Chapter 134 In the City Lord's Mansion
The City Lord's Mansion, just like Yuan Yifei, was "brightly colored," which was clearly intentional.
Sang Yunchu knew even more clearly that this was actually rebuilt by Yuan Bing, the city lord of Jiuqu City, specifically for Yuan Yifei.
Yuan Bing, like Jiang Chongguang, is at the peak of the Spirit Transformation stage, and has considerable power and wealth behind him.
The ceremony in which the two became Daoist partners was also held here.
Sang Yunchu glanced at Yuan Yifei, her eyes filled with mockery.
Yuan Yifei was quite frank, and said with a smile, "Your courtyard is still reserved for you. Would you like to go there and rest, or would you like Yuan Bing to prepare a good meal for you? We're all family here, so there's no need to be polite."
Sang Yunchu didn't stand on ceremony and said, "Of course I'll eat at your place first."
Yuan Yifei smiled and looked at Yuan Bing.
Yuan Bing nodded and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The airship landed on an open space behind the city lord's mansion.
Jiang Chongguang put away the flying boat.
Yuan Yifei led the group into the city lord's mansion.
·
Zhong Cai held Wu Shaogan's hand and quietly looked him over.
He always felt regretful at this time, wondering why he hadn't yet condensed his primordial spirit!
Once he condenses his primordial spirit, he can communicate with Old Wu through telepathy without any worries!
Instead of what's happening now, where lip-reading is considered impolite and shows a lack of manners...
Wu Shaogan squeezed Zhong Cai's hand, thus transmitting his thoughts.
Let's talk later.
Zhong Cai subtly curved the corners of her mouth at him.
·
The spiritual energy inside the city lord's mansion was much denser than outside, which must be due to the presence of a high-level energy-gathering formation.
Wherever there is an empty space between the long corridors, courtyards, and bridges, flower beds are set up, planted with rare medicinal herbs of different grades. They are colorful and varied in shape, and together with the architectural style, they have an indescribable beauty.
The plants along the pebble road are not ordinary trees and plants; there are common medicinal herbs, but most of them are also rare and precious medicinal herbs.
The air was filled with the fragrance of herbs, and rare medicinal herbs of grade four or five were everywhere.
There are also many ponds and lakes of various sizes, where precious medicinal herbs that grow in water are planted, and many of them bloom with full and exotic flowers, vying for beauty.
The buildings in the mansion are grand and magnificent, yet the details reveal a sense of composure, much like Yuan Bing himself.
The various sets and decorations make it look like a long-term "home" for Yuan Yifei and Yuan Bing, a place that reflects their personal style, rather than an ordinary residence where they just stay.
Moreover, Yuan Bing's feelings for Yuan Yifei and Yuan Yifei's response to Yuan Bing are evident in every detail.
·
Zhong Cai didn't observe deliberately, but everything came into his view without any concealment.
He tasted it, pondered it for a moment, and came to a conclusion.
Good.
But it's not as good as the ancient city he and Lao Wu visited.
The two seniors also had a deep relationship.
But his relationship with Lao Wu is still stronger!
This is what Zhong Cai wanted to talk to Wu Shaogan about.
Wu Shaogan sensed something and gave Zhong Cai a gentle smile without making it obvious.
The two remained largely silent, and even their occasional eye contact was extremely subtle.
·
Yuan Yifei said with a hint of pride, "I recently acquired a precious medicinal herb. I'll show it to you later."
Sang Yunchu laughed and said, "If it's just for a look, I have no interest."
Yuan Yifei snorted: "Do you want to move back to your house? You've already used Xuan Stone to build your house, and you still want our meager meager wages? That's too greedy."
Sang Yunchu glanced at the level-seven rare medicinal herb in the entrance of the artificial cave, and chuckled as he repeated, "Poor couple?"
Yuan Yifei said matter-of-factly, "Compared to you, I am naturally dirt poor..."
Jiang Chongguang walked casually on the other side of Sang Yunchu without saying a word.
