98: Three times of apprenticeship

Suddenly, Fire Elder reached into hisin my arms and started rummaging.

Under the puzzled gazes of the gray-robed Elder and Mo Yuhan, he pulled out a letter sealed with fire wax.

On the envelope, a familiar line of ink, in Frank's handwriting, caught Mo Yuhan's eye—To Fire Elder of the Canaan Academy Pharmacist Department.

“Hmph!”

Fire Elder hmphed, but his movements carried a hint of caution he himself didn't notice, as he tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter paper inside, and shoved it directly in front of Mo Yuhan.

“Look! You see what your good teacher wrote!”

Mo Yuhan took the letter paper with confusion and unfolded it.

Frank's familiar, unrestrained handwriting immediately appeared:

“To the Esteemed Fire Elder: I apologize for presumptuously writing this letter, and I am filled with trepidation. My inferior disciple, Mo Yuhan, is dull of aptitude…”

Upon seeing this, Mo Yuhan's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

“…However, in the path of alchemy, he occasionally has small epiphanies, and his character is still pure. His fortunate entry into Canaan Academy is truly a great blessing. This boy is stubborn, but his foundation is still shallow, and the road ahead is long, requiring guidance from a master. Elder is highly respected, his alchemy skills are profound, and he is unmatched in the Northwest.”

“If my inferior disciple can receive your favor, Elder, and be guided by you in your leisure time, it would truly be the greatest fortune of his life, and also Frank’s fortune! I sincerely hope Elder will consider his youth and not hesitate to impart your teachings.”

“If my inferior disciple receives even a single word of guidance from Elder, it would be more beneficial than ten years of Frank’s dry instruction. Frank and my inferior disciple will be deeply grateful for this kindness and virtue, and never forget it! My inferior disciple Yu Han, is like my half-son. If he can become Elder’s disciple and receive your teachings, it would truly be a win-win situation. I sincerely hope Elder will grant this!”

—Black Rock City Alchemist Guild, Frank respectfully submits.”

Between the lines, there was boundless admiration for Fire Elder, deep expectations for Mo Yuhan, and a heartfelt desire to step aside for his disciple's future, even entrusting him as a half-son.

Frank placed himself extremely low, but elevated Fire Elder extremely high, and more subtly and earnestly expressed his hope that Fire Elder could accept Mo Yuhan, meaning two masters teaching one disciple.

Mo Yuhan clutched the letter paper, his fingertips pressing slightly.

Teacher Frank's seemingly careless but actually meticulous care instantly enveloped him like a warm current.

His teacher knew his talent was astonishing, and the pond in Black Rock City was too small, no longer able to hold him, a young flood dragon about to transform into a true dragon.

Canaan Academy, Fire Elder, was the true starting point for his soaring.

For his future, his teacher was willing to humble himself so much, actively paving the way for him… This sentiment was heavier than a thousand jin.

Just like Teacher Gu Ni once, for his future, he willingly yielded to his own master, Frank.

His eyes felt a little warm, Mo Yuhan took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions.

He looked up, once again at Fire Elder, his eyes no longer holding the previous persistence, but instead a sense of understanding and solemnity.

Fire Elder had been watching his expression change, and now he hmphed. Although his face still showed an “I'm very displeased” expression, the subtle awkwardness and dissatisfaction deep in his eyes had dissipated a lot.

He said gruffly, “Understood? Your teacher is indeed a sensible person. He knows that this unpolished jade in his hands can only be roughly carved, but to truly become a great artifact, it still needs to be tempered by my old fire!”

In fact, Fire Elder was still a bit embarrassed. Originally, when he received this letter, he was skeptical of Frank's high praise for Mo Yuhan, saying his alchemy talent was unmatched on the continent.

Even later, when Ruo Lin came looking for him and said Mo Yuhan had great alchemy talent, being a Second-Rank Alchemist at nine years old, he didn't quite believe it.

Only now did he believe it.

Fire Elder paused, his chin slightly raised, with a hint of imperceptible expectation, “How about it, kid? Your teacher has spoken, and I don’t mind you having a pre-existing master. Give me a straightforward answer, will you accept this apprenticeship or not?”

Mo Yuhan no longer hesitated, stepped back, straightened his clothes, and respectfully performed a standard apprenticeship bow to Fire Elder, his forehead touching the ground.

“Disciple Mo Yuhan, greets Teacher. I am deeply grateful for Teacher's willingness to instruct me alongside my esteemed Teacher Frank! I will diligently study and not disappoint the high hopes of both my teachers!”

His voice was clear and resonant.

“Hahahaha! Good! Good! Good!”

Fire Elder laughed three times, his voice shaking the roof tiles, and all his previous displeasure completely vanished.

He strode forward, pulled Mo Yuhan up, and his large, fan-like hand this time only gently patted his shoulder. The force was just right, carrying a warm current that flowed into Mo Yuhan's body, dispelling the discomfort from the previous pat.

“That's more like it. From now on, you are my old Fire's disciple! A direct disciple! Let's see who dares to question my judgment! Come, follow Master to the inner hall! Frank probably taught you most of what he could with your foundation. Let Master see where to start adding more fire to you!”

He pulled Mo Yuhan, excitedly rushing to leave, as if he had found a peerless treasure.

“Teacher!”

However, Mo Yuhan stood still, calling out softly.

“Hmm? Something else?”

Fire Elder turned his head, his fiery red eyebrows raised.

Mo Yuhan looked up, his dark, bright eyes directly meeting his newly-accepted teacher's, with a hint of earnestness, a hint of expectation, and a hint of deep-seated worry.

“Disciple… Disciple wants to ask Teacher, in the Pharmacist Department, or with you, Teacher, do you have Revival Purple Pill? Or… a similar efficacy, a pill that can repair damaged meridians and restore cultivation?”

“Revival Purple Pill?”

The smile on Fire Elder's face slightly receded, and a hint of understanding and solemnity flashed in his eyes.

He stopped, turned around, and seriously scrutinized his young disciple.

His gaze seemed to penetrate Mo Yuhan's tender appearance, seeing the heavy concern deep in his heart.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, his voice a few shades lower: “Although this pill is not very high-ranked among Fifth-Rank Pills, the medicinal materials required for its refinement are extremely precious and rare. One of the main ingredients, Reincarnation Grass, grows in the cold, swampy depths of the Tagor Desert and is incredibly difficult to find.”

“Even I don't have any ready-made pills.”

Mo Yuhan's heart sank sharply, his small face instantly paled, and the light in his eyes dimmed.

“However…”

Fire Elder changed the subject, looking at his disciple's rapidly changing expression, a hint of imperceptible cunning and testing flashing in his eyes, “I have the pill recipe here, as your master. As for the required medicinal materials, other than the Reincarnation Grass, the others, though precious, can be gathered with some time, given the Alchemist Department and my influence.”

Mo Yuhan's eyes suddenly lit up, like sparks igniting in the dark night, and he looked at his teacher eagerly.

Fire Elder extended his finger and tapped Mo Yuhan's forehead. The force was light, but carried a heavy meaning: “However, Little Yuhan, the path of alchemy emphasizes gradual progress and solid foundations. You are exceptionally talented, and your Soul Power is uniquely endowed, but you have only been exposed to alchemy for a short time, and your foundation still needs to be solidified.”

“A Third-Rank Pill is the limit of your current realm, and also a critical threshold for solidifying your foundation and honing your fire control and pill condensation techniques.”