Chapter 64: Influence
Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Influence
Perhaps because it was backed by two Foundation Establishment Great Demons, a great many Demons came to celebrate the opening of the Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop.
Even Lujiao Mountain sent representatives.
Langlang Mountain had opened several shops in the Marketplace, but in terms of scale, the Elixir Workshop was the largest.
Thus, after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Sequence Elders chose the Elixir Workshop as the venue for the final reception and networking.
As the Chief Alchemist of the Elixir Workshop, Xu Chang’an naturally had to make an appearance and greet guests at such an event.
In the midst of greeting and seeing off guests, the Sequence Elders naturally made a point of introducing Xu Chang’an to the visitors.
"This is our Langlang Mountain’s Chief Alchemist, Elder Grey Rat."
"A great honor, a great honor~"
"Elder Grey Rat, a pleasure. I hope we can count on your support in the future."
"Haha, Elder Grey Rat, now that we’re acquainted, you have to give me a discount the next time I come to buy Elixirs!"
"..."
The representatives from the various factions all responded with smiles.
Their words and attitude were exceedingly polite; they showed no disrespect just because Xu Chang’an’s Cultivation was only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
The more a Demon had seen and the longer it had lived, the more it understood the value of an Alchemist.
Befriending a High-grade Alchemist was never a mistake!
"This little Mouse Demon is the shop’s Chief Alchemist!? Are you kidding me?"
"Yeah, really. Langlang Mountain is a power backed by Foundation Establishment Great Demons. Have they run out of anyone who knows Alchemy?!
Sending over some greenhorn Little Demon!"
"If you ask me, looking at how short he is, he can probably only refine Beginner Elixirs at most."
"Nah, to be called a Chief Alchemist, you’ve got to be able to refine Lower-grade Elixirs at the very least."
"Hahaha, true, true."
"Shh, keep your voice down. All of you, pipe down! You got a death wish or something?!"
"Tch, what’s the big deal? We’re guests. You’re saying we can’t even talk?!"
Besides the representatives from various factions, there were also some customers just wandering around.
The speakers were a few Early-stage Qi Refining Demons. They looked like Loose Cultivators, seemingly lacking in worldly experience.
They had probably just tagged along with their elders to see the festivities.
Their voices weren’t loud, but with Xu Chang’an’s true Realm at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, he naturally heard them.
However, he showed no reaction, acting as if he hadn’t heard a thing.
He wasn’t the only one who heard. Several of Langlang Mountain’s Sequence Elders and some of the faction representatives had heard as well.
"Hmph."
A Sequence Elder from Langlang Mountain’s expression darkened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Though the words were harsh, a guest was still a guest.
Now that they were doing business in the Marketplace, it wouldn’t be right to act rashly.
"Haha, esteemed Elders. The words of Little Demons are spoken with no filter. Pay them no mind, pay them no mind."
A faction representative chuckled, trying to ease the tension.
"Haha, yes, of course."
The Langlang Mountain Elder played along.
...
A few days after the Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop opened, an interesting incident occurred.
A few Early-stage Qi Refining Little Demons, led by their elder, came in person to the Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop to offer their apologies.
"Elder Grey Rat, the Little Demons were ignorant and ran their mouths. Please forgive them."
The speaker was a Black Wolf Old Demon at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.
His words were sincere and filled with urgency.
One could only wonder what he had been through.
The Little Demons in question also repeatedly bowed their heads, begging for mercy, their faces pale with terror.
All of their previous bravado and their air of passing judgment on the world was gone.
Xu Chang’an didn’t make an appearance, instead letting an Alchemy Little Demon handle the matter.
The Qi Refining Old Demon was deeply unsettled and came several more times, wanting to apologize in person.
But he never got his wish. In the end, he left sixty Demon Stones as a gift of apology.
’Pill Art, Pill Art... the foremost of cultivation’s hundred skills.’
’Even though I only show myself as Qi Refining Fifth Layer, by relying on my high-grade Alchemy Skill, even a common Qi Refining Old Demon doesn’t dare to offend me.’
