Chapter 2: The Alchemist (Part One)
A-Dai froze, instinctively lifting his head. Once again, he saw the old man’s deeply wrinkled face, devoid of any expression, gazing steadily at him. “W-what question?”
The old man’s brows furrowed slightly. So, he’s a simpleton, he thought. Being simple might actually be perfect for this. “I asked you earlier: have you never been full?”
A-Dai nodded. Sensing that the old man didn’t seem inclined to hit him, his courage grew slightly. “Y-yes,” he replied. “I know you must be angry. If you promise not to hit me, could you let me go?” Although this attempt at catching fish had failed, the day was still long. A-Dai felt he still had a chance to complete his task. He never allowed himself to become discouraged by a single failure in catching fish. For the sake of his beloved steamed buns, he would continue striving, faithfully playing his part.
The old man’s lips twitched slightly as he said, “Did I ever say I wouldn’t hit you? You stole my money pouch; it seems only natural that I should punish you.”
Ah Dai’s face, which had just relaxed a little, fell again. He resumed his posture of holding his head in both hands and lowered his gaze, saying, “Then… could you please not hit my hands?”
The old man asked with some surprise, “Why not?”
Ah Dai whispered, “Because… because I still need to lead the fish. If my hands are hurt, I won’t be able to lead them. Without leading the fish, there’ll be no steamed buns for me to eat, and Uncle Li will beat me too.”
“Qian Yu? Uncle Li?” The old man was only slightly stunned for a moment before he understood what “Qian Yu” meant and realized that Uncle Li was the leader of this dull little thief standing before him. A hint of amusement arose in his heart; a thief caught by his victim actually begging him not to hit his hand—this foolish boy was truly incredibly dim-witted!
“Hitting you is being lenient. Given my status, even if I killed you, no one would trouble me over it. Do you believe that or not?”
Ah Dai was startled and said, “Kill me? If you kill me, won’t I be dead? Could you first tell me what death feels like? Will dying be painful? And after I die, will there be no more steamed buns for me to eat?”
Suddenly, the old man felt that talking to this dull boy seemed to lift his spirits considerably. However, what the old man could never have imagined was that this thin young boy asking him what death felt like would, more than a decade later, become the legendary “God of Death” who dominated the continent, becoming one who brought death to others.
“Do you want to eat your fill?” The old man decided to stop dawdling with Adai and got straight to the point.
Mentioning food instantly lifted Adai’s spirits; the steamed bun he had eaten that morning had long since been digested in the cold weather. His stomach let out a rumble as he looked up at the old man with longing and said, “Yes! I most want to eat my fill. How about… how about you give me one of those purple coins? Just one would be enough.” At the mere thought of chicken legs, saliva began to drip from the corners of Adai’s mouth.
The old man replied, “I won’t give you money, but if you want to eat your fill, then come with me. I will make sure you have enough to eat, and moreover, I won’t hit you.”
Adai’s eyes lit up. That very morning, he had just wished to be taken away by someone like Yatie, and now his wish was coming true. He asked cautiously, “R-really? Will you really let me eat my fill?”
The old man nodded and said, “If you have any other requests, feel free to mention them; I’ll do my best to accommodate. However, once we leave, it may be a very long time before we return, so think carefully.” He certainly didn’t want to take a child back only to have him crying and making a fuss every day, forcing him to kill the child later and go out again to find another one.
Ah Dai shook his head and said, “I’m willing to go with you, as long as I can have enough to eat. I have no other requests.”
The old man nodded in satisfaction and said, “Coming with me means working hard. Are you afraid of hardship?”
“Working? What kind of work?” Ah Dai murmured.
The old man replied, “It’s certainly better than being a thief. At the very least, I won’t beat you, right? And I can teach you anything you don’t know.”
A-Dai lowered his head and said, “But… but I’m really stupid. Everyone says I’m dumb. Can I actually learn this?”
The old man, somewhat impatiently, replied, “If I say you can learn it, then you can. Come with me.” With that, he turned and walked out of the alley.
