The Esteemed Alchemist

After dealing with the Mo Family assassins, there would be no more obstacles on the way to Desert City.

Desert City wasn't a large city. Its scale and liveliness were far inferior to Salt City's. Pedestrians were sparse, and there weren't many traveling merchants setting up stalls. Most of what they sold were low-grade medicinal ingredients.

Su Heng had originally planned to browse the market in Desert City, but after taking a few casual looks around, he gave up on the idea. Finding anything valuable in a place like this would be far too difficult.

The only thing in all of Desert City that truly shocked Su Heng was the Thick-Winged Bird Air Transport Station established by the Empire.

More than a dozen enormous flying birds rested in the vast square. They were known as Thick-Winged Birds.

Strictly speaking, they weren't magical beasts but a species of bird. Thick-Winged Birds were mild-tempered and easily tamed by humans. However, due to their scarce numbers, only the major empires had the resources to raise them and establish aerial transport fleets.

Looking at the Thick-Winged Birds, whose wingspans stretched dozens of zhang, Su Heng couldn't help marveling at the wonders of this world.

Qing Lin beside him was practically dancing with excitement. She had never experienced flying in her life, and now that happiness was so close at hand, even someone as timid as her couldn't suppress her excitement.

The moment they entered the square, a wave of noisy clamor crashed over them, sharply contrasting with Desert City's originally quiet streets.

Beside every Thick-Winged Bird stood a queue dozens of meters long. Due to the Snake-People Tribe's frequent raids, large numbers of merchants had begun returning to the Empire's interior, and Desert City was the most important transit point.

A long line still stood before the ticket counter. Su Heng, Xiao Li, and the others could only wait patiently.

"Sir, where are you headed?"

After a long while, the line before them finally disappeared. A glamorous woman in an orange-yellow Imperial uniform asked Su Heng with a professional smile.

"Black Rock City. Thank you, and sorry for the trouble."

Su Heng looked gently at the glamorous woman. Her refined orange-yellow uniform wrapped around her curvaceous figure, while beneath her weary expression was a trace of impatience—fairly normal for workers like her.

After hearing the destination, the woman curled her lips slightly and skillfully rummaged through a pile of magical beast hides. Before long, tickets made from special magical beast hide were handed to Su Heng and the others.

Su Heng smoothly pulled out his blue-gold card to pay, and the woman was visibly stunned when she saw it.

Cards of that rank were usually owned by high-star Dou Masters or Da Dou Shi. Yet Su Heng looked so young that he didn't seem remotely like an expert of that level.

The glamorous woman instinctively guessed that he might be a young master from some great clan traveling abroad, while the people behind him were his guards.

At that thought, her expression immediately became respectful. The fake smile on her face turned into a sincere smile from the heart.

"After arriving at Black Rock City, please hand your ticket to the ticket attendant on the Thick-Winged Bird. The entrance is this way. I'll lead you there."

The glamorous woman didn't even bother with the long line behind them. She quickly rose to her feet and swayed forward with graceful steps, leading Su Heng and the others onward.

Over that short distance of only several dozen meters, the woman tried several times to move closer and hook her arm around Su Heng's. If Qing Lin hadn't kept such a close watch on her, she might have succeeded.

Su Heng had seen plenty of beautiful women throughout the Dou Qi Continent, so he didn't feel much toward this young lady who was throwing herself at him. Once he noticed Qing Lin's slight jealousy, he immediately kept a considerable distance from the beauty.

After their tickets were checked, the group entered the platform. Only then did the uniformed woman leave reluctantly. The massive Thick-Winged Bird was already parked nearby.

A house built from special wood had been constructed on the Thick-Winged Bird's back. Judging by its size, it could hold around a dozen people.

This trip was essentially chartered by the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. The uniformed woman had likely deliberately led them here, which showed some thoughtfulness on her part.

Black Rock City was still a long way from Desert City. Even at a Thick-Winged Bird's speed, the journey would take at least three full days. Time was precious, and Su Heng naturally wouldn't waste it.

After resting briefly, he began meditating to cultivate. Following several life-and-death battles, the Dou Qi within Su Heng had been completely exhausted. He urgently needed to recover.

Dou Qi was like a person's strength. After being completely depleted, it would slowly replenish through rest and the aid of medicinal pills. Moreover, the replenished Dou Qi would be more surging and solid than before.

Many people stuck at the peak of a certain realm could often break through to the next level after experiencing a life-and-death battle.

Whenever the total amount of Dou Qi increased, a cultivator could choose to break through to a higher realm or compress it downward to consolidate their foundation.

