Free Web NovelChapter 155: Chapter 146: Essence Blood Settled, Jade Wave Spirit Turtle
If the core uses of Demon Beast Materials included refining Elixirs with their Essence Blood and Demon Cores, and crafting Artifacts with their Skin, Armor, and Scale Claws, then another major use was undoubtedly cooking Demon Beast Meat into Spiritual Food.
Since Demon Beast Meat was used, what happened to the Demon Blood?
Moreover, this was a Tier Two Spirit Chef. Surely he wouldn’t stoop to cooking Tier One Spiritual Food, right? Wouldn’t that be a waste of his talents?
And if he cooked Tier Two Spiritual Food, he would need Tier Two Demon Beast Meat...
Following this line of reasoning, perhaps this Mr. Zeng had—or knew of—a channel for Tier Two Demon Beast Essence Blood.
And for Tier Two Demon Beast Essence Blood, there was an extremely small chance of it being of the Mortal Filth grade. It would be at least Muddy Evil, and more likely, Profound Spirit.
...
Soon, the two arrived at Chef Zeng’s "Chuixue Pavilion."
The first time Lin Changheng saw the name, he thought the owner was a pretentious Scholar. It turned out to be a Spirit Chef who helmed a kitchen.
The contrast was considerable.
"A long time ago, I heard that an Upper Grade Alchemist had arrived at Yunjian Que. His Alchemy Skill was said to be masterful, and he quickly made a name for himself in the Immortal City, earning praise from all. Unfortunately, I was always busy with my own affairs, and you even went on a trip recently. We never had a chance to properly speak, which I found to be a great shame."
Chef Zeng served Lin Changheng a cup of Tier Two Spirit Tea, chuckling with a hint of emotion.
"Not having the chance to meet and get to know Mr. Zeng before was a great pity for me as well. But as they say, fate brings people together even across a thousand miles. And aren’t we now sitting together, drinking tea and discussing the Dao?"
Lin Changheng expressed his thanks, his reply flawless.
"Haha, exactly so."
Chef Zeng laughed heartily, his demeanor exceptionally open-minded. He raised his cup, took a sip, and said, "This tea is called Mountain Bamboo Spring Flow. It’s quite unique among Tier Two Spirit Teas. Please, drink up."
’Tier Two?’
Lin Changheng nodded with a smile, a hint of surprise on his face as he drank the tea.
At the same time, the Dark Gold Flame in his Dantian drifted up and silently entered his stomach. With just a single revolution, it incinerated the Spirit Tea he had just swallowed.
Whether it was poisoned or not, it was utterly annihilated.
Against Tier One Poison Medicine, Lin Changheng’s Poison Transformation Demon Technique was naturally effective and could neutralize it.
But when it came to Tier Two, it was uncertain. Lin Changheng dared not take the gamble.
He had to be vigilant.
"Excellent."
Lin Changheng put on an expression of enjoyment at the right moment, offering his praise.
"Haha, I think so too."
Chef Zeng continued to chat with Lin Changheng for a long time before finally getting to the point.
"Requesting a pill refinement?"
Lin Changheng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, that’s no problem. Neighbors should help each other out. Besides, everyone knows of and praises Mr. Zeng’s warm and forthright reputation, so it’s even more of a reason to help."
Chef Zeng immediately clapped his hands. "Then I must thank Alchemist Lin."
"May I ask what Pill you need refined, and of what Grade? Have the Medicinal Materials and Pill Formula been prepared?"
Lin Changheng asked his standard questions.
Chef Zeng simply said, "It’s an Upper Grade Pill. I think it’s called the Five Spirits Pill."
"You think? Could it be that this Pill isn’t for you, Mr. Zeng?"
Lin Changheng asked in surprise. This was actually against the unspoken rules of requesting a pill refinement, but his expression remained unchanged.
"That’s right. It’s for my wife’s younger sister."
A flash of embarrassment at having a key point exposed crossed Chef Zeng’s face. His expression quickly turned serious as he confessed, "It’s just that refining this Pill is quite complex and difficult, and it’s only effective if it’s of Masterpiece Quality. Many Pill Masters either can’t successfully refine it or have a low success rate, which is why I had to be brazen enough to come and ask you."
"Oh? There are so many Pill Masters in the Immortal City, yet none could meet the requirements?"
Lin Changheng, however, caught the key point and sounded a little incredulous.
"Either the price was too high, or their Skills were lacking. Plus, this Pill needs to be taken long-term..."
Chef Zeng gave a simple explanation, seeming to have some unspoken difficulties.
Then, as if afraid Lin Changheng would press the issue, he quickly added, "If there’s anything Alchemist Lin needs my help with, please don’t hesitate to ask. I certainly won’t refuse."
Lin Changheng had no interest in prying into others’ private affairs and hadn’t planned to ask further. Hearing Chef Zeng’s words, he instead fell into contemplative silence.
Just as Chef Zeng was starting to look anxious, Lin Changheng suddenly said, "I’ll take the job."
"Thank you, Alchemist Lin."
Chef Zeng’s anxiety vanished, replaced by joy. But then he heard Lin Changheng speak again: "Actually, there is something I need Mr. Zeng’s help with..."
