Chapter 14 Zhong Cai's Fame
Once everything was clear, Zhong Cai understood the situation and changed the subject.
"By the way, there are still 634 strands of elixir essence left. If I extract 10 strands at a time, I can extract more than 60. Do you think I should still extract them?"
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "So, do you want to smoke?"
Zhong Cai frankly said, "I don't really want to. The items in the White Flame Pool are only level one to three, and it wasn't very satisfying when we opened the gates. We can draw cards again when we need resources of this range in the future."
Wu Shaogan naturally had no objections.
Zhong Cai then began packing her things.
All the black pearls were put into the box, and the others were stuffed into wooden shelves or placed separately.
While he was busy, he asked, "We have so many Qi-replenishing pills. Apart from keeping a few low-grade ones for my cheap father, what do you think we should do with the rest?"
Wu Shaogan pondered, "You are talented and hardworking, and you have indeed produced too many pills..." Seeing Zhong Cai's increasingly smug face as he spoke, he suppressed a laugh and continued, "In my opinion, you can sell the pills to the Pill Hall, but you should conceal the success rate and the number of pills produced, so that no one can find out your true colors."
Zhong Cai counted on her fingers: "Refining twenty batches a day would be too fast, let's halve it. Let's reduce the success rate from 70% to 20%. Even if we only produce two batches a day, that's eighty batches in forty days. Let's reduce the number of successful pills to the level of an ordinary alchemist. An ordinary alchemist produces one to four first-grade pills per batch. Let's just say I produce an average of two pills per batch, totaling one hundred and sixty. Increasing the number by a few makes it less rigid... It's decided, one hundred and sixty-eight pills, all low-grade. I'll give the eight extra pills to my cheap dad, and sell the rest."
Wu Shaogan frowned: "Too much pressure."
Zhong Cai said dismissively, "Just tell me how my skill level compares to the other alchemists in Kunyun City."
Wu Shaogan said, "A little higher than most alchemists."
—In Kunyun City, the vast majority of alchemists are at the ordinary alchemist level. When they refine pills they are skilled at, the success rate is between 30% and 40%, while when they refine pills they are not skilled at, it is between 10% and 20%.
Zhong Cai shrugged: "Isn't that settled? I don't want to sell too many pills to the Wu family, especially not the high-quality ones."
Wu Shaogan was taken aback, his eyes softening slightly.
"Then sell half to the Wu family, and tell the outside world that the other eighty are for our own use. Keep the rest of the pills for now, and when you have refined more types of pills in the future, have Zhong Da secretly go to other cities and counties to sell them to pill shops with big backgrounds."
Zhong Cai immediately agreed, then said, "I'll learn another type of pill later, and once the success rate is stable, I'll alternate between refining it and the Qi-replenishing pill." He then hesitated, "I've chosen two formulas: one is the Yang-Extreme Pill, specifically for protecting the skull, and the other is the Jade Complexion Pill, which can keep a cultivator's appearance at its most beautiful. Which one do you think is better?"
Wu Shaogan pondered for a moment and said, "The most common head-protecting pills in Kunyun City are the three types you bought before. Is the Yang-Extreme Pill more effective?"
Zhong used his little finger to indicate, and said, "The efficacy is slightly better than the Head-Protecting Pill, and the medicinal materials are more common. Only the main ingredient is a rare medicine, so the total price of one dose is also cheaper."
Wu Shaogan understood and offered his suggestion: "Even a little is good. You need a head-protecting pill right now, so choose the Yang-Extreme Pill. That way, you can refine a high-quality one for backup sooner. The Jade Complexion Pill is in high demand, but there's no rush. We can discuss it later."
Zhong Cai thought that made sense and agreed, "Then let's go collect the medicinal herbs first."
Wu Shaogan said, "Let Xiang Lin go instead."
Zhong Cai also said, "It's a good opportunity to give him a few things as well."
·
The two left the cultivation room and summoned Xiang Lin.
Xiang Lin bowed and awaited instructions.
Zhong Cai gave him a list of medicinal herbs to purchase.
Wu Shaogan then gave Xiang Lin a small box and instructed him, "Inside are eighty low-grade Qi-replenishing pills. Go to the Pill Hall and sell them."
Xiang Lin accepted it respectfully, feeling somewhat shocked.
Although I guessed that Young Master Cai had already produced the pills, I didn't expect there to be so many. Moreover, the medicinal herbs on the list were unfamiliar. Could it be that he was about to start refining the second type of pill?
Wu Shaogan smiled and said, "I won't sell the remaining eighty-eight."
Xiang Lin immediately understood that he also needed to properly promote Cai Gongzi's alchemy skills on this trip.
Wu Shaogan then instructed, "Take these things and familiarize yourself with them."
Zhong Cai tacitly took out a sword, dagger, and sword manual from his storage bag, handed them over together, and said with a smile, "Here, keep up the good work."
Xiang Lin recognized the quality of these items at a glance, accepted them with both hands, and solemnly replied, "Yes. Your subordinate will do his utmost."
Wu Shaogan paused for a moment, then reassured Xiang Lin.
