The Greatest Wealth After the Chaos!

Inside the subterranean pill palace beneath Danxia Peak. The usual bustling scene had come to a halt. Only a single large alchemy chamber remained in operation. The person refining pills within was not an alchemist from the Luotian Association, but an unfamiliar Tier 1 alchemist named Qi Yi. He hailed from the Danyuan Sect! To his side stood a group of spectators closely observing his technique. Leading them was Luo Chen, watching with keen interest. Behind him, Qu Lingjun, Mi Li, Ma Shoupu, and Qiu Ying stood with attentive expressions. Beside Luo Chen was another late-stage Qi Refining cultivator clad in white robes, explaining everything with deference and care. "Among our generation, Senior Brother Qi and I possessed the finest alchemy skills. Senior Brother Qi, in particular, was deeply favored by Mas—by Danyuanzi." "It doesn't matter. The dead deserve respect, and he was the one who passed down the craft to you. There's no need to mince words," Luo Chen said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Xu Jie's expression eased slightly as he continued, "Senior Brother Qi Yi specializes in two Tier 1 pills. One is the Fasting Pill, and the other is our Danyuan Sect's bestselling Yangyuan Pill." Luo Chen asked with curiosity, "Is the Fasting Pill an authentic Tier 1 Fasting Pill?" "Yes, precisely. Not some crude Fasting Powder, but a true Tier 1 Fasting Pill." Xu Jie nodded. Luo Chen stroked his chin in thought. "Continue!" Carefully choosing his words, Xu Jie went on, "With those two pills, Senior Brother Qi Yi has a success rate of ten percent and forty percent, respectively. "Under ordinary circumstances, he brews the Yangyuan Pill most frequently, having truly inherited the legacy of Master Danyuanzi in that regard. "From time to time, he can even produce middle-grade Yangyuan Pills!" A ten percent success rate for Fasting Pills was nothing to write home about. However, a forty percent success rate for Yangyuan Pills came as a pleasant surprise to Luo Chen. By his system's standards, that was roughly the level attainable only at Perfect mastery. The only shortcoming was that the resulting grade was not consistently high enough, meaning he could not reliably churn out middle-grade Yangyuan Pills. "And what about you?" Luo Chen asked. Xu Jie replied at once, "My specialty is also the Yangyuan Pill. However, because I joined the sect late and my innate talent is limited, I can only refine low-grade Yangyuan Pills, with a success rate hovering around thirty percent." *Thirty percent?* Luo Chen nodded inwardly. That was fairly respectable as well. It fell roughly within the Proficient tier, lacking only the experience needed to produce middle-grade pills. "Have you two ever calculated how much profit you generated for the Danyuan Sect in the past?" Luo Chen asked. Without hesitation, Xu Jie answered, "We have. Taking myself as an example, I generated around fifteen hundred spirit stones a month, which came to roughly eighteen thousand a year. "Senior Brother was more capable; his output reached about thirty thousand a year. "Of course, that was merely the gross profit after deducting raw material costs. As for personnel overhead and other expenditures, that wasn't something low-level disciples like us could know." Hearing that answer, Luo Chen could not help but furrow his brow. Combined, the two of them brought in only forty-eight thousand? It sounded like a tidy sum! Yet once all the staffing costs and operational expenses were subtracted, how much could possibly be left over each year? "Can you tell me how much you and your senior brother were paid annually?" At this question, Xu Jie puffed his chest out slightly. Proudly, he said, "Because we were alchemists, our stipends were equal to those of the ninth-layer Qi Refining elders in the sect! "My annual stipend was twenty-four hundred, and Senior Brother received even more—a full three thousand spirit stones!" Hearing this figure, before Luo Chen could even offer an opinion, the four standing behind him burst out laughing. Their laughter left Xu Jie thoroughly bewildered. Luo Chen also chuckled, shaking his head. "It seems your Fellow Daoist Danyuanzi exploited you two quite ruthlessly!" Xu Jie froze. Having spent years cloistered inside the sect refining pills and cultivating, he rarely ventured outside. Consequently, he had