The rising flame pillar of dazzling colors had been short-lived, and its brilliance had faded into the darkness of the night sky. But even after it was gone, it had succeeded in leaving behind its mark on the world as its image had successfully been etched into the minds of all who witness its splendor. The cauldron lid that threatened to break through the vault of heavens disappeared beyond sight. It was unknown whether it would ever come back.
The firework was gone but the onlookers continued to stay rooted in awe. The number of onlookers were not limited to the people within the palace grounds. From the Upper District to the Lower District, its viewers covered the entire capital. Being situated in the center of the capital, it was difficult for anyone out and about on its streets to miss such a stunning phenomenon in the central sky.
…
From a corner of the capital, there were shadowy figures lurking in the dark that did not take a pleasant surprise to the event. Instead, the sight instilled uneasiness and concerns in the figures. They couldn't comprehend what the flame pillar signifies.
"What was that beacon of light? Is that some sort of signal?"
"It came from the royal palace. It doesn't seem like good news for us."
"Focus on the task. We must complete the objective by dawn."
Another figure who seemed to be the leader of the group said sternly with a frown, when he noticed their distraction from the task at hand.
"Understood."
...
Back at the source of the capital's attention, some figures started arriving at the courtyard not long after the flame pillar had died out.
"Are you hurt, son?" Elizabeth checked Leon for injuries, despite knowing there was none.
"I'm alright, mother." Leon said helplessly but felt warm inside. Their talk was cut short by the entrance of another figure.
"Who created the towering flame pillar just now?"
An aged voice rang out through the courtyard as an old man entered. The old man clearly advanced in his years, but he held a noble bearing overflowing with vitality that was quite contrasting to those of his age.
"Crazy Don."
Elizabeth and the guards all greeted the old man with respect. Their respect did not come from his seniority nor his status as an alchemist, but genuine respect for someone stronger than themselves.
"Mmm." Crazy Don nodded. He wasn't offended by what he was called. This was what he told them to call him.
"Son, this is the alchemist I mentioned to you before." Elizabeth quickly did the introduction for the two.
"Senior Crazy Don."
Leon paid his respects to the elderly alchemist. He could feel a lofty pressure bearing down on him under the elder's gaze. This was a natural suppression from their difference in cultivation. He could feel it, but it didn't bother him.
"You were the one that made the flame pillar?"
"Yes."
Having received Leon's answer, the elder lapsed into silence. The elder wore a natural expression, but his thoughts were unreadable, and the situation felt tense due to the silence.
Elizabeth thought her son may have offended the elder somehow and was ready to speak up for her son. The elder's strength was at 9-stars, a step short from reaching transcendence. She wouldn't be able to protect her son if the elder wish to harm him. However, the following event made everyone gape in shock.
"Master, please accept this one as a disciple and teach art of explosion!"
Crazy Don dropped to his knees and kowtowed to Leon fervently. His actions and words bemused everyone, so much so that no one was able to react until he finished his kowtow.
"Senior, what are you doing? How can you ask someone young like my son become your master? Quickly get up!"
Elizabeth was the first to recover from her shock.
"Haih… I won't get up until I am accepted. Age is trivial. He, who is proficient is the master. I am complete convinced of my loss."
Everyone heard Crazy Don and they all thought the same thing; The elder has gone mad! Genuinely mad!
It was common knowledge that Crazy Don would explode his cauldron every day at least once during pill concoction. Never had it occurred to them that it wasn't a failed pill concoction, but an intended result induced by the eccentric elder.
Leon's first pill cauldron explosion was like a declaration of challenge to Crazy Don's secret passion and pursuit in the art of explosion. The elder's fighting spirit was ignited and sought to create a bigger explosion to contest with Leon.
When Leon attempted his second pill concoction, the earthshaking explosion was like a clap of thunder to the elder's heart and dispelled all notion of competing with Leon. Of course, Leon did not know any of this.
"Senior, please get up. We can talk about this after."
