Chapter 120: Waste Into Gold

Joe returned to his alchemical experiments after his morning cultivation. Four sealed containers stood on his workbench, each holding remnants of a different spiritual ingredient. He had spent months learning how to recover nourishment from damaged spiritual materials, but extracts with different attributes still resisted combination.

The fire-aspected residue settled quickly in its medicinal carrier, while the water-aspected residue remained suspended. Wood bound more strongly to the carrier, and earth produced a dense deposit that resisted extraction. Although the ingredients had lost most of their original spiritual value, their remaining attributes continued to affect their behavior.

Joe had initially tried to preserve as much nourishment as possible. That approach produced useful extracts from individual ingredients, but it also retained the properties that prevented him from combining them. A Qi Refiner would have considered those properties valuable. An alchemist preparing fire-aspected medicine needed to preserve its fire attribute, while one producing water-aspected medicine had an entirely different requirement. Joe had no use for either attribute. His martial body could not control spiritual energy, and the remaining properties made the extracts difficult to absorb. He decided to remove those attributes completely, even if the process destroyed more of the original nourishment.

His first attempt failed. The fire residue lost its distinctive properties, but almost nothing useful survived. Joe adjusted the sequence of pressure, heating, and extraction before treating another portion. The result improved, although it still behaved differently from the water extract. He continued experimenting over the following weeks, changing one condition at a time and recording the results. Excessive heat destroyed the remaining nourishment, while insufficient treatment preserved unwanted attributes. He also discovered that the medicinal carrier needed to remain intact until the original spiritual structure had weakened sufficiently. Otherwise, the nourishment dispersed before he could recover it.

Joe could not manipulate spiritual energy directly, so he relied on physical processing and repeated observation. As his understanding improved, he reduced the losses and produced increasingly consistent extracts.

By the end of the month, he could process all four materials until their remaining nourishment behaved similarly. He combined small portions in a neutral medicinal base and monitored the mixture throughout the afternoon. Nothing separated or settled, even after he changed the proportions. He repeated the experiment before accepting the result.

When Joe opened his panel, it reflected his progress.

Joe Vale

Age: 19

Acquired Energy — Lv.1 / 41%

Alchemy — Lv.1 / 78%

His Alchemy remained at Level 1, but he had developed reliable control over the narrow process he had studied. The resulting extracts contained far less energy than the original spiritual ingredients, yet the remaining nourishment no longer carried attributes that interfered with ordinary martial circulation.

Joe prepared a small dose using a familiar nourishing medicine as the carrier. After consuming a measured amount of Blood Energy through training, he drank the preparation and entered the coordinated Foundation state he had been developing. The ordinary medicinal ingredients began working first. Several minutes later, the recovered nourishment entered his circulation without producing the uneven pressure he had experienced during earlier experiments. His body absorbed it steadily, and by the end of the session, his Blood Energy had recovered beyond what the ordinary medicinal carrier could reasonably explain.

Joe continued observing his condition before recording the result. The preparation had not supplied Acquired Energy directly. His body had converted the nourishment into Blood Energy, which he could refine through ordinary Acquired cultivation. Nevertheless, the improvement mattered because his increasing cultivation demands had made nourishment one of his greatest expenses. He tested several concentrations over the following days. His exceptional constitution and bodily control allowed him to absorb stronger preparations than he had initially expected, although excessive concentrations still reduced efficiency.

Joe eventually established a formula that suited his own cultivation. It supplied substantial nourishment without the instability that had troubled his earlier experiments, and he could reproduce the result consistently. He also recognized its commercial value. The approaching Decennial had prompted wealthy households to increase their spending on martial instruction and cultivation resources. Any medicine that improved recovery would interest families preparing candidates, particularly those nearing Acquired.

Joe had no intention of giving those practitioners the full advantage of his discovery. His public cultivation remained at Internal Organ II, and he expected to participate in the Decennial himself. He needed the income a successful medicine could provide, but selling his strongest preparation would accomplish little beyond helping potential competitors. He therefore developed a weaker commercial formula.

The diluted preparation retained the same basic properties, but it delivered considerably less nourishment. When Joe compared the two versions under similar conditions, the commercial medicine provided roughly half the additional recovery benefit he obtained from his concentrated preparation. He could not assume ordinary practitioners would respond exactly as he did. His constitution differed considerably from theirs, and the weaker formula still needed independent testing. Nevertheless, the results gave him a practical starting point.

