"Hm?" While Wei Wuyin didn't particularly find the term of address likable, he still responded due to their respectful tone. With a slight shift of his body, he turned to see the two sisters. The eldest sister walked forward with an anxious gaze and bowed abruptly.
"Senior, may I ask if you're an Alchemist?" As she spoke, there was a faint hint of hesitation, hope, and despair in her voice. They seemed to be linked to a certain memory.
"I am," Wei Wuyin responded flatly. Technically, he was an 'unofficial' alchemist because of his unwillingness to seek the approval of the Alchemist Association. However, that was laughable. The Dao of Alchemy did not need the verification of a third-party entity. It was a Dao for a reason. At most it'll benefit his reputation, but did he need that?
The eldest sister gulped slightly, her eyes brightened as her fists clenched. "Senior, my name's An Biru. This is my youngest sister, An Feijing. We belong to the An Clan of Blood Titan City within the Xue Country, and I hope to request your assistance!"
Wei Wuyin quietly considered for a moment, giving her a better look. After a while, he asked: "For?" An alchemist could be needed for many things, so that was already vague. Certain alchemists specialize in products relating to healing, curing poisons, herbal growth, cultivation, glamor, cooking, etc. There were too many reasons why someone might need an alchemist.
Fortunately, he didn't really have a specialty, so he didn't find this too much of an issue. While his cooking skills might not be on par with elites, following a recipe to its exact with his Celestial Eyes was easy.
An Biru explained, "My clan was challenged to an All-Alchemic Clash, and we need an Alchemist to participate for us. I know this is a lot to ask, but we can pay you to satisfaction!" She could only pray and hope that Wei Wuyin would accept. While he hadn't said anything, he casually revealed his ability to concoct seventh-grade elixir!
Furthermore, he rode upon a pegasus! With these factors, he had to be an elite King Alchemist!
"…"
An All-Alchemic Clash…
This was a very rare, very elitist-type challenge held amongst alchemists. In fact, it was so rare and elite that only top-tier alchemists of any tier would participate.
The rules were that the challenged party and challenger would select two categories of Alchemy: Pill, Paste, Pellet, or Elixir. After all four had been chosen, the challenger and challenged would then offer a recipe for their respective choices. The two would compete with said recipes until three points were reached on either side. The person who succeeds in creating the product in the lowest number of tries emerges victorious in that round and wins a point. If both sides create it with the same number of tries, they would then determine victor by quality.
If a tie is reached at the end of four rounds, then a random recipe would be chosen at a grade higher, and the first to create it of a low-quality or higher is the victor. If the two are Emperor Alchemists below the Astral Core Realm(highly unlikely), it would be considered a draw.
It was a grueling, time-consuming battle that tested your ability with two recipes you're familiar with and two recipes your opponent is familiar with. The only path to victory is by defeating your opponent with their own choices. It was a type of battle that destroyed your opponent thoroughly in terms of face while establishing yourself as superior. Usually, there would be an immense wager in place for these types of challenges.
However, only those who were confident in concocting four different types of alchemical products would accept this challenge. Most alchemists specialized in a single type of product and property of said products, such as pills that allowed cultivators to absorb essence, elemental essence, energies in a shorter period. For example, the Astral Dipper Fountain Pill or Essence Pill. This was due to their similarities when concocting, so it was easier to advance in the next grade.
Wei Wuyin's initial desire was to reject. He wasn't a saint; he had no intention to be a white knight to the rescue to win heart points with the fair maidens. He wasn't so idiotic to make decisions based on his lower-half. Moreover, it was merely a chance and not a certainty.
However, he started to consider it. He hadn't been a part of an All-Alchemic Clash before. It would be interesting to participate in one, at least once. Due to his reluctance to be officiated, it's unlikely that he'll be challenged by others.
In the end, he nodded. "Sure, but I have matters to attend to first." With a wave of his hand, a transmission crystal flew out of his three-layered ring and into An Biru's hand. "Send me a message when it's about to start."
After saying that, he no longer lingered and walked towards the thatched hut. Since all those bandits were killed by Wei Wuyin, he didn't bother sending them home. They should be able to do so themselves, if not, then it was simply their fate today to meet their demise.
—–
After several minutes, he finally arrived next to the rushing lake and saw the thatched hut a hundred or so kilometers from it. It seemed simple and small, barely enough to settle a single person. However, it was four walls and a roof. There were times where he had even less than that, so he didn't judge.
Sometimes, simple living was better than the grandiose lifestyle. For example, his sky palace was incredibly large, nearly the size of a small town, and it contained numerous rooms and a large backyard. It was simply too luxurious to appropriately live in alone.
When he arrived before the door of the hut, a faint elderly voice resounded. It said, with a hint of a quiver, "So you're here for me." It felt feeble and weak, as if it was nearing the ultimate end of life.
Wei Wuyin calmly smiled, undisturbed by the foresight filled words of this voice. Instead, he responded with: "You're expecting me?"
Creak!
The door was slowly opened, and from its edge, a black cane that was slender and dull emerged. It supported the withered hand of an elderly man, who slowly revealed his figure and appearance before Wei Wuyin.
This human man was thin, wrinkled, and seemed fragile like a sandcastle. Upon that old hunched and frail body was a loose white robe that was exceptionally clean, whiter than white. His casually tied grey hair that established a perfect bun and his flowing hair to the sides allowed his face, which had folds upon folds of skin, to be undisguised. However, despite his wizened face and slit-like eyes that seemed so narrow that they seemed closed, one could tell he was an exceptional looker in his youth.
Whether it was merely an instinctive thought or an assumption, this would emerge in one's mind.
"You're here to kill me, no?" The old man's eyes and heartbeats remained consistent as he spoke this. In fact, a hint of a smile could be seen at the corner of his lips. It was as if he wanted this to be true.
Wei Wuyin's silver eyes narrowed for a moment. Then, he shook his head with a calm grin. "Why would I want to kill my shadow?"
"…"
