by Feng Yise
Ye Yuan knew he probably would not see his father for a few days . . .
Chapter 14 - Explosive Yuan Pill
The next day, Ye Yuan went to the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion again.
Ye Yuan could distinctly feel a difference in the way the employees looked at him. After yesterday's event, everybody now looked at this super silkpants with admiration.
Having enjoyed these looks too often in his past life, Ye Yuan naturally would not mind it too much. Today, he only came to the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion to collect medicinal herbs. Right now, Ye Yuan desperately needed to raise his strength, and the fastest way to increase his strength was undoubtedly by taking pills as a stimulant.
Putting aside the ability of an Alchemy Emperor and not utilizing it, would that not make Ye Yuan a fool?
There were countless pill formulas inside Ye Yuan's mind, but the medicinal pills he could refine at the moment were too few. He was only able to refine Tier 1 medicinal pills, and that was only by using his powerful soul as support. Otherwise, with his First Level Essence Qi Realm cultivation, he would not even be able to refine out medicinal dregs.
Using an entire night to search for Tier 1 medicinal pills in his memories, Ye Yuan still felt that among all the pills, a type of high-grade Tier 1 pill called Explosive Yuan Pill was the most suitable for him.
Explosive Yuan Pill, as the name suggested, was a medicinal pill that explosively increased essence energy.
Tier 1 pills which could increase essence energy to aid cultivation and currently was circulating in the market was the Essence Qi Pill. It was suitable for Essence Qi Realm martial artists. However, ordinary martial artists could not even consume medicinal pills of such quality; instead, increasing their strength by going through great pains to bitterly cultivate essence energy by themselves.
A single Essence Qi Pill could save a martial artist several months of intense cultivation. If one could use Essence Qi Pill to cultivate, then reaching the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm was only a matter of time. However, people who could expend Essence Qi Pills in such a manner were as rare as Phoenix feathers and Qilin horns. Only the Imperial Family and the descendants of major noble families could afford to do so.
Ye Yuan naturally could afford it. But to him, Essence Qi Pill was too weak, completely unable to achieve the effect he d.e.s.i.r.ed.
Although an Essence Qi Pill was good, the effects would be severely reduced from overconsumption. His predecessor actually ate a lot of Essence Qi Pills, but he did not refine the medicinal effects of the Essence Qi Pills entirely at all, leading to a considerable amount of essence energy dissipated from his body. As a result, Essence Qi Pill already did not have much of an effect on Ye Yuan.
But the Explosive Yuan Pill was an upgraded version of the Essence Qi Pill, with several times the medicinal effects of the latter. It was naturally the most appropriate choice for Ye Yuan to use in order to raise his strength. Of course, Ye Yuan had even more amazing pill formulas. It was just those pill formulas were either too high-tier or their medicinal effects were too powerful, making it unsuitable for the current Ye Yuan. Refining those pills after Ye Yuan's strength improved would only be a matter of course.
"Young Master, are you also here today to get medicines?"
The shopkeeper saw Ye Yuan walking in and immediately greeted him with a smile as if he were a different person than he was yesterday.
Ye Yuan did not point it out but simply replied with a smile, "Yes. These are the medicinal herbs I require. Help me prepare three sets of each medicinal herb."
Ye Yuan handed the shopkeeper a prescription list as he spoke. Written on it were the names of medicinal herbs that the Explosive Yuan Pill requires. Even though Explosive Yuan Pill was much more precious than Essence Qi Pill, the herbs used were only Tier 1 medicinal herbs and were available for purchase at any ordinary shop. As the largest medicinal herb business within the capital, the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion naturally had the goods.
The shopkeeper swept a look over Ye Yuan's prescription and started to frown. Ye Yuan asked curiously, "Why? Anything wrong?"
"Young Master, the medicinal herbs listed on this prescription, everything is fine, except for this Six Leaf Grass . . ."
The shopkeeper revealed a difficult expression.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yuan was even more surprised. "According to what I know, even though this Six Leaf Grass is a little rare, it is still a commonly seen medicinal herb. It can't be that our Fragrant Medicine Pavilion is unable to produce three portions of it?"
