Auslen entered into the shelter of the Elixir Refinent Halls busy first floor.
Ard with a smile, he strolled through the loitering groups of Outer Sect Disciples in search of his cousin, who should have finished with his tutoring session by now. Along the way, he responded to passionate seniors greetings with efficient ease as he passed.
Failing to spot Nathaniel after searching for a good while, Auslen was just about to use his Identity dallion to contact the boy when he glimpsed a familiar male figure descending from the nearby staircase.
Sensing the lingering gaze, Michail looked up, the corners of his blue eyes wrinkling with recognition.
Auslen? Michail called out, smiling as he redirected his footsteps towards Auslens short fra.
He laughed heartily. Cant take the heat, Junior Brother? Great to see that you sweat just like the rest of us!
Stop making fun of , Senior Brother Michail. Auslen rolled his eyes with playful exasperation. Im actually here to pick up my cousin. Have you seen him?
Yeah, hes still here, Michail nodded, glancing upwards to the ceiling. "Irene hasn't let him go just yet. And last I checked, she probably wont be releasing him any ti soon. Dont worry about your cousin. Irene will send him back to you guys' residence when shes done with him.
He turned his gaze back down to Auslen, staring down at him with sudden interest.
If you dont have any other obligations, follow for a little while."
Shrugging, Auslen pulled out his Identity dallion. He raised it to his lips and softly spoke against its glowing jade exterior. After leaving Nathaniel a ssage, he matched Michails stride in the direction of the closest exit.
So, where are we going? Auslen asked, head tilted up to Michail.
Praise was overflowing from Michails voice. Irene told that you produced your first successful batch of Qi Refinent Elixirs the other day.
Clouds drifted over, providing a brief, but welco respite from the hot afternoon sun.
The hustle and bustle of the Outer Sects Exchange Market washed over Auslen as a drove of disciples traversed through the intersecting streets and courtyards.
Canopied shops and crowded stalls were innurable. Raucous commotion and emphatic bartering resounded from every direction.
"The Qi Refinent Tournant Preliminaries?" Auslen asked Michail, who was the one who brought up the topic. "I thought the Tournant doesn't begin until later on this week?"
Michail shook his head. "The Preliminary portion of the Tri-Annual Tournant officially began last month. A large number of preliminary matches have been going on in several locations around the mountain. What youre thinking of is the primary event held at the Outer Sect Stadium. Only after winning a number of Preliminary matches can a disciple obtain the opportunity to compete there."
Auslen nodded, enlightened. He wasn't the most inford when it ca to Sect events. "When's your Preliminary match? Is it open to the public?"
"They're open for viewers, but I've already finished mine," Michail explained as he waved to a passing disciple. "You'll have to wait for the main Qi Refinent Tournant to see compete."
"Woah!" Auslen threw in, eyes suddenly twinkling with child-like admiration. "That ans you won a lot, right?"
"You could say that," Michail laughingly responded after helping Auslen dodge a few incoming disciples. "But my purpose for bringing it up is because Victor asked ..."
Hearing the red-headed idiot's na, Auslen nearly rolled his eyes. It was no secret that Auslen found Victor insufferable.
From the mont they first t at the library, Auslen and Nathaniel had been bumping into Victor far more than what could be considered as coincidence. Auslen's earlier friendliness had devolved to near disregard. Sadly, his cousin seed to have kicked it off with the bulky bloke, making it impossible to shoo him off for good.
Seeing Auslen's face, Michail snorted with hilarity before he could finish his sentence. As a Senior, he felt that he ought to offer a few words in Victor's defense.
"He's really not all that bad, just a bit money-obsessed. At the very least, his match should be fun. Victors well known in the Outer Sect for his combat ability.
He's having his final Preliminary match tomorrow. If you both would like to co, just let know! We could all go together."
Auslen humd but remained noncommittal.
...
Their discussion continued for a while until Michail led Auslen into the two-story dicinal Exchange Palace. A sultry female voice welcod them as soon as they stepped inside.
Welco back, Senior Brother Michail, to the dicinal Exchange Palace, a supple young woman adjusted her robes alluringly as she greeted Michail with a practiced bow. Will you be buying or selling today?
Michail greeted the young woman with a short nod. Not a ripple could be seen in his expression as though he failed notice her blatant actions.
Having long grown used to the woman's mannerisms, his face gradually affixed into a careless smile. Selling.
Then follow this way, please. Her braided, light brown hair shook as she turned, strutting with ostentatious display, attracting more than a few gazes in her direction.
The young woman escorted them into the busy, but mostly silent palace hall, passing many disciples carefully looking through the glass displays featuring many different types of Spirit Pills.
However, not a single Spirit Elixir could be seen.
Maneuvering around the other custors, Auslen whispered to Michail, Does the dicinal Exchange Palace not sell Spirit Elixirs?
Michail responded, "They do, but disciples are required to place special orders for Spirit Elixirs, due to both their demand and perishable nature. In addition, this place only exchanges Spirit Elixirs for rit Points within three days of its refinent. After that, your only hope is to pawn it off to a fellow disciple for a decent portion less.
Oh, I see. No wonder he brought out here without warning. I nearly lost out!
Nodding with a cheeky grin, Auslen chuckled. Thanks, Senior Brother.
"No worries. I'd be a piss-poor ntor if I didn't do as much."
They soon stopped near an empty wooden desk which was positioned in the midst of other busy desks of identical variety.
Sweet smiled aid towards Michail, the woman casually leaned on her desk. Will you be selling the usual today, Senior Brother?
It's not who's selling, but my Junior Brother. Michail gently pushed Auslen closer to the desk. Go ahead, take out what you refined. Of course, you dont have to sell everything if you dont want to.
