Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

"Sun the Alchemist, do you practice martial arts as well?"

On the road, Cao Yu racked his brains trying to find a topic to discuss, finally blurting out this sentence.

"When traveling outside, it’s always necessary to have some martial arts skills to fend off road thieves... Having some cultivation also facilitates better alchemy, but unfortunately, my qualifications are mediocre, and I’ve been stuck at the Seventh Grade for many years."

Su Mu responded, employing the Small Faceless Transformation Technique to disguise his cultivation at the Seventh Grade Realm, making it normal for the other person to perceive his current cultivation.

"It’s actually not difficult..." Cao Yu had seen many alchemists within the Cyan Fish Gang whose realms had stagnated. After all, human energy is limited, and the gang wouldn’t send alchemists to risk their lives; each alchemist is an important asset to the gang.

Upon hearing Su Mu’s words, Cao Yu quickly captured what Su Mu needed and smiled lightly, saying, "Sun the Alchemist possesses remarkable potential. Once you join the Cyan Fish Gang, the gang will provide elixirs to help you break through the bottleneck; reaching the Middle Third Grade will be within reach."

While speaking, Cao Yu also revealed a hint of envy; he himself was currently at the Sixth Grade Realm and had been stuck there for several years.

Soon, the two arrived at the Cyan Fish Gang.

The East City was adorned with flying eaves and painted walls, and within the sprawling estates, the most striking was a building resembling a treasure ship setting sail upon the waves.

Upon entering the territory of the Cyan Fish Gang, one could see the cyan-colored treasure ship towering nearly nine yards high, with sails engraved with vivid wave patterns and hidden cyan fish motifs.

"This ship bears some resemblance to the Black Whale on the black market..."

As Su Mu marveled at the building before him, he immediately recognized its resemblance to the Black Whale.

"In the past, our Cyan Fish Gang and the White Whale Gang shared a common origin. The founding Gang Leader started with these two treasure ships, sweeping away the river bandits of Donglai. One of these ships was named Cyan Fish, and it’s said that this building is modeled after the original ’Cyan Fish’ ship."

Seeing Su Mu’s amazement, Cao Yu proudly began his introduction.

"I’ll show you around later. First, let me take you to see Master Cang."

Recalling Master Cang’s words yesterday, Cao Yu dared not delay and, after a brief introduction, led Su Mu deeper into the herbal cottage in the courtyard.

It was still early, and along the way, few disciples of the Cyan Fish Gang were visible, yet those who were had cultivation at the Middle Third Grade. A Middle Third Grade individual could establish their own sect in the Qingyun Three Counties.

But here, they were commonplace, revealing the underlying strength of the Cyan Fish Gang as a Great Power of Donglai.

Shortly, under Cao Yu’s guidance, Su Mu reached a secluded herbal cottage in the courtyard.

"Master Cang, I have brought him."

Cao Yu reported respectfully, and soon Su Mu met the former Alchemy Hall Master of the Cyan Fish Gang mentioned by Cao Yu.

"Greetings, Master Cang."

The person in front of him would likely instruct him in alchemy skills; the wise deserve reverence. Su Mu greeted courteously.

"Not bad, although not flamboyant, your appearance is upright, and your aura is remarkable, reminiscent of my youthful days." Zhou Cang carefully scrutinized Su Mu, speaking warmly with a gleam of approval in his eyes.

"Here, take this scroll of pill book back and understand it by yourself... After the assessment over at Qiancao Hall is concluded in a few days, you and others will follow me to refine pills."

"Thank you, Master."

Su Mu accepted the thin scroll of pill book with both hands, slightly surprised after the brief meeting, noting that Master Cang was clearly delighted but hesitated several times to voice something.

The two soon departed from the herbal cottage, and Cao Yu was somewhat unsure about Master Cang’s thoughts. Yesterday, he was visibly delighted, but today, upon seeing Sun Li, he appeared uninterested.

Could it be that he didn’t approve of Sun Li?

"That’s just Master Cang’s temperament; Sun the Alchemist, please don’t mind... I’ll arrange a residence for you."

"I’ll trouble you."

Soon, Cao Yu arranged a residence for Su Mu, a separate courtyard, showing considerable regard, with a few servants waiting in the secluded courtyard.

However, Su Mu ultimately declined the attendants in the courtyard, as he was accustomed to solitude.

