Tae-yang was escorted to the VIP room by Ryu Byeol-ha.. He had never dealt with a big shot like the Ryu family before, and he knew that he had to make this meeting count.
Once inside the room, Ryu Byeol-ha gestured for Tae-yang to take a seat at the table. Tae-yang gratefully accepted and sat down.
"Now, what is this important matter that you wanted to discuss?" Ryu Byeol-ha asked, leaning back in his chair.
Tae-yang cleared his throat before speaking.
"I have a proposition to make, something that can make your auction, even grander," he said.
Ryu Byeol-ha's demeanor shifted slightly.
"Would you like some refreshment?" he offered, but Tae-yang politely declined, insisting they get straight to business. He then inquired about the auction set to take place in two nights.
Ryu Byeol-ha hesitated. "I'm sorry, but the items to be auctioned are confidential. I can't disclose any information."
Tae-yang chuckled, a sly smile crossing his lips. "I'm not here to contend against something as insignificant as a sword imbued with the power of ice from the feather of an Ice Qilin," he said dismissively. "I have something much more valuable to offer."
Ryu Byeol-ha's interest was piqued. The Ice Qilin Sword was the most valuable item he had ever seen. "What could be more important than the Ice Qilin Sword?" he asked.
Tae-yang chuckled and reached into his sleeve, pulling out an unassuming pill container.
"This might not look like much, but it's worth more than any sword," he said, placing the container on the table between them.
Ryu Byeol-ha picked up the container and examined it. "This looks like any other ordinary pill container," he said, unconvinced. "And the medicinal properties of whatever pill is inside must be diminishing as we speak."
Tae-yang nodded. "You're right, it doesn't look like much. But wait till you see the pills inside."
Tae-yang carefully opened the container, revealing the small pills inside. As soon as he did, the room was filled with the scent of potent medicine.
Ryu Byeol-ha, who had some knowledge of alchemy, immediately recognized the unique smell. His body began to tremble as the blue hue of the pills illuminated the room, and he realized this was no ordinary concoction.
"Excuse me for a moment," Ryu Byeol-ha said, standing up. "This is beyond my expertise. I will need to call in our head alchemist to assess these pills."
He left the room and instructed one of the attendants to summon the head alchemist of the Ryu clan.
Tae-yang watched him go, a small smile playing on his lips. He knew these pills were something special.
In the empire, alchemists are divided into different classes: beginner, intermediate, and master alchemists. Each class is separated into three grades: low, middle, and high.
The highest class of alchemists in the empire is the Grandmaster alchemist. However, beyond this, there are even more prestigious titles: Celestial Alchemist, Divine Alchemist, Immortal Alchemist, and the ultimate class, the God of Alchemy.
These classes are based on the alchemist's level of expertise and skill in the art of alchemy, with the God of Alchemy being the rarest and most highly respected class, a title bestowed upon only one being.
As of now, there is no one in the whole realm who has replaced the legends of the God of Alchemy, who allegedly exists during the Bygone Era. No one knows for sure if that is true, however, alchemists could not deny the existence of today's alchemical products.
After a while, the head of the Ryu Clan's alchemy division made his way into the hall, his cane tapping against the floor with each step. His white hair was disheveled, and his robes were stained with various chemicals and medicinal herbs. Despite his advanced age, his eyes shone with a sharp intelligence that belied his years.
As he entered the room, he cast a curious gaze upon Tae-yang, who sat with his eyes closed as if looking upon Alchemist Ryu Bei would somehow sully his eyes.
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The elder alchemist raised an eyebrow at this display, clearly unimpressed.
"Boy, do you have business with me, or do you simply wish to waste my time?" he asked gruffly.
Tae-yang remained seated, unmoved by the imposing presence of this elder. Despite being treated like a boy, he seemed to pay no attention to the old alchemist's complaints. Alchemist Ryu Bei was taken aback since alchemists are not to be trifled with.
"What is so important that it requires my presence?" Alchemist Ryu Bei asked with signs of irritation.
Tae-yang stood tall and acted arrogantly as he addressed the head alchemist of the Ryu Clan. "What could be more important than meeting me here, old man?" he asked.
Alchemist Ryu Bei scowled at Tae-yang, his impatience clear on his face. "I'm in the midst of an important breakthrough, boy. Why did you need to call me here?"
Tae-yang smirked, undeterred by the alchemist's irritation.
"I have something that I believe will interest you greatly," he replied, pulling out a small pill container from his sleeves.