Sang Yunchu asked, "Senior Brother Jiang, eat more later, so that this poor couple can have an even better time."
Jiang Chongguang remained cooperative and readily agreed: "No problem!"
Yuan Yifei took a closer look at Jiang Chongguang and recognized him. He was the Spirit Transformation cultivator who had escorted his friend during a previous alchemy exchange. He hadn't expected him to be accompanying him now as well.
Could it be that Brother Yun Chu hired him on purpose?
Upon seeing this, Sang Yunchu suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "I forgot to tell you, Senior Brother Jiang has taken Shao Gan as his disciple."
Yuan Yifei suddenly realized that the disciples he had taken in were actually Daoist partners, which explained why they seemed to have a much closer relationship.
He was thinking to himself that since he didn't know his friend had taken on a disciple, he should prepare a small gift for the occasion.
Sang Yunchu knew her friend well, so she deliberately glanced at him without saying anything, but her eyes seemed to say everything.
Yuan Yifei, being very knowledgeable, smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's just that we didn't have time. Cai'er definitely won't suffer any losses."
Sang Yunchu laughed and said, "That's more like it."
·
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan hadn't paid much attention to the elders' conversation, but when they heard the name "Cai'er" at the same time, they looked up.
It turned out that it was actually summoned by Alchemist Yuan Yifei?
At that moment, Zhong Cai understood perfectly.
The fact that Master Yuan Yifei addressed him so affectionately upon their first meeting shows how deep the friendship between his master and Master Yuan Yifei truly is.
Wu Shaogan suddenly transmitted his voice.
How about I call you Cai'er too?
Zhong Cai rolled her eyes and quickly stopped him.
Many elders can call her Cai'er, but A Cai is unique.
Old Wu is really silly when he's jealous.
Wu Shaogan seemed to have realized what was happening and transmitted his voice again.
Let's call her Acai.
Zhong Cai really wanted to laugh, but she almost couldn't hold it in.
·
Led by Yuan Yifei, the group arrived at a flower hall.
This hobby is somewhat similar to that of Sang Yunchu.
Sang Yunchu glanced at it and laughed, "Only thirty-eight kinds of exotic flowers are still a bit few."
Yuan Yifei feigned anger: "Why are you so picky? You only have thirty-nine kinds in your own flower hall."
Sang Yunchu corrected, "That's already forty-one."
Yuan Yifei looked sullen.
Zhong Cai, who was following behind, secretly found it a little funny.
He finally understood why his master always liked to drink tea in the flower hall and would occasionally tell him about the origins of those exotic flowers.
So you're trying to compare yourself to a friend who shares your interests?
·
The exotic flowers in the flower hall are actually made from seventh-grade rare herbs. Moreover, alchemists love rare herbs but are unwilling to waste them, so they must be able to bloom, but the flowers are not usable, and they cannot be ugly.
Then, it was used to decorate the flower hall.
It will naturally be more difficult to find them.
Therefore, even these two outstanding seventh-level alchemists only managed to find a few dozen types.
And because they were comparing with their friends, they all tacitly agreed not to choose the same thing twice—what if they saw the same thing in the other person's flower room? Then naturally, whoever used it first would replace the one used later.
·
Zhong Cai looked at the flower hall here and, as expected, it did not overlap with her master's.
But he knows them all.
His lineage has reached level seven, and with his master's guidance and access to classical texts, although he is not yet qualified to comprehend the corresponding alchemy techniques, he still needs to learn more about the various common and rare medicinal herbs at this level.
Of course, distinguishing them is also difficult.
After all, there are only flowers here, not whole plants...
·
Yuan Yifei was chatting with Sang Yunchu when he inadvertently noticed Zhong Cai's gaze and said with a smile, "Brother Yunchu, Cai'er is pure of heart and has quite a bit of insight."
Sang Yunchu was not one to be modest and said, "Cai'er has always been like this."
Zhong Cai heard this and quietly grabbed the hem of her husband's clothes.
