Chapter 82

Chapter 82: The Elixir

"I wonder who posted that bounty," Mu Chen remarked languidly.

"I've heard that the bounty was placed by Lian Mengquan, the granddaughter of the academy's headmaster. The headmaster, Lian Chengkong, a martial emperor, dotes on Lian Mengquan, his only granddaughter. He once stumbled upon a rare beast egg, which hatched into a Blood Jiao."

"An adult Blood Jiao is wild and untamed, hard to subdue. But taming a young one is somewhat possible, especially with the help of a Beast Spirit Pill."

Ye Shi came to know this from Fu Yuanbao. Feeling that he had overpaid Fu Yuanbao by giving him over ten thousand Yuan stones, he seized the opportunity to get some information for free.

"It's for the Blood Jiao? Offering a reward of a hundred thousand for each seems reasonable then," Mu Chen commented casually.

"Do you have any leads on that elixir?" Ye Shi inquired.

Mu Chen shrugged, "A bit. The Ni Chang grass required for the Beast Spirit Pill has been lost for years. Even without it, the remaining ingredients can still balance out to make the pill."

"Rumor has it that the Ni Chang grass doesn't have strong spiritual power for humans, but it's highly attractive to magical beasts. Without it, the Beast Spirit Pill's effect on these beasts is minimal."

Ye Shi frowned, "What's the role of the Ni Chang grass in the elixir?"

Mu Chen shook his head, "I'm not sure. I have some theories, but they need testing."

Ye Shi nodded, saying, "No rush, let's go shopping first."

Mu Chen agreed, "Alright."

Ye Shi and Mu Chen entered the academy's marketplace. Ye Shi spent 300,000 Yuan stones on a grade-three cauldron, another 200,000 on a grade-three talisman pen. On Mu Chen's advice, he invested 200,000 on a spatial ring with a thirty-square-meter space. He spent 50,000 on some beast-related literature and 100,000 on some beast elixir recipes...

Watching the rapid depletion of his Yuan stones, Ye Shi couldn't help but exclaim, "Mu Chen, let's go buy cultivation materials first."

Mu Chen nodded, "Right. Nothing should delay cultivation."

Zhuang Yu happened to witness Ye Shi's extravagant spending.

"How can Ye Shi have so many Yuan stones?" Zhuang Yu wondered, furrowing her brow in confusion.

Lan Ruofeng replied, "Those aren't Ye Shi's yuan stones, they're Mu Chen's." However, Mu Chen entrusted most of them to Ye Shi.

"Ye Shi sure spends lavishly," Zhuang Yu commented with a furrowed brow.

Zhuang Yu twiddled her fingers. Her mentor might treat her well, but he'd never directly give her yuan stones. Seeing Ye Shi spending like water made her feel somewhat envious.

Lan Ruofeng sighed wryly, "The one who's extravagant isn't Ye Shi, but Mu Chen. Although Ye Shi was the one making the purchases, everything was for Mu Chen. Ye Shi only bought them because he got a discount due to his status. From start to finish, Ye Shi looked pained, while Mu Chen remained indifferent."

Ye Shi followed Mu Chen to the Spiritual Herb Market and spent 50,000 on second-grade spiritual herbs and 200,000 on a large amount of third-grade beast blood.

After shopping with Mu Chen, when they returned to the Flame Pavilion, only 400,000 yuan stones remained from the initial 1.7 million.

...

Jing Chiyang stood elevated on a platform, hands on his hips, looking down at Ye Shi, asking, "You're back?"

Ye Shi nodded, "Yes!"

Jing Chiyang observed, "I heard you bought a lot of stuff for Mu Chen?"

Ye Shi frowned, "That yuan stone was originally Mu Chen's. It's not like I was buying for him."

Jing Chiyang scoffed, "Nonsense! Once it's given to you, it's yours. From what I've seen, you bought tons for him and left little for yourself."

Ye Shi gestured, "Mu Chen gave me the ring."

Ye Shi initially wanted to return the space ring, but Mu Chen persuaded him that a bigger ring would be more useful for their adventures. Finding the argument valid, Ye Shi kept it.

"You were bought over by just a ring? Do you know how much money he saved because of you? At least that kid knows the ropes," Jing Chiyang snorted.

Ye Shi retorted, "Mu Chen might spend a lot, but he earns even more! Whatever he spends is an investment for bigger returns. Everything Mu Chen does has a purpose." Like that precious fifth-grade beast core they got!

Jing Chiyang rolled his eyes, "Enough, enough, I get it. Your dear Mu Chen is the best."

"Of course! By the way, master, any progress on the elixir Sister Lian needs?" Ye Shi asked.

Jing Chiyang squinted and remarked, "Not yet. Many have been delivering elixirs to your senior sister lately, but all of them seem ineffective."

Ye Shi raised an eyebrow, saying with a hint of delight, "Is that so?"

Jing Chiyang shook his head and said, "In truth, the headmaster had already assigned research on this elixir. Regrettably, even the academy's top alchemists can't concoct the Spirit Beast Pill. Out of desperation, your senior sister issued that bounty."

