With the situation dealt with, they shared the spirit stones, even though Yusa looked like crying, Krune still got the most of it. A total of Five Thousand Rank Three low-quality spirit stones. Without him, they would probably be dead after all. The fact that the Solie Clan came for him isn't his fault too. Ao then got the second-highest amount, three thousand, and finally, Yusa got two thousand.
The reason that Ao got more was so that he could share his spirit stones with his group. They also helped, so they deserve it. In the end, Ao would be the one with less because of this.
Right after the share was done, Yusa disappeared like smoke. As to where she went, no one knows. Ao went back in the direction of Katiu Forest. He wanted to meet with his group on the way and help then arrive safely at Kaley City.
As for Krune, he was invited by supervisor Lu to go through the procedures to make an ID. After taking his name and a bunch of other information, his ID was made in the place. He couldn't help but feel depressed when he looked at his picture on the monitor. He can't use anything to cover his face or head during that time, so his rainbow hair was appearing for all to see.
He then went out to take a look at the city since this is the first time he enters one after all. The more he knows, the better it is.
The City of Kaley could be said to be small compared with other cities on the continent. Still, as the last stop before the Katiu Forest, it received cultivators of the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment all year long. It wasn't very modern, but it still had the technology, and Krune had paid attention to the various gadgets when he first entered. But because they were in a hurry, he didn't have time to look at them.
Yusa told him that he should buy a communicator, which will make things easier for them later when they need to talk. Krune had seen wisp hunters using them before, but it was his first time acquiring one. He then found a shop that seemed to be specialized in those things and entered.
An hour later, he left with the communicator... and a bunch of other products.
'Why do I feel like I bought a lot of things I don't need?'
He couldn't be blamed, it was as if his forehead had the worlds 'country bumpkin' written on it. The attendants looked at him like wolves looking at prey. In the end, poor Krune was forced to buy a lot of stuff he didn't have use for. Fortunately, those were non-cultivator items, so he only used gold and silver to pay for them.
The more Krune walked into shops, the bigger the number of useless things he got. Poor Krune was even dragged into a sex shop, and he found a lot of 'tools' with weird names. The attendant kept using 'keywords' while describing their utilities for him. Krune wasn't dumb, he could understand the real use of several of those items. Still, he didn't care much about that, he had long noticed that humans have weird habits, and perhaps this was one of them. He then left the shop with another bunch of items in his spatial ring, the attendant told him that those items can help with the 'relationship' between 'partners.' Hence, Krune bought a few that he thinks Yusa and Ao would like.
'I'm really a very considerate wisp with my friends.'
He also received several 'advice' from the attendant that said they could stimulate the relationship. Krune is a wisp who puts a lot of importance to those close to him, so he mentally noted down all of them.
It was past midday when he started to feel hungry, he then entered a random restaurant and ate to his heart content. The waiters were delighted with such a customer.
---
Finally, after killing his curiosity. Krune decided to look at the guilds, sects, organizations, and clans information. There were a lot of them, even for a small city like Kaley. He then thought a little and got a conclusion.
'In a certain way, I could be said to be part of the Solei Clan now, so there is no need to look for other clans, sects, or whatever, so I better look for a side profession that could help me make money.'
Krune looked through the list, there were guilds for alchemists, blacksmiths, formations, rune inscribers, puppets, so on and so forth. Krune pondered a bit and decided to check the alchemist guild first. From what he had read in the information, alchemists must have high control over the elements, especially fire and wood. Krune hadn't tried to use wood element before. Still, he is pretty confident in his Myriad Energies Technique, not to mention that his 'friend,' Casfer, is there too.
The alchemist guild was one of the biggest guilds, just like the mercenary one, and it expanded through the entire world. But that was to be expected, alchemist pills have great use during the cultivation path, they can open ports for those who would not be able to pass through. The alchemists are also harder to find than mercenaries. Although members of the mercenary guild must have a combat power higher than their realm, it is still possible to find quite a few of them. Still, alchemists are different. It doesn't only need high control over elements, talent, and intelligence for the profession are also significant factors, so their members' number is much smaller.
Arriving at the Alchemist guild, Krune noticed that crowds were entering and leaving all the time. With just that, he understood how procured the alchemists are. It might be what he needs when talking about making spirit stones.
Inside there were several small rooms used to receive the order requests and the necessary items, and each room had an attendant. Of course, they aren't alchemists, just employees of the guild. They are responsible for taking down the orders of the customers according to which pill they want to be made and their grades. Although there is a lot of people putting down orders, very few of them will get their pills in the end. An alchemist must accept their order and the price they are willing to pay beforehand, but there are very few alchemists and way too many customers. So usually alchemists wouldn't accept orders that aren't worth their time, it is also because of that that alchemists are often filth rich.