Wow! You're praising someone like that to their face?
But then Yuan Yifei said, "As expected of the disciple you've chosen."
Sang Yunchu smiled gently: "My judgment is undoubtedly the best."
Zhong Cai gained a deeper understanding.
A level seven alchemist is that confident!
This is not surprising, though; he is only a level three alchemist, yet he is already very confident.
When he reaches level seven, he can hardly imagine how cheerful he will be!
Wu Shaogan gently stroked Zhong Cai's hand reassuringly.
Then, Yuan Yifei praised Zhong Cai highly.
Sang Yunchu accepted them all.
Yuan Yifei then asked about Wu Shaogan.
Sang Yunchu smiled and praised him as well, while looking at Jiang Chongguang.
Jiang Chongguang joined the conversation and began praising his own disciple.
Wu Shaogan: "..."
Zhong Cai pursed her lips, suppressing the urge to smile.
Yes! Old Wu is just that talented, just that amazing!
Praise him more, he loves to hear it!
Wu Shaogan noticed the look on his wife A Cai's face and felt a little helpless.
Compared to that, he would much rather hear his masters praise A-Cai...
·
After a while, Yuan Bing returned.
Accompanying him were many beautiful maids, each carrying a variety of delicacies, a veritable feast of rare and exotic foods.
Because the guests were exceptionally powerful, most of the dishes on the table were made from carefully selected level seven ingredients. Since there were also two younger guests, many of the ingredients were level two or three.
It has a wonderful color and aroma, and is rich in energy.
Yuan Yifei smiled and dismissed the guests, then invited a few more people to the table. He teased, "I told you to have more beauties around you, it would be more pleasing to the eye, wouldn't it? But you have a strange personality, you only use puppets."
Sang Yunchu raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, her eyes filled with a smile: "My puppets are extremely exquisite and handle things more efficiently. Aren't they more perfect than the beauties you keep?"
Yuan Yifei said, "Of course not."
Sang Yunchu didn't argue with him. He simply waved his hand, and a lifelike young puppet appeared beside him, whose strength had reached the seventh level—as if to confirm his words.
Yuan Yifei disagreed, but he didn't argue with Sang Yunchu.
·
Zhong Cai listened and then understood.
So, although Master Sang and Uncle Yuan have a good relationship and share similar temperaments, they still have disagreements.
Master Sang admires the skillful and meticulous carving of puppets, but he is even more fond of the craftsmanship.
Uncle Yuan really likes vibrant, lively people, feeling that it's more natural.
...Maybe so.
Zhong Cai was just letting her mind wander for a moment.
Meanwhile, he and Wu Shaogan ate their meal quietly, remaining attentive throughout.
·
Yuan Bing spoke very little and did not disturb Yuan Yifei and Sang Yunchu's reminiscing.
Occasionally, Yuan Bing would clink glasses with Jiang Chongguang.
Although Jiang Chongguang is usually quite rough and boisterous, he can be quite meticulous when he meets people he has just met.
For example, he used to always drink from a wine jar... but now he's holding a wine cup and toasting each other with Yuan Bing in a very proper manner.
·
After the meal, Yuan Yifei made sure everyone was settled in.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan arrived at a courtyard that was elegant yet understatedly luxurious.
This was specially reserved by Yuan Yifei for Sang Yunchu, and Sang Yunchu always stayed here for a while whenever she came.
There are many rooms here. Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan are Daoist partners, so they don't need to be separated at all. They were also assigned a very spacious room—the kind that connects to the alchemy room and the cultivation room.
After bowing to their masters and elders, the two returned to their room to rest.
·
With no one around and the soundproof and soul-suppressing array set up, the two finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan looked at each other, then both leaned back on the couch and laughed.
"Old Wu, how long do you think Master wants us to stay here?"
"Just do as Master says."
"That's right, Master is always right."
“A-Cai is right.”
Neither of them were actually tired, but after washing up a bit, they both fell asleep.
