C10 Alchemistdoctor

Qin Xiao, endowed with the memories of his predecessor, was well-versed in the nuances of wine. In the Aberrant Realm, wines were celebrated for their subtle and ethereal aromas, with Immortal Dew being particularly renowned.

Yet, when it came to lingering flavors, Immortal Dew fell short of the enduring taste of yellow wine. Its fragrance couldn't rival that of barley-based brews, and in terms of potency, it was no match for the knife-like sharpness of white spirits—not to mention the myriad other wines, each with its unique taste.

So when Qin Xiao dismissed Immortal Dew as rubbish, he did so without a shred of remorse.

Elder Yan was taken aback by Qin Xiao's unabashed candor.

After all, Immortal Dew was a coveted treasure, quickly snatched up whenever available, fetching tenfold its price on the black market.

How could such a sought-after elixir be deemed insignificant by Qin Xiao?

Cunningly, Elder Yan proposed a deal with a sly grin, "Hand over the recipe, and I'll move in right now. If the wine you brew lives up to your claims, I'll teach you the art of combat."

Elder Yan figured he had nothing to lose by obtaining the recipe. If Qin Xiao was bluffing, he wouldn't get far, but if the claim held true, it would be a windfall.

"Deal!" Qin Xiao agreed.

Observing Elder Yan's delight, a triumphant glint flickered in Qin Xiao's eyes.

He could hone his martial skills in the Immortal Path World, making training with Elder Yan somewhat redundant. His true intent was to ensure Elder Yan's presence.

With Elder Yan by his side, Feng Lie wouldn't dare make a move against him, guaranteeing his safety.

Both parties, each with their own calculations, were immensely pleased with the arrangement.

Qin Xiao set Elder Yan up in a spare room and shared the most basic distillation technique before retreating to his own quarters to cultivate.

His consciousness deepened, and the Immortal Path World came to life before him.

In the top right corner, a countdown timer read 8:03, warning against excessive immersion.

Qin Xiao refrained from taking on any quests, knowing they wouldn't yield experience points at the moment. Instead, his attention turned to the skill panel's attribute section.

[Flying Dragon Slash, Proficiency: 10/100. Note: Every 10-point increase in proficiency will enhance the skill's power.]

Qin Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly. It made sense now—during his earlier battle with Feng Lia, the once straightforward Flying Dragon Slash had morphed, taking on the form of energy clinging to his sword, and had grown significantly stronger.

What was even more astonishing was that proficiency could be improved not just within the game, but in the real world as well. The Flying Dragon Slash, at a mere 10% proficiency, could withstand a full-force strike from Feng Lia of the Boundless Ocean Stage. It might last only a second, but it was a clear indicator of the skill's immense potential!

And with his level on the rise, a host of even more formidable skills awaited awakening in the future!

Qin Xiao felt a rush of excitement; he had never craved power like this before.

Yet, he wasn't rushing. As he watched the anti-addiction timer count down, an idea took shape in his mind, something he was eager to test.

Exiting the Immortal Path World to the game console's main page, Qin Xiao navigated to the settings and fixed his gaze on the "Switch Account" option.

He clicked without a moment's hesitation. The interface shifted, the username field cleared, and with a thought, Qin Xiao entered "Qin Xiao 2."

Initially, when he had tried to remove the number "1" from his username, the game had cautioned that a soul could only be linked to a single account.

Yet, upon entering the Immortal Path World, an anti-addiction prompt suggested the bound soul was underage, which couldn't be true—Qin Xiao was well into adulthood.

This confirmed it: due to some anomaly, Qin Xiao was tied to the original owner's soul, while his own soul remained unbound to the game.

[Binding Successful!]

The bold black letters confirmed Qin Xiao's theory. He didn't rush back into the Immortal Path World. Instead, he switched accounts again, this time entering "Qin Xiao 3."

[This account does not exist!]

Unfazed, Qin Xiao had only been testing a hunch. He switched back to account two and re-entered the Immortal Path World, opting to skip the introductory animation.

Selecting a profession...

As with many fantasy and martial arts games, the Immortal Path World offered a variety of professions. In essence, they were Warriors, Defenders, Healers, Assassins, etc. Already possessing the powerful Blade Master "Dragon Soul," he naturally wouldn't choose it again.

Backstab, agility, and speed, all cloaked in shadow.

Tian Yin wields her zither as a weapon, striking unseen.

The Wu Monk boasts limitless strength, unmatched in valor.

...

Qin Xiao's eyes drifted and finally settled on the term "Alchemist-Doctor."

An Alchemist-Doctor could not only concoct pills but also bestow upon himself a variety of enhancements.

These enhancements did more than just replenish health; they could accelerate energy recovery and reduce skill cooldowns—formidable abilities indeed.

Armed with the formidable attack power of the Dragon Soul and an array of buffs, Qin Xiao could become an indestructible force.

And what's more...

[Buffs can stack across the group]

Upon reading this, a mischievous grin spread across Qin Xiao's face. A single indestructible cockroach was formidable, but imagine the despair of his foes when faced with an army of such creatures!

