"Please bring me to where I must go." Ryu said with a slight hint of impatience in his voice. "I would like to get this over with as quickly as possible."
"Ah!" The receptionist snapped awake at Ryu's words. "Yes… Yes. Please come with me."
The receptionist of the Alchemy Association was actually just one of many. The entrance to the tall tower led into a lobby area where a large circular desk was placed. As much as a dozen receptionists took up positions within the open center of this circular desk to efficiently help as many customers as possible. As a result, the exchange between Ryu and the receptionist he was charged to wasn't exactly covert.
However, was Ryu the type of individual to care for stares and ridicule? He wouldn't give these individuals the time of day, especially considering how their expressions changed when they saw how easily he was willing to spend Qi Stones.
Only Core Disciples of the Major Sects would receive one Inferior Qi Stone per month while each Sect wouldn't accept more than ten Core Disciples in total. Inheritors above them were the only exception. Even elders wouldn't spend so many Qi Stones at once on such a foolish endeavor. And, if what they heard was correct, Ryu would have to become a Black Grade Herbologist for any of this to matter at all! Even the Ancestor of the Major Sects wouldn't have ten Medial Qi Stones to spend so willfully.
Ryu silently followed the receptionist as they made their way to the higher levels. It seemed that the Exams usually took place on this first floor in a back room, however the herbology exam was a bit special since it required entry into a Small Realm. As a result, it was located on the same floor as the Association Head's office, the second floor from the very top.
Just as they were about to branch out from the staircase and enter the second highest floor, the receptionist stopped Ryu.
"I'm sorry young master, but I must confirm if you have the funds to proceed. This floor is a very sensitive area that not just anyone can enter. Please excuse my rudeness."
Ryu didn't mind it. He simply took out a Medial Qi Stone.
The Qi Stone shimmered like a transparent crystalline gem storing a fog of white energy. The receptionist immediately understood its level as her breath shortened involuntarily. It was only after she recollected herself that she finally went through what seemed like a complicated procedure to enter, allowing Ryu to follow in after her. It was only after Ryu did that he realized this wasn't much of a floor at all, the door led directly into an office just as large as the lobby area below.
The office was decorated with endless rows of untidy bookshelves. Loose papers and unswept dust were a common sight, but the desk toward its far edge that seemed to hide a figure behind more piles of books made them look organized.
"Association Head, I've brought an individual who would like to take the herbology exam."
Unlike what Ryu expected, the Head wasn't a woman. This meant that the so-called best alchemist of their Association didn't act as their Head and probably meant that the highest floor they hadn't gone to was reserved for her.
A middle-aged man on the slightly older side looked up to see Ryu. He frowned not just at Ryu age, but the fact that Ryu was blind.
The Association Head had looked up before the receptionist even spoke because he felt a Spiritual Sense land on him. It wasn't invasive, but he still didn't like the feeling. Anyone who had been in the martial world for any period of time knew the level of rudeness attached to such a thing. But, it seemed that Ryu had his own reasons for using this method considering his blindness.
"Molly, you can't just bring anyone who says they'd like to take the exam to my office."
The receptionist, or Molly, seemed flustered by this response. She had expected it, but what could she have done about it? Ryu didn't look like a patient individual. She didn't want to know what would happen if these two strong willed men clashed.
"Are there rules to taking this exam aside from the monetary compensation?" Ryu turned toward Molly.
Molly was directly put in an awkward position. If she said yes, she'd be slapping her own face and that of Ryu's. After all, it was her job to keep Ryu informed. However, if she said no, she'd be exposing the Association Head as petty and slapping his face. How the hell was she supposed to answer this question? Luckily, she didn't have to.
The Association Head sneered. "What an arrogant little boy."
Ryu frowned. What part of what he had said was arrogant? He asked a simple question. If this old man took offense to that, it said more about him than Ryu. However, Ryu put down his normally quippy response. Though he was a Shrine Plane Prince, it was unintelligent to act as such here. Not to mention the fact this Association Head was a Divine Vessel Realm expert, angering him would only waste Ryu's time further and likely make his future harder.
"I apologize if I've been rude, esteemed Association Head. This young one would only like a chance. If I fail, then so be it."
The Association Head found it hard to continue to be petty after Ryu lowered his head. However, what he didn't see was the coldness hidden behind Ryu's eyelids. He assumed that a draft had come through when Molly opened the door, but what he didn't know was that he had forever lost the right to Ryu's favor.
Ryu's pride was dug deep into his bones. Let alone this Head before him, even the World Sea cultivators who could wipe all life from the Pedestal Plane hadn't made his heart palpitate. He lowered his head for one reason and one reason only: his family. The more time he wasted, the more time he would need to save them. He refused to allow anything to get in the way of that, even if it was his own arrogance.
The Association Head snorted. "Do whatever you'd like."
The teleportation formation to the Small Realm was located within the Association Head's office. It was the only relatively clean spot in the entire place and was placed upon an elevated silver platform. Ryu didn't waste anymore time on nonsense. He handed the Qi Stones to Molly who used five of them to activate the formation and stored the remaining five.
When Ryu reappeared, he was greeted by surroundings that he would have never expected. He stood upon a tall pillar that only had enough space for him to a step once in all directions. Below was an endless abyss of darkness that wouldn't hesitate to take his life. But, what was truly intriguing was the fact his pillar wasn't the only one. All around him, formed into a large circle, dozens of other pillars had exam takers of their own…