In her hazy state, Zhong Cai muttered to herself, "Master is showing off like this, and Uncle Yuan is even playing along. I reckon I'll be dragged out tomorrow..."
Wu Shaogan was also drowsy, but he still heard what Zhong Cai said.
Subconsciously, he also said, "Ah Cai, don't worry..."
The two of them then let themselves fall into a deep sleep.
·
The next day, Sang Yunchu summoned his disciple and his Daoist partner.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan then went to pay their respects.
Sang Yunchu said, "It was too late yesterday, so Yifei didn't introduce his disciples to you. Let's go and take a look together today. Cai'er, you should also go and get to know them." As he said this, he smiled slightly, "In the past, when Yifei took in those disciples, I gave them a lot of benefits. Today, he'll have to make up for it all with you."
Zhong Cai was taken aback, but immediately said, "Then this disciple will not stand on ceremony!"
Sang Yunchu couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Of course, there's no need to be polite." He then looked at Wu Shaogan and added, "You'll probably get a share too, Shaogan, so you don't need to refuse."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly and replied, "Yes, Master Sang."
Sang Yunchu nodded in satisfaction.
Then, the group went into the main hall.
Jiang Chongguang was originally waiting outside the door.
After Sang Yunchu came out, he was also called along.
Jiang Chongguang had nothing else to do, so he readily went along.
·
In the main hall, Yuan Yifei smiled when he saw everyone coming in an orderly fashion.
Sang Yunchu asked, "What are you laughing at?"
When Yuan Yifei was asked this question, he laughed even more heartily and said bluntly, "I'm laughing at your whole family. You're so short, standing next to Brother Jiang, you really look like a little bird clinging to someone, making people feel sorry for you."
Sang Yunchu had never noticed this before. Being brought up and teased made her both annoyed and amused. She turned to Jiang Chongguang and joked, "Senior Brother Jiang, I'm being made to look so bad in comparison, and even being ridiculed by my friends. It's all because you're too tall and imposing."
Jiang Chongguang thought for a moment, "What's the big deal?"
As a result, in everyone's sight, his figure suddenly became shorter, proportionally smaller.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Chongguang grew to be about the same height as Sang Yunchu. Although he was still tall and strong, his imposing presence was much less, and he was just an ordinary handsome male cultivator.
Yuan Yifei and Sang Yunchu were just bickering, but unexpectedly, Jiang Chongguang pulled this stunt.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were also surprised, but after thinking about it, they realized that this was exactly the kind of thing Master Jiang would do!
Yuan Yifei couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Sang Yunchu knew that Senior Brother Jiang was seriously trying to save face for him, so he couldn't laugh. For a moment, it was a bit hard to keep a straight face.
Jiang Chongguang didn't care; since he had already done it, it would just shut him up.
Yuan Bing, who had been silent and unassuming, suddenly spoke up, praising, "Excellent skill!"
Jiang Chongguang replied frankly, "It's just a little trick."
·
Actually, this is no small trick.
Many savage beasts and rare beasts will automatically inherit this ability in their bloodline after reaching a certain level, allowing them to freely change their size.
However, for cultivators, to acquire this ability, they must temper their physical body at each stage, cultivate relevant secret techniques, and hone their skills for a long period of time before they can achieve it.
The resources consumed during this process will inevitably be substantial, and the pain during cultivation will be unbearable.
Normally, cultivators learn this in order to raise their physical level to a level similar to that of the giant beasts they fight, so that they will not be suppressed by them.
Jiang Chongguang was no exception.
After mastering this secret technique, his body could become as large as a mountain.
The main purpose was to fight the savage beasts hand-to-hand.
As for shrinking like this now...
It was just something we did for fun.
Basically, most of the time, this is completely unnecessary.
·
Zhong Cai was somewhat shocked and exchanged a glance with Wu Shaogan.
In just that one glance, the two exchanged a tacit understanding.
—Old Wu, would you like to learn Master Jiang's secret technique?
