Chapter 363: The Price

"Liu Cheng, President Liu?"

Alchemist Hong and Jiang Chen both trembled, their bodies shaking.

Although President Liu had recently gained fame, catching up to the super genius Zhang Xuan, neither of them had ever seen his true face.

Seeing him young and following behind Alchemist Mu, they naturally assumed he was an apprentice, never expecting he held such status.

President of the Physician Guild, a position no weaker than that of the Alchemist Guild President!

Even if Alchemist Hong was a three-star alchemist, he was still far inferior.

But... wasn't he only proficient in medicine? How could he also know alchemy, casually guiding a two-star alchemist to refine a third-grade pill?

"Whether in medicine or alchemy, one must have absolute mastery over medicinal properties to formulate the best prescriptions and refine the best medicines! Although I am not an alchemist and cannot refine pills, I have a thorough grasp of medicinal properties, understanding every change of any herb in the furnace. Guiding the refinement of not just third-grade pills, but even fourth-grade pills, is not difficult!"

Knowing their thoughts, Zhang Xuan spoke calmly.

"Knowing medicinal properties can achieve this?"

Alchemist Hong Yun felt he was going mad.

The same herb, at different temperatures in the furnace, releases different medicinal effects and produces different reactions. A slight error can lead to a huge deviation, causing the refinement to fail.

Not knowing how to refine pills, yet relying solely on mastery of medicinal properties to guide someone in refining a third-grade pill... Is he even human?

Previously, he thought that President Liu's solving of nineteen difficult cases might have been prepared in advance, accumulated over time. Now he realized... the man truly had skill!

Not to mention anything else, just this understanding and knowledge of medicinal properties was unmatched by anyone in Tianwu Royal City!

Not just him, even their guild president was far inferior!

"The way of medicine is vast and profound, how can it be explained in a single sentence? An alchemist's pill refinement and a physician's prescriptions both use various combinations to concentrate medicinal effects and bring them into perfect play. With extensive knowledge of herbs, they actually converge in different paths, making it not difficult to understand!"

Speaking calmly, Zhang Xuan's sleeves fluttered slightly, like a transcendent master.

Although his words were logical and irrefutable, these things existed only in theory.

That is, they were impossible for normal humans to achieve. Even a six-star or seven-star physician with extensive knowledge of herbs could not casually guide someone to refine pills based solely on this.

For example, according to the length of human development, theoretically one should live to two hundred years to be normal, but unfortunately, almost no one can achieve that.

Theory is theory, and there is still a big gap from reality. Furnace quality, flame temperature, the alchemist's cultivation, environment, the age and growth state of herbs... these are all variable factors. One or two don't matter, but when many combine, they become almost uncontrollable.

He had only managed this with the help of the library.

"I am enlightened..."

Knowing the difficulty, Alchemist Hong was filled with admiration.

"Hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "Can he now be considered a three-star alchemist? Is he qualified to apply for a formula at the Formula Wall?"

"Alchemist Mu can refine a third-grade pill. Although it was under your guidance, with this experience, future success should not be difficult. According to the rules, he is qualified to apply for a formula at the Formula Wall."

After a moment's hesitation, Alchemist Hong said.

Although Alchemist Mu had succeeded under his guidance, with this experience, with a little practice, being able to refine it alone would no longer be difficult.

That is, for Alchemist Mu, with a little practice, becoming a true three-star alchemist was only a matter of time.

In this situation, applying for a formula was no longer a violation.

"If I had known it was this simple, I wouldn't have come to find you, wasting so much time..."

Hearing the confirmation, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed.

What was this all about? Waiting outside for so long, and in the end, they were unwilling. Actually, it was just a matter of refining a pill... All that effort wasted!

"..."

He was just muttering to himself, but when Alchemist Mu heard it, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

This was too disrespectful, like slapping him in the face.

He glanced at Alchemist Hong and saw his face twitching, his body convulsing, as if he might spit out a mouthful of old blood.

President Liu, are you doing this on purpose?

After arriving, you deliberately didn't speak, letting people not know your identity, waiting to see a joke...

Damn it!

If I had known you had this skill, why would I have put on airs! Now, not only did I fail to show off, but I've made a fool of myself!

More importantly, I've offended such a genius, and even if I want to ask for help in the future, there's no way!

"Let's go!"

Ignoring the gloomy Alchemist Hong Yun, Zhang Xuan followed Alchemist Mu out of the hall and soon arrived at a sealed room.

Like the Difficult Cases Wall at the Physician Guild, the room contained nothing else but a huge wall.

Alchemist Hong and Jiang Chen also followed, wanting to see what kind of formula Alchemist Mu intended to apply for.