"Although I can no longer cultivate, A-Cai can. We are inseparable. When the time comes... please take good care of A-Cai for me and let him live a happy life."
Xiang Lin was startled, but then he understood that his master meant that he would transfer his death contract to Young Master Cai at the last moment.
Given Cai Gongzi's temperament, he wouldn't treat him too badly; this was, in fact, a favor from his master. Yet, amidst his gratitude, a sudden pang of sorrow arose in his heart: his master had always treated him well, and therefore, even though his master had been deposed, he had never regretted following him. If his master were truly... he would definitely protect Cai Gongzi well and, together with him, avenge his master!
Xiang Lin bowed deeply: "Yes, I will obey your command, young master."
Zhong Cai didn't like hearing Wu Shaogan say this, so he instructed Xiang Lin, "Take Zhong Da with you to the Pill Hall, and let him get familiar with the way."
Xiang Lin respectfully replied, "Yes."
·
Zhong Da was a stubborn man who never thought or asked questions. In his world, there were only two things: obeying orders and cultivating. He used to only listen to Zhong Cai, but later he learned that he also had to listen to Wu Shaogan and Xiang Lin.
After spending many years together, Xiang Lin also knew Zhong Da's temperament. While introducing him to the Danyao Hall, he led him to a quaint old house.
Zhong Dazai memorized the route meticulously, without making a single mistake.
The house had several doors, all of which were now open. Above the main door in the center hung a plaque with the three large characters "Dan Yao Tang" (丹药堂).
The air was filled with the fragrance of cinnamon, and many people were coming and going.
Xiang Lin led Zhong Da into the side room on the left.
There were many medicine cabinets in front of me, and next to them stood an elderly man with white hair and beard.
·
The old man's name was Wu Tianxin, 152 years old, a ninth-level cultivator at the Palace Opening Realm, and also quite knowledgeable in pharmacology, skilled in testing elixirs. Therefore, he was assigned to the elixir hall to handle elixir exchange matters.
The Wu family employs five alchemists, three of whom are level two alchemists and two are level three alchemists. They are required to refine a certain number of pills each month and submit them to Wu Tianxin for inspection and management.
However, in the vast Wu family, there are tens of thousands of direct descendants and their children living in the ancestral home alone. Add to that their family members, servants, attendants, and guards, as well as a large number of collateral branches who do not live in the ancestral home. The amount of pills they would consume would be enormous, far beyond what a few alchemists could provide.
The pills used by the entire family still need to be purchased in large quantities from certain alchemist forces and then distributed to this pill hall. When the Wu family members need pills, they come here to exchange them for gold and silver.
The main purpose of keeping those alchemists is to have them refine more specialized pills for unforeseen circumstances. It would be even better if they could grow to a higher level. Moreover, to prevent them from being poached by other families, four of the five alchemists are members of the Wu family, and only one second-level alchemist was originally a guest elder who later married a direct descendant of the Wu family.
·
Xiang Lin took out his Death Guard token, showed it to Wu Tianxin, and said, "Steward, I have been ordered to come and sell pills."
As he spoke, he took out a small box filled with pills and handed it over with both hands.
Wu Tianxin naturally recognized Wu Shaogan's bodyguard. After opening the box and inspecting it, he looked somewhat surprised: "Eighty low-grade Qi-replenishing pills?"
Xiang Lin said expressionlessly, "This was made by your new partner, Young Master Zhong Cai. Not long after his marriage, Young Master Cai suddenly opened his Divine Soul Treasury and summoned a second-grade top-quality pill furnace. He is now a first-grade pill master and can produce 168 pills in forty days. Young Master Cai means that he is willing to sell half of them to his family."
Wu Tianxin was taken aback, even more surprised, and couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Zhong, did you really just summon your companion treasure?"
Xiang Lin said, "Yes."
Wu Tianxin picked up a Qi-replenishing pill, examined it carefully for a while, and said, "The quality is good, and the alchemist's technique is quite skillful." He then did some calculations, stroked his beard, and praised, "Young Zhong has produced pills so quickly, and in such large quantities. He is truly talented and should be properly nurtured. He may very well achieve great things in the future."
Xiang Lin didn't reply, but listened quietly.
Wu Tianxin poured all the pills into a large gourd, then took out a tube of gold and handed it to Xiang Lin, saying, "One gold coin for each pill, totaling eighty." He then added gently, "If you have any more pills in the future, feel free to send them to me."
Xiang Lin responded and then introduced Zhong Da to Wu Tianxin, saying, "This is Young Master Cai's trusted bodyguard. He may deliver the pills in the future."
Wu Tianxin asked, "Have you processed the identity document?"
Zhong Da quickly took out a token, which was registered under Wu Shaogan's name, indicating that he was a servant in his household. When he was in the Zhong family, he also had a Zhong family identity token.
After examining Zhong Da's son's token, Wu Tianxin stroked his beard and nodded.
Afterwards, Xiang Lin took Zhong Da back.
·
After the two left, a member of the Wu family who had been peeking around from the side room couldn't contain his curiosity and rushed into the room, directly approaching Wu Tianxin and bombarding him with questions.
