36- Want to bet on this?

Inside the chamber within the Ledal Alchemist Association, exclusively used by Shen Yin, the head of the association, I stood before her, discussing my plans for learning alchemy.

"What is it?" she asked with curiosity.

"Mother Yin, I want to learn and practice alchemy on my own. I prefer not to be disturbed by anyone during my practice. Can you arrange a free alchemy chamber for me where I can work without interruption?" I conveyed my request with a serious tone.

"Why not use my Alchemy chamber for your practice? No one will disturb you there, and I'm here to assist you if you need anything," she suggested, offering her chamber for my use.

"Thank you for your offer, but I wouldn't feel right using your chamber. It's important for an alchemist of your caliber to continue practicing," I explained, declining her offer.

"You don't have to worry about that. I've already set up a pill furnace for you inside my alchemy chamber. That way, we both can practice there," Shen Yin revealed with a smile, ensuring that I had everything I needed for my alchemical endeavors.

As Shen Yin extended her assistance, my thoughts churned with a hint of skepticism. 'Oh, she wants to get close to me like this?' I added it to my mind.

"Your expertise in alchemy is truly awe-inspiring, and I'm grateful to learn alongside someone as knowledgeable as you," I expressed, nodding my head with a slight smile.

"Come with me," Shen Yin invited me to follow her with a smile.

I nodded and followed her. As she led me towards a door, we entered the alchemy chamber. The space was beautifully crafted, though it paled in comparison to the chambers within the LOG treasure's Alchemy Tower. Two pill furnaces were placed on the floor, and I walked towards the one designated for me, settling down in proximity to it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~3rd Person's POV~

As Xu Fang settled down and closed his eyes, he focused on his Qi. Shen Yin observed him as he guided his Qi through his arms. A soft, blue-hued flame emerged from Xu Fang's hands, directed towards the pill furnace to heat it.

'How is that even possible? He nailed channeling Qi into Refining Fire on his first try?' Shen Yin was genuinely surprised by his unexpected skill, pondering his abilities.

'His Qi fire is different, much like my Heavenly Fire.' Shen Yin noted the unique nature of Xu Fang's Qi fire, adding another layer of surprise to her thoughts.

Xu Fang continued to concentrate on heating the pill furnace, aware that Shen Yin was taken aback by his actions. This was all part of his plan to impress her.

After a few minutes, he stopped and turned to Shen Yin, who observed him with a mix of astonishment and curiosity. He stood up, approached her, and asked with a smile.

"Mother Yin, why didn't you practice?" Xu Fang inquired, noticing that Shen Yin hadn't engaged in any alchemical activity.

"Xu Fang, tell me how you managed to put your Qi into Fire on your first try?" Shen Yin couldn't resist her curiosity and asked.

"It's not that hard. I've read a lot about alchemy in the last few months. I just followed what I read in books," Xu Fang said with a serious expression.

"You simply read and tried it based on what you read, succeeding on your first attempt?" Shen Yin questioned, genuinely curious.

"Yeah, is there anything wrong with what I did?" he responded with a serious expression.

"No, it's impressive that you succeeded on your first try. Why not keep heating the pill furnace until you get tired? I want to see your Qi limit," Shen Yin expressed her desire to gauge Xu Fang's Qi limitations.

"Mother Yin, I was thinking the same, but it's a waste of my Qi if I heat the pill furnace without any purpose. I wanted to use the Verdant Vitality Herb and see how many times I could refine it," Xu Fang explained with a smile.

"That's a great idea. Here is the Verdant Vitality Herb. You can use it," Shen Yin said, walking towards the ingredient storage rack fixed on the wall and picking up five of the requested herbs given to Xu Fang.

The Verdant Vitality Herb, a common plant found in forests, boasts heart-shaped leaves of vibrant green and delicate white flowers. While lacking the rare qualities of more advanced ingredients, it serves as an ideal starting point for novice alchemists.

Novice practitioners can use basic techniques in a pill furnace to refine the Verdant Vitality Herb. Once refined, it becomes suitable for minor wound treatment, soothing bruises, and addressing common ailments like headaches and minor fevers. Its benefits are amplified with further refinement.

Xu Fang nodded, accepting the herbs from Shen Yin. Returning to his position in front of the pill furnace, he initiated the heating process. Selecting one Verdant Vitality Herb, he carefully added it to the furnace after opening the lid, proceeding to heat it gradually, as if conducting the process for the first time.

