Chapter 15 – Alchemist

After saying goodbye to Senior Sister Li, Sher departed from the Core Sect’s peak. On her way to the hamlet she’d passed this morning, she took her time hovering around the Beast Peak. Immersing herself in tigerwatching, she admired a couple of successful hunts, and tracked their movements to see that a faction of the tigers congregated near a particular cave. Intrigued, Sher sent a sliver of Divine Sense that way, deliberately weakened as usual. It shattered on impact with Nascent Soul realm intent. Sher was curious what this beast looked like.

It wasn’t the time to satisfy that curiosity. Ultimately, this wasn’t her life of beast taming but of body cultivation. She didn’t need these distractions.

She continued into the hamlet and, after asking around, was directed to a simple house on the outskirts.

There were no sounds coming out of the house, no smoke, no explosions. Sher knocked on the door twice, firmly.

After a moment, she heard measured steps approach and the door opened to reveal a man with white hair gathered at the back. He had an ageless face, betrayed only by wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He wore a neat, clean, white coat. Two details captured her attention to the point that she almost missed his Dantian – or rather the lack of it. The man had the characteristic elongated ears of the fae race, and his eyes, with irises that filled them completely, served to confirm her conjecture.

Sher had no idea that the Dreamer had included them in his Dream. She found this fact pitiful, fae cultivation differed from human, and the energies required were absent in this world. Even with a naturally longer lifespan, he was doomed to wither and die.

“Hello, Daoist, I greet you.” The man stated. “I’m Mortimael, and I can offer my alchemical services, if that’s why you seek me.”

“Hello, I’m Song Sher. And yes, that’s why I’m here,” she paused. “Yet, I have to ponder the veracity of the word that sent me here.”

The fae took a step back and invited her with a gesture. “You must wonder about my Dantian.”

“Indeed.” Sher walked in. Surveying the room, she noticed it was immaculate, almost like a surgeon’s operating room, not alchemist’s workshop.

“It’s a hurtful preconception that cultivation is needed for pursuit of alchemy. All it does is allow for shortcuts, filling the gaps in one's understanding and execution with raw power.” Mortimael’s voice was even, with the slightest hint of annoyance barely perceptible. “Yet, this is usually the second question I’m asked.”

“And the first?” Sher asked, a hint of a smile touching her lips. She suspected the answer, but felt inclined to humor him.

“What are you? – or a variation thereof.” The aging fae searched her face for a hint. “You weren’t surprised, you looked almost… contemplative.”

“Perhaps. However, I am here to do business, not to confide in strangers. Maybe after we learn to trust each other’s discretion, we could return to this conversation?”

“Very well. And you needn’t worry that your orders reach the wrong ears.”

Sher retrieved a brush and an empty scroll from her ring. “I’d like a specific recipe that I discovered. Mind if I write it down for you and you could offer your expertise on how it can be refined further?”

He gestured for her to proceed.

With a steady hand, she meticulously traced the symbols, demonstrating her mastery of the art of calligraphy and her understanding of alchemical notation.

The fae watched with growing interest and studied the scroll for a long moment after the recipe was completed. “Oh, you tested me. Smart. Also insulting, if we had known each other longer.” With a final glance at the scroll, he stated. “This recipe is functionally perfect, and I won’t make any boastful claims about improving it.”

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The corners of her mouth rose, but before she could speak, the alchemist interjected. “However, some of the ingredients are alien to this part of the world. I could use substitutes, but the quality will suffer. If you can produce these, I can make the pills soon. Otherwise, I’ll need time to refine the recipe. I could have a first test batch a week from today, if you don’t mind the delay.”

“I understand, and that’s alright with me.”

After agreeing on a few more details, Sher flew back home.

It was almost a surprise to find the residence empty, without hostile disciples or traps waiting for her. Even her Divine Sense imprint remained intact.

The days passed peacefully. The rich spiritual energy exuding from the lake created an auspicious environment for cultivation. Though most of the time Sher spent cycling the White Tiger Blawan technique, each day she committed at least an hour or two to further refine the techniques she had learned so far.

