Jiang Yuan Was Still an Expert?

Elsewhere.

After leaving Jiang Residence, Ding Wu took Jiang Yuan to the Medicine Hall, intending to buy medicinal herbs in bulk for the latter to refine pills.

Of course, the expense would be charged to White Tiger Hall.

Truth be told, this sort of thing only required sending a disciple to make the arrangements, but Zhu Hu had insisted that Ding Wu accompany him throughout for one reason only: to see just how skilled Jiang Yuan truly was at pill refinement!

That was right.

Although Zhu Hu believed that Jiang Yuan could refine pills, he still harbored doubts about the latter's actual skill.

For no other reason than that he simply could not believe that such a greedy old fellow would deliberately hide his pill-refining arts until now, only to bring them out to make money.

Ding Wu's main purpose on this trip was to probe Jiang Yuan's true ability.

To give Zhu Hu a reassuring pill.

It had to be said that Zhu Hu was cautious to the extreme, terrified that Jiang Yuan might be deceiving him.

Along the way, Ding Wu tentatively asked, "Brother Jiang, what kind of pills do you plan to refine?"

Jiang Yuan glanced at Ding Wu. He had long expected the other man to ask, so he said blandly, "Since the Hall Master wants profits, this old man will first refine some Beauty-Nourishing Pills to warm up."

"Beauty-Nourishing Pills?"

Ding Wu's expression brightened with surprise.

As their name suggested, Beauty-Nourishing Pills were second-grade pills that nourished one's complexion, with effects better than any precious tonic.

Though their grade was not high, they were among the best-selling pills on the market.

They were especially beloved by women.

Women of any status, position, or strength usually kept some Beauty-Nourishing Pills on hand.

After all, what woman did not love beauty?

And these pills were merely for warming up?

"Brother Jiang, what is the highest grade of pill you can refine?" Ding Wu asked carefully.

Jiang Yuan stroked his beard and let out a long sigh. "Back when this old man was young, refining fifth-grade pills was as easy as eating and drinking."

"Alas, now that I am old, refining third-grade pills would probably be tiring enough."

"Ah?"

Ding Wu was so shocked that Jiang Yuan's words nearly scared him to death.

If anyone other than Jiang Yuan had said that, he would have had the man thrown straight out.

Refining fifth-grade pills was as easy as eating and drinking?

Did you even hear what you were saying?

In the Great Yu Kingdom, pill refiners capable of refining fifth-grade pills were not entirely nonexistent, but they were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Every one of them was a pill-refining grandmaster revered by countless people.

To put it bluntly, a martial arts grandmaster who had only just stepped into the middle three realms was not worth a fart before a fifth-grade pill refiner!

Even third-grade pills were mostly high-end goods that had a price but no market.

"What, you don't believe me either?" Jiang Yuan frowned.

Ding Wu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled. "I believe you. How could I not believe Brother Jiang?"

Jiang Yuan looked displeased. "You clearly don't believe me. How about this? Prepare some pill formulas and medicinal herbs for me. This old man will refine any pill below the third grade on the spot for you to see!"

The pill formulas he possessed were pitifully few. He could only get formulas for certain popular pills on the market; other exclusive secret formulas were things one could only stumble upon by chance.

But White Tiger Hall might not be unable to obtain them.

"This... Brother Jiang, that is very thoughtful of you, but this matter must be reported to the Hall Master first."

Ding Wu wiped away another layer of sweat as he spoke.

For no other reason than that Jiang Yuan's bearing was simply too overwhelming. Ding Wu practically felt unworthy of calling him brother.

"Mhm." Jiang Yuan nodded blandly.

"Oh my! Master Jiang, Master Ding, what brings you two to my Medicine Hall? Could it be that your hall wishes to purchase pills?"

Upon seeing Jiang Yuan and Ding Wu, a short, plump, honest-looking man came forward with a smile. He was none other than Fang Yao, the current Hall Master of the Medicine Hall.

