Chapter 581 - 581: Sudden Change

"You flatter me, Elder Shan," Zhao Yuan said humbly.

Elder Shan waved his hand. "It's no flattery, just the truth. At your age, I couldn't have possibly crafted such a powerful Pill. Even with the Elixir Recipe, I'm certain I couldn't have done it. A Purifying Qi effect of ninety-five percent? If I hadn't verified the results myself, I wouldn't have dared to believe it. Good heavens, this has practically reached the level of a legendary Immortal Pill!"

Zhao Yuan smiled, feeling a little embarrassed by the praise.

After another moment of awe, Elder Shan asked, "By the way, Alchemist Zhao, may I ask about your master?"

Zhao Yuan replied, "My master is a recluse without a famous name. Even if I told you what it was, you wouldn't recognize it."

Elder Shan was a sharp man. How could he not tell that Zhao Yuan's words were just a polite refusal?

But since Zhao Yuan was unwilling to share his master's name, Elder Shan couldn't press him. He could only drop the matter with some regret and bring up something else. "Since Alchemist Zhao is unwilling to say, I won't ask again. However, I would like to consult you, Alchemist Zhao, on some matters of the Alchemy Dao. I hope you will be generous with your insights."

Zhao Yuan quickly replied, "Elder Shan, you give me too much credit. Let's just say we can discuss it and improve together."

Elder Shan smiled and nodded. "Excellent. We'll discuss it and improve together!"

The more he looked at Zhao Yuan, the more he liked him.

He was young and capable, yet humble. Not arrogant or rebellious, but very respectful of his elders.

'A young man of such upright character was a rare sight indeed!'

Only then did Yue Tianchi find an opportunity to interject. "Elder Shan, could you and Alchemist Zhao perhaps discuss the Alchemy Dao later? Please, let us complete our transaction first."

After the repeated tests by Shan Han and Elder Shan, Yue Tianchi was convinced of the Purifying Qi Pills' astounding effects. He was now desperate to get his hands on them, afraid that any delay might lead to an accident, or worse, that Zhao Yuan might change his mind and refuse to trade them for the Thousand-Day Wine. After all, compared to the incredible power of the Purifying Qi Pills, the Thousand-Day Wine seemed far less impressive.

Yue Tianchi was anxious to complete the deal. Only when it was done could he finally be at ease.

"Alright, go ahead and complete your transaction," Elder Shan agreed with a nod.

Yue Tianchi didn't immediately rush to retrieve the Thousand-Day Wine. Instead, he started haggling with Zhao Yuan. "Alchemist Zhao, how about one urn of Thousand-Day Wine for ten of your Purifying Qi Pills?"

Zhao Yuan shook his head. "Elder Yue, I'm afraid I can't accept that price. You heard it yourself—my Purifying Qi Pills are in a league of their own compared to ordinary ones. A single one of my Pills is as effective as five or six of the common variety. Therefore, one urn of Thousand-Day Wine for two Purifying Qi Pills!"

Now it was Yue Tianchi's turn to object. "Two is far too few! How about one urn for nine?"

The two of them haggled back and forth until they finally reached an agreement: one urn of Thousand-Day Wine for four Purifying Qi Pills. Though Yue Tianchi grumbled aloud about what a loss it was for him, he was inwardly quite pleased and satisfied.

"Alchemist Zhao, how many urns of Thousand-Day Wine do you want?" Yue Tianchi asked.

Zhao Yuan was surprised. "Oh? Do you have many?"

Yue Tianchi said with considerable pride, "To be honest, by a stroke of luck, I obtained the Secret Formula for brewing Thousand-Day Wine. It took me ten years, but I finally managed to replicate it. While it may not be as potent as the legendary version, it has at least sixty or seventy percent of its effect. It'll put you to sleep for ten days or so after you drink it, but the results are outstanding—you can gain the equivalent of a month of hard cultivation."

"I see." Zhao Yuan nodded. After a quick mental calculation, he said, "In that case, I'll take eight urns for now. If I need more, I'll come back to you."

"No problem," Yue Tianchi agreed instantly. "I'll go get the Thousand-Day Wine for you right now." He then added, "Alchemist Zhao, if I need more Purifying Qi Pills in the future, I hope you'll still be willing to sell them to me. Even if you don't need any more Thousand-Day Wine, I can pay with cash or trade other items."

"Of course." Zhao Yuan certainly wasn't going to turn down a guaranteed customer.

Yue Tianchi then turned to Elder Shan, Bai Yuting, and the others. "Everyone, please wait here for a moment. I'll be right back. I'll be your host today. Please enjoy the full experience at my villa—food, drink, and entertainment!"

"No need. I have other business, so I'll be taking my leave," Bai Yuting said, rejecting Yue Tianchi's invitation and turning to walk away.

Just before leaving, he glanced at Zhao Yuan. Puzzlingly, his gaze held not resentment, but a strange, indecipherable meaning.

Zhao Yuan was surprised to see Bai Yuting actually leave.

He had originally thought Bai Yuting would try to take the Thousand-Day Wine by force. But if that were the case, he shouldn't be leaving now.

'Did I guess wrong?' Zhao Yuan couldn't help but wonder.

Ying Ji came to his side and whispered, "Zhao Yuan, it seems you were wrong. Bai Yuting probably wasn't planning anything nefarious."

Zhao Yuan said nothing. He had a feeling things weren't that simple, so he didn't let his guard down and remained vigilant.

Yue Tianchi left the reception hall. More than twenty minutes later, he returned with eight urns of Thousand-Day Wine.

No one knew where he had gone to get the wine. Though the Thousand-Day Wine was cellared somewhere in the villa, only he knew its exact location.

Yue Tianchi placed the eight urns of Thousand-Day Wine in front of Zhao Yuan and said with a smile, "Alchemist Zhao, this is the Thousand-Day Wine. Would you like to inspect it?"

Zhao Yuan nodded. "That would be best."

Yue Tianchi reached out and broke the clay seal on one of the urns. Instantly, a rich, potent aroma filled the entire reception hall. Everyone who smelled it felt a wave of intoxication, followed by an intense, bone-chilling cold that swept through their bodies, making them shiver involuntarily.

"What potent wine!" Zhao Yuan exclaimed. He then turned to Hao Li and said, "It's your time to shine."

"Leave it to me," Hao Li readily agreed. He was no expert on Elixirs, but when it came to food and drink, no one was more knowledgeable. He was undoubtedly the best person to verify the effects of the Thousand-Day Wine.

But before Hao Li could reach the opened urn, a shocking event unfolded!

BOOM!

With a tremendous crash, numerous holes suddenly erupted in the floor of the reception hall! Amidst the billowing dust, a group of uninvited guests emerged from beneath the ground, appearing in the middle of the room.

Bai Yuting and his two apprentices, who had supposedly left, returned at that very moment. His sinister gaze swept over everyone in the hall as he declared in a cold voice, "The Thousand-Day Wine, the Purifying Qi Pills, and the Storage Ring—they're all ours now!"