Chapter 48 - 47: Thank You for Gifting Me the Great Treasure, Zhu Li

Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Thank You for Gifting Me the Great Treasure, Zhu Li

In an instant, nearly everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Xingyu Pill Association’s Alchemy Platform.

They had never seen anyone perform alchemy while clutching a wine jar.

The sight reminded them of an ancient rumor about alchemy, but it seemed too absurd to be true.

But just as quickly, they shook the ridiculous thought from their heads.

Wisps of flame were already beginning to rise as the alchemists started warming their Pill Furnaces.

The various flames were a dazzling sight. Flames fueled by different types of True Qi and Secret Techniques were inherently distinct, a crucial factor in determining an alchemist’s ultimate potential.

Of course, True Qi attributes and fire-channeling Secret Techniques were the concerns of ordinary alchemists.

What truly top-tier alchemists focused on were the Divine Patterns!

Light began to emanate from the bodies of the senior alchemists from the various clans. Profound patterns, some over the heart, others over the liver, pulsed with multicolored light.

The Heart Fire Divine Patterns were mostly red. Some shone as bright as a blazing sun, others were as dark as coagulated blood. Some were a ghastly white, while others bloomed like purple fire-flowers.

It was the same for the Liver Wood Divine Patterns. Though their dominant color was green, some held the vibrancy of spring, while others were as lifeless as stagnant water.

"They’re all masters!"

Zhao Ci couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. Every top-tier alchemist was a master who had successfully opened a Divine Treasure. Only by condensing a Divine Pattern could one draw upon the Five Elements Origin from the world. This not only transformed the corresponding element within their body but also awakened their Innate Divine Techniques.

Each opened Divine Treasure represented a qualitative leap in power.

’Too bad my own cultivation has only just begun. I can only watch with envy.’

’But I shouldn’t sell myself short. The Physical Body Divine Treasure is the foundation for the other seven, and a strong physique will be a huge advantage later on. I’m completely confident I can develop it to its absolute limit, so there’s no reason to rush.’

’Still... the Divine Patterns of the Feng, Zhu, and Yang Clans are so damn beautiful!’

’Especially that elder from the Zhu Family. His Heart Fire Divine Pattern blazed like a golden crow descending from the heavens, and his Liver Wood Divine Pattern was as vast as a primeval forest.’

The flame born from their union was exceptionally vibrant. It conveyed a sense of both domineering power and effortless grace—as if it could surge forward to incinerate mountains and plains, yet also retreat to gently warm one’s feet.

This was the mark of a true master.

Tributor Zhang’s Divine Pattern, in contrast, looked like it was covered in a layer of dust.

Of course, Zhao Ci wasn’t being harsh. Tributor Zhang was a dedicated and core member of his staff. It was just that the difference in their Divine Patterns was simply too stark.

It had to be said.

The heritage of the great clans was truly fearsome. It wasn’t something an ordinary person could ever hope to match through sheer hard work.

Seeing Zhao Ci’s envious expression, Zhao Yong felt a wave of relief. He cursed himself internally. ’What was I even worried about? The Xingyu Pill Association’s flames and Divine Patterns are this pathetic, and I was actually concerned?’

’How ridiculous!’

He smiled faintly, and it was unclear whether he was speaking to Zhao Ci or simply to himself. "The Zhu Family cultivates their Divine Treasures with Fire as primary and Wood as secondary. They walk the royal road of alchemy.

The Feng Clan focuses on Metal, with Wood as a supplement. They lack a strong Fire Element Divine Treasure, but their Wood Element Divine Treasure brims with life force, making their pills exceptionally nourishing.

The Yang Clan focuses on Wood, with Earth as a supplement. The medicinal properties of their pills are strange and unpredictable, beyond the comprehension of ordinary alchemists.

The Divine Patterns of these three families are on a level ordinary people can scarcely hope to attain. However, the merits we princes accumulate after establishing our own mansions can be exchanged for opportunities to have these families help us condense our own Divine Patterns.

Such a shame, such a shame!