A-Dai responded with a soft “Okay” and hurried after the old man. They hadn’t gone far when the old man suddenly stopped. A-Dai, not paying attention, bumped right into the old man’s back. “Ouch!” A-Dai cried out in pain, clutching his nose as he looked at the old man in confusion.
The old man turned around and asked, “What’s your name?”
A-Dai,” said A-Dai. “My name is A-Dai.
The old man sneered, “A-Dai? Truly, you live up to your name! Remember this: my name is Goris, an alchemist. From now on, you are my apprentice.”
A-Dai nodded, afraid he might forget, and repeated over and over, “Goris, Goris…”
Raising his voice, the old man said, “My name is Goris, not ‘Goris’ as in ‘song dies.’ Get it straight. From now on, you will call me Master.”
“Oh, oh, I see, M-Master. But what does ‘Master’ mean?”
Gris felt truly defeated by this little fellow and explained helplessly, “A master is someone who teaches you things.” With that, he turned and walked out of the alley. The name Gris was such that even the Guild Master of the Alchemists’ Guild would show an expression of respect upon hearing it; after all, though his moods were unpredictable, he remained one of the few alchemists at the master level.
A Dai suddenly recalled Uncle Li’s behavior after the girl had left yesterday and hurriedly chased after him, saying, “Master, could you accompany me to tell Uncle Li? He has fed me steamed buns for so long; if I’m leaving, I must at least bid him farewell. Otherwise, he’ll be angry.”
Gris thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Very well, lead the way.” In truth, there was no need for him to go with A Dai, but for the sake of his plan, he needed A Dai to follow him wholeheartedly; thus, he agreed to this utterly foolish suggestion.
A-Dai led the way, winding through seven twists and eight turns, until he brought Goris to the dilapidated shack in the southern corner of the city where he himself had lived for over a year. At this hour, most of the children had been sent out to work by Uncle Li, so no noisy clamor escaped from within. Goris frowned and asked, “Is this the place?”
A-Dai nodded, carefully pushed open the flimsy wooden door, and stepped inside first.
Uncle Li was in his room, clutching a jar of wine and sipping slowly. Ever since A-Dai’s skill at catching fish had improved steadily, his income had gradually risen, freeing Uncle Li from having to work outside anymore. Lost in daydreams, he imagined that in a few more years, with enough savings, he could live a more comfortable life, even bring home a wife, finally enjoy being the master of his own household, and no longer need to vent his frustrations in that wretched brothel. Eyes closed, immersed in alcohol-induced fantasies, he was startled when the door suddenly swung open, revealing A-Dai’s thin, small figure standing before him.
“Hmm? How come you’re back so soon? How many fish did you catch?”
A-Dai spoke fearfully, “Uncle Li, I… I didn’t catch any fish.”
Upon hearing that A-Dai had returned empty-handed, Uncle Li’s voice instantly turned sharp, his fierce eyes widening. “Didn’t catch any fish? If you caught nothing, what are you doing back here? Is your skin feeling too loose again?”
A Dai’s body trembled as he timidly replied, “I… I came back to bid you farewell.”
Uncle Li was startled and leapt off the bed with a sudden rustle. “You want to leave? After eating my food for so long, you just wish to depart like this? Have your wings grown too strong, is that it?” How could he bear to let his cash cow walk away? He didn’t much care if the girl left; even if she stayed, being unable to catch fish, she would only waste grain. Selling her to slave traders wouldn’t fetch much either. But A Dai was different—nearly more than half of his income now came from him. There was no way he would allow his source of wealth to leave. Uncle Li tried to soften his voice, saying, “Are you hungry again? I’ll give you another steamed bun to eat. Then obediently go catch some fish for me. Don’t entertain any wicked thoughts, or else… hmph.” He shook his fist, glaring threateningly at A Dai.
Years of accumulated intimidation made A Dai instinctively want to shrink back. Being able to eat an extra steamed bun wasn’t such a bad thing! Just as he hesitated, unsure what to say, Goris’s voice rang out: “Otherwise, what exactly can you do to him?” With the sound of approaching footsteps, Goris’s tall figure appeared beside A Dai. In comparison, Uncle Li looked utterly despicable and insignificant.
