Chapter 12

The top floor of the Juzhen Pavilion was spacious, but there was only one small elegant room here. The rest of the large area was planted with yellow, nameless flowers. Under the sunlight, they shimmered like a golden dream.

This place was forbidden to all the staff of the Juzhen Pavilion, and no more than five people could go up to the top floor.

One of them was the second-rank alchemist, Master He.

Master He hurried up the stairs and immediately locked his eyes on a girl in a yellow robe sitting in the elegant room. His eyes immediately showed a hint of doting and respect.

She was a beautiful young lady, seemingly only sixteen or seventeen years old, with features more delicate than a servant girl. A light yellow dress tightly wrapped her well-proportioned body. She sat quietly in the elegant room surrounded by flowers, holding a book. A cup of hot tea steamed beside her, giving her a refined and ethereal aura, like a queen of flowers, making the surrounding flowers pale in comparison.

She had a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes, with black pupils that shone with a light that could see through everything. She noticed someone coming up hurriedly, frowned slightly, put down the book, and smiled gently, "Grandpa He, you're in such a hurry. Has something happened?"

Master He entered the elegant room without speaking, just handed a black pill he brought from Jiang Yi to the beautiful girl. The girl extended her white, jade-like fingers to hold the pill, examined it carefully, and even sniffed it. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed even more, and she asked in confusion, "This is just a very ordinary pill, and it's even remade. It should contain some mixed medicinal powders. This pill can only be considered a mid-grade human-level pill, right?"

Master He stroked his white beard and nodded in satisfaction, "Miss, you are very wise, and you are absolutely right. But take a closer look."

The beautiful girl's face became serious. She knew how eccentric her alchemist was and that he wouldn't chat with her for no reason. She narrowed her phoenix eyes and carefully examined the pill against the sunlight.

Soon, she noticed something unusual. Her calm face showed a hint of surprise and emotion, and her phoenix eyes brightened. She murmured, "Hmm? The pattern on the outside of this pill is strange. Could it be... the legendary..."

Master He nodded with great certainty, "Yes, it is the legendary... pill pattern! Miss, you are indeed well-read and exceptionally intelligent. This pill pattern is something even ordinary low-level alchemists don't know about."

The beautiful girl stared at the faint patterns on the black pill again, smiled, and shook her head, "Grandpa He, I'm not an alchemist. I saw the pill pattern in some ancient books. It's said that... alchemists who can create pill patterns are very remarkable. Does the pill pattern have any special function?"

"Pill patterns have no use and do not enhance the effectiveness of the pill."

Master He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "But in the more than ten thousand years of history of the Tianxing Continent, there have been 107 Pill Kings and 9 Pill Saints. And on the pills made by these 102 people... there are pill patterns!"

"What?"

The beautiful girl's body trembled, her face turned pale, and her eyes shone with fear. She asked nervously, "Grandpa He, where did you get this pill?"

Master He pointed down, "It was brought by a young man downstairs."

"Young man?"

The beautiful girl's mouth opened in surprise and quickly asked, "What is the young man's strength?"

Master He shook his head, "This young man is very weak, only at the first level of the Cauldron Realm. This pill is definitely not made by him. To make such a pill, one needs at least the fifth level of the Cauldron Realm. I came up to ask for your instructions. Should we send someone to follow this young man and find the alchemist?"

"No!"

The beautiful girl pondered, her face quickly returning to calm. Her black, gem-like eyes shone with an indescribable light. She suddenly stood up and walked downstairs, "I will go and see personally."

...

The first floor of the Juzhen Pavilion was bustling with noise. Many young masters and misses from prominent families liked to shop here. This was the largest business in Tianyu City, and being able to enter and exit here was a symbol of status.

"Wow!"

When a girl in a yellow robe walked down the stairs, the entire Juzhen Pavilion, after a brief stir, immediately fell silent. Many young masters in brocade robes looked at her with burning eyes, eager to approach, but she ignored them and walked directly into an elegant room.

Jiang Yi, who was in the elegant room, was very nervous. It was his first time in such a grand place, and he was waiting for a decision. He was genuinely nervous. Fortunately, his face was covered by a hood, and years of suppression had made his character more steady.

However!

His forced calm quickly disappeared when the girl in the yellow robe entered. He glanced at her and couldn't take his eyes off her. The Jiang family had many beautiful girls, and the eldest and second daughters were also very pretty, but compared to this girl in the yellow robe, they were like flowers and green leaves, not in the same league.

"Cough, cough!"

Fortunately, Master He, who followed the girl in the yellow robe, woke Jiang Yi up. He quickly pretended to cough and lowered his head, not daring to look more. He was here to sell the pill, and this girl in the yellow robe was clearly wealthy and noble. Staring at her might offend her.

The girl in the yellow robe entered, her beautiful eyes glanced at Jiang Yi, and she raised her hand to stop the manager and the maid from bowing. She then looked at Jiang Yi and said, "I am Ji Tingyu. May I ask for your surname, sir?"

