“`
empire
“Impossible, absolutely impossible!” Shang Huan’s eyes were lifeless as he muttered incessantly.
“Don’t believe me? Want me to show you a thing or two?” Chen Mu glanced sidelong at Shang Huan.
“Believe, believe, believe, believe, believe, I believe!” Shang Huan quickly waved his hands.
“Three-tenths of the Insect Repellent Incense business for me will do,” Chen Mu said with a light chuckle.
After all, Gongsun Sheng could still collect another payment.
“But you have to disguise it well.”
“It’s best to change the style and name, creating brands similar to those of the Zhang Family and Li Family’s Insect Repellent Incense. Sell it in all the families, but not too much in each.”
“If it’s all concentrated in one place, the stall would be too big, and my newfound identity as an alchemist apprentice of the Pill Treasure Pavilion wouldn’t be very useful.”
“Understood!” Shang Huan had slowly regained his composure by now.
Chen Mu looked at Shang Huan, making sure he really took it in before feeling reassured.
After some idle chatter, Shang Huan surveyed the sparse room, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said, “This is too plain, let me help you bring some furniture up tomorrow.”
Chen Mu regarded Shang Huan with suspicion.
When had this fat man become so considerate?
“Would that be trouble?”
“No trouble,” Shang Huan waved his hand. “They’ve started planning to build Jade Spring Courtyard at the foot of the mountain, so buying various supplies is very convenient.”
He then chuckled, “I’ll get a few people to deliver things for you and use their mouths to spread the word. Let people know that we also have a backing!”
I knew it! Chen Mu rolled his eyes.
Already starting to ride on coattails?
But in truth, this was a good strategy, and he wouldn’t have to show his face.
“Alright then,” Chen Mu shrugged.
It saved him the trouble of going down the mountain to buy and move things, a joyfully lazy solution.
…
Shang Huan was very efficient.
By the next afternoon, he had brought seven or eight people, carrying brand-new tables, chairs, benches, cabinets, and other furniture for another visit.
“You really cultivated it?” Old Hao said incredulously, staring at Chen Mu.
“If it were fake, I wouldn’t be living here,” Chen Mu said with a smile.
“Uncle Hao, do you have any secret tricks that allow cultivation through planting Yellow Bud Rice?” Shang Huan teased with a chuckle.
“First there was Brother Mo, now Brother Chen, tsk tsk…”
Old Hao rolled his eyes: “If I had such secrets, how come you still couldn’t reach perfection with the Perceptive Spirit Light?”
“I taught you how to farm too.”
Chen Mu’s face, however, was a picture of strangeness.
Through the United Heart Curse, he could clearly see Shang Huan’s Jade Seed shone brilliantly.
Perhaps in a year or so, he would have completed the cultivation of the Perceptive Spirit Light.
Afterwards, as long as the Earth Spirit Vitality could keep up, he would eventually cultivate mana and break through illusion.
To teach three people the Perceptive Illusion Breaking?
Heh…
Although it was only about planting Yellow Bud Rice, his luck really was unmatched.
…
Originally, Chen Mu wanted to keep two of them for dinner, but Old Monk Hao and Shang Huan politely declined.
Chen Mu could only see the two off.
On the mountain trail, a group of people chatted as they walked along the stone steps.
“Shang Fatty, why didn’t you let us know in advance? What if we offended Brother Chen?”
“Exactly, exactly, Brother Chen is an Illusion Breaking High Cultivator and a future alchemist of the Pill Treasure Pavilion!”
“Now you know how amazing your fat daddy is?” Shang Huan said triumphantly.
“I have a longstanding relationship with Brother Chen; I’m not worried!”
“How about that, jealous?”
“Really didn’t see it coming, you actually have this connection!” The crowd exclaimed in admiration, looking at Shang Huan with different eyes.
“So, about tonight’s meal?”
“We’ll treat, we’ll treat.”
“Then what are we waiting for, let’s go, haha!”
…
Outside the cave dwelling, by the window of the alchemist chamber.
Chen Mu stood at the edge of the cliff, listening to Shang Huan boast, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Just as he was about to return to his room, an unfamiliar figure caught his eye.
The person was in his forties, wearing dark cyan clothes with a jade belt around his waist; his hair was done up with a brown wooden hairpin slanted in his bun.
Though the person was walking slowly, he reached Chen Mu’s cave entrance in just a few steps.
“Is this Brother Chen? I am Bai Xiuwen,” the man said with a warm smile and a cupped-fist salute, standing on the open ground in front of the door.
“I live just next to you, and I hope my sudden visit doesn’t disturb you,” Bai Xiuwen said, pointing towards the cliff side on the east.
Chen Mu realized, this was a neighborly visit.
Although this neighbor’s cave dwelling was hundreds of meters away, he truly was his neighbor.
“Wouldn’t you invite me to sit inside?” Bai Xiuwen joked.
A thought struck Chen Mu.
He had been wanting to find someone to gather information, and here was someone coming to offer exactly that.
Immediately with an enthusiastic face, he said, “I have not been a good host, please come in!”
…
“How to earn Daoist Jade?” Inside Chen Mu’s cave dwelling, Bai Xiuwen set his teacup on the brand-new tea table beside him, and unsurprisingly looked towards Chen Mu across from him.
“Would brother know how to absorb Vital Energy from the sources of demon energy?”
“`
The source of the demonic energy? What is that?
“That’s a pity.” Bai Xiuwen shook his head.
