Chapter 78

Yang Junshan naturally knew the specific formula for the Fa Yun Pill. He listed the seven types of spiritual herbs needed for its refinement, and the surprise on the middle-aged pharmacist's face deepened. However, he said, "Little friend, what you said is indeed correct. Since you also know the specific formula, you must be aware that refining this kind of pill requires more than just the Chonggu mushroom. It needs six other types of spiritual herbs to complete the process. Moreover, this requires the alchemist to expend spiritual energy and effort. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to exchange seven Chonggu mushrooms for a Fa Yun Pill."

In the cultivation world, although alchemists are not as proud as array masters, their status is still very high. The three pharmacists of the Great Cauldron Hall usually only appraise spiritual herbs and manage exchanges here, but in reality, Yang Junshan knew that they were the most important alchemists of the Great Cauldron Hall and the true masters behind the scenes.

Yang Junshan said with disdain, "Although what you said is correct, don't forget that although the Chonggu mushroom is a low-grade spiritual herb, its value is much higher than the other six types of spiritual herbs. The other six types of spiritual herbs can be replaced with similar herbs when they are lacking, but there is nothing that can replace the Chonggu mushroom if it is missing!"

The smile on the middle-aged pharmacist's face froze, and he suddenly asked, "Little friend, you are so familiar with alchemy. May I ask if you have a master or lineage?"

Yang Junshan was taken aback, but his face showed hesitation. The middle-aged pharmacist, observing his expression, smiled and said, "If you do not wish to say, I will not force you."

Yang Junshan looked around and then leaned close to the counter, whispering, "If you give me ten Fa Yun Pills, I will come to buy more pills in the future. Forget it, I heard that your Great Cauldron Hall has a Lingyu Yun Pai. If you can give me one, I will tell you a type of spiritual herb that can replace the Chonggu mushroom. What do you think?"

The middle-aged pharmacist initially had a smile on his face, but it froze when he heard about the Lingyu Yun Pai. When he heard that the Chonggu mushroom could be replaced, his face showed displeasure, and he said, "Little friend, don't talk nonsense. What is this Lingyu Yun Pai? Moreover, you previously said that the Chonggu mushroom cannot be replaced when refining the Fa Yun Pill, but now you say there is a herb that can replace it. Such contradictory statements, do you think I am a child to be fooled? Given your young age, I do not wish to argue with you. Leave quickly, the Great Cauldron Hall is not a place for you to deceive people!"

Yang Junshan said indifferently, "If you don't believe me, fine. But the Chonggu mushroom is real, right? Will you exchange ten Fa Yun Pills for it?"

The middle-aged pharmacist was somewhat hesitant but firmly said, "Ten is impossible, I can give you at most seven!"

"Seven it is," Yang Junshan said with a hint of annoyance, making him look like a child who was angry at not being trusted. He took the seven Fa Yun Pills from the middle-aged pharmacist and carefully placed them in the sheep fat jade bottle he had obtained from Qu Wu Mountain, muttering, "Hmph, although the Chonggu mushroom grows in the dark, its medicinal properties are intense. It's your fault that the pills explode during refinement!"

Yang Junshan spoke softly, but the middle-aged pharmacist heard it clearly. His hand, which was about to hand over the pills, froze. By the time he reacted, Yang Junshan was already several feet away.

"Little friend, please wait!"

The middle-aged pharmacist, seeing the other two pharmacists' surprised looks, did not even wait to come out from behind the counter but jumped over it and blocked Yang Junshan's path, saying with a low laugh, "Little friend, please wait, please wait!"

"What are you doing?"

Yang Junshan took a step back, looking warily at the middle-aged pharmacist and then scanning the surroundings of the Great Cauldron Hall. He noticed that many people had already noticed the commotion and felt relieved.

The middle-aged cultivator quickly said with a gentle smile, "Little friend, don't misunderstand. I just want to confirm if what you said is true."

Yang Junshan saw the other two pharmacists also approaching with surprised looks and said nonchalantly, "Refining the Fa Yun Pill is not too difficult, but the problem lies in the explosions. A batch of Fa Yun Pills usually produces only one defective pill, but if it explodes, it can take away two or three good pills, reducing the success rate."

"Indeed, indeed," the middle-aged cultivator nodded eagerly and asked impatiently, "But what I want to ask is not about the explosions, but whether you truly have a way to replace the Chonggu mushroom and avoid the explosions?"

Yang Junshan looked around and said, "Shall we talk here?"

The middle-aged pharmacist patted his head and hurriedly led the way, saying, "Please, this way, this way!"

Yang Junshan did not show any sign of being flattered, and he walked forward without the middle-aged pharmacist's guidance, looking like he knew the way well. The three pharmacists exchanged glances, their faces showing surprise and uncertainty, unsure whether it was because of Yang Junshan's familiarity with the Great Cauldron Hall or because of what he said about the Fa Yun Pill.

The Fa Yun Pill is one of the best quality pills that cultivators at the Mortal Realm can take, making it very popular among cultivators and a major source of income for the Great Cauldron Hall. If the problem of explosions could be solved, the success rate of the Fa Yun Pill could increase by at least 20-30%. As the founders of the Great Cauldron Hall, the three alchemists naturally understood the significant benefits.