no idea what standard stipends were for skilled Tier 1 alchemists among the major factions in the outside world. "Lingjun, tell him what you make," Luo Chen said casually. Qu Lingjun straightened his spine, brimming with pride. "In our Luotian Association, the stipend for a Tier 1 alchemist starts at a baseline of three hundred a month! That's thirty-six hundred a year! "Someone like me earns five hundred a month, six thousand a year! "What's more, our compensation includes far more than just spirit stones. We get free access to learn spells, pills that cultivate the soul's foundation, and from time to time, personal guidance from my Master! "On top of that, we don't refine pills entirely on our own like you do. We're assigned apprentice herbalists and stokers to assist us!" Xu Jie listened in stunned disbelief. He had observed the alchemy of the four standing before him. In all honesty, apart from Qu Lingjun having some merit, the other three were mediocre at best! If Tier 1 alchemists were categorized into high, middle, and low grades just like artifacts and pills, then his senior brother easily ranked as high-grade, while he himself was comfortably in the upper-middle bracket. As for the four alchemists of the Luotian Association, three were essentially bottom-tier beginners who had barely crossed the threshold. Only Qu Lingjun might scrape into the middle grade. Naturally, such a crude categorization was oversimplified. A great deal of the value an alchemist could generate hinged on whether the pills they could brew possessed high commercial worth. Even so, Xu Jie was profoundly shaken! A few novices who had entered the trade a few years ago at most were earning more spirit stones than veterans who had refined pills for decades! This defied all logic! On what grounds could that be right? Suddenly, the outside world's impressions of Luo Chen crossed his mind. Not the recent rumors labeling him ruthless, vindictive, yet fiercely loyal to his word, but the older reputation from long before. *Generous and kind-hearted, magnanimous to others!* Looking at it now, he truly was exceedingly generous! *If I refine pills for the Luotian Association in the future, given my skill, how much stipend could I receive each month?* Contemplating the possibilities, Xu Jie grew thoroughly excited. Hampered by a scarcity of cultivation resources, he had been trapped at the seventh layer of Qi Refining for years. If he could bring in an extra one or two hundred spirit stones each month, he might actually have a shot at reaching Great Perfection in Qi Refining down the line. And if he reached Great Perfection, word had it that Luo Chen—the Association Leader—never held people back and generously supported those at Qi Refining Great Perfection in their attempts at Foundation Establishment! *Clang!* Just as Xu Jie's thoughts churned with excitement, a soft chime rang out from the center of the alchemy chamber. The batch was finished! Luo Chen waved his hand, dismissing the Sound Isolation Art. Their conversation had been shielded by his Master-level Sound Isolation Art the entire time, preventing any disturbance to Qi Yi's pill crafting. Now that the batch was complete, Qi Yi collected the pills in silence before everyone's eyes. Xu Jie stepped forward and said in pleasant surprise, "Good fortune! You produced thirteen Yangyuan Pills this time. "Senior Brother, your alchemy has improved once again." Qi Yi managed a strained smile. Carrying the pills, he walked apprehensively over to Luo Chen. Luo Chen did not hesitate, taking the pills and inspecting them carefully. Low-grade Yangyuan Pills! He had encountered them before. Their medicinal potency was far superior to middle-grade Jade Marrow Pills, yet slightly inferior to high-grade ones. Their market price had long remained stable between ninety and a hundred spirit stones. The reason for this price band was that it had to stay slightly lower than the low-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills sold by the Spirit Herb Pavilion. Otherwise, they possessed no competitive edge. Of course, even that slight edge had evaporated entirely once the Luotian Association's Jade Marrow Pills flooded the Tianlan market. After examining them, Luo Chen nodded. "The fusion of medicinal herbs is properly executed, but your control over the flame lacks finesse, and the removal of impurities is