"The Elixir Union isn't as united as its name suggests. There are two factions: the Medicinal Alchemists and the Poison Alchemists. My master, Yi Wi, belongs to the former. The head Alchemist? He's of the latter." Do Joon-soo explained.

Joo-won's brow furrowed. "And they've never seen eye to eye, I take it?"

Jeong-min barked out a harsh laugh. "That's putting it mildly. They've been at each other's throats for generations. But this... this is unprecedented."

"It reeks of a setup," Do Joon-soo growled. "My master would never stoop so low, no matter the rivalry."

Joo-won's mind raced, piecing together the fragments of this puzzle. "Someone's playing a dangerous game," he mused. "Framing your master, throwing the Union into chaos... but to what end?"

Do Joon-soo's eyes blazed with determination. "That's what we're going to find out. My master's life and honor hang in the balance. I won't let some shadowy schemer destroy everything he's worked for."

"We'll get to the bottom of this," Joo-won vowed, his hand unconsciously tightening on his sword hilt.

The two exchanged a look of grim resolve, their partnership forged anew in the face of this challenge. This was no longer just a journey for knowledge. They were sailing into the heart of a conspiracy, one that threatened to upend the delicate balance of power in the world of alchemy.

Jeong-min's words hung heavy in the air, painting a picture of an Elixir Union fractured by ambition and mistrust. Joo-won felt a chill crawl up his spine. The organization he'd revered from afar now seemed a nest of vipers.

After a moment, they bid Jeong-min farewell and retreated to their cabin.

Do Joon-soo paced the small room like a caged tiger. "Yi Ji-won... she could be in danger right now," he muttered, fists clenching and unclenching. "Alone, unprotected..."

Joo-won tried to offer reassurance, but his words felt hollow even to his own ears. The five-day journey to Yeongyak Do stretched before them like an eternity, each passing moment a torment to Do Joon-soo's frayed nerves.

Finally, after what felt like an age, the Tempest Runner breached the clouds surrounding Yeongyak Do. Joo-won's breath caught in his throat. No book could have prepared him for the sight.

Yeongyak Do rose before them, a sprawling metropolis that defied imagination. Towering spires of gleaming crystal stretched towards the heavens, while streets below teemed with life. The air was filled with the scent of exotic herbs and bubbling elixirs, mingling with the ever-present aroma of street food and woodsmoke.

As they approached the city gates, Joo-won noticed a growing commotion. A crowd had gathered, their voices a mix of excitement and apprehension. Something was happening in Yeongyak Do, and Joo-won had a sinking feeling it was connected to the very reason they'd come.

With a shared glance of determination, Joo-won and Do Joon-soo steeled themselves.

The moment they stepped through the gates, Do Joon-soo's body tensed like a coiled spring. The air crackled with tension, and everywhere they looked, guards in Poison Alchemist uniforms patrolled the streets. Without a word, he broke into a run, weaving through the crowd with Joo-won hot on his heels.

Snippets of conversation drifted past them as they raced through the city. "...head alchemist poisoned..." "...Medicinal Alchemists banned..." The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, and the picture they formed was grim.

They burst into Yi Wi's compound, Do Joon-soo's heart hammering in his chest. Relief flooded through him at the sight of Yi Ji-won, safe under the care of a familiar face – Master Joo.

"Master Joo!" Do Joon-soo called ou. "What in the name of the Jade Emperor is going on?"

The older alchemist's face was a mask of worry as he turned to them. "Do Joon-soo, thank the heavens you're here. It's a mess, boy. Your master was framed for poisoning the Union head. He rots in a cell while that snake Poong and his Poison Alchemists squeeze the city dry. They've taken over every apothecary and elixir shop, calling Yi Wi a traitor and refusing to sell to his supporters."

