Chapter 7453
Unbelievable
The courtyard is not very large, but its layout is extremely ingenious. The plants and trees inside are not ordinary varieties; they are all rare spiritual plants and medicinal herbs that are hard to find on the market!
Many rare plants that he had only seen in ancient books and that were nearly extinct due to the harsh modern environment were being cultivated here and were growing very vigorously.
These medicinal herbs are exactly the resources he urgently needs right now.
Without them, many special elixirs simply cannot be refined. At this moment, what was once a faint hope seems to be within reach.
Seeing Xiao Chen stop and gaze intently at the plants in the yard, Qin Xianglan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Mr. Xiao, are you interested in these flowers and plants?"
Xiao Chen shook his head, his tone carrying a subtle mix of emotion and certainty:
"These are no ordinary flowers and plants. If all the spiritual plants and medicinal herbs here were valued, they could probably be worth half of the total assets of a top conglomerate in the Northwest region, or even more."
Qin Xianglan was stunned upon hearing this, her pupils contracted sharply, and her face was filled with disbelief.
The courtyard is limited in size, and even if it's full of rare and valuable plants, its value shouldn't be this terrifying, right? For a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
Just then, a hearty laugh came from the side, accompanied by steady footsteps. Chen Shouzhou approached slowly, his tone full of genuine approval:
"Mr. Xiao, you have a keen eye! It seems I was right after all. Your understanding of medicinal herbs for alchemy is far beyond that of ordinary alchemists!"
Upon hearing the voice, Qin Xianglan quickly turned around, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Sect Leader Chen."
Chen Shouzhou nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on Xiao Chen the whole time. His eyes showed no attempt to hide his curiosity and appreciation. He could see the value of the spiritual plants in the courtyard at a glance. His vision was far beyond that of ordinary alchemy practitioners.
Qin Xianglan was quick-witted and immediately understood that the two had something important to discuss. She then said softly, "The scenery over there seems nice. I'll go take a look."
As soon as she finished speaking, she tactfully turned around and walked towards the viewing platform in another corner of the courtyard, deliberately keeping her distance. She knew very well that in this situation, avoiding the situation was the most appropriate choice.
A moment later, only Chen Shouzhou and Xiao Chen remained in the center of the courtyard. The surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of grass and trees swaying gently in the wind.
Following Xiao Chen's gaze, Chen Shouzhou precisely locked onto the small grass that was entirely translucent, its leaves shimmering like white jade, and spoke first, his tone carrying a deliberate display of sincerity:
"This item is called 'Ice Soul Jade Marrow Grass.' Our Dan Sect has spent over a decade cultivating it with meticulous care, setting up a constant-temperature spiritual array. Only five plants have been successfully grown so far. If Mr. Xiao finds it useful, you may take one."
As he spoke, his fingertips paused slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes. The Ice Soul Jade Marrow Grass was a key auxiliary material for refining many high-grade healing and Qi-condensing pills, and it was priceless. Even within the Pill Sect, it was rarely used under normal circumstances.
But he knew even better that this young man was no ordinary person. To figure out his true strength and bind this "great Buddha" to the Dan Sect, he had to offer enough incentives.
You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub, let alone a true dragon that could potentially overturn the entire landscape of alchemy.
"Okay." Xiao Chen's answer was crisp and straightforward, without the slightest hesitation or politeness, as if he had already anticipated his gift.
He desperately needed the Ice Soul Jade Marrow Grass. Even in the secret inheritance records he possessed, this kind of spiritual herb was a rare and precious item that could easily save him years of searching.
Chen Shouzhou was slightly taken aback, not expecting Xiao Chen to be so straightforward, without even a polite word of humility. His calm demeanor made it seem as if he was certain that Xiao Chen would give it to him, or perhaps he simply didn't care about this rare spiritual herb.
This confidence made him even more curious about Xiao Chen's background.
“Mr. Xiao,” Chen Shouzhou suppressed the turmoil in his heart and carefully chose his words, “I have a question in my mind, but I’m not sure if I should ask it. If Mr. Xiao feels uncomfortable, please feel free to speak frankly, and I will not force you.” Xiao Chen did not respond immediately, but slowly raised his right hand, his palm clasped in a loose gesture.
An invisible yet refined and gentle power suddenly appeared, lifting the Ice Soul Jade Marrow Grass from a distance and holding it steadily in its palm. The crystal luster on the leaves remained perfectly intact, and not a single drop of the attached spiritual dew fell.
"Ask." He uttered only one word, his tone calm, yet it carried an aura that left no room for argument.
Chen Shouzhou's lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he watched the precise force with which the object was controlled remotely.
Xiao Chen's actions were truly forceful and direct. It was unclear whether he still held back his sincerity towards the Dan Sect or if this was simply his nature.
He suppressed the slight unease and went straight to the point: "Since Mr. Xiao is well-versed in alchemy, may I ask... what grade and pattern of pills can you currently refining consistently?"
Elixirs are divided into nine grades, and each grade is further subdivided into nine patterns based on the natural spiritual patterns that appear when the elixir is completed. The higher the grade and the more patterns there are, the more terrifying the medicinal effects and value of the elixir.
These words directly address the core of a master alchemist's skill and are the most crucial benchmark for measuring their mastery of alchemy.
The current chief alchemist of the Northwest Alchemy Sect, who is in seclusion year-round, can only consistently produce first-grade nine-pattern pills at most, which is already the top level in the Dragon Kingdom.
If Xiao Chen can refine a second-grade pill, then the Pill Sect will be willing to go to great lengths to win him over; if he can reach an even higher grade...
Chen Shouzhou's gaze was fixed on Xiao Chen, his heart pounded faster than usual, and even his breathing became cautious.
Xiao Chen looked up to meet his gaze, his expression calm yet carrying an overwhelming certainty: "I can answer you, but I have two conditions."
"Please speak!" Chen Shouzhou responded immediately, afraid of missing the answer.
"First, I need to obtain a few more medicinal herbs from here, all of which are necessary for my alchemy and are quite valuable. Second, I need to obtain certain information from you; whatever it may be, you must tell me the truth."
Xiao Chen's tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. What he wanted was never the medicinal herbs, but to use them to control Chen Shouzhou and force him to reveal the secrets of the Imperial Biomedical Company.
Chen Shouzhou quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind: although the conditions were specific, they also left room for maneuver. He would agree to them first, and then discuss the details after verifying Xiao Chen's abilities.
He immediately nodded: "Okay, I agree in principle. However, the specific medicinal materials to be used, as well as the information you want to ask, must comply with the regulations of the Dan Sect and must not cross the fundamental bottom line of our Dan Sect."
Having received the reply, Xiao Chen stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "A third-grade pill with nine pill patterns, barring any unforeseen circumstances, has an 80% success rate. If the environment, materials, and conditions are all excellent, a fourth-grade pill... is also worth a try."
"what?!"
Chen Shouzhou was struck dumb, frozen in place. His composure and caution were instantly replaced by extreme shock! It was as if a huge boulder had been thrown into his heart, stirring up a monstrous wave, and even the air around him seemed to freeze.
A fourth-grade elixir?!
Are you kidding me! (End of Chapter)