Though he too was a Hall Master, his actual status was roughly comparable to an executive of White Tiger Hall.

In fact, since the Medicine Hall did not truly have many pill refiners, his authority was even less than that of the executives from the four great halls.

"Hall Master Fang."

Ding Wu grinned. "We are not here to purchase pills today, but medicinal herbs. Brother Jiang intends to refine pills."

"Oh? Master Jiang knows pill refinement too?"

Fang Yao's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone surprised.

He was also a pill refiner, though merely a second-grade one. It was by relying on that skill that he had become the Hall Master of the Medicine Hall.

Jiang Yuan nodded calmly. "Yes. This old man plans to refine some Beauty-Nourishing Pills. Hall Master Fang is also a pill refiner, so I presume you know what this old man requires."

"Beauty-Nourishing Pills?"

Realization dawned on Fang Yao. In the trade, Beauty-Nourishing Pills were also called Money-Making Pills. Their profits were enormous, and they were specifically used to fool young girls.

Though these were second-grade pills, they were extremely easy to refine. Even if the refinement failed, one could still pass fish eyes off as pearls, making them difficult to distinguish. Thus, even outsiders liked to try their hand at them.

Was this master planning to peddle some inferior Beauty-Nourishing Pills and harvest those women like leeks?

Heh, women these days were not so easy to fool.

However, Jiang Yuan was the deputy hall master of all four halls, so Fang Yao could not embarrass him. He grinned and said, "I know! I know!"

"Please wait a moment, you two. I'll have the medicinal herbs prepared at once."

With that, he instructed someone to prepare the herbs needed for Beauty-Nourishing Pills, then quietly added, "The poor-quality ones will do. Don't waste anything!"

In his view, Jiang Yuan was merely an amateur who could not tell good herbs from bad ones and would waste quite a few herbs anyway.

Since that was the case, he might as well give him some low-quality herbs to squander.

Before long, Fang Yao had someone bring up a pile of medicinal herbs. Smiling, he said, "Master Jiang, all the herbs for refining Beauty-Nourishing Pills have been prepared. May you achieve swift success!"

"As for the purchase costs..."

Ding Wu immediately cut in, "No need for nonsense. Charge it to White Tiger Hall."

"Certainly!"

Fang Yao grinned, thinking that Hall Master Zhu was truly generous, actually spending money so an old man could play at refining pills.

These herbs were worth quite a bit of money.

"Wait..."

Jiang Yuan frowned and called out to Fang Yao, who was about to leave.

"What is it, Master Jiang?"

"Hall Master Fang, there is something wrong with these medicinal herbs."

Jiang Yuan grabbed a handful of Yellow Bud from the ground and sniffed it. Frowning, he said, "The best-aged Yellow Bud is between ten and twenty years old. Only Yellow Bud of that age secretes clear fluid. Does Hall Master Fang not even know this?"

"This..." Fang Yao was rendered speechless.

Of course he knew, but who could have expected Jiang Yuan to tell the age was wrong with just one sniff?

Was this master serious?

"Hall Master Fang, what do you mean by this?"

Ding Wu's tone turned cold as well. "Brother Jiang is a fifth-grade pill refiner. If you offend him, do you still intend to keep getting by in the Black Market?"

"What? A fifth... fifth-grade pill refiner?"

Fang Yao's eyes widened, his tongue practically tying itself in knots from fright.

Jiang Yuan crouched on the ground and continued sniffing the other herbs. "And this red sage root must come from the south. The north is too dry, and it loses its medicinal properties."

"And these sunflower leaves..."

Jiang Yuan kept picking out flaws, leaving Fang Yao so frightened that his soul nearly fled his body.

Good heavens. No matter what kind of medicinal herb it was, this master could tell its age, medicinal properties, processing method, and more with a single glance and sniff. He was experienced beyond measure.

He truly was an expert!