Do Joon-soo's fists clenched at his sides. "We have to do something. Clear my master's name, stop Alchemist Poong's madness –"

"Steady, lad," Master Joo cautioned. "Alchemist Poong's got his claws deep in this city now. One wrong move and we'll end up joining Yi Wi in chains. We need to be smart, gather evidence. The truth is out there, but finding it won't be easy."

Joo-won, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. "Then we start digging," he said, determination glinting in his eyes. "Every conspiracy has its weak points. We just need to find the right thread to pull."

The tension in the room was thick when a knock at the door shattered the silence. Joo-won's hand instinctively went to his sword hilt as he answered, only to find Jeong-min on the threshold.

"Master Joo?" Jeong-min's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I didn't expect to find such... distinguished company here."

Master Joo's eyes narrowed. "And what brings you to our humble gathering, Jeong-min?"

"My master sent me to investigate the chaos in Yeongyak Do," Jeong-min explained, his voice low. "I came offering help, but it seems I'm late to the party."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Do Joon-soo and Master Joo exchanged a wary glance. Allies were scarce, but could they trust this one?

Joo-won, sensing the tension, cleared his throat and focus to the matter at hand.

"Do Joon-soo, with your permission, I'd like to examine Lady Yi Ji-won."

Do Joon-soo nodded, earning a curious look from Master Joo. Since when did seasoned alchemists defer to fresh-faced youths? This one look like he is still wet behind the ears and doesn’t know anything. But he can’t do anything since Joon-so already agreed to this set-up.

As Joo-won approached Yi Ji-won's still form, the room fell silent. His fingers moved with precision, checking pulse points and examining her eyes. Suddenly, he drew back with a sharp intake of breath.

"This poison...It's from the Lost Era."

Do Joon-soo's face paled. "But that's impossible. The Lost Era is nothing more than a tale..."

Joo-won shook his head grimly. "I wish it were. But this poison is as real as you or I, and twice as deadly. It's a miracle she still draws breath."

Master Joo studied Joo-won like a scammer. "Forgive me for asking but are you an alchemist young one"

Joo-won's eyes blazed with determination. "I am not a certified alchemist, but I learn on my own."

A self-taught alchemist? Impossible. There’s no way one can learn the intricacies of Alchemy by just learning books. It seems Joon-soo’s judgment has been clouded due to the piles of problems he needs to deal with. Master Joo thought.

Do, Joo-won asked for a brush and parchment. His brow furrowed in concentration as he scribbled down a list of herbs. With a flick of his wrist, he handed the list to Do Joon-soo, his eyes gleaming with determination.

“Child, if you are planning to rip off an alchemy, leave now and I will forget this has ever happened,”Said Master Joo

“But…” To Joo-won, the worries of Master Joo is valid since, who would’ve believe someone as young as him is actually an alchemist. Luckily Joon Soo intervened.

“Master Joo, please trust me on this one. This young one here is not as simple as he looks. Joon-soo then showed his withered hand to Master Joo to explain things faster. “You were one of those that examined my arm back then. Look at it now,”

The arm may still look withered but the hold of the toxins has long been gone. Master Joo was taken aback since none on the esteemed alchemist on the City can figure out the nature of the poison.

Then Joo-won broke the tension.

"Time is of the essence," Joo-won said. "I'll begin brewing the potion at once. While I work my alchemy, you must gather these herbs. Lady Yi Ji-won's life hangs in the balance."

Do Joon-soo nodded, his jaw set with resolve. Without a word, he slipped out, leaving Joo-won to his arcane preparations. As Do Joon-soo's footsteps faded, Joo-won turned to his workbench, fingers already reaching for vials and powders.

…

The streets of Yeongyak Do were a maze of whispers and sidelong glances. Do Joon-soo could feel the weight of a hundred hostile stares as he made his way through the winding alleys. Word of his association with the Medicinal Alchemists and the infamous Alchemist Yi had spread like wildfire, and now every door seemed to slam shut in his face.

