Unbeatable Martial Emperor

C21 – Alchemists Union

“Dad, shall we head back as well?”

“The bandit leader’s whereabouts are still unknown, and my disguise technique has a time limit. I can’t use it again for a short while,” Min Zhenkang whispered.

“Okay.”

To his surprise, Tang Tian had overheard Min Zhenkang’s words.

“Hey, can you teach me that disguise technique of yours?” Tang Tian asked, his face brimming with hope.

“No way!”

“You…” Min Zhenkang’s refusal ignited Tang Tian’s temper once more.

“Hmph!”

Fuming, Tang Tian stormed off towards Steelgrave. As he passed Min Zhenkang, he bumped into him hard enough to nearly send him face-first into the ground.

Shortly after Min Zhenkang departed, the bandit leader returned to their mountain lair.

“Boss.”

“Hmm, is the deputy around?” the bandit leader inquired at the deputy’s door.

“Boss, the deputy has stepped out with Little Six and isn’t in his room at the moment.”

“Little Six? Where did they go?”

“I’m not sure, sir.”

“Let the deputy know to meet me in the Hall of Loyalty when he gets back. I have an urgent matter to discuss with him.”

With that, he retreated to his own quarters.

“Understood.”

……

Back in Steelgrave, Min Zhenkang instructed Min Qi and Min Qigang to head to the inn first while he made his way to the city’s far end.

There stood the Alchemists Union, the most revered institution among all alchemists in Steelgrave.

The Alchemists Union was not only the most enigmatic but also the most formidable organization across Suanikos.

Its strength didn’t come from its own might but from the powerful backing it had.

In Suanikos, no one dared to cross an alchemist lightly.

There was a tale of a once-dominant warrior who, after demanding a Pill from an alchemist and not getting his way, imprisoned the alchemist. The alchemist managed to escape, and from the next day on, that warrior was never seen again in Suanikos.

Some say he was eliminated by the forces backing the alchemist, while others believe the warrior went into hiding, fearing for his life.

The presence of an alchemist commands a respect that is not to be trifled with lightly.

Surviving an offense against an alchemist might be possible, but provoke the Alchemists Union, and one is certain not to witness another sunrise.

The Alchemists Union in Steelgrave is situated on the opposite side of the city, a considerable distance from the castellan’s residence.

Members of the Alchemists Union are recognized by their uniform attire, distinguished only by the emblem emblazoned on the chest.

Earning the right to don this uniform requires passing a rigorous examination. Only those who succeed are honored with the alchemist’s robe by the Union.

The robe features a cauldron on the chest, encircled by flames that indicate rank—one flame for the novice One-star Alchemist, ascending to the prestigious Nine-star Alchemist.

Min Zhenkang approached the entrance of the Alchemists Union, taking in the enormity of the structure before him.

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First-timers to the Union would undoubtedly be awestruck by the building’s grandeur and splendor.

Even Min Zhenkang, accustomed to grandeur, found himself taken aback by the sight.

The entrance to the Alchemists Union boasted a door several stories high, making it seem as though one were entering the gaping maw of a tiger, with the building itself representing the tiger’s head.

The flow of people in and out of the Union’s doors resembled ants marching into and out of a tiger’s jaws.

Observing the crowd, Min Zhenkang noted that most wore robes adorned with one or two flames, indicating a prevalence of First and Second Grade Alchemists, with those bearing three flames being a rare sight.

Inside the Union, opulence abounded, with numerous areas designated for specific purposes.

The first two floors housed the trading area, where one could barter medicinal herbs or refined Pills, or exchange other valuable items for such goods. Essentially, this was a place where anything could be traded.

Above, the examination area awaited those aspiring to earn their alchemist robes or to ascend to higher ranks within the Union.

The fourth floor was reserved for the gown area, accessible only to those who had passed the requisite examination.

This floor was bustling with traffic, but to ascend further, one needed to meet certain criteria.

Upon entering, Min Zhenkang was immediately bombarded with a cacophony of hawking and bickering.

It took him a while to acclimate to the chaotic environment before he started to peruse the offerings on the first floor.

“Hey, come take a gander! Level 2 Three-leaf Grass, essential for concocting the second-grade Scattering Powder Pill. Trade it for a low-grade Profound Rank martial skill or a formation.”

“Don’t pass this by! A Level 2 Soul Nurturing Pill can be yours for just a Battle Dragon Sword.”

……

Finding nothing of interest on the first floor, Min Zhenkang decided to check out the second floor.

It was a stark contrast in ambiance, quieter and with superior items compared to the first.

As he strolled around, the air was filled with vendors’ calls, save for one man who sat in silence, eyes closed, meditating—an island of calm in the Alchemists Union’s lively atmosphere.

In front of the old man lay a piece of paper that seemed as if it had been plucked from the street.

It was creased and charred, with no visible text or imagery—just a wrinkled, burnt piece of paper.

“Hey, old man, what’s with this tattered paper? There’s nothing on it,” Min Zhenkang inquired after pushing through the crowd to reach the man.

But the old man, exuding pride, remained silent, simply pointing to the inscription on the ground.

“The Universe Formation Diagram will only be traded for a level four medicinal herb with someone who is fated.”

“Old man, aren’t you being a bit too deceptive? It’s just a wrinkled scrap of paper, and yet you’re calling it the Universe Formation Diagram, expecting to trade it for a level four medicinal herb?”

Despite the person’s words, the old man kept his silence.

“I’ll take this paper. It’s a Transformation Pill.”

Another individual approached, tossing a Transformation Pill onto the ground with the intention of claiming the paper.

“Who is this guy? It’s just a wrinkled piece of paper. Trading a Transformation Pill for it seems like a huge waste.”