Joe stored his concentrated preparation separately and prepared several commercial samples before arranging a meeting with Serena and Adrian Ferrow.

Serena arrived with her accounting papers, while Ferrow brought records of unusual medicinal shipments. Joe explained that he had developed a method for recovering nourishment from damaged spiritual materials and presented the results of his tests with the commercial formula.

"The original attributes make these remnants difficult for martial practitioners to absorb," he explained, placing the samples on the table. "My treatment removes enough of those properties to produce a stable medicinal extract. It replenishes Blood Energy more efficiently than the ordinary carrier, although we need physicians to establish how well other practitioners respond."

Serena examined the samples before looking at the records. "How much material do you need for a usable dose? I can arrange trials, but we should establish whether Ferrow can supply enough before discussing a business."

"That depends on the condition of the remnants. Materials that have already lost most of their spiritual value work best, provided some nourishment survives. I can combine different attributes after processing, but I need reliable information about contamination and origin."

Ferrow studied the list and recognized several categories. "These come from Qi Refiners' workshops. Ordinary medicinal merchants don't handle much of this material, and Ashbourne doesn't have enough alchemical workshops to support a large trade. I know three suppliers worth approaching, but their output depends on whatever preparations they're making."

"Could your people inspect the remnants before purchasing them?" Serena asked.

"Lysa can handle that. She's worked with unusual medicinal stock for eighteen years, and she knows which suppliers keep proper records. I'll have her review Joe's requirements before I negotiate anything."

Joe agreed and prepared a list of acceptable materials, leaving out the details of the treatment itself. Ferrow returned the following afternoon with Lysa and several warehouse records. She examined Joe's samples, questioned him about the kinds of deterioration he could accept, and eliminated consignments whose origins were uncertain. Two workshops appeared capable of providing suitable remnants. Their output would remain irregular, but Ferrow believed his existing relationships would help him negotiate preferred purchasing rights. He estimated that enough material for an initial twelve-vial batch would cost approximately two gold and forty silverlings. Serena added the expected expenses for medicinal carriers, preparation, testing, and skilled assistance, bringing the total to roughly three gold and twenty silverlings.

"That puts the production cost at almost twenty-seven silverlings per vial," Serena observed. "We need to establish a substantial benefit before the selling price can justify this operation."

Ferrow agreed, although he pointed out that their suppliers would eventually demand higher prices if the medicine became successful. "The workshops know their remnants retain some value, even when recovery isn't profitable for them. I can negotiate favorable terms while they have few interested buyers, but that advantage won't last indefinitely."

"Then secure the supply arrangements while we conduct the trials," Serena instructed. "I won't commit to commercial production until the physicians establish what the medicine can actually do."

Joe approved of the decision. His private results were promising, but customers would need evidence from practitioners whose cultivation and physical conditions differed from his own. Serena arranged trials involving experienced martial practitioners whose physicians maintained reliable recovery records. Most cultivated Internal Organs, while two had already entered Acquired. Joe supplied only the diluted commercial preparation and disclosed the information necessary for physicians to assess the finished medicine.

The trials concentrated on Blood Energy replenishment and the body's response to the medicine. The physicians examined each participant after demanding training, administered the preparation, and compared recovery with earlier sessions supported by conventional restoratives.

The first observations showed a clear improvement. The participants absorbed the nourishment without unusual discomfort, and their Blood Energy recovered more quickly than their previous records suggested. The physicians repeated the comparisons over several sessions to determine whether the results remained consistent.

By the end of the trial period, they confirmed that the preparation restored Blood Energy approximately twenty to thirty percent faster than a high-grade conventional restorative in several comparable cases. Individual responses varied, but the improvement appeared often enough to justify further supervised use.

One physician presented the findings to Serena and Joe during their final review. "The preparation works," he said, opening his records. "It replenishes Blood Energy efficiently, and we haven't observed significant complications at the concentrations you supplied. Several practitioners recovered roughly a quarter faster than they normally would with the restorative we used for comparison."

Serena examined the figures. "Would that allow an Internal Organ practitioner to temper more frequently?"

"Possibly, but we haven't established that yet. Blood Energy may recover before the organs are ready for another demanding session. We would need to follow complete cultivation cycles over a longer period before determining whether the medicine safely reduces the interval between temperings."