Krune didn't go to one of the request rooms, though. He went to the information counter instead. There, he asked the attendant.
"Hello, I'm looking for a friend of mine, he is a one Star Alchemist here in the guild, and his name is Casfer. Can you tell him that Krune has arrived."
The attendant looked at him. Krune was using his hat to cover his hair, so he looked pretty common. He is now famous because of the mercenary guild, but his trademark, the rainbow hair, is being covered now. So not only the attendant but no else had recognized Krune so far. The attendant then shook his head. He had seen a lot of people pretending to know the alchemists to get to talk with them just to beg for a pill to be made, part of his job was to stop such people.
"Brother, this is not the place to joke around. If you want a pill made, go to one of the request rooms and leave your order."
Krune felt puzzled with that answer.
"But I don't need any pill, I'm only here to see him. If you don't believe me, just pass the message that Krune has come, and I'm sure he will come out."
The attendant was annoyed but decided to call over just to check. If it was just to ask Casfer if he knows someone called Krune, then it should be okay. After making the call, he just waited. Not even a minute later, Casfer came rushing from the inside the guild.
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"Krune, my friend! You had come!"
The attendant was surprised with such a scene, even though Casfer is only a One Star alchemist, any alchemist of the guild has a high status in the city. For him to treat Krune like that, just who the hell is this Krune guy?
But then he remembered the news about a new rising star of the Mercenary Guild who had the same name. At the foundation establishment, he was specially accepted as a Four Stars Mercenary. He then looked into the information, and sure enough, there was a picture there. He compared the image with Krune, who was using a hat at the moment.
'They are the same!'
He was amazed!
"You are th-"
Before he could even continue, Casfer shouted.
"Shut up! Don't you see he doesn't want to attract attention? Pretend that you didn't see anything, am I clear?"
The attendant swallowed the words he was going to say and just nodded. He almost made a fatal mistake, and he could have totally lost his job. Casfer then looked smiling at Krune.
"Come inside, there are too many people here at the moment, we can have a talk there."
He obviously knows about Krune. Ever since that event with the Lizard Dragons, he has been paying attention to any news regarding any cultivator capable of using several elements. He is one of the very few out there that knows that Krune could use skill merge even before he became a Foundation Establishment. Still, because of the blood contract, he can't tell anyone about that.
Krune was surprised by such a reaction. Since when have they been that close?
Inside of Casfer's alchemist room, Krune was looking around while Casfer was sweating all over.
'He really broke through into the Foundation Establishment! A Foundation Establishment wisp at that! And even created the legendary universe foundation, how is that even possible?'
Krune then looked at Casfer, who looked nervous.
"I'm not that scary, right? I don't intend to do or force you to do anything, I just need your help. I read that to become an alchemist, you need a very high control over elements, so I was thinking about trying to become one. In the end, I thought it would be better to look for you first."
Casfer left a sigh of relief after hearing that, so he only wanted to try to become an alchemist. Casfer didn't think that Krune was wrong about his decision. He could already control elements to such an extent before breaking through the foundation establishment. At least he definitely had the necessary talent.
"If it's just that, then it's easy. Actually, you didn't even need to come to me for that. Outside, there is another room for recruiters. Alchemists are rare, so the guild is always looking for talents, as long as you apply and pay the fee, you would be able to try the comprehensive exam."
Krune was puzzled.
"What is this comprehensive exam about?"
Casfer then explained.
"The guild is willing to take anyone as long as they have the aptitude for alchemy. But how many people out there can even afford the necessary material to start learning? That's where the comprehensive exam takes place! It will not test your alchemy skills but your control over the various elements, especially wood and fire. As long as your results satisfy the criteria, you will be able to start learning alchemy in the guild. They will give the necessary material for study, and you will then have one month to memorize the content in the files. Of course, if you think you don't need an entire month to do that, you can come back earlier for the practical exam since it happens once a week."
"At the practical exam, there will be a few alchemists helping the new recruiters. They will teach how to concoct some simple pills. Still, even if those pills are the easiest ones, they are tough to make for those who are trying it for the first time. Here is where we separate those who can become alchemists from those who can't."
Krune nodded. It seemed very practical.
"How many people pass the exam every time?"
Casfer just laughed at that question.
"To find people with a good talent for elements control isn't very hard, although there are only a few, the number is quite high when they are put together. But the talent for alchemy is something totally different. Usually, we would only find two or three people worth teaching every month."
