You're Not an Alchemist, So What Are You So Proud Of?!

"A thousand-year Spirit Bone for a Self-Created Soul Skill?! Have you lost your mind, or have I?"

Even Xue Qinghe, after years of cultivating his composure, nearly lost it.

The value of a Spirit Bone went without saying.

You would be lucky to get one from a hundred Soul Beasts.

A thousand-year Spirit Bone might be worth less than a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, but it was still exceptionally rare.

Even Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish, who had long guarded him, had yet to complete their sets of Spirit Bones.

A Spirit Bone did far more than grant another Spirit Skill. Its greatest strengths were its ability to store Soul Power and enhance strength, physique, mental power, and more.

Using a Spirit Bone skill did not consume the user's own Soul Power. It was another chance to save one's life.

The Self-Created Soul Skills Lu Chuan offered were different.

They neither matched the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul as perfectly as the Clear Sky Sect's Self-Created Soul Skills nor stored Soul Power for later use like Spirit Bones.

These Yellow Rank Self-Created Soul Skills were worth far less than Spirit Bones.

Lu Chuan pressed a hand down, signaling him not to get so worked up.

On second thought, his asking price did seem a little outrageous. His conscience gave a small twinge.

Then he said:

"Not so fast. Business is all about bargaining, isn't it? I have a few other good things."

He took a small bottle of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid from his System Space and gently pulled out the stopper.

A rich medicinal fragrance instantly filled the room.

Xue Qinghe breathed it in, and his eyes lit up.

"Brother Lu Chuan, what is this? Just smelling it seems to have sped up the flow of my Soul Power."

Lu Chuan waved the bottle in front of Xue Qinghe. Those dark eyes followed it closely, tracking it left and right, unable to look away.

A faint smile touched Lu Chuan's lips.

Everyone, stand back! Time to show off.

"Your Highness, have you ever heard of an Alchemist?"

"An Alchemist?"

Xue Qinghe frowned slightly and held his chin, searching his memory for anything recorded about one on the Douluo Continent.

He found nothing.

He shook his head and looked at Lu Chuan, curiosity in his voice.

"I haven't. From the name, I'd guess it has something to do with preparing herbs. Care to tell me more, Brother Lu Chuan?"

Lu Chuan explained calmly:

"An Alchemist uses special methods and flames to refine medicinal ingredients into pills. Their effects far surpass those of swallowing the herbs directly."

As he spoke, he shook the Porcelain Bottle in his hand. The liquid inside sloshed gently.

"This is Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid. It helps Soul Masters cultivate rapidly before they reach level thirty.

"More importantly, it strengthens their foundations, improves their talent, and permanently increases their cultivation speed.

"Just add one drop to the water before bathing, then soak in it while circulating Soul Power to cultivate.

"At one drop a day, a Soul Grandmaster can reliably gain one or two levels in just half a month."

Xue Qinghe's pupils contracted. Shock surged through him.

One or two levels for a Soul Grandmaster in half a month—and improved talent on top of that? It overturned everything the Soul Master world knew!

Not even Spirit Hall, with its ten thousand years of history, could do that!

Alchemists are that incredible?!

He shot to his feet and asked excitedly:

"Brother Lu Chuan! Are you an Alchemist?!"

Lu Chuan gave a soft snort, drew himself up with a smug look, and answered at his leisure. "No."

"Cough! Cough, cough!"

Xue Qinghe's breath caught in his chest. Unable to draw it in or let it out, he turned pale, then flushed, and broke into a violent coughing fit.

He snatched up the teacup beside him and gulped down the tea. Only then did the tightness in his chest finally ease.

You bastard! If you're not an Alchemist, what are you so proud of?!

Seeing Xue Qinghe's disappointment felt wonderful. Then Lu Chuan changed tack.

"But I do know an excellent Alchemist. With his abilities, he can even refine pills that would greatly benefit a Limit Douluo.

"If the price is right, I can get them for you."

Xue Qinghe felt a pain in his chest.

Couldn't you have said all that at once?! Is messing with me that much fun?!

He took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"Whew... Brother Lu Chuan, those supreme pills can wait. Let's talk about the price of this Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid first."

"Hmm..."

Lu Chuan frowned, unsure what price to name.

The small bottle he had portioned out should contain thirty drops, enough for a month.

Judging by his own cultivation speed the last time he had used it,

thirty drops should raise a Soul Grandmaster by two or three levels.

"How about this: one small bottle of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid for a Three Thousand Year Soul Bone. The years can stack, too—two bottles for a Six Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Xue Qinghe was about to bargain, but Lu Chuan raised a hand and cut him off.

"Don't object yet. Hear me out. Anyone who starts soaking in Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid as soon as their Martial Soul awakens will reach Soul Elder in a year or two at most. Think about what that's worth."

Lu Chuan paused, then offered an even more tempting prospect:

"On top of that, the liquid gradually improves a person's aptitude and substantially raises the age limit of the Spirit Rings they can absorb.

"Keep the resources coming, and producing Titled Douluo in large numbers won't be an empty dream."

Those words struck at what Xue Qinghe wanted most. Heat flared in his eyes despite his efforts to hide it.

If the deal was genuine, he could use the liquid to cultivate a force of loyal experts. A squad of fanatically loyal Titled Douluo would be enough to overturn the balance of the entire continent.

Spirit Hall had resources to spare. It would hardly miss a few low-age Spirit Bones!

"Deal!"

"Straight to the point!"

Xue Qinghe smiled. He could trade a few thousand-year Spirit Bones that had been gathering dust in storage—too valuable to throw away, too weak to use—for the chance to create Titled Douluo. What a bargain!

Lu Chuan smiled too. The ingredients for one bottle of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid cost only eighteen hundred to two thousand Gold Coins at most.

An ordinary thousand-year Spirit Bone sold for eighty to a hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins, while a good one fetched over two hundred thousand. Sell it on, and he would make a fortune!

Middlemen really do have it best!

He cleared his throat twice and looked at Xue Qinghe across from him.

"Your Highness, do you still want those Self-Created Soul Skills?"

Xue Qinghe frowned, looking troubled.

"Of course I do. But the price you're asking is far too high."

"Then I'll give you a discount. For a low-grade Yellow Rank skill, add two hundred years to the Spirit Bone used to buy the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid. Make that four hundred for mid-grade or eight hundred for high-grade, plus another thousand Gold Coins. How does that sound?"

Xue Qinghe silently did the math.

Unbelievable. He won't give up a single coin! That price lands right at the limit of what I'm willing to pay...

Crook!

He narrowed his eyes and put on a menacing look.

"Brother Lu Chuan, with prices like those, aren't you afraid I'll kill you and take everything?"

Lu Chuan scoffed. His tone was calm, but his confidence was absolute.

"If I'm willing to put these things on the table, I'm not afraid of someone trying to rob me.

"And I'm not exaggerating: even if Qian Daoliu of Spirit Hall came here himself, he couldn't lay a finger on me. You're welcome to try."

Xue Qinghe studied his expression. Lu Chuan did not appear to be bluffing, and a mix of wariness and the desire to bring him to heel rose within him.

"Hahaha! Brother Lu Chuan, you're impressive indeed. You must have had some extraordinary fortune yourself. I accept your terms."