The elixir fragrance wafted through the room, sharpening everyone's senses like a refreshing, fragrant breeze. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and the faint, sweet aroma of elixirs, creating an atmosphere that was both invigorating and soothing.
Shaun Zet, ever the dramatic one, took an exaggerated deep breath, his expression one of pure bliss. "Junior Sister Kim," he said, his voice dripping with admiration, "your alchemy skills have reached new heights! Just the fragrance of this elixir is enough to save me a day's worth of hard cultivation."
Kim Simona, however, remained as calm and composed as ever. There was no trace of surprise or smugness in her expression as she replied, "Senior Brother Shaun, you flatter me." She turned to the white-robed elder, her tone steady. "What's the result?"
The old man grinned widely, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Fellow Dao Kim, you sent a total of 347 pills this time. Among them, 164 are Bone Tempering Pills, and 39 are Spirit Restore Pills..." He listed the types of pills she had submitted for inspection, his smile deepening with each word. "Congratulations, Fellow Dao Kim. Of these, 289 are mid-level pills, 57 are entry-level pills..." He paused deliberately, letting the anticipation build, before delivering the final piece of news with gravitas. "And one premium-level pill—a Spirit Restore Pill!"
"What?!" The room erupted in surprise. Kim Simona's lips curved into a faint smile, her chin lifting slightly as a hint of satisfaction broke through her usual calm demeanor. Shaun Zet and the other two disciples gaped at her in amazement, their voices overlapping in disbelief. "Premium-level?!"
The white-robed elder nodded, his admiration evident. "Yes, it is indeed a premium-level pill." He looked at Kim Simona with genuine respect. "Fellow Dao Kim, congratulations! You've only been practicing alchemy for a little over ten years, and now you've crafted a premium-level pill. You're a true prodigy! With time, you'll undoubtedly claim a top spot on the World Grand Alchemy Rankings."
Kim Simona suppressed her joy, her modesty shining through. "Senior, your words are too kind. The names on the World Grand Alchemy Rankings belong to true alchemy grandmasters. I'm still far behind their level and have much to learn. I must continue to study and practice diligently."
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then the white-robed elder proceeded to tally up the spirit stones owed to Kim Simona. When he announced the amount, she raised a delicate brow, her surprise evident. "The payment seems... a bit higher than expected?"
"Not at all," the elder replied with a warm smile. "This is the decision of the board of directors of we tower. From now on, we'll purchase your elixir pills at 10% above the standard contract. It's our way of supporting you in improving your cultivation and achieving mastery in alchemy as soon as possible."
Kim Simona's smile bloomed, her gratitude clear. "Thank you, Vice president. And please extend my thanks to the tower as well."
Shaun Zet and the others immediately piled on the praise, their flattery reaching new heights.
Shaun Zet's voice was filled with reverence as he exclaimed, "Of course, those on the World Grand Alchemy Rankings are all geniuses and masters in alchemy. But Junior Sister Kim? She's a genius among geniuses!"
Though Ruru Rosa and Van Shiv's praise wasn't as effusive as Shaun's, they nodded sincerely, their expressions reflecting genuine admiration for Kim Simona's extraordinary alchemy talent.
After what felt like an eternity, the white-robed elder finally noticed Lordi Payne. Assuming he was part of Kim Simona's group, the elder asked politely, "This young friend looks new. May I ask which mountain peak you're from?"
"Replying to your words, Senior," Lordi Payne said, barely containing his impatience, "I'm here to sell pills." Time was spirit stones, and spirit stones were his life! If Kim Simona and her companions hadn't all been high-level Qi Refinement cultivators, Lordi Payne would have barked at them to hurry up ages ago.
He quickly added, "Please kindly arrange to inspect them, Senior."
The white-robed elder glanced at Lordi Payne, taking in his scruffy appearance. He smirked faintly, unbothered but clearly unimpressed. With a dismissive wave, he called over his shoulder, "You, check his stuff." Then he turned back to resume his conversation with Kim Simona and the others.
Lordi Payne frowned and looked behind the elder, where a shy-looking teenager, no older than fifteen or sixteen, stepped forward. The teenager boy whispered timidly, "Senior Brother, where are your pills? Let me inspect them for you."
"They're all in here," Lordi Payne said, hesitating for a moment before handing over a porcelain vial. "Please take a look at the quality level."
Lordi Payne felt a twinge of unease as he spoke. After all, when he had been crafting the pills earlier, the fragrance of the elixir had been far stronger than during Lecturer Yearn Goul's demonstration. Lordi Payne had relied entirely on the system to refine the pills—he was an alchemy illiterate with no real understanding of the process. He had no idea whether the strong fragrance was a good sign or a bad one.