“Who… who are you?” Uncle Li asked, attempting to sound fierce despite his inner fear.
Gris said indifferently, “You need not concern yourself with who I am. A Dai and I have come here merely to inform you that I am taking him away. From this day forward, he is no longer the thief under your command.”
Uncle Li’s heart grew cold. Before this figure whose features remained obscured, an invisible pressure seemed to crush the breath from his lungs. Yet profit, after all, was paramount. Summoning his courage, he declared, “No, you cannot take him away. No wonder he dared to leave me; it turns out he found a patron. I’ll beat you to death!” With that, he threw a punch straight at A Dai’s chest.
Instinctively, A Dai shrank back, bracing for pain, but nothing happened for what felt like an eternity. Opening his eyes, he realized Uncle Li’s fist had never reached him; instead, it hung suspended in midair, its wrist seized by a withered hand. Cold sweat streamed down Uncle Li’s forehead.
“I said he is now my apprentice; you have no right to strike him again.” Gris casually shoved Uncle Li aside. Unlike ordinary mages, his body was not fragile. Though he possessed no martial skills, figures like Uncle Li were hardly worth his notice.
Uncle Li clutched his wrist and shouted furiously, “You, you bastard! Are you trying to snatch someone away?”
Gris sneered coldly and said, “Scum like you should have been punished by the heavenly gods long ago. If you keep pestering me, I’ll send you straight to hell.” As he spoke, he extended his right hand—the same one that had just grabbed Uncle Li. A few strange incantations, blurred and indistinct, drifted from beneath his cloak. Suddenly, black flames appeared in Gris’s palm, flickering with an eerie glow. With a casual wave of his hand, the black flames transformed into a streak of fire that landed on the room’s only three-legged wooden table. Without any sound or sign of burning, the table simply vanished into thin air, leaving not even a trace of ash behind. Only a faint, unpleasant odor lingered in the air.
Both Ah Dai and Uncle Li stood stunned. Ah Dai exclaimed, “Teacher, are you performing a magic trick? How did the table disappear?”
Gris glanced at him and said, “This isn’t sleight of hand; it’s magic.” Had any mage of intermediate rank or higher witnessed the scene just now, they would have been astonished to discover that the flame Gris wielded was a fusion spell combining dark magic and fire magic.
Uncle Li’s teeth chattered uncontrollably. “Y-you… you’re a mage. Great Mage, p-please don’t kill me.” He knew all too well that for someone as insignificant as himself, if this person before him wished to take his life, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. No one would care about the fate of a mere thief. Moreover, apart from the Holy See and the Suoyu Federation, mages in any other nation enjoyed a certain degree of immunity when killing commoners, provided no nobles were harmed. No one was willing to incur their wrath.
Gris turned his head toward A Dai and said, “I’ve already given my instructions. Let’s go.”
A Dai looked at Uncle Li, who sat slumped on the ground, his face deathly pale and silent. After all, compared to money, life seemed far more important.

The Alchemist (Part 2)
“Li, Uncle Li, I’m off now,” A-Dai blurted out before hurrying outside. Once beyond the door, he felt a sudden lightness throughout his body. When Gries had earlier flung Uncle Li aside, A-Dai unexpectedly experienced an indescribable sense of satisfaction in the depths of his heart. Compared to Uncle Li, Mantou seemed more important after all. Moreover, Gries had promised not to hit him. No one willingly endures beatings; the agony of全身 pain is truly unbearable. Being with this so-called sorcerer must surely be better than staying with Uncle Li.
In truth, A-Dai himself remained unaware that the primary reason he chose to stay with Gries was actually Yatie’s parting instructions.
Gries walked slowly, allowing A-Dai to follow easily. Although the sky remained overcast with dense clouds, A-Dai appeared considerably cheerier. “Teacher, where are we going?”
Gris came to a halt and coldly told A-Dai, “Don’t ask too many questions; just follow me.”