The shopkeeper gave a bitter laugh and said, "Young Master, of course, we have Six Leaf Grass. But we normally wouldn't stock up too much of such medicinal herbs, with precisely just three portions all inside the storeroom. Unfortunately, all three portions of Six Leaf Grass were reserved by someone yesterday, with the deposit already paid."
At this point, the shopkeeper snuck a look to assess Ye Yuan, terrified that the latter would fly into a rage. This little ancestor was not someone that can be easily dealt with. If he were dissatisfied, he might just raise such a fearful din which can cause fowls and dogs having no peace. Ye Yuan's performance yesterday was very eye-catching; rivers and mountains might change, but it was hard to alter a man's nature. God knows if he might lose his temper because of this.
Seeing Ye Yuan remained unperturbed, the shopkeeper finally relaxed, thinking to himself could this little ancestor really have changed his personality?
"Who reserved the medicine?"
"A youth about the same age as Young Master. Furthermore, he needed it very urgently," the shopkeeper replied with trepidation.
Nodding his head, Ye Yuan said, "What time did he say he will come to collect the medicine? I wish to have a chat with him."
Hearing this, the shopkeeper jumped in fright thinking that Ye Yuan wanted to force people to cancel the reservation. Once something like this was done, it would be extremely detrimental to the reputation of the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion.
Seeing through his concerns, Ye Yuan assured him and said, "Relax, I won't mess around."
The shopkeeper right now could not tell if this little ancestor really changed his personality or not, but seeing that Ye Yuan had no intention of leaving, it looks like he was hell-bent on getting those three stalks of Six Leaf Grass.
"He said he will come to collect it early in the morning. With how anxious he was, most likely he's about to arrive?" Feeling helpless, the shopkeeper could only tell the truth.
"Alright. Then I will wait for him here." Ye Yuan found a place to sit down quietly, closing his eyes to meditate while ignoring the perturbed shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper gave a sigh and just let Ye Yuan be, praying that this little ancestor would not cause any trouble. It was not that he was worried about Ye Yuan, but it was just that in the past Ye Yuan had left way too strong of an impression on everyone.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Ye Yuan who had his eyes closed suddenly heard an urgent-sounding voice.
"Shopkeeper, I'm here to collect the Six Leaf Grass I reserved yesterday."
"This . . ." The shopkeeper once again revealed a difficult expression.
The person was a youth around the age of 15 or 16 years old. Upon seeing the shopkeeper's expressions, he exclaimed anxiously, "Shopkeeper, we agreed on it yesterday, and you even took the deposit. You can't go back on your words!"
"We naturally wouldn't go back on our words after collecting a deposit. It's just that I wanted to ask this brother, what's your purpose for buying this Six Leaf Grass?"
The one who spoke was naturally Ye Yuan.
Turning his head around only to see a youth around the same age as him, dressed in silk clothing, he naturally did not have a good reaction. "What does it have to do with you?"
The shopkeeper jumped in fright. To dare to provoke this little ancestor, is this youth tired of living? Just as he was about to speak up, he was stopped by the expression in Ye Yuan's eyes.
Beaming, Ye Yuan said, "Of course it's none of my business. I was just curious why did you buy medicinal herbs instead of a finished product. Could it be that you wanted to refine them yourself? There are three types of Tier 1 pills which require the Six Leaf Grass to refine, so let me make a guess. The first one is the Heavenly Spiritual Pill, a pill meant for impacting through the Spirit Condensation Realm. You are only at the Fourth Level Essence Qi Realm, so it's most likely not this sort of pill. The second type is the Pure Heart Pill, a pill used to maintain clarity of the mind and to chase away Heart Demons. It is suitable for use when assaulting bottlenecks. Looking at how you're not at a bottleneck, it's most likely not this pill. There's still one more type called the Great Returning Pill, a sacred Tier 1 healing medicine. Looking at how anxious you are, could it be that a loved one was badly injured, and this person requires this particular pill to save his life?"
The youth's jaw dropped, looking at Ye Yuan with shock. He was shocked by Ye Yuan's profound medicinal knowledge but even more astonished by Ye Yuan's torch-like eyes.
