Chapter 140 “I Beg You, Please Be My Disciple”
Immortal Alchemist Red Mist, a man that stands at the top echelon of the alchemist pyramid. Whether it be medicinal skills, alchemy, divination, crafting, or astrology, he knows it all. But since a thousand years ago when the great master scholar went into seclusion for unknown reasons, the world has lost track of his whereabouts ever since then.
But not all hope was lost. According to the myths and legends, it’s said that his lifelong learnings have been recorded in a certain codex left behind by the great senior. If one can attain that legendary tome, the word going around was that the bearer of the treasure will become the second Red Mist in the world.
For countless years, many alchemists in the world have searched far and wide for the mythical tome, but sadly, none came close to the real thing.
Can this little three cauldron girl really have such fortune and come across a remnant of the legendary codex?
His doubt only lasted for a moment before he stuffed it away. In his mind, Longyu figured no child of Ling Yue’s age could possibly know so much about alchemy unless they encounter something great.
After all, it’s not every day one would come across another that knows about the existence of the immortal alchemist rank. Usually only alchemists of the eight or nine cauldrons would have such insightful knowledge.
Then there’s the demonic ghost miasma and the dragon needles, that’s not fake. Connecting all of these facts together, Longyu have reasonable grounds to believe the story.
“Seems I was impolite just now little lass, don’t take it to heart. Hehe, now that I know who you are, I should tell you we are technically related. Old Liao is my junior so you can say I’m your great senior. Call me Senior Master Longyu.” The epic change in the dwarf’s tone nearly caused her to break into laughter.
This old-timer is a real piece of work. One moment he’s a raining storm, the next he’s a calm breeze.
She doesn’t even need to speculate the reason for this drastic change in behavior, it’s most likely due to the codex.
“Greetings to Senior Master Longyu. Oh yes, I still haven’t reported in to the association yet, can you direct me to the sixteenth floor?” Ling Yue shoots her gaze around the room, pretending to be in a hurry to go.
Her words were very effective because it immediately causes Longyu to fall into a panic.
This won’t do, I can’t let this lassy and her page fall into another alchemist here. Think damn you, think!
“Don’t worry about it, consider yourself reported now that you’ve come to my place. Say little lass, I can tell you are quite smart and gifted, why not become my student and learn alchemy from me. Every newcomer needs to participate in a training course by following a master. As long as you become my apprentice, I can assure you that none will dare pick on you again.” Longyu’s status within the alchemist association definitely stood at the epitome of their ranks.
Due to his extremely picky requirement, this dwarf had never taken on an apprentice through the years. Therefore, if not for the remnant page from the codex, he wouldn’t have even considered Ling Yue as a possible candidate.
“Apprentice? Senior Master Longyu, can you explain what benefit is there to taking you as my teacher?” Instead of agreeing immediately, Ling Yue returned the shot with a question of her own.
“There are plenty of benefits of course. For example, you are still in the lower celestial realm for your cultivation and in need of plenty of medicine to increase your level. After you take me on as your teacher, I can later make a bunch of Dan pills for you as candy to chew.” As a man of his words, Longyu rummaged through his pockets immediately and stuffed the medicinal bottles he had into her hand.
New alchemists who join the branch in the capital are generally free to receive the most basic of materials in alchemy for use, but if they wish to get anything higher than a blue pattern Dan pill, the individual will either need to pay a hefty sum of the asking price or accumulate enough points from missions in exchange for the ingredients or product. Even so, there’s a limit to that trade in and that was the association will only provide up to a fourth rank ingredient and no higher.
For all the bottles of medicine Longyu stuffed into Ling Yue’s hand just now, none are exceptionally rare. Mostly some blue and yellow patterned Scarlet Yang Dan pills and Beauty Cosmetic Dan pills. Either way, both products are highly sought after in the market, especially the beauty cosmetic ones that can help improve a lady’s youthfulness.
Seeing Ling Yue still haven’t nodded to his proposal, Longyu was starting to get anxious. “Lassy, why are you not agreeing? Please, be my apprentice.”
