A Pill Bribes a Pharmacist

"Young friend Xiao Yuan!"

The voice arrived before the person did.

Xiao Yuan, who was still nervously curling his toes against the floor, suddenly heard this shout.

Immediately after, he saw an elderly man in green robes with white hair striding into the room.

Xiao Yuan stood up at once and said respectfully:

"Elder Gu Ni."

"Oh my, young friend Xiao Yuan, it really has been a long time! Quick, sit, sit, no need for such formalities."

Master Gu Ni and Xiao Yuan had become acquainted some years ago when Xiao Yuan came to the Mittal Auction House to sell surplus medicinal pills.

Because the pills he offered were of such perfect, unprecedented quality, he had inexplicably struck up a relationship with Gu Ni, a second-grade alchemist and Three-Star Great Dou Shi.

The two were like friends despite their age gap.

Of course, Xiao Yuan naturally did not forget why this old gentleman valued him so highly.

"Young friend Xiao Yuan, I have heard quite a lot about your recent exploits. A Great Dou Shi at fourteen—not only is your talent for alchemy so high, but your cultivation talent is also truly astonishing."

"Uh... you flatter me, you flatter me."

Xiao Yuan responded to Master Gu Ni's words with some embarrassment.

The idea that he was an alchemist was a complete misunderstanding; back then, he had produced so many pills, all of such perfect quality that they seemed to come from the same hand.

Consequently, Gu Ni assumed that Xiao Yuan had refined them himself, or that there was a master alchemist behind him.

Xiao Yuan had no way to explain, so he simply let the misunderstanding continue.

Judging by the final results, it had worked out quite well.

However, to prevent the old man from continuing down this path, Xiao Yuan took the initiative to speak:

"Elder Gu Ni, I have come this time to ask for your help in identifying a medicinal pill."

"Mm, I know. My subordinate already told me that you specifically requested my presence. I wonder what kind of pill you need me to identify this time?"

Master Gu Ni was filled with anticipation.

Because the quality of the pills Xiao Yuan had brought to sell years ago was so stunning, Master Gu Ni remained very expectant this time as well.

The only difference from last time was that Xiao Yuan only took out one porcelain bottle—the same one he had initially handed to the appraiser.

"Young friend, this is...?"

"I am only identifying this one today."

Xiao Yuan smiled slightly.

Seeing that his smile did not seem fake, Master Gu Ni nodded and poured the pill from the bottle onto a tray.

Instantly, a strong, exotic fragrance emanated from the surface of the pill, filling the small room.

Just a light sniff was enough to make one feel refreshed and invigorated.

"The fragrance is rich, the pill body is round, and the quality is still as perfect and flawless as fine jade..."

Master Gu Ni sighed repeatedly.

A rough estimate suggested this pill had already reached the fourth grade.

Immediately, he looked up at Xiao Yuan and asked:

"I wonder what kind of pill this is?"

"Marrow Cleansing Powder."

"Marrow Cleansing Powder?"

Gu Ni frowned slightly, pondered for a long moment, and then said:

"And its effects?"

Xiao Yuan smiled faintly and replied:

"Just as the name suggests: it cleanses the marrow and cuts the bones, with the effect of improving one's innate talent."

Upon hearing this, Gu Ni was slightly stunned at first, then stroked his white beard and laughed out loud.

"Young friend Xiao Yuan, do not joke with this old man."

He had spent so many years at the Mittal Auction House; what kind of treasures or pills had he not seen?

Yet, he had never heard of a pill that could cleanse the marrow and improve one's talent.

If such a thing truly existed, wouldn't the entire Dou Qi Continent go mad fighting over it?

However...

Master Gu Ni hesitated.

He could not help but cast his gaze upon Xiao Yuan opposite him, only to see that his smile remained unchanged, his expression showing not the slightest waver.

"...Young friend Xiao Yuan, are you telling the truth?"

"If you don't believe me, Elder Gu Ni, why not try it yourself?"

This could be said to be the best and fastest way to prove it.

Upon hearing this, Master Gu Ni looked with burning eyes at the pill, which was as round as a pearl, resting on the tray.

Was he tempted?

To say he wasn't would be impossible.

He was already at such an age that neither his alchemy nor his cultivation could progress any further.

If this Marrow Cleansing Powder were real, wouldn't he be able to experience a second spring?

As for whether it was poisonous.

At the very least, judging by its appearance and scent, this pill was non-toxic.

Moreover, he wasn't afraid of it being poisonous; in this Wutan City, no one dared to poison a second-grade alchemist, let alone with the Xiao Clan backing Xiao Yuan.

Consequently, Gu Ni picked up the pill from the tray.

But the moment he moved to put it into his mouth, Xiao Yuan's voice rang out again.

"Wait, Master Gu Ni, I haven't finished speaking yet."

"If the effects are truly as I have described, then please, Master Gu Ni, grant me one favor: introduce me to your Auction House's auctioneer—Miss Ya Fei."

After speaking, Xiao Yuan made a gesture of invitation.

This time, Master Gu Ni did not hesitate and placed the pill directly into his mouth.

Within a breath, the medicinal power of the Marrow Cleansing Pill had dissolved.

Master Gu Ni could clearly feel the pure medicinal energy flowing through his limbs and bones; like parched earth meeting sweet rain, every cell in his body was singing with joy!

A moment later, the surrounding heaven and earth energy began to surge frantically into Master Gu Ni's body.

In just a few short breaths, he had broken through from a Three-Star Great Dou Shi to a Four-Star!

"This, this is actually real!"

After the breakthrough ended, Master Gu Ni still couldn't believe it.

It was truly as Xiao Yuan had said; this pill could indeed cleanse the marrow and refine the bones, and his body felt at least twenty years younger!

Most crucially, his cultivation, which had been stuck at the Three-Star Great Dou Shi level for who knows how many years, had actually loosened and broken through on the spot!

Master Gu Ni looked at the youth opposite him with a sense of disbelief.

"How is it, Master Gu Ni? Can you fulfill your promise now?"

Xiao Yuan also looked at him with a smiling expression.

Giving this Marrow Cleansing Pill to Gu Ni wasn't just for the sake of proof; it was also a form of indirect solicitation.

In a while, he planned to leave Wutan City and wander about.

He wanted to see the Little Doctor Fairy, see Qing Lin, and incidentally resolve the matter of Nalan Yanran's marriage contract.

As for Wutan City, the Jialie Clan had already been wiped out and the plot had been drastically altered; he didn't know what would happen next.

Therefore, he would rely on Master Gu Ni to look after things a little.

Although a second-grade alchemist wasn't considered high-level, in a place like Wutan City, no one dared to offend one lightly.

Using a Marrow Cleansing Powder to win him over was the most appropriate choice.

Master Gu Ni stared at Xiao Yuan for a long time, then let out a soft sigh.

"Very well, the pill is exactly as you described, young friend Xiao Yuan... However, there is something I wish to ask. Would you be willing to tell me the reason?"

"I want to make a deal with Miss Ya Fei."

Gu Ni fell silent.

He said nothing, merely gave him a deep look before rising and walking out of the Appraisal Room.

In his view, Xiao Yuan's words were nothing more than a pretext.

In this Wutan City, there were at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, people who wanted to see Ya Fei, and many had even squandered fortunes just to win a smile from the beauty.

In Gu Ni's eyes, Xiao Yuan's actions were no different.

Clearly possessing such a promising talent, once he stepped out of Wutan City, he could choose from beauties as he pleased.

Why hang onto a woman with no talent for cultivation?

What's more, he had also heard that the young lady of the Nalan Family had already changed the object of her marriage contract to Xiao Yuan...