Leon assisted his mother in trying to get the elder to stand but he was vehement in kneeling until the elder was accepted as a disciple. Seeing the figure that was stable like a mountain and wouldn't budge, Leon conceded his demands and accepted the elder as a disciple.
"Fine. Senior, I will teach you, alright? Please get up now."
"Absolutely not!" Elizabeth protested strongly.
Crazy Don was like another father-figure to her husband after the old king disappeared. If he becomes a disciple to her son, he would become two generations younger than her husband! Wouldn't that mess up the seniority between them!?
"Hahaha, it's too late! The kid- no, my master has accepted!" Crazy Don jumped up jovially.
"Senior, the seniority will be messed up!"
"If I don't care about it, why should you care about it?"
For the art of explosion, he was willing to do anything~!
Oh, the majesty and beauty of that explosion… He had to learn how to create one as grand as that! Explosion is art, explosion is love. Crazy Don flashed a fevered look at Leon.
Elizabeth felt headache brewing… hmm?
"Wait a moment… senior wanted to learn the art of explosion from my son? Don't tell me all those explosions every day was…"
"Oh… those were intentional for my appreciation of the art. Ah, but compared to master's explosion, they were nothing but trash."
Crazy Don said plainly without any shred of guilt for wasting royal resources all this time. He didn't forget to bootlick Leon to earn himself some good points in hopes that he could start learning sooner.
Elizabeth's whole body shook with agitation. So shameless and thick-skinned! Was this a trait people gain as they grow older!? The royal family was well off but still… such extravagant waste!
She tried repressed her agitation. The royal family relied on Crazy Don and his Essence Strengthening Pills to cultivate. If the Essence Strengthening Pills are delivered regularly, the royal family can still afford this much waste.
However, Leon used spirit herbs for his pill concoction… so if the Crazy Don start asking for spirit herbs every day for his so-called explosion art then he might as well just go rob their treasury. Spirit herbs were rare. Even if the royal family was wealthy, they don't have that many spirit herbs.
"Mother will leave this matter for you to handle. Mother suddenly feel tired and need to go back and rest." Elizabeth said with a hint of fatigue.
Yes, Mother. Rest well." Leon sent his mother off.
She washed her hand of the matter and left the courtyard.
"When can I start learning how to make such a big explosion, master?" Crazy Don rubbed his hands and asked expectantly.
Leon did not answer him and just looked at him with a peculiar smile now that his mother was gone.
"Say… Crazy Don, I can't teach you how to make explosions, but I can still teach you alchemy instead." Leon said with a sly smile.
Without his pseudo-Grandmist energy, no one would be able to recreate his explosion… and the [Hegemony of Primal Chaos] wasn't something he was willing to teach others.
"You can't teach me how to recreate that explosion?" Crazy Don froze. "What do I need you for then? Do you think I need you to teach me alchemy, kiddo?"
"Haih… Crazy Don, don't you think your attitude is changing a tad too quick? It's faster than flipping a book. Is this how you talk to your master?"
"I don't have a master like you. Good day, kiddo." Crazy Don tried to escape. Since the kid can't teach, why should he stay and continue playing this master-disciple game?
"Haha… You can deny it all you want, but you have already kowtowed and accepted me as your master. That makes me your master, whether you like it or not. Like the saying goes, a teacher for a day is like a father for a lifetime."
Crazy Don paused his steps.
"What do you want exactly, kiddo? You can't teach me anything so, what trick are you trying to pull?"
"How do you know I can't teach you anything?"
Leon's lips curved into a grin. He succeeded in keeping the elder from leaving. He didn't doubt that once he starts teaching alchemy, the elder would be genuine convinced.
Wasn't this like gaining a super bodyguard? This unexpected pie had dropped out of the sky.
Leon wanted to laugh out loud.
Never in the history of alchemy, had this ever happened before. The elder didn't want to learn how to succeed in pill refining but how to fail them to create big and beautiful explosions!