Chapter 2, The Alchemist

The old man turned around and asked, "What is your name?"

"Answer my question," Goriss stated unequivocally

In a moment of daze, he felt the pill dissolve into liquid and flow smoothly down his throat, bringing with it a refreshing sensation wherever it passed

Goris saw that A-Dai was fine and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, then said with mild anger: "Are you done pulling?"

Uncle Li was taken aback and jumped off the bed with a whoosh. "You want to leave? After eating my food for so long, you just want to walk away? Have you grown wings?" How could he bear to let go of his cash cow? He didn't feel much sorrow when the girl left; even if she stayed, she was of no use in catching fish and would only waste food. Even if sold to a slave trader, she wouldn't fetch much. But Ah Dai was different; nearly half of his income now came from Ah Dai, and he would never let his cash cow leave. Uncle Li tried to soften his voice and said, "Are you hungry again? I'll give you a bun to eat, and then you obediently go catch fish for me. Don't entertain any crooked thoughts, or else, hmph." He shook his fist and looked at Ah Dai threateningly.

Yes, I am hungry. I have only eaten one steamed bun today. "Ah Dai stood against the wall, responding cautiously.

Ah Dou nodded repeatedly, fearing that he might forget, and kept reciting: "In the song, death, in the song, death, ... ... "

Goris walked at a slow pace, allowing Adai to easily keep up. Although the sky remained overcast, Adai appeared much more cheerful. "Teacher, where are we going?"

Upon hearing that Ah Dai had not brought back any results, Uncle Li's voice suddenly became sharp, his fierce eyes wide open, "Did you not catch any fish? If you didn't catch any fish, what are you doing back here? Your skin is feeling tight again, isn't it"

The old man nodded in satisfaction and said, "If you follow me, you will have to work. Are you afraid of hard work?"

The old man said somewhat impatiently, "I told you that if you can learn, you can learn. Come with me." After saying this, he turned and walked out of the alley.

Ah Dou quickly stepped forward and walked up to Goriss, "I’m sorry, teacher, I, I..."

Ah Dou nodded and said, "It's done."

Goris returned to his room with A-Dai. He lived in a standard room, which already had two beds. The reason he brought A-Dai back only after taking a shower was that he was afraid he wouldn't be able to tolerate the smell on A-Dai. The luxurious decor in the room left A-Dai standing dazed outside the door, and he questioned himself, "Can I really go in?" "Come in," Goris's voice answered his question.

"Gulu gulu." As soon as he entered the room, Ah Dai's stomach began to rumble. Ge Li Si turned around to glance at him, took off his large cloak, and asked, "Are you hungry?"

I am called A-Dai

Goris let out a cold laugh and said, "Scum like you should have been punished by the gods long ago. If you continue to pester me, I will send you to hell." As he spoke, he extended the right hand that had just grabbed Uncle Li, and a few strange incantations emerged indistinctly from his cloak. Black flames suddenly appeared in Goris's palm, flickering with an eerie glow. With a casual wave of his hand, the black flames transformed into a line of fire that fell onto the only three-legged wooden table in the room. There was no sound, no sign of burning; the wooden table simply vanished into thin air, leaving not even a trace of ash, only a faint unpleasant odor lingering in the air.

The old man mocked, "Fool? Truly a name that suits you! Remember, I am Goris, an alchemist. From now on, you shall be my apprentice"

Not long after leaving, Goriss brought Ah Dai to a magnificent hotel that resembled a palace. He entered with his head held high, and two doormen hurriedly opened the grand doors, respectfully welcoming him inside

The doorman was taken aback for a moment, retracted his raised hand, and asked Mr. Goris in confusion, "Sir, is he really here with you?"

The old man slightly furrowed his brows and thought to himself, so he is just a foolish young man; being a bit foolish is fine, isn't it just suitable? "I just asked you, have you ever been full?"

The fool's eyes lit up; just this morning, he had wished to be taken away like the girl, and now his wish was fulfilled. He cautiously asked, "Really, can it truly allow me to be full?"

