Slender willows sway in the breeze

Chapter 79 First, let's go to the Marquis's residence.
Liu Sijun finally agreed.

The wages of avarice is death.

A whopping 80,000 high-grade crystals a year is hard to refuse, and even if there are pitfalls, it's understandable, right?

Yaohua Hall
When Mo Linhou mentioned the alchemist's name, Palace Master Wan refused without even thinking.

“My lord, a resident alchemist is needed. Although she can refine fifth-grade pills, her performance is inconsistent and she may not be up to the task.”

"Does Palace Master Wan not trust my judgment?"

"Your Excellency is being too serious."

Palace Master Wan thought to himself: There are so many alchemists in Yougu Palace who can refine fifth-grade pills, and even sixth-grade and seventh-grade pills, so why did they choose her?

A newbie who has been working for less than two months.

Could it be that they couldn't see Liu Sijun's extraordinary talent and wanted to abduct him to Yu the Great?

How can that work.

"Master Hou..."

“Palace Master Wan, Yu the Great has a contract with Yougu Palace, which allows Yu the Great to come and choose for himself.”

Gu Changzhou shut down the Palace Master Wan's refusal.

And so, Liu Sijun became the youngest resident alchemist of Yougu Palace.

After descending the mountain with Gu Changzhou, they did not fly directly to Zhongzhou, but instead went to find Master Lu Dan first.

"You've only been up the mountain for half a day, why are you back already? Oh, isn't this Marquis Mo Lin? What are you all doing together?"

Liu Sijun didn't mention that Mo Linhou had come to the sect.

At the time, I didn't want my master to know that the Yu royal family had come to select a resident alchemist.

Now that they've already agreed, it's like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water.

Besides, she planned to bring her master and Qing'er with her.

Buy one get two free is a great deal no matter how you look at it, so there's no need to worry about Marquis Molin disagreeing.

"You're going to Zhongzhou to become a resident alchemist?"

Master Lu's eyes widened in disbelief: "No way! You finally got into the Hidden Valley Palace, what kind of resident alchemist are you going to become?"

Thankless.

It means sacrificing oneself to earn crystals for them.

Lu Danshi did it in front of Gu Changzhou. Liu Sijun was afraid that if her master scolded her, Gu Changzhou would change his mind, so she turned around and sent her back to Yougu Palace to choose someone else.

He quickly sent a telepathic message: "Master, 80,000 crystals a year is not a loss."

Master Lu was about to continue cursing when he heard this, his mouth slightly open, and he looked at Liu Sijun: "Are you sure it's 80,000 a year?"

"determine."

Thirty years ago, when he became a resident alchemist, he only earned 20,000.

Are the prices really that different?
"That won't work either. You'll lose your freedom if you go there, and it will be difficult for you to improve your cultivation in two years."

"Lord Molin said that the royal family has a sacred place where one can cultivate when not refining pills, and it won't interfere with one's cultivation!"

Master Lu Dan: "..."

The treatment has changed too?

“Master, as for alchemy, I looked at many pill formulas in the library last time and memorized them. When we get to Zhongzhou, we can try them one by one. I think that’s a good idea.”

Master Lu Dan: "What you've said is indeed quite good."

But if it's so good, why did it have to be her turn?

"Be careful, there might be a trap."

Liu Sijun: "I also think it's definitely not that simple, but we won't lose 80,000 crystals. We still have our master, and the three of us won't be bullied so easily."

"That's true."

Although the peak of the Nascent Soul stage and the early stage of the Divine Transformation stage are only one level apart, they are not comparable.

"Okay, let's go."

Having persuaded Master Lu, the four immediately set off for Zhongzhou. Flying from the Wuxia Mountains to Dayu Zhongzhou required traversing the entire Fenglei Kingdom, the Minyue Kingdom, and most of Dayu Kingdom's territory.

It was half a day's journey longer than flying from Laiyang County to Yougu Palace.

