Alchemy Guild

In truth, it was not that Master Qian was too foolish. Alchemists simply followed habitual thinking and chose mature Blue Wuzi, never considering immature Blue Wuzi at all.

Yet the medicinal properties of mature and immature Blue Wuzi differed by only a hair's breadth. The sole difference was that mature Blue Wuzi contained a special substance that clashed with Little Jade Grass.

Master Qian's face glowed with health, sweeping away his previous icy demeanor. He was filled from head to toe with the relief and ease of having a difficult problem solved, and he sincerely thanked Su Chen. "Many thanks, exalted one, for resolving a problem that has troubled me for years."

"It was merely the lift of a hand." Su Chen remained calm and unruffled. To him, it was nothing worth mentioning. More importantly, he could tell that Master Qian was an alchemist truly devoted to the path of alchemy. Such people were generally simple-minded and without ulterior motives, pursuing only the great Dao of alchemy throughout their lives. Su Chen was naturally willing to offer guidance to such a person in passing.

The banquet that followed almost became Su Chen's one-man show. Filled with humility, Master Qian continuously asked Su Chen questions that had troubled him for a long time, and Su Chen answered every one of them. Along the way, he constantly tossed out novel terms Master Qian had never heard before, shaking Master Qian's worldview again and again. It was as though Master Qian had opened the gates to a new world, and his attainments in alchemy continued to rise at breakneck speed.

The ones suffering most were Jiang He and Jiang Minghao. Jiang Minghao had originally believed himself to be the unquestionable protagonist of the day. Even Jiang He's invitation to Su Chen had been meant to make Jiang Minghao shine by contrast. Who could have expected it to backfire instead? Su Chen became the protagonist, while Jiang Minghao was neglected from beginning to end. Master Qian did not even speak another word to him.

Master Qian spoke with Su Chen for a full two hours before finally taking his leave, still wanting more.

Even when he departed, he did not say a single word to Jiang He or Jiang Minghao. He merely earnestly invited Su Chen to visit him at the Alchemy Guild the next day.

Su Chen had not been particularly interested at first, but when he considered that he might be able to borrow a suitable pill furnace from the Alchemy Guild to refine a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill for Xu Yin, he agreed.

As Su Chen turned and left the banquet hall, he could clearly feel the murderous gazes of Jiang He and Jiang Minghao behind him.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shan and his son Jiang Mingxuan were also watching Su Chen with extremely complicated expressions. Although today's events had little to do with the father and son, the many remarkable qualities Su Chen displayed still inexplicably stirred a sense of crisis deep within them, leaving them with an inexplicable unease.

They could not explain where that feeling came from. They only vaguely felt that the young man in blue robes, striding openly out of the banquet hall, seemed to have a force buried within him. Once unleashed, it would be terrifying beyond measure.

"Father, this Su Chen is extremely strange!" Jiang Mingxuan said with a dark expression. Keeping such a person in their Jiang Family would undoubtedly become an unpredictable variable in the future.

Jiang Shan shook his head. "Mingxuan, I know what you are thinking. But you saw it just now as well. Su Chen has established a connection with Master Qian. If we make any move against him and Master Qian finds out, it will only harm us."

Jiang Mingxuan had originally wanted to suggest sending someone to secretly teach Su Chen a lesson, but after hearing Jiang Shan's words, he could only close his mouth unwillingly.

Jiang Shan also shifted his thoughts away from Su Chen. In his view, a mere fifteen-year-old boy could never amount to much. The position of Lineage head was the most important matter before him now.

The next day, Su Chen went to the Alchemy Guild as agreed with Master Qian.

The Alchemy Guild stood on the most prosperous street in Clear River City. Its exquisite five-story building looked exceptionally imposing. The alchemists within were figures who could make Clear River City tremble with a single stomp of their feet, so one could well imagine the Guild's extravagance.

"Young master, may I ask what brings you to the Alchemy Guild?" The moment Su Chen entered the Guild's main hall, a beautiful maid stopped him and asked with a smile.

"I have come to visit Master Qian. We had an appointment," Su Chen said.

"Oh, certainly. This way, young master." The maid gave Su Chen a curious look. Master Qian had indeed informed her that a young man would come to visit him today, but she had not expected it to be the youth before her. What was so special about this boy that he had caught the eye of the usually aloof Master Qian?

The maid led Su Chen upstairs and directly to Master Qian's room.

Master Qian had already been waiting for Su Chen in the room. The instant he saw Su Chen arrive, his eyes lit up. Without bothering with pleasantries, he immediately asked about several alchemical questions he had not finished asking at yesterday's banquet.

