Chapter 468: Please teach me

Ren's body started healing at a rapid pace and what accompanied that was his mana started running amok. If not for Lara who had concealed Ren's mana within the workshop, everyone near the vicinity would've fainted and the knights would've already surrounded the workshop.

This phenomenon was happening since Ren was unconscious and his body was using a large amount of mana to heal itself. Due to his mana being so large and wasn't being held back it was in an uncontrollable state as it raged around the workshop. It took everyone present just to hold back Ren's mana from going berserk.

Shion stood behind Valdel frightened by the sight, her legs continued to shake as she tried her hardest not to cry from the fear. This was the first time she saw such a powerful and violent mana. Not only was it exceedingly violent but it was also extremely thick and powerful. Usually, mana was something that was there but could not be seen by the naked eye, yet Ren's mana had a visible physical form. In Shion's eyes, Ren's mana was like a monster wanting to devour everything in sight.

It was a good thing that Valdel and the others had more than enough mana to hold it together, if not it would've been a very difficult task to hold Ren's rampaging mana.

'Just how much mana does this person have? It's like an endless ocean that wants to devour us under its waves.' Kor who was helping with holding Ren's mana back was surprised by its raw power. Kor had received Ren's powerful punch and also witnessed Ren fighting a deity and knew that Ren was someone beyond his understanding, but this time was a different matter.

'So he really was holding back when he punched me.' Kor shook his head as he shoved those useless thoughts away and concentrated on suppressing Ren's mana.

...

It took a full hour for Ren's mana to stabilize and the wound to heal. Valdel, Lara, Kor, and Mir were sweating profusely as they tried to control their breathing. That was such an arduous task which needed them to concentrate for a full hour, just one slip up and they would've been devoured by Ren's raging mana.

Once she was sure that Ren's mana had fully stabilized Lara approached him. She didn't touch Ren as that would make him attack her, instead, she tried to assess his condition with her sight alone. On the surface it looked like the outer wound had healed properly, now the problem was did the organs that were destroyed regenerate? She wouldn't be able to tell if she doesn't touch Ren's body.

'Well, he is breathing normally now and I don't think he's in any more danger... Yeah, for as long as he has any kind of spiritual energy, the body of the Strongest Mortal Soul would hold. Still, I was expecting him to wake up the moment the wounds were healed, but he's still unconscious. I wonder did something go wrong?'

Lara who was deep in thought was interrupted by Shion who suddenly spoke.

"Ummm, now that you're friend is healed, what are you going to do next?" Shion had gathered all of her courage to speak. She now understood that the group of people before her were special. They were obviously stronger than those so called A-rank adventurers, and even the knights based on the skills that they showed. So she was frightened but at the same time excited. This disaster could prove to become a blessing instead.

"We'll be staying here for now. Here this should cover everything we used as well as the payment for us staying here." Lara took out a bag of coins and tossed it towards Shion who caught it by reflex. Shion's eyes almost popped out as she saw the contents of the bag. The coins weren't silver, nor gold, all the coins in the bag were white gold coins. With this amount of white gold coins, she could take the exam to become a professional alchemist every year for the rest of her life and still have some leftover. In fact, with this much money, she could live an easy life until her death.

Shion was truly tempted to take the coins but decided against it. She quickly handed the coins back to Lara.

"Hmmm, was that too little, do you want more, or do you need something else?" When Shion heard Lara's question she knew that this was her chance. She needed to speak now or she would forever regret it. Shion gathered every last bit of resolve she had and spoke.

"Please instead of the coins, can you take me as a disciple and teach me the ways of Alchemy!"

Everyone present was surprised by Shion's sudden shout, but more than that they were surprised by her request. They then looked at Lara who had a stoic expression. Shion waited for Lara's answer extremely anxious. After what seemed to be an eternity Lara finally spoke.

"Many have asked me to teach them, they were the so-called geniuses. Even some spirits have come for guidance, and they were some that were called legendary alchemists that wished to be my students as well. Do you know how I responded to these people?"

Shion noticed that Lara was staring at her which made her feel like a mouse being stared down by a snake. 'Wasn't that a rhetorical question?' After some time passed and no one had spoken, Shion finally replied.

"I don't know."

"I rejected them and told them, what is there to teach since they knew just as much as I. There was no secret way, nor was there a special technique to be taught, it was just their execution and foresight that were lacking. Those are things that would improve over time with some practice, so they didn't really need me. As for you, based on the materials scattered about, and the splattered mess on the ground I can see that you don't even have the basics down."

When Shion heard what Lara said, she felt truly embarrassed. She wasn't sure if what Lara said was true or not about the geniuses and the legendary alchemists, but if she had rejected those kinds of people she would most likely reject her as well.

'Of course, someone of her caliber wouldn't want someone as bad as me.' As Shion waited for Lara to reject her she had her head down in embarrassment.

"Unlike those people, you truly need someone to guide you, and I do owe you one for it is your workshop that allowed me to save someone dear to me. So from this day onward, you are now my alchemy student."

Shion and everyone else in the room had the same expression of shock on their faces. After hearing what Lara said about her rejecting geniuses and whatnot all of them were expecting her to reject Shion, but right at this very moment she did the exact opposite, she actually accepted her.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be bowing down and accepting me as your master?" Shion finally snapped out of her dazed state as she started to panic. Shion then clumsily knelt on the ground and bowed.

"Thank you, master, for accepting me as your disciple!"