Oh and the fool replied with a sound, directly throwing the pill into his mouth. He did not understand what effect this small white ball could have. As soon as the pill entered his mouth, he received a slap on the back of his head from Goriss, causing him to cry out in pain and spit the pill out. Rubbing his somewhat sore head, the fool asked, "Teacher, what happened"

"Sir, are you still satisfied?" the middle-aged man asked Goriss with a forced smile

Ah Dou looked at Uncle Li, who sat there pale-faced and silent. After all, when compared to money, it seems that life is still somewhat more important.

The middle-aged man called over a subordinate and instructed him to buy some clothes. He then personally brewed a cup of fragrant tea and brought it to Goriss, saying: "Sir, I apologize for the inconvenience, but please wait a moment."

Goris glanced at him and said, "This is not magic; it is called sorcery." If any mage of intermediate level or above had witnessed the earlier scene, they would be astonished to discover that the flames Goris employed were a fusion of dark magic and fire magic.

Uncle Li's teeth clashed together incessantly, "You, you, you are a magician. Great magician, please, please don't kill me." He was acutely aware that for a small fry like him, if the person before him wanted to kill him, it would be as easy as squashing an ant; no one would care about the life or death of a thief. Moreover, aside from the Holy See and the Saury Federation, in any country, as long as a magician did not kill a noble, they had a certain degree of immunity. No one was willing to offend them. Furthermore, aside from the Holy See and the Saury Federation, in any country, as long as a magician did not kill a noble, they had a certain degree of immunity. No one was willing to offend them.

Uncle Li was sitting in the room, holding a jar of wine and sipping on it. Ever since A-Dai's fishing skills had improved, his income had gradually increased, allowing him to stop working so hard. He was fantasizing that in a few more years, if he saved up enough money, he could live a more comfortable life, even marry a woman and enjoy being a master, no longer needing to vent his frustrations in that rundown place. With his eyes closed, lost in daydreams under the influence of alcohol, the door suddenly opened, and A-Dai's slender figure appeared before him. If he saved up enough money, he could live a more comfortable life, even marry a woman and enjoy being a master, no longer needing to vent his frustrations in that rundown place. With his eyes closed, lost in daydreams under the influence of alcohol, the door suddenly opened, and A-Dai's slender figure appeared before him.

When it comes to food, Ah Dai immediately perked up. The steamed bun he had eaten in the morning had long been digested in the cold weather. His stomach let out a rumble, and he raised his head, looking at the old man with longing, saying: "I really want to eat my fill. How about this, could you give me one of those purple coins? Just one is enough." Just thinking about chicken legs made saliva drip from the corner of Ah Dai's mouth. He looked at the old man with longing again, saying: "I really want to eat my fill. How about this, could you give me one of those purple coins? Just one is enough." Just thinking about chicken legs made saliva drip from the corner of Ah Dai's mouth.

In fact, Ah Dai himself did not realize that the main reason he chose to be with Goriss was the girl's admonition before she left

Ah Dou looked at the round pill, hesitating to take it. He cautiously said, "Teacher, I, I really have never eaten this before. What is a wax coating?"

Ah Dou shook his head and said, "I am willing to go with you, as long as I can have enough to eat; I have no other demands"

Goris let out a sigh, sitting on the soft and comfortable large sofa, and fell silent.

Ah Dou's previously relaxed expression fell once again, returning to the posture of holding his head with both hands, and he lowered his head to say: "Then, could you please not hit my hands"

Hmm? How come you are back so soon? How many fish did you catch?

Do you want to eat your fill? The old man decided not to dally any longer with A-Dai and went straight to the point

Goris turned around and continued walking forward, feeling quite satisfied. Although this child was somewhat dull, he was still very obedient. In a year, he should be able to help him accomplish that task, which had been his long-held wish! Thinking of this, a chilling smile involuntarily appeared on Goris's aged face. If Ah Dai were to see this smile, it would likely shake his resolve to leave. However, he did not see it, and it was precisely because he left Nino with Goris that he experienced an extraordinary life.