—That's quite interesting, we'll see.
If they really want to learn, Master Jiang probably won't refuse them; he might even provide them with some additional resources.
The only question is whether they have the time to learn.
Especially for Zhong Cai, who wants to become a powerful alchemist, there is already a lot to learn, and it may not be possible to wait for the time to hone her skills.
However, Wu Shaogan has more time.
Zhong Cai imagined it for a moment.
If his old man Wu were to learn this, he'd become as tall as a mountain...
Hey! He can climb the mountain directly on Old Wu's body now!
As she thought about it, Zhong Cai's eyes brightened.
And Wu Shaogan...
He and Zhong Cai had the same idea.
This secret technique that can change one's body shape is very helpful in improving combat power.
Wu Shaogan wanted to be the strongest, and he was willing to try any method that could enhance his own strength.
Once he gets back, he can make a decision by arranging the schedule.
·
This little incident passed quickly.
Yuan Yifei smiled and called Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan to him. Without any hesitation, he began to stuff things into their hands.
He first took out a mustard seed bag and handed it to Zhong Cai, saying, "It's our first meeting, and Cai'er is Brother Yun Chu's only disciple, so this is a gift that should be given."
Zhong Cai honestly accepted it.
Yuan Yifei smiled and said, "Cai'er, take a look first, are you satisfied?"
Zhong Cai obediently checked it out.
Yuan Yifei added, "You should also show it to your master, so he won't scold me for being stingy."
Zhong Cai was still obedient and said to his master, "Uncle Yuan gave me 300,000 low-grade Xuan stones and a level 6 flying boat."
Sang Yunchu smiled and said, "It's alright."
Yuan Yifei snorted and took out two more mustard seed bags.
The bags are tied together with thin red string, and even the pattern on the bags themselves looks like intertwined branches.
He took Zhong Cai's and Wu Shaogan's hands and placed them in their palms.
Yuan Yifei said, "This is a wedding gift for you." He didn't care about anything else, glanced at Sang Yunchu, and mocked, "Your Master Sang is only concerned with puppets and has few living people around him. I suppose he can't find a Daoist partner. I don't know when I will be able to get an invitation to his ceremony, so I might as well give you one first, so that your Master Sang can share in the joy."
Zhong Cai's lips twitched slightly.
So, does Uncle Yuan think his master is destined to be alone forever? That's why he wants to repay some of the favors he's received from him and Lao Wu first?
Yuan Yifei urged, "Take another look, do you like it or not?"
Zhong Cai had a good grasp of Uncle Yuan's temperament and was quite cooperative.
Wu Shaogan is currently a Daoist companion type accessory, which also complements Zhong Cai.
The two then discovered that Uncle Yuan was quite generous.
Each mustard seed bag contains 200,000 low-grade mystic stones.
Besides this, Zhong obtained rare herbs of various grades, with the most being grade four and the fewest being grade six.
Wu Shaogan obtained seven or eight level-four hard bows, two level-five hard bows, and one level-six hard bow.
They all look pretty much the same.
That's really thoughtful.
As a wedding gift for a cultivator who is only at the second or third level, it is already very generous.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan showed it to Master Sang as usual.
Sang Yunchu looked at it, smiled, and said, "It's alright."
Yuan Yifei was too lazy to pay him any attention.
·
So Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan made this trip, and their harvest from the low-grade black stones alone amounted to a full 700,000!
If converted to Xuanzhu (mysterious pearls)...
Seventy million Mystic Pearls!
That's another huge fortune.
·
Therefore, there are many benefits to becoming an apprentice.
Not only does the master provide subsidies in various aspects, but if the master also has a few friends, wealthy friends will be very generous, and even friends who are not wealthy will give gifts. These gifts are all extra and considerable wealth for the disciples.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan only met one of their master's old friends.
This old friend happened to be a seventh-level alchemist who was incredibly wealthy.
Their wealth increased dramatically in an instant.