Joe accepted the distinction. The verified improvement concerned nourishment and Blood Energy recovery. Whether that allowed more productive training depended on the practitioner's condition and cultivation method. The physician also addressed the two Acquired participants.

"Both replenished Blood Energy more efficiently, but the trials were too short to establish any meaningful improvement in Acquired Energy accumulation. That would require repeated refinement sessions over several weeks or months."

Serena did not ask him to speculate further. The confirmed benefit was sufficient for her to evaluate the market. The established restorative used in the comparison sold for approximately eighteen silverlings per vial. After reviewing the results and Ferrow's production estimates, Serena proposed selling Joe's preparation for sixty silverlings. Ferrow considered the price before speaking. "A customer could purchase three ordinary restoratives for that amount and still have money left."

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"Then we shouldn't target customers who only want inexpensive recovery medicine," Serena replied. "Families preparing serious Decennial candidates already spend heavily on instructors and specialized resources. We can demonstrate that this preparation replenishes Blood Energy faster, and they can decide whether that advantage is worth the price."

Joe examined the projected accounts. Twelve vials sold at sixty silverlings each would generate seven gold and twenty silverlings. After deducting approximately three gold and twenty silverlings in production expenses, the batch could yield four gold in distributable profit. The margin was considerable, especially for an operation that required only a small workforce. However, Ferrow's irregular supply and Joe's personal involvement in processing would prevent frequent large batches.

Serena regarded those limits as useful. "We should accept orders only against material we've already inspected," she said. "The Decennial will increase demand, but producing more isn't necessarily in our interests. If wealthy households learn that a small workshop controls an unusually effective cultivation medicine, they'll investigate the process and the suppliers."

Ferrow agreed. He could negotiate with merchants and manage demanding customers, but he had no intention of confronting several powerful families over an exclusive medicinal resource. Joe supported restricted distribution for his own reasons. The business existed to finance his cultivation, and he would not sacrifice training time merely because customers offered more money. They agreed to begin with limited production and sell through trusted contacts. The physicians involved in the trials soon introduced Serena to several wealthy households. One family wanted medicine for two Internal Organ practitioners preparing to enter Acquired, while another requested an allocation for a young Acquired cultivator whose instructors had been adjusting his recovery schedule.

Serena provided the verified findings and made no promises about faster breakthroughs or permanent cultivation improvements. Most prospective buyers accepted those limits. They understood that faster Blood Energy replenishment might support more productive training, but they would need to determine the long-term benefit themselves. Demand exceeded the first projected batch before Ferrow had secured all the materials.

Several families offered advance payment or higher prices for priority access. Serena declined commitments that depended on uncertain supplies, explaining that the medicine would be allocated only after each batch passed inspection. The preparation also attracted attention from Prince Corvin's household.

Two members of his retinue received supervised doses through his physician, who subsequently requested the trial records. Several days later, Serena received an invitation asking her, Joe, and Ferrow to attend a private discussion at Corvin's city residence.

She brought the invitation to Joe along with the latest commercial estimates.

"His Highness has reviewed the results," she explained. "The medicine interests him personally, and I expect he'll want some for his Acquired cultivation. His physician hasn't established whether it will improve his refinement rate, but faster Blood Energy recovery is useful even without that guarantee."

Joe understood the prince's interest. Corvin had reached Acquired at twenty-two through excellent resources and instruction, yet further refinement remained demanding. Any preparation that allowed him to recover more efficiently deserved consideration. Serena also explained why Corvin might value the business beyond its immediate profits.

"His Highness stands seventh in the succession. His Fifth Brother has stronger political support through his mother's aristocratic family, while Corvin's mother came from an ordinary background. He's spent years building connections that several of his brothers inherited."

Joe had already noticed how carefully Corvin cultivated relationships with merchants, officials, and promising martial practitioners.

"The medicine gives him another reason to approach those people," Joe observed.

"Particularly royal relatives. Other branches have descendants preparing for the Decennial, and access to a scarce recovery medicine would be valuable to them. Corvin could strengthen those relationships by controlling part of the supply."

Serena warned him that the prince would expect meaningful benefits in exchange for his involvement. Joe had no objection to a profitable arrangement, but he wanted to preserve control over his processing method and prevent the business from interfering with his cultivation.

They discussed those conditions before Serena prepared a formal proposal.

