"Hey hey, don't judge a book by its cover!" Ysolt replied without even looking up. Instead of replying to him, Hao Xuan glared at Ryfon who looked away, pretending to admire the ceiling for some reason.
Ysolt finished counting the gold the stored it away with a wave of his hand. He looked up at Ryfon and then at Hao Xuan.
"So how can I help you?"
"CAN you help me?" Hao Xuan responded before Ryfon could even open his mouth.
Ysolt was taken aback by his rude question and leaned back into the chair, "Well, you'll have to tell me what's wrong with you first. I'm one of the best Sky grade Alchemists so it shouldn't be a problem," Ysolt replied calmly, without taking Hao Xuan's question to heart. He knew the first impression he made was pretty bad so instead of being aggressive, he chose to remain calm and collected.
But Hao Xuan's scowl didn't go away as he stared at Satyr in silence. Ryfon cleared his throat and jumped in.
"Alchemists also have grades based on the type of potions and medicines they can make. I.e Mortal Grade, Earth Grade, Sky Grade, Saint grade. So he is actually pretty high level, just give him a chance."
He finished speaking and got up and walked out, leaving Ysolt and Hao Xuan alone in the room. His voice came in from the other side, "The matters between a cultivator and alchemist are private so I will leave you guys be. Come get me when you're done."
Hao Xuan didn't know what to do. Should he just sit down and ask for help from a guy he just 'disrespected' or leave this place? Ysolt saw the look in Hao Xuan's eyes and smiled.
"Listen man, I don't even take requests under normal circumstances. The only reason I decided to meet you is because I owe Ryfon a favor. Whether I help you or not, that favor is repaid so why not make use of it? I know I don't look like much but I'm good at what I do, ask anyone."
Hao Xuan stared at him for a few more seconds before finally giving in. He still had to go meet a blacksmith and go to the consulate so why not? Plus Cornelia also knew of him so he must be something.
He let out a deep sigh and sat down across from him.
"Fine. My Physical and Spirit centers are unstable so I'm having a few issues. Sometimes…"
He told him everything without holding anything back and then gave the list of ingredients that Cornelia gave him. He also mentioned everything she said about the symptoms.
With furrowed brows, Ysolt went over the ingredients on his spirit band for over 10 minutes, clicking away as he went.
"Some of these won't work with one another, they will neutralize one another and 3 of them become a poison when mixed together. You didn't use any of them right?"
"No," Hao Xuan quickly shook his head.
"Good," he got up and went to a shelf on a wall in the distance. After rummaging around for a minute or two he returned with several strange things. Some looked like dried fingers, grass, and even fruits.
"I have everything you need, it's not that rare. It uses some of the same ingredients the royals use to get high so getting more wouldn't be a problem. What's your preferred method? Do you want me to make a potion? It will take a few days if so."
"A few days? Forget about it then. What else? I need it as quickly as possible."
Ysolt looked at the 15+ items laid out in front of him on the table and scratched his chin while thinking. Out of habit he reached out into his shirt pocked out and took out a pipe and put it in his mouth.
"Wait a second…" it was like a light had turned on in his brain.
"I know the perfect medium. It's extremely easy to make and is effective too!" he said with a bright smile.
Hao Xuan's brow furrowed even deeper looking at his enthusiasm.
"What…is it…" he asked cautiously. Ysolt grinned, "Now just hear me ou-"
"I'm not 'inserting' anything in my body, just so we're clear!" Hao Xuan cut on and clarified.
"No no, it's not that!" Ysolt stood up and took out a mortar and pestle and a sheet of paper.
"Are you…"
"Shh, just watch!"
Hao Xuan didn't disturb him any longer and let him work. When he was finished, Ysolt handed over the finished product to Hao Xuan.
"This is the best way. You can't have too much, it doesn't get attention like you chugging potion every few hours would and it looks somewhat cool," he said with a puffed-out chest.
Hao Xuan looked down at his 'medicine' and sighed.
"So this will take care of everything?"
"Take care? Hell no. But it will alleviate the symptoms as long as you're using it. But things can still get out of hand if you get emotional so try to remain calm and don't put yourself in stressful situations."
"Alright, I guess…" Hao Xuan put away the medicine and turned around but stopped when he remembered something.
"Hey, I found this thing while I was out. I was told its expensive, do you know anything about it?"
Hao Xuan took a small glass vile filled with a purple liquid that swirled and moved around on its own.
Ysolt took the vile and examined it, his eyes widening upon realizing what it was.
"Oh my sweet lord, Where?! How much??? Sell to me!"
It was like he has seen the hand of God himself.
****
Ryfon was sitting at the bar talking to a few local women when he heard heavy footsteps behind him. Thinking it was the husband of one of the women he put on his usual smile and turned around to see a red-eyed Hao Xuan staring at him.
"W-What happened? Did you get what you came for?"
"Yeaup, that and much more. Let's go," Hao Xuan nodded and proceeded to walk out without waiting for him.
Ryfon bade farewell to the ladies and ran out after him. Hao Xuan had already left the village, standing outside the tree's entrance.
"Hey, you okay? What happened?"
Hao Xuan took out a cylindrical object from his shirt, put it in his mouth, and lit it up with a matchstick. He took in a deep breath and let out white smoke.
"Nothing, nothing happened.." he turned halfway and smiled with a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"When did you start smoking?" Ryfon covered his nose and stepped back.
"About 20 seconds ago," Hao Xuan replied while taking another puff.
This was what Ysolt had chosen as an 'effective' medium. He simply ground up the ingredients in specific ratios and rolled them into cigarettes. It wasn't as noticeable as injecting himself or drinking potions every few hours like Ysolt had pointed out before. To others, he just looked like a smoker.
But these smokes had some of the most expensive ingredients ever inside them.
Hao Xuan was the one in the lead this time. He passed by the same old scenery but it looks a bit more bright, more vibrant.
They reached the gateway much quicker and Ryfon went through quickly while Hao Xuan took one last look at the place where he had seen the girl talking to the rose bush before following after him.
A few seconds after he left, an old lady appeared at the same spot. She looked at the gateway with twinkling eyes before going up to the men in charge of signing everyone in.
All of them stood up at once when they saw her and bowed from the waist, "Headmistress, welcome!"
She gestured for them to get up and pointed at the gate.
"Who were the two that just went through?"
"Eh? Oh, it was Prince Ryfon and his friend."
"His friend? Do you have a name?"
"No headmistress, I'm sorry," the man shook his head somberly.
"It's fine it's fine, I was just curious…." the old lady smiled and disappeared with a gust of wind.