"Great-grandfather, is that Xiang Lin? He's here to sell pills. Could it be that my cousin Shao Gan's old stock?"
This man is named Wu Shaowei, and he and Wu Tianxin both come from the Thirteenth House.
Wu Tianxin always doted on this junior. Upon hearing this, he shook his head slightly and said with a kind expression, "They are not stockpiled goods. They are all low-grade Qi-replenishing pills, made by Shao Gan's partner."
Wu Shaowei was deeply shocked upon hearing this.
"My younger cousin's luck is just too good, isn't it? Although I..." He swallowed the rest of his sentence, "...and then my male wife became an alchemist in the blink of an eye, ugh—"
Wu Tianxin smiled and said, "This alchemist's talent is rare. If he achieves something, it will be a good thing for my Wu family."
Wu Shaowei nodded: "That's true."
He was thinking that he should find some time to visit his younger cousin.
·
The news that Wu Shaogan's new wife was already a first-level alchemist spread like wildfire throughout the Wu family.
During this period, Wu Shaogan kept a low profile and his marriage did not cause any trouble. After a while, the Wu family members stopped talking about it. Even though a few people were jealous, they were not foolish enough to cause trouble because Wu Shaogan was the son of the family head. They just secretly gloated.
Some people were sighing inwardly, thinking that Wu Shaogan was such a person back then, yet now a second-rate family like the Zhong family dared to look down on him and directly replaced the family's proud daughter with a boy who was suspected to be of low rank.
No one expected that the Zhong family's son, who married into the family, would have such good fortune. Moreover, with such high comprehension, wouldn't he very likely become a level three or even level four alchemist in the future? At that time, all we would need to do is buy him a higher-quality alchemy furnace.
As a result, this became a topic of conversation for many members of the Wu family.
"The Zhong family's son has now become our Wu family's alchemist. If the Zhong family knew, they would probably regret it to death. But who can blame them for being blind to our talent? Their strength is also inferior to our Wu family's, so they can only accept it."
"Shao Gan is lucky. Master Zhong's status is about to be elevated. Since we're husband and wife, we can't neglect Shao Gan anymore."
"In my opinion, Shao Gan's luck isn't that great either. If we want to keep Master Zhong Dan in our Wu family, it would be better to have him marry a Wu family girl. Then he'll have a wife and children, and his family will grow stronger generation after generation. That way, his relationship with our family will truly become closer. But if we do that, Shao Gan won't be able to keep him."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Master Zhong and Shao Gan have already consummated their marriage, how can they divorce? Besides, marriage is inappropriate, he has the Zhong family behind him, it would be more appropriate for him to marry into my Wu family. The head of the family should first improve his treatment, and when his alchemy skills have improved further, let him choose an outstanding woman from the Wu family, and let him willingly marry into the family. By then, Shao Gan's lifespan will be almost over, and it will be only natural for Master Zhong to welcome a new wife..."
Of course, if Zhong Cai's progress is not as expected, the Wu family girl he chooses will be more ordinary.
·
Xia Jiang, who had been monitoring Wu Shaogan's family while injured, was finally able to return and report to his master.
Wu Shao'an was already dissatisfied with Xia Jiang's incompetence, and upon hearing this news, he was furious and kicked Xia Jiang out.
"Useless! Useless! They all deserve to die!"
Xia Jiang was mentally prepared and flew backward without resistance. He immediately got up, lowered his head, and remained silent.
Wu Shao'an smashed the table next to him to pieces with a single palm strike.
Then, as if he had suddenly figured something out, he burst into laughter, his anger turning into joy.
"No, no, no, I've misunderstood. The family will definitely resort to tricks to keep the Zhong family members around. This is going to be interesting."
Xia Jiang's eyes were like stagnant water, without any ripples.
·
After Xiang Lin returned, before it got dark, Zhong Cai simply took him back to the Zhong family home.
Ever since Zhong Cai's last visit, Zhong Guanlin has instructed his subordinates to treat Zhong Cai as an honored guest and not to neglect her whenever she returns to her parents' home.
So when Zhong Cai arrived, he was respectfully led into the house by his servants. Even though Zhong Guanlin was still enjoying himself in the backyard, they first served Zhong Cai good tea and then hurriedly went to announce his arrival.
Zhong Guanlin arrived shortly afterward, still carrying the decadent scent of cosmetics.
Zhong Cai was already used to his father's behavior, so he wasn't surprised. He simply greeted him, "Dad, guess why I've come here this time?"
Seeing how happy he was, Zhong Guanlin raised an eyebrow, sat down opposite him, took the tea brought by the servant, and said with a smile, "Could it be that Little Six has already refined the elixir?"
Zhong Cai chuckled, took out a small box about the size of a palm, and pushed it to Zhong Guanlin.
Zhong Guanlin flicked his finger, and the small box opened.
In an instant, his expression changed slightly.
A full eight low-grade Qi-replenishing pills!
Xiao Liu's skills are even better than he expected...
Zhong Guanlin's expression became even more amiable.
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