Alchemy: Meeting a Future Powerhouse?

The morning sun bathed Xian Tian Di's room in a warm glow as he sat cross-legged on his mat, deep in thought.

His mind swirled with memories, both from his past life and the present, as he reflected on the art of alchemy.

"Alchemy," he mused, "the foundation of cultivation civilization, a craft that transforms herbs and materials into life-saving pills, enhancing cultivation or healing the gravest wounds.

Yet, in my past life, I lacked the fire-attributed spiritual root required to practice it. I was bound to arrays, unable to step into this sacred art."

Despite his natural limitation, Xian Tian Di had not let the obstacle deter him.

Before his rebirth, knowing he would return to the past, he spent years mastering alchemy in theory.

Every formula, technique, and principle had been imprinted on his mind.

On paper, he was among the greatest alchemy experts across the realms, yet his hands had never touched a cauldron.

Alchemy, like cultivation, was divided into ranks: Mortal, Profound, Earth, and Heaven. Each rank was further split into low, middle, and high grades.

For example, low-grade Mortal pills catered to Qi Refinement cultivators, while middle-grade ones were suited for Qi Condensation.

High-grade Mortal pills supported Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Peak-grade pills, though still Mortal in rank, achieved a potency that doubled their effectiveness.

"To qualify as an alchemist," Xian Tian Di thought, "one must refine at least three different pills of the same grade successfully."

Satisfied with his contemplation, he rose to his feet. His eyes fell on the spirit stones and gold coins stacked neatly on the table.

It wasn't in a storage ring as Xian Tiandi didn't have the necessary cultivation to use a storage ring yet. Hence, it was always kept in a corner of his room.

But the situation is different now.

Xian Tiandi picked up a storage ring that he had been gifted by the Patriach who believed that he would one day embark on the path of Cultivation.

With a slight move of his Qi he activated it with familiarity and swept all the necessary resources and other things into storage ring.

The patriarch had ensured that Xian Tian Di was provided for, despite his previous inability to cultivate.

His wealth surpassed that of most of his peers, save for his younger sister, Xian Yu, whose unparalleled talent made her the pride of the Xian Clan.

Today, Xian Tian Di decided, he would visit the Alchemy Association's branch in Xianling City. He needed a cauldron and ingredients to begin his alchemical journey.

---

Xianling City, nestled in the fertile plains of the Redleaf Kingdom, was a bustling hub of activity.

The Xian Clan held significant influence here and could be said to be the most powerful, but they were not the only power. Other prominent clans, like the Fang and the Zhou, competed for dominance.

Beyond the clans, sects like the Verdant Flame Sect and the Iron Mountain Sect scouted for talented cultivators within the city.

Xian Yu was already renowned as Xianling City's brightest star, but the Fang Clan's young prodigy, Fang Bai, was also celebrated.

Having joined the Verdant Flame Sect, Fang Bai's fiery techniques were the talk of the city.

As Xian Tian Di walked through the lively streets, his thoughts wandered to the larger powers in the Redleaf Kingdom.

He knew this kingdom was but a fragment of the vast cultivation world, but for now, it was his stage.

---

On his way to the Alchemy Association, Xian Tian Di stumbled upon a commotion.

A young woman, clad in tattered clothes and veiled, knelt on the ground, her voice hoarse from pleading.

"Please, I beg you," she cried.

"My brother was bitten by a venomous serpent. He has only days to live. If you could lend me a pill, I will repay you!"

Before her stood a young man, his smug expression exuding arrogance.

He was Zhou Kang, a spoiled scion of the Zhou Clan.

"You? A mere herb gatherer? You have no spirit root, no power. Why should I lend you a precious pill?" Zhou Kang sneered.

Desperation filled the air as the girl trembled, clutching a small pouch of herbs.

Zhou Kang laughed. "If you can fetch me a Fire Spirit Herb from the Redleaf Forest, I might consider it."

Xian Tian Di frowned at the scene. He stepped forward, his presence drawing murmurs from the onlookers.

"Ah, if it isn't the infamous Xian Tian Di," Zhou Kang said mockingly.

"The patriarch's adopted trash. What brings you here?"

Ignoring the taunt, Xian Tian Di turned to the girl. "What is your name?"

The girl hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ying Yue."

Xian Tian Di's eyes widened for a split moment before returning to normal as his mind raced in thought.

'Ying Yue? The same Ying Yue who would one day become the Alchemist Leader of the Origin Universe? This can't be a coincidence, right.'

Ying Yue's rise began in the Red Leaf Kingdom, around the same year he originally awakened his spirit beast in his past life.

Looking at it now, it's possible this is the one but...

'I can't be sure yet,' he thought.

Zhou Kang, annoyed by the lack of attention, barked, "Don't meddle, trash! I've made a deal with her."

Xian Tian Di's gaze sharpened. "A deal born of cruelty is no deal at all."

Fury ignited in Zhou Kang's eyes. "You dare lecture me?"

He lunged at Xian Tian Di, his fist glowing with Qi.

Xian Tian Di sidestepped effortlessly, delivering a precise strike that sent Zhou Kang sprawling and passed out.

*Thud!*

The crowd gasped.

"I thought he had no Cultivation?" someone whispered.

"Maybe the rumors were untrue?"

Zhou Kang's henchmen saw this and charged at him without a second thought, but Xian Tian Di dispatched them with the same ease.

As the dust settled, the onlookers stared in disbelief.

Xian Tiandi looked at them, feeling unimpressed at their lack of ability, then he turned back to Ying Yue.

"Tell me about what happened to your brother, maybe I can help."

Through tears, Ying Yue explained how her brother had been bitten while gathering herbs in the Black Wind Forest. The poison was unlike anything she'd seen before.

Xian Tian Di listened intently, piecing together the details with his vast knowledge. His conclusion was straight forward.

'There's a hidden realm in the Black Wind Forest,' he concluded.

'Is this her fortuitous encounter?' he wondered.