The icy tone startled A-Dai. Years of ingrained timidity left him utterly unable to muster even a flicker of resistance. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Gris turned and continued walking forward. He felt quite satisfied; though this child was somewhat dull, he was obedient enough. In a year’s time, he should be able to help Gris accomplish that matter—a long-cherished wish of his! At this thought, an eerie smile unconsciously crept across Gris’s aged face, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who might see it. Had A-Dai witnessed that smile, it might well have shaken his resolve to leave. But he did not see it. And precisely because he left Nino alongside Gris, he would go on to experience an extraordinary life.
After walking for a short while, Gris led A-Dai to a grand inn resembling a palace. Striding in with head held high, two doorboys hurriedly opened the gates and respectfully ushered him inside.
A-Dai looked at the gilded gates before him and couldn’t help but swallow hard. He was very familiar with this place, having once stationed himself here several times to fish. Uncle Li had once told him that this was Nino City’s largest hotel, called the Karen Grand Hotel. Is my teacher staying here? Without thinking, he followed along.
“Go, go, go! Where did you little beggar come from? Scram!” The tall doorman blocked A-Dai’s path, shooing him away as if he were a fly. Startled, A-Dai quickly complied and stepped aside. After walking a few paces, however, he stopped. “Wait, that’s not right,” he thought. “I came with my teacher. Since my teacher has already gone in, I should be allowed in too.” With that, he turned back and politely addressed the doorman, “I came here with my teacher. Could you let me in?”
The doorman brushed off his ceremonial welcoming uniform, looked at the filthy A-Dai with intense disgust on his face, and said disdainfully, “Which one is your teacher? Get lost! Don’t dirty our grounds. You stinking beggar actually think you can enter our hotel? Just look at yourself.”
A-Dai grew anxious. Though slow-witted, he knew there was no turning back now; returning to Uncle Li was absolutely impossible. Only by following Glis could he hope to eat his beloved steamed buns. “Please, let me in. I need to find my teacher,” he pleaded once more, his eyes filled with urgency.
Unwilling to纠缠 further with the little beggar before him, the doorman advanced menacingly toward A-Dai. “Damn it, you’re refusing kindness when it’s offered! Must I lay hands on you myself?” He raised a palm as broad as a fan, ready to strike A-Dai. He had seen countless beggars like this; in the Tianjin Empire, such beggars were everywhere. Even if he beat a few to death, no one would trouble him over it.
“Hold on. He came with me.” Glis’s voice rang out at the critical moment. In fact, as soon as he entered the hotel, Glis had known A-Dai wouldn’t be easily allowed inside. But to make A-Dai even more utterly devoted to him, Glis had deliberately held back until now. Finally, when the doorman could no longer restrain himself from striking, Glis stepped in just in time to stop him.
The doorman froze, withdrawing his raised hand, and asked Gries with confusion, “Sir, did he really come with you?”
Gries slightly lifted his head; two beams of cold light shot out from beneath his cloak. The doorman immediately shivered, his whole body trembling, and hastily said, “I’m sorry, sir, I was rash. Please.” Having seen much of the world, he naturally knew that this figure dressed as a mage was someone he could not afford to offend. He quickly apologized and gestured for A Dai to enter.
A Dai hurried forward, stopping before Gries. “I’m sorry, Master, I… I…”
“Let’s go.” Gries had already seen in the depths of A Dai’s eyes what he wanted to see. With that, he turned and led the way inside. This time, A Dai finally learned to be a bit sharper, sticking closely beside Gries. Countless sharp gazes pierced at A Dai, making him feel extremely uneasy. Curling his body and lowering his head, he silently watched only Gries’ feet as he moved forward.
Gris led A-Dai to a large door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. A thick wave of steam greeted them, and a comforting warmth spread through A-Dai’s entire body. Unconsciously, he exclaimed, “So warm!” This was one of the many public bathhouses at the Karen Grand Hotel. At this hour, there were no guests; generally, people only came to soak in these public baths during the evening.
“Good day, sir. How may I assist you?” A middle-aged man approached, speaking politely to Gris while casting several sidelong glances at A-Dai.