Oh, oh, I understand, teacher. But what does teacher mean

The fool nodded cautiously, gently pushing open the rather flimsy wooden door, and stepped inside first

Although Ah Dou did not understand why the teacher asked him to go to the restroom, he obediently ran inside

The old man said: "I will not give you money, but if you want to eat your fill, come with me, and I will ensure you are well-fed, along with books. Moreover, I will not hit you."

Ah Dou said with some fear: "Uncle Li, I, I didn't catch any fish"

As they watched them leave, a bath attendant said to the middle-aged man: "Boss, it was truly terrifying. The mud on that child weighed several pounds. I have never enjoyed scrubbing like this before; each stroke produced a large roll of mud. It was exhilarating, simply exhilarating."

Ah Dou was somewhat anxious. Although he was a bit slow-witted, he understood that there was no turning back now; he could never return to Uncle Li's place. The only way to get to the beloved steamed buns was to follow Ge Li Si. "Please, let me in. I need to find my teacher," he pleaded once more, his eyes revealing a sense of urgency.

The old man said: "It is certainly better than being a thief; at the very least, I will not hit you, will I? What you do not know, I can teach you"

In a short while, the toilet was filled with the sound of loud bangs and the comfortable moans of A-Dai, as if fireworks were going off. Goris had given A-Dai a special concoction he had created, the Nine Transformations Essence Pill. This pill was the result of over ten years of gathering hundreds of precious medicinal herbs from various regions of the continent, employing a unique method that involved nine rounds of steaming and drying, followed by refinement in a high-temperature furnace. Initially, only five pills were produced in one batch; he consumed one himself and sold three to the royal family at a price of one thousand diamond coins each. The remaining one was the one he had just given to A-Dai. The primary effects of the Nine Transformations Essence Pill are to eliminate impurities from the body, unblock meridians, and promote longevity. It is the most coveted item for martial artists.

The fool gazed at the gilded door before him, unable to help but swallow his saliva. He was quite familiar with this place, as he had previously waited here several times to catch fish. Uncle Li had once told him that this was the largest inn in Nino City, called the Kairun Grand Hotel. Is the teacher staying here? He instinctively followed along.

The old man's lips twitched slightly as he said, "Did I ever say that I wouldn't hit you? You stole my purse; it seems only natural for me to hit you.

Ah Dui finally saw Chris's appearance clearly. He was thin like himself, but Chris had a large bone structure that could fully fill out his clothes. His head was covered with white hair, and deep wrinkles indicated that he was quite old. The pair of deep blue eyes made Ah Dui feel somewhat afraid.

Ah Dui nodded slightly, feeling that the old man did not seem to have any intention of hitting him. His courage grew a little, and he said, "Yes, yes, I know you must be very angry. If you are not going to hit me, could you let me go?" Although he had failed to catch a fish this time, a day is still long, and Ah Dui felt that he still had a chance to complete his task. He never let a single failure discourage him; for the sake of his beloved steamed bun, he was determined to continue working hard and fulfill his role.

The foolish one whispered: "Because, because I still need to catch fish. If my hand gets hurt, I won't be able to catch fish, and if I can't catch fish, there will be no steamed buns to eat, and I will also get beaten by Uncle Li"

Goris took a purple crystal coin from his pouch and tossed it to the middle-aged man, saying: "Take this child to bathe, let the bath attendant wash off the dirt from him, and then buy him a complete set of clothing, make it simple and plain, understood? The excess is your tip"

Goris sighed, peeled off the wax coating of the pill, and took out a red pill from inside. A fragrant aroma immediately filled the room. He pinched Ah Dui's chin with one hand while using the other hand to shove the pill into Ah Dui's mouth

Uncle Li felt a chill in his heart. In front of this person whose face he could not see clearly, there seemed to be an invisible pressure that made it hard for him to breathe. However, interests were ultimately the most important. He mustered his courage and said: "No, you cannot take him away. No wonder he dared to leave me; it turns out he found a backer. I will kill you, damn it." As he spoke, he threw a punch at Ah Dai's chest.

