Chapter 36

After Cheng Yang opened the scroll, a white light flashed around his body, and then his entire figure instantly disappeared from the spot.

When Cheng Yang opened his eyes again, the scene before him had completely changed.

He was not surprised by this, as all secondary occupation tasks were completed in specific instances. In such instances, the consequence of being killed was merely task failure, not actual death.

In that instant, a voice echoed in Cheng Yang's mind: "Welcome to the Alchemist Initiation Instance. Task initiation countdown: 10—9—8—..."

Cheng Yang's heart was filled with tension, wondering if the deity would assign him a peak first-stage demonized beast to kill. If that were the case, he would have no chance of success. Among any combatants, the gap between apprentice levels was the greatest. The possibility of fighting a higher-level opponent at this stage was very low. However, after reaching the Scholar level, it became possible to fight higher-level opponents, even with the same equipment. This was something unimaginable at the apprentice level.

Therefore, if Cheng Yang encountered a peak first-stage demonized beast now, no matter how skilled he was, he would not be able to defeat it. The instance was a completely flat area, offering no strategic advantages.

However, he believed the probability of encountering a peak first-stage demonized beast was low. Even in extremely difficult instances, there was still a possibility of completion. If a peak first-stage demonized beast appeared, it would be impossible for anyone to complete the task, which would deviate from the original intention of setting an extremely difficult task.

With Cheng Yang's anxious heart, the task countdown finally ended:

"Since you are taking on the secondary occupation of an alchemist, as a successful alchemist, identifying herbs is a basic skill. Please find the following ten types of herbs within half an hour in the instance: Heavenly Sword Grass, Mystic Ice Flower..."

After reading the task prompt, Cheng Yang felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping over his head. Of course, after the horses galloped by, he became excited.

The task was to identify herbs.

Of course, this task was not simple, and it was not an advantage for those who were originally doctors in the real world. The reason was that the herbs in the transformed world had nothing to do with the herbs from before. Even if Hua Tuo were reborn, he would not be able to make progress on this issue.

However, for Cheng Yang, this task was very simple. Although his secondary occupation in his previous life was not an alchemist, he had seen these herbs before. These ten herbs were precisely used to make small vials of magic energy potions and life potions. If the preparation ratios were added, they would be two complete formulas.

Why did the deity create such a task? Cheng Yang could guess a bit. These instances were not directly controlled by the deity but operated automatically under certain rules. The biggest reason for this mix-up was that the rules of the world did not know that Cheng Yang had been reborn. According to the rules, the average human strength was almost at the apprentice level. Therefore, even a first-stage early demonized beast would be considered a difficult task. Since a part of the world's population could still complete it, it was considered a difficult task. However, a first-stage mid or late demonized beast would be beyond the scope of an extremely difficult task, and at this stage, no one except Cheng Yang could fight such a demonized beast.

However, for Cheng Yang, this task was like cheating, which was not allowed by the rules of the world. Therefore, the standard of judging whether to pass based on strength was automatically discarded. Instead, it was changed to a task related to identifying herbs. According to the rules, with the number of survivors on Earth, even by chance, two or three people could complete such a task, which fit the rules.

But the rules of the world did not know that Cheng Yang had been reborn. Facing this challenge, it was much easier for him than killing a first-stage late demonized beast.

The area of the instance was not large, about ten thousand square meters, or a circle with a diameter of about one hundred meters. However, in this area, various kinds of rare flowers and herbs grew, making Cheng Yang's eyes sparkle with greed.

But these rare items could not be touched, as the task's main criterion for passing was whether the herbs in your hand were exactly the ten types you were looking for, no more, no less.

Cheng Yang immediately began searching in the instance.

"Heavenly Sword Grass, found..."

"Mystic Ice Flower, found..."

"Earth Dragon Root, here..."

In no time, Cheng Yang had all ten herbs in his hand.

"You have obtained ten different types of herbs. Do you confirm the completion of the task?" The prompt in his mind came as expected, indeed giving the challenger a choice.

Cheng Yang said without hesitation, "Confirm."

Instantly, the space around Cheng Yang distorted, and he immediately disappeared.

"You came back so quickly?" When Cheng Yang reappeared in the alchemy room, the shop owner couldn't help but widen his eyes.

