Ninth In the World

“You are back, Alchemy Master Di…” Huo Jianqian stared incredulously at Di Jiu as he entered the Star Elixir Dispensary.

Di Jiu looked all around him. He felt puzzled as he asked, “I am the Honorary Alchemy Master of the Star Elixir Dispensary. Although I am not on the monthly payroll, I have to come back to see if there is anything that I have to do. I have to update the Star Elixir Dispensary about my residential address too.”

After a brief moment of disbelief, Huo Jianqian came to her senses. Then, she said hurriedly, “Alchemy Master Di, please go upstairs with me.”

When they reached the third floor, Huo Jianqian poured a cup of Star Immortal Spirit Tea for Di Jiu again and asked, “Alchemy Master Di, I heard that you went directly to the Diagonal Corner Street after you left the All Emptiness Inn. Is that right?”

Di Jiu nodded. “That’s right. I did go to the Diagonal Corner Street.”

Huo Jianqian was so surprised that she forgot to put down the teacup she was holding. Several moments passed before she asked, “Did you really help Chi Yuanqing refine the elixir?”

She hadn’t dared to go look for Di Jiu precisely because he had gone to the Diagonal Corner Street. Chi Yuanqing was an Immortal King expert who was supported by an Immortal Supremacy expert. Although it was not known whether the Immortal Supremacy expert was dead or alive, Huo Jianqian wouldn’t dare simply go and inquire about Di Jiu’s whereabouts.

“How could Chi Yuanqing possibly let you come back?” Huo Jianqian had believed that Di Jiu would certainly get killed if he helped Chi Yuanqing refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir.

Di Jiu chuckled. “I helped him successfully refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir. Why would he attack me?”

“Did you really manage to refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir?” Huo Jianqian asked in surprise as she stood up. She couldn’t hide the shock that she felt.

If it had been so easy to refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir, someone would have succeeded long before Di Jiu’s appearance. There were many Alchemy Masters in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City, so someone else would have done it long ago.

“That’s right. I helped him successfully refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir. I am here today to inform you that my address is Diagonal Corner Street, Unit B-291.” Di Jiu didn’t see the need to hide any of this. Everybody would discover that he had helped refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir sooner or later. Thus, he didn’t attempt to hide it.

After a long while, Huo Jianqian finally sat down and let out a sigh. She was still muttering to herself, “You actually managed to refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir…”

“Alchemy Master Di!” Huo Jianqian called out when she suddenly recalled the reason she had been looking for Di Jiu. “We need a cauldron of Great Unity Elixir here. Do you think you can refine it?”

Then, before Di Jiu could answer, Huo Jianqian slapped herself on the forehead and added, “You can even refine a Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir. The Great Unity Elixir should not be too difficult for you.”

Di Jiu was elated. He needed the Great Unity Elixir too. Although he had some level-four and level-five immortal spirit herbs, he didn’t have anything like the Unity Yellow Star.

The Unity Yellow Star was the main immortal spirit herb used in refining the Great Unity Elixir.

“However, the client has a condition. Although he needs four Great Unity Elixirs and will pay 5,000 Liberal Points for them, he demands a compensation of 10,000 Liberal Points if we fail.” Huo Jianqian looked at Di Jiu in anticipation after she finished speaking.

She had been worried about this deal. However, she began to feel hopeful about it after she heard that Di Jiu had managed to refine the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir.

Di Jiu felt that the compensation was too high. Regardless of how rare and precious the Great Unity Elixir was, 10,000 Liberal Points was too much for a cauldron of elixirs. However, he needed this elixir urgently and he was sure that he wouldn’t fail.

“I will take care of this elixir.” Di Jiu didn’t even ask if it was the Star Elixir Dispensary or him who would be responsible for paying the compensation.

“Okay. If the refinement fails, the Great Unity Elixir Dispensary will pay the compensation. These are the materials necessary for refining the elixir.”

She handed a storage bag to Di Jiu after she finished speaking.

Huo Jianqian wouldn’t have said those words if Di Jiu had not successfully refined the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir. She was merely trying to win him over.

She was sure that Di Jiu wouldn’t fail. Therefore, she didn’t mind using more verbal bribery.

Di Jiu took the storage bag and scanned it with his Spiritual Force. After he confirmed that it contained the materials necessary for refining the Great Unity Elixir, he immediately said, “I will refine it at my own place. You can come and pick up the elixirs tomorrow afternoon, Deacon Huo.”

“There are some elixir formulas that I have in my own collection, Alchemy Master Di.” Huo Jianqian handed a stack of things to Di Jiu after he finished putting away the storage bag.

Di Jiu accepted the stack of things happily as he scanned it with his Spiritual Force. He was very satisfied with Huo Jianqian’s offer.

The stack included some jade slips, a number of simple leather rolls, as well as a variety of elixir formulae.

