The morning sun cast a soft glow across the land as Max's excited barks echoed through the house.
"Ugh... Max, not again!" Su Yang groaned, eyes barely open.
But Max wasn't having it. With a joyful leap, the dog launched himself at Su Yang's face, licking furiously.
"Haha, stop, Max! You want to play like this? Then take this!" Su Yang retaliated with a flurry of tickles.
The room was soon filled with laughter—man and beast alike, locked in their morning ritual.
After settling down, Su Yang rubbed Max's head. "Alright, enough fooling around. We're heading to Lu City today. Time to make our move."
"Woof!" Max responded, tail wagging like a spinning blade.
---
Su Yang washed his face, calmed his breath, and entered his Spirit Land. The sight of lush green grass and thriving herbs filled him with satisfaction. He knelt down, picked a handful of Moon Spirit Grass, and stored it in his leather pouch—not his storage ring. He knew better than to flash wealth in a public place.
He turned to Max. "Let's go."
And with that, Su Yang picked up his companion and vanished in a blur of motion, his movement light as wind, enhanced by his refined physique. Within five minutes, he arrived at the grand gates of Lu City.
After paying the modest entry fee, Su Yang stepped into the bustling heart of commerce and cultivation. Merchants shouted prices, cultivators flaunted weapons, and the scent of roasted spirit meat filled the air. Yet, Su Yang ignored it all—his focus was fixed.
He arrived at the Alchemy Hall, a towering building of marble and jade, and approached the front desk. A woman with sharp eyes and a calm demeanor greeted him.
"Welcome to the Lu City Alchemy Hall. How may I assist you?"
"I wish to sell a Skin Tempering Pill," Su Yang said politely.
She arched an eyebrow. "Do you have an alchemy badge?"
Su Yang shook his head. "Not yet."
"Then I'm afraid we can't accept your pills. Hall rules—only registered alchemists may sell."
Su Yang's brows twitched. "How do I get a badge?"
"There's an alchemy exam. If you can produce a Body Tempering Pill of at least yellow-level (low) quality, you'll earn a yellow badge." She gestured toward a sign. "The next exam starts soon. The fee is 100 gold coins."
Without hesitation, Su Yang pulled out his pouch and handed over the coins.
She gave him a wooden token. "Present this at the first-floor gate."
---
At the entrance to the first-floor testing hall, Su Yang gave his token to the guard, who nodded and stepped aside. Inside, he found a crowd of young men and women, all murmuring, nervous energy in the air.
Then, a voice boomed. An old man with white hair and stern eyes walked forward, wearing a robe adorned with the Alchemy Hall insignia.
"You have one task. Create five Skin Tempering Pills using the ingredients provided. You'll be judged on quality, not quantity. Begin!"
Su Yang received his herbs and sat at a stone platform. He narrowed his eyes.
"If I use my Karma Fire Body's full strength, they'll get suspicious. I'll use just enough to hit mid-grade."
Drawing upon his True Qi Fire, he ignited a soft red-gold flame and melted the ingredients. His movements were practiced, confident.
Other participants threw nervous glances his way, some even chuckled when he only made four pills.
"Only four? Must be a rookie."
But when time was called and the old man inspected Su Yang's pills, his expression changed.
The room fell silent.
"These are yellow-level (mid) pills," the old man said clearly. "You've passed. Receive your badge."
Gasps followed. The ones who mocked him lowered their heads. Su Yang simply took the badge and walked past them, calm as a lake.
---
Back at the front desk, the woman was surprised to see him again—this time with a badge.
"Congratulations, Alchemist Su. Would you like to sell your pills now?"
He nodded and handed over four Skin Tempering Pills.
She examined them, impressed. "Mid-tier. Very well-made. After a minor fee of 50 gold coins, you'll receive 3,000 gold coins."
Su Yang stared at the gold in awe. "I've never held this much money before."
He bowed slightly. "Thank you."
She smiled. "Would you like to buy ingredients for another pill?"
"Yes," Su Yang replied. "Do you have materials for the Flesh Refinement Pill?"
"We do," she said. "White Bone Grass is the main herb—it's rare, so the bundle costs 300 gold coins. Additional herbs bring the total to 400 coins."
"I'll take it."
He paid and then asked, "Do you rent houses for private practice?"
"Yes, we do. A small house near the hall is 100 gold coins per month."
"I'll take one."
---
With 2,450 coins remaining, Su Yang was shown to a neat, single-story house with good insulation and a cultivation-friendly environment.
He shut all the windows, placed Max gently in the room, and closed his eyes.
"I need to keep a low profile. Too many eyes are watching."
Entering his Spirit Land, Max bounded up
to him.
"Woof!"
Su Yang smiled and rubbed his head. "We did good today, Max. But we're just getting started."