Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Two Happy Families

"Discuss the matter of splitting the profits from medicine pills fifty-fifty?" Jin Dafu was taken aback.

Yang Ji smiled and said, "I'm not going to lie to you, big brother, but the medicine pills I've taken this past year were all crafted by myself, and the herbal ingredients for crafting the pills were personally handed to me by you."

"You crafted them yourself?"

Jin Dafu was shocked. Although he had only known Yang Ji for a little more than a year, he had some understanding of Yang Ji's character.

The young man before him generally didn't brag.

Could it be?

He slowly lifted his head, his heart beginning to guess, but he felt it was absurd.

Yang Ji knew what he was thinking and promptly said, "Elder Jin, take a share of the herbal ingredients for crafting the Spirit Enhancing Pills, and follow me to the cave behind the mountain."

Seeing Yang Ji move, Jin Dafu, amidst his astonishment and suspicion, also took the spiritual medicine and followed.

As soon as the two arrived at the entrance of the cave, they were excitedly greeted by Huo Yuan.

"Grandmaster, where have you been this past year? I thought you were never coming back."

Grandmaster?

Jin Dafu furrowed his brows, staring blankly at this scene.

The senior alchemist before him was actually calling this alchemy apprentice a grandmaster? He felt the world was somehow thrown into chaos and couldn't help but shake his head, wondering if he was hallucinating.

At this moment, as Jin Dafu looked at Yang Ji, an astonished expression couldn't help but show on his face.

Could this guy actually be a peak alchemy master?

For some reason, as soon as this thought emerged, Jin Dafu's heartbeat subconsciously quickened.

While he harbored doubts, Yang Ji had already stepped into the cave.

At this moment, inside the stone cave, Jin Dafu brought his concentration to its fullest, staring intently at Yang Ji.

He saw Yang Ji take out a pill furnace from his storage bag, and after enlarging it, completely enveloped it with the earth fire.

His expression was calm and relaxed, unlike other alchemists who were overly cautious.

After the furnace was properly heated, Yang Ji began the operation.

One by one, the spiritual medicines were continuously added by him, melted down as the flames were stoked.

The speed of his movements, the skillfulness of his technique, were indeed done in one breath, as fluidly as water, truly displaying the demeanor of a grandmaster.

Jin Dafu was left staring in amazement; such dexterity, with not a hint of rustiness, his prowess was clearly evident.

The more he watched, the more Jin Dafu noticed deeper details, the melting of the spiritual medicines, the meticulous control over the flame... it was all incredibly precise.

The proportioning of the spiritual liquid was done in an instant, without the need to slowly adjust while watching the merging of the liquid, indicating immense proficiency in his technique.

Jin Dafu was utterly awe-struck, his eyes burning with intense fervor.

He had seen Huo Yuan crafting medicine pills before, but compared to Yang Ji's method, it was like a witch doctor standing before a grand shaman, profoundly inferior and not even worth mentioning.

This person... might indeed be a peak alchemy master, huh? Jin Dafu observed Yang Ji intently, wondering in his heart. He dared not think too big.

After all, alchemy masters in the Thousand-Islands Sea Area only numbered a few thousand.

He could not bring himself to think in that direction no matter what. Although he believed in Yang Ji's abilities, it was too fantastical, because Yang Ji was too young to have achieved this level.

Heating the furnace, melting the medicines, forming the pills, dividing the pills, tempering the pills... every step seemed to spark artistic brilliance in Yang Ji's hands, truly mesmerizing. He was nothing like those tense, overly cautious alchemists; he truly had the air of a grandmaster.

Although Yang Ji's alchemy technique differed from other alchemists in some ways, and even transgressed some common knowledge of alchemy, the outcome was what Jin Dafu wanted to see.

Jin Dafu was a man with a lively mindset, quick to accept new things. That was the insight of a businessman; if the process of alchemy is different but the result can fetch a high price, then it is good.

When the pill division was concluded, Yang Ji clapped the pill furnace and a burst of dense pill Qi explosively surged forth, instantly drawing Jin Dafu's heartbeat.

He couldn't help but rush forward, peering into the pill furnace, and exclaimed in surprise, "Seven pills? Actually, seven pills were formed? Only three were destroyed, a seventy percent success rate?"

Seeing his utterly astonished expression, Yang Ji smiled faintly and immediately reached out to grasp the seven Spirit Enhancing Pills into his palm.

The reason for only having seven pills was deliberate, as he didn't want to reveal too much.

If he were crafting alone, with no one around, he would undoubtedly have produced ten pills.

This moment, he spread his hand and placed the medicine pill in front of Jin Dafu, saying, "Would Elder Jin please look over this and see the quality of the pill?"

"The pill body is flawless and bright, with only a trace of impurities. This is high-quality medicine indeed," Jin Dafu's eyes widened as he examined the pill and then looked at Yang Ji, digesting the shock Yang Ji had brought him.