Others might not know, but Yang Junshan did. These three alchemists had managed to remain standing amidst the rise and fall of various forces in Mengyu County before and after the great change, despite their cultivation levels being only at the high stage of the Martial Realm. Their wisdom and methods were indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. It was only after Yang Junshan had struggled to reach the high stage of the Martial Realm in his previous life and became a well-known figure in Mengyu County that he learned their identities by chance.

In the secret room of the Great Cauldron Hall, the middle-aged pharmacist, who was the leader of the three, asked impatiently, "Little friend, do you truly have a method to avoid the frequent explosions during the refinement of the Fa Yun Pill?"

Yang Junshan said calmly, "Don't rush. To avoid unnecessary suspicion, I think it's best to reveal our identities. I am Yang Junshan, the son of Yang Tiangang from Tudi Village in Wasteland Town!"

"Oh," the three men's expressions changed, clearly recognizing Yang Tiangang's name. The middle-aged cultivator even smiled and said, "So you are the son of Village Chief Yang. His name is well-known even in the county. Ah, are you the 'Butt-Shooting Youth' who, with Mortal Realm cultivation, shot the Martial Realm cultivator Qian Chunlai twice?"

Seeing the helpless look on Yang Junshan's face, the three pharmacists all smiled. The middle-aged pharmacist continued, "I imagine you have already guessed. The three of us are the alchemists and owners of the Great Cauldron Hall. I am Kong Deliang; this one is my junior, Gu Shaojun; and the other is my close friend, Chang Youyou."

Kong Deliang finished speaking, and the alchemist named Gu Shaojun added, "I heard that Village Chief Yang originally came from Qing Shi Town in Chenyu County. Is Little Friend Junshan also from a noble family?"

Understanding Yang Junshan's identity, the three men's confidence in his words increased. Yang Tiangang was well-known in Mengyu County and considered a skilled cultivator.

Yang Junshan nodded and said, "Since we have established our backgrounds, I will speak frankly. I can tell you the herb that can replace the Chonggu mushroom. You, being experienced alchemists, can easily verify its authenticity. However, I still insist that you exchange it for a Lingyu Yun Pai!"

The three men, with Kong Deliang as the leader, exchanged glances and said, "Since you know about the Lingyu Yun Pai, you must also know its role in the Great Cauldron Hall?"

Yang Junshan nodded and said, "I know a little. I heard that only those who have shares in the Great Cauldron Hall possess it, and with this card, one can buy pills at an 80% discount."

Yang Junshan paused and said, "I know that exchanging a single herb for shares is a bit of a joke, but I don't need the dividends. I just want the 80% discount."

Kong Deliang was about to say something but felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He heard Gu Shaojun say behind him, "If what the little friend said is true, giving him the Lingyu Yun Pai is not a problem!"

Since Gu Shaojun had spoken, Kong Deliang did not say more. Yang Junshan finally showed a smile and said, "Alright, but I must mention one thing. The method I provide can reduce the explosions of the Fa Yun Pill, but the effectiveness of the pill will only be 90% of the original."

The three men were taken aback. Kong Deliang smiled bitterly and said, "I thought it wouldn't be that simple. However, the increase outweighs the decrease, so it's worth it. But it seems that what you said is not just about replacing a main herb, but also involves other methods and alchemical techniques during the refinement process?"

Yang Junshan stayed in the Great Cauldron Hall for half a day. After confirming that his words were true, he left with the Lingyu Yun Pai presented by Kong Deliang, along with a batch of seven Fa Yun Pills with 90% effectiveness.

In the Great Cauldron Hall, after Yang Junshan left, Kong Deliang asked Gu Shaojun, "Why did you agree so quickly to the boy's request?"

Gu Shaojun said, "First, what he said is indeed worth a Lingyu Yun Pai. Second, Yang Tiangang is a rising skilled cultivator in Mengyu County, backed by a noble family. Who knows if he won't advance further in the future!"

Kong Deliang was moved and asked, "Did you receive any news?"

Gu Shaojun said, "Haven't you noticed how strange things have been recently? The Great Cauldron Hall used to pay dividends to the Heaven-Shaking Sect once a year, but since half a year ago, the Heaven-Shaking Sect has been collecting dividends monthly. The Xiong family has also been probing to increase their share. The Ning and Yu families have also been increasing their quotas for the Great Cauldron Hall's pills, although the monthly increase is limited, it has been going on for half a year, which is not a small amount..."

Kong Deliang said, "Brother, do you mean... No way?"

Gu Shaojun continued, "It's always good to be prepared. I heard that the Yang family in Qing Shi Town recently produced an inner disciple, who is the elder brother of Village Chief Yang. The competitor for this position was Xiong Man Shan from the Xiong family. The identity of an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect must be approved by a True Human Realm cultivator. Despite the Xiong family's influence, they still couldn't compete with the elder brother of Yang Tiangang. What does this mean?"

At this moment, Chang Youyou, who had not spoken, suddenly said, "Yesterday, a secret envoy from the Tianlang Sect in Zhang County approached me privately, hoping to invest in the Great Cauldron Hall!"

Just then, a Great Cauldron Hall attendant came to the secret room and reported to the three men, "The young man who came to our hall earlier stayed in a small alley in the western part of the county for half a day before coming here."

"Western alley?" Kong Deliang thought of someone and was moved again, saying, "Could it be him?"

——

I wrote half a chapter and deleted it all. After rewriting, it's now this far.

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