Not long after, Prince Yong, Yun Zhongzi, Zhou Sen, and others arrived together at the pill room entrance.
Seeing that Xu Chuan hadn't responded for a long time, Butler Gu was so anxious he wanted to directly attack the pill room's restriction.
"Why hasn't he vacated the pill room yet?" Prince Yong raised his sword-like brows. His gaze was oppressive, like a sharp sword directly stabbing at Butler Gu's mind.
"Your Highness, perhaps Master Sansu is at a crucial moment in pill refining and cannot be distracted."
"Hmph! Move aside!"
Prince Yong was about to personally break the pill room's restriction when Yun Zhongzi raised his hand to stop him, "Your Highness, things being as they are, let's wait for that Fellow Daoist to finish refining the pill in his hands before discussing anything else."
Zhou Sen stepped forward with clasped fists, "Your Highness, Fellow Daoist Sansu' pill Dao attainment is astonishing. He previously said he was confident in refining a middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill. I believe he will give Your Highness an explanation."
"If it's truly as you say, this prince will naturally give a generous reward. But if the materials are completely consumed yet he cannot produce a middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill, don't blame this prince for taking you down along with him."
Zhou Sen's heart trembled, "I'm willing to accept Your Highness's disposal."
The Zhou family was merely a newly-promoted Foundation Establishment clan. In terms of deep foundation, how could they compare to Prince Yong's manor, let alone the Great Wei imperial family behind it?
If he wanted to kill Zhou Sen then, the Zhou family absolutely wouldn't dare utter half a word of complaint.
In the blink of an eye, most of a shichen passed.
The eleventh batch produced three low-grade Jade Sprout Pills for Xu Chuan.
Thinking that only the last set of materials remained, he decided to simply refine them all, so he opened the furnace to refine again.
As a result, the last batch was actually the most successful batch, producing one middle-grade and three low-grade Jade Sprout Pills.
This pill refining session, with twelve sets of Jade Sprout Pill materials, produced a total of ten low-grade Jade Sprout Pills and two middle-grade Jade Sprout Pills, truly exceeding Xu Chuan's own expectations.
"Divine Farmer tasting a hundred herbs, perhaps personally tasting their medicinal properties is the correct use of this fate talent."
Xu Chuan pondered briefly. Thinking that they only requested one middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill, and also to conceal his pill refining ability, he ultimately took half into his own pocket.
Rumble~
The pill room door opened. Xu Chuan walked out from the pill room. Seeing so many people at the door, including two unfamiliar faces, he guessed the two were Prince Yong and the so-called Dan Hall Chief Yun Zhongzi.
At a glance, he saw the faint medicinal fragrance lingering endlessly on the elder's body and knew this person was Yun Zhongzi.
Thus, he bowed to the two, "Greetings to Your Highness, greetings to Senior Yun Zhongzi."
"You're Daoist Sansu? This prince asks you, are there any remaining Jade Sprout Pill materials?"
Facing Prince Yong's penetrating gaze, Xu Chuan remained fearless and shook his head, "In reply to Your Highness, the remaining twelve sets of materials have all been completely refined."
Yun Zhongzi sighed slightly, "Your Highness, it seems heaven's will is thus."
"But this poor Daoist has refined one middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill as agreed."
As these words came out, everyone's gaze fell upon Xu Chuan.
"Truly? Do you know what fate awaits those who deceive this prince?" Prince Yong's brows were cold and stern, but his eyes also held hope.
Butler Gu and Zhou Sen exchanged glances. Their tense shoulders finally relaxed, and the fists clenched in their sleeves quietly loosened.
Master He and the others showed amazed expressions.
They all knew how extremely difficult refining Jade Sprout Pills was. Even given twenty sets, they would only have a ten to twenty percent chance of refining low-grade pills.
As for Yun Zhongzi, his wide sleeves moved slightly. One hand was placed behind his back, his eyes showing surprise and approval.
"Not very old, probably not yet sixty, yet possessing such pill Dao cultivation."
"If that's the case, why haven't you handed the pills over to this prince?" Prince Yong was somewhat anxious.
Xu Chuan didn't play coy either. He slapped his storage bag and took out all the small porcelain bottles he had prepared earlier.
Seeing seven porcelain bottles, Prince Yong's expression changed slightly, "Are you joking with this prince?"
Xu Chuan clasped his fists, "These are all pills this humble one refined. Besides the five common second-grade pills from your manor, there are five low-grade Jade Sprout Pills and one middle-grade one, stored separately in these two white jade porcelain bottles."
"There are actually this many?" Prince Yong felt surprised.
"May I take a look?" Yun Zhongzi suddenly spoke.
"Feel free, Fellow Daoist Yun Zhongzi." Prince Yong said to him with a smile.
Yun Zhongzi examined them one by one, "Indeed just refined not long ago. These two should be the Jade Sprout Pills. The color is lustrous and warm like yellow jade, with pale white circular patterns. Indeed five are low-grade, one is middle-grade."
Seeing that even Yun Zhongzi said so, Prince Yong's heart settled. He stored away the white jade bottle containing the middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill, "Butler Gu, treat this master well."
