Chapter 39: Gu Ni

Leaving Ya Fei's office, Xiao Yan discovered that Gu Ni, who had already stepped out earlier, was standing outside the door, not having left yet.

"Master Gu Ni, you're still here!" Xiao Yan greeted him.

"Ah, Young Master Xiao Yan, you've come out, so quickly!" Gu Ni was somewhat surprised. Although he was not Ya Fei's personal secretary, he understood the typical time Ya Fei spent interacting with distinguished guests, especially with hot-blooded young men like Xiao Yan, who usually tried their best to drag out the time; this was the first time he had seen someone come out as quickly as Xiao Yan.

However, Xiao Yan coming out early was a good thing for him, so he did not dwell on it.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, you've come out at just the right time; I actually have something I wanted to find you for?" Gu Ni's tone rose slightly, and he spoke with some excitement.

Something to find me for? Xiao Yan was slightly stunned, but seeing Gu Ni's expression, which looked very excited at a glance, he quickly guessed what it was about. After all, there was only one thing from ancient times to the present that could make an alchemist show such an attitude—

"Young Master Xiao Yan, I have just carefully examined this Qi-Returning Pill. If I am not mistaken, the refining time for this Qi-Returning Pill was no more than three days, and it was refined to perfection. This level of alchemy must be at the peak of the third grade—no, it must be fourth grade! May I ask if you know where the alchemist who refined this pill is? If you can inform me, there will surely be a generous reward in the future!" Gu Ni said with great excitement.

Good fellow, his guess was spot on, though he seemed not to have guessed that the person who refined this pill was actually standing right in front of him. But this was also normal; after all, having lived for more than half his life, he was only a second-grade alchemist himself, so how could he imagine that this youth of less than sixteen years old before him would be a fourth-grade master alchemist with a place in the entire Jia Ma Empire?

Looking at the look of longing in Gu Ni's eyes, the corners of Xiao Yan's mouth curled up, and he couldn't help but look forward to Gu Ni's expression when he learned the truth in the future.

"As for that, I do indeed know them. However, our Xiao Clan intends to enter the medicinal pill industry during this period and lacks some retainers who can refine pills. I wonder if Master Gu Ni could help communicate with them."

"This—" Gu Ni's face showed some signs of difficulty. One must know that alchemists were all proud people, and normally they would not be willing to come to a small town like Wu Tan City. He was only here because he had been forcibly assigned by the Mittel headquarters; otherwise, he would not have come here. So, hearing Xiao Yan's words, he didn't even ask about the treatment the Xiao Clan could offer, because this was simply not a matter of treatment!

"By the way, Master Gu Ni, are you aware that the recruitment team from Canaan Academy will be coming to our Wu Tan City in a few months?"

"This—of course I know, after all, it happens every year. Although I don't pay much attention to it, I am aware of it."

At first, Gu Ni did not know what Xiao Yan was doing by suddenly bringing this up, but he quickly reacted that the Xiao Yan before him was also at the age for enrollment, and this time he was likely going to attend Canaan Academy. Once he left, there was no telling when he would return. At this point, Xiao Yan's meaning was already very obvious.

"Young Master Xiao, rest assured, within a month, I will definitely bring you good news!" Gu Ni promised on the spot.

"Mm, then I will leave it to you, Master Gu Ni," Xiao Yan said.

"Yes, Young Master Xiao, rest assured," Gu Ni promised again, his attitude as respectful as if he were treating some incredible big shot.

If the people of Wu Tan City saw that the famous Master Gu Ni of Wu Tan City would actually show such a look, their jaws would surely drop.

In fact, the guards of the Mittel Auction House who saw this scene were already whispering and gossiping privately at this moment.

However, Xiao Yan clearly did not care about these things and turned around with the intention of leaving. But at this moment, Xiao Yan suddenly remembered that there was one more thing that hadn't been resolved, so he turned his head and continued to say to Gu Ni: "By the way, I am still short of some pill cauldrons here. I wonder if you could get some for me. They don't need to be too good; just being able to refine first-grade pills is enough."

Gu Ni was stunned, then replied: "Young Master Xiao is talking about pill cauldrons? That is no problem. I wonder how many Young Master Xiao Yan needs."

Hmm—it will take at least a month for the recruited alchemists to start working. During this time, the medicinal pills needed for the Xiao Clan's market will have to be refined by me alone. Although it's a bit of a pity, it is necessary to use multiple furnaces at once and equip a few more pill cauldrons. Hmm—let's go with ten. It's just right to challenge the experience of using ten cauldrons at once; come to think of it, he hasn't tried what it's like to use ten cauldrons at once, and he doesn't know if the furnaces will explode. Should I buy a few more?

"Hmm, how about this, get me fifteen. How about one hundred thousand gold coins for each?" Xiao Yan said. Having just robbed the Mo Clan, Xiao Yan was now rich enough to be dripping with oil.

"Fifteen!" Gu Ni said with some surprise. Although the quality Xiao Yan wanted was not high, as Wu Tan City had almost no alchemists, pill cauldrons were definitely not a very common commodity. What Xiao Yan wanted was almost the entire stock of the Mittel Auction House!

Although Gu Ni really wanted to ask what Xiao Yan needed so many pill cauldrons for—it couldn't be for the alchemists he would recruit later, could it? If that were the case, it would be better not to give them at all. After all, the quality being too poor would instead give people a feeling of being insulted.

However, this was someone else's business after all. Since they were willing to pay, Gu Ni did not intend to ask.

After rummaging through the Mittel treasury to gather the pill cauldrons Xiao Yan wanted, Gu Ni saw Xiao Yan out of the auction house.

Watching Xiao Yan's gradually receding back, Gu Ni suddenly thought.

Eh? Since Young Master Xiao wants to buy pill cauldrons, does it mean the Xiao Clan currently has an alchemist? Or is that alchemist who refined the Qi-Returning Pill currently in the Xiao Clan? Otherwise, where would the Xiao Clan get the confidence to form an alchemist team!

It must be said that Gu Ni's intelligence was indeed not low, but he still did not associate the identity of the alchemist with Xiao Yan.

The wise Gu Ni once again brushed past the truth.