To impress Shen Yin, Xu Fang extracted the essence from the herb. After successful extraction, he intensified the fire's heat for further refinement. Despite being a Tier 2 alchemist, he aimed to conceal his true abilities, displaying the diligence of a beginner.

After thirty minutes, Xu Fang halted the fire, collecting the refined essence from the opened furnace lid. Retrieving a pill bottle from a nearby box, he transferred all the essence into it.

Approaching Shen Yin, who had been attentively observing, Xu Fang handed her the pill bottle, urging her to examine the refined Verdant Vitality Herb.

"Mother Yin, please check the results."

"Already done?" Shen Yin inquired with a smile as she accepted the pill bottle.

He nodded, and she opened the bottle, also retrieving an artifact to test the refined essence. As a drop of the essence fell onto the artifact, Shen Yin's eyes widened in shock at the results.

'He's a genius,' Shen Yin marveled in her mind.

"Mother Yin, what are the results?" Xu Fang inquired about the outcome.

"Brilliant job, Xu Fang. You refined this essence four times in just thirty minutes, and its quality is 90%," Shen Yin praised him, revealing the impressive results.

"90%? It means I have to work harder for higher results," Xu Fang declared with a serious expression.

"What? 90% is already excellent quality. Aren't you satisfied?" Shen Yin asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yes, it's not enough for me. I aim to achieve 100% quality in my pills, which is why I want to work even harder from now on," Xu Fang explained with determination.

"Hahaha... You aspire for flawless quality in your pills?" Shen Yin burst into laughter after hearing Xu Fang's ambitious goal.

"Mother Yin, why are you laughing at me? Is there something wrong with what I said?" Xu Fang inquired, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Don't be upset, Xu Fang. It's just that what you're aiming for is nearly impossible," she explained between laughs.

"Why?"

"Because, I am already forty years old, and my quality of refining is 92%. I've tried various methods to increase it, but achieving 100% quality means flawless perfection. It's only a legend found in books. Those who possess the ability to achieve flawless quality are legendary figures. What you and others aim for these days is considered impossible," Shen Yin clarified, providing context for why Xu Fang's goal might be unattainable.

"What if I achieve flawless quality in the future with my pill refining?" Xu Fang questioned Shen Yin about the possibility of achieving flawless quality.

He had planned for this, deliberately not refining the essence to his full ability, as his refining skills were already at 96%. He only needed to focus on practicing the Pill Refining Master technique to attain flawless quality in pill refining.

"Oh, challenging me, are you? Ready to place a bet?" Shen Yin responded, considering the possibility of a wager.

"Why not? If you want to bet with me, tell me the rules," Xu Fang agreed, curious about the terms of the bet.

"It's simple. If you are unable to achieve flawless quality within the time you set for your adventure, you'll have to be accompanied by the person I choose on your journey," Shen Yin explained with a smile.

"Hahaha… So my mother got you involved in this matter?" Xu Fang chuckled at the thought.

"Yes, anything related to you is important to us. Do you accept the bet?" she inquired.

"Let's do it. But what if I win? What reward will I get?" Xu Fang asked, wondering about his potential reward.

"You can ask for anything you want as your reward," Shen Yin offered, leaving the terms open for Xu Fang to decide.

'Hahaha… now she has taken the bait. I just need to master the Pill Refining Master technique as soon as possible,' Xu Fang thought to himself.

"Deal, but don't forget what you said," he confirmed the bet.

"You don't have to worry; I won't forget it," Shen Yin assured him with a serious expression.

"Mother Yin, you have Heavenly Fire. Can you show me?" Xu Fang asked Shen Yin earnestly.

Shen Yin nodded, extending her hand to summon the light blue color of Heavenly Fire.

"Blue Ocean Fire, ranked 13th on the Heavenly Fire List," Xu Fang remarked in a low tone as he observed the Heavenly Fire on Shen Yin's hand.

"You also know the details of Heavenly Fires?" Shen Yin inquired with curiosity.

"Just a little," Xu Fang replied with a smile, and she nodded.

"I'm going back. See you later," Xu Fang bid farewell with a smile.

"Yeah, you did well. See you later," Shen Yin responded with a satisfied expression.

"But before I go, I want to give you a suggestion. Don't tell others about it. If you win, they'll be happy, but if I win, you might lose face in front of them," Xu Fang advised before leaving the alchemy chamber.

'His suggestion is not bad either,' Shen Yin acknowledged in her mind.