Free Web NovelChapter 230: Chapter 220: The Thirteen Youths
「Early morning.」
「Chixia Business Alliance, Outer City Branch.」
A relatively tidy, two-story stone building stood with a crimson triangular flag hanging by its entrance.
Steward Wang was a chubby, middle-aged man whose face always wore an amiable smile, but his eyes were as cunning as a fox’s.
He had been waiting by the door for some time, and upon seeing Ian, he immediately hurried over to greet him.
"Lord Li Xing, we’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"
His enthusiasm was a bit excessive.
Ian gave a slight nod and followed him into the stone building.
The first floor was a spacious storefront, its shelves lined with all sorts of materials.
There were dried herbs, sealed Potions, bundles of Metal Bars, and even a small amount of Starlight Dust in glass vials.
A few commoners in coarse cloth clothes were quietly asking about prices at the counter. When they saw Steward Wang enter with Ian, they all lowered their heads and stepped aside to clear a path.
"This way, upstairs," Steward Wang said with a welcoming gesture.
The second floor housed a simply furnished meeting room.
A tea set was already laid out on the wooden table, steam rising from the cups.
Steward Wang took a thick catalog from a drawer. It had a hardcover binding, its corners worn with age.
"This is the Business Alliance’s internal exchange catalog."
He pushed the catalog in front of Ian, rubbing his hands together with a smile.
"With Level Two Collaborator privileges, you get a twenty percent discount on all materials, plus you can take an advance of up to one hundred Standard Crystals... Elder Chen holds you in very high regard."
Ian opened the catalog.
The pages were made of a special Parchment, thick to the touch.
Various items were neatly listed inside, complete with names, descriptions, and the required number of Standard Crystals for exchange.
The materials for the Purification Potion, such as Blazing Flame Grass and Bright Moonflower Petals, were all available.
...
Ian flipped through the pages one by one.
The catalog was filled with a dazzling array of items, from basic materials to finished Potions, from tools to Knowledge Scrolls, and even a few pieces of Low Tier Rune Equipment.
The prices were also frighteningly high.
A common Fine Iron Longsword cost 20 Dust Crystals.
A parchment scroll detailing three basic Rune Combat Techniques was priced at 2 Standard Crystals.
"What might you be looking for, Lord Li Xing?" Steward Wang asked tentatively.
Ian turned to the Potion section, his fingertip stopping on a line of text.
[Primordial Energy Body Tempering Potion (Standard Formula): Accelerates Cultivation in the Nayuan Stage, slightly increases the probability of bloodline Awakening. Exchange Price: 10 Standard Crystals]
[Basic Rune Pen: A tool for inscribing Basic Level Runes. Exchange Price: 5 Standard Crystals/set]
That was 15 Standard Crystals in total.
Converted to Dust Crystals, that was 1,500.
Based on the income of an ordinary commoner in the outer city, it would take decades of saving without eating or drinking to afford it.
"I want these two," Ian said, pointing to the formula and the Rune Pen.
Steward Wang’s eyes lit up. "The Primordial Energy Body Tempering Potion? That’s excellent stuff! Although it’s only the standard formula and the success rate isn’t high, you’ll make back your investment as long as you successfully refine a few vials!"
He paused and lowered his voice.
"To be frank, within the Business Alliance, only collaborators at Level Three or higher can exchange for this formula. Elder Chen specifically instructed us to make an exception for you."
Ian didn’t respond, continuing to flip through the pages.
The detailed description for the formula listed the required materials:
Gathering Essence Flower (1 stalk), Spiritual Essence Grass Juice (10 mL), purified water (500 mL), and Honey Juice (20 g).
The materials weren’t particularly rare, but processing them was quite troublesome.
The Spiritual Essence Grass Juice, in particular, had to be extracted from the roots of the Spirit Essence Grass—a tedious process, and the juice spoiled easily.
"Does the Business Alliance have these materials?" Ian asked.
"Yes! We have them all!" Steward Wang declared, patting his chest.
"Gathering Essence Flower is 3 Dust Crystals per stalk, Spiritual Essence Grass Juice is 1 Dust Crystal per ten milliliters. The purified water and Honey Juice are cheap; we’ll count them as half a Dust Crystal for one portion!"
Ian did a quick mental calculation.
The cost for one set of materials was less than 5 Dust Crystals, and that was before his discount.
Meanwhile, a single successful vial of Primordial Energy Body Tempering Potion could sell for over thirty Dust Crystals on the outer city’s Black Market.
A six-fold profit.
"I’ll take the one-hundred-Standard-Crystal advance now."
Ian closed the catalog. "After I exchange for the Rune Pen and the formula, use the rest to buy materials."
"Right away!"
Steward Wang grinned so widely his eyes narrowed to slits. He immediately took out a pen and paper from the drawer and started writing up the order.
The tip of the pen scratched across the paper.
Outside the window, gray clouds drifted slowly, and a dim, crimson light filtered through a gap, illuminating the side of Ian’s face.
He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his Sea of Spirit.
The skill panel unfolded before his eyes.
[Name: Li Xing (Ian)]
[Age: 21]
[Realm: Awakening Late Stage (91%)]
[Bloodline: Star Attractor (Faintly Awakened)]
[Status: Unharmed]
[Skills: Starlight Perception (Skilled 92%), Star Step (Beginner 89%), Basic Swordsmanship (Skilled 93%), Basic Level Purification Potion (Beginner 46%)]
In the days he had been waiting for news from Elder Chen, he had been Refining six Potions daily, giving them to Old Cripple’s Pharmacy to sell on consignment.
At twenty Dust Crystals per vial, his daily earnings came to eighty Dust Crystals.
He kept the remaining two for the people in the courtyard to use.
Those with old injuries or minor Erosion from corrupted blood had mostly recovered thanks to the Potions.
And now...
’The Primordial Energy Body Tempering Potion.’
’If I can mass-produce it, the dozen or so promising youths in the courtyard could break through to the Nayuan Stage in the shortest possible time.’
’They might even Awaken their bloodlines.’
"Lord Li Xing, the order forms are ready."
Steward Wang’s voice pulled Ian back to reality.
His chubby hand offered two sheets of paper: one was a voucher for the formula exchange, and the other was a requisition form for the materials.
"The original formula is in the warehouse; I’ll have someone fetch it now. The materials are already prepared and can be picked up at any time."
Ian took the forms, glanced over them, and confirmed there were no issues.
"Also..." Steward Wang rubbed his hands, his face crinkling into a smile. "Elder Chen also gave orders to assign two Awakening Late Stage Guards to protect you in secret."
