Steadily Upgrading Everything!
Chapter 24: Time to get serious again.

Chapter 24: Time to get serious again.

Inside Chamber Thirty-Five of the Apothecary Complex, John sat cross-legged on the sturdy stone chair, his brow furrowed in concentration.

The manual of Basic Flame Control lay open before him, its aged pages slightly curled at the corners, filled with complex symbols and meticulous annotations written by previous alchemists who had studied from it.

The chamber was quiet except for the soft hum of the spirit lamp hanging above, casting a golden hue over the table.

The heavy iron door behind him sealed him in silence, giving him an uninterrupted sanctuary to focus.

John’s eyes slowly traced each line of the text, absorbing the knowledge like a dry sponge in water.

His hands occasionally moved, forming the basic hand seals described in the book, Ignition Seal, Compression Gesture, Balance Circle, each meant to help the cultivator manipulate the invisible threads of fire element in the air.

"Every alchemist begins with flame control," he muttered, closing the book with a soft thud. "Without it, pill refinement is impossible."

He leaned back and exhaled deeply, letting the new information settle in his mind.

"According to this manual, there are different kinds of flames that can be cultivated, some birthed from spirit roots, others refined from beast cores, and even rarer ones like heavenly tribulation fire or earth-core magma flames," John mused, his voice calm yet focused.

He looked at the flame diagram again and recalled the classifications.

"Flames are divided into tiers... Stone Level, Iron Level, Silver Level, Gold Level, and at the very top, Supreme Level."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"This technique will only produce a basic Stone Flame. But that’s enough for now. Even an entry-level flame will get me into Blue Cauldron Sect... if I use it well."

He placed the book aside and reached for a blank slip of paper, jotting down the key hand seals for reference before turning his attention inward.

With a calm breath, he summoned his System Panel.

---

[System Panel]

Name: John Coral

Age: 25

Cultivation: Spirit Seed Realm (820/3200)

Upgrade Slot: Empty

Skills:

• Meditation (Level 6 – Max)

• Breathing (Level 5 – Max)

• Spatial Awareness (Level 5)

• Slow Toad Breathing Skill (Level 10 – Max)

• Double Face Lizard Technique (Level 7 – Max)

• Basic Flame Control (Level 0)

---

As expected, the Basic Flame Control technique had been logged into his system the moment he finished reading and understanding the manual in its entirety.

He tapped the technique name in his mind and assigned it to the Auto-Upgrade Slot.

With a flash of faint blue light, the system began processing it.

"I don’t have time to push it to the limit right now," John murmured, tapping his fingers on the table.

"Level three should be enough to give me good control over the basic Stone Flame. Once I master that, I can begin alchemy without wasting ingredients."

He mentally set the upgrade cap.

---

[System Panel — Updated]

Name: John Coral

Age: 25

Cultivation: Spirit Seed Realm (820/3200)

Upgrade Slot: Basic Flame Control (Level 0) (1/100)

(Upgrading at 1 point per 10 minutes)

Skills:

• Meditation (Level 6 – Max)

• Breathing (Level 5 – Max)

• Spatial Awareness (Level 5)

• Slow Toad Breathing Skill (Level 10 – Max)

• Double Face Lizard Technique (Level 7 – Max)

• Basic Flame Control (Level 0)

---

John closed the panel and leaned back slightly, feeling the subtle warmth of spirit energy already beginning to pool in his dantian as the system quietly upgraded the technique in the background.

"I’ll let the system do its work. In the meantime..." he murmured, standing up and glancing toward the table where his newly purchased alchemy cauldron and kits sat, untouched.

He walked over and unwrapped the cauldron’s cloth covering.

Its dark bronze surface shimmered faintly, inscribed with ancient patterns that helped in heat distribution and energy absorption.

He placed it over the small reinforced fire pit, then adjusted the ventilation controls near the chimney.

"Tomorrow, I begin flame testing. By then, this technique should be at Level One or Two. Once I can conjure a stable flame... my journey as an alchemist truly begins."

A sharp glint passed through his eyes.

"I may have entered this world through a prison cell... but I’ll rise higher than anyone expects."

And with that, he returned to the chair, closed his eyes, and began to meditate, his breathing steady, his aura calm, as the slow ticking of the upgrade counter echoed silently in his mind.

Five days passed in a blur of silent flames and burning focus.

Inside the stone-walled apothecary chamber, a soft flickering light danced along the walls.

John sat cross-legged before his cauldron, the blue spirit lamp above casting faint shadows behind him.

The stone room was infused with the faint scent of crushed herbs and scorched ash, a smell that had now become oddly comforting to him.

Time passed differently here.

With no windows, no daylight, and no distractions, it was just him, his breathing, and the slow grind of cultivation and study.

Now, only twenty-five days remained until the Blue Cauldron Sect’s entrance examination.

John closed his eyes, breathing out a slow, deliberate exhale, and summoned his System Panel.

