"My lord, it has been many days since we last met. I almost thought that after using me, you had simply left."
After several interactions, they had grown familiar with each other. What was clearly an ordinary remark sounded ambiguous and suggestive when spoken by Ya Fei, stirring endless imagination.
Ye Hao was speechless.
What did she mean by using her and leaving?
Was he that kind of person?
Besides!
He had not even done anything to her!
"My lord, what brings you here this time? How may Ya Fei be of service?" Ya Fei asked while pouring tea.
Ye Hao said, "Did you not say a few days ago that the medicinal ingredients for refining the Qi Gathering Powder were all prepared? Since I have some time recently, I might as well refine them first."
"Oh, and find me a quiet room."
He added another sentence.
"Very well, my lord. Please wait a moment."
It just so happened that Gu Ni had dug out a secret chamber beneath the Miteer Auction House.
That was his usual place for refining pills.
Outside the underground chamber.
Gu Ni kept rubbing his hands and constantly signaling to Ya Fei with his eyes. Sweat beaded on his forehead from anxiety.
Ya Fei nodded.
She walked to Ye Hao's side.
"My lord, Uncle Gu Ni is already advanced in age and has been stuck at the Second Tier for many years. He wishes to observe my lord refining pills and learn a little. Would that be convenient for you?"
"My lord, I will stand quietly in the corner and guarantee I will not make a single sound."
Gu Ni bent his waist, pleading humbly.
There was no trace of the pride of Wu Tan City's number one alchemist.
Ye Hao nodded. "That is fine."
"Thank you, my lord. Thank you, my lord."
Gu Ni was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly. His face wrinkled into a smile like a withering wild chrysanthemum.
There was no beauty to speak of.
Inside the pill refining chamber.
Ye Hao placed all the medicinal ingredients before him.
He was just about to begin.
Only then did he realize he did not have a cauldron.
He was not yet proficient at condensing a cauldron from Heavenly Flame.
Thus.
Ye Hao thought for a moment and said,
"By the way, lend me your cauldron. The last time I refined a Sixth Tier medicinal Pill, the pill succeeded, but the cauldron cracked. I have not had time to replace it."
Sixth Tier medicinal pill!
Gu Ni wondered if he had saved the Dou Qi Continent in his previous life.
To have encountered a true Pill King!
"My lord, the quality of my cauldron is not very high. I do not know if it will satisfy your needs," Gu Ni said with a flushed face.
"The quality does not matter. As long as there is one, it will do."
After making all preparations.
Ye Hao closed his eyes, and the method for refining the Qi Gathering Powder appeared in his mind like a slideshow!
Gu Ni's eyes widened like lanterns. He did not even dare to blink.
Afraid of missing a single detail.
Ye Hao spread his palm, and a green flame emerged.
In an instant!
The temperature in the entire chamber soared sharply.
It felt as though the air itself was boiling.
Gu Ni felt the Beast Flame within his body tremble constantly, as if it had encountered an emperor.
It seemed ready to flee at any moment!
Even his knees felt an uncontrollable urge to kneel!
He leaned against the wall of the chamber.
His face pale, cold sweat pouring down.
"Could this be… the legendary Heavenly Flame? What terrifying power!!"
Ye Hao wrapped the medicinal ingredients with his soul power and sent them into the cauldron.
Following the method in his memory.
He began refining.
Extracting over a hundred kinds of ingredients.
Condensing the medicinal liquid.
Forming the pill…
The entire process flowed smoothly and seamlessly in one breath.
It took less than three days.
As a burst of pill fragrance drifted out from the cauldron!
It signified that the refinement was successful!
"Open!"
Ye Hao waved his hand.
Bang!
The lid of the cauldron was lifted.
A round, emerald-green pill flew out from within and landed in Ye Hao's palm!
"The quality is not bad."
After all, it was his first time personally refining it. Ye Hao was rather satisfied.
