The maximum potency of a Low-grade Strength Potion was 20%.
Currently, the golden slime had developed a resistance, and its strength could no longer be increased.
It could only switch to other potions or use Medium-grade Strength Potions.
Chen Shu thought that he would have to configure Medium-grade Strength Potions next.
If he hadn't unlocked the Alchemy skill, he would have needed to purchase forty bottles of Low-grade Strength Potions to increase the slime's strength by 20%, costing a total of two hundred thousand Huaxia coins.
Ordinary families could not afford such an amount, and this was just for Strength Potions.
The cost of Speed Potions, Defense Potions, and so on, would be a terrifying additional expense.
Even in the world of beast masters, the gap between the rich and the poor remained unchanged.
The contracted spirits of the wealthy were undeniably superior to those of the poor, an unalterable fact.
This vast disparity made dimensional spaces extremely popular.
Only by relying on dimensional spaces could ordinary beast masters obtain substantial wealth and purchase potions to enhance their contracted spirits' strength.
Over the course of three days,
Chen Shu did nothing else, commuting back and forth between his neighborhood and the company.
On the second day, he successfully configured twenty-four bottles of Strength Potions in three attempts.
On the third day, Chen Shu configured two more Low-grade Potions and unlocked the schematic for Medium-grade Strength Potions.
He had originally intended to configure one Medium-grade Potion, but it required two Strength Flowers.
With no other option, Chen Shu configured another Low-grade Strength Potion.
The three-day holiday for the college entrance examination was drawing to a close,
Chen Shu now had forty-eight bottles of Strength Potions in his system space, and his contracted spirit's strength had improved to some extent.
It had truly been a fulfilling holiday.
In the afternoon, Chen Shu left the company.
He only needed to complete three concoctions daily, a feat that other pharmacists might not even achieve in a day.
He accomplished it in less than an hour, leaving him with ample free time.
Let's go check out the black market.
Chen Shu casually hailed a taxi. As he got in, he saw a man sitting in the front passenger seat.
"Master, is it convenient to go to the black market?" Chen Shu inquired.
"Convenient? There's a public restroom up ahead, no need to go all the way to the black market," the driver said, looking confused.
Chen Shu: ???
Was this the legendary one-speed effect?
"Speed, may this prosperous era be as you wish!"
"I meant, is it on the way to the black market?"
"Oh, on the way. This passenger is getting off up ahead," the driver realized.
In just an hour, Chen Shu arrived near Seven Star Street.
Even during the day, the black market was bustling with people, comparable to the city center.
He arrived at the entrance of the black market, seemingly waiting for something.
Without Xu Xiaoyu's guidance, he couldn't get into the black market on his own.
Just then, a man strode purposefully towards the entrance.
"Yo, Old Zhang, long time no see!"
Chen Shu grinned and slung an arm around the man's shoulder, acting like an old friend meeting again.
"Who are you?" Zhang Ming asked, bewildered.
"Who is this guy? I have absolutely no recollection of him."
"It's me, Old Chen, you forgot? We were drinking together last time."
Chen Shu was overly enthusiastic, putting his arm around Zhang Ming and naturally walking into the black market.
"Oh, oh! Old Chen, no wonder you looked so familiar. How have you been lately?" Zhang Ming said warmly, despite his bewilderment.
Chen Shu's mouth twitched slightly. "You're putting on a good show."
"Of course, it's the same as always. Let's talk again when we have a chance. I must take my leave!"
Chen Shu turned and left abruptly, leaving Zhang Ming in a state of bewildered confusion.
He bypassed the roadside stalls and headed towards the shops in the street.
"Low-grade Strength Potions can only be sold for three thousand yuan??"
"As expected of a black-hearted merchant. They sell them for five thousand yuan, but only buy them for three thousand."
"Mine has a trademark, 666 Potion Company, it's genuine."
Chen Shu had to explain, he had used the company's packaging for convenience in selling.
"I know. If it were contraband, it would be fifteen hundred," the attendant said calmly.
"You're really ripping people off," Chen Shu commented. "Do you have Strength Flowers?"
