To see if I was worthy of the sect's time and investment. I couldn't shame them in the Grand Alchemy Gauntlet.

"The furnace," he had begun, "is a conduit of qi, the vital force that courses through everything. One must learn to channel one's inner qi to maintain a stable flame, to nurture the concoctions, melding them into existence with both fire and spirit."

I could feel the qi all around me. The sect was a bastion of nature, and had an elevated level of qi in the environment that made me feel...better. I tried to let my qi flow in synergy with the furnace, extending my senses to envelop it, to become one with it. Infusing the furnace was a different sensation from when I did it with my plants. It was more resistant, and required more focus to maintain.

The furnace responded, its flames flickering, reflecting the dance of energies. I could feel a symbiotic connection forming, a gentle hum resonating within me, harmonizing with the heartbeat of the flames. It was a delicate balance, a symbiotic dance that required utmost concentration and sensitivity.

As I ground the beetle shells to a fine powder, their fragments caught the warm glow of the furnace, lending a light green hue to the substance.

I glanced towards Tianyi, who was fluttering around the workspace, her antennae twitching as she inspected the array of ingredients with a curious and discerning gaze. Every so often, she would flit towards me, offering silent encouragements or perhaps sharing her own insights from her own vantage point. Her presence was a comforting anchor in this sea of newfound knowledge. It was nice having someone familiar with me here.

I turned my attention back to Elder Zhu, who was now demonstrating the art of blending the powdered beetle shell with other ingredients. His hands moved with a mesmerizing grace, each gesture a masterful stroke that spoke volumes.

I mirrored his actions, my hands finding a rhythm in the meticulous process of blending the ingredients. There was a profound depth to the art of alchemy that was slowly revealing itself to me, a confluence of science and spirituality that spoke to the deepest fibers of my being.

As Elder Zhu gently guided my movements, I felt a series of epiphanies cascading through my mind, a bridge forming between the realms of herbalism and alchemy. I could see the roots in intertwining with each other, the harmonious balance that lay at the heart of both disciplines.

"With alchemy," Elder Zhu murmured, his voice a soft lull in the tranquil space, "one seeks to distill the essence of nature, to uncover the hidden potentials within each ingredient. It is a path of refinement, of purification, where one seeks to unite the physical and the spiritual, to forge a synergy that transcends the sum of its parts."

I absorbed his words, letting them seep into my consciousness, weaving themselves into the fabric of my understanding. I realized that as a herbalist, I had only scratched the surface of nature's mysteries. But here, in this sacred space, I was being offered a glimpse into the deeper realms of existence, a chance to explore the uncharted territories that lay beyond the known.

As I worked, I could feel the burgeoning connections forming, the synthesis of knowledge and intuition that was guiding my hands. I could sense the subtle energies of the ingredients, the complex interplay of forces that was slowly culminating in the creation of a potent revitalizing powder.

My hands, guided by newfound insights and the gentle nudges from Elder Zhu, began to move with a newfound confidence, a dance of creation that was both ancient and timeless. With each movement, I could feel the ingredients responding, their energies melding and harmonizing in a sublime symphony of transformation.

Time seemed to slow, each moment stretching into infinity as I immersed myself in the process, my senses attuned to the intricate dance of energies that was unfolding before me. I could feel the vibrant life force contained within the beetle shells, a raw power that promised to invigorate and revitalize.

Elder Zhu stood a few paces away, his keen eyes watching my every move. This was my initiation, a rite of passage into the esteemed world of alchemy. Yet as I stood before the furnace, I couldn't shake the foreboding thought of failure. I couldn't let down the sect in the Grand Alchemy Gauntlet. The stakes were impossibly high, a reflection of the complex concoction I was attempting to create.

"Careful. Keep it stable." Elder Zhu's words echoed in my head, breaking me out of my thoughts.

As the process unfolded, a cascade of epiphanies flowed through me, bridging the gap between the two disciplines. The herbs and minerals laid before me began to sing in harmony, their energies intertwining in a delicate dance of creation and transformation. Unlike my potions, where everything fit together neatly like pieces on a puzzle, I had to mold them, shape them into something that fit. It added a layer of complexity to the process.