·
After giving them what they needed, Yuan Yifei didn't call them back, but instead asked them a few questions gently.
Despite his seemingly arrogant appearance, once you get to know him, he is not only very interesting, but also very gentle towards younger people.
Zhong Cai had a very good impression of her master, this old friend.
Wu Shaogan also thought this uncle was a good person.
Seeing this, Sang Yunchu smiled, took a sip of tea, and asked, "Where are Ting'er and the others? Aren't they coming over?"
Yuan Yifei said, "What's the rush? I've already sent someone to call them."
Sang Yunchu then said to Zhong Cai, "Your Uncle Yuan has three disciples. The eldest is named Ji Ting, who is already a Level 5 Alchemist; the second is Mi Wanyue, a Level 4 Alchemist; and the youngest is seven or eight years older than you, named Lu Yuning, who is now a Level 3 Alchemist."
Zhong Cai wrote them down one by one.
Since we are all Uncle Yuan's disciples, we should still address each other as senior brothers and sisters when we meet.
The same applies to Wu Shaogan.
·
As they were talking, several footsteps came from outside the door.
Cultivators are always as light as swallows, and these footsteps were somewhat deliberate, as if to deliberately remind them of their arrival.
Soon, three figures walked in.
They all looked young.
The handsome and dashing man at the front didn't deliberately display any imposing manner, but he still gave off a peculiar and unapproachable vibe.
Slightly behind was a stunning woman dressed in red, with fiery red lips, exuding an air of arrogance—not fitting the stereotypical image many cultivators held of alchemists.
Further back was a handsome young man with somewhat feminine features, who looked gentle and kind.
These three people were Yuan Yifei's three disciples.
They not only look young, but are actually not considered old among cultivators.
The earliest one was accepted only a few decades ago, back when Sang Yunchu and Yuan Yifei first met.
·
Upon approaching, all three bowed.
The handsome and gentle man at the head of the group smiled at Sang Yunchu and said, "Uncle Sang, why didn't you give me a heads-up? I could have gone to greet you."
Sang Yunchu chuckled: "If Ting'er continues to be so polite, Uncle will have to tell you all the funny stories from your childhood."
Jiting immediately begged for mercy: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
The beautiful woman, Mi Wanyue, originally wanted to say something, but since even her senior brother had backed down, how could she dare to open her mouth?
The youngest one, Lu Yuning, didn't say a word at all.
Sang Yunchu pointed to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan and introduced them to them.
Ji Ting was very sensible and immediately handed over two mustard seed bags, giving one to Zhong Cai and the other to Wu Shaogan.
"A gift to mark our meeting, a congratulatory gift."
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan thanked them.
Next were Mi Wanyue and Lu Yuning, each of whom had made preparations.
Ji Ting added apologetically, "We really didn't know what our two junior brothers were lacking, so we gave them some small change. Please don't mind."
Zhong Cai said with a bright smile, "Of course I don't mind! Thank you, senior brothers and sisters!"
Mi Wanyue and Lu Yuning also smiled and exchanged a few words with Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan.
Seeing the harmonious interaction among the group, Sang Yunchu and Yuan Yifei smiled slightly.
Wu Shaogan observed the three men discreetly, and had a good idea of what was going on in their minds.
In comparison, Ji Ting and Mi Wanyue were very close to them, while Lu Yuning, although also amiable, did not seem particularly close.
Wu Shaogan regained his composure.
Interpersonal relationships depend on fate; as long as there is no malice, there is no harm in it.
Zhong Cai smiled but didn't say anything.
Of Uncle Yuan's three disciples, he had the best impression of Senior Brother Ji Ting.
He pondered it, and it seemed that his master also favored Senior Brother Jiting the most.
It's not surprising, though. I heard Master mention Ji Ting's childhood before, so Master probably watched Ji Ting grow up.
The feelings will naturally be different.
·
Having gotten to know everyone they needed to, the masters had their own conversations and then told the younger generation to go and have some fun on their own.
