Chapter 42: Doping the Marrow Cleansing Pill
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Elder Chen quickly picked up the Marrow Cleansing Pill, now lying in a brocade box, and offered it to her with both hands. With a slightly wavering heart, he said, “The Marrow Cleansing Pill will be auctioned as the masterpiece. As we are also auctioning the Pill Recipe of the Spirit Stabilizing Pill, many Alchemists are now gathered outside.” He feared that Master Shen would take back the Marrow Cleansing Pill on a whim.
Feng Tianlan took out a ceramic bottle and poured out a liquid with a medicinal fragrance similar to that of Marrow Cleansing Pills. She lightly smeared some of the fluid on the Marrow Cleansing Pill and the brocade box. Very quickly, the scent fused. Even with a Grade 5 Alchemist present, he could not differentiate between the two.
“This is…” Elder Chen was perplexed about why Feng Tianlan would go the extra mile to do something so useless. It was already a Marrow Cleansing Pill. Why would he need to smear on an extra layer of medicine? Was it to protect the effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pill?
Well, such methods were not unheard of.
Feng Tianlan checked the box carefully and confirmed that detection was impossible. Only then did she turn to Elder Chen and say, “Before bidding begins, please invite some reputable and famous Alchemists to identify the pill medicine. Afterward, give it straight to the winner without passing it through the hands of anyone from the Ruyi Trade House.”
While Elder Chen was still confused, he nodded, “I’ll follow your words, Master Shen.”
Feng Tianlan nodded slightly and left. Removing her disguise, she returned to the auction hall. The Pill Recipe for the Spirit Stabilizing Pill had been sold, and so they were hyping up the stage for the Marrow Cleansing Pill. The auctioneer had showcased the Marrow Cleansing Pill and invited two Grade 3 Alchemists to appraise the pill. One was Feng Chengzhi, the in-house Alchemist of the Tianhai Trade House. When he had received an order to verify the pill, he’d never expected it to be genuine. He couldn’t help but pale at what he saw.
Awestruck, he said, “To think that there is someone in South Peace City who can refine a Grade 9 Marrow Cleansing Pill with a 90% fusion rate.”
Although the pill was merely at Grade 9, even he, a Grade 3 Alchemist, could not have refined it. Much less with a 90% fusion rate! This meant that the medicine had a 50% chance of successfully cleansing marrow.
“Where is the great master who refined this pill?” Feng Chengzhi asked the auctioneer. He truly wished to meet this master alchemist.
“The master wishes to keep a low profile. There is nothing that I can tell you,” the auctioneer returned coldly. There was no need to be polite to those who worked for the Tianhai Trade House.
“A perfect Grade 9 Marrow Cleansing Pill with a fusion rate of 90%.” Grade 3 Royal Alchemist Su Ji pored over the Marrow Cleansing Pill and sighed. “I am impressed. Please pass along my message. Should he find some time on his hands, I, Su Ji, am willing to consult him.”
Whoa! Su Ji’s words shocked everyone. This was the top Alchemist in South Peace City, and he’d just used the word “consult.” It looked like whoever had refined the Marrow Cleansing Pill must be at least a Grade 5 Alchemist. The crowd erupted into chatter.
“I can’t believe it. It’s a genuine Perfect Grade Marrow Cleansing Pill with a 90% fusion rate. I’m so curious; who is this new Alchemist in town?”
“Pill Medicine with a 90% fusion rate will surely succeed in cleansing marrow. Who will the pill go to, I wonder? It looks like another genius is about to appear in South Peace City.”
“I’d say that a winner may emerge between the Fengs and the Luos. If the Feng family gets their hands on the pill, won’t their genius young lady become a super genius?”
“In that case, the outcome of the battle scheduled for the day after tomorrow is pretty much set.”
… …
Everyone began discussing among themselves. They were looking forward to the battle two days from now. After all, the story of the good-for-nothing turning the tides made for a hot-blooded story. However, the appearance of the Marrow Cleansing Pill and the Spirit Boosting Pill had killed all their expectations. They had already foreseen the outcome and determined the match’s winner and loser. The news of the Marrow Cleansing Pill reverberated even louder now that the top Alchemists of South Peace Nation had confirmed that it was genuine. The auction began.
“Tianlan, are you really gonna…” Upon hearing those murmurs, Luo Yunzhu paled quickly. She looked at Feng Tianlan worriedly, “We must not let her get her way so easily.”
