Chapter 129: Chapter 127: The Medicine Cauldron Dispute

After leaving the Qinghuo Gang headquarters, Jiang Chen headed straight for the Alchemist Guild.

His current priority was to refine the First-Revolution Tyrant Essence Pill and advance his Divine Demon Tyrant Body to the Second Stage Realm.

He had obtained many precious Spirit Medicines from the Qinghuo Gang’s Treasure Vault, gathering most of the materials needed to refine the First-Revolution Tyrant Essence Pill. The only things missing were two main ingredients: Seven-Star Begonia and Dragon Blood Flower. Both were Second-grade Basic-level Spiritual Medicines, exceptionally precious and rare, so Jiang Chen planned to search for them at the Alchemist Guild.

He arrived at the Alchemist Guild around noon.

At that moment, the area in front of the Alchemist Guild’s hundred-meter-tall, solemn, and ancient main hall was bustling with people.

"Hello, how may I help you?" a lovely young woman asked as she approached.

Jiang Chen nodded. "I’d like to purchase some Spirit Medicine and an Alchemy Cauldron."

"What grade of Spirit Medicine and Medicine Cauldron do you require?" the young woman asked, her eyes bright and wide.

Jiang Chen replied, "Second-grade Spirit Medicine. As for the cauldron, a Second-grade or higher Medicine Cauldron would be ideal."

"Second-grade or higher?"

The young woman’s expression shifted slightly, a bright glint flashing through her eyes.

Any single Second-grade Spirit Medicine was incredibly precious and expensive. A Second-grade or higher Medicine Cauldron, on the other hand, would fetch an astronomical price. As far as she knew, their Alchemist Guild only possessed two such Second-grade Medicine Cauldrons.

One was in the hands of Master Cui Zheng, the President of the Alchemist Guild and the only First-Grade Advanced Alchemist in Yulan Mansion.

The other Second-grade Medicine Cauldron was permanently displayed in the Alchemist Guild with a price tag of one billion silver taels!

The young woman’s gaze toward Jiang Chen grew fervent. With a charming smile, she said, "Sir, you can give me a list of the Spirit Medicines you require. As for the Medicine Cauldron, you’ll need to wait a moment. I must submit a request to my superiors. Only after it’s approved can I show you the cauldron. The process may take about half a double-hour, so please follow me to the VIP room to wait."

"Thank you for your trouble." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Jiang Chen nodded, pulling out one hundred taels and tossing it to her as a tip.

The young woman’s eyes lit up, and her gaze grew even more fervent as she instinctively leaned closer to him.

Jiang Chen was half a head taller than her. As his gaze swept over her, the pale white curve of her cleavage was in full view. It made him feel a bit awkward, and he cleared his throat. "Please take me to the VIP room."

"Very well."

The young woman sighed in disappointment. Swaying her hips like a water snake, she led Jiang Chen to the VIP room.

......

Three people were already inside the VIP room.

One was a fair-faced youth dressed in fine brocade, a faint air of arrogance in his features. He never once looked up. In contrast, the two burly, middle-aged men standing on either side of him immediately fixed their gazes on Jiang Chen the moment he entered, their expressions guarded and wary.

Jiang Chen glanced at the trio before finding a seat and sitting down on his own.

The Black Emperor on his shoulder, though appearing listless, whispered, "Jiang Chen, you’d best be careful of that young man."

"Hmm?"

Jiang Chen froze.

The Black Emperor continued, "Those two middle-aged men are both at the True Martial Realm Sixth Stage. But the youth’s cultivation is incredibly restrained; he’s even stronger than they are. I fear he’s reached the True Martial Realm Seventh Stage, or perhaps even higher!"

Jiang Chen’s mind stirred. ’True Martial Realm Seventh Stage or higher?’

He couldn’t help but glance at the youth again. ’He’s only two or three years older than me, yet his cultivation is already at the True Martial Realm Seventh Stage or higher. His talent is certainly nothing to scoff at.’

However, he was only here to buy Spirit Medicine and a Medicine Cauldron, not to make enemies. Jiang Chen made a mental note to be cautious but paid the youth no further attention.

「Not long after...」

The young woman returned, a brilliant smile on her face. "Sir, our guild has both of the Spirit Medicines you require. As for the price... the Seven-Star Begonia is 3,600,000 silver taels, and the Dragon Blood Grass is rarer, so it’s a bit more expensive at 5,800,000 silver taels. The total comes to 9,400,000 silver taels. Are you sure you wish to purchase them?"

’Nine million four hundred thousand taels?’ Jiang Chen nodded to himself.

’Both of these Spirit Medicines are incredibly rare, treasures even among Second-grade Spirit Medicines. The price isn’t too high!’

Jiang Chen took out a stack of silver notes worth ten million taels and handed them to the young woman. "Here’s ten million in silver notes. I want those two Spirit Medicines immediately. As for the remaining six hundred thousand, I hear the Alchemist Guild has Alchemy Rooms for rent. I’ll take the highest-grade one you have."