The teenager, seeing Lordi Payne's casual demeanor, didn't pay much attention. He took the porcelain bottle and opened it carelessly. But the moment the stopper was removed, a wave of exquisite elixir fragrance flooded the room, sharp and intoxicating.
The elder, mid-sentence praising Kim Simona. "Fellow Dao Kim, your alchemy skills have improved so rapidly. Your talent is truly soaring!" he had been saying, a smile on his face. "I bet you'll soon be able to craft the Foundation-Building Pill, huh?"
Kim Simona had been shaking her head modestly, about to respond, next moment both of them suddenly stopped. Their noses twitched as the overwhelming fragrance hit them. In unison, they turned their heads sharply toward the source.
The teenager, fumbling clumsily with the vial in his left hand, was about to pour a pill onto his right palm for a closer look when the elder's eyes bulged. In a flash, the elder rushed over and snatched the pill mid-air.
The pill was grayish-white, but its surface had an almost glass-like transparency, glowing with a bright, radiant sheen. It exuded an incredibly pure elixir fragrance, so refreshing it seemed to cleanse the air around it.
"Premium-level Bone Tempering Pill?!" the elder and Kim Simona blurted out in unison, their jaws dropping in shock.
Elixirs quality is divided into four tiers: entry-level, mid-level, premium-grade, and legendary-level. No matter how common an elixir pill or elixir potion might be, if it's rated as premium-level or legendary-level, it becomes a treasure coveted by countless wealthy cultivators, as if it were phoenix marrow or dragon essence.
Take the Bone Tempering Pill, for example. It's a basic enhancement elixir used by outer sect disciples to cultivate the Bone Tempering Art, a foundational skill. This pill is widely circulated not only within the Abyss Pit Sect but across its entire territory. Despite its widespread use, premium-level Bone Tempering Pills are exceedingly rare.
Even rising stars of alchemy like Kim Simona, or seasoned masters and renowned geniuses, have almost never produced premium-level Bone Tempering Pills. The reason is simple: this pill is designed for low-status beginner cultivators. Over the hundreds of thousands of years of the Abyss Pit Sect's history, the recipe for the Bone Tempering Pill has been perfected to maximize quality while minimizing cost. The simplicity and affordability of its raw materials inherently limit its potential. While crafting a premium or even legendary-level Bone Tempering Pill isn't impossible, it requires an extraordinary level of alchemy skill.
The problem is, the Bone Tempering Pill is a beginner's elixir with limited profit margins and utility. Why would a master alchemist, capable of crafting far more valuable and complex elixirs, waste their time on such a low-status pill?
As a result, most Bone Tempering Pills sold and circulated within the Abyss Pit Sect are of entry-level quality. Mid-level pills are rare, and only alchemy prodigies like Kim Simona can produce them consistently. This is also why the Tower of Hundred Treasures has gone to such lengths to court her.
"Young friend," the elder said, barely containing his excitement. He skipped further appraisal and hurriedly addressed Lordi Payne, "For this premium-level Bone Tempering Pill, the Tower of Hundred Treasures will offer you 30 D$t. How about it?"
Lordi Payne was stunned for a moment, then nearly whooped with joy. He had originally hoped to sell each pill for seven d-grade spirit stones, but the tower was offering thirty right off the bat!
Just as Lordi Payne was about to agree, Kim Simona cut in sharply. "Wait a minute!" she said, her pretty eyes narrowing as she turned to Lordi Payne. "I'll offer you 50 D$t!"
The white-robed elder frowned deeply. His earlier enthusiasm for Kim Simona vanished in an instant. "Fellow Dao Kim, what's this about?" he said, his tone tinged with irritation. "This is the Tower of Hundred Treasures, and this young friend clearly came here to sell his pills to us."
Kim Simona snorted, unbothered. "Vice Tower President Woods, this junior brother only said he came here to sell pills. He didn't say he would definitely sell them to the Tower of Hundred Treasures. Besides, I'm not forcing him. Business is about mutual consent, isn't it?"
Vice Tower President Woods gaped at her, momentarily speechless. After a pause, he turned back to Lordi Payne and said, "How about this? The Tower of Hundred Treasures will also offer you 50 D$t for this premium-level Bone Tempering Pill. Plus, we'll pay an extra 10 percent for the rest of the pills in the vial. What do you say, young friend?"
Before Lordi Payne or Kim Simona could respond, Woods quickly added, "And if you have other elixirs to sell in the future, the tower will pay an extra 10 percent for those as well!"