insufficient... Yet your handling of the main ingredients shows distinct ingenuity. Was the technique you employed the Peiyuan Hand?" Hearing this assessment, the taciturn Qi Yi's eyes went wide. Every single point—both the merits and the shortcomings—mirrored precisely what his master, Danyuanzi, had pointed out just the year before. Yet one had to remember: his master was a grandmaster at refining Yangyuan Pills, capable of steadily producing middle-grade pills and occasionally even high-grade ones! Now, Luo Chen had merely watched him refine a single batch. With just a brief glance at the freshly unsealed pills, he had delivered an identical critique. Qi Yi could not help but ask, "Senior, have you refined Yangyuan Pills before?" "Never." "Then why do you understand it so thoroughly?" Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Master one art, and you understand ten thousand. It is, after all, merely a Tier 1 pill. I may not have brewed a Peiyuan Pill, but I have refined quite a few other Tier 1 pills." Qi Yi came to a sudden realization. If someone had refined several types of Tier 1 pills to high proficiency, possessing such keen discernment seemed only natural, didn't it? Little did he know what absurd levels of mastery Luo Chen possessed for those other Tier 1 pills. He was someone who could effortlessly produce transcendent-grade pills! He had even managed to optimize and refine the inherently flawed recipe of the Jade Marrow Pill. With Luo Chen's current mastery of alchemy, given an unfamiliar Tier 1 pill recipe, he had the confidence to grasp the fundamentals relying purely on his own comprehension, without ever spending a single system achievement point! A mere Yangyuan Pill was child's play by comparison. With Qi Yi's demonstration concluded, it was Xu Jie's turn. Unfortunately, still caught up in his earlier daydreams and eager expectations, Xu Jie failed to focus his mind properly. By the end, the batch was ruined. Looking at Xu Jie's ashen face and despairing eyes, Luo Chen chuckled and shook his head. "I've seen enough of what you two can do. Follow me out!" The group trailed behind Luo Chen out of the alchemy chamber and into Qu Lingjun's main hall. Lingjun Hall! Seated at the head of the room, Luo Chen fell into deep thought. While he pondered, none of the other six dared to breathe too loudly. This was not merely out of respect for Luo Chen's strength, cultivation realm, and reputation, but because he had achieved far greater heights in the alchemy craft they were most devoted to. A Tier 2 alchemist's title was not determined by cultivation base, but by whether one could reliably produce Tier 2 pills. For those who currently struggled even with Tier 1 pills, the immense difficulty of Tier 2 alchemy was something they could scarcely fathom. Suddenly, Luo Chen's voice echoed through Lingjun Hall. "From this day forth, Qi Yi and Xu Jie, the two of you shall be alchemists of my Luotian Association, assigned to the Pill Hall under the command of Hall Master Qu Lingjun. "Do you have any objections?" Xu Jie, who had been completely at a loss following his failed batch, was momentarily stunned before breaking into an expression of sheer joy. "No objections! We shall follow all of the Association Leader's arrangements!" Seeing Qi Yi beside him standing frozen, Xu Jie hurriedly yanked at his sleeve. "Senior Brother! What are you staring at? Hurry and thank the Association Leader for sparing our lives!" Qi Yi opened his mouth, and in the end simply said, "I obey your arrangements." Indeed! Their lives had been spared! The Danyuan Sect had been annihilated. The surviving low-level cultivators had either fled or scattered into the wind. Perhaps some surviving powerhouse of the sect might gather the scattered remnants elsewhere to rebuild their foundation, but within a century, taking revenge on the Luotian Association would be impossible. A century? By then, they would already be nothing more than piles of dry bones! Luo Chen had spared their lives and even taken them under his banner; that was already a profound grace. Looking at the two, Luo Chen continued, "As alchemists of my Luotian Association, your treatment will naturally be appropriate. "However, seeing as you have just joined, and came from the Danyuan Sect, your stipends will temporarily remain at the rate you received there." Hearing this, Xu Jie's excitement