Su Heng had only just broken through to a two-star Dou Zhe, so he chose to compress his Dou Qi and strengthen his foundation. Once it had been compressed to a certain extent, he could break through without worrying about unstable Dou Qi.

If one forced a breakthrough and caused their Dou Qi to become unstable, even a Dou Emperor would only be instantly killed when facing a peak Dou Wang with a solid foundation. Su Heng understood this clearly.

Three days passed in a flash. As the morning sun rose, a black yet dazzling city gradually appeared at the end of the horizon.

Black Rock City was located in the eastern province of the Jia Ma Empire. Among all the Empire's major cities, its scale ranked near the top. Learning alchemy here truly offered resources far superior to those of Salt City.

As they drew closer, Su Heng discovered that the city's massive walls were entirely built from neat blocks of black rock.

According to the Thick-Winged Bird pilot, Black Rock City's walls had once withstood the combined bombardment of two Dou Wang experts without being shaken. As he spoke, the pilot made no effort to hide his pride as a citizen of the Jia Ma Empire.

After entering the city, Xiao Li gave the entire group three days off to reward the mercenaries. As for Su Heng, he planned to head to the Alchemist Guild and register his identity.

Even after seeing someone off for a thousand miles, parting would eventually come. Su Heng couldn't help feeling a little melancholy. He had eaten, lived, and faced life and death alongside the Desert Iron Mercenary Group all this way. Now that it was time to say goodbye, he truly found it hard to part.

Walking along the broad and bustling streets, Su Heng casually found a merchant who looked friendly and prepared to ask the owner where the Alchemist Guild was.

"Boss, do you know how to get to the Alchemist Guild?"

Upon hearing Su Heng's question, the owner immediately revealed a surprised expression. He looked Su Heng up and down, then cautiously asked after a long moment.

"What are you going there for?"

Su Heng knew that Alchemists held an esteemed status, so he had no intention of hiding it. He directly said that he was an Alchemist Apprentice who had come to Black Rock City to study under a master.

The owner's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. His surprise immediately turned into fawning flattery.

"Oh my, my lord, you're going to the Alchemist Guild? Come, come, please follow me. This old man is called Lei En. I'll take you there."

Boss Lei En first arranged for Su Heng and Qing Lin, who was accompanying him, to rest in his shop. He had an assistant serve them clear tea, then dashed into the street himself and somehow rented a luxurious carriage.

After helping Su Heng into the carriage, Boss Lei En personally took the reins. At some point, he had even stuffed a whole box of local specialties into the carriage.

Flattery and praise flowed endlessly throughout the journey, leaving Qing Lin dumbfounded. Even Su Heng admired the boss's eloquence. If it were him, he definitely couldn't praise someone nonstop for half an hour without repeating himself.

With Boss Lei En's skilled driving, the carriage carrying Su Heng and Qing Lin passed through several long streets before stopping in front of an imposing building.

The building's design was rather peculiar. Its entire exterior resembled a medicine cauldron built from bluish stone.

Several rows of windows resembling fire vents on a medicine cauldron lined the building. Above them, a massive cauldron lid hung down from the roof more than ten meters overhead, enclosing the entire structure.

Above the entrance hung a pale violet sandalwood plaque, upon which five large words were written in an ancient script: Alchemist Guild.

"My lord, we've arrived at the Alchemist Guild. This lowly one isn't qualified to enter, so I can only escort you this far. Please accept this small token of respect."

Boss Lei En took the initiative to lift the carriage curtain for Su Heng, his manner incomparably respectful.

Though Lei En was deliberately currying favor, it truly made one feel appreciated. Su Heng silently memorized his appearance and the name of the shop on the gift box. Once he became successful in the future, he would visit and give him a medicinal pill as repayment for this favor.

"Thank you, Boss Lei En. My name is Su Heng, and I will remember today's kindness."

There was no need for further pleasantries. Seeing Lei En's overjoyed expression, Su Heng knew that what he had done was already enough.

As Su Heng approached the entrance, two guards who had been watching him for some time proactively came forward. Seeing how respectfully Lei En had treated Su Heng, they had already roughly guessed his identity. But duty demanded that they still block his path.

However, their tones were exceptionally gentle, as though they were saying, Please don't make us kneel and beg you.

"Young brother, this is the Alchemist Guild. Are you entering? Do you have a letter of introduction from your mentor?"

"The letter is here. Please trouble the two of you to inform them."

Su Heng took out his letter of introduction. After the two guards glanced at it, their suspended hearts immediately settled. Their already gentle tones became even more cordial.

