An Old Brother Is Also an Alchemist?

"Of course I'll fetch a good price for Old Brother Jiang's goods."

Xu Teng chuckled as he took the pill bottle. He casually pulled out the stopper and brought it to his nose for an absent-minded sniff.

Fine, fine. Since he'd asked, I'll do him this favor. As long as the goods aren't too terrible, I'll have someone bid a few hundred spirit stones for them, just as a token—consider it a bribe for this old fellow.

Then his smile froze.

The medicinal fragrance wafting from the bottle was rich and pure, like a clear spring pouring into his lungs and innards, jolting his spirits awake in an instant.

The next moment, all trace of Xu Teng's nonchalance vanished, replaced by shock.

He took another careful sniff, then poured out one pill and examined it closely in his palm.

The pills were perfectly round, evenly colored, and faintly gleamed with a treasure-like luster. At a glance, they were clearly of the finest quality.

"Th-this is a Marrow-Cleansing Pill?!"

Xu Teng's eyes widened as he looked up at Jiang Yuan. "Old Brother, where did you obtain Marrow-Cleansing Pills of such quality..."

Halfway through, he suddenly remembered something.

A year ago, White Tiger Hall had raided the treasure vault of a demonic sect. Yet before they entered, it seemed another expert had gotten there first and taken the most precious treasures within, provoking that madman Xue Tu into causing a huge scene at the Under-Heaven Society.

Could that expert... have been Old Brother Jiang?

Jiang Yuan lifted his teacup and took an unhurried sip. "Hall Master Xu, rest assured. These pills have no shady origin."

"This old man is of little talent, but I am also an alchemist."

"If I weren't truly short of money lately, I wouldn't have resumed my old trade."

"What??"

Xu Teng was utterly stunned, his eyes wide. "Old Brother, you're actually an alchemist too? Is that true?"

"Why have I never heard Hall Master Zhu mention it?"

Generally speaking, any alchemist with even a little skill was a hot commodity, fought over by every faction.

Especially in the Under-Heaven Society.

Alchemists held themselves in high regard. No matter how much the Under-Heaven Society expanded, they still looked down on such a lowly place.

Even the Under-Heaven Society's headquarters supposedly had only two master alchemists.

This old fellow was actually an alchemist too?

Jiang Yuan nodded with a smile. "This old man would not dare speak falsely. These pills were indeed made by my own hand. Hall Master Xu need only investigate to confirm it."

"As for Hall Master Zhu... this old man's trifling abilities are not enough to trouble him."

With such a commotion from his pill refining, many people presumably knew by now.

At the very least, Zhu Hu would soon come looking for him.

Before then, he had to move among the various factions and throw out this hot commodity that was himself as quickly as possible, driving up his own value.

After all, rare goods were worth hoarding.

"Wonderful!"

Xu Teng beamed with delight. The way he looked at Jiang Yuan had completely changed, as though he were gazing at a walking treasure basin.

"Rest assured, Old Brother. Leave the auction of these pills to me. I guarantee I'll get Old Brother a price that satisfies you!"

Xu Teng smiled broadly. "It's just that... what grade of pills can Old Brother still refine?"

What he really meant was: what rank of alchemist are you?

To refine Marrow-Cleansing Pills of the finest quality, he had to be at least a third-rank alchemist, right?

"This old man has not refined pills for a long time, so my hands are rusty. I can barely manage third-rank pills. Once I regain my touch, even fifth-rank pills will be no difficult matter."

Jiang Yuan spoke as calmly as a drifting cloud, lying without even the faintest blush.

"F-fifth rank?"

That one statement nearly made Xu Teng's eyes pop out. He stood there dumbstruck.

A fifth-rank alchemist.

Even grandmasters of the Middle Three Realms would have to treat him with courtesy, wouldn't they?

And such an old fellow had come to the Under-Heaven Society to make money?

"What, Hall Master Xu doesn't believe me?" Jiang Yuan asked with a half-smile.

"I believe you! Of course I believe you!"