"No problem!"

The young woman nodded eagerly. "Sir, the Spirit Medicines and the Alchemy Room are all yours. However, regarding the Second-grade Medicine Cauldron... since there’s another guest interested in purchasing it, the President has decided to hold a small auction. The highest bidder wins!"

"Heh, your president certainly knows how to do business," Jiang Chen chuckled. "Where is the auction? Take me there."

"Please wait a moment, sir. Our President will come here personally. Since there are only two bidders, it will be held right here in the VIP room," the young woman said with a sweet smile.

Jiang Chen nodded.

A short while later, an old man entered. He wore the green robes of an alchemist, his chest embroidered with a Medicine Cauldron emblem marked with a single golden star.

This was a First-Grade Advanced Alchemist—Cui Zheng, the President of the Yulan Mansion Alchemist Guild!

"Greetings, President," the young woman said respectfully.

Cui Zheng nodded. His gaze swept over Jiang Chen and the young man, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke. "I am Cui Zheng, President of the Yulan Mansion Alchemist Guild. I hear you both wish to purchase our guild’s Second-grade Medicine Cauldron. After discussing the matter with our two vice presidents, I have decided to determine its owner through an auction. I trust neither of you has an objection?"

Jiang Chen smiled. "Highest bidder wins. Perfectly fair."

Cui Zheng couldn’t help but nod, offering Jiang Chen a friendly smile.

He then turned to the youth in fine robes.

The youth in fine robes didn’t even raise his head, merely shaking it slightly. The burly man to his left then spoke. "My Young Master deigning to come to this backwater hovel is an honor that should make this humble place shine. You should feel incredibly privileged. You ought to have presented the Medicine Cauldron to him with the utmost respect. How dare you expect my Young Master to bid against this country bumpkin? This is an insult and a profanity against him!"

The other burly man added faintly, "Chairman Cui, is it? If you obediently hand over the Medicine Cauldron now, my Young Master might still give you some silver taels for it. But if you keep dawdling, not only will you lose the cauldron, you won’t get a single coin!"

Cui Zheng, Jiang Chen, and the young attendant were all stunned.

They never imagined the youth would be so domineering.

A fair auction where the highest bidder wins!

This was a standard business practice, yet to him, it was an insult and a profanity?

Jiang Chen rolled his eyes, utterly speechless. ’Holy hell, did I do anything to you? Was it really necessary to start insulting me right off the bat? Country bumpkin? I’ll give you a face full of country...’

A flash of anger crossed Cui Zheng’s face. He snorted coldly and said, "This is the Alchemist Guild. How we conduct our business is our prerogative. If you’re unwilling to accept our decision, you are more than welcome to leave!"

Alchemists and Artifact Refiners were both incredibly noble professions!

They had their own pride!

How could they allow themselves to be insulted so freely?

What’s more, Alchemists and Artifact Refiners were exceptionally unified. No expert or faction would dare to openly make an enemy of these two colossal powers.

The burly man’s expression darkened. His gaze shifted as he said, "Chairman Cui, calm yourself. My second brother has a fiery temper, which is why he spoke so rudely. Since your esteemed guild has decided to use an auction to determine the cauldron’s owner... well, if there’s only one party interested in buying, there would be no need for an auction, would there?"

Cui Zheng faltered, then frowned. "If there were only one party, then of course there’d be no need to bid. But this young man here also wishes to purchase the cauldron..."

"Heh, you don’t need to worry about that, Chairman Cui." The man on the left waved his hand dismissively. He turned to Jiang Chen, his eyes dripping with contempt, and said coolly, "Kid, I’ll give you two choices. One, you voluntarily withdraw from bidding on the Medicine Cauldron, and we’ll let you walk out of here in one piece. Or two... I’ll have to resort to more forceful means."

"Forceful means?" Jiang Chen asked, narrowing his eyes and suppressing the rage in his heart.

The burly man sneered. "Forceful means, of course, is making you disappear from this world. Once you’ve disappeared, you’ll no longer be able to compete with my Young Master for the Medicine Cauldron!"

"Hahaha! What ’forceful means’!"

Jiang Chen laughed, his fury boiling over.

’From the very beginning, I never provoked them. I just wanted to quietly buy a damn Medicine Cauldron.’

’And the moment they open their mouths, they’re threatening me? Forcing me to either give up or be killed?’

’Such arrogant bastards!’

’Too bad for them...’

’The one they’re trying to bully today is me, Jiang Chen!’

’I don’t bother those who don’t bother me. But if someone comes for me, I will—kill them!’

Jiang Chen snorted. He narrowed his eyes to meet the man’s gaze and said, enunciating each word with cold indifference, "Then make your move. I’d like to see just how you plan to make me disappear from this world."