Krune was surprised that there was so little, no wonder alchemist are so procured.
"Then I will apply for it, do you have anything else to help with it?"
Casfer is under the blood contract, so he has to help if he can.
"Not really, not that I don't want to help but because any information I can give you will be provided by the guild from the start. If it was a few millennia ago, where alchemists tried to keep all their techniques secret, then it would be complicated.
But as time passed, the number of alchemist talents started to decline. The alchemists noticed that it couldn't keep going like that, so that was when the alchemist guild was created. The alchemists who were willing to share their knowledge passed down everything they knew to those who could become alchemists. Since then, all the information about pill making is available in the alchemist guild for study."
Krune then asked.
"What if I try to concoct pills to train before the practical exam?"
Casfer shook his head.
"I wouldn't recommend that. Sure, you will get more proficient at the basic alchemist skills when the exam comes, you might even pass because of that. But in the end, it's all a smoke screen. Sooner or later, your real talent will appear, so it's better to follow the procedures. Those without talent for alchemy not only will not make anything out of it, but they will also lose money since they will keep failing the concocting process."
Krune agreed to that point of view. The exam was made like this so that they could find real alchemists, not medicinal herb wasters. The words 'you will lose money instead' was especially effective on Krune.
Krune left Casfer's private alchemy room and went to apply for the exam. The process was very easy, and the fee wasn't high, just enough to pay for the material used during the practical exam. It shows how much effort the alchemist guild is putting into finding talents. Other than time, the entire process of the intellectual and practical exam is almost free since the guild provides everything.
After that, Krune went back to the mercenary guild. It was quite late, so he decided to go through the comprehensive exam the next day morning. He then stayed in one of the rooms provided by the guild temporarily until he finds a place to move.
---
After a night of cultivation, Krune had finished feeding his rainbow core. This time, it took him almost 300 Rank Two middle-grade spirit stones until it finally stopped absorbing spiritual energy. Now comes the hard part, which is to reinforce his foundation so that it can resist the breakthrough into the 3rd stage.
Krune then left his room the next morning. He was using some of the clothes he had bought the day prior. Although Krune was 'forced' to buy those clothes from the cloth shops, the attendants still had experience in the area, after all. Krune didn't look too bad in them, as long as he covers his rainbow hair, everything seems fine.
At the meeting room, Yusa was talking with Ao, who had just come back. Supervisor Lu was also there with a few assistants, and they were discussing the Team Ranking System. Due to Ao Sulian friendship with them, Yusa thought that it would be good if he joined the team as the third member.
It was then that they noticed Krune coming into the room, and Yusa was the first to talk.
"So, what you think? Ao Sulian isn't a Two Stars mercenary, but he is someone we can trust. We still need one more member, not to mention that we three got a better understanding of each other during this time."
Krune nodded.
"Indeed. In fact, I was also thinking the same, it all depends on him now."
Krune and Yusa looked at him, which made Ao laugh.
"No problem for me, we did get quite close together, and I also think this is a good opportunity for a One Star Mercenary like me."
They then discussed with supervisor Lu about the procedures to enter the ranking system. An hour later, they were finished.
Supervisor Lu and the others then just waited to see if Krune's group needed something else.
Yusa then looked at Krune and asked.
"So, how was it? This was your first time in the city, is there anything you need?"
Yusa knows that this is Krune's first time in a city, so he certainly had checked it out.
"It was pretty good, this technology thing is very convenient, and I even bought that communicator you asked me to."
He then remembered something.
"Right, I bought you a few gifts, the attendant said that they can boost our relationship."
He then took out some very nice 'relationship-related' items and gave her. There were quite a few different ones, the most eye-catching were the hardcore items like the whip and the cuffs.
Yusa almost fainted with her face as red as a tomato!
Ao Sulian, Lu Ganan, and his assistants opened their mouths wide! Supervisor Lu couldn't help but comment.
"Cough, cough. Well, those are quite some interesting plays you two like to have."
Before Yusa could even reply, Krune took out a few more and gave them to Ao Sulian.
"They said that if you use them right, our ties will get stronger, so you can use them when you have time."
Ao Sulian almost vomited blood.
Supervisor Lu and his assistants' eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Lu Ganan looked at Krune and Ao Sulian first, and then at Yusa last, and he could only ask.
"Is this the legendary threesome?"
Krune was as indifferent as ever, if anything, he looked a little excited to be able to give some gifts for his friends.
"No need to thank me, it's all in order to improve our relationship!"
Yusa fainted right there and then, and Ao finally vomited blood too. They passed out just like that.