“Jade Spring Mountain has just been established, and we urgently need labor to clear the land and farm.”
“Da Qian Nation doesn’t have that many Shell Soul experts, so they can only rely on the Heavenly Demon Rebirth Pill to speed up the production of iron skin. The Rebirth Pill has become particularly valuable.”
“The source of the demonic energy is the main ingredient for the Rebirth Pill. Whoever can absorb it can earn Daoist Cultivation.”
“Is this the only way to earn Daoist Cultivation?” Chen Mu couldn’t help frowning.
“That’s not the case.” Bai Xiuwen gestured with his hand.
“The main ingredient of the Earth Rhinoceros Powder for the All-Disease Pill, the Jade Dew for the Soul Condensing Pills, and the Essence of the Vital Energy of Hundreds of Flowers for the Life Creation Pill, all of these can earn Daoist Cultivation.”
“What about the Essence of the Five Grains?” Chen Mu couldn’t help asking.
Bai Xiuwen sighed, “We can only say our luck is not good.”
“We?” Chen Mu’s heart stirred.
“I’m also learning the Five Grains Talisman.”
“In the past, twenty catties of the Essence of the Five Grains would fetch a Jade Seed, a hundred catties could get you a bit of Daoist Cultivation.”
“Now, there’s only a bit of Jade Money left.” Bai Xiuwen spread his hands in resignation.
Chen Mu’s brow furrowed deeply.
I bitterly practice the Five Grains Talisman experience, and now you’re telling me I can’t exchange it for Daoist Cultivation?
It really is as Liang Yi said, something has changed.
“It’s all because we caught up with the expansion and construction of the Jade Spring Mountain branch.” Bai Xiuwen curled his lips.
“Of course, whatever the branch desperately needs, they raise the price for that.”
“Using Daoist Jade, they force us, the fifty or so Alchemist Apprentices, to learn new talismans to assist the six Pill Masters in alchemy.”
Go learn new talismans? From whom? Where to exchange for the Secret Technique?
The more Chen Mu thought, the tighter his frown became.
If the branch is using Daoist Cultivation as an incentive for Alchemist Apprentices to learn new talismans, then there must be an exchange channel.
Direct exchange with Jade Money?
Chen Mu shook his head inwardly.
Techniques like Alchemy Tool Refining definitely wouldn’t be like those lesser secret techniques that are below Illusion Breaking.
He estimated, it wouldn’t only require a large amount of Jade Money, but also Daoist Cultivation.
But he didn’t have any Daoist Cultivation. Now he was stuck in a dead end.
“Being an Alchemist is great.” Bai Xiuwen lamented.
“No matter the branch’s needs, as long as you succeed in making Elixir Pills, you’ll get plenty of Daoist Jade Money.”
Chen Mu’s eyes suddenly brightened.
“What about the Fasting Pill?”
“Just produce two bottles of twenty Fasting Pills each, and that’s worth a bit of Daoist Cultivation, nine White Jade Coins.” Bai Xiuwen’s face was full of envy.
Chen Mu glanced at the experience on the grey wall and let out a sigh of relief.
In at most half a month, he would be able to try making the Fasting Pills.
Hey!
Isn’t this a stroke of luck!
…
“Becoming an Alchemist is too difficult!” Bai Xiuwen suddenly said in a low voice.
“You need to have a Secret Technique. And even if you have one, mastering the Condensing Talisman is a big obstacle.”
“And that’s not even the end of it.” Bai Xiuwen stood with his neck stiff and eyes bulging.
“The Pill Furnace has warm and cold cycles throughout the year.”
“But the Alchemy Secret Technique only tells you a range.”
“Without someone’s guidance and not knowing the tricks, out of a hundred batches of materials, you might only manage to make three to five batches of Elixir Pills.”
“Keep going, and it can bankrupt you!” Bai Xiuwen’s face was full of bitter memories.
Chen Mu’s heart also skipped a beat.
The Alchemy Secret Technique he had only gave vague instructions for the warm and cold cycles and the Qi Forbidden requirements.
If he blindly proceeded, the consequences…
“There’s no one in the pavilion to teach?”
Chen Mu couldn’t help thinking of the Lower Courtyard’s Scripture Transmission Institute.
This private tutoring model that charged money for lessons, surely it wasn’t unique to the Lower Courtyard?
“There is, but do you have Daoist Cultivation?” Bai Xiuwen glanced at Chen Mu.
Chen Mu’s heart sank.
This is troublesome.
“Fortunately, heaven doesn’t leave one without a path.” Bai Xiuwen suddenly smiled.
“Do you have a way, senior brother?” Chen Mu’s eyes lit up.
“Hey! I can’t help but mention our senior brother Qi Hui.”
“He’s one of the six Alchemists of Pill Treasure Pavilion, especially skilled in the Fasting Pill.”
“Casually giving us a few pointers can greatly benefit us.” Bai Xiuwei shook his head and swaggered, full of pride, indicating he had received such guidance.
“Of course, pie doesn’t just fall from the sky.”
“Fortunately, senior brother is kind. He doesn’t ask for Daoist Cultivation or money, just that we help him absorb the Essence of the Five Grains to assist his alchemy.”
“How about that, isn’t it a good deal?”
Chen Mu’s heart jumped.
Helping to absorb the Essence of the Five Grains, assisting in alchemy?
That means no pay, right?
They want us to work hard as laborers, for free!
His look towards Bai Xiuwen suddenly became amused.