Chapter 34: The Alchemy King's Ruins

"Sir, please wait a moment!" Seeing the situation, Yun Yuqing's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. "Since I have invited you here today, it is for an important matter to discuss. I wonder if you would be willing to stay and talk!"

"I have no interest," Du Fei replied coldly.

"Hehe, Sir, it's best not to say that too quickly! If I were to say that the matter I wish to discuss is related to the item in your possession, what would you think?" Yun Yuqing took a deep breath, and her words made Du Fei's heart race.

Here it comes!

Du Fei's eyes twitched slightly, but the veil covering his face hid his expression well. He merely smiled coldly and said, "If I didn't know the origin of this item, I wouldn't have auctioned it... But to be honest, if you were interested, you could have bid higher and bought it back yourself. Why wait until now and waste so many words?"

"Hehe, Sir, you should understand that to accomplish this matter, we need an alchemist... You might be capable, but I am not an alchemist and don't have that kind of ability... However, I can be straightforward: I have half of that item, and you have the other half. If we want to achieve our goal, you will need to cooperate with me, won't you?" Yun Yuqing smiled and lightly touched the exquisite ring on her hand. Immediately, an object identical to the box in Du Fei's possession appeared. She then flicked her wrist, and the box disappeared again.

"Storage ring... Truly a wealthy person!" Du Fei muttered to himself but maintained his mysterious demeanor.

He had no idea what this matter was about, but at this moment, he had to pretend he did.

After a long moment of contemplation, Du Fei finally sat down again and said calmly, "Miss Yun, please get straight to the point. Beating around the bush benefits neither of us."

Seeing Du Fei sit down again, Yun Yuqing's face lit up with a smile. After a moment, she took a deep breath and said, "Sir, as an alchemist, you should understand that the path of alchemy requires extremely high talent. Therefore, very few people in the world can become alchemists. Many alchemists spend their entire lives without finding a successor and, in their despair, take their knowledge to the grave... Of course, some exceptions exist, who hide their knowledge and scatter clues throughout the world... For example, our current target, the Alchemy King's Ruins."

"The Alchemy King's Ruins!" Hearing these four words, Du Fei's breathing became heavier. He hadn't expected that Yun Yuqing would want to discuss this matter with him.

Du Fei had heard a bit about the Alchemy King's Ruins. About a hundred years ago, a rare alchemy genius appeared in the Da'an Dynasty. It was said that he had reached the realm of a Fifth-Rank Alchemy Master. At that time, he was revered as the Alchemy King in the martial world of the Da'an Dynasty.

However, this Alchemy King never found a suitable successor during his lifetime. When he died, he sealed away all his knowledge and the elixirs he had refined in a certain place and left clues about it in the world.

Most people believed that this was just a legend. However, seeing how seriously Miss Yun was taking this, Du Fei took a deep breath and realized that the legend might not be a legend anymore!

"According to legend, the location of the Alchemy King's Ruins is extremely mysterious. Miss Yun, you don't think that just the two of us can accomplish this, do you... Even if we have both items, it might not be enough to achieve our goal..." Du Fei took a deep breath and said calmly, "In my opinion, why don't you come with me to meet my master? Since you have the other half, I believe he would be willing to exchange many things for it."

"Hehe, Sir, you're joking! Even if I were willing... Would you be willing?" Yun Yuqing's long, beautiful eyes curved into a pretty arc. "If you were truly willing to hand this item over to your teacher, why would you have auctioned it and tried so hard to hide your identity?"

Du Fei welcomed Yun Yuqing's self-assured guess to the extreme. He was afraid that she might have agreed without thinking, and then he would have to come up with a teacher on the spot.

Hearing this, Du Fei pretended to coldly snort and then remained silent.

Seeing Du Fei's reaction, Yun Yuqing was not bothered and continued calmly, "According to legend, the art of alchemy has three levels... The lower level involves refining elixirs with fire, the middle level with qi, and the legendary upper level with elixirs... I believe you know this, right?"

Du Fei's face twitched slightly. He was familiar with these legends.

According to legend, in the vast universe, there exist some naturally occurring elixirs. They might have existed since the beginning of time, or they might be the result of a thousand-year-old volcano, or perhaps they were created by a First-Rank Alchemy Sage who spent his entire life refining them... Regardless of their origin, these primordial elixirs are said to contain almost infinite energy. If a martial practitioner can consume and refine one, they can almost instantly become a sage. If an alchemist can obtain one, they can use it as a catalyst to refine elixirs without any flame, making the process faster and more efficient, and enhancing the potency of the elixirs.