But as the moment of culmination approached, I could feel the strain beginning to overwhelm me. The intricate dance of energies grew increasingly chaotic, slipping from my grasp like sand through fingers. I strained to maintain the delicate balance, to keep the flames at bay, but my inner reservoir of qi was rapidly depleting.

My heart raced, a bead of sweat trickled down my temple as the once harmonious blend spiraled into turmoil within the furnace. The pressure mounted, a crescendo of frantic energy that threatened to engulf the precious creation in flames.

Just when I thought I had lost everything, a grounding touch on my shoulder brought me back from the brink. Elder Zhu stood beside me, his calm gaze offering a sliver of hope amidst the chaos. Yet, as the flames subsided, what lay before us was a shadow of what could have been, a potion of diminished potency.

Elder Zhu examined the substance, his face betraying no emotion. "The effectiveness is reduced by half," he stated calmly. His composed demeanor seemed to conflict with the storm of disappointment brewing within me.

My shoulders slumped, the weight of failure settling heavily within me. But even in the face of failure, a spark of resilience ignited within me, fueled by the cascade of epiphanies that had flooded my mind throughout the process. The revitalizing potion didn't explore the full potential of the plants. If I incorporated the ingredients from the Invigorating Dawn Tonic, then maybe...

With tentative hope, I turned to Elder Zhu, "May I... may I try again?" The words barely escaped my lips before a flood of determination followed. "I have an idea, based on the principles of the Invigorating Dawn Tonic. I believe it might... it might make a difference."

Elder Zhu paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered my request. Then, slowly, he nodded, a slight smile touching his lips as if he sensed the burgeoning innovation within me.

I hesitated, my hand momentarily freezing above the ginger root. My heart pounded fiercely against my ribcage, a relentless drum echoing the turmoil within me. Revealing this skill a hidden secret nestled within the depths of my being felt like standing on the precipice of an uncharted territory, where the ramifications were as unknown as they were potentially far-reaching.

Could I truly reveal this facet of my abilities? My mind conjured a series of rapid-fire images: awe and admiration on one hand, fear and ostracization on the other. The sect might view me as a prodigy... or a threat, a harbinger of change in a tradition-bound sphere. Elder Ming's cautionary tale made me think a little more on what I was going to do.

But as I stood there, bathed in the warm glow of the furnace, a beacon of history and knowledge, I felt a swelling tide of conviction. A voice, perhaps my own or that of the spirits who guided me, whispered assurances in the corners of my mind. My journey into the world of alchemy, my tireless pursuit of harmony between nature and self, had led me to this exact moment a moment where innovation could spark a revolution, where courage could pave the path of legend. My legend.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

With a steadying breath, I shook off the chains of doubt, letting them clatter silently to the floor of my mind. My spirit surged forward, a luminous entity unburdened by fear, propelled by the potential of what could be, of what must be.

I lowered my hand, my fingers gently encircling the ginger root, a glowing promise of synergy and transformation held within my grasp.

I wasted no time. Grabbing a fresh ginger root, I channeled my energy into extracting its very essence, a technique I had honed for hours upon hours. As I pinpointed the area of extraction, I pulled and allowed the warmth of the ginger's essence flow into my hand and coalesce into a ball.

The room seemed to hold its breath as I carefully guided the extracted essence towards the furnace. The vibrant energy hummed with potential, a harmonious melody that resonated with the latent energies within the furnace.

"This is!"

Elder Zhu's eyes widened in realization and awe, his stoic demeanor breaking for a moment as he witnessed the innovative technique unfold before him. His eyes flicked to me, a flash of intrigue and excitement dancing within them.

I bet he didn't expect this from me. But it's better to show off than hide my talents. This was going to be my debut into the world of cultivation, after all.

The furnace responded eagerly, the flames dancing gracefully, embracing the ginger essence with open arms. A symphony of energies erupted within, a harmonious blend of ancient knowledge and innovative insight.

