Chapter 36 – The Alchemy Chamber

Chapter 36 – The Alchemy Chamber

The amount of wood harvested in a single day far exceeded Cheng Yang’s expectations. It was clear that everyone had pushed themselves to the limit today.

As for what to build first, Cheng Yang had no hesitation. The carpentry workshop was a must. Without it, he felt uneasy. Who knew how much wood they could scavenge from Huimin Town tomorrow? If they couldn’t find 100 cubic meters of wood after scouring the entire town, they’d be in big trouble.

Next on the list was the alchemy chamber. While potions and elixirs might not be more valuable than equipment, they were crucial for their current mission to establish a route to Xiangcheng City.

As for the remaining twenty cubic meters of wood, Cheng Yang decided to use it to upgrade his own residence. As the lord of Luofeng Village, he had that privilege. While the improvement from a level 1 to level 2 residence wasn’t huge, a 5% increase in cultivation efficiency was nothing to scoff at.

After making his decision, Cheng Yang initiated the construction of all three buildings.

In an instant, the darkened village lit up with three radiant domes of light enveloping different areas. The villagers, most of whom had never witnessed the initial appearance of Luofeng Village, were awestruck by this miraculous sight.

When the light faded, several structures stood where there had been none before. One was familiar – Cheng Yang’s upgraded residence. The level 2 residence was significantly larger than its predecessor, now a two-story wooden building resembling a traditional countryside courtyard.

Cheng Yang knew that level 2 was the maximum for village-level residences. Even if the village upgraded to level 3, the residences wouldn’t improve further. When level 3 residences would become available remained a mystery.

The other two buildings were unfamiliar to the villagers but intimately known to Cheng Yang. In his previous life, he’d seen such structures daily, though they hadn’t belonged to him. Now, both the carpentry workshop and alchemy chamber were his.

Ignoring the curious onlookers, Cheng Yang strode into the alchemy chamber. Inside, as expected, stood a figure in ancient attire. Cheng Yang wasn’t surprised; he knew these buildings came with their own caretakers, beings not of this world. Whether they were truly human or constructs of the gods remained a mystery.

“Lord, what would you like to purchase?” the figure immediately addressed Cheng Yang, recognizing his status.

Cheng Yang approached. “Show me your inventory. I’ll buy what’s suitable.”

The shopkeeper produced a ledger, listing various potions. Among them was the medium mana potion, which restored 30 mana instantly plus 8 per second for 10 seconds – more than sufficient for Cheng Yang’s current needs.

There were also health potions with similar effects, though their healing could be interrupted by enemy attacks. These four potion types were the extent of the level 1 alchemy chamber’s offerings, but they met Cheng Yang’s immediate requirements.

“I’ll take twenty medium mana potions and five medium health potions,” Cheng Yang ordered.

The shopkeeper smiled. “That will be 200 spirit energy points.”

Cheng Yang transferred the points without hesitation and stored the potions. While smaller potions were more cost-effective, their slower recovery rate and bulk made them impractical for his needs.

“I want to learn herb gathering and potion-making. What are the requirements?” Cheng Yang inquired.

The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up. “Learning a secondary profession is simple, but you must understand – each person can only master one secondary profession, consisting of a gathering skill and a production skill. If you choose potion-making, you cannot learn any other secondary profession.”

Cheng Yang nodded decisively. “I choose potion-making. In this apocalyptic world, since I can’t become a priest, I hope to heal through potions.”

The shopkeeper looked pleased. “Your compassion is a blessing for Luofeng Village. I offer three difficulty levels for your profession quest: Normal, Hard, and Extreme. Which will you choose?”

Cheng Yang hesitated. He knew being the world’s first alchemist came with unique benefits, but the difficulty levels presented a dilemma. While choosing Normal difficulty would almost guarantee him the first position, the rewards would be mediocre compared to Extreme difficulty.

However, Extreme difficulty was notoriously challenging. In his previous life, less than ten people worldwide had completed Extreme difficulty profession quests. Failure meant being locked out of the profession for three months, potentially costing him the first alchemist position.

After intense internal debate, Cheng Yang decided to gamble on Extreme difficulty. Having lived through the apocalypse once before, he felt compelled to take this risk. It wasn’t arrogance but a calculated decision based on the current state of humanity’s strength.

The difficulty of profession quests wasn’t based on individual strength but on the overall progress of humanity. With most people still untrained or at beginner levels, Cheng Yang, as an advanced apprentice, stood at the pinnacle of current human capability. If he couldn’t complete an Extreme difficulty quest now, no one could.

“I choose the Extreme difficulty profession quest,” Cheng Yang declared.

The shopkeeper smiled approvingly. “I knew you were special.”

PS: Seeking recommendations and collections…