The Other Competition

The realization struck Alex like a hammer on an anvil. The clear understanding that he wasn't just missing 4 ingredients, but rather all ingredients meant that he needed to gather the rest.

They weren't going to hand over said ingredients, so he would have to get it himself.

Could he ask his master for them… or was that going to be out of the question soon enough as well?

"You seem worried, brother," Aethersage said. "Don't be. They truly cannot check what is inside our Soul Space. I've checked it properly. It's just a formation plate and there are no Qi lines here."

Alex shook his head. "That is not what I'm worried about," he said and quickly explained his understanding of the situation.

Aethersage heard that and his eyes round as saucers. "What do you mean we can't use our own ingredients? Where else are we supposed to find the ingredients in this secret realm?"