The long journey was the reason why the Yu royal family urgently needed a resident alchemist.

Of course, the royal family had more than just one alchemist from Yougu Palace.

Other alchemists are unlikely to rival the disciples of Yougu Palace in alchemy skills, so they mainly rely on the pills refined by the resident alchemists.

They arrived outside Zhongzhou City at the hour of Si (9-11 AM) and did not reach it until the beginning of You (5-7 PM) the next day.

From afar, Zhongzhou City resembles a colossal castle, its towering walls reaching into the clouds like pillars connecting heaven and earth, exuding a majestic aura. The entire wall is constructed of massive red cloud stones, remaining incredibly sturdy despite the passage of countless years.

Looking at the majestic palace and the people coming and going, Master Lu sighed, "After all these years, it's still the same, still so lively."

Gu Changzhou looked up at Master Lu: "Have you been to Zhongzhou before?"

"That happened many years ago!"

That year, he also came to Zhongzhou as a resident alchemist.

Speaking of which, he was the first to arrive after the Great Yu royal family reached an agreement with Yougu Palace. At that time, he didn't dare to ask for a price and only asked for a mere 20,000 crystal stones.

Now look at his apprentice.

This perfectly illustrates the saying: "The bold get rich, the timid starve."

Just as the four were about to enter the city, Liu Sijun received a telepathic message from Chu Yanjing, asking her why she had chosen to become a resident alchemist and follow Mo Linhou to Zhongzhou.

Master Lu Dan: "Who?"

Liu Sijun said, "My cousin and the others have returned to Yougu Palace. My cousin Yu is with them and is waiting for us in the courtyard."

Master Lu exclaimed, "I was so busy I forgot to tell her beforehand."

Actually, I'm not so busy that I'm dizzy.

However, since something serious had happened to the Liang family, they couldn't send a message rashly.

I was thinking of telling them after they settled in Zhongzhou, but we just missed the chance.

Gu Changzhou said, "Everyone, please come into the city with me first. It won't be too late to reply after we've settled in."

Marquis Molin led them into the city. The city gate was tall and wide, large enough for dozens of carriages to line up side by side.

The golden gate was inlaid with fist-sized, seven-colored, shimmering gems that still sparkled brilliantly in the setting sun.

Above the city gate, a huge plaque hangs high, engraved with three large, golden characters in a flamboyant style: Zhongzhou City.

The soldiers guarding the city all recognized Marquis Molin and let him pass without asking a single question.

Stepping into the city, a bustling atmosphere hits you. Wide streets crisscross, lined with shops on both sides, their flags fluttering in the wind.

After walking a few steps, I could smell the aroma of medicine.

Master Lu Dan: "There are Ice Bone Pills, Yuan Yang Pills, Hundred Turns Pills..."

He knows everything about his family.

Gu Changzhou admired him; there weren't many people with such abilities.

Beyond the pharmacy, there were weapon shops, restaurants, and gambling dens; it was truly bustling with activity and lively.

Laiyang County is also bustling, but compared to this place, the difference is not small.

"Where are we going now?"

Gu Changzhou: "Let's go to the Marquis's residence first, rest for a while, and then I'll take you to the palace for an audience."

As soon as he finished speaking, a horse-drawn carriage drove up from the alley next to him.

The carriage's roof has an elegant arch and is covered with a special material that provides shade and shelter from the rain without feeling heavy or oppressive.

The vehicle body is made of Tianxuan wood, which is dark black with fine texture and strong wear resistance. Because it grows slowly and is scarce, it is very expensive. A piece of Tianxuan wood the size of a palm costs hundreds of high-grade crystals.

Looking at the carriage, which was as big as a room, Liu Sijun secretly swallowed.

If even a piece of that were taken off, it would be a huge amount.

However, the Heavenly Profound Wood is meticulously carved and spliced, fitting together perfectly and is extremely sturdy, making it difficult to work with.

(End of this chapter)