Chapter 10: A Glimmer of Hope
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"My Dan Han Drug Refinery has three main products. The first is the Blood Replenishing Pill. This pill is very good at treating physical injuries. You were born in the Northern Qin Prefecture. Naturally, you should know that Cheng Yu State and the neighbouring states have wars every year. That's why our Blood Replenishing Pill is very popular."
Mo Wuji did not express his views. He really did not know about the regular wars.
Lu Jiujun continued, "The second is the Bone Strengthening Pill. This pill is for martial artists, who do not have spiritual roots. It will help in their martial arts practice and enhance their abilities."
"Martial artists?" Mo Wuji asked in doubt.
Lu Jiujun nodded, "Brother Mo is of nobility. Naturally, you would not have heard about this. In fact, there are few people with spiritual roots. Most people only have mortal roots, and to enhance their strength, they practise martial arts. Practising martial arts to the peak can make you comparable to the experts with spiritual roots."
In Lu Jiujun's view, Mo Wuji's grandfather was a drug refiner, and a cultivator with spiritual roots. This kind of family probably looks down on martial arts, and it was normal for them not to know of it.
Mo Wuji's heart skipped a beat. If he is really unable to have spiritual roots, isn't it possible for him to practise martial arts?
"The third pill is the most famous one in Dan Han Drug Refinery, it's the Spirit Elevating Pill. This pill contains many rare medicinal ingredients, and it even contains a kind of spiritual ingredient. It is useful to cultivators who have opened their spirits. It can help them quickly gather the essence from heaven and earth. My Dan Han Drug Refinery was able to gain some reputation in the entire Xing Han Empire due to this Spirit Elevating Pill," Lu Jiujun proudly said. Obviously, this pill had quite a good reputation.
Mo Wuji asked again, "Old Lu, I heard that elixirs have different grades. I wonder what grade of elixir is this Spirit Elevating Pill?"
Hearing Mo Wuji's words, Lu Jiujun's old face turned red, embarrassedly said, "If it is of top grade, wouldn't that be great? But the Spirit Elevating cannot be considered an actual elixir. However, it is one of the few drugs in Cheng Yu State which can help cultivators. Later on, my Dan Han Drug Refinery was not able to keep up in discovering new drugs, and lost out to others in price. Regarding the Spirit Elevating Pill, it requires some spiritual ingredients which we cannot typically get, resulting in where we are today."
Mo Wuji came to understand, Dan Han Drug Refinery did not even have its best product, the Spirit Elevating Pill, to sell. And from another perspective, this Spirit Elevating Pill was not even considered an elixir.
"How much does Brother Lu know about cultivators and cultivation?" Mo Wuji did not care about what Dan Han Drug Refinery used to produce. He cared more about what he can develop here. As long as he can develop something good, he can make a lot of money. In turn, with more money, he can attempt to open his spirit.
Lu Jiujun heard Mo Wuji's words, and suddenly started questioning whether he was right about Mo Wuji. If Mo Wuji inherited the skills from Mo Tiancheng, why would he ask such questions?
Mo Wuji immediately felt Lu Jiujun's doubts, hurriedly said, "Old Lu, even though I am unable to create elixirs for cultivators, I intend to work in this direction. Previously, I was bent on restoring my country, and did not care about these things. Now that I have decided to be a drug refiner, I naturally need to know more."
Lu Jiujun agreed with these words. Mo Wuji was right; the real way to earn money was not through ordinary drugs, but elixirs which cultivators could use.
After pondering for a moment, Lu Jiujun said, "I do not know much about cultivators, but I heard that the Cheng Yu State Protector is an expert who is infinitely close to the Earth Realm... ..."
'Wait, wait, what is an Earth Realm expert?" Mo Wuji quickly asked.
Lu Jiujun helplessly explained, "I am also not very clear, but I know that he is very, very strong. Most of the cultivators in Cheng Yu State are merely in the Human Realm. The Human Realm has three stages: Meridian Expansion, Spirit Building, and Escaping Mortality. One will enter into the Earth Realm only after exceeding the Escaping Mortality stage. Meridian Expansion is first stage after opening the spirit. I heard that the strongest geniuses open 99 spirit channels during the Meridian Expansion stage.
To a person with spiritual roots, more spirit channels and tougher and wider ones would result in faster cultivation. Among others in the same stage, he will be stronger, and he will have greater potential. For people like us, with mortal roots, are generally unable to open any spirit channels.
Mo Wuji suddenly had a great idea, and got really excited. "Brother Lu, is it only those with spiritual roots can open and expand the meridians?"
Lu Jiujun gave Mo Wuji a blank look, "Its spirit channels, not meridians."
"Oh, aren't spirit channels the same as meridians? Arteries and veins, aren't they also the same thing?" Mo Wuji laughed. He was also not very sure, but he guessed that it should be so.
Lu Jiujun got confused, and can only say, "But it's for sure, people with mortal roots do not have meridians. Only those with spiritual roots and opened their spirits have them, and can open their meridians."
Influenced by Mo Wuji, Lu Jiujun started saying meridians instead of spirit channels.
Mo Wuji secretly clenched his fist. In his previous life, his lover plotted against him because he developed a solution which can open and expand the meridians. If he could develop the same solution here, isn't it possible for him to cultivate like those with spiritual roots?
The moment this idea came out, it was like a burning flame which Mo Wuji could not contain. This rash hope became more and more exuberant.
"Brother Lu, I am sure I can have Dan Han Drug Refinery regain its past fame. However, I have two requests," Mo Wuji no longer asked about cultivation. He could see that Lu Jiujun did not know much about it.
Hearing Mo Wuji's words, Lu Jiujun's spirits were lifted, immediately saying, "As long as Master Mo is able to bring Dan Han Drug Refinery back to its past glory, not just two, I will even agree to ten requests."
As Mo Wuji's words deeply excited him, Lu Jiujun started to call him Master Mo, instead of Brother Mo.
Mo Wuji nodded, "First, this laboratory is my personal territory. No one is allowed to enter without my orders."'
"No problem." Even if Mo Wuji did not mention this request, Lu Jiujun would also not be able to hire another drug refiner.
"Secondly, I will need a variety of medicinal ingredients for my research; I may even need spiritual ingredients. I hope that Dan Han Drug Refinery will be able to meet these needs,” This was Mo Wuji's main focus.
Mo Wuji did not know whether the solution he developed on Earth can open spirit channels and allow essence to be absorbed, but he must try. If he succeeds, it means that he would be able to cultivate despite not having spiritual roots.
Lu Jiujun hesitated before saying, "Master Mo, if Dan Han Drug Refinery is able to make profits, this will also not a problem."
Mo Wuji stood up, smiled and offered his hand, "Old Lu, I look forward to working with you. Choosing me to be your Chief Drug Refiner was a very wise decision."
Lu Jiujun did not understand the meaning behind Mo Wuji's hands, but he bitterly smiled and shook Mo Wuji's hand. Whether this was a wise choice, he did not know.