"Go away, go away, where did this little beggar come from? Quickly get lost." The tall doorman blocked Ah Dai's path, shooing him away like a fly. Ah Dai was startled and hurriedly complied, stepping aside. After walking a few steps, he stopped and thought: This isn't right, I came with my teacher, and my teacher has already gone in, so I should be allowed to enter as well. With this thought, he walked back and politely said to the doorman: "I came with my teacher, could you please let me in?"

"Li, Uncle Li, I am leaving now." A-Dai quickly said this and hurriedly ran out. Once outside, he felt a significant sense of relief wash over him. Just moments ago, when Goris had pushed Uncle Li aside, he experienced an indescribable sense of pleasure deep within. Compared to Uncle Li, it seemed that Mantou was somewhat more important. Moreover, Goris had mentioned that he would not hit him. No one is willing to be beaten; the sensation of pain throughout the body is indeed unbearable. Being with this so-called sorcerer must surely be better than being with Uncle Li.

Ah Dou stepped back behind Goriss, looking somewhat fearfully at the two burly men in front of him. Goriss said, "Go with them to take a bath; my apprentice cannot be filthy all over."

The foolish boy awkwardly fiddled with his new clothes. Although the gray fabric was not of the highest quality, it felt quite dry when worn. The outer cotton coat was extremely warm. Just after taking a shower and looking in the mirror, he didn't even recognize himself; the silly little boy in the mirror was indeed him.

"Wait, he came with me." The voice of Goriss sounded at a critical moment. In fact, as soon as he entered the hotel, he knew that Ah Dai was not so easily allowed in. However, in order to make Ah Dai more devoted to him, Goriss had refrained from intervening. Finally, when the doorman could no longer hold back, he stepped in, and it was then that Goriss timely intervened.

Goris sighed inwardly, realizing that he could no longer regret having given his last Nine Transformation Bone Marrow Pill to him. After the enhancement from the medicinal effects and a period of proper care, Ah Dui's body could reach the desired level. As long as everything else was well-prepared, he would inevitably fulfill his wish. From this moment on, this kid would be his treasure, and he must keep him by his side at all costs

Ah Dou shuddered and said timidly, "I, I have come back to bid you farewell"

Another bath attendant agreed, saying: "Yes, it is indeed very enjoyable, but unfortunately, the flavor is a bit lacking"

Goris slightly raised his head, and two cold beams of light shot out from beneath his cloak. The doorman immediately shivered, trembling all over, and hurriedly said, "I apologize, sir, it was my rashness, please." Having seen the world, he naturally understood that the magician before him was someone he could not afford to offend, so he quickly apologized and gestured for Ah Dai to enter.

A fool, in a daze, instinctively raised his head. Once again, he saw the old man's face, which was full of wrinkles. The old man's face bore no expression and was staring at him. "W-what's the problem?"

Goris took off his shoes, half-leaning against the bed. He fished out a pill from his pocket, hesitated for a moment, and threw it to A-Dai, saying: "Take it."

"What work? What kind of work?" A-Dai murmured to himself

The middle-aged man is the person in charge of this bathhouse. Although the smell from Ah Dai made him feel quite uncomfortable, the generous offer from Goriskotuo instantly brought a smile to his face. After all, his annual salary was only five purple crystal coins, and this one purple crystal coin could at least save him half! "Yes, yes, sir, rest assured, we will definitely satisfy you. Number 3, Number 4, quickly take this young master to bathe." With his call, two robust bath attendants rushed out.

Ah Dou suddenly recalled Uncle Li's behavior after the girl left yesterday, and hurriedly caught up, saying: "Teacher, could you accompany me to say a word to Uncle Li? He has been giving me steamed buns for such a long time. Now that I am leaving, I should at least say goodbye to him; otherwise, he might get angry."

Goris felt truly defeated by this little fellow and explained helplessly: "A teacher is someone who imparts knowledge to you." After saying this, he turned and walked out of the alley. The name Goris, even when heard by the president of the Alchemist Guild, would elicit a look of respect, for despite his unpredictable temperament, he was always one of the few master-level alchemists.

