Chapter Thirteen: Learn Alchemy With Me
After a thorough wash, Gu Xiaopang finally began to resemble his former self. Facing the little stream, his reflection in the water barely looked recognizable, but at least he could tell it was himself. Limping pitifully, wincing and grumbling about the pain, Gu Xiaopang shuffled barefoot toward the main peak's Alchemy Hall. With so many injuries, he knew he’d need some medicinal pills or herbs, otherwise the pain would linger for days.
As Gu Xiaopang passed the main peak’s martial training grounds, countless disciples looked on enviously once again... The main peak was indeed the main peak; among the fire-type cultivators, there were many who failed to become disciples of the Alchemy Pavilion. Though they couldn’t refine pills, setting things ablaze was their forte.
Forced to resort to his old tricks, Gu Xiaopang unleashed a fireball in desperation, burning everything in sight. The crowd of senior and junior brothers and sisters who surrounded him were momentarily stunned, then began to set fires themselves...
Hair singed, clothes scorched, shouts and curses filled the air...
By the time Gu Xiaopang crawled half-upright into the Alchemy Pavilion, his hair and eyebrows were burnt to nothing, his remaining underwear was riddled with holes, and luckily, the soot covering his exposed flesh made it less conspicuous.
The disciples on duty at the Pavilion gaped in astonishment, unable to recognize who he was until Gu Xiaopang weakly introduced himself.
“Brother, I’m Gu Xiaopang. Take me to see Wan’er—no, take me to Elder Mu.”
Knowing how dreadful he looked, Gu Xiaopang had originally wanted to find Mu Wan’er for some healing herbs, but changed his mind, deciding it best to see Elder Mu first.
“Oh, is this our Gu Xiaopang?” Elder Mu came into the hall and couldn’t help but tease when he saw a shadowy figure with no hair, no eyebrows, a bruised face, barely clothed, and barefoot.
Mu Wan’er followed behind him, her big eyes blinking as she stared at the blackened figure, a look of curiosity and amusement on her face.
...
The master and disciple of the Mu family, well aware of the countless skirmishes down the mountain, now laughed without any regard for their own dignity. There was no helping it; this trend of breaking through by dueling and brawling had been popularized by Gu Xiaopang himself—he had dug his own grave and fallen right in.
After a stick of incense’s time, Gu Xiaopang, rescued by premium pills and herbs, finally regained eighty percent of his appearance. Draped in a green robe belonging to some unknown disciple, he sprawled across the treatment rack, panting heavily.
“Speaking of which, you rascal, fighting is one thing, but why did they all set you on fire? What did you do to provoke them?” Elder Mu continued to joke.
“I glanced with my spiritual sense just now—chaos beneath the peak, a lot of the vegetation is scorched. Lucky for you none of it was valuable spirit plants.”
“Because I set them on fire first,” Gu Xiaopang replied weakly. Mu Wan’er, who was applying medicine, suddenly paused.
“What? Did you say you set them on fire first?” Both Elder Mu and Mu Wan’er were dumbfounded by his answer.
Next, Gu Xiaopang’s twenty fingers suddenly ignited with small flames, a fire sprouted atop his newly grown hair, and with a puff from his mouth, another flame floated before his chubby face...
“How is this possible?”
The two members of the Mu family looked utterly incredulous, especially Elder Mu, who had always thought it was impossible for this chubby boy to master his fire technique.
“You can cultivate that fire technique? How long have you been practicing?”
“Of course I can. Why else would you give it to me?” Gu Xiaopang replied. “A night, maybe? Or a few hours? I didn’t really pay much attention.”
Once again, the Mu family pair were struck as if by lightning, their minds buzzing.
After a few breaths of silence, Elder Mu flashed instantly to Gu Xiaopang’s side, placing both hands on him.
“Incredible.”
“Kid, you really are something.”
“Become my disciple.”
“Come learn alchemy with me.”
...