"That’s also fine. Sun the Alchemist, if you need anything, feel free to find me at the outer Scripture Pavilion."

"Alright."

Su Mu’s eyes flickered; it seemed Cao Yu’s status within the Cyan Fish Gang was not ordinary, as regular people wouldn’t ordinarily have the privilege of a position like the Scripture Pavilion.

"I wonder how that little girl Li Lu is doing now?"

Unintentionally entering the Cyan Fish Gang, Su Mu couldn’t help but think of Li Lu, whom he entrusted to someone’s care, shaking his head, confident that given the person’s high status in the Cyan Fish Gang, taking care of Li Lu would poses no issue, sparing him from concern.

Even though this courtyard was one of the cyan gang’s serene locations, as noon approached, within the Cyan Fish Gang, the noisy footfalls were still unceasing, more boisterous compared to the Huai’an Square residence.

This cultivation environment slightly discomforted Su Mu, but taking a deep breath, he quickly settled down and opened the scroll in his hand.

The pill book was thin, containing only around twenty pages, without any pill formula names on it.

After a thorough reading, Su Mu appeared puzzled, although his eyes shimmered slightly.

"Curious!"

The pill book given by Master Cang at their meeting certainly deserved those words ’curious.’ Judging by the ink marks, this pill book seemed to have been newly transcribed within a year, or even several months, with contents scattered and unordered.

It recorded two alchemy techniques, yet without a complete pill formula, and even lacked any pill formula names, akin to random notes.

Nonetheless, Su Mu sensed that these fragmented pill formulas and alchemy techniques likely shared a connection with one complete pill formula.

"If my assumption is correct... the complexity of refining this pill far surpasses any pill I’ve previously refined, a Fifth-Grade Elixir? Or an even higher-grade pill?"

"If it all stems from a single high-grade elixir, what intention does Zhou Cang have by giving me a deliberately scrambled pill formula upon meeting?"

"Is it a test for entering the Alchemy Hall?"

Several thoughts surfaced in his mind, but given the limited information, Su Mu didn’t dwell on them further, his eyes returning to the pill book.

Though unclear of Master Cang’s intent, mastering the two techniques on the pill book would certainly enhance his alchemy skills, and notably so.

"There’s no rush."

Su Mu closed the pill book, immediately sitting cross-legged to enter a cultivation state to further absorb the Qi and Blood Pill, considering his current condition of muscles and body.

Currently, he could only exhibit a fraction of his peak strength, but against someone like Cao Yu, an ordinary Sixth-Grade Martial Artist, he remained more than capable.

During cultivation, Su Mu deftly balanced his focus on the sword momentum and the integration in technique inference.

Three days quickly passed in this manner.

On this day, Cao Yu brought along a man and a woman.

"Sun the Alchemist, let me introduce you. Beside me, these two have also passed the assessment as pill masters. This is Shangguan Miao the Alchemist..."

Beside Cao Yu, Shangguan Miao, whom Su Mu had once met and appeared around forty years old, seemed surprised upon seeing him.

"Little brother, we meet again. It turns out you passed the assessment earlier!"

Shangguan Miao immediately stepped forward to greet, his face showing eagerness.

"And this is..."

"Hmph, I am Lu Qi... Even though you passed the assessment earlier, it doesn’t prove anything."

Younger than Shangguan Miao, the young woman in cyan attire, about twenty-five or six, interrupted Cao Yu’s introduction, showing hostility while casting a glance at Su Mu, then gazing towards Su Mu’s separate courtyard with a provocative tone.

"I am Sun Li."

Su Mu remained unfazed, calmly stating his assumed name.

Beside him, having his introduction disrupted, Cao Yu felt slightly gloomy but could do nothing; Lu Qi seemed exceptionally gifted, though arrogant, he dared not offend.

After a brief exchange, Cao Yu led the three to the entrance of the Alchemy Hall.

"This is the Alchemy Hall. Next, disciples from the Alchemy Hall will attend to you three. Master Cang will be here shortly, so I’ll take my leave."

But after Cao Yu departed, no disciple from the Alchemy Hall paid attention to the three, coming and going while leaving Su Mu and the others to stand outside, many even casting hostile glances.

Su Mu frowned slightly, realizing the Cyan Fish Gang seemed unrestful, proving that where there are people, conflict is inevitable, and the Cyan Fish Gang was certainly no exception.