"Let's go." Goriss had already seen what he wanted to see in the depths of A-Dai's eyes. After saying this, he turned and walked inside first. This time, A-Dai finally learned to be a bit clever, closely following Goriss's side. Countless sharp gazes shot at A-Dai, making him feel very uncomfortable. He curled up his body, lowered his head, and silently watched Goriss's feet as he moved forward.

Hitting you is still mild; given my status, even if I were to kill you, no one would come looking for trouble with me. Do you believe it

"I have said that he is now my apprentice, and you have no right to hit him again." Goriss casually pushed Uncle Li aside; he was not as fragile as an ordinary magician. Although he did not possess any martial skills, he did not regard a character like Uncle Li with any seriousness.

Goris thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Alright, lead the way." Initially, he had no need to go with A-Dai, but for the sake of his own plan, he had to ensure that A-Dai would follow him wholeheartedly. Thus, he agreed to A-Dai's proposal, which was foolish beyond measure.

Goris said softly: "You don't need to concern yourself with who I am. I came here with A-Dai just to inform you that I will be taking him away. From now on, he is no longer your subordinate thief."

The doorman brushed off his welcoming attire, looked at the filthy Ah Dai with a strong expression of disgust on his face, and disdainfully said: "Which one is your teacher? Get lost, and don't dirty our premises. A stinking beggar, wanting to enter our hotel, doesn't even consider his own worth."

Goris nodded and said to A-Dai, "Let's go."

The old man suddenly felt that talking to this foolish boy seemed to lighten his mood considerably. However, he could never have imagined that the frail boy before him, who was asking him what death felt like, would, in a decade or so, become the formidable "Grim Reaper" on the mainland, bringing death to others.

The doorman was no longer willing to engage with the small beggar in front of him and approached Ah Dai fiercely, saying, "Damn it, you are asking for trouble, forcing me to take action." He raised his palm, resembling a fan, ready to strike Ah Dai. The beggar had seen many like him; in the Heavenly Gold Empire, there were plenty of beggars like this one. Even if he killed a few, no one would come to trouble him.

Bathing? It seems that I have never done this since I can remember. I have only seen Uncle Li wash in the room before, and I even helped him scrub his back. His expression at that time seemed quite comfortable. Bathing shouldn't be a bad thing, right? With this thought, Ah Dui responded and followed the two bath attendants.

The fool said: "Kill me? If you kill me, I will be dead, right? What does death feel like? Can you tell me in advance? Is it very painful to die? After death, there will be no more steamed buns to eat, right?"

Ah Dui responded and immediately followed the old man outside. After walking a few steps, the old man suddenly stopped. Ah Dui, not paying attention, bumped right into the old man's back. "Ouch," Ah Dui exclaimed in pain, covering his nose and looking at the old man in confusion

The elderly man raised his voice and said: "My name is Goris, not Gelisi. Make sure you remember that. From now on, you should call me Teacher"

The old man nodded and said, "If you have any other requests, you can bring them up; I will do my best to accommodate you. However, this journey may take a long time, and you need to think it through." He certainly did not wish to bring back a child who would cry and fuss every day, only to end up having to kill it and then go out to find another one.

Goris brought Ah Dai to a large door, pushed it open, and was met with a heavy mist of water vapor. A wave of warmth enveloped Ah Dai's entire body, and he unconsciously exclaimed, "How warm it is!" This was one of the many public baths in the Karen Grand Hotel. At this time, there would be no guests here; generally, it was only in the evening that people would come to soak in these public baths.

The elderly man asked in surprise: "Why?"

Ah Dui instinctively shrank his body, waiting for the pain to come, but after a long time, there was no movement. When Ah Dui opened his eyes, he realized that Uncle Li's fist had not struck him; instead, it was suspended in mid-air, grasped by a bony hand at the wrist, cold sweat trickling down from Uncle Li's forehead

The middle-aged man said irritably: "If you all love to gamble so much, why not go out and find a beggar to gamble with? I fear that would be no less than what he has." As he spoke, he played with the amethyst coin in his hand, already feeling delighted inside. With today's extra earnings, he could go out and enjoy himself again tonight

Hello, sir, how may I assist you? A middle-aged man approached, politely speaking to Goriss while glancing at Ah Dai out of the corner of his eye.

