Could this old man be able to tell the future?
Ling Han smiled, and replied, “That’s right. I want to concoct a type of alchemical pill.”
“Please! Please!” Yuanchu hurriedly said respectfully.
With Yuanchu escorting him, Ling Han quickly entered the Main Hall.
“Young Master Han!” Xiao Ying immediately came over to receive him, her face filled with pleasant surprise. As she had already been promoted to the position of a minor manager, she no longer needed to greet customers at the door. However, she had long wanted to see Ling Han again, and so had kept standing guard at the door recently. Finally, she had gotten her wish.
Ling Han nodded at her, causing the corners of Liu Yu Tong’s lips to rise slightly—this guy was really an expert at making women fall for him!
Chapter 157
Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu
Ling Han only nodded at Xiao Ying before proceeding to the third floor of the palace, escorted by Yuanchu.
This was where high-ranking alchemists would concoct alchemical pills and rest.
“How about this? I won’t limit the number of people today. You all can observe me concoct alchemical pills, and I’ll simply accept an observation fee of a million silver coins,” Ling Han said to Yuanchu.
“Pu,” once again, those four disciples of Yuanchu choked.
It was simply observing the pill concoction process, and you want to collect a fee of a million silver coins… were you trying to rob them?
Even Liu Yu Tong’s lips twitched at this. A million silver coins for observing him concoct pills once… even if there were only ten people, Ling Han would be able to earn ten million coins for every time he allowed them to observe, and observing him for ten times would allow him to earn a hundred million.
One hundred million!
The Liu Clan was a large clan and had many businesses under their name, so their monthly income was definitely not just a mere hundred million coins. However, if you were talking about net profit, then there was definitely not as much as a hundred million, and it was far below such a colossal amount of money.
The earnings of a single person were able to equal the earnings of an entire clan!
No wonder Ling Han was so confident he would be able to utterly defeat the Chen Clan in terms of finances. It was really too easy for him to earn money.
But still, would Yuanchu actually agree to such a condition?
“Really?” Yuanchu’s eyes widened, an expression of pleasant surprise on his face, “Just a million coins?”
Damn!
Liu Yu Tong and his four disciples suddenly felt like they were going to pass out. Yuanchu actually thought one million coins was a bargain!
That was natural. If he could manage to observe Ling Han concoct alchemical pills for a few more times, he’d be able to advance up the ranks. How could that kind of benefit be measured in terms of money? Moreover, once he managed to advance to the next level, he’d be able to concoct even higher grade alchemical pills. Plus, when an alchemist advanced one level, the price of the pills he could concoct would also soar to a whole new level.
One could definitely say that every high-level alchemist was extremely wealthy, but the majority of alchemists were not hoarders of their wealth, and would instead use their immeasurable wealth to improve their ability as an alchemist. But when an alchemist had reached Black Grade, which of them would not have a few dozen millions in savings?
A million was absolutely nothing to them!
Ling Han was also not one who would attach a lot of importance to monetary wealth. Money was a worldly item, and when one’s ability reached Flower Blossoming Tier, mere money would not be able to buy the cultivation resources one needed. At Flower Blossoming Tier and beyond, one would have to trade for the resources he needed with something else that his trading partner wanted.
Of course, money was still quite useful to him now. Otherwise, Ling Han would not demand an ‘observation fee’.
Yuanchu Yuan immediately went off to call the other alchemists. Very quickly, the various Black Grade alchemists all arrived one after another. However, there was a pitifully small number of Yellow Grade alchemists. There was only Li Si Chan, Qi Zhan Tai, and a few others, and the last to arrive was Fu Yuan Sheng.
“Old Fu, you’re right on time. Help me collect money,” Ling Han said, without any kind of reservations at all.
At this, those four disciples of Yuanchu really fainted. That was Fu Yuan Sheng he was addressing, one of the two big bosses of alchemy in Rain Country, but in Ling Han’s mouth, he had become Old Fu.
Meanwhile, Fu Yuan Sheng stepped forward, his expression all smiles. It was his honor to be able to serve a Grandmaster Alchemist! Moreover, whom among all these high-ranking alchemists had not begun from the position of an alchemist’s apprentice? They had all started from doing odd jobs and assisting a higher-ranking alchemist, so it was nothing new to them.
Thus, no one felt any disdain for Fu Yuan Sheng. On the other hand, they were all indescribably envious.
…To be able to serve a Grandmaster Alchemist, what an enviable task!
Everyone delightedly paid the observation fee, while only Li Si Chan and Qi Zhan Tai were exempted from paying. Black Grade alchemists really did not lack monetary wealth.
“Today, I’m going to concoct the ‘Foundation Building Pill’. All of you should know that this is a Black Grade high level alchemical pill, right? I’ll also get the license of a Black Grade high level alchemist while at it,” Ling Han said. He would be hitting two birds with one stone in this manner.
Foundation Building Pill!
When they heard the words ‘Foundation Building Pill’ from Ling Han’s mouth, all of them bore expressions of utter shock and astonishment.