I flew through the rest of the recipe, as the rest of the world faded into the backdrop of my mind. Carefully grind the beetle, then the minerals...

My hands moved with newfound confidence, weaving the threads of herbalism and alchemy into a seamless tapestry of potential and power. It was similar to when I learned the Rooted Banyan Stance. A culmination of everything I learned clicking into place. But this wasn't spurred on by the Heavenly Interface.

This was something entirely done by me.

I felt the barest touch on my shoulder, followed by a consistent flow of qi. Tianyi was on my shoulder, providing me with the additional energy I needed to infuse the pill furnace with. She truly was the best assistant I could ask for.

As the process neared completion, a serene calm settled within me. The frenetic energy of the previous attempt had given way to a focused determination, a single-minded pursuit of innovation and excellence.

Finally, as the flames subsided, a radiant powder lay within the furnace, a testament to the fusion of old and new.

Elder Zhu approached, his eyes reflecting the vibrant glow of the creation before us. He lifted a pinch of the powder, and put it to his mouth.

A deep silence engulfed us as Elder Zhu closed his eyes to taste the powder fully. Moments felt like eternity as I waited, a mix of anticipation and nervousness churning in my chest. His face, usually a mask of calmness and wisdom, showed a flicker of something - surprise, realization.

Then, he opened his eyes, the depths of them reflecting a sea of twinkling stars, an expanse of newfound wonder and respect. "This... This is stronger than the original recipe," he finally uttered, his voice carrying an undertone of amazement.

I felt a rush of exhilaration, yet I steadied my breath, maintaining a humble posture. Elder Zhu took a step closer, his picking up the ginger which had its essence taken. "That skill...you took the ginger's energy. Tell me, Kai, how did you achieve this?"

How do I explain this? A natural ability of mine? A gift from the Heavenly Interface? I swallowed down my anxieties.

I met his gaze, the comforting heat of the furnace warming my back as I spoke, "Through the Heavenly Interface. My skill in Herbalism had reached it's peak, giving me knowledge on how to utilize and extract a plant's essence."

His eyebrows twitched visibly, a clear sign of his inner turmoil. He was likely new to the concept of the Heavenly Interface. I don't know how the others dealt with it, but it was clear people were still trying to figure out it's purpose in day-to-day life.

He cleared his throat, seemingly trying to regain his usual composure. "The Heavenly Interface, you say?" He murmured, the curiosity evident in his tone. He was clearly shaken, though doing his utmost to remain the wise and grounded elder I knew him to be.

"Yes," I explained, my voice steady, imbued with the confidence of my newfound skills. "But is this essence extraction skill a rarity? I figured it was something that most cultivators would know how to do after some time."

He seemed lost in thought for a moment, as if grappling with a monumental realization. Then, with a brisk nod, he returned to his authoritative, elder self, yet with a newfound glint of respect in his eyes. "I'll have to see if there are instances in the past. But yes, Kai. Your ability to utilize a plant's essence is a rarity. This is a significant achievement."

I nodded, a warm glow of pride settling within me. He asked me a variety of technical questions, from how I used it, to the effects on the plants. He also asked me about my usage of essences in my products.

Suddenly, as if remembering a pressing engagement, Elder Zhu hurriedly scooped up a significant portion of the radiant powder and secured it carefully in a small, ornate container. "Go and rest, young one," he said, his voice carrying a tinge of urgency. "You have given me much to ponder upon."

With a speed that belies his age, he left me alone in the laboratory with Tianyi.

"Come on, let's get going." I called out to her. Her wings glimmered as we left the area and headed down into the lobby of the alchemy pavilion. A couple hours had passed, and there were only a few people left inside. Most of them were engrossed in whatever they were doing, but a couple sneaked curious glances at me and Tianyi.

I left the pavilion and closed the door behind me, taking a deep breath and enjoying fresh air. I looked over the horizon with a small smile. Several disciples roamed freely, but Feng Wu was nowhere to be seen.

"Where the hell am I supposed to go?"

Damn it, Feng Wu. You were supposed to give me a tour of the sect.