Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Eager to Join [Third Update]
"If this potion in hand was truly concocted by Jing Qingyan, how high could its quality be? I’m afraid it might even be somewhat inferior to those low-level healing potions circulated in the market, right?"
Xiao Ming looked at Jing Yan and really didn’t understand what Jing Yan was getting at.
If Jing Yan had engaged a top alchemist, or even a high-level alchemist with strong abilities to preside over the Pill Tower, that would make sense. But now, Jing Yan was showing a low-level healing potion prepared by Jing Qingyan to everyone for inspection—what was his intention?
They were pharmacists, not laymen! Did Jing Yan really think he could fool them with just any bottle of medicine?
If Jing Yan really thought so, that would be laughable!
"Xiao Ming, do you recognize this Jing Qingyan? He should be from the Jing Family, right? How come I never heard of a pharmacist named Jing Qingyan in the Jing Family?" A pharmacist standing next to Xiao Ming asked with furrowed brows, looking at Jing Qingyan and then at Xiao Ming, his face also full of doubt.
In Donglin City, the circle of pharmacists is indeed small.
Any pharmacist of slight renown, everyone would have at least heard the name.
Even if not within the city, but in the various areas of the region, such as the numerous towns and other places, everyone would have also heard of them.
"Jing Qingyan once studied medicine concoction with me for a while," Xiao Ming said indifferently.
Hearing this, most of the pharmacists present furrowed their brows.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, an exclamatory scream came from a pharmacist’s mouth.
This pharmacist had already opened the bottle and inspected the medicine while Xiao Ming and Jing Qingyan were conversing.
This person, an intermediate alchemist, was quite skilled.
When he opened the bottle, he didn’t have many expectations, just a casual look. However, when he smelled the scent of the medicine, he was deeply moved all at once.
He let out a strange cry, drawing the attention of the other pharmacists.
"Is the quality of the medicine too poor, or to say, not even considered medicine?" Liu Bo also looked at the intermediate alchemist and said with a scornful tone.
However, the intermediate alchemist didn’t respond to Liu Bo’s words at all.
His face turned redder, and his breath grew heavier. In the end, his arms even began to tremble slightly.
"How could this be... How could this be..."
The pharmacist muttered as if in a daze.
"Brother Zhaoming, what’s wrong with you?" A pharmacist dressed in a blue robe looked at the intermediate alchemist with surprise.
"Brother Qing Yan, how was this low-level healing potion concocted?" The intermediate alchemist named Zhaoming asked, turning respectfully to Jing Qingyan and bowing deeply.
Seeing this scene, the other pharmacists in the room all showed expressions of shock or astonishment.
What’s happening with Zhaoming, the pharmacist? He’s an intermediate alchemist, and yet he shows such respect to Jing Qingyan?
"Joining the Splendid Pill Tower makes everything possible! I won’t hide it from you, only three days ago, I was just a pharmacist who barely qualified as a low-level alchemist, and now, I can already concoct an intermediate healing potion," Jing Qingyan said with a smile, his tone full of confidence and pride.
"Ha, how could this be possible? It’s simply absurd! Baseless talk!" Liu Bo emerged again to assert his presence.
The other pharmacists also shook their heads.
What Jing Qingyan said did indeed sound like a fool’s dream, such words, it would be strange if people believed them.
"I believe in Brother Qing Yan!" Pharmacist Zhaoming said solemnly and seriously.
The low-level healing potion in his hand had given him an enormous shock.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you might as well look at the low-level healing potion in your hands, examine its quality. Then think about whether you could concoct it!" Zhaoming said to the surrounding pharmacists.
Although these pharmacists were skeptical of Zhaoming’s belief in Jing Qingyan, they still began to inspect the potions in their hands one by one. After all, it was a matter of merely lifting a hand to do so.
"What?"
"How could this be?"
"This is a low-level healing potion? I... its effect, it’s practically like an intermediate healing potion, isn’t it?"
Trembling voices continuously emerged from the pharmacists, all of them stunned. They finally understood what Pharmacist Zhaoming meant.
Could they concoct a potion of such quality? The answer was, absolutely not.
Whether it’s a low-level or intermediate potion, they could still distinguish it. Low-level and intermediate potions use different materials, so there would be differences in both color and smell. Even if the differences weren’t significant, there would still be some.
All the pharmacists looked at Jing Qingyan with a completely changed gaze. If the potion was indeed concocted by Jing Qingyan, then Jing Qingyan’s achievements in the art of medicine were truly terrifying.
Even a Pill Master would probably not be able to concoct a low-level healing potion of such high quality, right?
