Prime Originator

Lina's expression quickly turned into a frown after recognizing the voice before turning to see the familiar yet annoying person approach.

If there was one person in the entire Grand Ocean Palace that pesters her, but at the same time, not afraid of her status, it can only be the disciple of the Venerable Forgemaster.

Venerable Pill Master and Venerable Forgemaster were long-time rivals within the Grand Ocean Palace, and their statuses were not inferior to the Palace Master.

"Senior disciple-brother Jukh," Lina greeted politely, not failing to show proper etiquette to a senior disciple in the Grand Ocean Palace. 

"Junior apprentice-sister Lina," Jukh acknowledged with a nod before he said, "I heard that you went out and only killed 20 9-star level sea monsters with your party. Well, guess what? My party killed 20 Early-rank 1 Transcendent Sea Monsters today."

"Good for you, senior disciple-brother Jukh. Are you proud of beating a girl? Not to mention someone who is your junior and cultivated for a lot shorter time than you?" Lina casually asked with a calm expression.

She was already used to the person's constant pestering since she became the Venerable Pill Master's direct disciple.

At the same time, her words immediately made senior disciple-brother Jukh feel embarrassed. When she put it like that, it was not really something to be proud of.

"Ahem, maybe not." Senior disciple-brother Jukh shook his head before saying, "What I really wanted to say is that my master has better foresight in picking disciples than your master."

"Oh?"

Lina's expression immediately crumpled with a deeper frown. An insult to her was something she can ignore. However, an insult to her master was something she can keep quiet about.

She owed all her present achievements to her master for nurturing her.

"Whether the Venerable Forgemaster has better foresight than my master, the Venerable Pill Master, or not, it's not your place to comment. Do you think you can escape punishment after saying the Venerable Pill Master's foresight is bad?"

"That… that was not what I said," Senior disciple-brother Jukh was taken aback before he said with an abrupt change in expression, "You are twisting my words, junior apprentice-sister Lina!"

"Am I?" Lina glared at him.

"Junior apprentice-sister Lina, you're back!" another male voice was suddenly directed at Lina.

However, the person's voice was evidently warm, a clear contrast to Jukh's tone when he called out to Lina.

The person was Lina's eldest senior disciple-brother Neron, the Venerable Pill Master's first direct disciple.

Neron was also someone in the Initial Seeking Insight-stage Transcendent Realm, one of the top genius disciples of the Grand Ocean Palace.

"Is something wrong, junior apprentice-sister Lina?" Neron quickly discovered Lina's foul expression before noticing Jukh's presence. "Is this person pestering you again?"

"Apprentice-brother Neron speaks too seriously. I was just having a small chat with junior apprentice-sister Lina. Since you are here, I will take my leave first."

Shortly after Jukh spoke, he quickly entered the Mission Hall building to turn in his mission objective and collect his reward before fleeing the area swiftly.

Nevertheless, Lina's expression did not ease.

"Just now, senior disciple-brother Jukh was speaking badly about our master, the Venerable Pill Master, saying how our master's foresight is not good," Lina explained.

Neron's expression darkened immediately.

"You came back at the right time, junior apprentice-sister sister Lina. Master just returned from his trip and is now looking for you. You should go see Master first. I have something else to do."

Swoosh~!

After informing Lina, Neron quickly disappeared in the direction that Jukh previously left. If nothing unexpected happens, someone was going to get hurt really bad.

Lina felt slightly better after knowing what fate was awaiting Jukh for annoying her and disrespecting her master.

Shortly after, she bid farewell to her junior disciple-brothers and sisters before heading towards the center of Moonlight Island and taking the long shaft down in the undergrounds.

The Grand Ocean Palace was located underneath Moonlight Island—or more precisely, it was situated underwater on the seabed below the island.

It was not long before the narrow tunnel of the shaft leading downward expanded into a wide-open space, revealing the city-size Grand Ocean Palace at the bottom, protected by a clear dome that warded out the seawater.

At the same time, the place was illuminated by beautiful multicolored light coming from various glowing objects and runic tools that prevented the underwater space from becoming a dark and gloomy place.

After some twists and turns, Lina arrived at the Medicine Hall and went around to her master's private courtyard.

"Welcome back, Master," Lina greeted upon finding the Venerable Pill Master meditating in the open courtyard before inquiring, "I heard from senior apprentice-brother Neron that you were looking for me?"

"Un. Come take a seat beside me, my disciple." The Venerable Pill Master patted the ground with his hand for Lina to take her seat there.

Shortly after, the Venerable Pill Master began mentioning, "With your talents, you could have entered the Transcendent Realm already."

"Do you know why I forbid you from breaking through to the Transcendent Realm on your own, forcing you to stay at the 9-star Ranked Awakener Realm for so long?" The Venerable Pill Master asked.

"To stabilize my foundation and erase future problems that may arise as a result of my swift increase in cultivation to the 9-star Ranked Awakenerr Realm?"

"Wrong."

"To teach me humility and not become complacent?" Lina made another guess, uncertain of the answer that her master was looking for.

"Also wrong again."

Lina immediately expressed her confusion after guessing wrongly again.

The Venerable Pill Master shook his head before revealing his burning white flames that danced on the palms of his hand. "You should know what this is, at least, right?"

"Yes, Master. This white flame is a type of Heavenly Flame that was tamed by Master," Lina answered before her brows wrinkled in confusion shortly after. "But what does this have to do with me, Master?"

"To be a good alchemist, you cannot rely on your wood ability alone. You also need the accompany of a good flame—and there are no better flames than the Heavenly Flames that have their own sentience." 

"Master found a suitable Heavenly Flame for you. However, Master does not want you to simply refine and tame it."

"Then what should I do with the Heavenly Flame, Master?" Lina asked with surprise.