First "Stocking Up"

A crisp snap of a dry branch echoed through the air.

Su Chen stiffened instantly, as if he had been pricked by a needle.

His back pressed tightly against a cold rock, his heart hammering against his ribs so violently it felt as though it might burst through his throat.

The sound of the wind.

The chirping of insects.

The rustling of leaves.

In this moment, in the silent mountain forest on the outskirts of Wutan City, every sound was amplified infinitely, transforming into invisible hands that choked off his breath.

He dared not move.

His eyes remained locked on the direction of the noise: a dense thicket of bushes.

After a long while, a grey hare poked its head out, looked around warily, and then hopped away into the depths of the forest.

Only then did Su Chen's tensed muscles slowly begin to relax.

He leaned against the rock, gasping for air as cold sweat trickled down his forehead, leaving a trail of chill against his skin.

He had been in this world for three days now.

In those three days, he hadn't stepped a single foot outside that dilapidated courtyard.

He had used the corpse of a pathetic Flame Rat to trade for a few days' worth of rations and some basic tools in the slums south of the city.

A coil of sturdy hemp rope, a palm-sized jade bottle, and a small, polished skinning knife.

He had spent the rest of his time preparing.

He had soaked several scraps of meat, traded from a butcher, in crushed herbs with strong paralytic properties for two full days.

That herb was called Sleep Saliva Grass, a folk remedy hunters in his memories used to knock out small beasts; its potency was quite fierce.

Today was his first time venturing beyond the borders of Wutan City of his own volition.

His target was a First-Order Magical Beast, one rank higher than a Flame Rat.

A Fire Rock Lizard.

This type of magical beast was lethargic by nature, usually dwelling in sun-drenched rocky areas, and loved to sleep. However, its strength and defensive capabilities were far beyond those of a Flame Rat.

More importantly, the innate beast fire contained within its body, known as Rock Fire, was of a quality far superior to that of a Flame Rat. Its fire was more stable, making it an entry-level flame highly coveted by alchemist apprentices.

Naturally, its price was equally exorbitant.

The information he had gathered in the tavern had given him a clear direction.

If he wanted to sell the flames in his possession for a high price, he had to produce a sufficiently good "product."

And the higher the quality of the flame after purification via the stone platform, the more terrifying the increase in its value.

Purifying with the inferior Flame Rat beast fire might fetch a few times the original price.

But if he were to use this "Rock Fire"...

Su Chen dared not imagine it.

That would be the first lever he used to pry open the entire alchemy market of Wutan City!

The promise of immense profit drove him to suppress the fear of death in his heart.

He checked his equipment one last time, confirmed everything was in order, and then hunched his body, creeping deeper into the mountain forest like a cautious wild cat.

The further he went, the thinner the scent of human activity became in the air.

In its place was a primitive, savage, musky stench.

The occasional roar of an unknown magical beast from the distance made Su Chen's heart skip a beat.

He kept his presence to an absolute minimum, placing every step on soft soil or stone to avoid making any unnecessary noise.

His nerves remained at a critical point, stretched to the verge of snapping.

Half an hour later.

The trees ahead began to thin out, and a sun-drenched slope covered in jagged rocks appeared in his field of vision.

The temperature in the air had risen significantly.

The surfaces of some rocks were an unnatural charred black, as if they had been scorched by flames for years.

This was the place.

Su Chen's heart began to race.

He hid in the shadow of a giant boulder, peeking out with only half his head to carefully observe the rocky slope.

Soon, his gaze locked onto a target.

Lying on a black rock the size of a millstone was a lizard nearly a meter long.

Its entire body was covered in dark red scales that reflected a metallic luster under the sunlight. Its thick limbs gripped the rock firmly, and a long, knobby tail flicked lazily every now and then.

Fire Rock Lizard.

It seemed to be in a deep slumber, its chest and abdomen rising and falling rhythmically, while two streams of white, sulfur-scented hot air puffed from its nostrils.

