Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Alchemy Divison
Chapter 162: Alchemy Divison
Eventually, Krell brought the spear to a halt, resting it against the floor.
His severe gaze swept across the room one final time before settling on an empty seat in the second row.
"Where is Zane today?" Krell asked.
A disciple in the front row stood up respectfully. "Preceptor Krell, Zane entered closed-door seclusion a few days ago. He said he is making his final preparations for the upcoming Inner Palace contest."
Krell’s stern expression eased slightly.
"I see," Krell murmured. "He has trained relentlessly for four years, pushing himself to the limit. This upcoming tournament is his final chance to earn entry into the Core Palace before he exceeds the age limit. He is a truly hardworking child. I sincerely hope that he succeeds this time."
The other disciples in the hall murmured in unified agreement.
Zane was widely recognized as the finest spear user among all the disciples in the entire Academy, as well as the strongest of the top 30 Inner disciples.
They all knew he had the highest chances of seizing the top rank in the upcoming contest.
Because of his talent, and hard work, Zane was Krell’s most valued disciple.
Krell quickly discarded his rare moment of softness, his eyes turning sharp once more as he glared at the rest of the class.
"Use Zane as your example," Krell told the room. "If you do not wish to be demoted from the top thirty when the contest arrive, then work hard."
"Yes, Preceptor!" the disciples chorused, their postures straightening in fear.
The lecture continued for another hour, diving deeper into the foundational theories of weapon intent.
Eventually, the doors at the front of the hall creaked open again.
Fabian strode into the room.
Seeing Fabain, Krell brought his lecture to a close and approached him.
He leaned in, discreetly pointing a finger toward the back corner where Rhain was sitting.
"Fabian," Krell asked quietly, "Is that boy truly..."
Fabian glanced at Rhain, then looked back at Krell with an amused smirk. He leaned in and whispered a few words into Krell’s ear.
Whatever Fabian whispered into Krell’s ear made the severe Preceptor’s eyes widen dramatically.
The controlled composure he had maintained throughout the entire lecture was replaced by an expression of profound astonishment.
Krell’s head slowly turned back toward Rhain, his gaze lingering for a while before he departed from the lecture hall.
Fabian watched Krell leave, then walked over to where Rhain was sitting.
"So," Fabian asked with a warm chuckle, "Have you decided to choose the Battle Arts Division after all?"
Every remaining disciple in the hall heard the exchange clearly.
Whatever lingering doubts they had harbored about the authenticity of Rhain’s Gold Badge evaporated in that single moment.
A Preceptor of Fabian’s stature would never speak so familiarly with an impostor.
Rhain was a genuine, legitimate Gold Badge disciple!
The disciple who had confronted Rhain earlier felt his stomach drop into a bottomless abyss, cold sweat instantly drenching his back.
Rhain bowed respectfully to Fabain.
"I would like to visit the other divisions as well before committing," Rhain replied honestly. "However, from what I witnessed today, the Battle Arts Division is very much at the forefront of my considerations. Preceptor Krell’s lecture on laws was genuinely enlightening."
Fabian laughed heartily, clearly pleased by the answer. "Hahaha! Excellent! But there is no hurry at all. You can take your time to explore."
Fabian clapped his hands together, bringing the hall’s attention back to the front.
"Now then, let us begin the afternoon session!"
Fabian then ascended the central platform, and the afternoon session began.
Where Krell had taught the philosophy and application of weapon laws through the lens of the spear, Fabian’s lecture focused entirely on his own domain of mastery: the Laws of Wind.
Rhain dark grey eyes sharpened with intense focus.
Having just integrated the Heaven-Grade Mystic Force, Boundless Sky Wind, Rhain possessed an incredibly, raw affinity for wind manipulation.
Concepts that might have taken other disciples weeks to grasp clicked into place within Rhain’s mind almost instantly.
By the time Fabian concluded his lecture, Rhain had gained a foundational understanding of what laws truly were, and more importantly, he had identified the exact direction he needed to pursue to begin his own comprehension.
As Fabian dismissed the class and departed from the hall, the remaining Gold Badge disciples immediately began to shuffle out.
The disciple who had aggressively confronted Rhain earlier tried his best to scurry out of the room unnoticed.
"Battle Arts Division is indeed valuable," Rhain murmured to himself as he walked. "But since I have the freedom to explore, I should see what the other divisions have to offer."
His mind quickly mapped out the layout of the Inner Palace that Fabian had described.
Array Division and Forging Division held some interest, but there was one place that naturally aligned with him.
Alchemy Division.
As a Grandmaster Alchemist, Rhain possessed a theoretical understanding of pill refinement that far surpassed anyone in the Outer Frontier, and likely rivaled or exceeded the very best teachers in this Academy.
’It would be interesting to see alchemical standards of the Inner Province,’ Rhain thought.
More importantly, the Alchemy Division must have many herbs that Rhain could be needing.
After a twenty-minute walk, Rhain stood before the Alchemy Divison.
Unlike the martial architecture of the Battle Arts Division, Alchemy Division occupied a distinct, towering pagoda at the southeastern corner of the Inner Palace that rose seven stories high from the ground.
Many disciples dressed in various ranks of Inner Palace robes hurried in and out of the grand archways, carrying bundles of glowing herbs or trays of freshly refined jade bottles.
Rhain adjusted his dark, gold-trimmed robes and walked calmly toward the grand entrance of the main hall.
The moment the tip of his boot crossed the threshold into the Alchemy Division—
[Ding!]
The crisp, mechanical voice of the System echoed clearly within his mind.
[Location Sign-In detected: Stormveil Academy — Alchemy Division.]
[Would you like to sign in?]
A faint smile appeared on Rhain’s lips.
The Inner Province truly was a bottomless treasure trove.
"Sign in,’ Rhain confirmed internally without breaking his stride.
[Location Sign-In Successful!]
[Congratulations! You have received the Mystic-Grade Herb: Spirit-Ascension Star Lily.]
[Item automatically sent to System Inventory.]
Spirit-Ascension Star Lily
Through his Grandmaster Alchemist Inheritance, Rhain instantly recognized the name.
It was an extremely rare herb that absorbed the essence of the stars themselves.
It was the core ingredient required to refine a Mystic-Grade Spirit-Ascension Elixir—a pill capable of expanding a cultivator’s spiritual sea and forcefully elevating their soul to a realm touching the ranks of Domain Master Realm.
It was invaluable item that could even make a Domain Master Realm’s eyes red with greed.
Rhain perfectly concealed his satisfaction and stepped fully into the main hall of the Alchemy Division.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a wave of warmth washed over him, accompanied by a complex bouquet of medicinal fragrances.
Rhain took a single breath and instantly identified the mixture.
’Serenity Lotus, Clear-Mind Bamboo, and a touch of Wyrm-breath Resin. A customized blend to soothe the soul and prevent essence deviation. Not a bad setup,’
Rhain evaluated silently. For alchemists who constantly exhausted their mental faculties staring into raging flames, such an environment was an absolute necessity.
The hall was bustling with activity.
Hundreds of disciples wearing Bronze and Silver badges could be seen scurrying back and forth.
Rhain’s eyes then attracted to a corner where a group of disciples were gathered.