There were many different types of Black Grade high level alchemical pills, and of course, the level of difficulty in concocting different Black Grade high level pills varied greatly. There were four different levels of difficulty and they were: Easy, Difficult, Extremely Difficult, and Practically Impossible. Those alchemical pills that fitted into the level of Practically Impossible were actually close to the level of Earth Grade alchemical pills. Thus, an alchemist who could successfully concoct an alchemical pill in this category was almost definitely able to advance to become an Earth Grade alchemist.
Foundation Building Pill was precisely one of those pills in the ‘Practically Impossible’ category.
This kind of alchemical pill could help a Spiritual Ocean Tier alchemist build his foundations to prepare for the construction of his Spiritual Pedestal. It belonged to one of the rarest types of alchemical pills that could help a Spiritual Ocean Tier martial artist break through to Spiritual Pedestal Tier. The reason why Foundation Building Pill was considered close to the level of Earth Grade was firstly because of the level of difficulty in concocting such a pill, and secondly because of the effects of the completed pill.
For a martial artist, three types of alchemical pills were the most valuable for them. Firstly, the type that would help them increase their cultivation; secondly, the type that would assist them in comprehending martial arts techniques; and thirdly, the type that could assist them in breaking through to the next level. If one would rank these three types of pills in order of importance and value, then it would be the exact opposite order. The most valuable, and also the rarest, was the type of pill that would help a martial artist break through to the next level.
…The type of pill that would extend one’s lifespan was not included in this division because only natural treasures would have that kind of effect. If these natural treasures were concocted into alchemical pills, the effect would be the exact opposite.
Everyone here had heard of the Foundation Pill before, but there was no one capable of successfully concocting it in a small place like Rain Country, and this included the two local big bosses of alchemy as well. If this kind of alchemical pill could be mass-produced for sale, the large number of
Spiritual Pedestal Tier elites that would appear in Rain Country could be imagined.
This could very possibly overturn the balance of power in Rain Country!
Even merely the thought of it caused these people to shiver. A single alchemist… had the ability to completely change the power structure of a nation. It sounded like a fantasy.
“I need these ingredients,” Ling Han said to Fu Yuan Sheng. The reason why the Foundation Building Pill was so close to the level of Earth Grade was because of the level of difficulty involved in concocting such a pill and its effects. However, there was not much difference between the ingredients necessary to concoct it and the ingredients necessary to concoct any other Black Grade high level pill, so the Heaven’s Medicine Pavilion would definitely have the necessary ingredients available.
And true enough, Fu Yuan Sheng immediately nodded, and waved his hand to command someone to retrieve the ingredients that Ling Han needed from their storage room.
“How much do they cost?” Ling Han asked, smiling.
“How can we accept Young Master Han’s money?” Fu Yuan Sheng hurriedly waved his hands in refusal.
Yet Ling Han was adamant and said, “You must accept!” Only if the Heaven’s Medicine Pavilion accepted his payment would the Foundation Building Pill belong to him entirely. How much could the ingredients for this little thing cost? A million? Two million? But for the completed pill… even if it was auctioned off for ten million, it would be considered a bargain. It was guaranteed that a large number of people would be fighting to buy it.
Fu Yuan Sheng could only smile sheepishly. He was intending to take the completed pill to study. One had to understand that the success rate for pills close to the level of Earth Grade was shockingly low. If the full number of pills that could be produced in a single furnace was ten, then it would be wonderful if there was a single completed pill that was successfully concocted. Two would be considered a logic-defying accomplishment.
The ingredients for a Black Grade high level pill were still very expensive. The ingredient value for a single furnace could be as high as three million, and if the furnace exploded during the concoction process, that would mean the waste of a whole three million coins. But if the pill was successfully concocted, the alchemist would be able to earn not only his investment back, but also a colossal profit.
That was what a high grade alchemical pill was worth, especially the rarer types of high grade alchemical pills.
Ling Han was completely doing business without any kind of capital. He came empty-handed, and with his ‘observation fee’, he earned eighteen million in one go. Now, he was only paying three million out of this eighteen million he had already earned. Moreover, with his ability, what would a pill that was merely close to the level of Earth Grade count as? Even if he only managed to produce three pills… just the thought of the value was terrifying enough.
“Please observe closely, everyone. I am going to begin now,” Ling Han said. Because all these people had paid to observe him, it was only right for him to warn them beforehand.
All of them opened their eyes as wide as possible. They would not only be able to observe a Grandmaster’s techniques of alchemy, but would also be able to bear witness to the birth of a furnace of pills close to Earth Grade!
Merely the thought of it was enough to make them shiver in excitement!
Ling Han’s expression gradually became utterly serious. He was never negligent in matters related to alchemy.
After taking a deep breath, he suddenly moved. His movements suddenly turned smooth and incredibly natural, filled with a unique kind of beauty that was pleasing to the eye. It was as if his movements were in line with some unknown law of nature.
Chapter 158
Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu
“Heavens, how could merely separating the ingredients look so beautiful?”