Even from a distance of several dozen meters, Su Chen could still sense the savage power hidden beneath that body, a strength far exceeding that of any human.

This thing could easily tear his chest open with a single swipe of its claw.

Su Chen's palms were instantly soaked with sweat.

He forced himself to look away and began to survey the surrounding terrain.

His plan was simple, and brutal.

A trap.

Utilize the terrain to create a snare capable of trapping it for even a brief moment.

His gaze finally settled on a steep slope above the black rock where the Fire Rock Lizard made its lair.

A large amount of debris of varying sizes was piled there, some pieces as large as a human head, appearing as though they would come crashing down with the slightest external force.

A plan rapidly took shape in his mind.

He took a deep breath, pulled the bundle of hemp rope from his bosom, and tied one end firmly around his waist. The other end was looped around a protruding rock and extended toward the opposite side of the slope.

After finishing this, he took the bait that emitted a strong meaty aroma and a faint medicinal scent from another cloth bag.

He did not act immediately, but waited with extreme patience.

Waiting for the wind to rise.

He was waiting for a wind direction that would carry the scent of the meat precisely to the nostrils of the Fire Rock Lizard.

Time ticked away, second by second.

The midday sun scorched the rocks until they were piping hot.

Su Chen's lips were already cracked, yet he remained motionless, like a lifeless statue.

Finally, a mountain breeze blew from his direction toward the slope of loose rocks.

Now!

A flash of brilliance ignited in Su Chen's eyes. He grabbed the piece of meat soaked in anesthetic and, using all his strength, hurled it toward an open space not far in front of the Fire Rock Lizard!

Plop.

The meat landed on the ground with a soft sound.

The rich aroma of meat, mixed with the peculiar scent of Sleep Saliva Grass, drifted over on the breeze.

The Fire Rock Lizard, currently in deep sleep, twitched its nose violently.

Its tightly closed eyes, which resembled molten lava, snapped open!

An aura of ferocity and tyranny instantly permeated the air.

It twisted its thick neck, its gaze locking precisely onto the piece of meat emitting the fragrance.

Food.

A low, rumbling growl emanated from its throat, and its scarlet tongue flicked out, darting rapidly through the air.

The beast's instincts felt the temptation, but its innate wariness made it suspicious of this food of unknown origin.

It did not pounce immediately, but instead crawled slowly down from the black rock, its thick limbs crunching against the loose stones with a crackle.

With every step, Su Chen's heart contracted in tandem.

Hidden behind a boulder, he gripped the end of the hemp rope so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the exertion.

The Fire Rock Lizard approached cautiously.

It stretched out its neck and sniffed at the meat, seemingly trying to discern if there was any danger within.

Su Chen's breathing all but stopped.

Success or failure, it all hinged on this moment!

Perhaps hunger overcame its caution; after hesitating for a moment, the Fire Rock Lizard could not resist the temptation after all.

It opened its maw, lined with sharp teeth, and swallowed the piece of meat in one gulp!

Seeing this, Su Chen felt a surge of joy.

But he did not pull the rope immediately, forcing himself to wait a little longer.

He was waiting for the medicine to take effect.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths...

Just as the Fire Rock Lizard swallowed the meat and prepared to turn back toward its lair, its footsteps suddenly faltered.

Its massive body swayed uncontrollably.

The medicinal effect had kicked in!

Su Chen's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He exerted force from his waist and abdomen, using every ounce of his strength to yank hard on the hemp rope in his hands!

The rope connected to the pile of rubble on the slope instantly went taut!

Rumble!

A massive boulder, pried loose by the rope, lost its balance. Carrying a vast expanse of debris from below, it crashed down toward the disoriented Fire Rock Lizard like a small-scale mudslide, covering the sky and earth!

"Roar--!"

Sensing the danger above, the Fire Rock Lizard let out an angry bellow!

It jerked its head up, glared in the direction of Su Chen's hiding spot, and opened its maw!

