Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

Alex found himself in a curious bit of a situation. He had made pills that affected Spiritual roots before, but it has always been something to improve them, not to alter them.

“I need to reverse the mutation somehow, remove the aura of Dao of Ice,” Alex told himself. As someone without that particular Dao, Alex was stuck trying on his own from the start.

He had told the old man he would do it in a week, but was that even possible?

“If I can improve it, I can change it,” Alex thought and began going through his own understanding of what made Spiritual roots better or worse.

It was good luck on his part that it was the Water spiritual root. Had it been the Wood Spiritual root, he would’ve been in trouble. Since at the very least, he did have the Dao of Water to aid him in understanding the Water spiritual root much more.

‘The pill must be something that affects the root,’ Alex thought. ‘Something that changes what it is. So I need to start by finalizing exactly what it is I need.’

For that, he needed a much closer look at the Spiritual root. “Do you have one of your spiritual roots with you? The one you removed from your body,” Alex asked.

“Why would I have such a thing?” the old man asked.

“I just hoped you did,” Alex said. “Otherwise, I will have to extract it out from you to take a much closer look at it.”

The old man thought for a bit. “You do know that Spiritual roots lose their energy once they are out of one’s body, right?”

“Only if their holder heals then back,” Alex said.

“So you want me to remain without the spiritual root for a while then,” he said. “However long it may take for me to make the cure,” Alex said. The old man had nothing to say against that. “Alright, do what you must do. Take it.”

Alex gave the old man a pill to knock him out and performed surgery on him to extract both ends of the spiritual root. He looked at the vacant spot next to the dantian that he had cut open.

‘There is the other possibility,’ he thought. He could technically use one of the Spiritual roots he had lying around in his Soul Space and use it to treat the old man, but there were issues with that.

If it was real that the Heavens wanted his Water Spiritual root to become Ice Spiritual root, then it may just happen again even after he was placed in the spiritual rot. Even if he could reattach another spiritual root without a hitch, he would still be in trouble as he wouldn’t be able to explain it to the old man.

Besides, he didn’t have the Spiritual roots on him right now. So, he would still have to delay that choice for later on.

The old man slowly came to himself a while later and found Alex to the side, intently staring at the small, somewhat blue piece of flesh that had been cut off from his body.

“You stitched me up nicely, right?” the old man asked.

“Don’t worry. You won’t bleed to death,” Alex said, before looking back up. “Don’t try to heal it though. I need some more time to understand these spiritual roots.”

“I won’t,” the old man answered. He remained quiet and watched Alex focus back on the spiritual root. He waited for a while, not saying anything, only watching Alex work.

“What exactly are you trying to do?” the old man asked.

“Something…” Alex said softly, “that should help me make the pill faster.”

“And that is?” the old man asked.

“I can’t say just yet,” Alex said before slowly standing up. “I’m sorry, I need to go make a pill for myself. I will see you in a few days.”

He walked out, leaving the old man by himself.

The old man was surprised at how seriously Alex focused on his spiritual roots. He remembered only a few alchemists and healers in his past that did as such. And even then, they had stopped just a bit later.

But Alex seemed more focused than the other ones. The old man began getting some hope in this dire situation.

He reached into his Soul Space and pulled out something. It was a green marble-like object with irregular dark-red patterns on it like splotches of ink.

A beast core.

“I thought I was ready to come to you after all this time,” the old man said softly. “But now, I’m not so sure anymore. Will you forgive me if I decide to stay here a bit longer?”

* * * * *

Alex didn’t realize how he returned to his place. He didn’t know how much time had passed. He was focused on the spiritual root for so long that it was only when Scarwolf knocked on the door loudly that he looked up from the spiritual root.

“Alchemist Dawnblade? Are you okay?” the young man asked. Alex stirred himself into activeness. “Yes, what is it?” he asked.

“Our session,” Scarwolf said. “Is something wrong? Were you making a pill?”

“No, no,” Alex said. He looked before him and saw Memory in front of him. He was confused for a second as to why Memory was there, but then he remembered that as soon as he returned from the old man’s place, he had made a pill.

He had been so caught up with learning from the spiritual root that he hadn’t even realized it. “I’m sorry, Scarwolf. We can’t continue for today. I’m a little busy, so would you mind learning on your own for the night?” he asked the young man.

“Okay…” the young man said. “Take care of yourself, Alchemist Dawnblade. Don’t overdo whatever you are doing.”

“I won’t,” Alex said and watched the young man leave. Then he opened the lid to Memory and saw the pill inside. He had just made it and forgotten about it. He quickly pulled out the pill, ready for what was to come next.