This guy,

couldn't really be from a major family, could he?

It was no surprise that Jin Dafu, who had seen much of the world, quickly calmed down. His wise eyes whirled, and in a flash, he burst out laughing and asked, "Brother Yang, could you be an alchemy master?"

"No, but I am working hard to become one. The reason I sought your help in finding aged spiritual medicines is exactly because I want to practice them. How could someone who hasn't even made a medium-quality spirit pill possibly be an alchemy master?"

Yang Ji knew Jin Dafu was probing and deliberately sighed.

The pills he had refined this time were almost indistinguishable from those made in He Gu, merely at the level of a peak alchemy master, skillfully concealing his actual abilities. S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

After all, his power was still too weak, and revealing too much of his talent for alchemy would do more harm than good.

As for the current status of peak alchemy master, it was neither too high nor too low, a safe threshold; big shots wouldn't care, but smaller shops would vie for his favor. It was a more comfortable position.

"I see! The matter of the spiritual medicine is easily settled. Come, come, young brother, let's have a good talk," Jin Dafu was mostly convinced, knowing well that without a large amount of aged spiritual medicines for practice, no one could make a breakthrough out of thin air.

Yang Ji smiled and followed him out.

In the main hall of Myriad Treasures Tower, at the counter at the very back.

"Elder Jin, you just witnessed my art of alchemy. So, how about we talk about the division of profits from the pills?" Yang Ji said with a smile.

"Ha ha, sure, sure," Jin Dafu's expression flashed as he grinned, "Young brother, I'll supply the spiritual medicines, you perform the alchemy. After deducting the cost of the spiritual medicines, how about we split the profits seventy-thirty?"

"Elder Jin, I remember last time you mentioned a fifty-fifty split," Yang Ji glanced at him and deliberately dragged out his voice in jest.

"Well, young brother, this business isn't easy, you know, the daily costs of labor and materials are a huge drain, please show some understanding for your elder brother here," Jin Dafu said with a smile, slightly ingratiating.

"Elder Jin, based on my status as a peak alchemy master, if I go to other shops, do you think they will offer me a fifty-fifty split?" Yang Ji said, his smile teetering between genuine and mocking.

"Well, young brother..." Jin Dafu's face showed difficulty. He knew the value of a peak alchemy master; no matter where they go, they were in high demand, just like He Gu was an example. If he missed out on Yang Ji, a golden goose, it would be a huge loss.

Grinding his teeth, as if he had come to some decision, he was about to speak.

Yang Ji looked at him and spoke first with a laugh, "Elder Jin, there's no need to be distressed. We will split fifty-fifty, and besides, I still plan to buy a large amount of high-grade spiritual medicines from you. Those spirit stones, you would earn them back, won't you?"

"That's true, but..."

Jin Dafu's face showed his dilemma as his thoughts projected ["But I'll earn less this way."]

"Well, since young brother has put it this way, what more can I say? Let's do fifty-fifty then," Jin Dafu sighed dramatically and looked at Yang Ji. His eyes craftily shifted, and his thoughts appeared again,

["Humph, only I, Jin Dafu, take advantage of others. Could it be reversed today? I'll see how I won't take those high-grade spiritual medicines and draw out all your spirit stones, with interest!"]

This guy, he's cooking up some mischief again. Yang Ji glanced at him and mimicked his expression, smilingly said, "Then Elder Jin, you must hasten your search for high-grade spiritual medicines, so that you can earn back the spirit stones sooner."

"..." Jin Dafu froze for a moment, feeling somehow manipulated?

...

The negotiation over the pills was concluded, and both parties were reasonably satisfied.

Giving Jin Dafu a taste of the profits was just to use his connections to procure high-grade spiritual medicines, which was Yang Ji's main goal.

With high-grade spiritual medicines, he could refine pills that would speed up his cultivation, aiming to reach the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining before the sect recruited new External Affairs Disciples.

Jin Dafu was backed by the Jin Family with extensive connections, and it was believed that it wouldn't take long to find high-grade spiritual medicines.

Yang Ji just needed to wait patiently, as he didn't think he could find the medicines faster than Jin Dafu.

For now, cultivating with the high-quality Spirit Enhancing Pills was sufficient.

In fact, Yang Ji didn't lose out on the fifty-fifty transaction with Jin Dafu; while his apparent success rate was seventy percent, he could actually achieve a one hundred percent success rate. The extra thirty percent were "for his pocket."

Thinking this, Yang Ji couldn't help but chuckle mischievously, Jin Dafu wanted to trick him, but that would not happen.

However, no one would complain about having too many high-grade spiritual medicines, and he planned to inquire at other shops as well.

Making plans on multiple fronts was best, to avoid putting all his eggs in one basket.