Rise of the Alchemy God

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Ethan arrived at the kingdom's capital at dawn, and once he reached its vicinity, he slowed down and stopped in a nearby area.

After that, he joined the queue with others waiting to enter.

The kingdom's capital was a large city, comparable in size to Earth's Beijing.
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The great city was surrounded by tall, sturdy walls that enclosed it on all sides.

To enter, one had to pass through one of the four entrances.

Ethan, having come from the east, was entering through the city's eastern gate.

The empire's capital occupied a rather unique position on the empire's map.

To the north was the Qilin Kingdom, to the west was the White Tiger Kingdom, and finally, to the east was the Phoenix Kingdom.

As for the south, well, there was the sea.

The capital was built near the coast of the continent, overlooking the ocean.

This allowed the city to grow and flourish steadily and quickly, as the sea provided fertile land, perfect for growing crops.

It supplied a vast amount of fish, and the climate in that region of the continent was ideal year-round.

This was just an extra benefit for the residents of the capital and the surrounding lands.

It was currently midsummer, and although the temperatures were high, they weren't unbearable, allowing common folk to go about their daily activities without too much trouble.

Ethan finally arrived at the entrance, showed his two-star expert alchemist badge, and was immediately let in.

The guards, who were inspecting each person, straightened their posture upon seeing the badge and treated Ethan with a newfound respect after verifying it with the help of a special artifact.

Ethan didn't make a fuss and paid the entry fee to enter the city.

He had previously been just a two-star adept, but after his alchemical skills were showcased during the competition for the selection of participants, the master alchemist made sure he received an expert badge.

Ethan had already proven himself capable enough to be considered an adept alchemist, so no one opposed this promotion.

To Ethan, it didn't really matter; if he had cared, he would have already taken the test and obtained on his own.

But he didn't think it was necessary.

With his previous rank, he already had access to most of the services offered, and the exclusive ones didn't appeal to him.

With his pill business thriving, he didn't care much about his reputation.

The only remaining benefit would have been a discount on refinement materials, but since creating his personal herb garden, even that wasn't something he needed anymore.

In short, he was content with his rank and didn't bother to advance it further.

As soon as he entered the city, he noticed the joyful atmosphere that filled the air.

In preparation for the annual alchemy tournament, the city had come alive, teeming with activity.

People crowded the streets, and the city guards struggled to maintain order, as it took little to spark a conflict.

Though no one dared to act recklessly in the capital, there were always a few fools, so security remained tight.

But none of this mattered to Ethan.

He pulled out a sheet of paper and read the information on it.

It was a note the master alchemist who had accompanied the others had given to Da Shu before they left, informing them where they would be staying upon arriving at the capital.

Ethan read the location's name, and since he didn't know where it was, he asked around until he obtained a map of the city.

He already had a basic sense of the city's layout, thanks to his spiritual sense, which now covered vast areas.

Now that he knew where to go, he decided not to head there immediately but to explore the capital instead.

It was his first time here, and given the city's size, it certainly had much to offer.

He had spent the last 25 years cultivating, refining, training, and cultivating again.

He wanted to take a break and rest for a day.

"Hey, want to explore the capital?" he asked mentally.

Immediately after, something in his sleeve stirred, and a voice transmitted into his mind:

"Oh? Are you asking me out on a date?" came Bai Yu's playful reply.

Ethan didn't hold back and responded, "Why not? After all, it'd be a shame to visit such a grand city alone," he said calmly.

He might not have noticed it, but his cultivation base wasn't the only thing that had changed.

He had spent 25 years inside the minor dimension, and adding that to his previous years, his mental age was now that of a 45-year-old.

That said, it hadn't changed his habits much.

His thinking had just become more mature, and even the natural aura he emanated wasn't something a young person could possess.

This natural charisma attracted the attention of the nearby women, who couldn't help but cast a glance or two at him.

Ethan had suppressed his cultivation and disguised his appearance, but certain things couldn't be hidden so easily.

And so, Ethan spent his first day in the capital wandering around with Bai Yu.

She, too, had suppressed her cultivation to the lowest level of the second stage and reduced her natural attractiveness as much as possible.

Even so, she still stood out among many others and received quite a few looks.

The two visited many famous locations in the capital, from historical monuments to luxurious restaurants.

They fully enjoyed this day of rest, something both of them needed.

One had just emerged from a long period of seclusion, and the other had also been stuck for a long time with no contact with the outside world.

Of all the things they tried, what they enjoyed the most was the food.

At one point, they ordered half of the items on the menu and somehow managed to finish it quickly.

The only thing Bai Yu complained about was the lack of a strong enough drink.

Being a fifth-stage cultivator, there was hardly any alcoholic beverage that could have any effect on her.

This, combined with her superior palate, accustomed to the delicacies of the celestial plane, made her irritated.

She even asked Ethan to find a way to replicate the Coca-Cola she had tasted once, the only drink that had left a good impression on her, even though what she had was just a mix of information Ethan had condensed in his mind.

And as an alchemist, Ethan couldn't deny that he had the ability to try and replicate that drink.

And so, their day of rest came to an end.