12. Alchemy III
After the trade, Kesh’a’ left in a hurry leaving Clay like a child lost at a busy crowded market. He was then brought to an Alchemy apprentice discussion area where Alchemist Agda is busy setting up three translucent recording crystals on the nearby seats.
Meanwhile, Clay blankly stared at the cauldrons scattered evenly within the spacious room.
When he stepped inside, he thought he entered a lecture hall from back on earth and if not of those huge pots with weird hieroglyphic markings, he would suspect he entered a historic school in London.
“Come here.”
Clay’s thoughts were distracted when Agda called him. He is in disbelief as the light bulbs illuminating the area looks no different from a florescent lights during his previous life and he is bewildered by how it runs without electricity.
“Manifest your flame for me.”
Clay was dumbfounded and with a clueless face, he looked at Agda.
At the same time, Alchemist Agda was not surprised then casually lifted his palm and materialized a bluish flame above his hand.
"Concentrate on an image of a flame to conjure your essence flame.” Agda already expected that Clay will not learn anything but since it is being recorded, he wanted to make sure his approach will not be questioned later.
Clay did not know how conjuring works but when he opened his palm and closed his eyes, he looked into his dantian where the wiggling flame is peacefully resting.
*Swish!
Clay only formed a mental image of a flame in an attempt to imitate Agda but he was startled when he felt a warm mass of energy that suddenly appeared above his hand.
"Good. Now, watch closely.” Agda saw how Clay scared himself but continued anyway. “Be assured there is a recording crystal set up. I will go ahead show you the basics of medicine essence extraction and pill concoction.”
Agda took a six-inch viridescent Tiger Grass lying on his side then summoned his Essence Flame to cover the grass turning into charred dust leaving behind a liquid the size of a candy.
"This is a simple essence extraction. You just need to engulf the ingredients with your Flame until its liquid essence is separated. Regardless of the type of herbs, they all share the same principle." Agda stopped and allowed the liquid to drop.
“I will show you how a Qi Sensing Pill is concocted.” Agda then summoned two ingredients of the first Qi Sensing Pill and like how he covered the first herb with his flame, he is now simultaneously extracting the essences of three ingredients.
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A minute later, Agda successfully separated the three droplets of liquid from each herb then purposely made them afloat for Clay see then after a few seconds, he slowly brought them together at the center to mix together.
Clay curiously watched every step Agda is showing him. Everything is new to him and there are goose bumps all over his body as it felt like watching a con man performing magic and seduce him with a candy but nevertheless, he concentrated.
When the three essences were combined, vapor continued to be ejected creating a sweet fragrance flowing and filling up the room and right about five minutes, the circular liquid became smaller then slowly solidified to the size of small black candy.
"This is a Qi Sensing Pill at probably less than 3 percent efficacy. The dark color indicates impurities. This impurity can easily be removed by having a good flame and control. Control is not easily accomplished that's why we use Cauldrons."
Agda then opened the cauldron to his side then placed a set of ingredient then put back the lid.
"I will do the same thing you saw earlier however this time, inside this cauldron."
Clay did not utter word. He thought Alchemy would be a complicated profession but Agda’s explanation made it sound like child’s play. It was straightforward and contrary to his expectations, there is no measurement required. It seems all he needed to do is learn how to summon and control his Essence Flame.
After around ten minutes, Agda opened the lid and retrieved a familiar pill, a round candy with a white hue at the top and bottom of the pill which is exactly what he had eaten to break through to Qi Condensation.
“This is around 30 percent quality. You can technically make it a 40 percent quality but it is very tedious. All that you need to do it purify it longer with you Essence Flame to further remove its impurities.”
Alchemist Agda put the pill inside a bottle and place it to the side and took out another set of ingredients.
"This time let me show you how Body Reinforcement Pill is concocted." After sniffing the herbs, Agda summoned for 5 sets of flame to simultaneously extract the ingredients.
"The process is the same. The only difference is the amount of herbs and endurance.”
For Clay who is attentively observing from the side, time felt like it has stopped but for Agda who had countless experience refining pills, he just blinked ten times then another pill is produced.
“This is a Low-Tier Body Reinforcement Pill created using Earth class ingredient. We use term Earth Class because the amount of essences that can be extracted can barely form a pill. Now Heaven Class Ingredients on the other hand can produce more essences and depending on the quality of your Essence Flame and skills, you can refine two to three pills out of it. Let me demonstrate.”
After another thirty minutes, Alchemist Agda showed how 2 pills concocted from Heaven Class Ingredients marking the end of their lesson.
Clay lamented on how everything transpired too quickly. Had his master Kesh’a not extravagantly used up all his tuition, he probably had been tutored properly. He is confident he understood the process but he knew that this simplistic demonstration is not as simple as Agda had presented.
“Go to the counter and asked them Earth Class Ingredients one hundred sets of ingredients for Qi Sensing Pill, and 50 sets ingredients each for Qi-Sensing Pill, Qi Enhancement Pill, Body Reinforcement Pill, and Advanced Reinforcement Pill. And leave immediately when you get the items. This place has little tolerance for slaves like you.”
Clay clenched his teeth when he heard the word “slave”. Once again he was reminded how cruel this world was. He just hopes that he will be able to prove his worth before being discarded.