Chapter 35: The Alchemist’s Quandary and a Desolate Town

Ye Qingfeng grasped the unspoken meaning behind Quan Haoqing’s words.

“Either it proves impossible to unravel, or that Rong Guangliang has already cultivated a close relationship, perhaps even with the very alchemist who concocted those pills for him?”

Quan Haoqing offered a faint smile, then, with a completely straight face, feigned sincerity. “Precisely,” he affirmed. “I reasoned that since you possess the skill to refine those ‘cosmetics,’ you ought to have some insight into this as well, which is why I wished for you to examine it. However, I must retrieve this later, lest You An uncovers its absence.”

Ye Qingfeng’s gaze grew as vacant as a sleeping fish’s, yet even in its dullness, it failed to diminish her inherent grace. Quan Haoqing, however, keenly perceived her profound sense of helplessness and vexation.

Nevertheless, this state was undeniably a vast improvement over her earlier despondency.

“Tell me, why do you suppose I’m still lingering here, undertaking that bounty mission alongside you?”

A distinct note of self-abandonment colored her voice.

“Is it not precisely because I possess no such aptitude? And to think, I must return it afterward! Were I permitted to retain it, perhaps I could dedicate some time to devising a solution. My sincerest apologies, for I am merely a worthless, incapable individual.”

‘Good heavens, her descent into despondency is alarmingly swift!’

Observing Ye Qingfeng’s listless, utterly resigned demeanor, Quan Haoqing moved to console her. “There’s no call to disparage yourself to such a degree,” he gently offered. “I was simply making an attempt. Is it not said that there exists a divine ability capable of tracing a pill’s formula backward? That was my sole reason for inquiring.”

“I, too, shall procure this very type of pill in two days’ time. Should all other avenues prove fruitless, it will simply necessitate dedicating more time to its study; after all, we are not constrained by immediate urgency.”

He had, in fact, deliberately posed this request solely to divert Ye Qingfeng’s focus, fully aware that it was an imposition. Yet, his objective had now been successfully met.

While Ye Qingfeng still wore an expression of being profoundly struck, the nature of this setback differed entirely from her former despondency.

Ye Qingfeng’s eyes narrowed, her gaze riveted upon the small pill. To decipher the formula of an already concocted medicinal pellet, its very composition and name utterly unknown, constituted an undertaking of immense, almost insurmountable, difficulty.

For a single, diminutive pill could potentially encapsulate the essences of dozens of herbs, their concentrated forms intermingling and thereby losing their distinct, original hues.

Much like how diverse inks, when blended, yield unforeseen colors, this phenomenon operated on an identical principle.

Were one to consult a mortal physician from an ordinary apothecary, even a venerated medical sage who had devoted decades to the healing arts, such an accomplishment would remain utterly beyond their grasp.

Alchemists, however, stood apart. Unlike the charlatans who merely deluded monarchs with promises of eternal life, the alchemists of this world genuinely possessed the power to transmute the mundane into the miraculous. While true immortality might remain elusive, the elixirs they formulated could conceivably extend one’s lifespan by two or even three centuries.

By meticulously tracing a perfected pill back to its very origins, they could, in truth, discern the precise composition of its formula.

Two distinct methods existed for this purpose.

The first method involved the alchemist already possessing knowledge of the pill’s formula. Utilizing their unique alchemical perception, even if the pill had been subtly disguised upon receipt, they could accurately discern its medicinal properties and the precise method of its refinement.

The second method involved a specific divine ability unique to alchemists, known as ‘Pill Retrospection’.

As its name implied, this ability could revert a pill to its constituent elements, though a perfect, equivalent restoration was, naturally, unattainable. Yet, it could at minimum disclose the precise ingredients that composed its formula.

This particular divine ability was not arduous to master, ranking among the foundational skills imparted to aspiring alchemists.

Despite its seemingly formidable power, the barrier to entry for its acquisition was surprisingly low.

This apparent paradox stemmed from the fact that the divine ability was not as potent as its name suggested. It was not a temporal skill; rather, its operational principle resembled a meticulous search through an alchemist’s mental archives of all known pill formulas. It would then identify the closest match and proceed to deconstruct the pill based on that formula’s established medicinal properties.

Consequently, the pills amenable to retrospection were limited to those whose formulas were already within the alchemist’s knowledge, or indeed, those they were capable of refining personally.

Once the divine ability was invoked, the likelihood of failure remained considerable.

This divine ability was never intended for the decryption of unknown elixirs; rather, its true purpose lay in aiding alchemists to solidify their existing knowledge and deepen their familiarity with various medicinal properties.

Was Ye Qingfeng an alchemist?

She believed herself not to be one, yet she undeniably possessed this divine ability, finding it remarkably efficacious in the creation of cosmetics, both for analyzing medicinal properties and for recouping a portion of her expenditures.

