Jing Yuan was also instructing Yukong on how to handle the problem.
His first priority was to ensure the people of the Xianzhou weren't foolish enough to actually start experimenting on themselves.
"The formulas are written with extreme detail, even the experimental data is fully disclosed, success rates and all. These people have clearly exhausted every ounce of their cunning for these formulas."
"I'm sixty percent certain that the formulas in here are real. But even so, we cannot treat them as harmless."
"The most feared thing in this world is to be given hope, only to have it snatched away by the same hand."
The people of the Xianzhou had long suffered from the torment of the Mara-Struck state. Jing Yuan suspected that the formulas provided by the Sanctus Medicus followers were likely real, if only to make this hope seem more tangible.
"From production to the hands of the people, an elixir only goes through a few processes: raw material production, raw material processing, elixir manufacturing, logistics and transportation, and wholesale and retail."
"We can't control production, processing, or manufacturing. All that's left is transportation and retail."
Jing Yuan's attitude was starting to cause some anxiety. Even Yukong, the blunt vulpine, found it a bit hard to accept.
She asked, perplexed, "Then why don't we just control it from the source at the Alchemy Commission?"
Jing Yuan said with another sigh of helplessness, "If you take these formulas to the Alchemy Commission now and ask them if they're real or fake, and then announce an inspection of their internal affairs, how do you think they'll respond?"
Yukong hesitated for a moment. "They would probably deny it?"
Jing Yuan shook his head. "That's right, they would deny it. Then, under the pretext of ensuring the safety of the Xianzhou people, they would conduct a live-streamed experiment to verify whether these formulas are real or fake. So the final conclusion will be that the formulas are definitely real."
Jing Yuan was certain of this outcome. If he were to conduct the experiment, there would still be a chance the formulas were fake.
But in the hands of the Alchemy Commission, they would definitely become real.
And what was the main 'side dish' in these formulas?
Vidyadhara marrow, and in large quantities.
This was clearly intended to create conflict between the people of the Xianzhou and the Vidyadhara.
Just think about it. When a Vidyadhara walks down the street, every Xianzhou native would be studying their pointed ears, thinking in their hearts that Vidyadhara marrow could solve their Mara-Struck problem.
And every Vidyadhara would know that when the Xianzhou people stared at them, they were also thinking about the marrow in their bodies.
This conflict, just by being brought to light, was already terrifying. Finding a way to resolve or even mitigate it would be an immense challenge.
Yukong now understood the General's predicament. Unless he decided to lead troops into the Alchemy Commission and kill every last person, this suspicion would continue to fester indefinitely.
Jing Yuan instructed, "Yukong, you must keep a close watch on logistics. Inspect everything you can, and don't miss a single detail. The Sky-Faring Commission must oversee the circulation of every single medicine... Ah, forget it. Just do what you can."
Jing Yuan sighed helplessly. "The Alchemy Commission is just too big."
The 'bigness' of the Alchemy Commission wasn't just a turn of phrase.
One could understand the Alchemy Commission as a powerful, self-sufficient department that handled its own production, sales, personnel, and finances.
The other five commissions still needed to consider the General's suggestions. For example, the Artisanship Commission couldn't function without the logistics and supply management of the Sky-Faring Commission.
The implementation of the Divination Commission's strategies required the cooperation of the Cloud Knights and the Realm-Keeping Commission.
But the Alchemy Commission was different. It was clearly trending towards being independent of the Six Commission.
The Alchemy Commission not only controlled the raw materials and manufacturing of elixirs, but also had its own clinics in various places.
It even had its own personnel for wholesale, retail, and logistics. It even dared to bypass the General's authority and privately collaborate with the Vidyadhara.
The Realm-Keeping Commission, the department in charge of civil administration for the Six Commissions, hadn't even been able to get a foothold in the Alchemy Commission before it rebelled.
The Alchemy Commission controlled its finances through external medical services on one hand, and managed its department through an internal monopoly on medicinal materials on the other.
Even Jing Yuan couldn't deal with the Alchemy Commission through direct orders; he could only use the other five commissions to encircle and squeeze its living space.
This internal process allowed the tens of thousands of Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to stir up such a massive storm within the Xianzhou.
Yukong also knew that dealing with the Alchemy Commission's counterattack would be very troublesome.
She had no idea what kind of drug these people had taken to make them go crazy and release these formulas.
"I will do my best. As for whether there are any Disciples of Sanctus Medicus within the Sky-Faring Commission and the Cloud Knights... I'm not so sure."
Yukong also found the situation utterly absurd.
The prowess of the Alchemy Commission wasn't just in its trend towards independence, but also in the fact that it was always the one infiltrating the other five commissions, while the five commissions' attempts to infiltrate it were completely fruitless.
No matter how many merits or benefits your department offered, it couldn't compete with the Alchemy Commission helping you solve the massive problem of the Mara-Struck state.
"Even if there were Disciples of Sanctus Medicus among us, we wouldn't be able to detect them. After all, they just believe in the Sanctus Medicus; they haven't done anything to betray the Xianzhou yet. We can't just fire them over such a small issue, can we?"
Jing Yuan thought back on the Alchemy Commission's recent actions. Since the extremist faith faction had already jumped out to seek their own demise, what else would they do besides using these formulas?
The General paced back and forth for a moment, then looked up at Yukong. "Yukong, why do you think the people of the Alchemy Commission released these formulas? Even if the formulas are real, I don't believe this alone can easily shake the position of us Six Commissions on the Luofu."
Yukong lowered her head and thought for a long time. "Is it possible that the formulas are just a pretext for other actions? Or perhaps, they have other objectives, like the 'Violet-Clouded Vermilion Palace'?"
"I remember that under our surveillance, the Alchemy Commission's 'Violet-Clouded Vermilion Palace' seems to have been operating for a long time. But according to our Sky-Faring Commission, the volume of drugs shipped out by the Alchemy Commission has not increased."
Jing Yuan had also arranged for people to monitor the situation at the 'Violet-Clouded Vermilion Palace.'
He was silent for a long time before saying, "Is it possible that the Alchemy Commission not only has connections with the Vidyadhara, but also with the outside world?"
Yukong wondered if the Alchemy Commission was getting too big for its britches. Their ability to secretly communicate with the outside world was even better than hers, the head of the Sky-Faring Commission?
She asked, perplexed, "Then what other force could possibly allow the Alchemy Commission to turn the tables? We've already suppressed them with a joint effort from the Six Commissions. It's not like some foreign power can just forcibly intervene, right?"
"Funny you should say that, I was thinking the exact same thing!" Jing Yuan nodded in agreement with Yukong's speculation.