"Go to the restroom, take off your pants, and squat. The door on the left as soon as you enter is the restroom, hurry up." Goriss had to be more explicit; if he wasn't clear, the dullard in front of him might very well try to defecate while still wearing his pants, and he certainly did not want to create any more trouble for himself.

Although the middle-aged man wanted to get closer, it seemed that getting close to Ge Li Si was quite difficult, so he gave up, placed the tea on the coffee table, and retreated back to the counter.

The prolonged accumulation of pressure made Ah Dai subconsciously want to retreat; being able to eat one more steamed bun is also a good thing! He was hesitating, unsure of what to say, when Goris's voice rang out, "Otherwise, what can you do to him?" As footsteps approached, Goris's tall figure appeared beside Ah Dai, making Uncle Li seem so lewd and insignificant in front of him.

The cold voice startled Ah Dai, and his long-established timidity left him unable to muster even a trace of rebellious thought, "Oh, I am sorry"

Goris is truly on the verge of being defeated by his own foolish apprentice. He handed the pill back and said, "Peel off the outer wax coating before taking it. Haven't you ever taken medicine before?"

A fool lowered his head and said: "But, but, I am very foolish, they all say I am stupid, can I learn?"

Goris turned to A-Dai and said, "I have already explained it, let us go."

"Who are you?" Uncle Li asked sternly.

Dazed and confused, he sat there, staring at the teacher who had suddenly barged in, utterly at a loss.

Ah Dou and Uncle Li were both stunned. Ah Dou said, "Teacher, are you performing magic? Where has the table gone?"

The fool led the way, taking a winding route, and brought Goriss to the corner of the southern part of the city, outside the dilapidated house where he had lived for over a year. At this time, most of the children had been sent out to work by Uncle Li, and there were no sounds of noise coming from within. Goriss frowned and asked, "Is this the place?"

An entire hour had passed when the bathroom door finally opened. Goriss looked up in surprise; the dirty little beggar was gone, replaced by a clean little boy. His medium-length black hair fell loosely behind him. Although he was very thin, his skin was quite fair. He had an ordinary appearance that gave off a simple and honest vibe. If it weren't for his black hair and black eyes, he could easily be mistaken for a golden-haired child. His movements lacked the roughness typical of street urchins, and even his gaze did not have the furtive look of a thief, yet it appeared rather vacant. Goriss recognized him from his dazed expression as the young apprentice he had just taken in.

After a long time, the sounds in the restroom finally ceased. However, after another half day, A-Dai still had not emerged. A sense of alarm surged within Goris; could it be that the child's constitution was too weak to withstand the effects of the medicine? This would be disastrous. If he were to die, it would mean wasting the only Nine-Transformation Bone-Refining Pill. Where would he find another treasure to restore his health? With this thought in mind, Goris hurried to the restroom door and forcefully pushed it open. A strong, foul odor assaulted him, and Goris quickly pinched his nose, his brow furrowing in distaste.

Goris stopped in his tracks and coldly said to A-Dai: "Don't ask too many questions, just follow me."

Ah Dou nodded and quickly followed Goriss, and the two of them exited the bathroom together

"Catch the fish? Uncle Li?" The old man was momentarily taken aback, but soon understood what "catch the fish" meant, as well as that Uncle Li referred to the dim-witted little thief before him. A sense of amusement arose within him; the thief, caught by the victim, actually requested not to have his hands hit. This foolish young man truly was remarkably simple-minded!

Uncle Li covered his wrist and shouted angrily, "You, you bastard, do you want to rob someone?"

Why hasn't it come out yet after finishing? Do you want to live in there? It has been a long time since anyone could make Goriss angry, as those who did have already turned to ashes. However, this child before him leaves him at a loss.