Chapter 26 - The Credit Transaction for the Alchemy Furnace
Tian Feirong couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. Chi Changye, who appeared to be a high-minded, noble cultivator, indifferent to wealth and fame, was actually incredibly shrewd when it came to business.
“Please, Brother Chi, go ahead.”
“I want an alchemy furnace. I can pay with intermediate Thunder Talismans, but I don’t have time to draw them right now. So, I’d like to buy it on credit, if that’s possible?” Chi Changye recalled Gu Yao’s expression from earlier, when he seemed to want to say something but stopped himself. He vaguely guessed that Gu Yao’s hesitation was due to the cost of the beast cores, and adding another furnace would mean going over budget. That’s likely why Gu Yao kept quiet.
Tian Feirong’s eyes lit up. At home, he had heard his father and older brother express interest in Thunder Talismans. If it hadn’t been for that night when Chi Changye exposed his ability to draw intermediate talismans, they wouldn’t have known. Talismans, like elixirs, were something no cultivator would ever have too many of.
“Is this for Gu Yao?” Tian Feirong asked. “Can Gu Yao really refine pills now? Well, I won’t ask any further. As for the furnace, I’ll have to check with my father. But you can rest assured, my father will certainly be happy to approve. We can trust your character, Brother Chi.”
“Good, thank you.”
When Tian Feirong went back and explained the situation about the furnace, the Tian family head and his father had no objections. They were more curious about whether Gu Yao could really refine pills.
Furthermore, Chi Changye was willing to buy the furnace on credit rather than simply paying upfront—was it to repay a favor, or was he actually interested in Gu Yao?
The Tian family head even briefly entertained the thought of making Chi Changye a part of their family. But he quickly dismissed it. The strength of a marital relationship ultimately depended on the cultivator’s character. If his character were poor, it would result in more harm than good.
“I remember we have a medium-grade alchemy furnace at home. Just give that one to Chi Changye,” the Tian family head said. “The talismans aren’t urgent; let him take his time.” This would help build a longer-term relationship.
“Great! I’ll go get it right away.” Tian Feirong happily instructed someone to bring him the furnace from the storage room.
The next day, Tian Feirong excitedly arrived at the small courtyard, presenting the furnace to Chi Changye. The crafting of alchemy furnaces was far more complex than other magical tools. A medium-grade furnace required at least a high-level artifact craftsman to make.
“An alchemy furnace!” Gu Yao exclaimed in surprise. He had been planning to ask about the furnace yesterday, but then realized his finances were insufficient, so he had decided to put it off. But now, where did this furnace come from?
Just as Tian Feirong was about to explain, a glance from Chi Changye stopped him. Chi Changye pushed the furnace toward Gu Yao and explained, “I traded it with the Tian family using Thunder talismans. Don’t worry, drawing Thunder talismans is difficult for most, but for a cultivator with a Thunder Spirit Root, it’s much easier.” Seeing the hesitation on Gu Yao’s face, he continued, “Your cultivation has improved, and that benefits both of us.”
Gu Yao took a deep breath. It was indeed hard to resist this temptation. Recently, he had read a lot of books on pill refinement and had been eager to try his hand at it. But now, thinking about it, he was only accumulating more debts. It seemed he should focus on improving his pill refinement skills as soon as possible to create pills that Chi Changye could use.
“Alright, I’ll go along with your suggestion.”
Chi Changye smiled, and Tian Feirong, who had been standing aside, widened his eyes in shock. What did he just hear? Chi Changye had a Thunder Spirit Root? Was it a single or a multi-element root? If it was a mutated single spirit root, that kind of talent was almost godly. If such a genius with a single spirit root appeared in Yuanyang Town, it would cause a sensation.
Once the conversation between the two was over, Tian Feirong eagerly asked, “Brother Chi, you have a Thunder Spirit Root? No other attributes, right?”
Compared to Tian Feirong, Chi Changye was very calm as he replied, “No, I only have the Thunder Spirit Root. I hope you can keep it a secret, Brother Tian. I trust your character.”
Tian Feirong, encouraged by Chi Changye’s trust, immediately slapped his chest and vowed, “Don’t worry, it won’t come from my mouth! Brother Chi—no, from now on, you’re my big brother, Chi! I never imagined I would have the honor of meeting a genius cultivator with a Thunder Spirit Root. It’ll bring me pride to talk about it in the future.”
Tian Feirong’s reaction wasn’t one of jealousy, but pure admiration and pride. That arrogant Gu Yan from the Gu family, who walked around all high and mighty, truly thought he was something. But here, Chi Changye, with such incredible talent, was willing to be brothers with him. Now that was what true cultivation mastery looked like.
Tian Feirong, still excited, reached out and grabbed Chi Changye’s hand, shaking it vigorously, as if hoping to absorb some of the aura of his idol.
Chi Changye’s expression darkened. What was this guy up to?
Gu Yao was initially shocked as well. Such talent was undeniably extraordinary. It would be a lie to say he didn’t feel a twinge of envy. In his past life, he had understood how crucial talent was to a person’s future. However, envy was as far as it went—this level of talent held no direct benefit for him. After all, if he could only cultivate but couldn’t indulge in his passion for alchemy and pill refining, wouldn’t life be dreadfully dull?
Although his current spiritual roots were a bit numerous, his primary wood and fire roots were perfectly suited for pill refining. If he could further enhance his aptitude, it would be even more ideal. So, he felt no regret. After all, effort and determination could still shape one’s destiny.