Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Shaking the Alchemy World

Lan Yu eyed him, puzzled. Ethan beamed, "Lan, sell me your herbs and I'll pay better than any battlefield trader—save yourself the journey." With the penicillin revelation, Ethan could barely contain his excitement. Why bother with the old wound ointments when you could actually prevent infection? Lan Yu still looked skeptical. "Danhan Alchemy… the workshop's seen better days, hasn't it?" His meaning was clear—can you really deliver? Before this breakthrough, even Ethan would have hesitated. Now, he spoke with conviction: "Danhan's about to shock the world—a new investor has just poured in a fortune. Our golden age is coming back." Lan Yu let it go—truth or bluff, it made no difference. "Fine. Write out the list of herbs you want, and I'll see what I can find. In two months, bring me your offer, above market rate." For penicillin, the raw materials were basic—most requests were for other projects, including his meridian serum. Lan Yu hesitated. "Two months is a long time." Ethan grinned. "The war's not ending tomorrow. And unless you're starving, waiting will be worth it." Lan Yu agreed. "So be it. Make your list." Ethan quickly scribbled down plant names and diagrams, describing each herb's properties, like Fire Essence Stone—found beneath dormant volcanoes—or Night-Needle Flower, which blooms after midnight. Lan Yu's brow knitted; these names didn't match what he knew. "Never heard of half these plants—Fifty-Flower Fruit, Mossvine, Night-Needle…" he said, handing back the slip. Ethan got it—his Earth names didn't match local terminology. Quickly, he drew sketches and described telltale features. As he explained, Lan Yu's face brightened, recognizing the native equivalents. "So you learned under the old names—that explains it." Convinced by Ethan's deep knowledge, Lan Yu nodded. "I'll be back with your herbs in two months." Ethan watched him leave, relieved. At last, something had gone his way. He wasn't worried about anyone stealing his formulas—key ingredients and methods remained known only to him. … Back at the workshop, Lucas Lu rushed over. "When do we start? I have some unfinished formulas…" Ethan waved him off. "I have my own formula. Instead, just lend me access to your classics—I need to research, and some gold for ingredients." "No problem at all. Let's head to the archives." Though Danhan had declined, its pharmacopoeias were superb—many books unavailable elsewhere. One look and Ethan knew he'd never need to buy another field guide. "Lucas, find me a few trustworthy hands. When the time comes, I'll need help with production—but secrecy is crucial. Two days from now, we begin. In two months, Danhan Alchemy will rise again—no, we'll shake the entire alchemical world." The courtyard and their staff, however battered, were at least resources he could rely on. Truthfully, even with precautions, the secrets of penicillin would spread as soon as production scaled up. But that didn't worry Ethan—he had more breakthroughs up his sleeve. Lucas thumped his chest, eyes shining. "Trust me, I'll make sure not a word leaks from Danhan!" "Hold on," Ethan added, scribbling out a long list of glassware and lab gear. "Pick all this up too. We'll need it soon." Lucas stared at the list, baffled by the sea of beakers and flasks. "What's with all this glass?" "Just follow my lead, Lucas. In two months, we'll make history, trust me." But the glassware wasn't just for penicillin—it was for perfecting the serum to make meridians blossom in the body, even for someone with zero spiritual root.