Chapter 145 - 132: First Encounter with an Alchemist!_2

In his eyes, this wasn’t a particularly impressive task, and he wouldn’t have chosen it if it weren’t suitable for a solo operative. The Chamber of Commerce had several types of tasks. The best, naturally, were those issued by the headquarters. Although they might be more difficult, they often awarded sufficient Contribution Values to ensure one’s efforts were not wasted. Next were those published by the Chamber of Commerce branches, such as needing a rare Heaven and Earth Elixir for Elixir refining, or requiring the flesh and blood of a specific Mutant Beast to be hunted by their retainers. As for the worst, they were tasks like the one Jiang Shu currently held. The Chamber of Commerce merely provided a platform for these. Martial Artists could post them individually at the Chamber or through its secret channels. However, the difficulty of these tasks often couldn’t be accurately determined. The reward for completing such a task was decided by the poster, and the quality varied greatly. Therefore, unless one genuinely had no tasks at hand and urgently needed Contribution Values, very few retainers would choose such missions. [Task Location: Black Mountain County city] [Poster: Wan Jingxing (Low-Grade Alchemist)] .bg-ssp-10081{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;}Ads by PubRev [Task Requirement: Rescue the wife and child under house arrest by the Qin Family in the county city and deliver them to a safe location.] [Task Reward: One Middle-Grade Martial Arts technique or ten bottles of Middle-Grade Elixirs.] 「A short while later.」 After sending off a stunned Chief Zhang, Jiang Shu’s thoughts shifted, and his figure vanished. 「Ten days later.」 The C-Grade Heaven and Earth Secret Realm in Sichuan-Chongqing Province was completely closed. Jiang Shu, who had stayed near the passage entrance for the last few days, was among the first to emerge. This time, however, the spoils of war he brought back consisted of merely three Mutant Beasts. Never mind the Dark Force Martial Artists in the alliance, who were making small, cheerful bets and were now astonished and unable to comprehend it; even the military officers in the army were dumbfounded upon hearing the number of Mutant Beasts. No one had expected that Jiang Shu, the young Grandmaster who, upon advancing to the Jin Transformation stage and entering a C-Grade Heaven and Earth Secret Realm for the first time, could slay twelve Mutant Beasts. But the second time around, he had only slain three. Wasn’t this an utter joke? Faced with numerous puzzled looks, Jiang Shu didn’t care. He no longer needed to prove himself through combat achievements. In the eyes of the Martial Artists in the Xuanxing Xia Country, the Grandmaster List carried immense value. But for Jiang Shu, who straddled two realms, only the Little Dragon Tiger List, or even the Dragon Tiger List, was where he should be contending for a ranking! Back at the hotel, after a brief rest, Jiang Shu traveled through the Da Jing Dynasty and continued his journey. After leaving Yongning County city, he did not stop, moving at a tremendously fast pace. Compared to the journey from Pingling County to the county city, he now seemed much more carefree. He no longer needed to be as cautious as before, remaining constantly alert even when sleeping in caves. With his Vermilion Bird True Strength, his Qi and blood erupting, his vital energy billowing like smoke, any living Mutant Beast within several miles that witnessed this scene would flee in sheer panic. The task he had accepted this time was, in fact, a huge pitfall for most of the Chamber of Commerce’s retainers. One Middle-Grade Martial Arts technique and ten bottles of Middle-Grade Elixirs. By simply joining a few escort missions, delivering Treasures to other branches, one could earn enough Contribution Values for such an exchange. Moreover, compared to offending the Qin Family, a major clan in Black Mountain County city, the former option carried absolutely no risk and only required time. This was true for the average retainer, let alone for Jiang Shu, a top-tier genius in whom the Danxia Chamber of Commerce had invested. Jiang Shu couldn’t care less about the task’s reward. For Middle-Grade Martial Arts, his own Four Seasons Blade Technique and Hurricane Three Changes were completely sufficient for the early stages. Not to mention, he also possessed a Break Limit incomplete version of a nameless blade technique; with just three stances, he could slay ordinary Refining Internal Realm Martial Artists! And Elixirs? There was even less need to mention them. Moissanite and perfume were his money-making trees, geese that laid golden eggs. With a continuous supply, he could certainly save up enough Silver Taels; it merely required a bit more time and money. His purpose in traveling such a long distance, from Yongning County city all the way to Black Mountain County city, was not for this meager task