Ye Yuan's analysis was as if he saw it with his own eyes, and the truth was precisely what Ye Yuan had said.
Chapter 15 - Discerning Medicine
The youth was called Tang Yu and was at the same Dan Wu Academy as Ye Yuan. But the difference was that Ye Yuan got in through connections, while Tang Yu relied on his own abilities to get into the Dan Wu Academy.
In reality, the majority of the geniuses at the Dan Wu Academy were from noble families. Only a very small number of these geniuses came from ordinary backgrounds. Noble families had the advantage in terms of resources which the masses did not; a disparity that no amount of hard work could change. Geniuses with ordinary backgrounds already lost from the starting line.
Techniques, medicinal pills, and money. The nobility possessed the advantages that commoners could never attain even if they worked hard their entire lives. That was the advantage acc.u.mulated after generations.
Tang Yu being able to enter the Dan Wu Academy as a commoner said a lot by itself. Being at the Fourth Level Essence Qi Realm at his age was not considered outstanding, but he indeed was not mediocre.
From the Third Level to the Fourth Level, there was quite a hurdle. Being able to cross that hurdle without depending on piles of resources showed that Tang Yu was very talented in the Martial Path.
Naturally, there was no lack of personal hard work on Tang Yu's part to have the strength he possessed today, as well as having entered the Dan Wu Academy. However, his father's support was not to be overlooked.
Tang Yu's father was called Tang Zonghuai, an experienced demonic beast hunter. These few years, Tang Zonghuai braved untold dangers in the Endless Forest. All for the sake of a better future for his son.
But eventually, a person would encounter ghosts if he walked around too often at night. This time around, Tang Zonghuai encountered a mighty demonic beast in the Endless Forest. Despite having narrowly escaped death, he suffered grievous injuries.
Tang Yu was a sensible child. He saw with his own eyes the countless injuries that his father suffered all these years. Hence, as he pursued Martial Dao, he also aspired to become an alchemist all so he could help to treat his father's injuries whenever necessary. If it was not for the time wasted on the Alchemy Path, it was possible Tang Yu's accomplishments would be far beyond what it was today.
However, being an alchemist was a profession which burned a lot of money; something that Tang Yu frankly could not support. Before entering the Dan Wu Academy, he had spent a considerable amount of time to understand theoretical knowledge, but his practical experience was nearly zero. Only after entering the Dan Wu Academy did he really have the chance to practice refining pills.
Even so, what he learned was very shallow.
In order to support Tang Yu to learn martial arts these past few years, Tang Zonghuai already depleted the household's savings. This meant that Tang Yu could no longer afford the cost of a completed Tier 1 medicinal pill anymore. But Tang Yu could not just watch his father die in front of him like this, so he decided to take the final plunge and attempt to refine a Great Returning Pill.
Tang Yu had never spoken to outsiders about his family's matters before, yet he spilled out everything in front of Ye Yuan. Furthermore, this youth in front of him looked to be around the same age as him, yet his accomplishments in the Alchemy Path were way above his. If this person was willing to help him refine the Great Returning Pill . . .
Thinking up to this point, Tang Yu put aside his initially indifferent attitude, cupped his hands toward Ye Yuan, and he said sincerely, "This Brother, I was being apprehensive. If I'd offended you just now with my words, I apologize for that."
Ye Yuan knew his words took effect, so he smiled and waved his hands. "Since it's for saving a life, you don't have to be courteous, Brother."
Briefly hesitating, Tang Yu asked, "Judging from the way you talked, could it be that you also have an interest in this Six Leaf Grass?"
Tang Yu was an intelligent man. From the words just now, he already guessed that Ye Yuan seemed to have an interest on this Six Leaf Grass which was why his tone initially was rude.
Ye Yuan did not hide this and said with a smile, "That's right. I have great use for these three stalks of Six Leaf Grass. But I also know that you, Brother, need it to save someone. I don't know if you trust me enough to bring me to see the patient, but perhaps I could be of some assistance?"
If Ye Yuan said this right away after they met, Tang Yu would naturally have snorted in derision. However, Ye Yuan's words just now truly stunned him, letting him know their differences in skill. He could not help but to reconsider it.
