Still Learning To Live As A Cultivator

Chapter Eighty Nine - I haven't made these in a while

An alchemist battle was not like a normal battle; most Alchemists couldn't use weapons and they couldn't go around just throwing pills at each other.

Jian Juren; I beg to disagree!

So in the centre of the mage field, a platform had been placed just for this rarely seen challenge.  On top of the platform were three tables and on two of those there were alchemy stoves, simple cauldrons, kettles, pestle and mortars and bowls as well as a jade plate on each.  On the third table was an array of various herbs both common and uncommon, their refreshing scents caught on the wind and teasing the senses of observers even from their distances.

Standing behind one of the tables, Leon felt very uncomfortable; so many eyes were staring down at him.  He felt as if the heat from each their eyes increased his core temperature by a half degree, the accumulation of such was burning him to a crisp.  With reddened cheeks, he pushed his glasses up his nose as he tried to listen to what the Teacher was saying.

This Teacher happened to be from the alchemist school, but mostly taught inner school students.  She, as well as a Teacher from the scholars school, was replacing the Teachers from the martial arts and beast tamer schools just for the alchemy competition.  The mage judge remained; this was taking place on mage school grounds after all.

"Jude from the outer alchemist school has challenged Leo also from the outer alchemist school to a battle of alchemy and Leo has accepted.  In this challenge, Leo, as the challenged, will be asked to blindly chose a pill from their recorded repertoires.  After being informed which pill they will be creating, they must gather the correct herbs from the selection in front and begin the process of making the pill.  They are given a maximum time in which to complete this of thirty minutes.  They can make as many attempts as is necessary in this period and can chose the final product for the judges to consider.  We will then declare a winner between the two.  The loser must give the victor ten points as is usual amongst these challenges.  Do both parties understand?"

This last part was spoken without the aid of vocal enhancement spells and just to the alchemist students.  Leon nodded, while Jude sneered in his direction though he covered up his expression when glanced at by their Teacher.  "Yes, of course," he said, politely.

"Then Leo, if you could select from this box," the woman told him, bringing forth a small, lidded trunk with numerous folded pieces of parchment inside.  This sort of blind selection was not unfamiliar to Leon having seen such things in school and on television more than a few times.  He felt it was even a bit amusing as he carefully picked a slightly buried piece of parchment out of the box and passed it to the Teacher, who smiled as she grasped it.  Passing the box to a student beside her, she unfolded the parchment.  As it was sealed with a special wax, this wasn't something that others could tamper with ensuring that the challenge was fair.

She showed the words written on the parchment to the other Teachers who nodded in confirmation before declaring the type of pill that they would be creating. "The Seven Steps Pill!"

The Seven Steps Pill was an enhancement pill and a combat pill used to increase the speed of the one who consumed it for a period of time. Leon had investigated this pill as Leo, even made numerous attempts to create it before successfully developing one. Had to be noted that this type of pill was not easy to make for an alchemy student of primary stage. This was as their inner-seas were generally small and their control over their spiritual energy was not great. However Leo had probably succeeded as his control and concentration (unchanged as Leon) was good as was his patience. Still, this had been just before the accident and Leon, who had regressed thanks to his lost memories, hadn't formed this pill since. Thankfully, by this time his memory had mostly returned...