Immediately after, he began refining the second one!
Gu Ni muttered, "Top-grade Qi Gathering Powder, and it is only not bad? This…"
Beside him, Gu Ni was already dumbfounded!
It succeeded on the first attempt!!
As far as he knew, even Pill King Gu He could not guarantee success in a single attempt when refining Qi Gathering Powder!
The key was…
During the observation, he discovered that whether it was Ye Hao's refining techniques, control of heat, or use of soul power.
He surpassed Fa Ma of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Association and even Pill King Gu He!
He had benefited immensely!
Unfortunately, he had rushed in earlier.
He had not brought a pen.
He could only rely on his brain to memorize everything frantically.
Fortunately, there was a second refinement to deepen his impression.
In the blink of an eye, another three days passed!
Another Qi Gathering Powder emerged from the cauldron!
Still top-grade!
Gu Ni's worldview was completely overturned at this moment.
He had often heard people say that Qi Gathering Powder was extremely difficult to refine!
The success rate was very low!
How had it become so effortless in Ye Hao's hands?!
What astonished him most was that Ye Hao was only in his teens!
Had he begun learning alchemy in his mother's womb?
Ye Hao stood up.
He was about to walk out of the chamber.
Gu Ni suddenly came back to his senses and rushed forward, kneeling behind Ye Hao.
"My lord, this humble one is dull-witted. Today I had the fortune to witness my lord refining pills and have gained greatly. I beg my lord to accept me as your disciple and teach me the art of alchemy."
At this moment, Gu Ni had no reservations whatsoever about Ye Hao being younger than him.
He knelt and kowtowed faster than elderly women rushing for discounted goods at the market!
He truly longed to improve.
"You are too old, and your talent is too poor. You cannot become my disciple. I can give you some guidance, though."
Ye Hao spoke without turning his head.
"Thank you, my lord. Thank you, my lord. To receive my lord's guidance is a blessing cultivated over lifetimes. Gu Ni is content."
Gu Ni trembled with excitement, kowtowing repeatedly in gratitude.
Even long after Ye Hao had left.
In the reception hall.
"Two Qi Gathering Powders!!"
Ya Fei's round red lips parted in shock as she stared at Ye Hao.
Two sets of ingredients, two pills!
Had Uncle Gu Ni not said the success rate was less than fifty percent?
With these two Qi Gathering Powders, and with a little promotion!
She could auction them off for an excellent price.
At that time, with Ye Hao's support.
Those old fellows in the Miteer Clan would have to treat her with utmost respect!
"Thank you, my lord. Ya Fei has no way to repay you, so I can only serve you like an ox or horse and obey your every command."
Trying to eat my grass?
Ye Hao said, "Let us speak of serious matters. How did the investigation I asked about last time go?"
Ya Fei put away her smile and spoke seriously.
"I used every connection I could within the Miteer Clan to investigate. Ten years ago, there was indeed an unusually fierce battle outside Wu Tan City."
"However, as for who the two sides were, too much time has passed. No eyewitnesses can be found."
At this point, Ya Fei suddenly changed her tone.
"However, someone discovered a jade pendant in the forest where they once fought! I purchased it at a high price."
Ya Fei took out a jade box from the side.
Opening it, inside lay a leaf-shaped jade pendant. However, it had been broken into two pieces.
Half of the pendant was emerald green.
Cool to the touch, with a clear and translucent luster!
It did not seem like something an ordinary family would possess.
Faint traces of energy even seeped out from it.
Clearly, the owner of this jade pendant was no ordinary person.
After careful inspection, Ye Hao also discovered faint traces of a soul power seal remaining on the pendant.
Something should have originally been sealed within.
Or perhaps this jade pendant had once symbolized some kind of identity.
But because it had shattered.
Important information had been lost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus chapters every 200 Power Stone!
10, 20, 30 Advanced chapters in my Patreon!
patr(e)on.com/hollyrisk