Gris pulled a purple crystal coin from his pouch, tossed it to the man, and said, “Take this child to bathe. Have the bath attendants scrub all the grime off his body, then buy him a complete set of clothing—something simple and modest. Understood? Whatever remains is your tip.”
The middle-aged man was the manager of this bathhouse. Although A-Dai’s odor made him uncomfortable, Gris’s generous gesture immediately brought a broad smile to his face. After all, his annual salary amounted to merely five purple crystal coins; this single coin would leave him with at least half as profit! “Yes, yes, sir. Rest assured, we will ensure your complete satisfaction. Number Three, Number Four, quickly escort this young master to his bath!” At his call, two sturdy bath attendants rushed out.
A Dai shrank back behind Goris, eyeing the two burly men before him with fear. Goris said, “Go with them and take a bath. My apprentice cannot remain covered in filth.”
A bath? As far as he could remember, he had never done such a thing himself. He had only once seen Uncle Li bathing in his room; he had even scrubbed his back then, and Uncle Li’s expression had seemed quite contented. Taking a bath shouldn’t be anything bad, right? With this thought, A Dai gave a soft assent and followed the two bath attendants away.
The middle-aged man called over one of his subordinates, instructing him to buy some clothes, then personally brewed a fragrant cup of tea and presented it to Goris, saying, “Sir, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little while.”
Goris murmured an acknowledgment, settled into the soft, comfortable sofa, and said no more.
The middle-aged man wanted to strike up a friendly conversation, but seeing that Goris seemed rather unapproachable, he gave up, placed the tea on the coffee table, and retreated behind the counter.
A full hour passed before the bathroom door finally opened. Glances upward, Garris was startled himself: the dirty little beggar was gone, replaced by a clean-cut young boy. Shoulder-length black hair cascaded down his back; though thin, his skin was fair. His features were ordinary, giving off an earnest, guileless impression. Were it not for his black hair and dark eyes, he might easily have been mistaken for someone of Tianjin descent. His manner lacked any trace of streetwise cunning, and even his gaze did not carry the shifty look of a thief—yet it remained utterly blank. It was precisely from this dazed expression that Garris recognized him as the apprentice he had just taken on.
Awkwardly, A-Dai fiddled with his new clothes. The gray fabric wasn’t of the finest quality, yet it felt dry and comfortable against his skin. The outer cotton coat was wonderfully warm. Earlier, after his bath, when he caught his reflection in the mirror, even he hadn’t recognized that simple-minded little boy as himself.
“Sir, are you satisfied?” the middle-aged man asked Garris with an ingratiating smile.
Garris nodded and said to A-Dai, “Let’s go.”
A Dai nodded and quickly caught up with Goris, the two of them leaving the bathhouse together.
Watching them depart, one bath attendant exclaimed to the middle-aged man, “Boss, it was absolutely terrifying! That kid had pounds of grime on his body. I’ve never enjoyed scrubbing so much; every stroke produced a huge roll of dirt. Awesome, truly awesome!”
Another bath attendant agreed, saying, “Yes, it was incredibly satisfying. It’s just a pity the smell wasn’t quite as good.”
The middle-aged man retorted irritably, “If you love scrubbing so much, go find some beggars to scrub! They probably have just as much dirt as he did.” As he spoke, he toyed with the purple crystal coin in his hand, his heart already bursting with joy. With today’s extra earnings, he could go out and enjoy himself again tonight.
Gris took A-Dai back to his room. He was staying in a standard room, which already had two beds. The reason he waited until after his shower to bring A-Dai back was that he feared he couldn’t endure the smell clinging to A-Dai’s body. The luxurious decor of the room left A-Dai standing dumbfounded at the doorway, wondering to himself, “Am I really allowed to go in?” “Come in,” Gris’s voice answered his unspoken question.
“Gurgle.” The moment A-Dai stepped into the room, his stomach growled loudly. Gris glanced back at him, removed his large cloak, and asked, “Are you hungry?”
Only now did A-Dai get a clear look at Gris. Like himself, Gris was very thin, but his bone structure was large enough to fully fill out his clothes. His head full of white hair and deep wrinkles revealed his advanced age, while those azure, profound eyes made A-Dai somewhat afraid.
