The Indomitable Master of Elixirs

The sound of splashing water from the stream.

Ji Fengyan sat beside the bonfire, tickled by the image of Junze squatting by the stream with no inhibitions. The youth was still somewhat shaken when he just regained consciousness, but calmed down after seeing Ji Fengyan.

He still remembered that Ji Fengyan’s timely appearance had saved his life.

“Thank… thank you…” Not yet reaching puberty, the youth’s voice was still very boyish. He looked extraordinarily fresh-faced, his skin even fairer than a normal girl’s and his features exquisitely delicate. Ji Fengyan had earlier touched his bones and knew he was about 14 to 15 years of age. However, as the youth’s face was unusually small and narrow, he looked like a 12- to 13-year-old kid.

With long black hair parted to the side, he looked rather timid.

Ji Fengyan waved him off. “No problem at all. How did you end up coming across that demon?”

At the mention of that demon, the youth’s face paled again. His hand squeezed his knee.

The youth’s name was Xi Sinong and he had grown up in a little village. The capital institute had sent him an enrollment notice; although he did not understand how the institute even knew of his existence. As his legs were paralyzed, Xi Sinong traveled with a chaperon from his village, that very man who was eaten by the scarlet monkey. Both of them had entered the forest to hide from the sun and unexpectedly encountered the scarlet monkey waiting in ambush.

“We were a bit lost at that time and this person suddenly appeared claiming that he could show us the way. So we followed him, but who knew… we were led deeper and deeper…” Xi Sinong’s eyes were full of pain. That nightmare still caused him to shiver all over in cold sweat.

“The scarlet monkey is very cunning. It will deceivingly lead its prey to a remote location before attacking. Both of you were very unlucky to have met it.” Junze spoke up abruptly. Ji Fengyan turned toward him and lifted her brows.

A cleanly-scrubbed Junze was like a whole different person. Under all that dirt was a handsome and carefree face. Junze was exceptionally good-looking. His smiling eyes revealed a sense of playful nonchalance, while shiny hair framed his high cheekbones and partially covered a slender neck.

“Buddy, you are not bad looking at all.” Ji Fengyan teased.

Junze grinned and stroked his chin in mock self-satisfaction. “Don’t be so direct, I will be embarrassed. Do you want to take a closer look?” Ji Fengyan rolled her eyes at him.

Junze laughed before turning to face Xi Sinong. “Which school are you enrolling at the institute? I am in the school of pharmacy.” Junze then pointed at Ji Fengyan. “This young girl is awesome. She’s going to be a Terminator. Thank goodness it was her who came upon you today. If it was any other student, they might not have been able to deal with that scarlet monkey.”

“Terminator?” Xi Sinong stared in wonderment at Ji Fengyan, a glint of adulation in his eyes. He met Ji Fengyan’s amused gaze and immediately turned red. Quickly lowering his head, he said in a small voice, “I… I am a gold cultivator.” Both Junze and Ji Fengyan looked shocked.

Among the many professions, gold cultivators were the rarest of all. The items cultivated by them were beyond a common person’s normal understanding. Be it weapons, special substances or even living objects; they all involved gold cultivators. However, gold cultivation was not something that could be easily learned. Of all the professions, this was the only one that required true natural-born talent!