Half an hour later.
Inside the pill-refining room at the Myriad Treasures House.
Liu Fuyan held a pill in her palm, its substance translucent as amber and giving off a pure medicinal fragrance. Her eyes shone.
Even the delicate hand holding the pill trembled slightly.
After examining it carefully, she could say with certainty.
This Essence Pill had reached superior quality, and was even extremely close to supreme quality.
Even their former chief Alchemist had rarely managed to refine a first-grade pill of this caliber.
For a moment, Liu Fuyan's gaze grew heated as she looked at Ge Hong.
At first sight, she had thought his appearance unremarkable.
Now, suddenly, she felt that he possessed an extraordinary bearing.
She firmly suppressed her excitement and asked.
"Mister Ge, besides Essence Pills, what other pills are you skilled at refining?"
"Hmm... I haven't mastered many types of pills. Besides Essence Pills, I can also refine First-Grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills."
Liu Fuyan's breathing grew slightly heavier.
Alchemists generally mastered very few types of pills.
For one thing, learning to refine a single type consumed considerable time and resources.
For another, pill formulas were precious. Only Alchemists nurtured by certain major powers had access to a wider variety.
Ge Hong's ability to refine Essence Pills to such a level was already exceptionally rare.
She had not expected him to also be able to refine Spirit-Nourishing Pills, an even more precious type that nurtured the spirit.
"May I ask what quality of Spirit-Nourishing Pill you can refine, Mister Ge?"
"They should be no worse than the Essence Pills," Ge Hong replied calmly.
Hearing this answer, Liu Fuyan composed her expression and spoke directly.
"Mister Ge, you are an excellent fit for our needs. I would like to hire you as our exclusive Alchemist. You may name your terms."
At Liu Fuyan's words, Gu Chenfeng, who was posing as the Alchemist Ge Hong, felt reassured.
Hehe... I passed the interview!
Previously, Liu Fuyan had hoped to use his connections as the Third Young Master of the Gu Family to find an Alchemist.
But Gu Chenfeng still had to maintain his role as a useless wastrel.
Thus, he could only attend today's interview under Ge Hong's identity.
In truth, he could already refine supreme-quality first-grade pills.
But he did not want to make too astonishing an impression right away, so he had deliberately held something back.
Even so, his skill had clearly won Liu Fuyan over.
It was time to discuss compensation.
Liu Fuyan's alluring, bewitching eyes seemed to shine, putting Gu Chenfeng on his guard.
He had experienced this woman's negotiating prowess before. He absolutely could not let her beauty cloud his judgment.
So he kept his gaze steady and said.
"Manager Liu, I have also interviewed with other trading houses, but I wasn't particularly satisfied with their terms.
Why don't you make an offer and let me see your establishment's sincerity?"
Although Liu Fuyan had previously told Gu Chenfeng a little about an Alchemist's compensation.
He did not understand all the ins and outs.
He might as well retreat to advance, giving her a sense of urgency.
Sure enough, hearing that Gu Chenfeng had visited other trading houses gave Liu Fuyan a jolt.
Quite apart from the Imperial Capital branch's urgent need for high-quality first-grade pills.
With alchemical talent like Ge Hong's, his potential was limitless. He was absolutely worth nurturing.
I must secure this man!
With that thought, Liu Fuyan stopped hesitating and immediately held up three fingers.
"Mister Ge, we are willing to split the proceeds thirty-seventy with you.
From now on, our establishment will take thirty percent of the profits from pill sales, and you will take seventy percent. How does that sound?
Furthermore, as long as the number of pills you refine each month meets the minimum requirement.
We can also pay you an additional guaranteed stipend of twenty thousand taels."
Gu Chenfeng was rather surprised by Liu Fuyan's offer.
A thirty-seventy split was extremely generous.
After all, the Myriad Treasures House also had to gather the ingredients and provide the sales platform and services.
Otherwise, even an Alchemist without the backing of a major trading house.
Would find ordinary martial artists afraid to buy his pills.
Gu Chenfeng knew the Myriad Treasures House's situation. He also knew that if he expressed dissatisfaction, this woman would probably cut into her own flesh and make further concessions.
But he did not do that.
"Very well, but I have one condition."
Hearing Ge Hong agree so readily, Liu Fuyan was delighted.
"Please feel free to state your condition, sir."
Gu Chenfeng asked, "Does your establishment have a Great Pill for breaking through to the Source Qi Realm?"
"A Great Pill?"
Liu Fuyan was somewhat astonished.
"Are you also a martial artist, Mister Ge?"
"Indeed. My cultivation has stalled at nine stars in the Meridian-Opening Realm. I'm looking to purchase a Great Pill to help me break through."
Liu Fuyan's gaze grew even more astonished as she looked at Gu Chenfeng.
For someone so young to possess such exquisite alchemical skill was already astonishing. She had never expected his cultivation to be impressive as well.
After a moment's hesitation, Liu Fuyan spoke.
"Great Pills can help cultivators overcome bottlenecks and advance to a higher major realm. They do indeed command a price, yet cannot be found on the market.
Even our Myriad Treasures House does not sell them to outsiders."
At this, Gu Chenfeng's heart sank slightly.
But then Liu Fuyan continued.
"However, since you have now joined our Myriad Treasures House, Mister Ge, you are one of our own.
I will make an exception and use my personal authority to present you with a Great Pill, as a token of our sincerity toward our future cooperation."
A quarter of an hour later.
Gu Chenfeng walked out through the Myriad Treasures House's doors.
Despite his best efforts to suppress it, excitement still flashed in his eyes.
Just moments ago, Gu Chenfeng had signed a three-year exclusive cooperation agreement with the Myriad Treasures House.
Liu Fuyan had even presented him with a first-grade Great Pill, a "Source-Melting Pill," on the spot.
Gu Chenfeng was now the Myriad Treasures House's exclusive Alchemist.
From now on, not only would he have a steady source of income.
Obtaining spiritual materials for pill refinement, and even purchasing cultivation supplies, would be far more convenient.
At the same time.
Inside the Myriad Treasures House, the old steward sought Liu Fuyan's instructions.
"Manager Liu, should we send someone to follow this man and investigate his background?"
Liu Fuyan waved her hand lightly.
"No need. Since Mister Ge did not tell us outright, he clearly doesn't wish others to know.
Let's not outsmart ourselves and displease him."
"But... you gave this man a Great Pill.
That Source-Melting Pill was of excellent quality. At market price, it could probably fetch eighty thousand taels, or even a hundred thousand.
Aren't you afraid he'll take the pill and leave for good?"
Liu Fuyan smiled calmly.
"As the saying goes, trust those you employ, and do not employ those you distrust.
Besides, for someone who can casually refine superior-quality first-grade pills, would obtaining a Great Pill really be difficult?
If I don't give him one, someone else will."
A sharp gleam flashed in Liu Fuyan's eyes.
"This man has attained such mastery of alchemy at so young an age. What is even rarer is that his martial cultivation is also exceptional.
And becoming an Alchemy Master of the middle three grades requires more than alchemical talent. There are requirements for martial cultivation as well."
The old steward was suddenly startled.
"Do you intend to nurture this man into an Alchemy Master?"
"Becoming an Alchemy Master is no easy feat. For now, he merely has the potential.
But even if he never becomes an Alchemy Master, he is more than capable of resolving our branch's current predicament!
It's about time we gave the Exquisite Pavilion and that ungrateful wolf a taste of their own medicine."
Before you continue