Not only that, they also needed a water element talent.
Moreover, alchemy required a large amount of money, so one had to constantly try and make mistakes.
In the Source Beast Continent, no one was a genius, so it was impossible for them to be able to refine pills right away.
Everyone was the same. They needed to sum up their experience bit by bit, and then continue to improve.
If there was a responsible teacher who was willing to guide you, it would be much easier. However, these teachers all valued talent very much.
Firstly, if you had talent, the other party could easily refine pills. Moreover, the grade of the pills was quite good. It wouldn't take long for you to finish your apprenticeship.
If you were a stupid person, not only would you be slow to finish your apprenticeship, you wouldn't be able to refine pills well either.
Why would an alchemist give lessons to a person with poor talent?