Chapter 95: Gifted Alchemist
The king’s eyes now lingered on Lucas with respect.
He turned to the young man standing quietly at Henrietta’s side and asked with deliberate calm, "How did you do it? How were you able to awaken cultivation in a crippled grandmaster? This is no minor feat, Xavier. This is a miracle... something even the most renowned alchemists of our land would not dare attempt."
Lucas was silent for a moment. He had anticipated this question, but that didn’t make it easier to answer. The truth, the real truth, was that his knowledge came from a time beyond comprehension, the future.
He clasped his hands behind his back and inclined his head slightly in humility, his voice calm and measured when he finally responded. "Your Majesty, it is the result of my personal research. I have spent months studying the intricacies of alchemy, refining methods and formulas. I’ve always been... drawn to the hidden possibilities of the art. Some say alchemy is merely the combination of herbs, runes and heat, but I believe it’s more than that. I believe alchemy can speak to the soul... if the alchemist listens closely enough."
The chamber fell into a moment of thoughtful silence. The King regarded him carefully, his expression unreadable for a heartbeat, and then he let out a breath of quiet amazement.
"I have seen many gifted alchemists in my lifetime," he said slowly, "but not one of them has ever come close to something like this. Restoring crippled meridians, healing something that was believed permanently lost, it is beyond the boundaries of what we considered possible. And yet here stands a boy, no older than my own son, achieving the impossible."
His voice lifted slightly as he rose from his throne, eyes fixed on Lucas with open admiration.
"You are not just a talented young man, Xavier. You are a treasure, revelation, and Valerion would be a fool to keep you hidden away. From this day forward, you will attend the Alchemic Conclaves, meetings of the great masters of the art, where the minds of the kingdom’s finest gather to discuss the future of medicine, cultivation, and advancement."
Lucas blinked, caught between pride and surprise. He hadn’t expected that. The Alchemic Conclaves were spoken of in high reverence. They were places of restricted entry, often hidden from the public eye, reserved for men and women who had dedicated their lives to alchemy and reached unparalleled mastery.
"To have someone like you among them," the King continued, "will not only bring a new light to our efforts in cultivation and defense... it will inspire the next generation. You are already more than promising, Xavier. You are proof that Valerion still births greatness."