Chapter 364: Three Spirit Stones as Payment (Part 1)

Qi Shengyu was a four-star mid-stage alchemist of the Ten Thousand Nations Alliance, strict in character and meticulous in his work.

He had always been responsible for overseeing the Pill Formula Wall.

The Pill Formula Wall connected many subordinate first-class kingdoms and was used to resolve issues arising in these guilds. Usually, nothing happened all year round, but today, before he even reached it, someone had activated it.

"Is it Tianwu First-Class Kingdom?"

The wall surface lit up, showing the location on the other side and who had activated it.

"Mu Yangfeng?"

He casually flipped open the register of alchemists, glanced at it, and frowned: "A two-star peak alchemist? It seems he should have passed the three-star assessment but hasn't had time to change his badge yet! However, having just passed the exam, activating the Pill Formula Wall to apply for a four-grade pill formula—isn't that too impatient?"

His face turned livid, his eyes like lightning.

Qi Shengyu was not opposed to alchemists eager to learn, but at the very least, they should have reached three-star peak before applying for a four-grade pill formula and attempting to refine it.

A guy who had just broken through, not even changed his badge, and came running to apply—what a joke!

"And it's the four-grade mid-stage Cold Yin Pill formula!"

After reading the name of the pill formula sent from the other side, he grew even angrier.

A newly promoted three-star alchemist might not even succeed in refining three-grade pills every time, yet he directly applied for a four-grade mid-stage pill formula...

Were alchemists these days all so impetuous?

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, he casually wrote down the payment for the transaction.

If he wanted a four-grade pill formula, fine—as long as he could produce the payment. If not, he should behave himself and stop reaching for what was beyond his grasp.

He deliberately tripled the price, intending to give the other party a warning and make him back off.

Sure enough, after the message was sent, the Pill Formula Wall fell silent, with no further movement.

"It seems that to deal with these ignorant fellows, one should make them retreat in the face of difficulty..."

Muttering to himself, he casually poured a cup of tea and took a sip.

Just as he thought the other party would find the payment too high and give up, a flash of light appeared, and a line of text slowly emerged.

"I have no spirit stones, but I can answer your questions. If you have any difficulties or things you don't understand, feel free to ask!"

Pfft!

He spat out a mouthful of tea.

Qi Shengyu's eyes bulged, and he coughed incessantly.

Ask?

Help me answer?

Qi Shengyu felt as if ten thousand divine beasts were stampeding through his mind.

Damn it!

I am a four-star mid-stage alchemist. If I had any difficulties or things I didn't understand, I would ask a five-star alchemist. You, a guy who just reached three-star, are so arrogant—aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?

He had thought the triple price would make him back off, but instead, the reply was so arrogant it drove him mad.

"Alchemist Qi? What's wrong?"

Just as he was about to lose his temper and teach this disrespectful fellow a lesson, the door creaked open, and an old man walked in.

The president of the Ten Thousand Nations Alliance Alchemist Guild, Su Lou!

The only four-star peak alchemist within the kingdom!

"Nothing, just that Tianwu Kingdom has produced a madman!" Qi Shengyu snorted, suppressing his anger.

"Madman?"

President Su was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood what had happened. His eyes widened as he stared at the Pill Formula Wall as if it were a monster.

What the hell!

A two-star peak, at most just broken through, speaking in the tone of a teacher, telling a four-star mid-stage alchemist to ask questions freely?

This wasn't just a madman; it was someone with a mental problem!

After all, no one with a shred of sanity would say such a thing!

No wonder Qi Shengyu was going crazy. Even he, upon first seeing it, felt dizzy and wondered if this Alchemist Mu Yangfeng had a few screws loose.

"Let me see his information..."

The Ten Thousand Nations Alliance Alchemist Guild, as the hub controlling the guilds of first-class kingdoms, kept records of all alchemist assessments, so everyone's information could basically be found.

Taking the information and reading it through, this guy... hadn't shown any remarkable talent; he could only be described as mediocre.

He had been at two-star peak for seventeen years without any breakthrough. How could he be so arrogant the moment he broke through?

Had his head been squeezed by a door, or kicked by some savage beast?

Su Xing blinked.

"President, what should we do?"

Qi Shengyu snorted: "Should we charge this guy with the crime of disregarding rank and revoke his alchemist qualification?"

On the continent, there were many professions of high, middle, and low rank, with strict hierarchies. Lower-ranked professionals were required to respect higher-ranked ones and treat them as teachers—that was the rule.

This guy was so arrogant and overbearing that he could certainly be charged with disrespecting rank and have his alchemist qualification revoked.

"Not so fast. Why not give him a question first? If he can't answer, we can punish him later," President Su said after a moment's hesitation.

Oddballs appear every year; you couldn't revoke someone's alchemist qualification just because they spoke arrogantly.

"Alright!"

Qi Shengyu nodded: "I happen to have a question I've been wanting to ask you, President, but never had the chance. I'll write it up now, and you can also see how he explains it! If he gives a random answer, I'll make him understand that the authority of a high-level alchemist is not to be challenged!"

"Mm," President Su Xing nodded.

