The Alchemist's Rise

When sealed spiritual meridians basically mean you're dead weight, having no cultivation, no alchemy, and no future is exactly where Shen Xiang finds himself. But instead of accepting it, he heads into dangerous territory looking for a rare medicine that might fix what nature broke. Along the way, he stumbles across two injured goddesses — one divine, one demonic — and saving them ends up awakening powers he was never supposed to have. That's the setup for this 12-episode ONA from Ruo Hong Culture, adapted from a web novel, and it moves fast. The first couple episodes do a solid job establishing why Shen Xiang's situation is desperate and why his breakthrough actually matters. From there, it's a cultivation story built around alchemy rather than just raw martial arts power, which gives the fights and progression a different flavor than the usual fare. The divine-and-demonic duality woven into his character development keeps things from feeling one-note. If you're into shows like Perfect World or Martial God Space, this hits similar beats — underdog protagonist, layered power systems, historical fantasy setting — but the alchemy angle and the dual-goddess dynamic give it its own identity. The Lone Sword Overlord fans might also find something to like here. It's action-packed without being mindless, and at 12 episodes it doesn't overstay its welcome. Worth a look if you're browsing for your next cultivation fix.