Ji Ting was naturally in charge of entertaining Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan.
Zhong Cai didn't want to bother these senior brothers and sisters, but Ji Ting and the others were very enthusiastic.
So after the masters told them to leave, Ji Ting led the couple out of the city lord's mansion.
Go for a stroll inside the Nine-Bend City.
Zhong Cai had only seen a rough outline before, but now that she heard about going out, she was naturally very interested.
·
A luxury car was driving on the street.
Jiting and his group were very famous in Nine Turns City, so if they really went out like this, they would either have to take pills to cover their faces or hide in this mode of transportation.
Zhong Cai leaned against the window and looked outside.
There were so many pedestrians on the road, and all kinds of shops and stalls were everywhere.
Most of the cultivators coming and going didn't seem anxious, which showed that life in Nine Curves City was quite comfortable.
Zhong Cai looked closely and saw that there were many stalls and shops selling various kinds of medicinal materials, and it was also common to see pill shops on the street.
This density is very high compared to ordinary cities.
Ji Ting noticed Zhong Cai's gaze and somewhat curious look, so he smiled and explained to him, "Since my master became the city lord, he has been more dedicated to training alchemists and has been encouraging this kind of medicinal herb business. He has also organized many alchemist-related activities."
"Over time, such business will naturally increase. Not only will the number of alchemists increase, but alchemists from nearby cities will also be willing to come and visit more often, and after visiting more often, they will become permanent residents."
"This place frequently hosts alchemist exchanges, which greatly attracts alchemists..."
Zhong Cai listened and nodded.
Wu Shaogan, who hadn't spoken much before, suddenly asked, "Senior Brother Ji, are there any alchemist events lately?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Ting understood Wu Shaogan's meaning and immediately laughed, "Junior Brother Wu and Junior Brother Zhong truly have a deep friendship."
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were already used to being praised, so they weren't shy at all; instead, they smiled at each other.
Gitting felt a little regretful, but he was also increasingly certain of why his two junior brothers were so used to it.
Then, Ji Ting's impression of Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan improved even more.
After all, his master and his master's father had always been deeply affectionate, so he would naturally have a greater fondness for this type of couple.
Mi Wanyue did the same. At this moment, she took the initiative to say, "There is the Danlou just ahead."
Zhong Cai then asked, "What Danlou?"
Gitting explained, “It’s similar to the examinations for many alchemists.”
He then went on to explain in detail.
·
The Pill Pavilion is an activity exclusively for alchemists, encouraged and supervised by the City Lord's Mansion, and supported by the cooperation of various alchemist factions. It has been running for over twenty years.
It was a towering building with at least a hundred stories, soaring straight into the clouds.
There are various types of assessments on each floor.
Most of the time, the test involves a specific type of elixir, but each alchemist encounters something different upon entering.
Sometimes, there will be assessments to test the alchemists' accumulated knowledge, such as identifying and processing medicinal materials, understanding alchemical formulas, and other aspects of alchemy.
To be fair, the difficulty of the assessment is the same for everyone on the same floor.
·
The first forty floors are for level three alchemists; the middle thirty floors are for level four alchemists; and the last thirty floors are for level five alchemists.
Alchemists who participate in this activity will receive a generous reward for every ten floors they climb.
If the requirements of a certain floor meet the highest standards recognized by Danlou, a reward will also be given.
These rewards include, but are not limited to, various medicinal herbs, mysterious pearls and stones, elixirs, classic texts, cultivation techniques, and other resources... everything imaginable.
Therefore, it is very attractive to alchemists.
Moreover, making a name for oneself in the alchemy hall can also enhance the reputation of alchemists.
The price for hiring renowned alchemists to refine pills is naturally higher.
Naturally, quite a few alchemists come to participate in the stair-climbing activity every day.
·
With Ji Ting's introduction, the group quickly arrived in front of the Danlou.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan got out of the car and looked up, immediately seeing the Danlou Pavilion.
It is indeed very tall, and at first glance it looks a bit like a tower, but the actual shape is quite different.