Xu Teng hurriedly waved his hands, the smile on his face more than ten times warmer than before.

"Here's the deal: as long as Old Brother auctions his pills through me in the future, I'll take only ten percent!"

"Only ten percent?" Jiang Yuan raised a brow.

"That's right, only ten percent!"

Xu Teng thumped his chest. "If Old Brother trusts me, Black Tortoise Hall will be Old Brother's exclusive pill-selling hall!"

Jiang Yuan raised his brows slightly.

This Xu Teng had quite a good eye.

"Then I'll have to trouble Hall Master Xu," Jiang Yuan said, clasping his hands.

"Old Brother is too polite!"

Xu Teng rose to his feet, joy written all over his face. "As it happens, there's an auction today. If Old Brother isn't in a hurry, why not stay and have a look? If there's anything you fancy, bid freely. The cost can be deducted from the profits from the pills."

"Someone, arrange an excellent private room for Old Brother—the most elegant one!"

"Then this old man shall impose upon you."

Black Tortoise Hall's auction was to begin in half an hour.

Xu Teng personally arranged for Jiang Yuan to stay in an elegant private room on the third floor. Its location was excellent, directly facing the auction stage with a broad view, while a screen concealed the occupants from those outside.

The room contained cushioned chairs, a tea table, pastries, and two exquisitely beautiful young women feeding Jiang Yuan grapes.

Sitting in a cushioned chair, Jiang Yuan watched with great interest as the crowd below gradually filled the hall.

This was his first time attending such an auction.

"Distinguished guests, Black Tortoise Hall's auction officially begins now!"

On the auction stage, a middle-aged scholar tapped his gavel, his voice ringing out loudly.

The first item was a longsword. Judging by its material, it seemed to be a low-grade true treasure forged specifically for martial artists. The starting price was one hundred spirit stones, and after several rounds of bidding, it sold for three hundred.

Next came a fire-element cultivation manual, which sold for five hundred spirit stones.

Then came several precious medicinal herbs. Their quality was average, but their prices were fairly reasonable.

Jiang Yuan watched with relish.

The Black Tortoise Auction House truly had all sorts of things under the sun.

Besides cultivation methods, weapons, and pills that martial artists cared about, there were also antique calligraphy, paintings, and collectibles favored by the wealthy. There were even slaves, forbidden drugs, burial goods, illicit salt and iron, and other items of unknown origin—all contraband expressly prohibited by the Great Yu Kingdom.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuan could not help frowning.

Black Tortoise Hall was truly bold.

They dared make money from anything?

After several more rounds, the scholar on stage cleared his throat and raised his voice.

"For the next item, everyone had better keep your eyes peeled!"

"Second-rank pills—Marrow-Cleansing Pills, finest quality, five in total!"

"Starting bid: two hundred spirit stones!"

The moment those words fell, the audience erupted into an uproar.

"Marrow-Cleansing Pills? Finest quality?"

"Where did such good stuff come from?"

"I want one! I've been stuck at the fourth stage of the Meridian Opening Realm for three years, just waiting for something like this!"

"I want one too!"

For a time, bids rose one after another.

The Marrow-Cleansing Pills were even more desirable than Jiang Yuan had imagined. After all, martial artists who had been stuck in the Meridian Opening Realm for years were basically prominent figures in Jiangning City. They did not lack money, nor did they lack spirit stone resources.

The first Marrow-Cleansing Pill started at two hundred spirit stones and was pushed up to five hundred in less than a moment.

Watching from upstairs, the corners of Jiang Yuan's mouth unconsciously curled upward.

By the second and third pills, the price not only failed to fall, but was bid ever higher.

In the end, the five Marrow-Cleansing Pills were sold one after another. The highest fetched seven hundred spirit stones, while even the lowest sold for four hundred and eighty.

Jiang Yuan made a rough calculation. From these five pills alone, after Black Tortoise Hall took its ten percent cut, he would still earn nearly three thousand spirit stones—equivalent to a year's salary working for the Four Halls.

A huge profit. Pure, outrageous profit!