"Please wait a moment. I'll go right away!"

One guard took the letter and turned to run, afraid that delaying Su Heng might incur his displeasure.

At this moment, Su Heng truly experienced just how esteemed Alchemists were on the Dou Qi Continent.

The guards before him were at least as strong as his two uncles, perhaps even stronger. Yet when facing him, who was only an apprentice, they were already as respectful as though they had met family.

Just as Su Heng waited patiently with a faint smile, a fragrant breeze suddenly drifted over from behind him. When the guards at the entrance saw its owner, they immediately bowed respectfully and stepped aside to clear the way.

The guards had barely moved aside when a petite figure strode through the doors with enchanting steps, head held high and chest thrust forward.

Su Heng turned and saw that the newcomer was a young girl dressed in tight purple clothing.

She was around his age. Though petite, her figure was exceptionally impressive, and her obvious gifts seemed ready to burst free from that purple outfit.

She cradled a bright golden medicine cauldron in her arms, her small hands constantly stroking its surface.

It was clear that this was a newly purchased medicine cauldron, and she liked it very much. Otherwise, storing it directly in her Storage Ring would have been far more comfortable than carrying it around.

"Lin Fei, slow down. It's only a second-tier medicine cauldron. There's no need to be this excited."

Somewhat hurried breathing sounded from behind him. Su Heng turned toward the voice and saw a short, stout middle-aged man in a dark-red Alchemist robe striding quickly toward them.

The man had a full beard and looked around fifty. A Purple-Gold Badge shaped like a medicine cauldron hung on his chest. Su Heng noticed that four silver ripples had been carefully engraved upon it.

"Fourth-grade Alchemist!"

Even Su Heng couldn't suppress the shock in his heart when he saw the badge on the man's chest.

An Alchemist's grade was usually displayed on the badge on their chest. A First-grade Alchemist had one silver ripple, and higher-grade Alchemists had more silver ripples.

The pills refined by Fourth-grade Alchemists were generally needed by experts at the Dou Ling and Dou Wang levels.

In the vast majority of cities throughout the Jia Ma Empire, no one would dare speak loudly before this short, stout middle-aged man. If he went to Salt City, even City Lord Bo'er would have to leave the city to welcome him.

"Master Otto!"

Upon seeing him, the fully armed guards hurriedly bent over in respectful salute.

Otto smiled and nodded at the guards, then took a step forward. His roaming gaze suddenly stopped on Su Heng, who was waiting idly nearby.

For some reason, he vaguely felt that the youth before him was somewhat different. After pausing briefly, he asked, "Young brother, what are you here for?"

"This junior is Su Heng. I've come here to study. Another guard has already taken my letter of introduction inside to report it, so I'm waiting here for word."

Hearing this, Otto nodded thoughtfully. He sensed that the youth's soul fluctuations seemed stronger than those of his own disciple, Lin Fei, so he suspected that Su Heng was also an Alchemist.

Now that he had confirmed Su Heng's identity, a gratified smile appeared on Otto's face.

If he could take in a disciple with greater talent than Lin Fei, then the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild would surely be able to obtain more funding from the main guild in the Imperial Capital.

"Young brother, there's no need to wait. Come in with me."

"This old man is Otto, an instructor at the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild. Would you be willing to enter my tutelage and study under me?"

Otto looked at the younger man with a broad smile. His words caused Lin Fei, who had already run far ahead, to freeze before quickly hurrying back.

"Teacher, you want to take him as a disciple? He doesn't seem special at all!"

Others might not know, but Lin Fei understood her teacher best.

Master Otto was usually too lazy even to leave the guild. Apart from teaching, he buried himself in alchemy. Yet after seeing this boy only once, he was already impatient to accept him as a disciple?

In Lin Fei's eyes, the person before her was somewhat handsome, but he was only a two-star Dou Zhe. No matter how she looked at him, he didn't seem like some peerless genius.

Although the elders in her family had repeatedly taught her not to judge people by appearances, Lin Fei still felt that Su Heng was utterly ordinary.

"Thank you, Master Otto. This junior is willing to take you as my master!"

With a Fourth-grade Alchemist willing to accept him as a disciple, Su Heng had absolutely no reason to refuse. He immediately bowed down, preparing to perform the rites of master and disciple.

"Good, good, good. Don't rush. Come in with me and register your identity first. We'll get you settled."

After receiving Su Heng's affirmative answer, Master Otto's face bloomed with a satisfied smile.

He gently helped Su Heng up, then entered the inner hall of the Alchemist Guild with light, delighted steps.