“My goodness, to purify seven different ingredients at the same time?”
“What, I thought purifying seven different ingredients at the same time was only meant to speed up the concoction process a bit, but smelling this herbal aroma, it seems like the ingredients are far purer than those purified in the usual manner!”
“This is too shocking!”
Those who had gasped out in shock were the few Black Grade low level alchemists who had not managed to observe Ling Han’s concoction process the last time. The other Black Grade middle level alchemists all bore haughty expressions, secretly calling the people who had exclaimed in shock a group of country bumpkins who had never seen the world.
Yet they did not recall that when it had been their first time seeing Ling Han concoct an alchemical pill, their reactions were also the same as these people’s—making a fuss about nothing, one moment erupting in clamor, and the next stunned into silence.
However, as Ling Han proceeded further, all of them kept their eyes wide open, staring determinedly at Ling Han. This included Fu Yuan Sheng. Every move that Ling Han made seemed to guide along their focus, which would follow every move Ling Han made.
In their eyes, Ling Han was no longer just a wet-behind-the-ears youth, but an Almighty Alchemist of indomitable spirit. Every move he made was filled with an air of perfection, exuding a beautiful rhythm that only alchemists could feel.
That’s right. It was rhythm or what was so-called tempo.
Alchemy could be claimed as a kind of art. An art of controlling flames, an art of observing as the various ingredients transformed and merged together under high heat. It was an art filled with a very unique rhythm of its own.
However, everyone here could not manage to display that feeling of rhythm. They were only following the written instructions, doing everything as what the pill formula described. They would put in specific ingredients at the time that was written on the pill formula, use flames of a certain temperature at a certain time. Everything they did was done mechanically and stiffly.
Yet Ling Han had stepped beyond these limitations. Sometimes, he would obviously not be following the instructions of the pill formula strictly, but through a strange rhythm that linked all his actions together, it was a display that was too amazing for words.
Grandmaster Alchemist! No, no, no, Almighty Alchemist! Or even, Alchemist Emperor!
They all nodded their heads. If it was not for the fact that Ling Han was too young and his cultivation level too low, perhaps he would be able to concoct Earth Grade pills now, or even the mythical Heaven Grade pills.
When they thought this, they all could not help but experience shock. Theoretically, an alchemist in Element Gathering Tier would only be able to concoct Yellow Grade high level pills. This had nothing to do with the alchemist’s ability, but was completely determined by the alchemist’s cultivation level. There was nothing that could be done about it. If an alchemist’s cultivation level was not high enough, he would not be able to produce a high enough temperature for higher grade pills.
Thus, the only result would be Ling Han’s failure.
But when they looked at the brilliant alchemic abilities that Ling Han had already displayed, he really did not seem like someone who would try out something even though he obviously knew it would fail.
Unless, could it be…
They all stared at Ling Han closely as a possibility rose up in their minds.
Hong!
A crimson flame suddenly erupted from Ling Han’s palm. It was the Strange Fire.
As expected!
All the alchemists exhaled in shock as they finally understood why Ling Han would dare to concoct an alchemical pill so close to Earth Grade and where his confidence came from.
Strange Fire would be able to compensate for an alchemist’s shortcomings in terms of cultivation level. In fact, there were some alchemists who had found an alternative by cultivating some kind of Fire-aligned secret arts to increase the heat of their flames. This could be considered a dishonest way of doing things, but it allowed them to achieve a similar result.
Of co
urse, when compared with a real Strange Fire, all of these secret arts could only be considered inferior.
Ling Han’s movements became faster and faster, and more and more sweat beaded on his forehead. Due to the high heat rising from the furnace, signs of dehydration once again appeared on him as even his lips cracked slightly.
It felt like a blur to the eyes of all the others. The rapid speed at which Ling Han was moving caused them to slightly feel as if they were unable to follow his moves. This was because they not only had to observe carefully each move that Ling Han made, but understand the rationale and logic behind each and every move. Just contemplate for a moment about one move in their heads, and they would have missed out on quite a number of consecutive movements from Ling Han.
But that was all right. If they were able to learn one or two moves, it would be enough for them to study for quite a while and drastically increase their own ability as alchemists.
…The million coins that they had spent was completely worth it.
Hong, hong, hong. Flames continuously flickered and appeared on Ling Han’s hand. Sometimes the flames would be extraordinarily strong, while at other times, they would appear very weak. It was not that he had lost control over his flames. On the contrary, this was proof that the level of control he had over the temperature of the flames had reached the level of perfection.
‘That’s right. When my fusion with the Strange Fire has advanced to another level, guiding it would have a kind of feeling like it was done completely freely and effortlessly,’ Ling Han thought. He actually still had the room to think of something else.
When others concocted alchemical pills, they would all be putting their whole focus on the concoction process. Being distracted for the slightest moment could mean the furnace exploding and having wasted all their previous efforts. But who asked Ling Han’s alchemy standards to be too high? He could even concoct Heaven Grade alchemical pills, so this was naturally a piece of cake to him.
Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao c1-1294 Page 93