Ye Qingfeng idly rotated the pill between her fingers. “However,” she mused, “if your sole desire is to neutralize this elixir’s effects, then perhaps I can offer some aid.”

Quan Haoqing’s eyes instantly brightened, and he pressed eagerly, “What method do you speak of?”

Ye Qingfeng continued to turn the pill in her palm. “It’s a particular method,” she explained, “but you must first provide me with a sample of this elixir.”

Quan Haoqing carefully retrieved the pill, tucking it away, then inquired, “Understood. I shall present it to you in two days. On a different note, do you have any particular intentions for this afternoon?”

Ye Qingfeng, at that very moment, failed to register the subtle underlying meaning in Quan Haoqing’s query, her mind having been suddenly seized by a burst of inspiration.

‘Indeed,’ she mused, ‘why should I not refine some internal elixirs designed for aesthetic enhancement? For instance, pills that, once ingested, could maintain one’s physique, preventing any weight gain regardless of how much one consumed, or even facilitating swift weight reduction.’

Her thoughts now flowing unimpeded, a profound sense of contentment settled upon her, and she responded with an air of casual ease.

“Hmm? I have nothing particularly pressing scheduled. I intend to devote my time to researching new cosmetic formulations.”

Quan Haoqing’s eyebrows arched, and with a sudden shift in his demeanor, he suggested, “In that case, perhaps you could keep me company?”

“Hmm?”

This unforeseen request prompted Ye Qingfeng to lift her gaze to Quan Haoqing, a hint of perplexity in her eyes. It was genuinely difficult to reconcile such a cajoling tone with the typically mature and composed Quan Haoqing.

“Are you truly so averse to solitude?”

“My apologies, allow me to explain.”

Observing her reaction, Quan Haoqing promptly offered the pre-meditated explanation he had held in reserve.

“This entire endeavor is designed to deceive those bandits. I have already informed my monitor that this afternoon, I shall accompany you to the nearby Fengcheng Town to acquire the provisions necessary for the bounty mission. To foster his absolute trust in me, your cooperation is essential.”

As this was clearly a matter of serious import, Ye Qingfeng found no grounds for refusal. Moreover, she had no pressing engagements scheduled for the afternoon.

Her bright, expansive eyes blinked once, then she responded, “I understand. In that case, I shall accompany you. Which specific locations will we need to visit?”

Quan Haoqing gently shook his head. “There’s no requirement for any particular locale,” he clarified. “We simply need to present the undeniable fact of us shopping together. Tell me, is there anything you’ve been yearning to purchase?”

Abruptly confronted with such a query, Ye Qingfeng found herself genuinely unable to conjure anything specific she truly desired. She propped her dainty head in her hand, her gaze drifting toward the ceiling in a futile attempt to summon inspiration. Yet, her large eyes, usually aglow with intelligence, conveyed that a mere expanse of plaster offered no such succor. Consequently, she resolutely ceased her efforts to ponder.

“We shall determine that once we arrive,” she replied. “Moreover, is this not a collaborative effort for your sake? I shall simply defer to your arrangements.”

Quan Haoqing’s lips curved into an enigmatic smile.

****

Fengcheng Town lay at a distance that would typically require a full day’s journey by carriage for ordinary mortals traveling from Xingqing City.

For cultivators such as themselves, however, a journey at full sprint would condense the travel time to approximately one hour.

Even without expending their maximum strength, they could still reach their destination within two hours.

Quan Haoqing had initially believed Ye Qingfeng to be in low spirits and had wished for her to rest further, but she now harbored an urgent desire for a change of pace and scenery.

With such a desire expressed by a woman of such grace, Quan Haoqing, of course, found no conceivable reason to deny her.

“It remains as desolate as ever,” she observed.

Ye Qingfeng’s gaze swept over the bleak and uninviting shops and stalls before them. Despite the brilliant afternoon sun, the sparse scattering of pedestrians and the vendors, who stood as still as statues on either side, subtly emanated a chill that compelled one to instinctively draw their garments closer.

Though reduced to the ignominy of setting up stalls to eke out a living, these cultivators stubbornly clung to the decorum of their status, refusing to hawk their wares with the boisterous enthusiasm of common mortal merchants.

Cultivators traversing this thoroughfare, seeking to procure goods, were thus compelled to independently assess the value of items due to the vendors’ profound silence. They would not dare to inquire without absolute certainty, fearing that to do so would expose their own lack of discernment, thereby perpetuating this strangely taciturn ambiance.

Many truly valuable treasures, in fact, languished in obscurity precisely due to this peculiar custom.

‘If only they shed a modicum of their dignity, as I have, and proactively engaged with customers, would they not have amassed great wealth and prosperity long ago?’

‘They lack the grace to solicit patrons, yet possess the audacity to resort to robbery. Truly, the world’s morals are in decline.’ (TL Note: “世风日下” (shì fēng rì xià) is a Chinese idiom meaning ‘the moral standards of society are deteriorating day by day.’)