Surprised, the woman's eyes widened as she looked at the beautiful, golden-haired boy.
'This child?' Her seductive aura dispersed as she straightened her posture more appropriately for her true client.
Once Michail finished speaking, waves of heads rotated to stare at Auslen, just as he removed a total of five Qi Refinent Elixirs from his spatial ring, with expressions varying from surprise to utter disbelief.
As though attempting to be considerate of the child standing close by, hushed whispers began to erge.
He cant be older than eight. Who is that kid?
Did he really refine those on his own? Ive seen the guy standing next to him here often. He could have refined them from the kid
Thats Senior Brother Michail, you idiot. He's probably the boy's ntor. And besides, what disciple would waste their ti refining Elixirs for others to sell?
He could have given him sothing valuable. I an, look at the boy! That skin. The hair. Seems like a rich kid, if Ive ever seen one.
But if the boy did refine them by himself Hell, hes probably only been in the Sect for a year or two! How many concoctions did he ruin in such a short span of ti to get those five Elixirs?
Shit. Just imagine the amount of rit Points he spent
Hold on, I think that kid looks a bit familiar
...
Despite their efforts, it wasnt difficult for Auslen to make out their remarks.
Auslens eyebrows twitched before smoothing out, quickly letting go of his annoyance. In his past life, he had never been a fan of letting others know of his private matters, but in this life, after the Demon attack and repeated warnings from his family mbers, he had beco a bit engrossed with keeping as much to himself as possible.
It wasnt difficult back within the isolation of the Royal Palace, but here in the Outer Sect, there was almost no privacy outside of his cave abode. And after nearly a year, he hadnt even acclimated to his flashy identity as a prince, let alone anything else.
Regardless, his Elixir refinent wasnt a secret he truly had to keep, and he knew he couldnt keep it anyway. After all, a seven-year-old selling Spirit Elixirs was bound to draw a healthy amount of scrutiny.
Concocting Spirit Elixirs was not an easy task, and it was jaw-dropping that a child could achieve in one year what others took ten years on average to accomplish. However, the biggest obstacle that blocked people from the path of Alchemy was not its inherent difficulty, but that Spirit Elixir refinent was expensive!
From his privileges as a Refining Assistant, he was allowed to check out refining supplies at any ti, and he could even take them back to his cave abode. Unfortunately, thats where the freebies ended.
Pseudo Spirit Plants cost anywhere from five to ten rit Points a piece!
And even the easiest of Elixir Refinent Techniques required at least two Pseudo Spirit Plants
Auslen felt slight heartache as he thought of the number of concoctions he had attempted since the past spring, both with Irene as well as alone back at the cave residence.
The talkative disciples were not wrong. It wasn't long before Auslen had spent every single rit Point he was awarded during the Apprentice Alchemist Examination. And furthering the idea of his reckless expenditure, he had even approached a helpful Spirit Botanist, with Tareks assistance, and exchanged a few treasures that his father had given him for a decent number of Pseudo Spirit Plants.
On the bright side, Auslen had no longer needed to worry further about his Alchemical ability. This wasnt truly the first ti he succeeded refining a batch of Spirit Elixir, but rely the first ti he chose to reveal a asure of success to Irene.
But on the opposite end, his Spirit Plant cultivation had not been going nearly as smoothly as anticipated. Up till now, he had yet to attain the level of self-sufficiency he desired.
Thankfully, I feel that Ill be making a breakthrough in that departnt very soon.
Lashes fluttering from the percussive sound of opening tal caps, the sight of a sharp needle drew back Auslens wandering attention. The thin, silver utensil shimred as only a Mystic Artifact would.
The young woman inserted the needle inside each of the opened Elixir bottles, and after every insertion, she raised the needle to her attractively squinting eyes.
Examination complete, her gaze was swirling with unspoken speculation.
Five stable Qi Refinent Elixirs! Please hand your Identity dallion, and I'll transfer the rit Points to your account, 45 rit Points per Qi Refinent Elixir.
Handing her the Identity dallion obediently, it was only but a few more monts before it was returned to Auslens grasp, suddenly 225 rit Points richer.
Calculations spinning inside the brown-haired woman's hazel eyes. Her laughter twinkled like bells, resounding with acquisitive expectation.
Sweetheart, you can call Sister Francine. On your next visit to the dicinal Exchange Palace, feel free to ntion my na and I'll take special care of you. Your continued patronage is greatly anticipated!
What an industrious young lady.
Auslen smiled back, youthful embarrassnt flushing his fair cheeks. However, right when he was about to introduce himself in return, the Identity dallion began vibrating in his right palm.
Index finger gliding on its jade surface, the Identity dallion released a gentle luminescence before a boyish voice loudly broke through.
Auslen, where are you? Im hungry!
The whiny voice resounded inside the relatively quiet hall.
Auslen glanced with a hint of associative embarrassnt at Michail, who looked nothing short of entertained.
Fuck, thats Prince Auslen! I knew he looked familiar!
No way
Waving a silent goodbye to Francine, who looked magnitudes more surprised than before, Auslen and Michail ignored the returning exclamations and turned away from the desk to make their way towards the exit.
Stop screaming, Nathan, Auslens subdued voice was tinged with motes of exasperation. Im at the dicinal Exchange Palace with Michail.
What? Did you sell your Spirit Elixirs already? Why didnt you wait for ?!
Why
Nathan cut Auslen off in a hurry. Wait right there, Auslen! Ive got so Elixirs to sell too. Irene, can you
What did you just call ? A distant, but audibly female tone was picked up by Nathaniel's Identity dallion.
Haha, I an, Senior Sister
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