Tae-yang reached into his sleeves and presented the insignificant-looking pill container. Master Ryu's eyes narrowed in disgust at the sight of it.
"No alchemist worth their salt would use such a shoddy container for their medicine. It will surely affect the efficacy of the pill."
Tae-yang shrugged nonchalantly. "You may not be impressed by the container, but I assure you, the contents are beyond amazing."
The alchemist's skepticism only grew as he scrutinized the pill container. "Who are you, boy? And what is your connection to the Zhuge Clan of this empire?" he asked, his tone wary.
Tae-yang hesitated, caught off guard by the alchemist's knowledge of the Zhuge Clan. "I am just an attendant of the Zhuge Clan from Cardinal City," he improvised, hoping to pass off as an ally of the empire on a separate continent.
Young Master Ryu Byeol-ha interjected, trying to smooth over the tension. "Please, Master Ryu, do not let Master Zhuge's words offend you. He is simply here to request your assistance in examining a pill that is beyond my understanding."
Master Ryu's expression softened slightly at the mention of a pill, his curiosity piqued. "Very well, let me see this mysterious pill of yours."
Tae-yang chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "You frogs in the well have no idea what you're talking about. This pill was personally refined by my young master, a prodigy in the arts of alchemy. I can bet my left nut that this will shock the entire empire."
As Master Ryu carefully opened the pill container, the scent of the medicine immediately filled the room. As he peered inside the container, the blue hue of the pills seemed to radiate a light that illuminated the entire room.
The elder alchemist's body trembled as he realized the true nature of the pills in front of him. He had read about this legendary medicine in ancient texts, but had always thought it was nothing more than a myth. Yet here it was, right in front of him.
"Heavens, this is the Heavenly Clarity Pill," he whispered in awe
Tae-yang couldn't help but smirk at the elder's reaction. "It seems like you know something, at least," he said, trying to gauge the man's reaction. "Would you like to inspect one of the pills?" he offered.
Tae-yang watched with amusement as Master Ryu's expression changed from shock to disbelief. When he touched the pill, the skin of his finger seemed to be rejuvenated, a testament to the pill's miraculous properties.
"Good Lord, it is just as the legend says," Master Ryu whispered in awe. He turned to Tae-yang and asked, "Esteemed guest, how did you manage to concoct this pill? According to the book I read, the recipe for this ingredient has been lost in time. The Skyblossom, the main ingredient, can only bloom in a place with the highest concentration of lunar energy. Even the alchemy technique used to create this has disappeared."
As Tae-yang watched Alchemist Ryu inspect the Heavenly Clarity Pill, he couldn't help but think how much his ancestors would be rolling in their graves if they knew just how easy it was for their young master to concoct such a miraculous pill and that they have rows and rows of Skyblossom in their clan.
"The Heavenly Clarity Pill is a mythical medicinal pill that is said to have the ability to expel any impurities from the body and help those who consume it break through to higher levels of cultivation. Despite its many rumored benefits, the Heavenly Clarity Pill is inexistent, only a stuff of legends. Esteemed guest, I would sell my fortune if you’d sell me one of the pills to study"
Master Ryu couldn't help but plead with Tae-yang to sell him one of the pills. He wanted nothing more than to study it and understand its properties. Tae-yang initially resisted, but at the request of Young Master Ryu, he eventually agreed.
However, having no idea what the price of the pill should be, Tae-yang told the Ryu Clan that they would have to pay whatever the first winning bid was at the auction.
"But what is a fair price for something like this?" Young Master Ryu asked.
"Something as precious as the Heavenly Clarity Pill cannot be priced. However, if you plan on auctioning it, I would expect the price to rise to at least 100 million earth coins," Alchemist Ryu answered with excitement.
In this continent, earth coins are the most widely used and accepted form of currency. They are made from a rare metallic ore abundant in the region, and their value is determined by the market. 100 million earth coins are equivalent to 1 sky coin, which is used in other lands and made from a more precious metal.
Beyond sky coins, there are also constellation coins, made from rare celestial materials and even more valuable. Interstellar coins, forged from materials found in distant galaxies, hold even greater worth. The most valuable coin of all is the utopian coin, crafted from a mysterious and rare substance found only in Utopia.
Upon hearing the amount of money he could potentially make, Tae-yang's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. However, he quickly regained his composure. He kept his expression neutral, not wanting to give away his true thoughts.