reward. It was entirely because of the five words in the task’s notes: Low-Grade Alchemist! Compared to Martial Artists, Alchemists were a much rarer existence. In the Danxia Chamber of Commerce branch in Yongning County city, for instance, there were only three Middle-Grade Alchemists. Each possessed a private courtyard and was attended by numerous maids and young servants. They lived in seclusion and were rarely seen by ordinary retainers. As for Low-Grade Alchemists, they mostly congregated in the state capital cities, either studying Middle-Grade Alchemy or refining Elixirs day and night. It was precisely because he understood this that Jiang Shu had given up on seeking guidance from the Alchemists at the Chamber of Commerce. Alchemists clearly had a very strict hierarchical system. Only upon reaching Middle Grade did one gain a certain degree of influence. The study of Alchemy, no matter how difficult, I have the panel. As long as I learn the basics, I can grind my way up. What a pity, the Low-Grade Alchemists aren’t in the Chamber branches. And those Middle-Grade Alchemists are extremely difficult to meet. Even if I did meet one, consulting about Alchemy would definitely require paying a considerable amount of Contribution Values. This mission seems more promising! If it succeeds, I can be a Martial Artist openly and an Alchemist secretly. If it fails, I’ll just consider it a trip to clear my mind, and I can stop by Pingling County to see Master Chou and inquire about the Zhao Family’s specific situation. Jiang Shu’s steps were quick as he murmured softly. With the panel, as long as I learn the most basic techniques, even if it’s only the method for refining Low-Grade Elixirs, I can grind my way to Middle Grade. By then, if I’ve learned the refining methods for Inner Strengthening Elixirs and Marrow Cleansing Elixirs, and with the resources of the Xuanxing Heaven and Earth Secret Realm at my disposal, I can be completely self-sufficient within the Refining Internal Realm and Marrow Cleansing Realm. The Danxia Chamber of Commerce, however good it might be, was just a partnership. Especially since his current conflict with the Zhao Family had not yet erupted. Once it did, no one knew whether the Danxia Chamber of Commerce would side with Zhao Zhongming, the genius on the Little Dragon Tiger List, or with him. It was never wrong to prepare in advance. 「Black Mountain County city.」 The Qin Family. Having received definitive news from the Danxia Chamber of Commerce, Wan Jingxing gasped for breath before his Pill Furnace. His palms clenched tightly, fingernails digging into his flesh as he struggled to calm himself. For the past three months, his mind had not been at peace. This was the third time he had failed at Elixir refining during this period. He had never imagined that the prominent Qin Family, a clan he had always trusted and carefully chosen to join, would actually refuse to let him go to the state capital city to study Middle-Grade Alchemy! To keep him, they had even stationed the family’s Jade Token Retainers outside the small courtyard where his wife and children lived! To outsiders, I am an Alchemist for the Qin Family, with a status comparable to a Jade Token Retainer. My wife and children lead a comfortable life in the outer city, with no worries about food or clothing. But only I know our family can’t leave. If I don’t take a gamble, we’ll be stuck here for life. I am still young. How could I be satisfied with just being a Low-Grade Alchemist! An Alchemist, without reaching Middle Grade, is nothing! Just like Martial Artists in the Bone Forging Realm, enslaved by the great clans! Wan Jingxing clenched his teeth tightly. Although merely in his forties, his temples were already graying, and his complexion was sallow, making him appear like a man of fifty—completely unlike how an Alchemist, a Martial Artist in the Bone Forging Realm, should look. I hope, this time, the Chamber retainer from the Danxia Chamber of Commerce who accepted the mission is a powerful Refining Internal Realm expert. Using the pretext of a failed Alchemy session and needing to clear his head, Wan Jingxing went out and entered a tavern. After several Alchemy failures, the Qin Family dared not push him too hard. Thus, on these last two occasions, they had not sent anyone to follow him. After all, as long as they kept watch over his wife and children, he could never run away. The Qin Family knew this. Wan Jingxing knew this as well. He took a deep breath and entered the room that had been arranged in advance. Inside the room, a youth, not yet twenty, was gazing out of the window. Wan Jingxing was taken aback, thinking he had entered the wrong room. Just as he was about to leave, the youth in front suddenly spoke, preempting him, "I can save them. However, I’m not satisfied with the mission’s reward. I don’t need Middle-Grade Martial Arts or Middle-Grade Elixirs. But if you can teach me Alchemy, then this matter... might be worth a try."