C10 I Found It for You All

"Bartering with goods?"

Nan Yingyue was taken aback, looking at Chen Yi who nodded in confirmation. "Certainly. But the actual value of the item must be assessed by our professionals."

"Mm-hmm."

Chen Yi nodded, then gestured, "I need some paper and a pen."

"Pen and paper?"

Nan Yingyue's brows knit together in confusion. Why did he need those? Nevertheless, she fetched a set from a nearby table.

Chen Yi took them, placed the paper on the desk, and began to write swiftly.

The three onlookers exchanged puzzled glances.

In no time, Chen Yi had drafted a list and handed it to Nan Yingyue. "Prepare one of each item listed here."

"Ah?"

Nan Yingyue was flabbergasted. "Chen... Young Master Chen, what's this about?"

Chen Yi replied coolly, "Your establishment accepts goods as payment, right? I'm putting together something for you now."

"Now? As in, right now?"

Nan Yingyue gaped at him.

Chen Yi met her gaze, unfazed. "Is there an issue?"

Nan Yingyue's mouth twitched in irritation.

Ridiculous!

How could there not be an issue?

She'd seen bartering before, but never on-the-spot creation of goods. And what could he possibly produce that would be of any worth?

Internally grumbling, she maintained a polite smile. "Young Master Chen, our company indeed accepts goods as payment, but they must be of substantial value."

She emphasized "substantial value" with a pointed tone.

"You doubt the value of what I'm about to create?"

"Hehe..."

Nan Yingyue couldn't help but smirk. Her skepticism was clear without words.

Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji were also visibly concerned.

Creating something on the spot to use as payment?

That was unheard of!

And what could Chen Yi possibly produce that would be of significant value? We're talking about an item worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, not something easily conjured up.

Chen Ji felt a twinge of embarrassment. Nan Yingyue was patient, but he would've lost his temper by now!

Chen Shanheng remained silent.

He wanted to believe in Chen Yi, but this seemed like sheer folly. It looked like they'd need to mortgage some of the Chen family's assets to the South Wind Auction after all.

He sighed inwardly, but before he could speak, Chen Yi beat him to it. "Please prepare the items on this list for me, as if I were purchasing them from your auction house. We can judge whether it's acceptable after I'm done, alright?"

"Yi..."

Chen Shanheng frowned at his son.

Chen Yi gave him an encouraging smile. "Father, trust me."

"This..."

Chen Shanheng hesitated, but seeing his son's confident expression, he relented. "Alright, alright..."

He was ready to mortgage the family's assets if needed, so a little more chaos from Chen Yi seemed inconsequential.

Chen Ji, seeing Chen Shanheng's decision, simply shook his head but said nothing.

"Very well, I understand."

As Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji acquiesced, Nan Yingyue shrugged.

The Chen family would pay for the list's items, so it was just another transaction, no loss to the auction house.

The South Wind Auction, the largest in Wood County City, was known for its efficiency.

In just fifteen minutes, Nan Yingyue had the items from the list delivered, including a set of tools for medicine refining that Chen Yi had specifically requested.

Observing the array of tools and herbs, Nan Yingyue teased, "Young Master Chen, should we step out?"

"Yes, please do."

To her surprise, Chen Yi agreed.

Did he really see himself as a Pharmacist?

"Let's go!"

Chen Shanheng, not waiting for further discussion, led Chen Ji out of the VIP room.

Nan Yingyue frowned.

Was Patriarch Chen really going to indulge this farce?

But with Chen Shanheng's lead, she felt compelled to leave, though not without shooting Chen Yi a skeptical look and silently scoffing, "I'll believe it when I see what you can pull off."

Once they had exited, Chen Yi got to work with his tools.

He had techniques that weren't for Chen Shanheng and the others to witness, as explaining them later would be problematic, especially since he couldn't disclose his rebirth.

"Whoosh!"

Flames danced around the Medicine Cauldron.

Chen Yi wiped the sweat from his brow and, feeling his body's weakness, shook his head in resignation. "So frail, indeed."

A Level Seven Meditation Stage body was indeed too frail. Merely attempting to summon fire was a struggle for him, but thankfully, Nan Yingyue had thoughtfully prepared a Medicine Cauldron that could assist him to some extent. Without it, he might not have been able to produce a flame at all.

For a top-tier Pharmacist in the Holy Heaven Realm, failing to summon fire would be laughable!

"I must strengthen myself as quickly as possible!"

This urgent thought resurfaced in his mind.

...

Outside the room.

Chen Shanheng and his companions waited in silence.

Chen Ji glanced at the closed door and leaned in to whisper to Chen Shanheng, "Patriarch, is it wise to let the Young Lord carry on with this... experiment?"

"It's not necessarily foolhardy."

Chen Shanheng gave a slight shake of his head. Recalling Chen Yi's confident demeanor and his recent victory over Wang Yun, a flicker of expectancy shone in his eyes as he watched the door. "I have a feeling this young man might just surprise us all!"

