Gu Ni felt his breathing quicken!
This was an opportunity as vast as the heavens!
Just then, a voice so alluring it seeped into the bones, tinged with a hint of languor, came from the doorway.
"Master Gu Ni, what distinguished guest has made you lose your composure like this?"
Before her words had faded, a stunning woman in a tight red cheongsam that outlined every exquisite curve of her figure swayed gracefully into the room.
It was none other than Ya Fei, the head of the Mittel Auction House.
Ya Fei came to an elegant stop and looked at Xiao Yan, shrouded in his mysterious black robe. A flicker of curiosity crossed her soul-stealing, peach-blossom eyes.
Anyone who could unsettle the usually proud Master Gu Ni had to be extraordinary!
Gu Ni smiled and introduced him to Ya Fei. "Miss Ya Fei, this is Master Li Feiyu, an alchemist who has come to Wutan City on his travels.
Master Li is a Third-Rank Alchemist!"
A Third-Rank Alchemist!
Ya Fei was a little startled herself!
A Third-Rank Alchemist would be someone of standing even in the imperial capital!
Why would he pass through a little place like Wutan City?
Xiao Yan was also momentarily dazed when he saw Ya Fei.
What an enchanting woman!
But he regained his composure a moment later.
"Hello, Miss Ya Fei."
Xiao Yan greeted her politely.
Hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Ya Fei was startled once more!
Such a young voice!
He could be no older than his twenties!
So young, yet already a Third-Rank Alchemist!
His talent was a little frightening!
With a charming laugh, Ya Fei asked in a seemingly casual manner, "Yesterday, that boy from the Xiao Clan announced that he had become the disciple of a master alchemist. I assume he was referring to you, Master Li?"
Xiao Yan smiled faintly.
"That boy from the Xiao Clan does have some talent. I couldn't bear to let it slip past, so I simply took him as my disciple."
Both Ya Fei and Gu Ni felt their hearts jolt at his words!
Master Li's own talent was already so exceptional, yet he still thought highly of the Xiao Clan boy's talent. It seemed the boy's future accomplishments as an alchemist would be far from modest!
They needed to build a friendship with him as soon as possible!
But that was a matter for later. Right now, they had to establish good relations with Master Li first!
After exchanging pleasantries, Ya Fei asked, "What brings you here today, Master Li? Is there anything our Mittel Auction House can do for you?"
Gu Ni slapped his forehead at that and hurriedly answered with a smile, "I almost forgot the actual business! Master Li is here to buy medicinal ingredients."
As he spoke, he beckoned a maid over, explained what needed to be done, and held out the list.
Ya Fei stepped forward and took the list instead.
After glancing at it, Ya Fei smiled. "Since this is your first visit, Master Li, we ought to prepare a modest welcoming gift.
Please accept these medicinal ingredients as our gift to you."
Gu Ni looked startled and couldn't help saying, "Miss Ya Fei, these are worth a hundred thousand..."
Ya Fei waved a hand, cutting him off.
"What are a few medicinal ingredients worth compared to the chance to befriend Master Li?"
Watching from the side, Xiao Yan was secretly amused.
Their little duet had been convincing, but there were still traces of a performance.
Gu Ni's startled cry and the way he had stopped at "a hundred thousand gold coins" had seemed especially deliberate!
Clearly, they often used this tactic to win people over and had long since perfected their teamwork.
Still, even if it was an act, they were genuinely offering him a gift worth a hundred thousand gold coins!
With his attitude that only a fool would pass up a free benefit, he was certainly going to accept this generous gift.
But!
Had he killed someone and taken their goods, he would have simply pocketed the spoils.
A debt of gratitude like this was different. Since he always repaid kindness, he was reluctant to incur one lightly.
After some thought, Xiao Yan said, "Thank you both for your kindness.
But this gift is rather too generous. I would feel unworthy accepting it."
Ya Fei understood his meaning at once.
He had only said he would feel unworthy, not that he refused. The implication could not have been clearer.
I'll accept the gift. Name a condition, and I'll do something for you.
Ya Fei glanced at Gu Ni. Naturally, he knew more about matters concerning alchemists.
Looking rather excited, Gu Ni said, "Master Li, if you could offer me some guidance on alchemy, I would be endlessly grateful."
Xiao Yan glanced at Gu Ni and considered it. "Very well. I won't take advantage of you. How about this? I'll refine three second-rank pills for you to settle this favor. What do you say?"
Gu Ni hurriedly replied, "What value could pills have compared to that? Please offer me some guidance on alchemy, Master Li!"
Xiao Yan looked at Gu Ni with a faint, knowing smile.
"I'll refine them here and allow you to watch. Isn't that enough?"
Gu Ni was instantly overjoyed.
"Yes, yes! Master Li, I'm endlessly grateful! Endlessly grateful!"
Beaming, Gu Ni led Xiao Yan to his pill-refining chamber at a trot.
With nothing else to do, Ya Fei followed them as well.
Once inside, Xiao Yan first familiarized himself with Gu Ni's pill furnace, then took out a formula and handed it to him.
"Prepare the medicinal ingredients."
The formula was called Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, a second-grade formula whose effect was to cleanse the marrow and scour the meridians.
Gu Ni took the formula and began studying it carefully.
Xiao Yan wasn't worried about Gu Ni secretly learning it.
A complete pill formula should contain every detail of the refining process.
Rather than a formula, this sheet of paper was more of a shopping list.
Nor was Xiao Yan worried that Gu Ni would steal his techniques by watching him refine pills.
If alchemy could be learned just by watching, advancing as an alchemist would not have been so difficult.
After a quick look, Gu Ni's heart immediately surged with excitement!
What a marvelous formula!
Aside from a single second-rank medicinal ingredient as the main component, all the supplementary ingredients were simple first-rank materials.
Yet the exquisite combination and ingenious design were simply breathtaking!
The only unknown was its medicinal efficacy!
If its efficacy could reach the middle tier of the second rank, then given its low cost, calling it a high-tier second-rank formula would be perfectly reasonable!
Soon, the ingredients were ready.
Gu Ni stood respectfully to the side, ready to observe Xiao Yan's alchemy.
Xiao Yan began, but after watching for only a short while, Gu Ni couldn't help sighing with a bitter smile.
I couldn't learn this!
He had assumed that, since these were second-rank pills and he was a Second-Rank Alchemist, albeit a novice, he would at least learn something.
He had never imagined that Xiao Yan's alchemy would be this absurd!
The terrifying strength and precision of his soul power made Xiao Yan's pill refining look as effortless as lifting something heavy as though it weighed nothing!
But Gu Ni knew full well that behind each effortless movement, flowing like clouds and running water, lay countless intricate details.
Unfortunately, the sheer speed of that flowing execution meant he couldn't see any of them.
What the hell was I supposed to learn from this?
There was no way to learn anything!
The refining soon ended.
Three steaming portions of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid emerged fresh from the furnace.
Gu Ni rallied himself and took some Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to examine carefully. A moment later, his eyes widened again!
How could such low-grade ingredients produce high-tier second-rank medicinal efficacy?
Was there any justice left in this world?
Naturally, Gu Ni did not know that this Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid was a classic low-cost, high-return formula Yao Lao had painstakingly designed for Xiao Yan.
Even across the entire Dou Qi Continent, it was a formula of the finest quality imaginable!
The look Gu Ni gave Xiao Yan now held far more than shock!
It was the reverence one felt before a god!
Before you continue