Those elixir formulae could have easily been tidied up and consolidated into one single jade slip. However, Di Jiu knew very well that the reason Huo Jianqian hadn’t tidied them up before giving them to him was because she wanted to let him know that she had spent a lot of effort on collecting them from many different places.

Regardless of what Huo Jianqian was implying, he was indebted to her.

“Thanks, Deacon Huo. I will always remember your kindness. I shall take my leave if you don’t have any more instructions for me.” Di Jiu stood up. He was an Alchemy Grandmaster now. The only thing that he lacked was elixir formulae. He currently had more available choices because he had those elixir formulae.

Huo Jianqian was dumbfounded when she saw that Di Jiu wanted to leave already.

This Di Jiu… Did he think that the Star Elixir Dispensary, which had been in business for so long, only had one deal for a cauldron of Great Unity Elixirs?

Huo Jianqian hurriedly took out another ring and handed it to Di Jiu. “Alchemy Master Di, these are some of the alchemy orders that the Star Elixir Dispensary has received. They comprise mainly of orders for grade-four immortal pills. A few of them are for grade-three immortal pills.”

Di Jiu hesitated for a while before he accepted the ring and said, “Deacon Huo, I don’t wish to refine grade-three immortal pills anymore. Don’t give me too many orders for grade-four immortal pills either. I’d like, on the other hand, to refine grade-five immortal pills. However, the remuneration that I’m hoping to receive is neither immortal crystals nor Liberal Points. Instead, I hope to get some high-level immortal spirit herbs that are level-six or above.”

Huo Jianqian was so happy that she shouted out, “Is Alchemy Master Di a grade-five Alchemy Grandmaster?”

“That’s right. I can indeed refine grade-five immortal pills,” said Di Jiu as he nodded.

Di Jiu had sufficient immortal spirit herbs on him to become a grade-five Alchemy Grandmaster. He wanted to improve his alchemy standards as quickly as possible. Thus, he needed more high-level immortal spirit herbs.

He did possess some level-six immortal spirit herbs. However, they were all very ordinary and he had too few of them. Therefore, they were not enough to make him a level-six Alchemy Grandmaster.

Huo Jianqian secretly clenched her fists. We got lucky this time, she thought. The Star Elixir Dispensary had actually recruited a grade-five Alchemy Grandmaster! She felt that nobody would believe her if word of this got out.

Even the top Elixir Dispensary in the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City, the Tripod-Existing Elixir Dispensary, had only one grade-five Alchemy Grandmaster. Although they could take on orders for high-level elixirs too, they had to sub-contract the Tripod-Existing Elixir Dispensary while waiting for more powerful Alchemy Masters to appear before they could start refining.

Even the headquarters of the Star Elixir Dispensary had only one grade-six Alchemy Grandmaster. His success rate for refining grade-six immortal pills was, however, not high.

Huo Jianqian could guess why Di Jiu needed immortal spirit herbs at level six or above. It had to be because he wanted to attempt to become a grade-six Alchemy Grandmaster.

“Okay, okay. Thanks, Alchemy Master Di. I will try to get more orders for grade-five immortal pills in the future.” Huo Jianqian felt that her luck was starting to improve. Di Jiu had surprised her time and again ever since they’d met.

“Alchemy Master Di, I have something to ask of you…” said Huo Jianqian. She had finally managed to suppress her ecstasy and speak slower.

“Please speak your mind, Deacon Huo. I will try my best to help you.” Di Jiu felt very happy too. This was because he had gotten himself a large number of elixir formulae and the Star Elixir Dispensary would now help get him deals. Becoming a grade-seven Alchemy King should not even be a problem for him.

Huo Jianqian quickly thanked him before she said, “I’d like to request a Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir…”

Huo Jianqian looked at Di Jiu nervously as she spoke. Although the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir was only a grade-four immortal pill, it was more valuable than many grade-seven immortal pills. Who wouldn’t want an elixir that could repair the Principal Spirit?

Di Jiu believed that he had miscalculated. If he had known earlier that Huo Jianqian wanted to have the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir, he wouldn’t have given her five nine-patterned elixirs.

He definitely couldn’t reveal the nine-patterned Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir he had on him. However, Huo Jianqian had indeed helped him a great deal. Thus, emotionally and logically speaking, he felt obliged to help her with this simple request.

When she saw that Di Jiu hadn’t replied yet, she tried to explain. “I have a very good friend whose Principal Spirit is torn. Her injuries are slightly less serious than the injuries of Chi Yuanqing’s daughter and she has managed to survive. However, she will have to remain stagnant at the Zenith Heaven Immortal for the rest of her life and will no longer advance if she doesn’t get the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir… It is okay if you find this too troublesome.”

Di Jiu, on the other hand, could only say, “I have a friend who needs the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir too. I have given my two elixirs to her. However, you don’t have to worry. I will go and ask Chi Yuanqing in a while. He must have some extra Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixirs.”

Huo Jianqian was elated. “Thanks, Alchemy Master Di! Actually, most of the elixir formulae I gave you earlier belong to this friend of mine.”