"Yes, twenty thousand each. We have four in stock."
"Then give me the ingredients for four Strength Potions," Chen Shu requested.
"That's one hundred thousand. Do you have that much?" the attendant asked skeptically.
"Strength Flowers are worth twenty thousand, and the other ingredients are around five thousand."
Chen Shu then took out the Strength Potions from his backpack, forty-eight bottles in total, neatly arranged in front of him.
"Holy crap, did you rob the 666 Potion Company?"
"I'm a righteous and upstanding youth, you think I'm a criminal? Exchange them for four sets of ingredients, and convert the rest into Huaxia coins."
"Understood, understood. The black market doesn't inquire about the origin of goods," the attendant said, collecting all the Strength Potions.
"It's so much cheaper." Chen Shu had expected five thousand per bottle, but that was the retail price.
If he were selling them himself, there would naturally be a discount.
It was a shame he didn't have a pharmacist's license; otherwise, selling them at legitimate shops in the city center would fetch a much higher price.
"Here are the four sets of ingredients, and this is forty-four thousand yuan. Please count it," the attendant soon emerged.
Chen Shu briefly examined the Strength Flowers, ensuring they weren't made from some kind of dye.
The attendant immediately placed the acquired Strength Potions on the shelf, labeled with five thousand yuan.
"Can you at least show me some respect?"
Chen Shu's mouth twitched. They were bought for three thousand yuan and immediately put on display.
He shook his head and left the shady establishment.
It seems I need to get a stall permit for the black market next time. If I sold them myself, I could get at least 4000 per bottle.
This shop is just too greedy.
Four sets of ingredients could be used to craft two Medium-grade Strength Potions, yielding about twenty-six bottles of Medium-grade Strength Potions, effectively doubling their value instantly.
Although the shady shop made a huge profit, Chen Shu never lost.
Let's go configure the potions first.
Chen Shu wanted to find a quiet place, but unfortunately, the black market was noisy and crowded.
"Hmm? A public restroom?"
Chen Shu walked in without hesitation.
He waited for a long time before finally getting a cubicle.
The various ingredients for concocting Strength Potions were neatly arranged on the ground.
In the system's Alchemy skill, Low-grade Strength Potions had extended to a new schematic: Medium-grade Strength Potions.
"Concoct Medium-grade Strength Potion? Yes/No?"
Chen Shu directly chose to concoct, and in the next second, his body was taken over by the system, as if he had transformed into the world's greatest pharmacist.
Various ingredients were placed into the large container one by one without a single error, like an incredibly precise machine.
The difficulty of concocting Medium-grade Strength Potions was clearly much higher.
It took him a full twenty minutes before he successfully concocted them, yielding thirteen bottles according to the proportions.
"Medium-grade Strength Potion successfully concocted. Upon concocting ten times, High-grade Strength Potion will be unlocked! 1/10"
The system's prompt sounded again, and Chen Shu began the second concoction.
The cubicle door in the restroom remained tightly shut.
A young man walked in, clutching his stomach, but the most dreadful thing happened.
All the cubicles were occupied.
He clamped his legs together, his sphincter constantly contracting, accompanied by a slight tremor in his body, and a song kept replaying in his mind.
"I and my last stubbornness, I'll clench my legs and never let go."
There were only three cubicles in the public restroom.
The other two cubicles had people waiting, so the young man could only wait in the innermost cubicle.
Time ticked by,
His body trembled, and sweat even beaded on his forehead.
"Brother, help me! I'm in a desperate situation!" he finally couldn't hold back and knocked on the cubicle door.
The people in the surrounding two cubicles had just entered, and it would likely take a long time for them to come out.
However, there was no response from the cubicle.
Could no one be inside? he wondered, but the cubicle door was indeed tightly shut.
After a period of internal struggle, he finally mustered the courage and chose to climb over.
The cubicle door wasn't too high, and with a gentle leap, he saw the scene inside.
The next moment, his eyes widened, as if he had witnessed the most horrifying sight.
"Holy hell!! Someone is concocting medicine in the restroom!"