"Ji Tingyu? This Juzhen Pavilion is indeed a Ji family business. You must be the daughter of the city lord."

Hearing the girl's voice, which was like a nightingale's song, Jiang Yi's heart stirred. He quickly composed himself and said, "Miss Ji, I am Yi Jian."

At this moment, he dared not use his real name. He knew that since the pill had alarmed the Ji family's daughter, it must be because she noticed the special black essence. He understood the principle that a commoner is not guilty, but one who possesses a treasure is.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay."

This girl in the yellow robe was a stunning beauty, and the light in her beautiful phoenix eyes made him feel as if she could see through everything. He was afraid that if he stayed too long, all his secrets would be exposed.

So he paused and said before she could speak, "Miss Ji, will you buy this pill or not? If not, I will take my leave!"

"Uh..."

Master He, the manager, and a pretty maid all looked surprised. They knew how attractive their young lady was to men. Which young master wouldn't be like a fly, impossible to drive away? This young man clearly lacked depth but had such composure?

Ji Tingyu was also slightly taken aback but soon smiled gently and nodded, "Of course, we will buy the pill. Yi Jian, how much do you want for each pill?"

"High-grade human-level pills are ten silver taels each. This pill, according to the alchemist, is not of high grade, but since it has alarmed you, it must be unusual. Its value should be higher than a high-grade human-level pill, right?" Jiang Yi's mind raced, and he quickly said, "Twenty silver taels each."

Ji Tingyu and Master He exchanged glances, both showing surprise. A pill with a pill pattern being sold for twenty silver taels each? Would an alchemist who could make such a pill care about such a small amount of money? Could this young man have stolen the pill?

Ji Tingyu's position in the Juzhen Pavilion was clearly very high. She pondered, and no one dared to speak. After a moment, she asked, "Yi Jian, may I ask if the alchemist who made this pill knows that you are selling it?"

The pill was made by Jiang Yi himself, so he nodded without hesitation, "Yes, if he didn't know, it would be like I stole it."

"I didn't mean that. It's just our rules. Please don't misunderstand, Yi Jian..."

Ji Tingyu didn't ask more and turned to the manager, "Go and get one tael of purple gold. We will buy these three pills."

"One tael of purple gold?"

Jiang Yi was surprised. One tael of purple gold was equivalent to one hundred silver taels. This Miss Ji not only didn't lower the price but even raised it?

The manager quickly went out and brought back a small purple gold leaf, which he handed to Jiang Yi. Ji Tingyu then smiled, "Yi Jian, if you have more such pills in the future, bring them to our Juzhen Pavilion. We will buy them all! And we will pay one tael of purple gold for every three pills. If the grade is higher, we will pay more, of course... you must have the alchemist's consent."

"Is this purple gold?"

Jiang Yi's attention was completely drawn to the purple gold leaf in his hand. He had never seen purple gold in his life. His breathing quickened, and he didn't pay attention to what the girl said, waving his hand casually, "Alright, if I have more such pills, I will definitely sell them to your Juzhen Pavilion. I have some matters to attend to, so I will take my leave..."

After saying this, Jiang Yi put away the purple gold, bowed rudely, and hurried out. Master He wanted to ask more questions but was stopped by Ji Tingyu's raised hand.

When Jiang Yi walked out of the elegant room, he found countless eyes locked on him, and some young masters showed envy and hatred. He didn't know why, feeling a bit uneasy, he lowered his head, tightened his hood, and quickly left the Juzhen Pavilion, disappearing into the crowd outside...

...

After Jiang Yi left, Master He dismissed the manager and the maid and asked Ji Tingyu, "Miss, this pill has no value except for the pill pattern, and its effects are unknown. It can't be sold. Why did you buy it all? And... should we send someone to follow him?"

"Ha ha."

Ji Tingyu smiled charmingly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Master He, "Grandpa He, in the vast Tianyu City, no one can match you in alchemy, but in business... no one can match me. Just for the pill pattern, I would have paid ten taels of purple gold if I wasn't afraid of scaring the young man. If a small amount of money can win the favor of a potential... Pill King or Pill Saint, this business is too good. By the way! Grandpa He, don't send anyone to follow him. It would be counterproductive to anger the mysterious alchemist. Don't worry, this young man will come back soon..."

Master He was enlightened, stroked his white beard, and sincerely praised, "Miss, you are quick-witted and have a long-term vision. I admire you. Indeed, in the vast Tianyu City with millions of people, no one can match you in business. Otherwise, how could the Juzhen Pavilion become the largest business in Tianyu City in just two years? By the way! You were only fourteen when you took over the business. If you continue to manage it, it won't take ten years for the Juzhen Pavilion to become the largest business in our Divine Martial Kingdom."

Ji Tingyu smiled and shook her head, not confirming or denying. She looked through the window of the elegant room at the distant sky, sighed softly, and murmured, "What's the point of being the largest business in the Divine Martial Kingdom? I, Ji Tingyu, will become the empress. Why would I continue to do this business filled with the stench of copper?"

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