Lao Shi, you took a risky gamble trying to win Father’s favor, but you completely forgot that merits are the only real way to increase your strength.

If you had just done your work quietly, you could have saved enough for an exchange opportunity in three years. But no, you had to set your prices this low. Forget three years—you won’t be able to pay back the merits you owe even in ten!

The first three years after establishing your mansion are the most crucial, yet you’ve squandered them.

You’re only hurting yourself and others!"

Hearing this, the other Pill Workshop Chief Stewards all nodded in deep agreement.

Merely from the process of warming the furnaces, the disparity in the alchemists’ skills was already obvious.

Zhao Ci’s head started to ache. ’This Brother Huang of mine sure loves to run his mouth!’

He couldn’t be bothered to argue with them, so he just propped his chin on his hand and pretended to doze off again.

At that moment, the alchemists from the Feng, Zhu, and Yang Clans, as well as the Yonghe Pill Workshop, had finished warming their furnaces.

One by one, they took out cleaned and prepared Qi Nourishing Grass and tossed it into the furnaces. The flames in their palms flared, simultaneously preserving the medicinal potency while quenching the impurities.

Their masterful technique made the eyes of every knowledgeable alchemist in the audience shine.

So this was the heritage of the three great Alchemy Clans?

The corners of Zhao Yong’s mouth turned up in an unconscious smile. He felt more and more that he was prone to needless anxiety. ’With a gap this massive, I was actually worried something might go wrong.’

But just then.

POP!

POP!

POP!

The sound of popping corks rose one after another. The Xingyu Pill Association’s alchemists had also finished warming their furnaces and were finally opening their strange wine jars.

On the viewing platform, Zhao Huan had been feeling rather bored. No matter how magnificent the Divine Patterns were, after decades of watching, he had grown tired of them.

But when he saw this, his eyes brightened slightly.

He knew this was Zhao Ci’s secret weapon, the source of Gu Xiangzhu’s confidence.

’I just wonder how well it works.’

He tapped his index finger lightly on the arm of his chair. In the next instant, a tiny wisp of Gang Qi shot through the air, so subtly that no one noticed.

The next moment.

CRASH!

A wine jar shattered, spilling medicinal liquid all over the ground. A stray wisp of flame landed in the puddle, which immediately ignited.

The young alchemist jumped in fright. He sat there, stunned and unsure what to do, until a sharp rebuke from Tributor Zhang spurred him into action. He scrambled to douse the fire with a wet blanket before bringing out a new jar.

A mysterious breeze swept through the venue, and before long, the air was filled with the rich aroma of herbs and wine.

Upon smelling the aroma, the expression on every alchemist’s face changed drastically.

This...

’This is bad!’

Every alchemist had a keen sense of smell. The liquid had only burned for an instant, yet the resulting medicinal fragrance was incredibly potent. It was a clear sign of just how purely the herbs within had been extracted!

’This is going to be a huge problem!’

SWISH!

SWISH!

SWISH!

Countless gazes, all filled with astonishment, landed on Zhao Ci.

Every alchemist had considered the idea of using a liquid solution for Quenching Medicine, but no one had ever succeeded.

The brewing techniques of the day simply weren’t advanced enough.

Other alchemists had tried using their own flames to concentrate the solution, but they ended up boiling away everything, liquid and all.

Over time, no one bothered to attempt such an absurd method anymore.

But now...

A sense of dread began to creep into the hearts of those from the various Pill Workshops. Even the Alchemists on the platforms felt their focus waver.

Zhao Huan’s eyes lit up even more. ’A treasure like this...’

His heart was filled with glee, yet his gaze grew hesitant, flickering between Zhao Ci and Gu Xiangzhu.

This Alchemy of Wine had completely surpassed his expectations!

Zhao Ci, however, ignored them completely. He remained in his feigned slumber, chin in hand, but his eyes were fixed on the subtitles floating above the heads of the Xingyu Pill Association’s alchemists.

’Nearly a hundred people, and every single one of them wishes to make a name for themselves. Each wish is worth ten comprehension points, so that’s almost a thousand total. The reward is something called a Fame Talisman... I wonder what it does.’

