Alchemy Society (Seeking Follow-up Reading, Seeking Votes)

"..."

"In conclusion, that was what happened. Xu's Pill Shop was finished. These were the contracts you signed; I even retrieved the copy kept at the Law Enforcement Hall for you."

Wang Yu slapped nine sheets of worthless paper onto the table. Zhou Tao looked as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself. What Wang Yu had said was simply too outrageous.

This and that, such and such—and the pill shop had been shut down?

Steward Xu was a mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator. Had he not reacted at all???

Luo Ping Hu frowned and could not help speaking.

"Wang Yu, you made it sound easy. What about the details? And how did you get these contracts back?"

"I naturally have my own channels. Don't concern yourself with it."

"You—"

Zhou Tao suddenly reached out to stop Luo Ping Hu. Without changing expression, he jerked his chin. Only then did they realize that after just one night, the aura emanating from Wang Yu had already reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

He had broken through?

But so what? Luo Ping Hu did not understand, nor did he intend to keep following Zhou Tao's lead. The three of them had banded together before because they wanted Zhou Tao to take the lead, making it easier to negotiate with the pill shop and giving them more weight in their words.

Last night's dinner had been an expression of intent to cooperate. Wang Yu had been invited as well, but he had refused. Seeing there was nothing more to say, Luo Ping Hu rose to take his leave.

"Since that is the case, many thanks to Daoist Wang for retrieving my contract. Farewell."

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Wang Yu spoke again.

"All of you have cultivated in the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect until now. Have you felt how difficult cultivation is?

"Without resources, cultivation advances slowly, and there is almost no chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. Without backing, one cannot even take a single step. We do not even have the qualifications for a normal conversation."

"What do you mean by that, Alchemist Wang?"

Zhou Tao asked, and Wang Yu answered with a smile.

"This is a rare opportunity. It was not easy to gather the four of us alchemists with no roots or connections. Why not establish an Alchemist Society, sell pills together, and cooperate with those official pill shops?"

"Heh—"

Luo Ping Hu's tone carried both mockery toward Wang Yu and helplessness at his own plight. "Easy for you to say. Do you have resources? Do you have backing? Three lousy alchemists, plus you, a One-Armed Hero—what gives us the right to cooperate with pill shops? We cannot even meet a Foundation Establishment Steward."

His words were somewhat unfair. Wang Yu, Luo Ping Hu, and Huang Kai truly belonged to the bottom rung, but Zhou Tao was different. Even if he had no backing, his Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivation and skill as a First-Tier High-Grade Alchemist were enough for him to take office at any pill shop.

Yet he had come to Xu's Pill Shop. That meant he had troubles of his own.

Either he had offended someone, or his colleagues had forced him out of his original shop. Otherwise, he would not have come to this newly opened establishment. His invitation to dinner yesterday showed that he was a man with plans.

Faced with Luo Ping Hu's barbed mockery, Wang Yu did not care in the slightest. He was merely an ordinary cultivator who had been oppressed miserably. To learn alchemy, he must have poured a vast amount of painstaking effort into it.

Now that he had finally found a lucrative job, only for it to suddenly vanish, it was only natural that his emotions were off. Poke him a little, and his fur would stand on end.

Zhou Tao was deep-minded, while Luo Ping Hu was emotional. Instead, Wang Yu placed considerable importance on Huang Kai, who had remained silent all this time. His temperament seemed to be the unyielding sort.

He was also exceptionally steady. Though he had not stated his position, neither had he shown any intention of getting up and leaving.

The three each had their own traits. If they cooperated, Wang Yu had confidence in his heart.

After a moment of silence.

Zhou Tao was still the first to speak. "Tell us about your confidence and your plan. If it is reasonable, I can join."

Hearing this, Wang Yu looked towards Huang Kai. This taciturn fellow spoke as well. "My thoughts are about the same as Brother Zhou's."

"And you, Luo Ping Hu? Want to hear it out?"

That fellow said nothing, but neither did he leave. Seeing the attitudes of the three, Wang Yu became even more certain. He reached into his Storage Bag and took out the Law Enforcement Token he had obtained last night.

"There. This is Wang's confidence."

The Law Enforcement Hall—the place countless grassroots cultivators of the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect dreamed of. Joining it meant that in the future, there was a chance to become part of the sect's core, one foot already stepping into the ranks of the powerful and wealthy.

Wang Yu's origins were much the same as theirs, and he was even one-armed. Naturally, the three would not think that he came from an extraordinary background. Yesterday he had still been a hired alchemist; today, everything was completely different.

For people like them, there was only one path to becoming cultivators of the Law Enforcement Hall: gaining the appreciation of a great figure!

Zhou Tao pondered in his heart, feeling that the sealing of Xu's Pill Shop could not be unrelated to Wang Yu. It was a kind of instinct. At once, he made up his mind.

"I'll join."

"I'll join too."

"Brother Ping Hu?"

"I... I can join too...?"

"Of course." Wang Yu stepped forward, smiling as he patted Luo Ping Hu on the shoulder and comforted him. "It's fine. We are friends. It was just a few words; no one took them to heart."

Luo Ping Hu quietly let out a breath of relief, unaware that the last friend whose shoulder Wang Yu had patted had even had his corpse refined away.

"Since you have agreed, let me explain the purpose of this Alchemist Society, as well as the conveniences you can enjoy.

"In conclusion, I will use my status to supply the pills refined by you brothers to any shop in the Inverse Blood Ten Wards."

Do not underestimate the significance of this move.

The Inverse Blood Ten Wards were the sect's internal industry. They were both a platform for training disciples and a tool for gathering Spirit Stones. Business here was all monopolized.

For any pill shop in the Inverse Blood Ten Wards to gain operating rights, it needed the Alchemy Hall's approval. The connections involved were tangled beyond measure—competing networks, shops were difficult, qualifications were difficult, and channels were difficult as well!

The model of spreading out a piece of cloth by the roadside, setting up wherever one pleased and leaving whenever one wished, was forbidden.

Even if neighbors knew you were an alchemist and came to buy pills from you, private selling was not allowed. Sect rules forbade it.

Thus, selling qualifications were exceptionally important. Wang Yu had only gradually learned this after entering alchemy circles, and he still had to thank the half-year he spent at the Medicine Garden.

Next came the source of spirit herbs. A Medicine Garden like Steward Tantai's, for example, had been secured through her connections to Cold Blood Peak. As a result, the mature spirit herbs could only be traded to pill shops under Cold Blood Peak.

Only a very small portion of spirit herbs traded between disciples was available.

Most of those who needed to buy them were also alchemists. Once they succeeded in refining pills and acquired the most basic alchemy skills, they would then take office at various pill shops and become qualified laborers.

To own one's own business, one at least needed to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage before there was room to maneuver.

Moreover, if one went to legitimate shops to purchase spirit herbs in bulk, the prices would be too high and not worthwhile. One also needed one's own spirit-herb channels.

Therefore, the first promise Wang Yu made had already left the three of them deeply tempted.

If they could sell pills themselves and earn money, who would still go work for others!

Zhou Tao could not help asking.

"How exactly will this work? What prices will the pills sell for? How much profit can we receive?"

"Don't rush. I'm not finished yet.

"I will handle the channels for purchasing spirit herbs and the qualifications for selling pills. All you need to do is focus on refining. I guarantee you will earn three times what you did before—only more, never less."

The three were naturally extremely tempted. Whether Wang Yu could truly accomplish it or not, joining this Alchemist Society would definitely not be a loss.

"Now, your foremost task is to go to the Alchemy Hall and obtain the sect-recognized Alchemist Rank Certificate."