Two days later, Corvin received them at his residence within Ashbourne. Guards checked their invitations before an attendant escorted them into a reception chamber where the prince waited with his physician and a senior household administrator. Serena and Ferrow offered their formal greetings, and Joe followed their example. Corvin acknowledged them, invited everyone to sit, and turned his attention toward Joe. "Good to see you again, Vale. I've heard quite a bit about your medicine since we last spoke. My physician has examined the trial records, and the results appear promising. Blood Energy recovery has improved by nearly a quarter in some cases, although the longer-term benefits remain uncertain." He paused before asking, "Is that also your assessment?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Joe replied. "The commercial preparation provides nourishment that the body can absorb more readily than conventional restoratives. The physicians have verified faster Blood Energy replenishment, but we haven't followed enough complete cultivation cycles to determine whether that improvement leads to faster advancement. I wouldn't make that claim without further evidence."

Corvin regarded him thoughtfully. During their previous conversation, Joe had shown similar caution when discussing the possibility of possessing an unusual constitution. The prince appeared to appreciate that he remained just as careful when evaluating his own work. "A reasonable distinction. Faster recovery is valuable in itself, particularly when training becomes more demanding." He turned to his physician. "You've examined the preparation and its results. Would you recommend incorporating it into my current cultivation?"

"I would, Your Highness, provided we begin with a limited quantity," the physician answered. "Your existing medicines already provide excellent nourishment, but this preparation may replenish Blood Energy more efficiently after intensive refinement. I suggest comparing several supervised sessions with your previous recovery records before adjusting your training schedule." Corvin considered the recommendation briefly before agreeing. "Make the arrangements. If the medicine performs as well as the records suggest, it deserves a place among our cultivation resources. We can judge its longer-term benefits when we have sufficient evidence."

He next examined Ferrow's supply arrangements. The merchant explained that two workshops had agreed to discuss preferred purchasing rights, although neither could guarantee regular deliveries. Corvin questioned him about their output and existing obligations before reviewing Serena's financial estimates.

"Sixty silverlings per vial, with a production cost of approximately twenty-seven," the prince observed. "The profit is substantial, even with such limited quantities. How much demand have you received?"

"More than we can satisfy, Your Highness," Serena replied. "Most inquiries come from households preparing Decennial candidates. We've declined advance payments because Ferrow cannot guarantee the materials, and Joe must perform the critical processing himself."

Corvin studied the list of prospective customers. Several names belonged to families supporting promising candidates, including households whose interests did not align with his own. He returned the list to Serena.

"I would prefer selective distribution. A medicine that improves recovery could become valuable during Decennial preparation, and I see no reason to supply every potential competitor. My household also maintains relationships with royal relatives who would appreciate access to something unavailable through ordinary markets."

Serena explained that they had already intended to restrict production and accept customers through trusted introductions. Corvin considered the proposal before stating his requirements.

"I want priority access to one-third of each approved batch. My household will purchase that allocation at the established price, and I may use it personally or provide it to retainers and royal relatives. The remaining medicine can go to customers Serena approves, provided those arrangements don't conflict with my household's interests."

Joe considered the quantity. Corvin's allocation would leave most of the production available for commercial sales, and the prince would pay the same price as other customers.

"That is acceptable, Your Highness, provided I retain authority over production quantities and quality. I won't increase the output beyond what I can manage without interfering with cultivation."

"Nor should you," Corvin replied. "I became interested in your martial potential before this medicine existed. It would be a poor arrangement if the business prevented you from developing it."

Serena presented the commercial agreement she had prepared. Joe would receive sixty percent of distributable profits, Corvin's household twenty-five percent, Ferrow ten percent, and Serena five percent. The business would deduct documented operating expenses before distribution, and its accounts would separately record material purchases, wages, and administrative costs.

Joe would retain exclusive ownership of the processing method. The enterprise could sell approved preparations, but no partner could demand the formula or transfer it without his consent. Corvin examined the terms before addressing Joe.

"You've protected your process carefully. I assume you understand that another alchemist may eventually develop a comparable preparation."

"I do, Your Highness. A capable practitioner could investigate the principle if the medicine became valuable enough. What we have now is a tested method, reliable processing standards, and access to materials that aren't easy to obtain."

