"Heh heh, wonderful, wonderful... Young Master Chu, you truly are an exceptional talent. No wonder our Ya has taken a liking to you."
Elder Qin said with a laugh, his face crinkling into a web of deep wrinkles.
"Grandpa, what are you talking about? I told you, he's just my fiancé in na only." For once, Qin Ya found herself blushing in front of her grandfather.
"Heh heh, alright, alright. In na only, in na only..."
Elder Qin didn't press the matter. He knew his granddaughter well. The fact that Qin Ya would even admit Chu Qingyun was her fiancé—in na only or not—spoke volus.
"Ahem, Elder Qin, to be perfectly honest, I've co today to ask a favor. I was wondering if you would be willing to personally craft a One Yang Pill for us?"
He had already learned from Qin Ya that her grandfather was having so sort of trouble.
But now that they were here, Chu Qingyun felt he couldn't leave without at least asking.
anwhile, Ye Qi tensed up instantly, her small hands twisting together anxiously.
"The One Yang Pill... It's a fairly common elixir for dispelling cold poison. Among Spirit Level elixirs, its crafting difficulty is about Middle Grade. Sigh, if you had co a few years earlier, I would have certainly helped you craft it. But now..."
As Elder Qin spoke, he shook his head, a somber look on his face.
Behind him, Qin Ya pouted and shot Chu Qingyun a glare, clearly displeased. 'I already told you it was impossible, but you still had to ask and make Grandpa sad again.'
"Young Master Chu, do you have any idea how long it's been since I last lit my furnace for Alchemy? Two years. Heh, I, a master Alchemist, haven't lit my furnace or crafted an elixir in two whole years..."
Elder Qin sighed and shook his head, as if muttering to himself.
"Why is that? Has sothing happened to your health?" Chu Qingyun asked, frowning.
"Heh heh, there's no problem... I'm just old. Too old to use my hands, too old for Alchemy."
"I'm just hanging on by a thread. I probably don't have many years left. The only thing in this life I can't let go of... is my dear Ya..."
Chu Qingyun's heart sank. He never imagined that after all he'd been through to get here, this would be the outco.
Ye Qi, however, was filled with bitter despair. 'Of the two Alchemists in Lianshan County City, we've thoroughly offended one, and the other is too old to work. At this rate, isn't Father dood...?'
At this thought, tears began to well up in Ye Qi's eyes.
But after exchanging a few words, it was as if a floodgate had opened in Elder Qin, and he continued speaking.
"When I was young, I awakened a Tier Four Martial Soul. I was considered a sensational genius in my day! My talent in the Martial Dao was also quite impressive. Heh heh, back then, many people had high hopes for , saying I could break through the Spirit Realm and enter the King Realm!"
"But later, I stumbled upon the path of the Alchemy Dao and poured too much of my energy into the study of elixirs. Although I used it to establish the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower, it delayed my progress on the Martial Dao. I possess a Tier Four Martial Soul, yet I never even broke through to the Earth Spirit Realm. And now, my end is near."
"Sigh... Elixirs were my making, and my undoing. If soone could just find a successor with a Tier Four Fire Martial Soul, I would risk what's left of my life to craft one last elixir for them."
"Unfortunately, finding a Tier Four with a fire attribute... it's just too difficult. The one who cos closest to the requirents is the Young Master of Cloud-Mo Village. He possesses a rare, pure Fla Martial Soul, but... it's only Tier Three."
Elder Qin was old, and he had developed a habit of rambling on and on.
Hearing this, however, Chu Qingyun's head shot up, a sharp glint in his eyes.
'A pure Fla Martial Soul!'
'This is exactly what I've been looking for!'
"Elder Qin, where is this person with the pure Fla Martial Soul you ntioned?" Chu Qingyun asked, his voice laced with urgency.
Interrupted from his rambling, Elder Qin paused for a mont before replying, "He's only Tier Three. It's no use."
Chu Qingyun grew anxious.
'He's only Tier Three now, but if I bring him over, won't that make him Tier Four?!'
"Heh heh, I'm just a bit curious. After all, I've never seen a pure Fla Martial Soul before," Chu Qingyun said with a smile, though a flicker of urgency betrayed him in his eyes.
Chu Qingyun had already experienced firsthand just how precious and important Alchemists were.
He was certain that becoming an Alchemist would be an extrely crucial step on his path to power. It was a step he was unwilling—and did not dare—to take lightly or settle for second best.
That was why he had kept three fire-aspected Tier Two Martial Souls in reserve while continuing his search for a pure Fla Martial Soul.
Of course, if it truly ca to the point where Ye Qingfeng could no longer hold on, he would have no choice but to make do with what he had and create one.
But doing so would be a waste of Martial Soul Power. After all, he still had many Martial Soul Cards stuck at Tier Three, waiting for that very power.
"Let see... Oh, right. Iron Blade Gorge, Cloud-Mo Village. Those people are no good—nothing but bandits and robbers who commit every evil imaginable. I happened to hear about them when I sent people out to search for a successor..."
Elder Qin started rambling again.
But Chu Qingyun wasn't listening anymore.
He wished he could rush to Iron Blade Gorge and Cloud-Mo Village right now. 'If I can just get that Fla Martial Soul, I can learn the Alchemy Skill from Elder Qin and beco an Alchemist!'
After listening to Elder Qin ramble for a while longer, the old man grew tired. Qin Ya then escorted Chu Qingyun out of the Qin Mansion.
After taking Ye Qi ho, Chu Qingyun began to plan how he would get to Iron Blade Gorge and Cloud-Mo Village to acquire the Fla Martial Soul.
According to Elder Qin, the chieftain of Cloud-Mo Village was a Level One Martial Spirit expert.
Cloud-Mo Village was considered a fairly powerful stronghold within Lianshan County. It had apparently even been besieged by the Great Xia Dragon Guards once, but the matter was later dropped for unknown reasons.
'A Level One Martial Spirit... an assassination would be the best approach. That would require a Martial Spirit Level Hidden Qi Technique, which I'd have to buy from the Assassin Alliance... Wait a minute, the Assassin Alliance!'
A sudden flash of inspiration struck Chu Qingyun's mind.
'Damn it, I'm an idiot! I needed an elixir, so I only thought about finding an Alchemist to craft one. The Great Xia Dragon Guards don't have a One Yang Pill, but the Assassin Alliance just might!'
At this thought, Chu Qingyun no longer hesitated and quickened his pace.
The Assassin Alliance in the County City was located underground. Its entrance was in a very remote part of the Beicheng District, hidden within a large, dilapidated courtyard that looked long abandoned.
Many people within the County City were well aware of this fact, including the Great Xia Dragon Guards and the various influential families, both large and small.
However, intimidated by the Assassin Alliance's mysterious power and the fact that they never caused any major incidents, everyone maintained an unspoken agreent to mind their own business.
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