Chapter 290: The Alchemist
Chapter 290: The Alchemist
Taking advantage of the cover of night, Jiang Cheng did not immediately return home upon entering the outer district.
Instead, he drove towards the direction of the black market.
The last time he heard the other party mention thirty years, he had already lost his motivation, as others later said, his heart was wavering.
But the current situation was different; the circumstances were becoming increasingly urgent.
The failure of that mission had already made Bing Li suspicious of him, and although he hadn't taken any action, it was only because of the other party's arrogance, thinking that Jiang Cheng was merely a Second-Level Primordial Energy Warrior, incapable of causing any significant trouble.
The next mission, however, would not be so easily brushed aside.
Furthermore, during the day, he had eliminated the entire Iron Fist Gang, and even though there might be some who had escaped, they were no longer a significant force.
Logically speaking, normal people wouldn't connect this incident to him, after all, he had killed the master of the Falcon Martial Academy right under the noses of many, using his blade.
But one could never be too careful.
It was best to find an exit strategy and withdraw from the Dawn Society as soon as possible.
The black market was one such exit route.
Another option was the rebel army.
He planned to thoroughly investigate both sides before making a decision.
The car stopped not far from the black market, and Jiang Cheng got out and walked towards his destination.
The area was eerily quiet; not a soul, let alone a ghost, could be seen.
Outside the black market courtyard, two lanterns emitted a red glow, making one feel uneasy in the dead of night.
Jiang Cheng didn't bother concealing his footsteps and walked straight to the entrance, knocking on the door.
He knocked several times before a man's voice finally sounded from within.
"This place is usually closed; come back at the beginning of next month."
"I heard you're recruiting mentalists, and I'd like to inquire about the details," Jiang Cheng said.
The voice inside fell silent.
Soon after, footsteps approached from a distance.
The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man in a long robe.
"Are you a mentalist?"
The man's face showed suspicion.
"A First-Level Mentalist."
Jiang Cheng nodded.
"Good, come in."
The man stepped aside, allowing Jiang Cheng to enter before closing the door.
Compared to the last time he was here, the place was much quieter; even the fountain in the courtyard had fallen silent.
Of course, the Mind Grandmaster was also not present, as Jiang Cheng hadn't sensed anyone observing him.
"Please demonstrate your abilities."
The man pointed to the pen on the table.
"Alright."
With a slight thought, Jiang Cheng made the pen on the table float, and then with a sudden surge of power, it shot forward, embedding itself in a branch outside with a 'pft' sound.
The robed man's expression turned surprised.
His attitude immediately became much friendlier.
"Please wait a moment, my friend, while I inform Manager Li."
Jiang Cheng nodded and quietly waited.
After about two minutes, a man in a blue robe emerged from the house, his face beaming with a smile.
"My friend, I heard you wish to join our black market?"
"Yes, but I'd like to understand the specifics, such as what I can gain and what I'll need to do after joining you," Jiang Cheng replied straightforwardly.
This time, the human skin mask he wore was different from the last one, so as long as he didn't present the token, the man wouldn't know his true identity.
"Certainly, please follow me."
The two returned to the private room from last time, and just like before, Manager Li poured a cup of tea, repeating much of the same speech from the previous occasion, but with additional details added at the end.
"After you join us, we'll provide you with an Alchemy Chamber, including Alchemical Formulas and various Herbs, and we'll try to nurture you into an Alchemist, just like how we develop Primordial Energy Warriors with Essence Energy into Rune Casters."
"Is it because it's more profitable this way?"
Jiang Cheng chuckled.
Manager Li was taken aback by his words, seemingly not expecting Jiang Chen to be so blunt. He couldn't help but laugh.
"It's not entirely about profit. Mainly, this arrangement benefits both parties. Mind Adepts and Primordial Energy Warriors with Essence Energy are too scarce. Using the phrase 'one in ten thousand' to describe them is not an exaggeration. Losing them in battle would be a great pity."
"It's like Primordial Energy Warriors who follow the energy path. They only need to use their internal Essence Energy to create simple Runes, and they can earn a fortune. Why bother with the hardships of battle? The same goes for Mind Adepts."
Jiang Cheng nodded.
He had been wondering why they hadn't encountered any Primordial Energy Warriors who specialized in the energy path.
Even within the Dawn Society.
Apparently, they were all making money by crafting Runes in the rear.
Manager Li took the opportunity to sip his tea and continued, "With today's advanced technology, there's no need to rely on traditional methods for alchemy. There are specialized equipment for alchemy, and with just a press of a button, one can process Herbs or add Herbs during the process, controlling the temperature..."
It seemed simple, but the Alchemy Furnace was ever-changing, and the slightest difference in heat could result in vastly different alchemical outcomes. For the alchemist, it was crucial to maintain intense Mental Energy concentration throughout the process.
Most importantly, only Mind Adepts could use their Mental Energy to observe the situation inside the furnace, ensuring the quality of the alchemical outcome. This was the reason why only Mind Adepts were qualified to be alchemists.
"I see."
Jiang Cheng asked, "But not all Mind Adepts can become alchemists, right?"
"Of course."
Manager Li smiled.
"Each person has different talents. Only a few Mind Adepts have the talent for alchemy, and they progress quickly, able to refine high-quality, superior Dan.
Most Mind Adepts can only refine first-grade Dans, and the quality isn't that high. But even then, there's some profit to be made. Others, however, are clueless, and no matter how many Herbs are used, it's all in vain.
But this isn't a significant issue. We recruit Mind Adepts, and it's better to nurture them as alchemists. If not, they can be developed for combat, like using Mental Weapons in battle or directly controlling Mechas and firing Lasers.
"Well..."
Manager Li shrugged.
"Then, they can only take on simpler tasks, but no matter what, they are Mind Adepts, and we won't mistreat them here."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
