The Good Businessman

It is a typical day and an old man is overseeing a group of teenagers training on a certain mountain. Given his age, he chose to resign on a secluded mountain and help train future generations.

His name is Sar Ula'n, an Early Core Formation Expert and one of the six elders of San Ruk Eagles Guild. He noticed from a far that a carriage bearing their deacon's insignia is visiting them today. He knows there is something important to be reported so he asked someone to prepare a simple reception.

Meanwhile, the man in the carriage is none other than Deacon Sar Aran.

When he investigated the pills earlier, he discovered that it was not ordinary. As a deacon, he did have an extensive training in apothecary and other cultivation fields and after decades of experience, he can immediately tell if he is dealing with treasure. Today, after what seem to be a regular transaction, he needed to make a report and ask guidance from their elder.

A few minutes later, Sar Aran was received on a guest hall.

Upon seating, he placed the bottles of pills on the table.

"You cannot possibly have come all the way here just to report someone sold us a few bottles of pills, right?” Sar Ula'n quizzically inquired as he sipped his tea.

"While I may not compare to Elder in terms of cultivation, I pride myself in Apothecary thanks to the guild. I have been a Deacon for thirty years now and this is the first time I have encountered a Mid-Tier Qi Sensing Pill concocted using Earth Class ingredients.”

There was a brief pause then he continued. “I consulted a Tier Three Alchemist yesterday and it appears he can only concoct Mid Tier Qi Sensing Pill using "Heaven Class" materials. He did elaborate why he cannot refine Mid Tier Qi Sensing Pill using Earth Class materials, anyway… the rest of our conversation is irrelevant."

"Tell me exactly what do you need my permission for."

"This great Alchemist sent a Peak-Early Qi Condensation boy to run his errands. From the looks of it, he will probably make more transactions to our guild in the future. The boy claims he refined them and currently is residing within the commoner’s residential area of San Ruk Town near our office. The biggest problem is that boy is carrying a San Ruk Elven Crest and even his residence is marked with it and as for this Alchemist’s identity, it is not my call to order an investigation."

Elder Sar Ula'n did not need Deacon Aran to further explain. Most practitioners go on with their lives not knowing Human relations with Elvens on neighboring kingdoms.

Nobody knows when it started but there has always been a tension with neighboring provinces despite armistice. He remembered forty years ago when a certain Elven clan in Ab'atuan Mountain Range, a trading post which is a fifteen day flight travel from Paco City was exterminated by Bang'et Royal Guards and any human experts with close relations with that clan were not spared as well.

Their status as Core Formation experts did not qualify them to know the details of the purge and mostly heard rumors about Blood Moon Sect being involved but contrary to what the Bang'et Royal Family had announced, that Elven colony had overstepped their boundaries. They even made clear that as long as Elvens mind their own business, there is nothing to worry about.

However, according to the information they bought from a certain expert, that Elven colony had been suspected to have been involved in a certain demonic practice relating to multiple disappearances of Alchemy apprentices. It is still a mystery as to what the demonic practice entail but one thing is certain. The technique is of Elven origins and those who disappeared were never seen again.

After the purge, to avoid being implicated, their guild came up with a rule that any potential long term partnership with Elvens must be avoided.

However, that great Alchemist poses another level of threat. These experts are always backed up by someone powerful and only a fool would offend them.

"Continue to trade with the boy for now. Treat all transactions like a normal deal and do not curry any favors. Have some of our spies investigate any similar situations you can find. " After careful consideration, Sar Ula'n spoke. He wanted to share the information with Aran but decided to keep it a secret. To this day, it is still a mystery as to who is behind the disappearances and while there are circulating rumors that Blood Moon Sect is the culprit, he did not want any potential threat that may cause their guild to be exterminated as well.

Meanwhile, Kle In had no idea how big of a trouble he caused.

Yesterday, he successfully traded his pills for ninety -one gold coins. He got a bargain of eighty gold coins for a simple cultivation technique for Mid Qi Condensation Realm. He handed the eleven gold coins to Aunt Mabna'y and last night, he got a taste of meat again for dinner.

What is making Kle In uncomfortable though is how Aunt Mabna'y’s 180 degree change in character after the trade. That afternoon when she said she needed to buy things from the market to prepare dinner, she came back with her nine year old daughter, Mebiline. They have not left the house since yesterday.

He knew it was related to the pills he took out during the trade and while it is very satisfying to the see her reaction after thinking he was talentless, he did not have the time bask in self praise and instead turned his attention on the book he traded his pills for.

While sitting on his bed, he focused his mind on a particular cultivation technique after reading it five times.

According to the book, one must be able to purify his body using Qi, however it is baffling him why the circulation pattern looks similar to what caused him Qi deviation.

He had already read the book several times hoping to see any hidden context but the book is very straightforward and he felt like he had been taken advantage of after spending a sum of money for a non-refundable useless item.

If there is worth noting, then it is about external resources one could ingest to assist in purifying the body and it is called Body Reinforcement Pill.

He has doubts but hopes that this pill will really help him break through.

Kle In took out the Body Reinforcement Pill formula. It was one of the books Ulvar gave him back then.

While he is confident he could refine Qi Sensing and Qi Enhancement Pills, he still reviewed the formula to ensure the concoction is successful on his first try.