Blood Qi Powder was only first-tier low-grade.
But if an alchemist's skills had reached the point of pure, blazing mastery-meaning they had refined hundreds upon thousands of batches-they could break through its inherent first-tier low-grade limits and produce special-grade powder.
Special-grade Blood Qi Powder could also be considered a quasi first-tier mid-grade spirit pill.
Beyond envy, Granny Tang now felt a measure of admiration for Fu Shaoping.
After all, even true first-tier mid-grade alchemists would soon attempt higher-tier spirit pills after mastering one, rather than repeatedly refining nearly a thousand batches of Blood Qi Powder.
"Fellow Daoist, how about I buy these five packets of Blood Qi Powder at the price of first-tier mid-grade Qi Condensation Pills-ten Low-Grade Essence Stones per packet?"
"Certainly, Granny Tang. I won't take Origin Stones for these five packets. Just exchange them for fifty batches' worth of clear-sky grass, sunflowers, and the supplementary medicinal ingredients needed for Blood Qi Powder."
Fu Shaoping appeared perfectly calm.
It was as though he had known the value of special-grade Blood Qi Powder all along.
In truth...
His heart was racing, and he was secretly overjoyed.
He had thought the wheat-scented Blood Qi Powder was merely a little better in quality, and selling it for one extra Origin Stone would have been the absolute limit. Never had he imagined it could fetch ten Origin Stones per packet. What an unexpected windfall!
Clearly...
Without the Treasure Mirror's point allocation...
He could never have reached "perfection" in such a short time!
Once the goods and payment had changed hands...
Fu Shaoping cupped his hands.
"Granny Tang, I'll see you again in a month."
With that...
He was just about to turn away...
When Granny Tang suddenly spoke.
"Fellow Daoist, don't you want to try refining higher-tier spirit pills, such as Qi Condensation Pills?"
Of course I do.
I just don't have the pill recipe.
Since Granny Tang asked, could she be willing to provide a first-tier mid-grade pill recipe?
Fu Shaoping turned around, looking at Granny Tang with a hint of anticipation.
Seeing this, Granny Tang hurriedly waved her hands.
"Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I meant that if you intend to refine Qi Condensation Pills, you can let me know ahead of time. Their main ingredient, celestial phenomenon grass, matures only once a year and needs to be planted in advance."
"I'll consider it when I get back."
Fu Shaoping did not refuse outright.
After saying farewell to Granny Tang and leaving Ghost Valley Woods, he checked that no one was following him before whistling. Zhou Pan'er drove the carriage over, and with a tap of his toes against the ground, Fu Shaoping landed steadily aboard.
Neither said much.
They sped all the way back to town, and only after closing the courtyard gate of the Alchemy Room...
Did Zhou Pan'er ask anxiously:
"Did everything go smoothly?"
Fu Shaoping immediately poured out an entire sack of Low-Grade Essence Stones with a clattering rush.
A full two hundred and thirty Low-Grade Essence Stones formed a small mountain, sparkling with white light. Zhou Pan'er stared dumbfounded, and her gaze toward Fu Shaoping instantly filled with admiration.
"Shaoping, you're amazing! You earned so many Origin Stones after just two months in seclusion. If we used them to buy farmland, they would be enough for a thousand mu of fertile fields."
Their children and grandchildren would never want for food or clothing.
They finally no longer had to live in hardship!
Zhou Pan'er felt she had chosen the right man. Her phoenix eyes brimmed with smiles, and when she smiled, her two dimples were lovely.
Fu Shaoping's heart stirred at the sight, and he gave her a light kiss.
Soft and fragrant.
This time...
Zhou Pan'er did not dodge. She merely said:
"Shaoping, how should we spend all these Origin Stones? Buy this courtyard first? And a carriage while we're at it, then a few dozen mu of paddy fields? Aunt Jiang also needs an older maid to attend to her."
Everything at home required money.
But Fu Shaoping shook his head.
