18. The Good Businessman
It is a typical day and an old man with dirty white beard is overseeing a group of teenagers training on a certain mountain. Given his age, he chose to resign on a secluded mountain and help train future generations.
His name is Sar Ula'n, an Early Core Formation Expert and one of the six elders of San Ruk Eagles Guild.
While taking observing two younger generations spar, he noticed a carriage from afar bearing a deacon's insignia approaching their location. Normally, someone would send out messenger pigeons and someone would relay the information to him but for a deacon to personally visit, they may have encountered a situation where his decision is needed.
Seeing that everyone is busy, he turned around to prepare a simple reception.
Meanwhile, the man in the carriage is none other than Deacon Sar Aran.
Shortly when he opened the bottle given to him by Clay, he noticed something not ordinary.
As a deacon, he had extensive training in the field of apothecary and after decades of experience, he can immediately tell if an item is worth their attention however, during his transaction with Clay, he treated everything like it was a regular trade.
If possible, he would make Clay their VIP guest but it is not something he can decide so he personally set off to ask guidance from their elder.
A few minutes later, Sar Aran was received on a guest hall.
Upon seating, Sar Aran placed the bottles of pills on the table causing their Elder to look at him with disappointment.
"You cannot possibly have come all the way here just to report someone sold us a few bottles of pills, right?” Sar Ula'n quizzically inquired as he sipped his tea.
"I pride myself in Apothecary and I have been a Deacon for more than thirty years now and this is the first time I have encountered a Mid-Tier Qi Sensing Pill concocted using Earth Class ingredients.”
There was a brief pause then he continued. “I consulted a Tier Three Alchemist yesterday and it appears he can only concoct Mid Tier Qi Sensing Pill using "Heaven Class" materials. He did elaborate why he cannot refine Mid Tier Qi Sensing Pill using Earth Class materials but, anyway… the rest of our conversation is irrelevant."
"Tell me exactly what do you need my permission for."
"This great Alchemist sent a Peak-Early Qi Condensation boy to run his errands. From the looks of it, he will probably make more transactions to our guild in the future. The boy claims he refined them and currently is residing within the commoner’s residential area of San Ruk Town near our office. The problem is, that boy is carrying a San Ruk Elven Crest and even his residence is marked with it and as for this Alchemist’s identity, it is not my call to order an investigation."
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Elder Sar Ula'n did not need Deacon Aran to further explain. Most practitioners go on with their lives not knowing Human relations with Elvens on neighboring kingdoms.
Nobody knows when it started but there has always been a tension with neighboring provinces despite armistice. He remembered forty years ago when a certain Elven clan in Ab'atuan Mountain Range, a trading post which is a fifteen day flight travel from Paco City was exterminated by Bang'et Royal Guards and any human experts with close relations with that clan were not spared as well.
Their status as Core Formation experts did not qualify them to know the details of the purge and mostly heard rumors about Blood Moon Sect being involved but contrary to what the Bang'et Royal Family had announced, that Elven colony had overstepped their boundaries. They even made clear that as long as Elvens mind their own business, there is nothing to worry about.
However, according to the information they bought from a certain expert, that Elven colony had been suspected to have been involved in a certain demonic practice relating to multiple disappearances of Alchemy apprentices which today is an on-going problem for everyone including big sects.
It is still a mystery as to what the demonic practice entail but one thing is certain. The technique is of Elven origins and those who disappeared were never seen again.
After the purge, to avoid being implicated, their guild came up with a rule that any potential long term partnership with Elvens must be avoided and this is why their deacon personally visited.
However, that grandmaster Alchemist poses another level of threat. These experts are always backed up by someone powerful and only a fool would offend them.
After careful consideration, Sar Ula'n spoke.
"Continue to trade with the boy for now. Treat all transactions like a regular transaction and do not curry any favors. Have some of our spies investigate any similar situations you can find. "
He wanted to share the information with Aran but decided to keep it a secret. To this day, it is still a mystery as to who is behind the disappearances and while there are circulating rumors that Blood Moon Sect is the culprit, he did not want any potential threat that may cause their guild to be exterminated as well.
Meanwhile, Clay had no idea how big of a trouble he caused.
Yesterday, he successfully traded his pills for ninety -one gold coins then got a bargain of eighty gold coins for a simple cultivation technique for Mid Qi Condensation Realm. Later, he handed the eleven gold coins to Aunt Mabna'y and last night, he got a taste of meat again for dinner.
What is making Clay uncomfortable though is how Aunt Mabna'y’s 180 degree change in character after the trade. That afternoon when she said she needed to buy things from the market to prepare dinner, she came back with her nine year old daughter, Mebiline. They have not left the house since yesterday.
He knew it was related to the pills he took out during the trade and while it is very satisfying to the see her reaction after thinking he was talentless, he did not have the time bask in self praise and instead turned his attention on the book he traded his pills for.
While sitting on his bed, he focused his mind on a particular cultivation technique he read five times.
According to the book, one must be able to purify his body using Qi, however the portion that contains the circulation pattern looks exactly similar to what caused him Qi deviation back when he was living in a cage.
He had already read the book several times hoping to see any hidden context but the book is very straightforward and he felt like he had been taken advantage of after spending a sum of money for a non-refundable useless item.
If there is something worth noting, then it is using Body Reinforcement Pills to assist the advancement process. His only worry though is that the book describes the pill as an optional external assistance and not a mandatory requirement.
As someone who has firsthand experience what Qi Deviation is like, he is certain the pill will not help but maybe he is wrong.
Clay sighed and took out the Body Reinforcement Pill formula from his spatial ring. If possible, he would like to avoid refining other types of pill until he is free but the matter of getting stronger cannot be delayed. From what he had observed, he must be at least a Foundation Level to be considered above average.