However, these primordial elixirs are extremely rare, and even if one is found, an unworthy person cannot possess it!

As for consumption, if an ordinary person were to consume one, they would likely be consumed by its power before they could refine it!

Despite this, the primordial elixirs are the lifelong dream of many alchemists. Even if they cannot refine them, possessing one would allow them to reach the pinnacle of alchemy through the technique of refining elixirs with elixirs!

However, to obtain a primordial elixir requires great fortune. If one's fortune is insufficient, they might be instantly consumed by the elixir and die a clean death. But occasionally, lucky individuals can obtain and use them, and these people stand at the peak in the Xuanwu Continent.

For this reason, the primordial elixirs are extremely attractive to anyone, especially to alchemists! Over the course of tens of thousands of years, the primordial elixirs have been named and ranked, resulting in the "Primordial Elixir Record."

It is said that the "Primordial Elixir Record" lists thirty-three legendary primordial elixirs, ranked by their energy and power. Even the lowest-ranked primordial elixir would cause countless people to fight over it if it appeared.

Du Fei was aware of these facts, but he still took a deep breath and said calmly, "I know, so what?"

"If I were to say..." Yun Yuqing licked her lips, "that the Alchemy King obtained one of the thirty-three primordial elixirs, which allowed him to achieve his great accomplishments, would you still give the item in your possession to your teacher?"

"Snap..."

The armrest of the chair was crushed by Du Fei's grip. After a moment, he said with a trembling voice, "Your meaning is... there is a primordial elixir in the Alchemy King's Ruins!"

"Sir, you are indeed a smart person... Working with a smart person is what I, Yun Yuqing, enjoy the most!" Yun Yuqing smiled lightly and said calmly.

"Phew..."

Taking a long breath, Du Fei finally calmed himself down. If he could obtain a primordial elixir, even if he couldn't refine it, just possessing it would bring him countless benefits!

And obtaining this item would allow him to reach the peak!

Therefore, no matter what, he must obtain this item!

However, although he thought this, Du Fei remained calm and said coldly after a moment, "Since Miss Yun knows so much, why bother to cooperate with a stranger like me... Your family is powerful; you could easily find an alchemist, right?"

"Of course not!" Yun Yuqing said calmly. "If that were the case... I wouldn't get anything... If my family was only interested in the primordial elixir, I would accept it... Unfortunately..."

"What do you mean?" Du Fei frowned slightly.

"Sir, you might not know, but the Alchemy King was not only a Fifth-Rank Alchemy Master but also a Fourth-Rank Martial Master..." Yun Yuqing looked wistful. "I cannot refine elixirs and have little interest in them. Although I know the primordial elixir is extremely valuable, I have enough self-awareness to know I cannot touch it... Therefore, I am only interested in the Alchemy King's cultivation techniques and martial skills... Do you understand my meaning?"

"Fourth-Rank Martial Master!" Du Fei took a deep breath and said softly, "Your meaning is... all the alchemy-related items go to me, and all the martial cultivation-related items go to you..."

"Sir, you are indeed smart!" Yun Yuqing smiled brightly, looking pleased.

"Such an arrangement is indeed good... But, why choose me and not someone else? What benefit does this bring you?" Du Fei calmed down a bit and said calmly.

"Hehe, it seems I need to be more direct for you to cooperate..." Yun Yuqing smiled lightly. "Since that's the case, I won't offend you... In my view, Sir, you are at most an Eighth-Rank Alchemist, and at best, an Eighth-Rank Martial Master... And I have the same level of strength! Two people working together, the worst thing is for one to be much stronger than the other. With our strengths being equal, we can cooperate without fear of betrayal. Do you find this arrangement satisfactory?"

After a moment of silence, Du Fei said calmly, "If we combine the items we have, can we find the Alchemy King's Ruins?"

"Um!"

"Only the two of us will go!"

"Correct!"

"Alright, I agree!" Du Fei said calmly. "But, when do we set out?"

"Hehe, Sir, you are indeed a straightforward person." Yun Yuqing clapped her hands lightly. "Since that's the case, how about we meet here in six months?"