"Then I see no reason to demand ownership of the formula," Corvin replied. "The business depends on your continued work. Serena can manage its administration, Ferrow can secure supplies, and my household can provide protection and access to suitable customers."

He instructed Serena to have the contracts reviewed through his commercial office, with particular attention to production obligations and allocation rights. Ferrow would negotiate the purchasing arrangements, while Joe would establish the technical standards.

Corvin also wanted the business to avoid unnecessary publicity.

"Keep distribution limited and make no claims beyond the verified results," he told them. "An unfamiliar medicine that promises extraordinary breakthroughs will attract the wrong kind of attention. We already have sufficient demand without encouraging speculation."

Serena agreed. She had prepared the sales arrangements around physician referrals and trusted household contacts rather than public advertising. The prince concluded the meeting after confirming the remaining administrative requirements. An attendant escorted them from the residence. Ferrow examined the preliminary agreement during the carriage ride before offering his assessment.

"His Highness secured a quarter of the profits and priority access to a third of the medicine without demanding the formula. That's a favorable arrangement for him."

"It is," Serena agreed. "But he also gives us protection and customers we couldn't approach easily ourselves. His allocation rights may become more valuable than his financial share if the medicine gains a reputation among royal households."

Ferrow turned toward Joe. "And you're satisfied?"

"Yes. We retain the method, his household pays for its medicine, and the business can operate without requiring all my time. That's what I wanted."

Serena closed the document case. "Then our next concern is obtaining enough suitable materials to fulfill the orders we've agreed to accept."

Over the following weeks, she established a small production facility in a commercial district with convenient access to Ferrow's transport arrangements. The building contained separate rooms for inspection, preparation, processing, and secure storage.

Lysa took responsibility for incoming materials and rejected consignments that failed Joe's requirements. Tomas handled cleaning and preliminary preparation, while Maren, a former pharmacy assistant, maintained production records and prepared the medicinal carriers. Joe trained them in their assigned procedures without disclosing the critical treatment. He performed that stage himself and returned the processed material for finishing and testing. The arrangement allowed him to concentrate manufacturing into scheduled sessions while Serena handled customer allocations and Ferrow managed deliveries.

The first commercial batch produced twelve approved vials. Corvin's household purchased four under its priority allocation, while Serena sold the remaining eight to selected customers at sixty silverlings each. The batch generated seven gold and twenty silverlings in revenue. After deducting approximately three gold and twenty silverlings in production expenses, four gold remained for distribution. Joe's sixty-percent share amounted to two gold and forty silverlings, considerably more than his former monthly income from the Blackwood medicine business.

Serena regarded the result as promising but refused to increase production on the strength of one successful batch. The next shipment arrived late, and Lysa rejected part of it because the supplier's records failed to identify several ingredients. Ferrow secured a replacement consignment, but the delay confirmed that they could not depend on regular deliveries.

Serena adjusted the following allocation rather than accepting orders they might be unable to fulfill. Their approved customers continued purchasing the medicine, and several requested additional vials after their physicians confirmed results consistent with the original trials.

Corvin's household maintained its reserved allocation. His physician began testing the preparation during the prince's own Acquired training, while the remaining vials went to selected retainers and royal relatives. Those gifts provided an opportunity for Corvin to strengthen relationships without making explicit requests for support. Other royal households possessed ample cultivation resources, but few had access to Joe's preparation. Its scarcity gave the recipients a reason to value the prince's attention and maintain contact with him.

Joe continued refining his private medicine alongside the commercial batches. Neither Serena nor Corvin knew how much stronger his concentrated formulation was, and he saw no reason to disclose it. The business sold a genuine product with independently verified benefits, while Joe retained the version best suited to his exceptional constitution. The new preparation eased the nourishment shortage that had restricted his Acquired cultivation. He could replenish Blood Energy efficiently and sustain demanding refinement without consuming his ordinary medicinal supplies at the previous rate.

One evening, after completing the critical processing for another commercial batch, Joe returned to his training room and prepared a dose of his concentrated medicine. He maintained his coordinated Foundation state while the nourishment entered his circulation, allowing his body to absorb it without the pressure that had troubled his earlier experiments. After recording the result, he resumed refining Acquired Energy. The business now supplied the resources he needed without taking over his daily life. Joe could leave its ordinary operations to Serena and Ferrow while concentrating on his cultivation and the unfinished integration of Static and Dynamic Foundation.