"Please, go on."
Chef Zeng had been worried about being indebted to someone. Hearing Lin Changheng say this, his expression relaxed. The exchange of benefits was the true law of the Cultivation Realm; everything else, aside from familial bonds, was unreliable.
Often, even the bonds of family or partnership were less reliable than mutual interest!
"It’s like this. I’ve recently been doing some Alchemy and find myself lacking some Tier Two Demon Beast Essence Blood, or even Tier One Essence Blood of Muddy Evil Bloodline grade or higher. I’m stuck at this point, and it’s become quite a headache. I was wondering if Brother Zeng could help me with this?"
Lin Changheng said slowly, having quietly switched from "Mr. Zeng" to "Brother Zeng," since he was, after all, asking for a favor.
"Demon Beast Essence Blood?"
Chef Zeng had considered many possibilities—perhaps Lin would ask to borrow his Foundation Establishment connections, his Skills, his strength, or even ask for a VIP seat at the Spirit Wine Tower...
But he hadn’t expected this.
Yet, for a Pill Master, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
After a moment of contemplation, he simply said, "I can."
’Huh?’
At first, Lin Changheng didn’t even register it. But a moment later, he was overcome with intense delight. Without asking for details, he immediately expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Brother Zeng."
"Hahaha, Younger Brother Lin, you’re being too polite."
Chef Zeng laughed, also changing his form of address to the more familiar one between brothers. Then he sighed with a wry smile. "I’m the one who should be thanking you. You have no idea how much my wife has been nagging me day and night about this."
"Anyway, let’s not talk about that. Younger Brother Lin, you don’t have any specific requirements for the Demon Beast Essence Blood, do you?"
Chef Zeng asked again to confirm.
"None. As long as the Essence Blood is of the right grade, it will do."
Lin Changheng said immediately.
"That’s good. If you had further restrictions for the Essence Blood, then this old brother would have been out of options."
Only then did Chef Zeng feel relieved.
"I wonder if Brother Zeng could tell me a bit about the Essence Blood situation?"
Lin Changheng asked. He still needed to get a clear picture of the situation.
"Our Spirit Wine Tower is one of the most well-known in the Immortal City. Our reputation is immense not just because our food is delicious, but because we can maximize the Essence Qi in the food. It’s considered the only way to enjoy a pastime while also advancing one’s Cultivation! That’s why it’s not just Qi Cultivation Cultivators; we also have a great many Foundation Establishment Cultivators coming and going. Even Core Formation Masters occasionally pay a visit!"
After this brief background explanation, a trace of pride appeared on Chef Zeng’s face.
"It’s that amazing?"
Lin Changheng realized he might have misunderstood the Skills of a Spirit Chef.
"Cooking Low Tier Spirit Rice or Demon Beast Meat is, of course, nothing special. But a Spirit Chef’s skills undergo an initial transformation upon reaching Tier One Upper Grade, and at Tier Two, you could say a massive change occurs. The boost to one’s Cultivation is no worse than an Elixir of the same tier, and it also satisfies the palate."
"It’s just that the price is much higher, and it doesn’t have the realm-breaking effects of something like a Foundation Establishment Pill or a Returning to Truth Core. These two points are what limit the upper potential for the development of a Spirit Chef’s skills!"
Chef Zeng offered a simple explanation. When he saw the look of dawning realization on Lin Changheng’s face, he returned to the main point.
"Therefore, we have a very high demand for Tier Two Demon Beasts. This is especially true for our Spirit Wine Tower’s specialty, the Green Pool Hidden Dragon Soup, which is a must-order item. Its main ingredient is the Tier Two Jade Wave Spirit Turtle. We even have a Foundation Establishment Demon Hunting Team that we work with on a regular basis to hunt this Demon Beast and supply us with its Materials."
"We purchase the entire carcass. The Demon Beast Meat and Demon Beast Blood can both be used as ingredients, but we sell off the Essence Blood, Demon Core, Skin, Armor, and Scale Claws externally at cost. We only seek to break even, not to make a profit. Now that Younger Brother Lin needs it, I can simply transfer it to you."
’Jade Wave Spirit Turtle, a Tier Two Demon Beast!’
Lin Changheng’s eyes lit up slightly.
"Should I offer a bit of a premium as a pretext? I’m worried that taking the Essence Blood at cost might cause trouble for Brother Zeng."
It wasn’t that Lin Changheng was a fool with too many Spirit Stones to spare. He was considering the issue from another angle. This way, he wouldn’t seem self-centered, would leave a good impression on Chef Zeng, and would also do his best to shed any implication of demanding repayment for a favor, thus pursuing a long-term connection.
More importantly, he had to get his hands on this Essence Blood. Since it was already being sold off at cost, adding a small premium to secure it shouldn’t be a problem.
After all, wherever you buy something, don’t the sellers need to make a profit?
"Hahaha, what need is there for that?"
"I’ll just transfer it to you at cost. Younger Brother Lin, don’t look down on me! I might not be able to say my word is law at the Spirit Wine Tower, but for a matter like this, if I make the arrangements, who would dare say no?!"
Chef Zeng shot Lin Changheng a surprised glance before shaking his head, his tone brimming with confidence.