Each floor has many rooms, which should be able to accommodate multiple alchemists climbing the floors at the same time.
Sure enough, there were quite a few cultivators coming and going in front of that tall building.
Many of these alchemists wore a badge.
Zhong Cai raised her eyebrows.
It's somewhat similar to his badge assessment at Azure Dragon Academy.
The only difference is that the shapes of the badges are not similar.
·
Ji Ting laughed and said, "At most thirty cultivators can enter the Pill Tower each time. However, no matter which alchemist enters, they must start from the first floor again; they cannot be added to the first floor."
"If the alchemist climbs to a different floor this time than last time, only the current floor number will be recorded. After climbing again, the floor rewards that the alchemist has already received will not be received again next time."
Zhong Cai exclaimed, "They're quite strict."
Mi Wanyue smiled and said, "Of course we have to be strict. After all, the rewards issued by the Pill Pavilion are quite valuable. If they could be obtained easily, how could they deserve such a reputation? If the next floor is not as good as the last one, it is only because the alchemist has not pursued enough and has regressed. Naturally, he should be given a warning."
Zhong Cai listened and nodded, saying, "That makes sense."
When Mi Wanyue heard Zhong Cai say this, she genuinely agreed and had a better impression of him.
Lu Yuning looked up at the Danlou Tower and said, "Climbing the tower is still very difficult."
Ji Ting smiled and said, "Yu Ning, you only climbed to the ninth floor last time, which is still quite lacking. You need to work harder."
Lu Yuning lowered her eyes and replied meekly, "Yes, senior brother."
Zhong Cai looked at the two fellow disciples and said hesitantly, "Senior Brother Lu, the ninth floor?" He said sincerely, "It seems that climbing this building is indeed very difficult. Even Senior Brother Lu can only reach the ninth floor."
Ji Ting said, "Don't you doubt Yu Ning's alchemy skills?"
Zhong Cai said matter-of-factly, "Since he can be accepted as a disciple by Uncle Yuan, Senior Brother Lu's talent is beyond doubt. The fact that he can only climb to the ninth floor means that the level must be extremely difficult."
Gitting nodded: "It is indeed difficult."
At this moment, Mi Wanyue also sighed, "I am a fourth-level alchemist, and I can only climb to the fifty-first level."
Giddings said, "I'm only on the eighty-third floor."
If you do the math, Mi Wanyue can only climb to a dozen or so levels in the fourth tier, and Ji Ting is the same in the fifth tier.
They were both very talented, but that's all they achieved.
If other alchemists were to come and climb the stairs, most of the floors would probably be even lower...
·
And that is indeed the case.
In front of the Danlou, there are three black flags, made of an unknown material, standing tall.
Each flag has many names written on it.
The first side represents a level three alchemist, the second side represents level four, and the third side represents level five.
After each of the densely packed names, a number was marked—the floor number where they were located.
·
Don't be fooled by the fact that Ji Ting only climbed a dozen or so floors; he's actually already the third-ranked fifth-level alchemist.
Mi Wanyue is ranked first in the fourth level.
Lu Yuning is also among the top ten of the third-level alchemists.
However, his relatively low ranking is only because he is still young. Once he studies for a longer period of time, he can quickly rise in the ranking.
A little inquiry reveals that all those ranked above Lu Yuning are veteran alchemists with years of experience.
These three disciples did not disappoint the teachings of Yuan Yifei, a seventh-level alchemist.
·
Zhong Cai let out a breath and asked, "How do I climb this building?"
Ji Ting asked with a smile, "Junior Brother Zhong, would you like to give it a try too?"
Zhong Cai said without hesitation, "Since we're here, we should give it a try."
Ji Ting readily agreed, "Then let's go straight in. Junior Brother Zhong, don't worry, it's just alchemy. The Pill Pavilion will provide the formula or make some requests, and Junior Brother Zhong just needs to follow them."
Zhong Cai readily agreed.
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