“Answer my question,” Gris said不容置疑地.
“Yes, I’m hungry. I’ve only had one steamed bun today,” A-Dai replied cautiously while leaning against the wall.
Gris took off his shoes and half-reclined on the bed. He pulled a pill from inside his robe, hesitated for a moment, then tossed it to A-Dai, saying, “Eat this.”
“Oh,” A-Dai responded, immediately throwing the pill into his mouth. He didn’t understand what use such a small white ball could possibly have. The moment the pill entered his mouth, Gris slapped him on the back of the head. A-Dai cried out in pain and spat the pill out. Rubbing his slightly aching head, he asked, “Teacher, what’s wrong?”
Gris felt utterly defeated by his clumsy apprentice. He handed the pill over again, saying, “Peel off the wax coating before eating it. Have you never taken medicine before?”
Adai looked at the round pill, too afraid to take it, and tentatively said, “Teacher, I… I’ve really never taken one before. What’s a wax coating?”
Gris sighed, cracked open the waxy coating of the pill, and extracted a red pellet from within. A fragrant aroma instantly filled the room. With one hand, he lifted A-Dai’s chin, and with the other, he slipped the pill into A-Dai’s mouth.
In the brief moment A-Dai stood stunned, he already felt the pill dissolve into saliva and slide down his throat, leaving a cooling sensation wherever it passed.
“Go to the toilet, take off your pants, and squat. The door on the left as soon as you enter is the toilet—hurry up.” Gris had no choice but to be explicit; if he wasn’t clear enough, this dull boy in front of him might end up defecating with his pants still on, and Gris certainly didn’t want to invite any more trouble upon himself.
Although A-Dai didn’t understand why his teacher wanted him to go squat in the toilet, he obediently ran inside anyway.
In just a short while, muffled crackling sounds like firecrackers echoed from the restroom, accompanied by A Dai’s comfortable groans. What Gellis had given A Dai to eat was his own specially crafted Nine-Turn Marrow-Refining Pill. This pill had taken Gellis over ten years to create; he had gathered more than a hundred kinds of precious medicinal herbs from various regions across the continent, processed them through a special method involving nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying, and finally refined them in a high-temperature furnace. Initially, only five pills were produced from that single batch. Gellis had consumed one himself, sold three to the royal family at a price of one thousand rose diamond coins each, and the remaining one was precisely what he had just given to A Dai. The primary effects of the Nine-Turn Marrow-Refining Pill are to eliminate impurities within the body, unblock meridians, and prolong life. It is the most coveted treasure for martial practitioners.
Gellis sighed inwardly. Since he had already given his last Nine-Turn Marrow-Refining Pill to A Dai, there was no turning back now. After the medicinal power improved A Dai’s physique and following a period of proper care, the boy would surely reach the level Gellis expected. As long as all other preparations were completed perfectly, his ultimate goal would inevitably be achieved. From this moment on, this young lad was his precious treasure; under no circumstances could he allow him to be out of his sight.
After a long while, the sounds from the restroom finally ceased. Yet, even after quite some additional time passed, A Dai still had not emerged. A sudden alarm struck Gellis: Could it be that the child’s body was too weak to withstand the pill’s potent effects? This would be disastrous! If A Dai died, the sole remaining Nine-Turn Marrow-Refining Pill would be wasted, and where on earth could Gellis ever find another treasure capable of nurturing the body again? Thinking thus, Gellis hurried to the restroom door and forcefully pushed it open. A wave of intense, foul odor immediately assaulted his senses. Gellis quickly pinched his nose shut, his brows knitting tightly together.
A Dai squatted there, stunned, gazing blankly at his teacher who had suddenly burst in, completely at a loss as to what to do.
Seeing that A-Dai was unharmed, Goris couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, then said with slight anger, “Are you done yet?”
A-Dai nodded and replied, “I’m done.”
“If you’re done, why haven’t you come out yet? Do you plan to live in there?” It had been a long time since anyone could make Goris angry, because those who had angered him were already turned to ash. Yet, this child before him left him utterly helpless.