Alchemist Guni

Alchemists were exceedingly rare on the Battle Qi Continent. Once an Alchemist appeared, even one of the lowest first-grade rank, they would become the target of fierce competition among all major powers.

This had also fostered the exceptionally arrogant nature of Alchemists.

Yet Xiao Han was being so furtive, completely unlike an Alchemist.

If not for her professional courtesy, the receptionist would have already classified Xiao Han as some sort of thief or swindler and spoken to him rudely.

The other receptionist, the one with the oval face, stepped forward after hearing Xiao Han's words. With a professional smile, she asked, "Sir, may I take a look at your pill?"

"Of course." Xiao Han developed a favorable impression of the receptionist's friendly attitude and handed her the Brocade Box containing the pill.

The receptionist opened the Brocade Box, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance immediately wafted into her nose.

"It smells wonderful!" The receptionist's expression changed slightly as she looked seriously at Xiao Han.

Xiao Han might not have known that this receptionist was highly ambitious and aspired to become an appraiser. Thus, she knew a little about treasures. In surprise, she asked, "What kind of pill is this? Judging from its fragrance, its grade should be at least second-grade, right?"

"Mm. Your assessment is correct. This pill has reached second-grade. It is called the Foundation Establishment Pill!" Xiao Han looked at the receptionist in surprise. He had never expected a mere receptionist to be able to estimate a pill's grade just from its fragrance.

"Hehe, I'm just on good terms with the appraisers." The receptionist smiled sheepishly. After examining it for a while, she asked, "Foundation Establishment Pill? There has never been such a pill before. What is it used for?"

"It can nourish the body's meridians and rapidly increase Dou Qi. However, it is only effective for cultivators at the Dou Qi stage!" Xiao Han's low, hoarse voice came from behind the Cat Face Mask.

"It is effective for cultivators at the Dou Qi stage?" The receptionist with the oval face composed herself and looked at Xiao Han in astonishment.

The other receptionist no longer bothered to hide her smile. "Sir, I believe you should know that progress is extremely difficult at the Dou Qi stage. The meridians of cultivators at this realm are incredibly fragile and simply cannot withstand the assistance of pills. Otherwise, their meridians will rupture and they will die. They can only cultivate step by step."

"That's right." Xiao Han followed up, "What you said is correct. But this pill of mine has an exceptionally mild medicinal nature. I have already tested it, and it will not affect the meridians in any way!"

"What?" The female receptionist with the oval face looked at Xiao Han in shock. She bowed to him and respectfully said, "Master, I'm afraid only Master Guni can appraise this pill. Please come with me. I'll take you to meet Master Guni!"

"Mm."

Following the female receptionist with the oval face, Xiao Han entered a reception room.

Sitting in the reception room, Xiao Han crossed his legs. After waiting a short while, the female receptionist with the oval face led in an elderly man in green robes with graying hair.

An alchemy furnace was embroidered on the old man's chest. Two silver ripples adorned its surface, glimmering beneath the light in the reception room and displaying an air of nobility.

"Master, this is Master Guni of our Mittel Auction House. He is a Three-Star Da Dou Shi. At the same time, he is also a Second-grade Alchemist," the receptionist with the oval face introduced respectfully.

"Mm." Xiao Han nodded. Alchemists really are wealthy.

The old man's face was ruddy, and though his green robe appeared ordinary, it was anything but. Faint streams of light rippled across it. Clearly, this green garment was a graded cloth armor piece.

After the receptionist finished her introduction, an unmistakable trace of arrogance appeared on Guni's face. Naturally so—this was the Battle Qi Continent. Regardless of their grade, Alchemists were born with a sense of superiority.

While Xiao Han was observing Guni, Guni was also observing Xiao Han.

"What formidable equipment. That seemingly ordinary Mask has actually blocked all of my spiritual sense probing." Guni raised his brows, his expression turning somewhat solemn. Even his distinctive arrogance seemed to have diminished somewhat.

Guni took the Brocade Box. As he smelled the fragrance drifting from it, his expression changed once more. He casually glanced at Xiao Han.

When Guni noticed the incomparably clear, smooth-flowing patterns on the pill, his expression had already become grave.

Unlike tomorrow's appraisal of the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, what Xiao Han had brought was a Foundation Establishment Pill—a fully formed pill. Guni did not take out a fine needle. Instead, he closed his eyes, gently inhaled, activated his cultivation method, and began absorbing the energy from the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Visible to the naked eye, a faint wisp of energy seemed drawn by some force, drifting out before seeping into Guni's body.

A moment later, Guni returned the pill to the Brocade Box. His gaze remained proud, though it now carried a measure of respect. He said to the receptionist, "This pill has reached second-grade. Its medicinal nature is exceptionally mild. What this fellow practitioner said earlier was true!"

"And..." At this point, Guni looked toward Xiao Han, a trace of admiration already present in his tone. "This pill seems to have surpassed the scope of existing pills. Its patterns are exquisite, and its energy is incomparably pure. It can no longer be defined as Top Grade!"

"What? A Top Grade pill?" Even with her excellent professionalism, the beautiful receptionist with the oval face could not help crying out.

"No, it is not Top Grade. It is a level higher than Top Grade." Guni corrected her solemnly, then looked eagerly at Xiao Han. "Do you wish to auction this pill?"

For a pill surpassing Top Grade, Guni no longer dared estimate its value. Only an auction could determine its final worth.

"Mm. Isn't there an auction tomorrow? Put it up for auction then!"

"Fine. No problem." Guni readily agreed. He handed Xiao Han a pitch-black iron plaque and informed him that his pill would be auctioned in Auction Room No. 1.

"Oh, right. Someone will bring Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid for appraisal tomorrow. I hope you will not accept his request. Mm, just give him twenty thousand gold coins and send him away!" Xiao Han had initially wanted Guni to refuse Xiao Yan's Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid tomorrow. But asking them to offend another Alchemist for him, an Alchemist they had just met, seemed unlikely.

"Tomorrow?"

Guni looked at Xiao Han in surprise. After a pause, he thought that no one could predict what would happen tomorrow. He readily replied, "Fine, I can agree to that. With the Foundation Establishment Pill, even if someone brings Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, there will naturally be no need to put it up for auction."

"Then I will return tomorrow." Under the gazes of the two, Xiao Han walked out of the room. However, when he passed the beautiful woman with the oval face, he felt favorably toward this receptionist who treated everyone equally and said lightly, "Your receptionist is quite good. She can determine a pill's grade with her nose alone. It is a waste for her to be a receptionist."

"Uh..." The beautiful receptionist stared at Xiao Han's departing back in astonishment and muttered, "Master Guni, is he really an Alchemist?"

"Mm. With such sharp Soul Perception, there can be no mistake." Guni looked at the beautiful receptionist and added, "From now on, you are an appraiser for our Mittel Auction House. I'm making the decision!"

"Ah?"

The beautiful receptionist looked at Guni in disbelief. Even after Guni had left the room, she could not believe that all of this was real.

She could determine a pill's grade with her nose alone. It is a waste for her to be a receptionist.

The beautiful receptionist recalled the words Xiao Han had spoken before leaving. She was no fool; she knew Guni had promoted her as an exception only because of that mysterious man, Xiao Han.

She had finally become an appraiser. To the beautiful receptionist, it all felt like a dream. She could only say that today, she had encountered a benefactor!