I am currently leveling a Gene as my first character in Chaos.
After becoming Alchemist, I just did Orc Village with the Geffen Bounty Boards. Initially you take them one by one, then you start mass murdering with Cart Revolution once you can withstand the mobs. Upon that not giving enough exp, just Earth Petites and Low TI until 99. Only level-appropriate Eden gear required.
I hear a lot that Merchant classes are bad for money and whatnot, but I've had the completely opposite experience. The price skills and extra weight make so that you can get recovery items for cheaper and of a lower grade as you can cope with low weight-health efficiency. I have never failed to break even by just picking up dropped items. I started with an Assassin on another server and these AGI builds completely break down once you get to a point where leveling comes screeching down to a halt if you're killing enemies one by one.
If there's any price issue it's only the ridiculous power level and consequent indispensability of the Cylinder Headband, but that's only an issue once you're a Geneticist.
Vanilmirth and Amistr seem to make 90% or so of all homunculi. Which one to pick depends on your preference for Instruction Change or Amistr Bulwark.