---

[System Panel — Updated]

Name: John Coral

Age: 25

Cultivation: Spirit Seed Realm (882/3200)

Upgrade Slot: Empty

Skills:

• Meditation (Level 6 – Max)

• Breathing (Level 5 – Max)

• Spatial Awareness (Level 5)

• Slow Toad Breathing Skill (Level 10 – Max)

• Double Face Lizard Technique (Level 7 – Max)

• Basic Flame Control (Level 3)

• Alchemy (Level 0)

---

A soft smile touched his lips.

"Level three already," he murmured, flexing his fingers as he focused.

He slowly circulated his Qi through the meridian pathways described in the Basic Flame Control manual, his breaths steady and deep.

A moment later, with a soft whoosh, a small but stable blue flame emerged from the center of his palm, hovering gently without flickering.

The flame shimmered with an inner light, surprisingly stable for its size, and warm without being violent.

"A blue flame at level three... Most alchemists take months just to form a weak red or orange flame. I’ve done this in five days."

He stared at the flame in awe...awed not just by its color, but by how naturally it responded to his control.

Then a flicker of caution passed through his eyes.

"This speed is... unnatural," he thought, letting the flame dissipate.

"If anyone finds out, they’ll either try to enslave me or eliminate me out of fear."

He sighed, calming himself. His advantage was also his greatest risk.

John stood up and walked to the corner of the room where he had stacked his manuals and herbs.

He picked up two worn books, both now fully committed to memory thanks to his Level Six Meditation skill.

The first was "Herbs of the Wild Southern Continent", a thick compendium filled with detailed illustrations, properties, seasonal variances, and compatibility charts for over a hundred types of spiritual herbs.

The second was "Basic Pill Formulas & Their Energetics".

It contained detailed refinement steps, flame control timing, and alchemical principles for three primary pills

Beautification Pill, a luxury item in high demand among noble ladies and rich merchants.

Qi Gathering Pill, a practical and highly sought-after pill that helped cultivators build their spiritual foundations.

Stone Body Pill, a rare and difficult pill used to enhance physique and durability, known for its brutal failure rate if improperly refined.

John’s fingers traced the pages he already knew by heart.

"Five batches of ingredients for each pill," he said to himself. "That’s only fifteen chances."

He looked at his panel again and tapped on Alchemy (Level 0). His lips thinned in thought.

"With my current level, any attempt is just wasting resources. I’ll only practice when I reach at least Level Four. That gives me a decent shot at succeeding. I can’t afford failure."

He walked to the fire pit where the bronze cauldron sat, untouched and gleaming faintly.

His supplies, grinding tools, purification trays, herb crates, were neatly arranged beside it, ready for use.

But for now, they would wait.

John sat back down, his eyes sharp with focus.

"I’ve come too far from that prison cell to waste my chance now."

He closed his eyes, settled into meditation once more, and let the dense silence of the apothecary chamber wrap around him like a protective cocoon.

His breath slowed, his thoughts dissolved, and the world outside ceased to exist.

In the background, unseen and unheard, his Alchemy skill began to rise, tick by tick, hour by hour, through the unseen workings of the Auto Upgrade Panel.

Days passed like drifting clouds.

Though John had originally planned to stay buried in cultivation and alchemical theory until the examination, a creeping fatigue had begun to gnaw at his mind.

His bones ached, not from battle, but from stillness.

His thoughts, usually sharp and clear, began to drift and blur.

So he made a decision.

"Even if I want to be strong, I have to live too."

On the fourth day, he left the chamber.

The sun outside burned bright, the streets of Nine Sky Clan were buzzing with activity, and for the first time in a while, John allowed himself to be part of it.

He walked into the "Golden Moon Pavilion," one of the most luxurious restaurants in the clan.

A place where cultivators, merchants, and nobles came to taste exotic meats and drink aged wines brewed from spirit herbs.

He booked a private booth overlooking the artificial koi pond and let himself relax.

He ordered thick slices of Red Jade Ox, a spirit beast known for its dense, energy-rich meat, and paired it with a glowing Spirit Fruit wine that had a refreshing chill to it.

"This... is what I missed," he whispered to himself, chewing slowly and savoring the taste.

As he leaned back, watching the koi swim lazily beneath the lotus leaves, John couldn’t help but remember his early days, mining spirit stones in a prison cell, his body thin and weak, barely surviving.

Back then, a meal like this was a dream too distant to consider.

But now, he was a Spirit Seed cultivator, with wealth, power, and skills growing by the day.

The next few days passed in similar fashion.

He roamed the eastern markets, bought himself a few more sets of clean robes, simple but elegant, and even indulged in a spiritual massage, which helped relieve the strain of prolonged cultivation.

For once, he allowed himself to feel normal.

Only on the tenth day did he return to the Apothecary Chambers.

The reinforced door creaked slightly as he stepped inside.

The cool air of the chamber was familiar now, and the soft glow of the spirit lamp welcomed him back like an old friend.

He walked over to the central table and removed the cloth that covered his bronze cauldron.

A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Time to get serious again."

He inhaled deeply and opened his System Panel with anticipation.