"Pan'er, even a single Origin Stone is hard to come by. I wouldn't exchange them for gold or silver."
"I intend to use these two hundred-odd Low-Grade Essence Stones to buy an alchemy furnace. Then you'll be able to refine Blood Qi Powder at home."
"Really?!"
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
"Shaoping, you're so good to me!"
For some reason, Zhou Pan'er was especially excited. She actually rose onto her toes of her own accord and kissed Fu Shaoping's chin, as lightly as a dragonfly touching water.
This happiness had come far too suddenly.
Fu Shaoping blinked.
Just as he wanted to ask for more...
He noticed that Zhou Pan'er's eyes had reddened.
Seeing her behave so unusually, Fu Shaoping immediately stilled the ripples in his heart and asked gently:
"Pan'er, is something weighing on your mind?"
Zhou Pan'er held back the golden beads of tears about to fall. Only after calming herself did she slowly explain:
"Shaoping, didn't I tell you half a year ago that I have a distant relative, Granny Xue? She was the one who gave me the Blood Qi Powder pill recipe. At the time, she said that if I could refine Blood Qi Powder and reach the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm, she would tell me more about my birth parents."
So that was it!
No wonder Pan'er had been practicing almost day and night without rest.
Clearly, she had kept silent because she was afraid of putting pressure on him, choosing instead to shoulder it alone.
His heart aching for her, Fu Shaoping took Zhou Pan'er's small hand.
"We're getting married soon. You mustn't treat me like an outsider again."
As he spoke...
Fu Shaoping handed her the Qi Condensation Pill Old Zhan had given him.
"Take this pill. Uncle Zhan has gone to guard Sunwood Forest for the next month, and I have no missions to undertake either. We can go to Seven-Mile Mountain and hunt two Granary Bears. With your talent, their blood essence and this Qi Condensation Pill should help you reach the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm very soon!"
"Shaoping, I'm so glad I have you."
Zhou Pan'er's nose stung.
She leaned softly into Fu Shaoping's arms.
After the two shared a tender moment...
Fu Shaoping promptly shouldered the two hundred-odd Low-Grade Essence Stones and headed to the Hall of Myriad Treasures at the Hundred Households Office.
When Junior Banner Zhuo of the Hall of Myriad Treasures heard that Fu Shaoping wanted to buy an alchemy furnace, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I heard Junior Banner Liu say that whenever you have free time, you like to hole up in the Earthfire Hall. I know you enjoy alchemy, but an alchemy furnace isn't something you can afford right now. Even a first-tier low-grade one costs several dozen Low-Grade Essence Stones."
Fu Shaoping had been in service for half a year.
The number of times he had come to exchange for items at the Hall of Myriad Treasures could be counted on one hand.
The reason was simple.
Without carrying out missions, he naturally received no Origin Stone rewards.
So...
For this rash young fellow to open his mouth and ask to buy an alchemy furnace was nothing short of an enormous joke.
Junior Banner Zhuo shook his head.
Bam!
However...
The next instant...
He was stunned by the large sack Fu Shaoping tossed onto the table. Lifting one corner and seeing it packed full of Origin Stones, he could not help sucking in a cold breath.
"Fu Shaoping, have you been robbing people's homes?!"
Where else could so many Origin Stones have come from?
In front of outsiders...
Fu Shaoping habitually gave a guileless grin.
"Sir, I saved these up by refining Blood Qi Powder over the past half year. I haven't spent a single Origin Stone, all so I could buy an alchemy furnace."
Only then did Junior Banner Zhuo remember Junior Banner Liu telling him yesterday that he had obtained a batch of Grade A Blood Qi Powder. He had been wondering where it had come from. So this young fellow had refined it.
As a Junior Banner...
Even though he managed the Hall of Myriad Treasures...
His monthly salary was only fifty or sixty Low-Grade Essence Stones.
Alchemists really did have it good. A mere rank-and-file Martial Suppression Guard had left him in the dust.
Before you continue