Legacy of Hatred

That silent response almost made the Alchemy Elder pensive and slightly regretful.

Liam wasn’t the talkative type, but his expressions were louder than words. The Elder had even instinctively prepared himself for a blinding smile that could thug at his heartstrings at the announcement.

However, Liam’s response had been inexpressive, almost mature. Whatever mad fire the Elder’s discovery of the ten spiritual roots had lit up inside his disciple had affected his behavior, making him more of a man than a kid.

That, or Liam was too exhausted to emote at all.

"Refill your body," The Alchemy Elder ordered. "It’s still early, so we’ll perform the first test tonight."

Liam immediately complied, sitting down and arranging his pipe. As black smoke entered and left his lungs, he could feel some of his exhaustion washed away, as well as some strain.

The strain wasn’t really physical, but it was undoubtedly real. It was nothing compared to what the attempted breakthrough had caused, but Liam knew it had the same nature.

The glass-like structure that represented Liam’s dantian had been under constant pressure in the last period, and he felt the strain. It wasn’t really an injury, but more of an annoying, constant fatigue.

Nevertheless, nothing was at risk of breaking or becoming permanently more brittle. In a way, Liam even saw that effort as what he was doing with his body.

Liam could stand on a higher threshold that only he could reach, and that applied to his dantian, too. He would push himself until he risked breaking, but didn’t. That was the best way to make use of his greater gifts and live up to the Master who had accepted him despite his secret.

"Though the timing is fortuitous," The Alchemy Elder announced. "The recruitment period will start soon, and I’m sure you’ll be drafted to manage it."

"Recruitment-?" Liam muttered before his tired eyes lit up in understanding.

Liam hadn’t cared about the passage of time, but he had seen it. After all, he always spent his mornings and afternoons outside, training with Melissa and the Disciplinary Elder.

Autumn had long since come. Actually, it was almost time for winter to take over. That period was exactly when the Recruiters Guild sent its envoys to test whether children had the potential to become cultivators.

That was what had happened to Krosstoen village, too, and Liam had been part of it one year ago.

’One year,’ Liam thought, his gaze growing distant as black smoke rose from his mouth.

Liam hadn’t exactly joined the Pale Moon Sect one year ago, but he had become a cultivator at that time. Of course, he hadn’t known back then, but ignorance didn’t care for factuality.

’I’ve been a cultivator for one year,’ Liam accepted.

It was unfathomable how much had changed in that time. Liam’s greatest preoccupation would have been his next meal back then, but everything was loftier and grander now.

Liam’s home had been a mountain back then, but he lived in a literal magical castle now, surrounded by items and resources that could feed mortals for entire lifetimes.

Liam hunted animals back then. Meanwhile, his target was on stronger cultivators and magical beasts now, since only they could provide financial victories.

Naturally, what had changed the most had been Liam himself, and it wasn’t just about the beginning of his desired revenge. Life had gained a wider, deeper meaning in his mind, and the same went for the very world.

Liam was an almost completely different person living in a definitely completely different world. He had shed his mortal shell behind, being reborn as a true cultivator who only dealt with matters of that superior state of existence.

And now, one year after the beginning of that journey, Liam was finally ready to take the step that would push him to even greater heights, leaving mortals further behind.

The previous failure to overcome the bottleneck would have normally left a sense of uncertainty in the whole matter, but Liam didn’t experience anything of the sort.

The Alchemy Elder now knew everything, and he said that he had found a solution. That was enough for Liam to be certain about the method’s viability. After all, his Master was the great Horace Rauret.

"Is there a mission?" Liam asked. "And, Master, why would I get drafted?"

With the Mutate Battlefield’s mission done with, Liam believed the other Sects would leave him alone for a while. Actually, his Master’s performance at the Crimson Warrior Sect probably played a role in that, too.

"Because you are the miraculous genius who can kill stronger cultivators and magical beasts," The Elder snorted. "The Pale Moon Sect won’t miss this chance to show you to the world."

Liam internally groaned. Those politics truly felt like a waste of time, and he really didn’t care for them. Still, that was one of the drawbacks of being in a Sect and depending on it. Liam simply had duties he couldn’t refuse.

’How long do I have?’ Liam wondered. ’A month? A few weeks? Less?’

Ideally, Liam wanted to become a rooting expert as soon as possible, but that would depend on the new alchemical frontier’s difficulty, so his gaze returned to his Master.

The Alchemy Elder read the question behind that look and scoffed, placing the cane on his shoulder while proudly pacing left and right.

"It is time you learned what the great Horace Rauret invented," The Elder declared. "I call this method compound concoctions, and its applications are obviously revolutionary."

Despite the usual bragging, Liam listened attentively. Honestly, now that he knew more about alchemy, he even believed his Master had reason to brag.

After all, it took peerless mastery to invent a new, workable frontier in a field that had been established for who knew how long.

"The method is deceptively simple," The Elder continued, "But profoundly complex. Truly, experts at my level are often blinded by the greatness of alchemy that we often ignore basic mathematical solutions."

’Didn’t Master say this the last time already?’ Liam couldn’t help but wonder, but different words escaped his mouth. "Master, did you solve my problem through math?"

"Of course," The Elder exclaimed, stopping and pointing his cane at Liam. "You lack the Qi for a rank 2 concoction. You have enough of it to either make the Boar’s Touch or refine a rank 2 ingredient, so how can you concoct both simultaneously?"

Liam puffed from his pipe but remained silent. He knew spirit stones were involved somehow, but that clue didn’t bring him any closer to the truth.

"You use two cauldrons at the same time!" The Elder cried, waving his hand, making a rank 1 cauldron magically appear at his feet.

The Elder lifted his head in pride, ready to be showered by praises deserving of his genius idea, only for him to peek down at Liam and see the bright, excited smile he had expected to witness earlier.

"Master!" Liam gasped. "Do you have a ring-pou ... I mean, a space-ring?"

At once, the Elder knew that his disciple had still some maturing to do.