Chapter 24: Time to get serious again.
Inside Chamber Thirty-Five of the Apothecary Complex, John sat cross-legged on the sturdy stone chair, his brow furrowed in concentration.
The manual of Basic Flame Control lay open before him, its aged pages slightly curled at the corners, filled with complex symbols and meticulous annotations written by previous alchemists who had studied from it.
The chamber was quiet except for the soft hum of the spirit lamp hanging above, casting a golden hue over the table.
The heavy iron door behind him sealed him in silence, giving him an uninterrupted sanctuary to focus.
John’s eyes slowly traced each line of the text, absorbing the knowledge like a dry sponge in water.
His hands occasionally moved, forming the basic hand seals described in the book, Ignition Seal, Compression Gesture, Balance Circle, each meant to help the cultivator manipulate the invisible threads of fire element in the air.
"Every alchemist begins with flame control," he muttered, closing the book with a soft thud. "Without it, pill refinement is impossible."
He leaned back and exhaled deeply, letting the new information settle in his mind.
"According to this manual, there are different kinds of flames that can be cultivated, some birthed from spirit roots, others refined from beast cores, and even rarer ones like heavenly tribulation fire or earth-core magma flames," John mused, his voice calm yet focused.
He looked at the flame diagram again and recalled the classifications.
"Flames are divided into tiers... Stone Level, Iron Level, Silver Level, Gold Level, and at the very top, Supreme Level."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.