"A surprise?"

Chen Ji's mouth twitched skeptically.

He thought Chen Shanheng had lost his senses.

Chen Yi had never been trained as a Pharmacist; how could he possibly concoct a Medicine Pill?

Chen Ji believed that Chen Shanheng's indulgence towards Chen Yi had clouded his judgment.

But he understood the sentiment; Chen Yi was, after all, Chen Shanheng's only son. And while there was also a daughter, Chen Yue, she was unable to cultivate, leaving Chen Yi as the family's future.

Time ticked away slowly, and before long, half an hour had slipped by.

Nan Yingyue, eyeing the still-sealed door, couldn't help but frown, "I hope he hasn't blown up the VIP room."

The VIP rooms at South Wind Auction were constructed with exceptional materials, particularly for their soundproofing capabilities. Even a minor explosion inside would go unheard outside.

Chen Shanheng gave her a nonchalant look, "Should there be any damage to your auction's property, we will compensate."

With that, Nan Yingyue held her tongue.

Yet, as time continued to drip away, Chen Shanheng's own concern began to mount.

Nan Yingyue's words had planted the seed of the thought of an explosion in his mind. It wasn't uncommon for a Pharmacist's cauldron to burst during the refining process. He wasn't worried about the state of the VIP room; he feared for Chen Yi's safety should an explosion occur.

Just as he was contemplating whether to check on the situation, the door creaked open.

Before Chen Shanheng and the others could react, a rich scent of medicinal herbs wafted out, enveloping their senses.

"Have this appraised to see if it's as valuable as you mentioned!"

Chen Yi's voice rang out before they could gather their thoughts. He emerged from the fragrant room, a small jade bottle in hand, which he tossed to Nan Yingyue.

"This... This is..."

Nan Yingyue caught the bottle reflexively, her eyes widening at the sight of the perfectly round Medicine Pill inside. She looked incredulously at Chen Yi, "Did you refine this?"

"Of course."

Chen Yi rolled his eyes, "I'm the only one in here. Who else could it be?"

"Uh..."

Nan Yingyue was momentarily lost for words. Despite her doubts about his abilities, the potent fragrance that lingered in the air was undeniable proof of a successful refining process.

"What are you waiting for?"

Chen Yi's frown snapped Nan Yingyue out of her daze.

"Right... I'll go now!" she stammered, nodding quickly before dashing off towards the inner recesses of the auction house.

Chen Yi watched her go, unconcerned about the possibility of them fleeing; the Chen family's reputation was too significant for that.

"Yi, that Medicine Pill... did you really make it yourself?"

Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji were astounded, turning their gaze to Chen Yi.

They hadn't yet confirmed its authenticity, but the mere fact that Chen Yi had produced a Medicine Pill was astonishing enough.

They knew full well that Chen Yi had never undergone any formal alchemy training. How could he possibly be a Pharmacist?

Chen Yi took a deep breath, ready to unveil his secret.

He had already prepared his explanation for this moment.

"Actually, I've been studying alchemy for the past year," he began, carefully choosing his words.

"A year ago?" both men exclaimed, Chen Shanheng frowning, "But I don't recall you ever practicing alchemy this past year!"

"Father, here's what happened..."

Chen Yi launched into his story.

He recounted how, during an excursion a year prior, he had a chance encounter with an extraordinary-looking elder who proclaimed him a natural-born alchemy prodigy and insisted on taking him as an apprentice.

Someone had made the claim, and despite the individual's seemingly remarkable presence, Chen Yi remained skeptical. However, his disbelief was shattered when the elder demonstrated his skills right before Chen Yi's eyes, successfully concocting a Medicine Pill. Under the old man's tutelage, Chen Yi began his journey into the art of medicine refinement.

These lessons took place during Chen Yi's spare moments. The old man had a knack for slipping into the Chen family estate undetected, each time imparting his knowledge. He was also the one who had equipped Chen Yi with the tactics to overcome Wang Yun.

As Chen Yi recounted his tale in elaborate detail, Chen Shanheng and the others were left utterly bewildered.

Their initial thought was that Chen Yi was spinning a yarn—such a tale was preposterously far-fetched!

Yet, upon further reflection, they were forced to concede that there was a ring of truth to Chen Yi's account. Whether it was the strategy used to best Wang Yun or the current act of refining a Medicine Pill, the existence of a mentor, albeit an unlikely one, could make sense of it all...

Despite their incredulity, they could conjure no alternative explanation beyond what Chen Yi had offered.

Chen Yi was unfazed by Chen Shanheng and the others' half-belief. He had only been seeking a plausible excuse.

This way, he could effortlessly account for any future occurrences.

With this realization, Chen Yi allowed himself a moment of vanity.

Indeed, the Blood Sovereign was as cunning as they come!

​