Heaven's Wrath

The Alchemist Association.

A place created inside the sect to nurture those who have talent on becoming an alchemist. A sect like the Immortal Demon Sect possess many resources and even have their own ways to supply themselves with medicinal plants needed to make valuable pills.

To nurture their disciples and help their cultivation improve faster, the sect distributes medicinal pills each month and most of these pills come from the Alchemist Association. For lower rank disciples like Ace, they were given a regular Restoration pill each month while those who have a higher position inside the sect receives higher-quality pills.

Although this Restoration Pill is a lower rank pill, its quality and purity were much more superior compared to the Restoration Pill found in the Old Dragon Continent.

It was noon and even though the sun was glaring from above there was still a great number of people gathering around the Medicinal Pill Workshop. A great number of these students have been saving up on sect points in their medallions by doing various odd jobs and selling some treasure for the sect.

Sect points were the currency used inside the sect this sect points can only be gained through various means like selling a treasure and obtaining merits from the sect by completing missions they give out from time to time and although there were missions every day the number of mission that can be completed by an outer disciple is the same number of fingers a human has.

Ace stood in front of the Alchemist Association. The structure in front of him was a nine-layered pagoda while behind him was the Medicinal Pill Workshop that had been conducting business ever since the sun rose from the east.

But he wasn't here to buy any medicinal pills from the Medicine Pill Workshop but to join the Alchemist Association and learn how to create a medicinal pill himself.

"This should be the place." Ace said as he looked at the carved sign above.

Ace walked forward then went ahead and entered the Alchemist Association. Upon entering, Ace smelled the wondrous aroma that lingers in the air coming from the pill making process.

After he entered Ace went over to a young lady who was acting as the receptionist. He walked up to her and started asking her some questions.

"Does the Alchemist Association accept newcomers?"

The young receptionist lady raised her head and saw Ace's youthful face and answered him while showing a gentle and welcoming smile.

"Of course we are, in fact, we are in need of manpower. Also, if you do not have any experience in pill concoction we will gladly give you proper guidance."

Ace saw the lady's gentle smile and his heart shuddered for some reason as if he was worrying that this kind and the gentle looking lady might be scheming something.

'Is the Alchemist Association this kind?' he thought while feeling a little scared by how welcoming they seem. Though Ace thought that, he still showed a happy smile when he said, "I don't have any experience in pill concoction but can I join the association now?"

"Just take out your medallion and I will record your name in our association's records."

Like what the lady said, Ace took his black medallion that hangs over his neck and passed it over to the lady so she can record his name. The process didn't take long and the lady immediately gave the medallion back to him.

"Come with me."

The receptionist stood up from her seat and started leading Ace from the front desk to the second floor of the pagoda. The two of them stopped walking after reaching a two-meter door carved out from some kind of ancient wood.

"Senior brother Min Ren, someone wants to join the association."

"Enter." A voice came from the other side of the room.

The lady opened the door. Ace step inside the room together with the receptionist lady and found someone sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room with a pill furnace in front of him.

That person looked young from behind but the way he handled the pill furnace and the flames were very elegant and precise. His every movement showed great power yet it didn't seem overbearing and the orange flames he was using was constant and didn't show any unusual flickers.

After Ace and the lady entered the room, the pill furnace that had been floating in the air slowly came down and that person turns around and a very manly face was presented. Despite how elegant his flames danced earlier and how meticulous the flames were used the person in possession of those flames looked like a bear that was able to enter the sect by disguising himself as a human.

Wearing a blood red robe with gold color linings at the edge of the sleeves the burn on his face made him look like an arsonist mix with a bandit. Ace froze over after seeing that person's face.

"So who is this?" Min Ren asked the lady who stood beside Ace.

"Senior this the person who wishes to join the Alchemist Association and become a true alchemist." The lady replied respectfully.

"Junior greets senior brother Min Ren." Ace bowed respectfully to Min Ren showing his good will.

But Min Ren didn't seem to please when he saw Ace acting like that to him and his brows met in the middle of his forehead and then he spoke some words directed towards Ace.

"Boy, being an alchemist is not easy. To become an alchemist you must have a will that will not waver, to control the aggressive flames to purify the medicinal herbs one will need an unfaltering heart that will not be affected by external interference, and lastly to become an Alchemist you must put enough effort until you cry blood and not complain about it so if you are like the other juniors who came here to join with half-hearted resolve and determination I will break every bone in your body just like the others."

Min Ren's eyes flashed with hostility as he looked at Ace.

Ace gave a deep bow and said loudly, "I will not run and complain, I just wish to learn the way of Alchemy and concoct pills. I will follow every instruction of senior and will give it my all to become on becoming an alchemist."