Onlookers were surprised to see someone actually willing to trade for the tattered paper.

“You don’t know who he is? You must be new to Steelgrave.”

“Is it odd that I don’t recognize him?”

“That’s Liu Youqian’s eldest son—the wealthiest man in Steelgrave,” the person said with a sneer.

“Oh, and how wealthy is Steelgrave’s richest man?”

The question was met with impatience, and the onlookers regarded him as if he were a fool.

The one who had initially responded now kept his distance, signaling to others, “I don’t know this guy. I’m not associated with him.”

Despite the stares, the man looked for someone else to question.

“Hey, do you have any idea how rich Steelgrave’s top tycoon is?”

“I’m not sure myself,” Min Zhenkang admitted.

Suddenly, people cleared away from them, their looks saying, “We don’t know these two.”

Min Zhenkang couldn’t help but smile at the situation.

“Let me fill you in on how wealthy the number one tycoon really is.”

The man who was about to pick up the paper paused, overhearing their conversation, and walked over.

“Sure, tell us.”

The man next to him chimed in eagerly.

“Do you know what my cultivation level is?”

“Third level of Martial Spirit, right?”

The man replied with disdain, as if it was obvious.

“And do you know how I achieved the third level of Martial Spirit?”

“Through your own cultivation, I assume.”

“Completely wrong!”

“So how did you manage it? You didn’t just stack up Mysterious Stones, did you?” The man asked mockingly.

“You’ve actually hit the nail on the head. I indeed advanced by consuming the Mysterious Stones my father provided.”

Liu Shihao spoke with unabashed pride.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and even Min Zhenkang couldn’t help but think it was an extravagant waste.

“No way, for real?”

“Why would I lie to you?”

“So, how many Mysterious Stones did it take for you to reach the third level of the Martial Spirit Stage?”

“Not too many, just around five or six hundred thousand Mysterious Stones. I nearly threw up from eating so many.”

“Damn, damn, damn, you’re the definition of a spendthrift.”

“A young lady from a wealthy family shouldn’t be cursing like that; it’s not ladylike.”

Min Zhenkang murmured into the ‘man’s’ ear.

“It’s none of your business whether I can get married or not.”

After blurting that out, he realized he might have misspoken.

“I’m a man, what does getting married have to do with me?”

He hastily corrected himself.

Min Zhenkang gave the tomboy disguised as a man a look but chose to remain silent.

“Miss, what are you doing here? We need to leave.”

Another tomboy, also in disguise, pushed through the crowd.

“Hmm?” The woman shot him a look.

Catching the eye of her mistress, she realized her mistake and quickly amended her words.

“Master, it’s time for us to head back.”

“Right, let’s go.” Jee Youyou strode out of the crowd with exaggerated masculine steps, and her maid hurried after her.

Liu Shihao then turned his attention back to the tattered paper on the ground.

“Young man, I don’t care who you are, but unless you can produce a level four herb, you’d best not touch this paper.”

The old man finally interjected.

“Hey, old man, giving you a Transforming Pill for this scrap of paper is already more than generous. Do you have any idea what a level four herb is worth?”

A level four herb, even the least valuable, could fetch 100,000 Mysterious Stones, with the better ones going for 200,000 to 300,000 Mysterious Stones.

No matter how wasteful he was, trading 100,000 Mysterious Stones for a piece of paper with an unknown use would surely earn him a thrashing from the old man back home.

The old man clamped his mouth shut once more.

Liu Shihao, noticing the old man’s silence, bent down to continue reaching for the paper on the ground.

Bang!

Just as Liu Shihao’s fingers were about to brush against the paper, a thunderous noise erupted. Onlookers turned to see Liu Shihao astonishingly “embedded” into the wall behind him, his chest caved in conspicuously.

He slowly collapsed from within the wall under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his condition unknown.

A hush fell over the second floor of the Alchemists Union as all eyes turned to the scene.

“Hey, someone else tried to test the old man’s patience? How many does that make now?”

“Five, I think.”

The two individuals waiting to conduct their transactions beside the elder stared at Liu Shihao as if he were a simpleton.

Initially, the Alchemists Union had members who would intervene, but now, they couldn’t be bothered, content as long as it wasn’t a matter of life or death.

“What just happened? Are my eyes deceiving me?”

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

“Ouch! Why did you pinch me?”

“Just checking if I’m dreaming. Feeling pain means I’m awake.”

“Then why pinch me?”

“I don’t like pain.”

The two spectators looked like they were on the verge of coming to blows.

“He was right here a moment ago, wasn’t he? How did he end up stuck in the wall so suddenly?”

“How should I know?”

As the crowd struggled to understand, their attention shifted to the old man. No one dared to underestimate him now.

The ability to launch someone at the third level of the Martial Spirit Stage through the air with a mere slap spoke volumes of his terrifying prowess.

Yet the old man sat undisturbed, eyes closed, indifferent to the stares fixated on him.

“Such incredible speed.”

In that fleeting moment, only Min Zhenkang managed to catch a glimpse of the old man’s swift action.

The elder’s cultivation level was surely no less than the seventh level of the Martial Warrior Stage.

In fact, Min Zhenkang had been fixated on that torn piece of paper from the moment he laid eyes on it, only diverting his gaze when Jee Youyou and the old man made their moves.

“This is a Fire Dragon Grass,” Min Zhenkang said as he pulled out the sole valuable Fire Dragon Grass from his Bag of Heaven and Earth.

“Alright, then this paper is yours,” the elder replied, taking the Fire Dragon Grass and passing the paper from the ground to Min Zhenkang.

There was another sharp intake of breath from the onlookers.