Ye Shi smirked and commented, "Mu Chen was indeed right."

"Mu Chen? What did he say?" inquired Jing Chiyang.

Ye Shi shrugged nonchalantly, "He mentioned that others wouldn't be able to concoct the Spirit Pill anytime soon."

Jing Chiyang scoffed coldly, "That Mu Chen, always so full of himself. It's as if he's suggesting he could do it."

"Well, Mu Chen does have the skill. He said he had some ideas," Ye Shi stated.

Rolling his eyes, Jing Chiyang retorted, "You should focus on your cultivation instead of daydreaming with Mu Chen. Just because he produced the Spring Rain Talisman, he thinks he can solve everything. What a joke."

Ye Shi gritted his teeth, casting a defiant glance at Jing Chiyang, "Master, may I go practice?"

"Go on, proceed," Jing Chiyang gestured dismissively.

...

In a separate courtyard of the Elixir Institute.

"Any progress?" Zhuang Yu stood next to Lan Ruofeng, gazing at him with hope.

Lan Ruofeng shook his head, "Still no success." Despite trying multiple methods and using many resources, he still couldn't replicate the Spirit Beast Pill.

Zhuang Yu comforted him softly, "Ruofeng, don't rush. I've heard that even the senior alchemists in the academy have tried and failed. You'll find a way eventually."

Lan Ruofeng nodded at Zhuang Yu, "I understand."

Zhuang Yu stood shyly beside Lan Ruofeng.

Lan Ruofeng looked at Zhuang Yu, and his determination was reignited.

...

Deep within the academy.

"Meng Quan, any leads on the Spirit Beast Pill?" Song Xinyue approached Lian Mengquan and asked.

Lian Mengquan turned her gaze to Song Xinyue, her face downcast, "No progress as of now."

Song Xinyue extended her hand, offering two elixirs, "These were just delivered."

Lian Mengquan frowned; with no one daring to deliver any elixir after the academy's professors had researched for so long, it was left to the newcomers with their myriad of concoctions. However, these only made the Blood Jiao even more restless. Now, Lian Mengquan had to test each elixir on ordinary snakes before considering its effect on Blood Jiao.

Lian Mengquan fed a red whip snake with one of the elixirs and after observing for a while, her face lit up, "This seems to work a bit."

"Really? As long as it works." Song Xinyue said with a smile.

"Who sent this elixir?" Lian Mengquan asked with curiosity.

"It was sent by Lan Ruofeng, one of the newcomers." Song Xinyue replied.

"I've heard that among this year's freshmen of the Pill Institute, Lan Ruofeng has the highest expertise in elixir arts. Truly, he's quite talented." Lian Mengquan praised without reservation.

"Junior sister, you've heard of Lan Ruofeng?" Song Xinyue asked with a hint of surprise.

Lian Mengquan nodded, "Of course! I've heard that senior Hua Shu holds him in high regard, favoring him even over the Seventh Prince. How could I not know?"

"Sister Lian, Sister Song, long time no see." Xin Rugo gracefully approached them.

Seeing Xin Rugo, a hint of surprise flashed in Song Xinyue's eyes. "Junior sister Xin, what brings you here?"

"I'm here to deliver an elixir to Sister Lian." Xin Rugo responded with a radiant smile.

Lian Mengquan looked at Xin Rugo and asked, "Senior sister, you're also here to deliver an elixir?"

Xin Rugo nodded, "Yes."

Xin Rugo tossed an elixir box to Lian Mengquan. Song Xinyue frowned slightly and inquired, "Senior sister Xin, where did you get this elixir from?"

Xin Rugo shrugged, "It's from a junior at Master Jing's place."

Song Xinyue smirked, "That junior of yours, is he an alchemist?"

"He isn't, but his fiancé is." Xin Rugo replied with a shrug.

Song Xinyue knitted her brows, "His fiancé, Mu Chen, isn't he a talisman master? I've heard he just sold a 'Spring Rain' talisman for over 180 million spirit stones. He spent them as if he'd never seen spirit stones before, with absolutely no restraint."

Xin Rugo nodded, "Yes, Mu Chen is a talisman master. However, he occasionally dabbles in alchemy."

"Dabbling, huh? He must have a lot of free time." Disdain flashed in Song Xinyue's eyes.

Upon opening the box, the eyes of the Red Chain Snake in the garden immediately fixed on Lian Mengquan, filled with eager anticipation.

Lian Mengquan's expression changed slightly as she threw the elixir to the Red Chain Snake. It immediately lunged, swallowing the elixir whole, becoming significantly more docile afterward.

Watching this, Xin Rugo's face shifted, commenting, "It really does work."

Song Xinyue glanced at Xin Rugo. While Lan Ruofeng's elixir was effective, it paled in comparison to the one Mu Chen crafted.

"Senior sister Xin, how did you come by this elixir?" Lian Mengquan asked.

Xin Rugo laughed awkwardly, "Well, that junior claimed he made it. But he knows nothing about alchemy. He must've been bluffing."