"Desperation makes for strange bedfellows," Do Joon-soo muttered, steeling himself for what he knew he must do. The black market awaits, time to visit the city's underbelly.

Hidden in the labyrinthine slums, the black market was a world unto itself. A dilapidated building served as its facade, guarded by men whose scars told tales of violence and betrayal. The air was thick with the cloying scent of illicit herbs and the metallic tang of fear.

Do Joon-soo approached the entrance, his heart pounding a war drum in his chest. He whispered the password, words that tasted of ash and treachery on his tongue. As the door creaked open, he stepped into a realm where morality was as fluid as quicksilver.

No sooner had he crossed the threshold than a figure materialized from the shadows. A woman with an eyepatch regarded him coldly, her remaining eye glinting like a steel blade in the dim light.

"Your kind isn't welcome here, Alchemist," she spat.

Do Joon-soo met her gaze unflinchingly. "I have no choice," he said, his words heavy with the weight of his mission. "The city has turned its back on me, but a life hangs in the balance. I beg you, help me save my master's beloved."

For a long moment, silence reigned. Then, almost imperceptibly, the woman's expression softened. "I am Hyeol-Ran," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Follow me, and speak to no one."

Through the twisted passages of the black market they went, dodging the grasping hands of merchants and the hungry eyes of cutthroats. At last, they came to a stall tucked away in a forgotten corner. There, surrounded by jars of mystery and promise, sat a herbalist, his face a map of wrinkles and secrets.

The air grew thick with tension as Hyeol-Ran approached Wu Gyeong-ja, the imposing matriarch of the black market. With a conspiratorial whisper, she murmured, "The clouds gather, promising rain." Wu Gyeong-ja's eyes narrowed, then softened with understanding. With a barely perceptible nod, she granted Do Joon-soo passage into the shadowy realm of forbidden trade.

Do Joon-soo felt a mix of fear and hope coursing through his veins. The black market was a den of vipers, but it held the key to saving his master's beloved.

Wu Gyeong-ja beckoned, her gnarled fingers curling like ancient tree roots. Do Joon-soo followed, acutely aware of the gazes that tracked his every move. Mercenaries with battle-scarred faces and merchants with eyes like hungry wolves watched him pass.

He kept his chin high, projecting an aura of calm he didn't truly feel.

They approached a ramshackle shop with weathered wood. Wu Gyeong-ja's knuckles rapped out a complex rhythm on the door. A gruff voice rumbled from within, and after a hushed exchange, the door creaked open.

The interior was a cultivator's dream and nightmare rolled into one. Shelves groaned under the weight of herbs, elixirs, and ingredients that defied description. Do Joon-soo's eyes widened, drinking in sights that would make even the most learned alchemists gasp.

At the counter stood a mountain of a man, his face bisected by a wicked scar. Wu Gyeong-ja engaged him in rapid-fire negotiation, their words include subtle threats and veiled promises. Do Joon-soo approached cautiously, presenting his list.

The scarred merchant's eyes gleamed as he perused the items. "Quite the ambitious shopping list, young cultivator," he drawled. "I can procure most of these, but some..." He tapped a finger against particularly rare herbs. "These will cost you dearly."

Do Joon-soo's jaw clenched. He'd expected this, but the reality still stung.

Drawing upon every lesson in diplomacy and bartering he'd ever learned, he dove into negotiations. Words flew back and forth like sword strikes, each seeking advantage.

In the end, victory was his, but at a steep price. His pouch of earth coins, so carefully hoarded, was significantly lighter. Yet as he activated his space wristwatch, carefully storing each precious herb, a spark of hope ignited in his chest.

Do Joon-soo emerged from the black market's stifling embrace. He turned to Hyeol-Ran, gratitude shining in his eyes. "I misjudged," he admitted. "The underground union... it's not what the rumors claim."

Hyeol-Ran's single eye glinted with something that might have been approval. "The world of cultivation is rarely black and white, alchemist. Remember that."