"Apply for it, the fourth-grade Cold Yin Pill formula."

Zhang Xuan transmitted his voice.

"Mm."

Alchemist Mu nodded, inserted his alchemist badge into the wall to activate it, and with a move of his hand, wrote three characters on the Formula Wall: Cold Yin Pill.

The Formula Wall was simple to use: just activate the wall and write the name of the desired formula. As long as it wasn't too excessive, the headquarters would agree.

The Tianwu Kingdom Guild had a three-star alchemist, so applying for a fourth-grade formula was no problem, but applying for a fifth-grade was impossible!

Other guilds followed the same principle.

Buzz...

After the name was written, the wall trembled for a moment, and a line of text appeared...

Price: Three spirit stones or one Yizhu grass.

"This is... the required price?" Seeing the text, Jiang Chen couldn't help asking.

"Mm, applying for a formula from headquarters requires a price. Otherwise, if everyone applied, the headquarters would be overwhelmed."

Alchemist Hong Yun responded, then showed confusion: "But... other fourth-grade formulas cost at most one spirit stone. This one costs three, or one Yizhu grass. The price is too high!"

"What is Yizhu grass?"

"It's a rare herb, hard to find. Even in Xuan Yuan Kingdom, it's hard to buy, let alone here."

Alchemist Hong Yun shook his head, full of regret: "This price is too high. Alchemist Mu can hardly afford it. I'm afraid even if he has the qualification to apply, he won't have the money to buy it."

...

Sure enough, as he guessed, seeing the text, Alchemist Mu's face turned pale and became very ugly.

He had thought the price would be low, and he could help pay, but three spirit stones... was too expensive. Even as a two-star peak alchemist, he couldn't afford it.

As for Yizhu grass, he had only heard of it and couldn't find it... let alone afford it.

"President Liu, I'm really sorry..."

Turning around, Alchemist Mu looked apologetic.

The other had come to the Alchemist Guild to find a way to improve his daughter's strength, thinking that with his status, he could help. But in the end, nothing was accomplished.

"Is this the payment to be made? How are spirit stones given?"

Zhang Xuan also realized and asked curiously.

The formula was information, which could be transmitted through the Formula Wall. But spirit stones or Yizhu grass were physical objects. How could they be sent to confirm?

"It's simple. If you agree to pay, someone will come to collect it within half a month. Once the items are confirmed, the formula will be transmitted." Alchemist Mu said.

"Half a month?" Zhang Xuan was speechless.

Then what was the difference from directly buying a fourth-grade pill?

Buying a pill required half a month. Because he couldn't wait, he requested the formula transmission. Now, after all this, it had come full circle.

"If you want the formula immediately, you can leave your badge here without retrieving it. That means you guarantee payment with your career. After the formula is transmitted, someone will still come to collect the payment within half a month..."

Alchemist Mu hesitated: "It's no problem to mortgage my badge, but... I really can't produce these items. Once they come to collect, there's no way..."

If he could produce three spirit stones, mortgaging the badge wouldn't matter. But... he didn't have them. Once they came to collect and he couldn't pay, the trouble would be huge.

It would mean all his years of hard work were wasted, and his two-star peak alchemist career would be lost.

"A fourth-grade formula... too expensive!"

Understanding the situation, Zhang Xuan looked frustrated.

Spirit stones—he didn't even know who to ask for them. Three at once... Not to mention not having any, even if he did, he would use them for cultivation. Buying a formula with them? What a joke!

"Isn't there any other way?"

He couldn't help asking.

"Besides physical payment, you can also pay with knowledge or information. As long as you can offer something the other party considers valuable, it can serve as payment."

Alchemist Mu smiled bitterly and shook his head: "But... the ones on the other side of the Formula Wall are mostly four-star or five-star alchemists. We are far inferior. Even if we know some knowledge or information, it's worthless."

The ones on the other side of the Formula Wall were at least four-star alchemists, with profound understanding of alchemy. How could a two-star alchemist like him offer information or knowledge that would interest them?

"You can pay with this?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned, then his eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Mm."

Seeing his expression, Alchemist Mu and the others were startled.

Could a physician, an outsider, offer information that would interest a four-star alchemist?

"Alright, let me do it."

Ignoring everyone's surprise, Zhang Xuan thought for a moment, picked up a brush, walked to the Formula Wall, and wrote a line of text.

"..."

Seeing what he wrote, Alchemist Hong Yun staggered, almost fainting from spitting blood.

Alchemist Mu's body swayed, and tears flowed.

This was activated with his badge, and his name was on the other side. President Liu, writing this...

You're trying to kill me...

Wuwu, don't screw me over like this...