One fine morning, three disciples from the Outer Sect arrived, selling commodities and making deliveries. To her surprise all three faces were familiar—two were the disciples from before and the new addition was none other than Tang Jun.

“Good morning, First Prin… Senior Sister Song!” He greeted, a radiant smile on his face. The disciples accompanying him, though his seniors in the trade, let him lead the conversation, as the pair was clearly acquainted. “How is the life in Inner Sect? Is it perhaps a bit bland, lacking spice in the monotony of abundance? I just so happened to have come across some prime ingredients in the Ovens, I could be convinced to part with them... but only for you!”

A genuine smile touched Sher's lips. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand and playing along with his pitch. “Truly, this opulent life can get tedious.” She sighed with feigned sadness. “All these spirit stones, just weighing down my purses. Why must life be like this?”

“Don’t worry, and take a look at these!” Tang Jun called another disciple over. They started presenting the ingredients. “These are the finest delicacies in the whole sect. This particular root had been sent to be added to the stew of Zhuque Elder, fortunately, it was saved from the horrible fate. This meat is from a powerful spirit beast, it was meant for a Core Sect’s feast, but a logistical accident occurred, and it was left behind.”

Several other ‘unfortunately displaced’ ingredients were presented and Sher picked two on a whim.

“I see that you are thriving. How are Fu Jin and Yuan Hao?” She inquired after the other two boys from the Song Empire.

“Oh, they are just fine, they spend all their time cultivating and saying things like ‘we can’t let Senior Sister leave us even further behind!’. There were a few tussles, but we three brothers aren’t easily bullied.” He straightened with pride.

They exchanged a few more words, but Tang Yun’s companions prodded him to move on to other potential clients.

Time flew, and two enriched dinners later, the day arrived to check on the alchemist’s progress.

Sher expanded her outing to first fly to the western side of the Beast peak and take a brief break tigerwatching. Obviously, it was a mere whimsy, she wouldn’t seek a beast companion. It would be a distraction from her cultivation and how could a beast match her cultivation speed? How would it escape the Dream at the end of the Path?

This mountainside was less populated than the one facing the spiritual lake. Yet, there was something more primal and desperate about the struggles of the spirit beasts. She watched two tigers fight over prey, each having stalked the kill without the other's knowledge.

One was almost entirely black, with only a white belly and a few jagged thrusts toward its sides. The other, almost fully white, with just a trace of black on its back.

She watched enthralled, as the tigers tussled, encroaching on each other like the Yin and Yang symbols. Struggling quietly, only low growls escaping, as none backed down.

Finally, one was severely wounded and fled, leaving the other to devour the prey.

Sher also left, heading for Mortimael’s abode.

“Hello, Daoist, I greet you.” The fae welcomed her, opening the door. “Do come in.”

The room was still pristine. On a nearby table, Sher noticed three, almost identical pills.

“These are the prototypes. Which one best suits your needs?”

She approached and picked the pills one by one. Thoroughly examining each pill, she sent a sliver of Divine Sense to complete the analysis.

One of them was a regular Qi Condensation pill, concocted to look, smell, and emanate Qi no different from the other two pills.

The second pill had properties close to the original recipe but with weakened effects on the taker’s Qi. The third mirrored the second, but with the effects on Qi equal to the original and weakened effects on the body.

“I am satisfied with this one.” Sher revealed the second pill. “I’ll buy the whole batch, and I’d like to order another.”

“A fine choice.” Mortimael slightly bowed his head. “However, the next batch will be paid for with information, not spirit stones.”

“That could be arranged, though mind that some doors are better left unopened.”

“It is a scholar’s pleasure to open doors, as much as it is any ostiary’s.”

“Yet, an ostiary closes the doors behind them.”

“And his world is closed with them. Don’t try to dissuade me, I bear consequences of my choices.”

Sher shrugged. In the end, it wasn’t her pitfall to worry about. “We have a deal then.”