’I didn’t even have to lift a finger, and some demon looking to curry favor with me went and took care of it for me!’
’This feeling... it’s truly intoxicating!’
’But for me, no matter how good my Pill Art is, it’s ultimately just a Support and a cover for my cultivation.
’Aspiring to the Great Dao is my true desire!’
Xu Chang’an stood leaning against the railing by the window, watching the demons come and go on the street below.
...
A Tier Two Alchemist was an unreachable existence. For an ordinary Demon, a First-rank top-grade alchemist was already the highest level they could ever hope to interact with.
Perhaps because word had gotten out that a High-grade Alchemist was in residence.
In the year since its opening, business at the Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop had been extremely good.
Ordinarily, Xu Chang’an didn’t take action himself.
He left the work to the Alchemists and apprentices under him.
Only when there was a custom order or a particularly difficult Elixir to be made would he fire up the Pill Furnace for Alchemy.
Langlang Mountain had even specially provided Xu Chang’an with a Tier One High Grade Alchemy Furnace.
Within Lujiao Mountain Marketplace, there were many shops in the Elixir business.
But only two of them accepted custom Elixir orders.
One belonged to Lujiao Mountain, and the other to Langlang Mountain.
Perhaps because the frequency with which he refined Top-grade Elixirs increased, Xu Chang’an’s Alchemy Skill improved by leaps and bounds.
At first, the business of the two shops was comparable.
But later on, the quality of the Elixirs refined and produced by the Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop surpassed those from Lujiao Mountain.
The Langlang Mountain Elixir Workshop’s business began to show a trend of overpowering Lujiao Mountain’s.
Name: Xu Chang’an
Bloodline: Ordinary Grey Rat (Ungraded)
Lifespan: 36 Years
Realm: Qi Refining Ninth Layer
Skills: Alchemy (Tier One High Grade)
Energy: (216/500)
...
’The accumulation really is slow!’
Looking at the panel floating in the air before him, Xu Chang’an sighed.
It had been almost six years since he entered the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, yet his Energy accumulation hadn’t even reached the halfway mark.
He had exchanged all of his salary for Elixirs and even consumed a great deal of Spirit Medicine used in Alchemy.
Even so, he hadn’t reached half the accumulation required for a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
This speed was undeniably slow!
Then again, if not for the panel, with his ungraded aptitude, he would have been blessed by the heavens just to succeed at Becoming a Demon.
Let alone being able to cultivate to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
’These past few years, I’ve been completely focused on self-cultivation and studying Pill Art.
’I need to find an opportunity to cash in the spoils I’ve gathered!
’To speed up my Energy accumulation.
’If I don’t reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll be like rootless duckweed. Without the backing of a faction, I won’t even have a foundation to stand on!’
’My Pill Art Realm is basically stable now, and it’ll be difficult to improve it in the short term.
’Guarding Methods and Spiritual Items to improve my Bloodline—it’s time to put those on the agenda.
’I need to start planning.
’Perhaps...
’I should take another trip to Peacock Demon City!?’
Xu Chang’an’s eyes flickered as he contemplated his plans for the near future.
He was becoming increasingly proficient at refining Tier One High Grade Elixirs, and his skill was not far from that of a Tier Two Alchemist.
It’s just that...
There was a huge bottleneck between Tier One and Tier Two Alchemists, and it was hopeless to expect a breakthrough anytime soon.
Although the panel could also improve his Skills, the Energy he was accumulating was barely enough to raise his own Cultivation Realm.
So how could he possibly neglect the fundamentals in favor of the trivial and use it to improve his Alchemy Skill?!
Just as he was deep in thought, an Alchemy Little Demon knocked on his door.
"What is it?"
Xu Chang’an asked.
"Elder Grey Rat, a Wild Beijing Spirit has come to the shop. He says he’d like to ask you to come down.
He wants to discuss a big business deal."
’A big business deal!?’
Xu Chang’an’s eyes glinted.
"Alright. Take him to a private room on the second floor. I’ll be right down."
"Yes, Elder Grey Rat."