Chapter 7: Young Alchemist
Water beads on the leaves were dripping, and the smell of the soil wafting with a fresh and fragrant atmosphere filled the village. Merchants began tidying up their canopies, some people were seen coming out of their houses to continue their stalled activities.
The black clouds with flashes of lightning were now moving south, replaced by the sunlight that had turned reddish mixed with violet, signaling that night would soon fall. Wu Xinran dressed in vibrant red, came out of the wood-and-stone house, accompanied by a black-haired man.
"Until we meet again, Lin Zhihao," she uttered after rising from her bow, the rattan basket in her both hands at the front.
"Yeah, I'll wait since then," he extended his hand, offering a two-finger salute-like motion. "Take care and train hard!"
Xinran chuckled at his encouragement. "Thank you," she couldn't conceal her blushing face, responding to Zhihao's words. "You too, I hope everything is going well on your end!"
The woman, who had spent less than half a day with him, managed to leave a lasting imprint on his heart. The way she spoke and expressed appreciation for his actions immediately tightened and warmed his chest. A particularly memorable one was the massage.
He remained fixated on Xinran, who slowly vanished behind the building. His attention abruptly shifted as a man tapped his shoulder from behind. The lanky figure had a simple appearance, and looked older with a wrinkled face and bleached hair, surprising him with the unexpected contact.
"Zhihao, do you still have that potion?" he asked which caused Zhihao to furrow his brows.
"Um... which one?" the man looked confused, completely lost.
"The usual one, stamina booster, or some kind like that," he turned to the other side, feeling strange. "Are you still closed?"
"Oh, no, no," he hurriedly stepped inside. "I forgot to open it. Wait a minute, should be fast."
While he was inside the house, Zhihao tried his hardest to recall the memories he had seen after being teleported here. Everything was so short containing crucial information for him. Such as this customer that he remembered stopping by to purchase the same tonic many times.
[You have a Mission!]
[Serve the Order: Vigorous Elixir!
Make elixir for the loyal customer.
Reward:
Profession EXP: 250
Skill Unlocked: Pureness (1/3)]
"Alright, first customer on the wait!" Encouraging himself, Zhihao, armed with the knowledge in his notebook and remembrance, quickly opened the shop and made the concoction by mixing several liquids in the cauldron.
The buyer sat on a high chair, able to see how the alchemist was doing. "Who was that woman before, eh? She seemed not from here."
Zhihao, not turning his head at all and focused on his work, replied, "Yes, she is here to train some martial arts, that's what she said."
"Oh, I see," he responded, as if thinking of something. "No wonder I've seen her on several occasions. Jinsao School is attracting many students from outside the village these days."
The alchemist simply cleared his throat in his preoccupation. "Then, its reputation is no joke, is it?" he concluded, stirring the steamy liquid inside the black cauldron.
"Indeed, I've heard the school has recognition from a certain sect," he spoke, hands resting on the bar as he absorbed the surroundings, relishing the fresh air. "They accept various races too."
"Splendid, they don't limit themselves to humans," Zhihao raised the liquid, strained it through a simple filter, and poured it into a bottle filled with the reddish concoction. "Is it exclusively focused on martial arts?"
"Yeah, it's internal martial arts," the thin man turned to Zhihao who had almost finished making him a potion. "Different from what we know in common."
[Serve the Order: Vigorous Elixir!]
[Mission Completed!]
Reward:
Profession EXP: 250
Skill Unlocked: Pureness (1/3)]
Benefits: (Have the chance to completely erase the negative effect) Reduce the negative effect a little bit.
Reduce limit: 1 negative effect.]
Zhihao beamed, smiling at the notification. "So when I maxed it out, I can remove three negative effects at once? This is flawless!" he mumbled and started to seal the bottle with wood.
"You know the difference?" the alchemist then put the elixir into the hemp sack, giving it to the man he remembered as Jiuha.
"Of course, it is lighter than the regular one," he accepted his order and began to reach into his satchel. "It's so weak if you ask me."
"How?" Zhihao was now watching him from inside the store, curious.
"Well, from their training alone it is soft," he handed over five bronze coins. "No speed, no strength, and no combat."
"Must be a completely different objective," the black-haired man in top knots replied.
"Who knows," Jiuha moved from his seat. "Thanks for the medicine!"
Zhihao nodded, responding, "Yeah, come back again!"
After he watched the man disappear, Zhihao went back inside, enthusiastic to experiment. "Alright, hand me some missions, I'm eager to learn!" he exclaimed.
[You have a several Mission!]
[Prepare some of the Elixir!
Fill the stock:
Stamina Potion (1/3)
Recovery Potion (1/3)
Fever Potion (1/3)
Reward
Profession EXP: 750
Skill Unlocked: None]
"Alright, this is where the excitement begins!" Zhihao carried out the task, picking up some materials after reading his notebook.
The man was able to deftly organize some elixirs because, in the earlier world, he was used to this. One by one he began to complete his mission, placing the elixirs in the categorized cabinet. Neatness was a must for him, and, fortunately, Zhihao seemed to share the same trait.
After a few hours, Zhihao wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Phew, one more potion," he refilled the cauldron with water, reheating it as a customer paid a visit. "How can I assist?"
"Do you have a fever potion?" the mother inquired, casting a glance at her son next door. "This unruly child has been in the rain for too long."
Zhihao observed the child, offering a slight smile. "One moment, ma'am!" He turned around, grabbing his white concoction. "Here's what you need. I'll jot down the recipe, but first, I'd like some details about your child's condition."
After the mother shared her child's information, Zhihao, consulting his notebook, carefully noted the appropriate recipe. "Alright, make sure he follows the instructions when taking the elixir. Wishing the little one a speedy recovery!"
"Thank you, young alchemist," she said and handed over some bronze coins. They left and the sky had turned night, lights established in the corners of the house and the road until he noticed that someone had entered from the front door.
"I'm home!" the voice resonated throughout the room, making Zhihao cautiously check the living room.
To his surprise, he found an adult-looking woman, wearing a tanned tunic with red-colored hair tied to her back. Her height is a little bit shorter than Zhihao and had a voluptuous body from the tight clothing that accentuates her curves.
Noticing Zhihao, she turned her head, smiling very sweetly. "Many customers today?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone