Song Qing

Ryu caught the bottle with a smirk. So what if he triggered the flag? With this pill, he was sure he could break through another realm and become stronger than Lin Fei's brother.

Time passed on, and Ryu spent his time exploring Lingyun Martial Academy, quickly familiarizing himself with its structure and how things worked.

The academy was divided into two main sections: the inner palace and the outer palace.

The inner palace was reserved for elite students—those in the inner palace and the core students who ranked on the prestigious Genius list. 

It was the place where the most talented and powerful students trained.

The outer palace, where Ryu was assigned, was for the general student population and was divided into three levels: noob, veteran, and talented. 

The elite students were the cream of the crop, selected from hundreds of miles around for their exceptional talent. 

The veteran students were also strong, having earned their place through their skills. 

However, the noob students, like Ryu, were usually those who had found other ways to enter the academy—through connections, favors, or other less merit-based methods.

This made the noob class the least respected group in the academy, and Ryu, as a new and unknown student, was even less welcomed.

As Ryu was absorbing all this information, a plump, fat boy approached him with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Brother Ryu, our noob class has an alchemy session this afternoon. Interested in checking it out?"

The boy was Zhang Wei, Ryu's roommate at the academy. Zhang Wei had been a great help to Ryu, making his transition into the academy smoother.

"Alchemy class?" Ryu's interest was piqued. "Sure, let's go see what it's about."

The two made their way to the classroom, which was already packed with nearly a hundred noob students.

Among them was Lin Fei, who had lost a Body Tempering Pill to Ryu earlier in the day.

Seeing Ryu enter, Lin Fei couldn't resist sneering.

"Ryu, you're here for the alchemy class? Do you even know what alchemy is?"

Ryu's lips curled into a slight smile. "I may not know much, but I'm sure I'm still better than you. If you're feeling brave, why not wager another Body Tempering Pill? I wouldn't mind making another bet."

Lin Fei's face darkened at the mention of the pill. He huffed angrily and sat down, choosing not to respond.

The other students whispered among themselves, clearly impressed by Ryu's boldness.

"Who is this guy? He actually got the better of Lin Fei!"

"That's Ryu. He just got here, but he already beat Lin Fei in a bet and won a Body Tempering Pill."

"Wow, that's incredible!"

Just then, a stunning young woman, no older than twenty, entered the classroom. The room fell silent as she walked in.

This was Song Qing, a beautiful and talented alchemist known throughout the academy.

Despite her young age, she was already a third-rank alchemist—a level of mastery that commanded respect from everyone at Lingyun Martial Academy.

Song Qing stood before the class, her gaze sweeping across the students.

When she spoke, her voice was soft but carried a certain authority.

"Dear students, you've been exposed to alchemy for a while now. Today, I'll be demonstrating an alchemy process for you."

With a graceful motion, she placed a one-foot-tall pill furnace on the platform, along with various medicinal herbs.

"Today, I'll be demonstrating the refining of a Strength Boost, grade-less pill," she explained.

"In alchemy, the first step is to raise the temperature of the furnace to ensure it's evenly heated.

Then, you add the medicinal ingredients in the correct order. Once the mixture is properly heated and balanced, the pill can be formed."

As she spoke, Song Qing skillfully performed each step, her hands moving with practiced ease.

Within a few minutes, she had refined a pot of powerful pills, the process smooth and flawless.

[You have watched a third-rank alchemist refine a Strength boost pill and gained 145x690 Experience]

[You have learned and mastered basic alchemy]

[Basic alchemy evolved to Intermediate alchemy]

Ryu felt a surge of knowledge floods his mind. In an instant, he understood the complexity of alchemy.

'This system is really a cheat! I just watched one demonstration, and I already learned this much! If it's others, they will take years to achieve. Even geniuses will take at least a month.'

After Song Qing finished her alchemy demonstration, she looked over the group of noob students with a gentle but expectant gaze.

"Students, I've shown you the process of making a powerful pill. Now, who among you would like to try?

If anyone succeeds in creating a powerful pill, I'll personally recommend you to be promoted to a veteran student!"

Her words caused an immediate stir in the classroom.

"Wow, good thing I've been paying attention in alchemy classes!"

"This is my chance to finally move up to Veteran rank!"

Those who had diligently studied alchemy felt a surge of excitement, ready to seize this rare opportunity.

However, the students who had slacked off or ignored their alchemy lessons were filled with regret, realizing they might have missed their chance.

At Lingyun Martial Academy, student ranks determine many things. This included resources and training they received.

"I'll give it a try!" one of the more confident students announced, stepping up to the platform.

Despite his confidence, once he began the actual process, it quickly became clear that he was out of his depth.

He fumbled with the ingredients and couldn't maintain the right temperature, leading to a quick failure.

One by one, other students followed, each attempting to refine the pill, but all ended in failure.

Even Lin Fei, who had been so sure of himself, misjudged the heat and caused his furnace to explode, ruining his attempt.

"Who else wants to give it a try?" Song Qing asked, though there was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

She had hoped to find hidden talent among the noob students, as she herself had once been one of them. But so far, none of the students had shown the potential she was looking for.

Seeing that no one else seemed eager to step up, Ryu stood from his seat and began to walk toward the platform.