My Informative Cultivation Life

"Could you be an Alchemy Master, fellow Daoist?" The youth chuckled slyly, a glint of mischief in his eyes that gave Yang Ji an oddly familiar sensation, and a sense of strangeness rose in his heart.

"Why would you say I am an Alchemy Master?" The certainty in the young man's voice piqued Yang Ji's curiosity.

"If you were not an Alchemy Master, how would you purchase a Demon Essence Pill Recipe?" the youth said with a smile.

"Alchemy is the foremost among the hundred arts of cultivation, who among cultivators hasn't tried their hand at alchemy? I bought the Demon Essence Pill Recipe because my cultivation demands it, just to study it a bit. I only have a superficial understanding of alchemy arts; to be called an Alchemy Master would truly be an honor I do not deserve," Yang Ji replied, shaking his head slightly.

"You are too modest, fellow Daoist. Everyone knows the Demon Essence Pill is difficult to refine, but since you have studied it to this extent, surely you at least are an Alchemy Master," said the youth with a flicker in his eyes.

"Studying the Demon Essence Pill makes me an Alchemy Master? Then, if I were to study the Nine-Transformation Golden Pill, would you not say I am an Alchemy Grandmaster?" Yang Ji couldn't help but laugh.

"Even if you are not an Alchemy Master, judging by how much you desire the Demon Companion Herb, I dare say you must be confident in attempting to refine it; I assert you must be a Peak Alchemy Master," declared the youth.

Hmm? This person's perceptive ability is rather strong! Yang Ji was quite surprised but just laughed and said, "You've asked so many questions, what is it you want? If you're looking for someone to do alchemy, I could introduce you to a Peak Alchemy Master."

"I know quite a few alchemists, including some Alchemy Masters. However, I am not here to seek medicine pills but to propose a transaction with you," the youth suddenly said with a mysterious smile.

"What kind of transaction?" Yang Ji asked, puzzled.

"A mutually beneficial transaction. Don't you need the Demon Companion Herb? I could provide it for you. Since fellow Daoist is a Peak Alchemy Master, how about for each Demon Companion Herb I provide, you refine a batch of Temptating Demon Pills for me free of charge? I will supply the ingredients myself," the youth suggested with a smile.

Demon Companion Herb? Yang Ji was intrigued and his gaze shifted subtly, "If you know so many alchemists, why choose me?"

"To be honest, it's because you don't put on airs, that's why I chose you. Which of those alchemists is not arrogant and condescending? They all have strange tempers and to request alchemy from them requires endless flattery and gifts," the youth said with an air of helplessness in his candid confession.

Huh?

This reason left Yang Ji slightly stunned.

Indeed, when he first saw He Gu from the window, he too had a look of proud satisfaction. And thinking back to his first meeting with Huo Yuan, he had also stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an arrogant demeanor.

They were all incredibly haughty, and these were just Peak Alchemy Masters; if they were Alchemy Masters, wouldn't their tails be wagging to the sky?

But, that's not right, is it?

Yang Ji gave the youth a sidelong glance, silently sneering to himself.

Paying with money and flattery to ask someone to do alchemy, do I look that cheap?

Or do you think you've found my weak spot?

One Demon Companion Herb in exchange for one alchemical concoction?

Treating me like a bull to be ordered around?

Yang Ji couldn't help but scoff inwardly.

As his thoughts churned, he felt there was something eerily familiar about the youth's tactics.

Yang Ji's eyebrows lifted, and glancing at him, he asked, "I have not yet had the honor of learning your name, fellow Daoist."

"My name is Jin Suanpan!" the youth said with a beaming smile.

"Jin Suanpan?" Another with the surname Jin? Yang Ji felt a momentary startle before adding, "Do you know Jin Dafu?"

"Do you mean Jin Dafu of the Myriad Treasures Tower on Nanfeng Island?" the youth's expression became serious as he confirmed.

"The very same," Yang Ji nodded.

"Hahaha..." In an instant, the youth burst into raucous laughter, exclaiming joyfully, "Jin Dafu is my thirty-eighth uncle, alas! I had no idea fellow Daoist knew my uncle; no wonder I felt so familiar with you at first sight."

Huh? Really family?

Yang Ji's scalp tingled, but his mind felt somewhat more at ease. These people of the Jin Family, lusting after wealth but not life, seemed to have their own bottom line, likely a family teaching.

Knowing he was from the Jin Family, Yang Ji took a good look at the youth. He did bear a resemblance to Jin Dafu, especially the sly twinkle in his eyes was almost identical.

"Fellow Daoist, I still don't know your honorable name," Jin Suanpan said warmly with a smile.

"Yang Ji!"

"So it's Fellow Daoist Yang. Today, I'll be the host. How about we go to a tavern and have a good talk over how to proceed?" Jin Suanpan said with a smile.

Yang Ji pondered for a moment and then nodded.

The Demon Companion Herb was something he currently needed. If the person before him could provide it, then a trade was worth discussing.

Thus, the two made their way into a small tavern and found themselves a quiet spot to sit down.