was instantly doused like a splash of cold water, and his face fell. Two hundred spirit stones a month, twenty-four hundred a year? How was he supposed to pursue the Dao on that? Qi Yi, on the other hand, was indifferent. He was already surprised that Luo Chen was willing to pay them a stipend at all rather than ruthlessly squeezing them as captives. After all, they were effectively prisoners of war. While the two experienced very different emotions, Luo Chen continued speaking. "Upon entering the Pill Hall, you two will continue refining Yangyuan Pills. Leave all other pills alone. "Qi Yi, take time to teach Qiu Ying the techniques for refining Fasting Pills. "She currently only brews unranked Fasting Powder and requires your guidance." Having already agreed to Luo Chen's terms, complying with this followed naturally. Qi Yi raised no objection. Beside him, Qiu Ying looked visibly thrilled. Her status as an alchemist had always lacked legitimacy; if she could truly master the Fasting Pill, she would finally be a genuine alchemist in her own right! "Xu Jie, you will teach the Peiyuan Hand technique to Ma Shoupu. "The efficiency of the Origin-Nourishing Spiritual Liquid he prepares has always lagged behind. If he learns the Peiyuan Hand, his efficiency will improve considerably." Having just been disappointed, Xu Jie could only utter a sullen affirmation. Seeing their contrasting reactions, Luo Chen smiled. "Instructing the two of them will not go unrewarded. "On top of your base stipend, you will each receive an additional one hundred spirit stones per month. "If you have spare time, you may also offer pointers to Mi Li and Lingjun to pass on some of your practical experience. "There will be a five-year evaluation period. If you perform well after five years, I will adjust your compensation according to the circumstances." The moment those words left his mouth, the pallor on Xu Jie's face began to flush with renewed life. Without an ounce of hesitation, he shouted, "Thank you, Association Leader!" Inwardly, he gasped with admiration. *Luo Chen's benevolence and righteousness truly live up to the rumors!* Qi Yi was also somewhat taken aback. He was not surprised by the modest pay raise, but by how willing Luo Chen was to cultivate and elevate his subordinates. Back in the Danyuan Sect, their master, Danyuanzi, had always guarded his alchemy techniques jealously. He had rarely even assigned them fire stokers or herbal apprentices, all out of fear that their alchemical knowledge might be stolen by others. He had never expected Luo Chen to be like this... "Oh, right!" Luo Chen recalled something and turned to Qu Lingjun. "Didn't the Pill Hall recently free up a batch of herbal apprentices and stokers?" Qu Lingjun nodded at once. "Indeed. Because you have been refining pills over at Tianlan Peak, Master, a large group of experienced hands were left idle. They've even been complaining that being unable to assist you has lowered their earnings." Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Divide them into two teams and assign them to Qi Yi and Xu Jie. Have them familiarize themselves with the workflow for refining Peiyuan Pills." Qu Lingjun agreed with a nod. This was no difficult task; it merely required standard training protocols. Qi Yi and Xu Jie, however, felt a surge of excitement. What alchemist actually enjoyed doing all the manual labor themselves? Preparing medicinal ingredients, constantly monitoring the flames—sometimes, even when feeling ill, they had to persevere until a cauldron finished before they could rest. From now on, they could finally cast aside those tedious chores. Qi Yi looked at Luo Chen with a glimmer of admiration. This man was entirely different from their former master! Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Had it been before, he might have hesitated, but now he spoke without a second thought. "As... Association Leader!" "Hmm?" Luo Chen looked at him. "Is there something else?" Qi Yi said, "Refining Yangyuan Pills poses no problem for my junior brother and me. However, the production cost of that pill is exceptionally high, which keeps its price from dropping. Buffeted by your Jade Marrow Pills and the Zheng family's Fire Ganoderma Pills, there's practically no profit margin left in them. "Should we still refine them in large quantities?" Hearing that question, Luo Chen smiled.