It was no wonder he was so incredulous. In his view, Cheng Yang reaching the high apprentice level on the fourth day of the apocalypse was absolutely top-notch among humans, so the possibility of him completing an extremely difficult task was high, but it wouldn't take such a short time. Now, coming back so quickly from the instance, didn't it mean he had failed the task?

But he never imagined that the task Cheng Yang faced had nothing to do with combat but was to identify herbs.

Cheng Yang smiled and extended his right hand, holding ten herbs, and said, "Just lucky. The deity's test was to identify herbs, and I happened to know them all, so I completed it quickly."

Looking at the ten herbs in Cheng Yang's hand, the shop owner felt as if he were in a dream. For a combatant who had not yet taken on a secondary occupation, completing this task was extremely difficult. The most critical point was that Cheng Yang was the first person in the world to take on the alchemist occupation, and no one knew what these herbs were before him.

But Cheng Yang had indeed completed the task. Besides surprise, the shop owner had no other thoughts and immediately smiled, "It seems you are indeed a born alchemist! Your gain is enough to make the deity envious. Since you are the first to take on the alchemist occupation, you have received a unique talent called 'Natural Herb Body.' This is a unique talent that allows you to gain double the effect from any elixir or potion you consume. Additionally, since you completed an extremely difficult initiation task, you will become a very powerful alchemist. The specifics will be known after you successfully take on the occupation."

Saying this, the shop owner took out a light golden token from under the counter and handed it to Cheng Yang, saying, "This is the secondary occupation token. Using it will allow you to directly take on the occupation."

Cheng Yang had already used such a token in his previous life, but the token he used then was black and seemed to be several levels lower than this light golden token.

Cheng Yang immediately took the token and held it in his palm, then silently said, "Use the secondary occupation token." Immediately, he felt his palm empty, and the token disappeared.

Cheng Yang eagerly opened his attribute panel and found that a secondary occupation section had been added.

Secondary Occupation: Alchemist

Level: 1 (0%)

Energy: 20 points

Talent: Divine Effect (Unique): Any potion or elixir you refine has its effect increased by 100%.

Skills: Herb Gathering (Level 1): Can identify and successfully gather wild herbs. The level of herbs that can be gathered is related to the level of the Herb Gathering skill.

Potion Making (Level 1): Can refine various elixirs and potions. The level of elixirs or potions that can be refined is related to the formulas you know and the level of the Potion Making skill.

Known Formulas: None.

Compared to the main occupation, the description of the alchemist secondary occupation was more concise. However, even the simplest attribute description could not match the power of the unique talent. Ordinary alchemists did not have a unique talent for their secondary occupation, but some main occupation talents of combatants might have a bonus effect on their secondary occupation. Completing a difficult initiation task would grant a general talent, which could be good or bad, sometimes depending on luck.

But a unique secondary occupation talent was different. Any unique secondary occupation talent would increase a certain ability by 100%, such as yield, attributes, or reduce energy consumption or raw material consumption. Any secondary occupation had more than one unique talent, but it was undeniable that the total number of unique talents was extremely rare, as there were only a few items that could be increased or reduced in any secondary occupation.

At this moment, Cheng Yang thought of something that made him ecstatic. With his new main occupation talent and secondary occupation talent, wouldn't a potion have a fourfold effect? If it were a regular recovery potion, it wouldn't make Cheng Yang so excited, as it would only save him some spirit energy. However, he knew that in this world, there were elixirs that could permanently or temporarily increase certain attributes, which was where the true value of an alchemist lay. With the talents of Natural Herb Body and Divine Effect, those attribute-increasing elixirs would undoubtedly make Cheng Yang incredibly powerful.

Cheng Yang calmed his excitement and said, "Thank you, sir. Do you have any formulas for sale in your shop?"

The shop owner immediately said, "I only have two formulas here. If you need higher-level formulas, you need to upgrade the alchemy room as soon as possible."

Cheng Yang nodded and said, "I will upgrade the alchemy room as soon as possible. I will buy the formula for the small vial of magic energy potion now."

The shop owner happily took a parchment-like item from the back shelf and handed it to Cheng Yang, saying, "This formula costs one thousand spirit energy points."

Cheng Yang did not hesitate and immediately paid. One thousand spirit energy points was undoubtedly a huge number, but it was not unaffordable for Cheng Yang.

PS: Brothers, can you give me some motivation? Any form of support, such as adding to favorites, recommending, clicking, commenting, or donating, would be great. I don't want to feel like I'm playing a single-player game, hehe...