Chapter 50: A Strong Expert from the Imperial Capital - Heavenly Domain Alchemy Sovereign

"Young master, I'll have someone make you a VIP pass at once. May I ask your surname?" After leading Su Chen into Five Treasures Hall, the steward asked eagerly.

"Su." Su Chen's expression remained calm. Five Treasures Hall's attitude was exactly as he had expected.

If Five Treasures Hall did not even possess that much business sense, there would be no need for it to stay in business.

"Young Master Su, did you come today to purchase something?" the steward asked.

Su Chen nodded and casually took out a list, flinging it to the steward. "Give me one portion of every medicinal ingredient on this list."

The steward took the list and examined it carefully before saying, "Young Master Su, Five Treasures Hall has every medicinal ingredient listed here, except..."

"Except what?"

"Except there is one Bloodsnake Ginseng among them. I cannot make the decision on that one. Our store has only a single stalk, and it is the treasure that anchors the shop." The steward looked troubled. Bloodsnake Ginseng was far more precious than the Century Sunlight Herb, and it could only be sold with the person in charge's approval.

"Take me to see the person in charge." Su Chen did not waste words.

The steward led Su Chen to a room on the third floor of Five Treasures Hall and knocked on the door. "Shopkeeper Min, an honored guest wishes to purchase Bloodsnake Ginseng!"

"Come in!" a voice answered from inside.

Su Chen pushed open the door and entered, only to find two people sitting opposite each other inside.

One was an elderly man with white hair and beard, while the other was a middle-aged man in a purple robe, his eyes gleaming sharply.

"Shopkeeper Min, this is Young Master Su, an honored guest of our Five Treasures Hall. He wishes to purchase Bloodsnake Ginseng."

The steward spoke to the white-haired old man. Clearly, this elder was Five Treasures Hall's person in charge, Shopkeeper Min.

After hearing the steward, Shopkeeper Min stroked his white beard. He looked at Su Chen, a trace of puzzlement flashing through his eyes, and said with a smile, "This old man finds Young Master Su quite unfamiliar. May I ask which Young Master Su you are?"

The steward hurriedly said, "Shopkeeper Min, he is the Young Master Su who treated the Coldheart Python bite that day!"

Only then did surprise appear in Shopkeeper Min's eyes. He quickly rose and cupped his hands. "So it is that Young Master Su. Forgive my discourtesy, forgive my discourtesy."

"Greetings, Shopkeeper Min." Su Chen also cupped his hands. "I wish to purchase one stalk of Bloodsnake Ginseng. I wonder if Shopkeeper Min would be willing to part with it?"

"Since it is Young Master Su who wishes to buy it, of course there is no problem!"

As he spoke, Shopkeeper Min instructed the steward, "Go fetch the Bloodsnake Ginseng locked in the storeroom!"

The steward answered and was just about to turn away when a cold voice suddenly rang out. "Hold it!"

Shopkeeper Min froze, then looked doubtfully at the purple-robed middle-aged man across from him. "Envoy Feng, is there a problem?"

The purple-robed middle-aged man called Envoy Feng had a temperament as gloomy as still water. He gave Su Chen a disdainful once-over and said, "Bloodsnake Ginseng is the treasure that anchors Clear River City's Five Treasures Hall. How can such a precious item be casually sold to some brat?"

Shopkeeper Min hurriedly said, "Envoy Feng, you may not know this, but Young Master Su is no ordinary youth. He is an alchemist of no small accomplishment. Last time, someone came to Five Treasures Hall to buy medicine after being bitten by a Coldheart Python, and Young Master Su was the one who treated him."

Yet Envoy Feng was not moved in the slightest. He said disdainfully, "An alchemist? How can one determine that he is a true alchemist based on a single incident? Perhaps he merely got lucky!

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As he spoke, Envoy Feng looked at Su Chen with contempt. "You claim to be an alchemist. Do you have proof? Present an alchemist badge certified by the Alchemy Guild. Otherwise, not only will the Bloodsnake Ginseng not be sold to you, you will also be charged with deceiving Five Treasures Hall and beaten out of Five Treasures Hall with clubs."

After saying that, the pressure of an Essence Condensation Realm expert slowly radiated from his body, blanketing the entire room.

If Su Chen had been an ordinary Qi-Attraction Realm martial artist, or even an ordinary First Layer of Essence Condensation Realm martial artist, he would certainly have been frightened out of his wits by that pressure.

However, Su Chen stood straight where he was, calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze, as though the pressure did not exist at all. There was even a trace of contempt in his gaze as he looked at the other man. "Who are you? I am conducting a transaction with Five Treasures Hall. Are you qualified to interfere?"

"Insolence!"

Envoy Feng flew into a rage and slammed his palm onto the table. The muscles on his face twitched several times as he roared, "I am an inspection envoy sent by Five Treasures Hall's headquarters! I arrived in your Clear River City only today. Tell me, am I qualified?"

Shopkeeper Min hurriedly said as well, "Young Master Su, this is Envoy Feng. He came from Five Treasures Hall's headquarters in the imperial capital. You must not be disrespectful to him."

Five Treasures Hall did not exist only in Clear River City. Every city in the Cloud Abyss Empire had a Five Treasures Hall, while its headquarters was located in the imperial capital, where experts gathered like clouds. It was considered one of the imperial capital's major powers.

Su Chen naturally knew all this, but he was utterly unafraid. He sneered, "I do not care whether you are Envoy Madman or Envoy Lunatic. Since you run a shop, I came with silver in hand. Is there any sense in refusing business and instead beating the man paying the bills out with clubs? Search all under heaven, and you will not find such logic."

Shopkeeper Min was stunned into speechlessness. In truth, under normal circumstances, Su Chen's purchase of Bloodsnake Ginseng would not have encountered any obstruction. Since Su Chen was an alchemist, Shopkeeper Min would certainly have sold him the Bloodsnake Ginseng.

Moreover, Su Chen's alchemical attainments had long since been proven at Five Treasures Hall, so Shopkeeper Min would never have asked him for an alchemist badge certified by the Alchemy Guild.

But today was different. Envoy Feng had suddenly thrust himself in halfway through. Shopkeeper Min was merely the shopkeeper of a Clear River City branch, so naturally he could not go against Envoy Feng's wishes.

"Young Master Su, I am sorry." That was all Shopkeeper Min could say.

Still, Shopkeeper Min was somewhat puzzled inside. Why was Envoy Feng making trouble for Su Chen? By all rights, the two were complete strangers and should not have had any grudge between them.

Envoy Feng spoke again, saying disdainfully to Su Chen, "Fine. Since you cannot produce an alchemist badge certified by the Alchemy Guild, you can get lost!"

As he spoke, Envoy Feng gave the steward another order. "Go bring the Bloodsnake Ginseng from the storeroom. Wrap it up. I want it!"

Shopkeeper Min suddenly understood. Envoy Feng happened to need Bloodsnake Ginseng too, which was why he had deliberately obstructed Su Chen's purchase so that he could buy it himself.

Though this somewhat violated Five Treasures Hall's rules, who could object when the other party was an envoy from the imperial capital headquarters? Once he spoke, who dared say no?

Thus, Shopkeeper Min could only tell the steward, "Go fetch the Bloodsnake Ginseng."

At that very moment, a cold voice came from behind them. "Whatever price he is paying for that Bloodsnake Ginseng, I will pay double!"

It was Su Chen speaking coldly from behind them!

"Bold!" Envoy Feng raged. "Who do you think you are, daring to challenge this envoy to his face?"