Wu Long spent some time discussing the Alchemy Dao with Yu Huan, as she gradually turned more cheerful. Even if his practical skills never got there, his theoretical knowledge was still vast and deep, so he could guide her on the principles.

“Hmm, about the Alchemy Tower, I actually wanted to offer you to leave it and start your own alchemy practice”

At the end of their theoretical discussion, as Yu Huan still slightly lamented about the lost scroll, Wu Long suddenly made am offer, prompting her to widen her eyes and look at him.

“Uhm… but I am still…”

Doubt and hesitation appeared on her face as the Alchemy Tower was the pinnacle of alchemy knowledge and prestige on the three continents. Even alchemists who were not associated with them could not deny that they had the best legacies of the Alchemy Dao.

“You are more than capable of standing on your own without them, and they are actually the ones who are keeping you from making more rapid progress”

Wu Long calmly explained.

He then proceeded to point out the struggles she came into on her way of alchemy, as well as the time she lost in the Alchemy Tower when her cultivation and practice stagnated due to the suppression of the older generation alchemists.

Wu Long also acknowledged that Alchemy Tower did in fact have the most intact legacy of the Alchemy Dao in this fractured world, until he awakened that is, but their structure and way of operating bred a culture of jealousy, scheming and interfering between the alchemists.

Their seniority system made it easy for members who joined earlier to abuse their position, suppressing newcomers and their talents, which resulted in countless young talents being buried in low-level positions with no time for practice or improve.

It actually largely mirrored the situation of the Alchemy Association in the Seven Boundless Worlds. An organization that he was not fond of if expressed very mildly.

“Bi Rui told me that you have been weary all the time as of late”

Yu Huan’s situation in the Alchemy Tower was exactly of being overburdened with low-level manual work, leaving her no time to progress in her Alchemy Dao, and it got even worse in the recent half a year after the incident with the scroll.

“As for knowledge and legacies, you know where to get them”

He then smiled.

“I don’t know…”

She sighed as she did realize that her future looked bleaker with each passing year. When she met Wu Long a year ago, she was already a shell of her former ambitious self, hiding her figure because of the constant insinuations and to not be taken lightly as an alchemist just because of her beautiful appearance, and even though she was still trying to improve her skills and knowledge, her sharpness was already lost.

Meeting him and learning so much in such a short period of time reignited her passion for alchemy and most importantly lit her hope of one day becoming a real alchemist, and her sharp mind shone through the dullness of the past years, which was why she was incredibly grateful to him.

“…I am still a low-tier alchemist”

She still fundamentally lacked self-assurance as the first thing that was thoroughly shattered when she entered the Alchemy Tower for the first time all those years ago was exactly her confidence, which was the standard practice for newbie alchemists there.

“Haha, I am going to tell you something I didn’t before to not make you too prideful when you still have much to learn.

The pill you refined for me last time was not tiered since the recipe is made by myself, but if compared in difficulty and technique of refining, it can be comparable to a low-level 7th-tier pill”

He chuckled at her shocked expression as she did not even realize that she was already capable of refining 7th-tier pills, pills that could be used by Core Formation Realm cultivators.

“But… I was only in Revolving Qi Realm… yes, I now have advanced to the Foundation Building Realm thanks to your teachings and the new knowledge in that scroll, but…”

She started expressing doubt since an alchemist was usually only capable of refining pills on the level of their cultivation or lower, and rarely could refine a pill of a higher tier.

“It is true that if you tried to refine a 7th tier pill at the moment, you would not succeed, since you would run out of Spiritual Qi before being even half through the process and the Alchemy Flame has not yet evolved to be capable of that refinement. What I was talking about was the technique and skill involved”

Wu Long nodded, since that pill indeed was not a true 7th tier pill. He knew a way to refine pills of higher tier than one’s realm, but it required a lot of work, and would only derail the conversation if he mentioned it now.

However, the thought that she had already refined a pill comparable in the technique to a 7th tier pill still shook her to the core as a fire lit in her eyes.

“Will they let me go so easily?”

She reluctantly asked. The Alchemy Tower was a voluntary membership organization, but there were still limitations on leaving it. Namely, one could not leave if they learned even one of their secret recipes, or if they have learned higher level legacies.

Yu Huan did not conform to either of those conditions, but she was naive to think they would just let her leave. She has been a member for too long not to know that there was a darker side of Alchemy Tower that was not exposed to the public, and that ugly secrets were hiding within that darkness, even if she was never in contact with that darker side.

“You are right, they will try to keep you, especially since you have knowledge they desire, but I do have a good opportunity, as we can get help from the Song Dynasty, namely the Crown Prince”

Wu Long smiled, glad to see that she knew her situation, and then reassured her as her eyes expressed surprise once more.

“C…Crown Prince?”

“Yes, you see, there is a way in which you will become a crucial figure to him and his daughter, and if we utilize that opportunity you can leave the Alchemy Tower with no repercussions, at least legal ones. As for the darker… heh”

Wu Long first nodded, explaining to her how she could be spared from the meddling of the Alchemy Tower, and then scoffed, his contempt for any attempts of that organization to make a move at her in the dark apparent.

“Will I… be able to contact you then?”

“Of course, I would support your new practice. In fact, I even know a client who would be eager for your services”

He chuckled.

“Is that the Soaring Feather Trading Company?”

“Correct”

Wu Long nodded with a smile. It was truly pleasant to speak with people who got the clues.

“They would be moving their headquarters soon, to the town near the Yin Yang Unity Palace and I offer you to open your alchemy pavilion there as well, that way you will have my full support”

“But then… Sister Rui…”

“Haha, don’t worry about that. I believe there would be no problem” .

“…I… Thank you, I don’t know how to express…”

Yu Huan became overwhelmed with emotions as it seemed that he was ready to give her everything she ever dreamed of and even more.

“You do not need to be so humble, as I am doing it for myself too.

I never expected to meet such a brilliant alchemist when I came to the Alchemy Tower last time, and my initial plan was to just exchange a few alchemy techniques for the pill refinement.

But as I got to see the sheer potential you have, I got greedy. If I have your help, I can have a connection with a very capable alchemist, whose future is limitless”

He shrugged, truthfully explaining that he was not exactly selfless in his help to her as she slightly blushed at his praise.

“But still, it is so much” .

She said, still in a light daze from the sudden turn of events. She did not hesitate to choose the brighter future he offered, as she knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. But she also found some comfort in that their deal would not end, and he would not eventually disappear, instead they would meet even more often.

‘Huh?’

She suddenly caught herself on a thought that she was happy not only because of her path of alchemy unexpectedly became brighter, and then she became slightly confused since that was the first time she felt this feeling and was not able to tell what it was.

“Then I will make preparations on my side, but contact me in case something happens at the Alchemy Tower, but I will visit you tomorrow again, as I have a pill I want you to refine”

Wu Long nodded, standing up as it was already evening.

“Of course, I would be happy to help”

She stood up as well, nodding to him with a still dazed expression, and he chuckled as he bid his farewells and left the tiny courtyard house.

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