In reality, Tang Yu did not have much assurance about Tang Zonghuai's injuries and was even less sure about refining the Great Returning Pill. Hene, the reason why he bought all three stalks of Six Leaf Grass in preparation for failure.
Father's injuries cannot be delayed any longer. Tang Yu hesitated for a moment and then made a firm decision. Cupping his hands toward Ye Yuan, he said, "Then I will have to trouble you. How do I address you, Brother?"
"My humble surname, Ye, with a single character given name, Yuan," Ye Yuan answered directly without hiding anything.
"Ye Yuan?" Tang Yu ruminated on this name, thinking it was somewhat familiar and wondering where he had heard it before.
When the shopkeeper standing by the side heard how the young master talked to the youth, he could not help but developed a better impression of Ye Yuan. However, when Ye Yuan reported his name, the shopkeeper shouted in his mind, ' Not good! '
The name Ye Yuan was too thunderous within the capital.
As expected, Tang Yu thought for a moment before connecting it to the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion, and he came to a sudden realization where he heard that name before.
"You . . . You were at the last place in the ranking at the Dan Wu Academy, the one who was always first at the bottom in every subject? That super silkpants Ye Yuan?" Tang Yu blurted out.
Ye Yuan secretly sighed. He did not know if his predecessor lived a successful life or a failed one; to have made such a name for himself.
"That's right. I'm that Ye Yuan. But you shouldn't reject me in such a hurry first. If I'm guessing correctly, you have no confidence in refining the Great Returning Pill yourself. Am I right?
"That . . ." Ye Yuan's words sent a chill down Tang Yu's spine.
"How about this? Bring me over to have a look first. If I can't resolve the issue, I will let my father personally take action and help you to refine a Great Returning Pill. How about that?" Ye Yuan offered, striking the iron while it was hot.
The instant Ye Yuan brought up his father, Tang Yu's eyes lit up immediately. If Ye Hang would really take action personally, then his father's injuries would definitely be under control.
"Is this true?"
"Of course, it's true. If you don't believe me, we can write a contract."
Tang Yu felt that it was not very nice to be
this untrusting of others, but with his father's life at stake, he honestly could not care that much any longer. Furthermore, with Ye Yuan's distinguished reputation, he really did not dare take the risk. If his father could be saved, then he would apologize to Young Master Ye then.
Having made his decision, Tang Yu cupped his hands and said, "Then I will have to trouble Young Master Ye."
Waving his hands, Ye Yuan said lightly, "You're welcome. Shopkeeper, help me draft a contract."
The shopkeeper naturally did not dare to delay; he quickly took a brush and a paper to draft out the contract. Only when Ye Yuan signed his name on it did Tang Yu finally relaxed.
Looking at the back view of the two who were already far away, the shopkeeper felt what happened was somewhat unreal. He knew better than anyone that in the past, Ye Yuan would definitely not be this easy to talk to; unless he really did m.a.t.u.r.e after surviving a calamity.
. . . . . .
Every inch of land in the capital was like an inch of gold. Even though demonic beast hunters generally had much higher income than the average person, Tang Zonghuai still could not afford an excessively large house; let alone supporting his son to practice martial arts.
This was a very ordinary house for commoners which looked gloomy inside. The moment Ye Yuan stepped inside the house, a wave of medicinal smell wafted out.
"Tranquil Heart Lotus, Red Pine Nuts, Golden Flower Fruit . . . All of these medicinal herbs are meant for entry-level medicinal pills. It looks like Brother Tang is still practicing refining Tier 1 pills. It's just that this Great Returning Pill is a high-grade Tier 1. With Brother Tang's current standards, I'm afraid even if you used all three stalks of Six Leaf Grass, you wouldn't be able to refine it, right?" Ye Yuan was not the slightest bit courteous with his words; drawing blood with a single prick, he exposed Tang Yu's standards.
Tang Yu could not even imagine how great Ye Yuan's skill was. Relying on his nose and sniffing just once, Ye Yuan managed to completely determine Tang Yu's ability. Although they were around the same age, in front of Ye Yuan, Tang Yu felt as if he was just like a child stumbling while learning how to walk.