’My prediction was right. High-value wishes and batch-completed wishes are the way to go.’

「Meanwhile.」

The alchemists of the Xingyu Pill Association began the official alchemy process.

Using their True Qi, they guided the medicinal liquid into their Pill Furnaces, filling the entire arena with a chorus of SIZZLES.

In no time at all, the liquid carrier evaporated completely, leaving behind only pure medicinal essence.

Meanwhile, the alchemists who had been so far ahead just moments ago were still painstakingly quenching their herbs.

They looked like complete idiots.

GASP...

GASP...

GASP...

A series of sharp gasps rippled through the crowd.

Everyone was stunned speechless.

The Stewards from the major Pill Workshops felt their hearts sink. It was common knowledge that the quenching phase accounted for nearly seventy percent of the total time needed for alchemy.

But the Xingyu Pill Association had skipped this step entirely. Their process was now more than three times faster. This meant that as long as their alchemists’ True Qi held out, their production capacity had effectively tripled.

The Pill Workshops under the Xingyu Pill Association were all backed by smaller Alchemy Clans. While their skill couldn’t compare to the three great families, they certainly didn’t lack for manpower.

A threefold increase in production!

Even if all they produced were Low-Grade Qi Cultivation Pills, the impact on the market would be immense.

This, this, this...

Everyone began to panic. A palpable sense of dread filled the air, and beads of sweat formed on foreheads without anyone noticing.

They had all thought Zhao Ci had lost his mind.

But the moment this medicinal liquid appeared...

...the problems of both cost and output were solved in one fell swoop.

’We’re screwed!’

’This is a complete disaster.’

Zhu He could no longer contain himself. He leaned in and whispered, "Your Highness, what should we do?"

The Feng, Zhu, and Yang Clans would be relatively fine. They each had a solid customer base in their respective Vassal Territories. Losing a portion of their Court-related business wouldn’t be a crippling blow.

But the Yonghe Pill Workshop depended entirely on Court channels for its survival. Their initial investment had been massive. If they failed to secure the orders...

...they could genuinely end up in merit debt.

Good grief!

If our Mansion Officials join us only to be saddled with merit debt, they won’t be the Crown Prince Faction anymore! They’ll be the Debt-Repayment Faction!

Who could possibly put up with that?

Zhao Yong was struggling to keep his composure, but he forced himself to remain rational. "Don’t exaggerate! I know the skill level of their alchemists. Even if they flood the market with Low-Grade Qi Cultivation Pills, it won’t affect the mid- and high-grade markets. There are plenty of rising talents in the military; they won’t be satisfied with only low-grade pills."

He wasn’t just trying to comfort himself.

The overwhelming superiority of his alchemists gave him an incredibly stable customer base.

While he was bound to lose a significant number of orders, it was by no means enough to force him into operating at a loss.

But at that very moment.

...he suddenly saw Zhao Ci stir, as if waking from a light nap. The moment he awoke, his eyes fell on Zhao Yong.

Zhao Yong’s heart skipped a beat. "Lao Shi, you..."

Zhao Ci smiled. "If it weren’t for your help, the Xingyu Pill Association might have truly been stuck fighting for the low-grade pill orders. But... I must say, you are all truly honorable opponents."

’What... what does he mean by that?’

The Stewards of the various Pill Workshops exchanged uneasy glances, their sense of foreboding growing stronger.

But for the life of them, they couldn’t figure out how Zhao Ci planned to break their advantage.

Until...

Zhao Yong’s gaze fell upon Zhu Li!

Of the hundreds of alchemists on the Alchemy Platforms, she was the only one with not a damn thing to do.

With her hands clasped behind her back, she strolled around their platform, a beaming smile on her face, praising one alchemist for their masterful technique and another for their diligent effort.

It was the classic picture of a do-nothing manager.

At one point, she even shot a thumbs-down at the Zhu Family’s Alchemy Platform.

This...

An indescribable panic surged through him.

’What is she doing on the Alchemy Platform?’

’I’m asking you, what in the world is she doing on that Alchemy Platform!’