A ball of dark red fire, the size of a washbasin and far deeper and more viscous than the Flame Rat's beast fire, tore through the air with a scorching gust, shooting toward Su Chen!

Rock Fire!

Su Chen's pupils contracted to the size of pinpricks!

The shadow of death, like a cold tide, instantly submerged him!

It was too fast!

He had no time to react, only able to watch helplessly as that ball of destructive flame rapidly expanded in his field of vision!

At the critical moment!

Boom!

The rolling stones finally crashed down.

Countless rocks slammed heavily onto the Fire Rock Lizard's back and head, pinning its massive body firmly beneath them.

"Awoo--!"

A shriek of extreme agony rang out.

The ball of Rock Fire, which had already reached Su Chen, suddenly became unstable in energy as it lost its master's continuous control.

It grazed Su Chen's cheek, flying past by a hair's breadth, and slammed heavily into the boulder behind him!

Hiss--!

A teeth-grinding sound echoed.

The hard rock was scorched by the Rock Fire, leaving a bowl-sized pit with glowing red edges that emitted wisps of blue smoke.

A burnt stench, mixed with the pungent odor of melting rock, drilled into Su Chen's nostrils.

He could clearly feel the skin on his cheek stinging with a fiery pain from the terrifying high temperature that had just brushed past him.

If it had been an inch closer...

He dared not think further.

Su Chen was drenched in cold sweat, his legs weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

After a long while, he struggled to stand up, shaking off the immense fear of having just survived a brush with death.

He looked toward the trap.

The Fire Rock Lizard had been completely buried by the pile of rubble, with only its head and half its tail visible, still twitching feebly.

Combined with the paralyzing effect of the Sleep Saliva Grass, it had completely lost the ability to resist.

Su Chen dared not delay.

He stumbled forward, pulled the palm-sized jade bottle from his robes, and uncorked it.

Then, suppressing the fear and nausea in his heart, he used his skinning knife to pry open the Fire Rock Lizard's tooth-filled maw.

His mind sank into that mysterious void.

The ancient stone platform floated silently.

"Come... out!"

Su Chen issued a silent roar with his consciousness!

A suction force, several times stronger than when he had extracted the Flame Rat's beast fire, erupted from the depths of his spirit!

Hum!

The massive body of the dying Fire Rock Lizard shuddered violently.

A wisp of life-bound beast fire, viscous as magma and dark red in color, was forcibly extracted from the depths of its throat!

As soon as this flame left the Fire Rock Lizard's body, it turned into a streak of light, guided by Su Chen's will, and precisely dove into the jade bottle in his hand.

Su Chen was quick-eyed and nimble, immediately slamming the stopper shut.

Having lost its life-bound beast fire, the Fire Rock Lizard's body went completely rigid, and its final trace of vitality was extinguished.

It was done!

Su Chen gripped the warm jade bottle, his chest heaving violently.

Inside the bottle, a wisp of dark red flame was burning quietly.

This was his first pot of gold!

It was also the first cornerstone to his future, one he had traded his life to obtain!

He dared not linger here; no one knew what terrifying things the scent of blood and the sounds of fighting might attract.

He didn't even have time to retrieve his rope before stuffing the jade bottle into his tunic, turning, and sprinting toward Wutan City at top speed, fleeing for his life.

Only when he saw the familiar, towering silhouette of the Wutan City walls did the nerves Su Chen had stretched to their limit finally begin to relax.

He leaned against a large tree, gasping heavily, his face etched with exhaustion.

Yet, his eyes were startlingly bright.

He carefully withdrew the jade bottle from his tunic and, through the translucent glass, watched the wisp of "Rock Fire" dancing within.

Although the process had been perilous, a brush with death.

His first official "procurement" had been a complete success.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow long across the ground.

A wild, predatory arc slowly spread across Su Chen's lips.

"Alchemists of Wutan City..."

"Are you ready to welcome your 'gospel'?"