“Senior Master Longyu, the truth is I’m not necessarily in need of these Dan pills. As you know, I’m only a lower celestial martialist, meaning I can’t use the Scarlet Yang Dan pills until I reach the upper celestial realm. As for the Beauty Cosmetic Dan pills, I’m only fourteen, hardly the age to worry about keeping my youth up.” Making a face full of dislike, her words were lethal and right to the point.
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However, it’s one thing to dislike something, it’s another to give it back. Working at legendary speed, her greedy little hands moved so fast in stashing them away that she created afterimages in its wake.
In simpler terms, she didn’t need these so hand over something useful then talk.
Against that level of shamelessness, Longyu literally choked on finding a proper response. Popping his veins on his forehead, he felt like he just got scammed by a brat.
“Then what exactly do you want?” Hurting inside, Longyu prays that the girl wouldn’t get ahead of herself and demand some sixth or seventh rank Dan pill as exchange.
“Senior master, truth is I don’t need so much good medicine. What I need is in fact some poison,” she calmly explains.
“Poison?” his old mouth started to twitch at what he just heard.
“For example, like those that would make someone bleed in all place after ingesting it, or the type that causes death after taking seven steps out. Anything that’s exceptionally rare for a poison will do.” Ling Yue talks with great delight in her voice.
“What?” Longyu wanted to puke blood and drop to the floor.
As a dignified nine cauldron alchemist, he’s not even willing to make those blue patterned Xuan Yin Dan pills for himself, yet this girl goes around and ask him for some poison weed. What does she take him for, a poison user?
But for the great deed of securing a page from the legendary codex, he will endure! No matter the humiliation to his name, he will push through and prevail!
“Aigh, Senior Master Longyu, you saw it too inside the tower. I was bullied really badly today. That Nangon Qinglin is such a vicious woman, acting like I owe her a million gold pieces and took her family’s life away. If I don’t get some poison as self-defense, I fear I wouldn’t make it to see tomorrow’s sunrise.” Ling Yue makes a worrisome frown on her face.
“What, who dare bully you. What is the name. Nangong Qinglin? Just wait, teacher here will help you get revenge.” Blowing his beard from the heavy puffing, Longyu has firmly decided to teach this eyesore a serious lesson when he gets around to it.
“Maybe we shouldn’t. Teacher, I heard she’s the daughter of General Goldsword and that her family is very influential in the court,” she makes a fearful expression.
“Afraid of what, even if the sky falls I will keep it up for you. Don’t worry, just wait and see the good show when I’m done.”
Now that’s what Ling Yue wanted to hear. All that talk, merely a bait to make this old dwarf come to this conclusion.
Rummaging through his entire laboratory, Longyu grabbed anything remotely related to the word “poison” and handed it over to Ling Yue. Incredibly, among the stuff she received, several of the ingredients were among the list needed to help Yanche become a poison human. This harvest left her very satisfied.
“Oh teacher, please accept student’s bow of apprenticeship.” Knowing when to stop after gaining the benefit, she figured there’s plenty more room to “blackmail” the dwarf in the future. After all, she’s his apprentice now.
“Now this is much better. Hehe, my good apprentice, why don’t you let teacher have a look at the page remnant since I gave you so many gifts?” Longyu continues to beg Ling Yue with his pleasing tone.
“The remnant page had long rotted away, but I do remember part of it right now. Why don’t I make a copy for teacher so you can keep it.” At the mention, she pulls out a brush and paper to make a copy.
As soon as she finished with the writing and handed it over, Longyu immediately fused himself onto the content. Even by the time Ling Yue announced her departure, the old dwarf didn’t cast another glance her way and simply waved the girl off.
Unlike the messy way she climbed the tower, Ling Yue’s descent was much more pleasant.
It must be mentioned she had some keen interests in the puppet beast under Longyu’s command. However, after inquiring about the creation method and how to control the creature, the idea was lost to her quite quickly. According to Longyu’s explanation, one must be a seven-cauldron alchemist to be able to create a puppet of that level and needs a lot of Dan pills to fuel it.
Temporarily stashing the plan away for another date, it was time for her to return home to the Lan residence.