Supreme Emperor of Mist

"You're the master alchemist they talked about?" one of the cultivators politely asked Qin Lan as they worried about recognizing the wrong person.

"If there's no other alchemist in the village, then I should be the one you're looking for." Qin Lan replied to the question with a smile on his face. In his opinion, there's nothing for him to feel offended because he hardly talked yesterday, put aside introducing himself.

Of course, one of the reasons is because Qin Lan was in a state of demoralization yesterday.

But resting for a night in peace made his mood much better this morning. Looking at the two cultivators in front of him, Qin Lan suddenly remembered when his cultivation is about their level.

It was an enjoyable period because there are too many paths for him to choose from.

"I - I heard that you can refine two kinds of medicinal pills in one serving. Can I employ you for your service, please?" a cultivator asked. The pouch with medicinal ingredients seems to be crying inside because it was poorly bundled.

"Open the wrapper to let me see what you have first. And don't stuff the pouch until it's going to burst next time. It's not good for medicinal herbs to be crammed together like this..." Qin Lan patted on the table.

"I will remember your words, master alchemist!" the cultivator immediately unwrap the bundle of herbs in his hand.

"Hmm..." Qin Lan separates a few ingredients aside. If these herbs were to be given to an inexperienced alchemist, it's likely going to be wasted." Qin Lan shook his head. Although a few of them can be mix-and-match into a Flesh Foundation Pill recipe, not everyone is as knowledgeable as Qin Lan do.

"Give me your wrist. Let me do a quick medical check-up on you." Qin Lan then extends his palm outward as he ordered the cultivator to bring his wrist over.

"Medical... Check-up?" Qin Lan's order puzzled the cultivator as it was his first time requesting a pill refining service.

"Less question. Bring your hand out." Qin Lan said.

"Y - Yes!" the cultivator placed his hand on top of Qin Lan's palm.

"Mistral Foundation Art - Heavenly Inspection Technique!" golden threads created by Qin Lan's Spiritual Energy soon entered the cultivator's body to give out a comprehensive examination.

The cultivator felt a hint of shock on his wrist from start to finish.

"Master alchemist... Is there anything wrong?" he asked.

"There is, but nothing difficult." Qin Lan then stares at the bulk of medicinal herbs on the table. A flick of his finger soon started a fire on the bottom of the medicinal cauldron as Qin Lan randomly tossed a few herbs inside the pot.

Once again, he let the flames created from the wood fuel to prepare the medicinal herbs.

After an hour of waiting time, the flame under the cauldron finally extinguished. And as usual, Qin Lan pushed the pot over to the cultivator to let him open and have a look.

"This..." once again, the cultivator revealed an expression full of surprise. Even the villagers that came after hearing Qin Lan is concocting pills are filled with curiosity.

"Say, what's inside the cauldron?" one of the villagers asked.

"Five... Five Flesh Foundation Pill and a Vein Unblocking Pill. And why does this look like a candied Rock Lotus Fruit?" the cultivator took the pills out from the cauldron and separated them into three stacks.

"This is Jewel Lotus Fruit! I remembered it! It's a processed product made from the entire Rock Lotus Plant. I can't believe that there are still people making them." an old villager about seventy years old said.

"Jewel Lotus Fruit? What are the uses of this fruit?" the cultivator asked.

"It was a supplementary pill like Flesh Foundation Pill. When I'm younger, material like Demonic Blood Orange is hardly found in the wild as it was too dangerous to hunt at that time." the villager answered. Although he's no longer at his prime due to his age, his experience is not something to be laughed at.

Thirty to forty years ago, he's still one of the contributors that keep this village safe from Yao Beast.

"This master alchemist, can you refine a few Jewel Lotus Fruit for me as well?" the villager asked.

"Of course. As long all of you can bring me the medicinal ingredients, I'll be able to refine something for you." Qin Lan gave the elder a smile as he answered his request.

"Master alchemist, how much do I owe you?" the cultivator who had some of his ingredients refined into pills asked.

"Hmm... I'll take this as my wages then," Qin Lan reached his hand out and grabbed two immature Lingzi that's less than ten years old.

"Thank you, master alchemist. Thank you." the cultivator bowed at Qin Lan for his willingness to refine a pot of pills for him with the price of two cheap Lingzi.

(Note: Lingzi is known as longevity mushroom in Chinese medicine)

"What about you?" Qin Lan asked the other cultivator that came along with the first one. His health seems to be much better than the first one but somewhat lacks vigor from his eyes.

"Master alchemist... I - I have some medicinal herbs here, but the pill I want is a little special..." he handed a pouch of medicine wrapped with paper to Qin Lan.

"Oh... I get it. Fellow villagers, this medicine is a little harder to refine. I'll have to politely ask everyone to leave so I can concentrate." Qin Lan cupped his hand together and requested to be left alone with this cultivator.

"Let's go! We shouldn't bother the master alchemist when he's refining the pill." the villager who requested a few Jewel Lotus Fruit from Qin Lan said.

"Close the door." Qin Lan said to the second cultivator after everyone had left.

"Young alchemist... Do you think you can..." the cultivator asked Qin Lan again in case he's clueless about the pill he's going to request.

"Alright... Stop there. What is so embarrassing about refining some vigor-enhancing pill? But if you're going to keep it up for day and night, you'll turn into a dried corpse in less than half a year." Qin Lan flicked a seed at the cultivator's forehead for getting addicted to the sexual intercourse between male and female.

"Do - Does that means you can refine the pill for me?" the cultivator asked. A hint of hope appeared in his eyes from hearing Qin Lan's word.

"Yes. But before I do, go out there and get a few more ingredients for me." Qin Lan said.