Kiro gently handed it to him, going back to his notes. "This may be a bit more potent than the previous versions, but I doubt it'll be enough to make a difference. Without a cultivation technique, it could take thousands just to get me to the First Purification."

Supervisor Meng unstoppered the solution, sniffing it curiously. "I see. May I?"

Kiro nodded.

The Torch brought the elixir to his lips, downing it in a single gulp. "Ahh, yes. I forget how inefficiently the body cultivates without proper channels. In order to bring the costs down to a manageable level, you'd need an elixir nearly ten times as potent."

Kiro sighed. He had gotten his hopes up once again, and nothing had come out of it. At best, he'd be able to force himself into advancement in old age, but without a proper cultivation technique, barely anything would come of it. But even master alchemists couldn't alter the effects of their concoctions by such a wide margin, much less —

"Or… you could simply make ten times the money." Supervisor Meng smirked at him, eyes twinkling with humor.

Kiro stared at him. “By selling it?”

“Indeed.”

"But how could I? I’m just a Sun, and nobody would want something less potent than an existing product.”

The supervisor nodded, patting Kiro's shoulder. "Ah, but while people wouldn’t trust the alchemy of a Sun, they wouldn't necessarily shy away from purchasing from a Torch."

"But, honored supervisor, what if your reputation —"

The Torch chuckled, gesturing to the emptied vial. "Kiro, I am more than confident enough in your alchemy to be selling your products. I'm actually surprised that you haven't asked me sooner.”

“B-but I don’t even have mana sense! I’m just an apprentice, and even that isn’t official. And once again, there’s no reason for anyone to buy this elixir.”

“Kiro, that’s where you’re wrong. Cultivation, no matter how much mana is around you, takes effort and willpower. And especially considering how unique this elixir is, I'm willing to bet that the Warriors will be swarming to throw money at their cultivation problems.”

Seeing that Kiro was still skeptical, Meng went on. “Son, I’ve taught you everything I know, and you picked it up faster than any spoiled noble’s child could have. You’ve mastered what normally takes alchemists dozens of years to comprehend in just under nine, and now you've finally made a step in your own direction. That, more than any formal document or cultivation level, tells me that you are no longer my apprentice, but rather a full-fledged alchemist. And I would be happy to sell the goods of a fellow alchemist…"

A malicious grin crossed the supervisor's face, and he let out a goofy cackle. "For the low price of ninety-nine percent of your earnings!"

Kiro snorted. "And I thought that Supervisor Ba was trying to rob me!"

Supervisor Meng doubled down in laughter, clutching his side. "My young disciple! I have truly taught you well in not just alchemy!"

The Torch turned back to the parchment scattered on the table, exhaling dramatically. "However, Tang Kiro, we have a far more important matter to address."

He looked up, confused. "Supervisor?"

"This is your first wholly original concoction, is it not?"

He nodded.

"Well, every great elixir needs a fitting name. What will this one’s be? The Divine Heavenly Draught of Still Waters? The Masterful Elixir of Seven Skies and Elemental Balance? The Holy Tears of a Fallen Saint?"

Kiro frowned. "I don't want something long and complicated. Just like the elixir, it should be calm and simple."

He held up the empty vial, letting the sun’s rays glint off of the remaining liquid.

"How about... the Starlight's Drop."