With a loud voice full of sincerity Ace announced to everyone inside the room what's inside his mind.

'Ding… extra job unlocked, Alchemist.'

'Ding… level one Alchemist (0/10).'

While his head was lowered his face suddenly change when the system announces that he is now an Alchemist even though he didn't know how to concoct any pills.

Ace was immediately delighted and wanted to experiment with this new job but that has to wait until he leaves this place.

Min Ren saw his sincerity and nodded his head, he looked at Ace then to the lady receptionist.

"Lei-Lei give him three books, <<Records of Medicinal Plants>>, <<Pill Furnace>>, and <<Pill Concoction>>. I recognize your determination but empty barking is not something I like so I will give you an assignment, if you finish these nooks in a week I will show you the basics of pill concoction and if you do well I may even let you meet my master."

Min Ren smiled at Ace and although it was supposed to be a friendly smile Ace's heart still skip a beat.

"Follow me."

The lady receptionist led Ace back to the reception and there she passed him four thick books. The four books from top to bottom was, <<Records of Medicinal Plants>>, <<Pill Furnace>>, <<Pill Concoction>>, and <<Ill.u.s.trious Record of Medicinal Pills>>.

Three of them were the ones that Min Ren told Lei-Lei to give Ace and the 'Ill.u.s.trious Journal of Medicinal Plants' was something extra from Lei-Lei.

Lei-Lei showed Ace a wonderful smile and said.

"Read the three books tonight and you might finish it in six days as for the <<Ill.u.s.trious Record of Medicinal Pills>> take it as a sign of my appreciation for you putting up with senior brother Min Ren, he's not a bad guy at heart but his passion for pill concoction has been getting in the way of recruiting new members this year."

Lei-Lei gave a soft sigh and look at Ace who may possibly be the only new recruit that they get this year. Giving that book was to make sure that he will join them, she even tried sounding pitiful to make him feel sympathetic... all for recruiting a single member.

It's not that she sees Ace as someone with talent but if he was to join them and finally make Min Ren go back to his master the Alchemist Association will surely be able to gather more members.

"Well do your best at least, if you finish reading those books you may come back here to report and senior Min Ren will show you how to concoct a pill. Well, after you learn how to do it you will have to contribute to the association and as for lower rank members such as yourself you will be tasked to create fifty Restoration Pills every month."

Lei Lei once again sighed when she started thinking of the arduous process of repetitive purification of ingredients made her want to complain. After chatting with Lei-Lei for a while Ace left the Alchemist Association and went back to his own place.

…

Ace placed the books on the bed and picked them up one by one.

'Ding… acquired, <<Ill.u.s.trious Record of Medicinal Pills>>… learn?'

"Learn."

'Ding… acquired, <<Records of Medicinal Plants>>… learn?'

"Learn."

'Ding… acquired, <<Pill Furnace>>… learn?'

"Learn."

'Ding… acquired, <<Pill Concoction>>… learn?'

"Learn."

'Ding… learned <<Records of Medicinal Plants>>, <<Pill Furnace>>, <<Pill Concoction>>, and <<Ill.u.s.trious Journal of Medicinal Plants>>.'

At this moment, a variety of different information entered Ace's mind just like that. He clearly understood what was being described by the books.

Medicinal plants that he had never even heard of was listed inside his head and can describe them like reading a book. Pills that had appeared over the ages was listed in his mind. Description of a furnace and how to concoct a pill was also listed his mind.

"Even books like this can be learned without any problem whatsoever." Ace nods his head and started checking the extra job column within his head.

Ace tried cl.i.c.k.i.n.g the word Alchemist and a bronze colored furnace appeared from out of nowhere and floated on the air. Seeing the furnace Ace was surprised but before long he was able to calm his mind.

The furnace was already there and he also already have the knowledge needed to start concocting pills but even so Ace still had a problem and that was he didn't have any ingredients he can use to concoct even a single Restoration Pill.

Ace wanted to immediately come back to the Alchemist Association and get some ingredients but he highly doubted that he can get anything out of them in this case. He was a mere outer sect disciple that do not have any background with pill concoction and he made that clear to Min Ren.

Ace had dropped a stone on his foot with his bold statement. Even if he were to go there now and miraculously show them that he can actually concoct some pills that will only sow suspicion and he may even be questioned so he must wait for a week before he can go back there.

Ace didn't know what to do at this time, his cultivation was naturally different than the rest so meditating do not have any use for him leveling the <<Flame Serpent>> and <<Lightning Demon Body>> needs a new method.

He lay on his bed and tried thinking of ways, he was silent for a while when an idea entered his head.

"Can I also gain experience by defeating enemies?"