Having chosen his profession, he re-entered the Immortal Path World, embarking on a quest akin to culling poultry.

...

Qin Xiao nearly lost his composure at the sight of the charred remains of his latest concoction.

It was the fourth batch of pills he had ruined in three days.

Despite a supposed 50% success rate, he hadn't produced a single successful batch, a streak of bad luck that was maddening.

He decided to shift his focus to gathering herbs.

As an Alchemist-Doctor, he wasn't bound to constant monster slaying; harvesting herbs could also yield experience.

While pill crafting offered more experience, his persistent misfortune led to repeated failures.

Upon harvesting the final Starseizing Grass, Qin Xiao noticed his level had risen to 4!

[Congratulations, you've acquired the 'Phoenix Summoning' skill!]

Sure enough, reaching level 4 brought a new skill, much like the Flying Dragon Slash had before.

Eagerly, Qin Xiao perused the skill's description, his face breaking into a smile.

Phoenix Summoning allowed him to call forth a virtual phoenix, boosting his HP, with the increase scaled to his level.

Drawing a small knife, Qin Xiao sliced a cut across his arm and invoked Phoenix Summoning.

With a resonant phoenix cry, a fiery red bird, no larger than a parrot, alighted on Qin Xiao's arm, and the wound vanished without a trace!

Once his energy was fully restored, Qin Xiao conducted various tests.

He discovered that minor injuries healed instantly, but severed limbs could not be regenerated. They could only numb the pain and halt the bleeding. If the internal organs were damaged, Phoenix Summoning could alleviate the discomfort but was unable to heal the wounds.

Satisfied with the data, Qin Xiao promptly visited the Merchant Shop to purchase healing medicines. Despite having reduced the pain level earlier, it hadn't been completely eliminated. Cutting off his own leg with a knife was still excruciatingly painful, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

He could have used the game's chickens and ducks for his experiments, but for Qin Xiao, that lacked precision. After all, the injuries sustained by poultry were entirely different from those of humans.

[Congratulations, player, for earning the title 'Merciless to Foes, Even More So to Yourself,' along with two Profound Souls!]

The game system's unexpected alert piqued Qin Xiao's interest in the Profound Souls. Since the Profound Souls were interchangeable between his two accounts, and each level granted one Profound Soul, he now possessed a total of 12.

But what was the actual function of these Profound Souls?

Seemingly attuned to Qin Xiao's curiosity, the system displayed a new message.

[Profound Souls enable players to transfer items from the game world to the real world, whether they be skills, pills, or cultivation techniques, each with a different cost.]

Qin Xiao's eyes sparkled with excitement. This was an unexpected windfall!

He didn't have a need to transfer skills, but the cultivation techniques and martial arts were superior to those in the Aberrant Realm. At the very least, they could fetch a handsome sum of money!

Elated by the news, Qin Xiao cheerfully switched accounts to resume his training.

Elder Yan gazed at the room that had remained shut for so long and shook his head ruefully.

Qin Xiao's diligence was evident, yet the world was never lacking in effort. Some are born as the radiant moon, others as mere fireflies. Such a vast, natural divide is not something that can be bridged by sheer effort alone.

Perhaps for the entirety of their lives, the fireflies may never even glimpse the moon's trailing silhouette.

With his expertise and keen insight, Elder Yan could easily discern Qin Xiao's actual level. The gulf between the third layer of the Congealing Water Stage and the Boundless Ocean Stage was immense. It seemed unlikely that Qin Xiao would ever match Feng Lia in prowess, perhaps risking his life in vain.

Unless, of course, Qin Xiao was a prodigy, the sort who could ascend three minor realms in a single month. But as a member of the Blood Soul Sect, Elder Yan was well aware of the scornful whispers branding Qin Xiao as useless.

In other words, it was improbable for Qin Xiao to be a prodigy.

Such a shame.

Elder Yan cast a sympathetic glance towards Qin Xiao's room and let out a sigh of compassion.

...

Two days on.

The Dragon Soul had reached level 10, and the Alchemist-Doctor was now at level 6.

Back in the real world, Qin Xiao had ascended to the sixth layer of the Congealing Water Stage, with six black vortices swirling in his mind. It was a level of achievement beyond what anyone would expect from someone once deemed worthless.

Advancing to the sixth layer of the Congealing Water Stage in just six days would certainly astound anyone who heard of it.

The aroma of roasted chicken wafted through the door, stirring Qin Xiao's appetite. Opening the door, he found Elder Yan on the ground, greedily gnawing on a chicken leg.

Hearing the door, Elder Yan couldn't resist offering some advice, "I get your urgency to catch up with Feng Lia's cultivation, but moderation is key in training. No matter how talented you are, it's not possible to leap through several realms..."

He trailed off as he turned to look at Qin Xiao, his eyes suddenly bulging as if he'd witnessed the unthinkable. In shock, he sprayed out the precious Godly Immortal Dew, worth a fortune.

"Holy shit, you've leaped three levels in five days. Are you some kind of monster?"