Many pharmacists immediately felt their hearts ablaze.
The people here, many of them, possessed a burning passion for the craft of potion-making. If they could make rapid advances in the field of potions at the Splendid Pill Tower, they wouldn’t mind dedicating themselves to serving the tower forever.
"Low-level Healing Potions are nothing to boast about," Liu Bo snorted arrogantly once again.
After inspecting the potions, his heart was greatly shaken as well. However, his task today was to cause trouble. Even though he was curious about how the potions were made, he still forced a disinterested appearance.
Jing Yan glanced at Liu Bo with a deep expression in his eyes.
Feeling Jing Yan’s gaze, Liu Bo felt a slight shiver in his heart. He had the sensation that Jing Yan’s eyes could see right through to his soul, understanding his thoughts.
"If it were only Low-level Healing Potions, naturally that wouldn’t amount to much," Jing Yan said with a smile.
"However, what we sell at the Splendid Pill Tower isn’t limited to just Low-level Healing Potions. The potions we sell cover a wide variety," he continued with a smile.
His words were no exaggeration.
Having inherited the Qiankun Pill Path, Jing Yan knew of potions recorded within it—some of which were long lost and only mentioned in ancient texts.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take a closer look at these potions!" Jing Yan gestured broadly with his arm.
Several porcelain bottles immediately appeared on the ground before him.
All of these potions were personally concocted by Jing Yan.
To ensure that these pharmacists would serve the Splendid Pill Tower with unwavering loyalty, he had to present something that would truly astonish them.
With these potions at hand, at least half of the pharmacists would no doubt swear allegiance to the Splendid Pill Tower.
Moreover, Jing Yan had no intention of exploiting them. If they joined the Splendid Pill Tower, their treatment would be far better than anywhere else.
And, as long as they were diligent and willing to work hard, even a Low-level Alchemist could reap handsome rewards. Conversely, a lazy Advanced Alchemist might end up with nothing.
Jing Yan planned to reward pharmacists based on their output, ensuring fair compensation for their labor.
"Low-level Healing Potions..."
"Low-level Detoxification Potions..."
"Intermediate Calming Potions..."
"Advanced Healing Potions..."
"High-level Hallucinogenic Potions..."
The room was in chaos, all the pharmacists in a stupefied state. They were extremely startled; the quality of these potions surpassed their wildest expectations.
In their entire lives, they had never seen such high-quality potions of various kinds.
Among these potions, many were completely unfamiliar to them. They had never even heard of some!
It was utterly astonishing.
"Fellow practitioners, all these potions were personally concocted by Young Master Jing Yan. Young Master Jing Yan’s achievements in potion-making far exceed your imagination. To be frank, the reason I was able to concoct Intermediate Healing Potions within three days was all thanks to Young Master Jing Yan’s guidance," Jing Qingyan spoke up at the perfect moment.
Hearing Jing Qingyan’s words, the expressions of the pharmacists became even more excited.
Now, they believed seven to eight parts out of ten in what Jing Yan and Jing Qingyan had said. The remaining two or three parts were only because they were too shocked, almost violating the foundation of their established knowledge.
"Young Master Jing Yan, if I join the Splendid Pill Tower, would you be willing to teach me how to concoct potions?" asked a Pharmacist Apprentice, somewhat lacking in confidence.
Here were Basic-level Alchemists, Intermediate-level Alchemists, and Advanced Alchemists. So, would Jing Yan care about apprentice pharmacists like them? Would Jing Yan allow these lower-status Pharmacist Apprentices to join the Splendid Pill Tower?
"Of course!" Jing Yan replied with a smile. "However, due to my cultivation practice, I might not have much time to interact with you. After joining the Splendid Pill Tower, you will likely be dealing more with Chief Pharmacist Jing Qingyan," he told the apprentice.
"Young Master Jing Yan, I’ll join; I am willing to forgo any remuneration and only wish for an opportunity," the apprentice said loudly, his face flushed with eagerness.
"Hehe, there will definitely be remuneration. And as I said before, if you’re willing to work hard, your earnings will certainly be far more than before; it won’t be a problem to see them multiplied by several fold," Jing Yan waved it off.
You have to let a horse graze if you want it to run. Some pharmacists might be willing to forgo any remuneration now for the chance to learn the art of potion concoction, but over time they would inevitably harbor resentment. Once it reached that point, their lack of initiative would be inevitable.
"I want to join too!"
"Young Master Jing Yan, please let me join!"
One after another, the Pharmacist Apprentices called out eagerly, voicing their desires, afraid of being a step behind others.