Kai sat cross-legged on his meditation cushion, his eyes fixed on the glowing blue window floating before him. The scroll he'd purchased from the Alchemist Pavilion lay unfurled on the table nearby.

Basic Novice Alchemy Guide acquired. Would you like to learn the skills?

Kai's lips curved into a small smile. This is it. The first step towards becoming an alchemist. With this, I can start producing pills for the guild and generate some much-needed income.

"Yes.”

The moment the word left his lips, Kai felt a rush of information flood his mind. It was like drinking from a firehose of knowledge - theories, techniques, and practices all poured into his consciousness at once. He closed his eyes, letting the information settle.

When he opened them again, five new windows had appeared before him:

New Skill Acquired: Essence Extraction (Level 1)

Description: The foundational technique for drawing out the purest essence from herbs, minerals, and other materials.

New Skill Acquired: Elemental Fusion (Level 1)

Description: A technique for combining different elemental properties in concoctions, creating more potent and complex effects.

New Skill Acquired: Qi Infusion (Level 1)

Description: The art of imbuing creations with Qi, enhancing their potency and allowing for the creation of cultivation aids.

New Skill Acquired: Stability Control (Level 1)

Description: A vital technique for preventing concoctions from becoming unstable or explosive during the creation process.

New Skill Acquired: Spiritual Resonance (Level 1)

Description: An advanced technique for attuning creations to specific spiritual frequencies, creating pills and elixirs tailored to individual cultivators or cultivation methods.

Kai's eyes scanned over each skill, his mind already working to process and categorize the information. Five skills, each essential for alchemy. I'll need to practice them all if I want to pass that exam in three days.

He stood up, stretching his arms above his head. Let's start with the basics. Essence Extraction seems like the logical first step.

Kai held out his hand, focusing on the newly acquired knowledge of Essence Extraction. He closed his eyes, visualizing the process as described in the skill's information.

Okay, so the first step is to gather Qi in my palm, he thought, concentrating on drawing his spiritual energy to his hand. A faint blue glow appeared around his fingers. Good. Now, I need to shape it into a sort of... spiritual sieve.

He focused on molding the Qi, trying to form it into a net-like structure. The blue energy flickered and wavered, struggling to hold its shape.

This is harder than I thought, Kai mused, his brow furrowing in concentration. It's like trying to weave with electricity.

After several minutes of intense focus, Kai managed to form a crude, unstable net of Qi in his palm. He opened his eyes, studying his handiwork.

"Not perfect," he muttered, "but it's a start."

He reached for a nearby cup of water, deciding to practice on something simple. Holding the Qi net over the cup, Kai attempted to 'extract' the essence of the water.

To his surprise, a few droplets of water actually rose from the cup, suspended in his Qi net. They seemed... different somehow. Clearer, more vibrant.

Is this... pure water essence? Kai wondered, studying the droplets closely. It looks more... concentrated somehow.

The effort of maintaining the Qi net was starting to strain him, and after a few more seconds, his concentration slipped. The net dissipated, and the water droplets fell back into the cup with a small splash.

Kai let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Well, that was... interesting."

He glanced at the cup of water, then around his room. I should probably practice this more, but without proper materials, there's only so much I can do. Let's move on to the next skill.

Kai turned his attention to Elemental Fusion. This skill seemed more complex, requiring the manipulation of different elemental energies.

Okay, so for this one, I need to gather two different types of elemental Qi and combine them, Kai thought, recalling the information from the skill description. I have no idea how to even sense chaos qi so I can forget about that for now. I can already manipulate lightning and wind to some degree, so let's start with those.

He held out both hands, concentrating on gathering lightning Qi in his right hand and wind Qi in his left. It took several minutes of intense focus, but eventually, small sparks danced in his right palm while a tiny whirlwind formed in his left.

Now for the tricky part, Kai thought, slowly bringing his hands together. I need to merge these without letting them cancel each other out.

As his hands drew closer, Kai could feel the energies resisting each other. The sparks crackled and the wind swirled more violently, both threatening to dissipate.

Come on, Kai urged, gritting his teeth. Mix, damn it!

For a brief moment, the lightning and wind energies touched, creating a swirling vortex of electrified air between his palms. Then, with a small 'pop', both energies vanished, leaving Kai's hands empty.

"Damn," Kai muttered, shaking out his hands. "That's harder than it looks."

He took a deep breath, centering himself. Okay, let's try again. Maybe if I start with smaller amounts of each element...

Kai spent the next hour practicing Elemental Fusion, gradually making progress. By the end, he could maintain a small orb of swirling lightning and wind for a few seconds before it destabilized.

"Two down, three to go," Kai said to himself, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. The constant manipulation of Qi was starting to tire him out, but he pressed on. He had already realised that these skills could be used for more than just alchemy, perhaps in the future he could create his own techniques, especially if he involved his Qi Condensation skill.

Shaking his head, Kai turned to the technique next on the list, Qi Infusion. This skill seemed more straightforward, at least in theory.

So, I need to imbue an object with my Qi, enhancing its properties, Kai mused, looking around his room for a suitable target. His eyes fell on a small rock sitting on his windowsill.

Kai picked up the rock, turning it over in his hand. This should work. Now, how do I go about infusing it with Qi?

He closed his eyes, focusing on the flow of energy within his body. Slowly, carefully, he directed a stream of Qi towards his hand, willing it to seep into the rock.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. The rock remained cool and inert in his palm. But as Kai continued to pour Qi into it, he felt a subtle change. The stone grew warmer, and he could sense a faint vibration emanating from it.

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Kai opened his eyes, studying the rock closely. To his amazement, it was glowing faintly with a blue light - the color of his Qi.