Su Chen knew that was simply Master Qian's nature. To be honest, he rather appreciated people like this. At least they did not beat around the bush like some others, making them easier to deal with.

Half an hour passed before Master Qian finally came slightly to his senses from the ocean of alchemical knowledge. Slapping his forehead, he said ruefully, "Look at me, I have been so busy asking questions that I have not properly entertained you, exalted one."

As he spoke, Master Qian hurriedly instructed the maid to brew the finest tea. Then he said, "This should be your first time at the Clear River City Alchemy Guild, exalted one. Shall I show you around?"

Even now, Master Qian still could not see through Su Chen's background. This youth's alchemical knowledge was vast beyond measure, and he was proficient in the alchemical knowledge of many schools. It was impossible to guess which school he belonged to. Most importantly, how could a fifteen-year-old possess such terrifying attainments in alchemy? Looking across the nearby sects and Lineages, no one could possibly produce such a talent.

Unless Su Chen had an unknown power or an exalted master behind him.

As Master Qian's thoughts ran wild, Su Chen merely waved a hand and said, "No need to look around. I actually came today because I have a matter in which I would like to ask Master Qian for help. I wonder if Master Qian would grant me this favor?"

Master Qian hurriedly replied, "What are you saying, exalted one? You have resolved so many of my doubts concerning alchemy. I have not even had the chance to thank you properly. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do everything I can!"

Su Chen nodded. "I would like to borrow a good pill furnace, preferably one inclined toward the yang attribute. Does the Alchemy Guild have one?"

Master Qian pondered. Pill furnaces also came in various attributes. When refining pills of a certain attribute, using a pill furnace of that same attribute could yield twice the result with half the effort. This youth was seeking a yang-attributed pill furnace, so he likely wished to refine yang-attributed pills.

"Yes, there is one. I will go ask about it now. Please wait a moment, exalted one." Master Qian indeed knew that the Clear River City Alchemy Guild happened to possess a yang-attributed pill furnace, one that fully met Su Chen's requirements.

However, that pill furnace was a treasure of the Alchemy Guild. It was normally kept locked in a secret chamber on the fifth floor, and only the Guildmaster had the authority to use it.

Still, Master Qian did not want to disappoint Su Chen. He decided that no matter what, he had to give it a try and ask Guildmaster Master Mo. Even if he had to pay some price himself, he would let Su Chen use that pill furnace once.

In truth, it was not that Master Qian was too foolish. Alchemists simply followed habitual thinking and chose mature Blue Wuzi, never considering immature Blue Wuzi at all.

Yet the medicinal properties of mature and immature Blue Wuzi differed by only a hair's breadth. The sole difference was that mature Blue Wuzi contained a special substance that clashed with Little Jade Grass.

Master Qian's face glowed with health, sweeping away his previous icy demeanor. He was filled from head to toe with the relief and ease of having a difficult problem solved, and he sincerely thanked Su Chen. "Many thanks, exalted one, for resolving a problem that has troubled me for years."

"It was merely the lift of a hand." Su Chen remained calm and unruffled. To him, it was nothing worth mentioning. More importantly, he could tell that Master Qian was an alchemist truly devoted to the path of alchemy. Such people were generally simple-minded and without ulterior motives, pursuing only the great Dao of alchemy throughout their lives. Su Chen was naturally willing to offer guidance to such a person in passing.

The banquet that followed almost became Su Chen's one-man show. Filled with humility, Master Qian continuously asked Su Chen questions that had troubled him for a long time, and Su Chen answered every one of them. Along the way, he constantly tossed out novel terms Master Qian had never heard before, shaking Master Qian's worldview again and again. It was as though Master Qian had opened the gates to a new world, and his attainments in alchemy continued to rise at breakneck speed.

The ones suffering most were Jiang He and Jiang Minghao. Jiang Minghao had originally believed himself to be the unquestionable protagonist of the day. Even Jiang He's invitation to Su Chen had been meant to make Jiang Minghao shine by contrast. Who could have expected it to backfire instead? Su Chen became the protagonist, while Jiang Minghao was neglected from beginning to end. Master Qian did not even speak another word to him.

Master Qian spoke with Su Chen for a full two hours before finally taking his leave, still wanting more.

Even when he departed, he did not say a single word to Jiang He or Jiang Minghao. He merely earnestly invited Su Chen to visit him at the Alchemy Guild the next day.

Su Chen had not been particularly interested at first, but when he considered that he might be able to borrow a suitable pill furnace from the Alchemy Guild to refine a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill for Xu Yin, he agreed.