Seeing his agreement, Qi Shengyu picked up his brush and wrote it down.

"When refining [Kui Hai Dan], the three ingredients—Purple Pearl Grass, Youyang Flower, and San Ye Qing—are combined strictly according to procedure. Why does the medicinal property still dissipate?"

Seeing the line he wrote, Su Xing nodded.

His question was quite tricky. Kui Hai Dan was a four-grade pill, and the combination of those three ingredients did indeed cause medicinal property loss, a mistake many four-star alchemists made.

Even he had not been immune back then.

Later, after much inquiry and exploration, he finally found the correct solution.

By asking this question, it seemed Qi Shengyu was truly angry, directly posing a problem even he himself found hard to solve.

"Even some five-star alchemists would struggle to answer this. I was lucky to find the answer in an ancient text. How could a newly promoted three-star alchemist possibly answer it..."

He sneered inwardly, looking at the Pill Formula Wall, curious to see what this arrogant fellow would reply.

...

On the other side.

Not only was Alchemist Mu going crazy, but even Jiang Chen and Alchemist Hong Yun were twitching their brows.

This was no longer just causing trouble; it was disregarding the hierarchical dignity of alchemists and challenging authority!

Once the other party confirmed the charge, they could directly revoke Mu Yangfeng's alchemist qualification!

"I'm afraid... the senior on the other side is furious!"

With a twitch at the corner of his mouth, Alchemist Hong Yun felt sympathy for Mu Yangfeng.

This guy's career was probably over...

Buzz!

Just as he was shaking his head, the wall surface flashed, and a line of text appeared.

"Kui Hai Dan?"

"Purple Pearl Grass, Youyang Flower, San Ye Qing?"

After reading the content, Alchemist Hong Yun was completely confused.

To be honest, he didn't even know what Kui Hai Dan was, let alone why these three herbs would lose their medicinal properties.

He sneaked a glance at Mu Yangfeng, who looked even more pained, his face twisted like he was constipated.

He then looked at the culprit, Liu Cheng.

This guy also looked bewildered, as if he didn't understand at all. Just as he was wondering how this would end, he saw Liu Cheng stand up, reach out, and wipe the Pill Formula Wall...

Then, picking up a brush, he wrote something.

...

"Sun-dry the Purple Pearl Grass for three days, remove the roots of the Youyang Flower, and use San Ye Qing that is within five years—not too old!"

Seeing the text quickly displayed on the Pill Formula Wall, Qi Shengyu stood up in fury, flames nearly shooting from his mouth and nose.

"Nonsense, utter nonsense!"

"Purple Pearl Grass is cold in nature and grows in shady places. Once sun-dried, its medicinal properties rapidly dissipate until they vanish. If you throw this herb out, it wouldn't last a day, let alone three!"

"Youyang Flower blooms only at the hour of You, when the setting sun sinks. Its blossoms are delicate, carrying the medicinal properties of heavenly fire descending and earthly fire reviving. The roots buried in the soil are the bridge connecting heaven and earth. If you remove them, what effect remains?"

"As for the last one, San Ye Qing, it normally takes ten years to mature. Herbs within five years are like ordinary grass, with no medicinal properties at all..."

"If you follow what he says, not only would the properties dissipate, there would be none left..."

Speaking faster and faster, Qi Shengyu's fists clenched until they cracked.

Any four-grade alchemist familiar with Kui Hai Dan would know the properties of these three main ingredients.

What the other party said was nothing but a joke, pure nonsense!

"President, no need to hesitate. This guy is definitely mentally ill. I move to revoke his alchemist qualification immediately..."

With a cold snort, Qi Shengyu turned his head, expecting to hear President Su's decision, only to see the usually composed president standing there dumbfounded, eyes wide.

"President..."

He couldn't help calling out.

"Ah?"

Su Xing finally snapped out of it, his lips trembling: "This... his method is not wrong at all, completely correct!"

"Correct?"

Now it was Qi Shengyu's turn to be dumbfounded.

Really?

"Purple Pearl Grass prefers shade and fears sunlight. It accumulates extremely heavy cold energy inside. When refining Kui Hai Dan, this cold energy blends into the herbs and affects the release of medicinal properties. It indeed needs sun-drying to resolve!"

"As for Youyang Flower, it is used as a neutralizing ingredient. If the roots are included, although the medicinal power increases, it actually goes too far, affecting the release of Purple Pearl Grass's properties and causing overall medicinal loss. The same goes for San Ye Qing..."

Su Xing's mouth fell open: "I read this in an ancient text. Many five-star alchemists find it hard to answer... How does he know?"

Qi Shengyu was stunned: "You mean he... is not wrong?"

"Not only is he not wrong, he is absolutely correct. I have verified it myself; there is no problem at all!"

Su Xing nodded.

"This... how is this possible?"

Qi Shengyu was going mad.

He had thought the other party was just a newly promoted three-star alchemist spouting nonsense, but he never expected that even a alchemy problem he himself couldn't solve was easily resolved...

Was it real or not?

Was he the four-star mid-stage alchemist, or was it the other guy?