Chapter 15: 4 years

Everyone became stunned hearing Vishnu's response. Even the shadow figure has a change in expression but no one there could see it.

"Why?" Winston asked. He couldn't understand Vishnu's reason for denying such an opportunity.

"If I become your disciple then that'd be going against the sect as Winston isn't a member of the sect but instead is a member of Alchemy Association." What Vishnu said was right. Even though Alchemy Association has a branch in their sect not every member of the Association is a member of the sect. Sects value loyalty whereas Alchemy Association doesn't. Not that they don't value loyalty but they value profits more than loyalty.

Alchemists of the Association in the Elemental Heaven sect's branch are not all members of the sect.

According to sect rules, one could only become a disciple of a sect Elder. And in the Alchemy Association, some Alchemists are Elders of the sect. They put the sect above the Association and provide their products almost exclusively to the sect. Some Rank-3 alchemists are members of the sect so Vishnu could go to them instead.

Hearing this Winston didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Chen Jiaxin is also thinking the same 'Why is this Idiot even thinking all this?'. Even though she could've taken Vishnu to an Alchemist who is a member of their sect but the reason she brought him to Winston is because Winston could be counted among the top-5 alchemists on the whole continent. Even though those other alchemists might be of the same rank but they are not on the same level.

Winston carefully thought about it. While it is true that Vishnu couldn't become his disciple officially but there is another way.

"No problem then, You don't have to become my disciple. You can just join the Alchemy Association and I'll just teach you about alchemy. We won't have any official relationship that way the sect won't have any issue right?"

While there are mentors to teach newbies who join Alchemy Association there has never been a precedent where a Rank-3 Alchemist will be teaching someone personally. Even though it might attract attention Winston could just say that he is teaching Vishnu out of boredom and wants to make a connection with a talented youngster. Many might doubt but given Vishnu's talent, it is not that inconceivable.

"Oh! That would work but are you just doing all this so that you could see me reach Rank-4 as an Alchemist.?" Vishnu still has his doubts. He didn't want to believe anyone just like that.

"While it is true that I want to see someone reach Rank-4 alchemist and if that person turns out to be someone I taught even better. But if you reached Rank-4 then I'm hoping that would inspire me to reach that level too. I'm stuck at Rank-3 for too long." Winston revealed his inner feeling and Vishnu also found it reasonable.

"Okay then, Starting now I'll be learning under you old man." Vishnu smiled.

'There comes your habit of calling everyone old man." At this point, Arthur thought that Vishnu might have an Old man fetish or something.

Winston also didn't mind too much.

"Let's start then. Little princess, you could leave now. Thank you for introducing him to me. I'll give you a little extra for the next batch of products." Winston didn't want to waste time.

"Huh! You're going to start right away?" Chen Jiaxin couldn't believe how fast these events were happening. She just brought Vishnu here because she wanted Vishnu to join their side and even though he said that he wouldn't join their faction at least making a good connection have its merits too but now she didn't what to say or expect anymore. The more she looked at this young man the more pleasing to the eye he seemed.

"Why not. Since I am here we might as well start right away." Vishnu also agreed with Winston. He also didn't like to waste time.

No one even noticed when the Shadow figure disappeared.

Chen Jiaxin also reluctantly left. And Vishnu and Winston got started with their lesson.

…

4 years later,

A pair of ferocious silver eyes looked around curiously. It reflected the face of man. A man with black hair and blue eyes that'd probably capture the hearts of every maiden.

Vishnu looked to see Fenrir looking at him curiously. He gestured for him to come near and the not so little wolf jumped on top of Vishnu. If Vishnu was a normal human he would've become meat paste by now. Vishnu lifted Fenrir and make him sit by his side.

"Now that I take a good look, you've grown too much to be jumping on me." Vishnu smiled as he rubbed Fenrir's fur. The little wolf has now almost reached the size of his mother. 3m in height and almost 7m in length. But it still had the habit of jumping onto Vishnu.

The reason for his fast growth is because of alchemy. Since that day when Vishnu started learning about alchemy, he'd make pills suitable for beast's growth. It has reached Rank-2 and could reach Rank-3 in the coming months. Beasts generally grow much faster than humans or any other species for that matter.

Although Vishnu has heard that there are elves on the continent but they live in an isolated forest elsewhere.

"So it is today huh!" Vishnu sighed as he got up to prepare for his next journey.

During these four years, he is either cultivating or practicing alchemy continuously.

By now he had reached Rank-3 as an alchemist. Seeing his speed Winston became more and more sure of his decision was the correct one and even Arthur was surprised. Even though he didn't know much about alchemy he still knew that reaching Rank-3 from nothing in just 4 years is a feat that would even shake the universe. Both Winston and Vishnu have kept this a secret that he is now a rank-3 alchemist and even though Chen Jiaxin knows that he is talented in alchemy she still doesn't know up to what standard.

Vishnu has also reached the peak of the Core formation Realm. He has birthed Fire core years ago.

In the core formation realm, one turns all their liquid Qi into a single core. The core's color depends on what the person cultivates. Vishnu created a fire core so his was red color.

The core formation realm is also divided into four stages – Early, mid, high, and peak.

The way to advance in this realm is to get rid of impurities in your core as you add more Qi.

In the early stage, the core is filled with impurities and when you reach the 10% mark you've reached the peak of the Early stage.

The mid-stage ranges from 11% to 30%.

The high stage ranges from 31% to 60%.

And finally, the peak comes after. Typically most people could only purify their core up to 80% and geniuses or those with good Qi methods good go up to 90%.

Once one reaches the 80% mark they could reach the higher stage but most want to reach their limit before proceeding. But even with 90% purity, there is no guarantee that one could reach the next realm.

Vishnu is currently at peak of core formation with 99% purity.

It was unheard of. Even Arthur said the highest he has heard someone reach was 98%. He has advanced to the next realm at 96% and that is unimaginable by most.

Vishnu isn't in any hurry to reach the next stage because he had only birthed fire core. And once you reach the Core & Soul Fusion realm it is impossible to bith any new core.

Vishnu was going to start learning the Lightning method when Arthur told him to leave and explore the world. According to Arthur, he need to gain real-world experience and Vishnu also thought it was time.

All these 4 years he had not left the sect even once. Not because he didn't want to but there have been two assassination attempts on him. Both failed of course but he learned something interesting from that.

The one who is protecting him always is the gold-level elder of Darkness element. Vishnu met him after he returned from his mission as the sect master introduced him. And Arthur then told him that he is been always following him and when the assassination attempt happen it was him who took care of it.

Vishnu felt good knowing that the sect is thinking so highly of him to assign a gold-level elder to be his protector all the time but he still wants to explore the world. So yesterday he went to the sect master to get permission to leave and surprisingly he agreed. Even though he was somewhat reluctant but he knows that for growth Vishnu has to experience difficulties.

But he has a condition that no one would know that he is leaving the sect and Vishnu didn't have any problem with that. He didn't have much interaction within the sect except with Chen Jiaxin who kept popping up from time to time but he has already informed her that he'd be undergoing seclusion so that she wouldn't come to bother him.

"Now the only thing left is to talk to him."