"It worked," he breathed, a smile spreading across his face. "I actually did it!"

The glow faded after a few moments, but Kai could still feel a residual energy in the stone. I wonder how long the infusion lasts? And what exactly did it do to the rock? Something to experiment with later, I suppose.

Setting the rock aside, Kai turned his attention to the next skill: Stability Control. This one seemed particularly important, especially given the volatile nature of alchemical concoctions.

Okay, so this is about maintaining balance in a mixture of energies or elements, Kai thought, recalling the skill description. But how do I practice that without actual ingredients?

After a moment's consideration, Kai decided to improvise. He gathered his lightning and wind Qi, holding them separately in his mind.

Now, I need to bring these together without letting either element overpower the other, he thought, slowly beginning to merge the energies.

It was like trying to balance on a tightrope while juggling. Each element seemed to have a mind of its own, constantly trying to expand and consume the other. Kai's brow furrowed in concentration as he struggled to keep them in check.

For a brief moment, he managed to achieve a perfect balance - a swirling sphere of lightning and wind, each element distinct yet harmonious. Then, with a soft 'whoosh', the sphere collapsed, the energies dissipating into the air.

Kai let out a long breath, feeling drained. "That... was intense."

Despite his fatigue, Kai felt a sense of accomplishment. Four out of five. Just one more to go.

The final skill, Spiritual Resonance, seemed to be the most advanced of the set. Kai read over the description again, trying to wrap his head around the concept.

Attuning creations to specific spiritual frequencies... how am I supposed to practice that? he wondered, scratching his head.

After some thought, Kai decided to try a meditation exercise. He sat back down on his cushion, closing his eyes and focusing on his own spiritual energy.

If I can attune something to my own frequency, that would be a start.

Kai began by observing the flow of Qi through his body, paying close attention to its rhythm and vibration. It was like listening to a song only he could hear, a unique melody that defined his spiritual essence.

Once he felt he had a good grasp on his own frequency, Kai reached for the Qi-infused rock he had created earlier. Holding it in his hand, he tried to align its energy with his own.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. The rock's energy remained distinct, out of sync with Kai's own Qi. But as he continued to focus, pouring his concentration into the task, he felt a subtle shift.

The rock's energy began to pulse in time with his own, its frequency gradually aligning with Kai's spiritual essence. It was a strange sensation, like finding perfect harmony in a duet.

Kai opened his eyes, looking down at the rock in wonder. It wasn't glowing this time, but he could feel a deep connection to it, as if it had become an extension of himself.

"Incredible," Kai murmured, turning the rock over in his hand. "If this works with actual pills..."

He trailed off, his mind racing with potential applications. Custom-tailored pills, elixirs attuned to specific cultivation methods, maybe even...

Kai's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He quickly set the rock aside and stood up.

"Come in," he called out.

The door opened, revealing Chen Wei. The young disciple bowed deeply.

"Senior Brother," Chen Wei said, "I've returned from the mission. We... encountered some difficulties, but we were successful."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Difficulties? What happened?"

Chen Wei hesitated for a moment, then launched into a detailed account of their encounter with Yu Fen and his group, as well as the timely intervention of Lin Yue.

As Chen Wei spoke, Kai's expression remained calm, but his mind was working overtime.

So, there's an Inner Disciple running some kind of operation outside the sect. And he's interested in me. This could be either a problem or an opportunity.

When Chen Wei finished his report, Kai nodded slowly. "You both did well, Chen Wei. Especially in a difficult situation. Did you manage to secure the materials?"

Chen Wei's face brightened. "Yes, Senior Brother! In fact, thanks to Lin Yue's intervention, we got an even better deal. We have enough materials to make 25 Qi Gathering pills."

"Excellent work," Kai said, allowing a small smile to cross his face. "Both you and Zhi-Zhi."

Chen Wei beamed at the praise. "Thank you, Senior Brother. What would you like us to do next?"

Kai considered for a moment. "For now, hand me the materials. I'll need to rent a practice room at the Alchemist Pavilion to actually create the pills. In the meantime, I want you to gather more information on this Lin Yue. Be discreet about it."

"Of course, Senior Brother," Chen Wei said with a bow as he turned to leave, Kai called out, "Oh, and Chen Wei?"

The young disciple paused at the door. "Yes, Senior Brother?"

"Good job handling yourself in that fight. Keep up with your training."

Chen Wei's face lit up with pride. "Thank you, Senior Brother! I will!"

As the door closed behind Chen Wei, Kai let out a long breath. Things are moving faster than I anticipated. I need to master these alchemy skills quickly if I'm going to keep up.

He picked up the Qi-infused rock again, turning it over in his hand. I wonder...

Kai focused on the rock, trying to combine several of the skills he had just learned. He began by extracting the essence of the stone, then attempted to infuse it with a fusion of lightning and wind Qi. As he worked, he kept a tight control on the stability of the energies, all while trying to attune the whole process to his own spiritual frequency.

It was like trying to solve five complex puzzles simultaneously while juggling electrified torches. Sweat beaded on Kai's brow as he poured all his concentration into the task.

For a brief, shining moment, it all came together. The rock in his hand began to crackle with inner lightning, its very essence seeming to resonate with Kai's own energy. He could feel the perfect balance of elements within it.

Then, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed. The crackling faded, and Kai was left holding what appeared to be an ordinary rock once more.

He let out a long, slow breath. "Well... that was something."

Skill: Essence Extraction has reached level 2!

Skill: Elemental Fusion has reached level 2!

Skill: Qi Infusion has reached level 2!

Skill: Stability Control has reached level 2!

Skill: Spiritual Resonance has reached level 2!

You have gained 500 XP!

Kai's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "All at once? I guess combining the techniques paid off."