As Su Chen turned and left the banquet hall, he could clearly feel the murderous gazes of Jiang He and Jiang Minghao behind him.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shan and his son Jiang Mingxuan were also watching Su Chen with extremely complicated expressions. Although today's events had little to do with the father and son, the many remarkable qualities Su Chen displayed still inexplicably stirred a sense of crisis deep within them, leaving them with an inexplicable unease.

They could not explain where that feeling came from. They only vaguely felt that the young man in blue robes, striding openly out of the banquet hall, seemed to have a force buried within him. Once unleashed, it would be terrifying beyond measure.

"Father, this Su Chen is extremely strange!" Jiang Mingxuan said with a dark expression. Keeping such a person in their Jiang Family would undoubtedly become an unpredictable variable in the future.

Jiang Shan shook his head. "Mingxuan, I know what you are thinking. But you saw it just now as well. Su Chen has established a connection with Master Qian. If we make any move against him and Master Qian finds out, it will only harm us."

Jiang Mingxuan had originally wanted to suggest sending someone to secretly teach Su Chen a lesson, but after hearing Jiang Shan's words, he could only close his mouth unwillingly.

Jiang Shan also shifted his thoughts away from Su Chen. In his view, a mere fifteen-year-old boy could never amount to much. The position of Lineage head was the most important matter before him now.

The next day, Su Chen went to the Alchemy Guild as agreed with Master Qian.

The Alchemy Guild stood on the most prosperous street in Clear River City. Its exquisite five-story building looked exceptionally imposing. The alchemists within were figures who could make Clear River City tremble with a single stomp of their feet, so one could well imagine the Guild's extravagance.

"Young master, may I ask what brings you to the Alchemy Guild?" The moment Su Chen entered the Guild's main hall, a beautiful maid stopped him and asked with a smile.

"I have come to visit Master Qian. We had an appointment," Su Chen said.

"Oh, certainly. This way, young master." The maid gave Su Chen a curious look. Master Qian had indeed informed her that a young man would come to visit him today, but she had not expected it to be the youth before her. What was so special about this boy that he had caught the eye of the usually aloof Master Qian?

The maid led Su Chen upstairs and directly to Master Qian's room.

Master Qian had already been waiting for Su Chen in the room. The instant he saw Su Chen arrive, his eyes lit up. Without bothering with pleasantries, he immediately asked about several alchemical questions he had not finished asking at yesterday's banquet.

Su Chen knew that was simply Master Qian's nature. To be honest, he rather appreciated people like this. At least they did not beat around the bush like some others, making them easier to deal with.

Half an hour passed before Master Qian finally came slightly to his senses from the ocean of alchemical knowledge. Slapping his forehead, he said ruefully, "Look at me, I have been so busy asking questions that I have not properly entertained you, exalted one."

As he spoke, Master Qian hurriedly instructed the maid to brew the finest tea. Then he said, "This should be your first time at the Clear River City Alchemy Guild, exalted one. Shall I show you around?"

Even now, Master Qian still could not see through Su Chen's background. This youth's alchemical knowledge was vast beyond measure, and he was proficient in the alchemical knowledge of many schools. It was impossible to guess which school he belonged to. Most importantly, how could a fifteen-year-old possess such terrifying attainments in alchemy? Looking across the nearby sects and Lineages, no one could possibly produce such a talent.

Unless Su Chen had an unknown power or an exalted master behind him.

As Master Qian's thoughts ran wild, Su Chen merely waved a hand and said, "No need to look around. I actually came today because I have a matter in which I would like to ask Master Qian for help. I wonder if Master Qian would grant me this favor?"

Master Qian hurriedly replied, "What are you saying, exalted one? You have resolved so many of my doubts concerning alchemy. I have not even had the chance to thank you properly. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do everything I can!"

Su Chen nodded. "I would like to borrow a good pill furnace, preferably one inclined toward the yang attribute. Does the Alchemy Guild have one?"

Master Qian pondered. Pill furnaces also came in various attributes. When refining pills of a certain attribute, using a pill furnace of that same attribute could yield twice the result with half the effort. This youth was seeking a yang-attributed pill furnace, so he likely wished to refine yang-attributed pills.

"Yes, there is one. I will go ask about it now. Please wait a moment, exalted one." Master Qian indeed knew that the Clear River City Alchemy Guild happened to possess a yang-attributed pill furnace, one that fully met Su Chen's requirements.

However, that pill furnace was a treasure of the Alchemy Guild. It was normally kept locked in a secret chamber on the fifth floor, and only the Guildmaster had the authority to use it.

Still, Master Qian did not want to disappoint Su Chen. He decided that no matter what, he had to give it a try and ask Guildmaster Master Mo. Even if he had to pay some price himself, he would let Su Chen use that pill furnace once.