"Do you have Demon Companion Herb on you?" Yang Ji looked at Jin Suanpan and asked straightforwardly.

"I have three herb stalks on me right now. If Fellow Daoist can refine the Temptating Demon Pill, I should be able to get more later on," Jin Suanpan said confidently with a smile.

"Should be?" Yang Ji responded with a skeptical look.

"Although all the major powers are purchasing Demon Companion Herb at high prices in the Demon Stench Sea, as long as Fellow Daoist can refine the Temptating Demon Pill and provide enough bargaining chips, I'm sure you can have your share of the spoils," Jin Suanpan smiled.

"Your Jin Family is a major clan with several Golden Core True Persons in residence. I imagine you've acquired quite a lot of Demon Companion Herb. Why don't you..." Yang Ji gave him a knowing glance.

"Fellow Daoist, hold on! The family is the family, and I am myself. I'd rather not involve the family in everything. If they were involved, there would be more trouble and constraints," Jin Suanpan said quite seriously.

"That..." Yang Ji looked at him and nodded before asking, "Can Demon Companion Herb be bought with Spirit Stones? Must it be the Temptating Demon Pill?"

"Spirit Stones can buy some Demon Companion Herb under sixty years of age, but for older ones, Medication Pills are required for cultivation. Of course, Temptating Demon Pills are also possible since those Demon Hunters are not fools. What else are they risking their lives for if not some cultivation resources?"

Jin Suanpan said with a slight smile.

"How should the Demon Companion Herb be matched with the Demon Core to refine a Demon Essence Pill that is better than the Spirit Origin Pill?" Yang Ji asked.

"The Spirit Origin Pill is a mid-grade Spirit Pill, usually requiring Demon Companion Herb of over a hundred years old matched with a level seven Demon Core. Only then can the refined Demon Essence Pill exceed the medicinal effects of the Spirit Origin Pill," Jin Suanpan answered.

"Then, what are the ages of the three herb stalks you have?" Yang Ji asked.

"One is sixty years old, and two are one hundred and twelve years old. The latter two are from the same nest, so their ages are close," Jin Suanpan replied.

"Give me the two hundred-year stalks, and refine the sixty-year-old one into the Temptating Demon Pill. You can take it to exchange with other cultivators for Demon Companion Herb, then bring it back to me. Continue this cycle of herb for pill, then exchange it out again," Yang Ji stated.

"Fellow Daoist, hold on, let's sort this out; something seems off here. It seems like I'm not profiting from this at all, but rather ending up as a runner. This business deal of yours is even more outrageous than mine. You couldn't be learning this from Uncle Fu, could you?" Jin Suanpan was taken aback.

"Then what do you want? To run errands for me, a Peak Alchemy Master, isn't it an honor?" Yang Ji, mimicking Huo Yuan's tone, said with a proud expression.

"Fellow Daoist, you're clearly exploiting me," Jin Suanpan couldn't help but bitterly smile.

"Sixty-year-old Demon Companion Herbs can be bought with Spirit Stones. Once I've refined it into the Temptating Demon Pill, I can take it and exchange it with other cultivators for high-grade Demon Companion Herb. Why go through the trouble of dealing with you?" Yang Ji retorted.

"Fellow Daoist, you don't really think it's that simple, do you? The powers in the Demon Stench Sea are intricately entwined. Independent cultivators always move in groups, relying on either the three big Sects or some major clans and powers.

For an independent Alchemist like yourself, without any background, they might imprison you for Alchemy once they find out, and you still think about trading pills for Demon Companion Herb? Forget it."

"I'm not like you. I have the backing of the Jin Family and am a disciple of the Canglan Sect with wide connections. I have some influence among independents, and the various factions will at least show some face. Besides, I know a number of Sect disciples.

If I go to trade, it will surely be more convenient than if you were to do it, right?" Jin Suanpan chuckled, his eyes cleverly shifting as the words [Intimidation], [Smugness], [Leverage] appeared above his head.

Intimidating me? Yang Ji scoffed internally, maintaining a calm smile, "Since you do have some uses, we will divide the trade gains with a nine-to-one split. You'll earn one-tenth just for running some errands, which other people would be quite willing to do."

Hearing such words, Jin Suanpan couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his eyes and said, "Thirty-seven! I take seven, you take three."

"Fine, then it's thirty-seven, you take three and I take seven. If you're not willing, then let's part ways here." As Yang Ji spoke, he prepared to rise.

"Hey, hey, hey, Fellow Daoist, don't be hasty!" Seeing Yang Ji's resolve, Jin Suanpan grew a bit anxious.

Thinking you can cheat me? You're far from Jin Dafu, Yang Ji thought with a silent chuckle.

"How about it, thirty-seven alright?" Yang Ji asked calmly.

"Well, alright then." Jin Suanpan reluctantly nodded, a glint of perhaps some cunning plan flickering in his eyes.

"Relax, with me, you'll have plenty to earn!" Yang Ji reassured him, adopting an elder brother persona while patting his shoulder with a laugh.

If this trade really worked out, having someone run errands for him would be the best outcome, and he preferred not to involve himself in any hassle.