After speaking, he turned to Yun Zhongzi, "Fellow Daoist Yun Zhongzi, please accompany me to see my wife."
Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly and immediately left with Prince Yong.
As for Butler Gu, he led Xu Chuan to the great hall. All along the way, there was a tendency of stars surrounding the moon, his face even more brimming with enthusiasm.
"Master Sansu, your pill Dao attainment truly makes this humble one admire you. You actually refined five low-grade pills and one middle-grade Jade Sprout Pill. Once the princess consort is safe and sound, His Highness definitely won't be stingy with rewards."
Xu Chuan smiled faintly, "I also owe much to Butler Gu's keen eye in giving this poor Daoist a chance to try."
"Fellow Daoist Sansu, your pill Dao is even more profound than when we parted."
"Slightly improved."
Everyone praised him, and Xu Chuan responded to each one without any arrogant attitude.
Half an hour later, Prince Yong and Yun Zhongzi entered the great hall.
"Your Highness!" Everyone stood up to bow.
They saw Prince Yong break into a smile. His crimson robe flew as he strode like a dragon and tiger to the main seat, the golden chi dragon patterns on his robe hem rippling with light from his movements.
When he sat down, the purple sandalwood chair didn't move at all. Only the chi dragon pearl on the red jade hairpin trembled lightly.
He waved his hand to signal everyone to sit, laughing loudly, "The princess consort's jade body is now safe. After recuperating until tomorrow, she can fully recover. Everyone present has merit."
Butler Gu lowered his brows, "All thanks to Your Highness's great fortune. This humble one only asks that Your Highness not blame me for my presumptuous decisions."
"We also only exerted slight efforts." Zhou Sen, Master He, and others said in unison.
Yun Zhongzi stroked his frosted beard and smiled faintly, "Your Highness need only reward this Daoist Sansu. Even if this old man hadn't been found today, with Your Highness's blessed fortune, someone would have resolved your troubles."
"Master Sansu will naturally be heavily thanked. The rest will also have rewards."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Prince Yong's gaze fell on Xu Chuan, "Master Sansu, if you have any requests, feel free to speak. As long as this prince can accomplish it, all can be agreed to."
Xu Chuan had already thought it through, "A metal-element superior-grade flying sword, plus three sets of materials. This is the materials list."
Butler Gu immediately received the list and passed it to Prince Yong.
Prince Yong glanced at it. His fingertips unconsciously rubbed his red jade thumb ring. What was recorded on the list weren't rare materials, but they were all related to array Dao. This rather surprised him, and he couldn't help but take a few more looks at Xu Chuan.
He ultimately couldn't resist asking, "Could Master Sansu also be skilled in array Dao?"
"Not so." Xu Chuan shook his head, "This is requested on behalf of a good friend."
"So that's how it is." Prince Yong then said to Butler Gu, "Go retrieve a metal-element superior-grade flying sword and three sets of the materials on the list for Master Sansu."
Zhou Sen said in surprise, "Fellow Daoist is as consistent as ever. But are you truly not requesting anything for yourself? Even if you wanted a superior-grade pill furnace, His Highness would agree."
"No need. These are already sufficient. Being too greedy wouldn't be good."
Prince Yong's eyes held a few traces more approval.
The rest also received rewards.
Admittedly, not as generous as Xu Chuan's.
Learning that Xu Chuan lived in a cave mansion in the marketplace, Prince Yong knew entering and exiting the marketplace was troublesome, so he immediately bestowed a token.
With the token, no one would dare block him. They would directly open the restriction to let him pass.
"By the way, Master Sansu, since you refined the Jade Sprout Pill, why did you also refine the other pills?" Prince Yong asked his puzzlement.
Yun Zhongzi was also surprised by this.
Butler Gu spoke first, "Your Highness, Master Sansu had previously not encountered second-grade pill formulas, so he requested these pill formula materials to practice with."
"Oh?!"
With these words, Yun Zhongzi exclaimed in surprise, "Without having refined a single batch of second-grade pills, you dared to take on refining an ancient pill like the Jade Sprout Pill. It seems Fellow Daoist Sansu is very confident in his pill Dao."
"Senior Yun Zhongzi flatters me too much. This humble one only made a strenuous attempt. If Senior had taken these twelve sets of materials to refine, the harvest would definitely not be limited to this humble one's meager results."
Yun Zhongzi smiled at the corners of his mouth, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, "To have such great progress in such a short time, Fellow Daoist's pill Dao talent is remarkable. I wonder if you're interested in joining the Dan Hall?"
"Dan Hall? I haven't heard of it before."
Zhou Sen said, "Dan Hall is our Great Wei's only pill Dao organization, established in the imperial city with a transcendent status. It only absorbs true pill Dao masters or pill Dao geniuses. This old man, Master He, and others all don't have the qualifications.
And Senior Yun Zhongzi himself is the Dan Hall's Chief Elder. One could say he is the person with the most profound pill Dao in our Great Wei."
"This old man is just somewhat older in years. In terms of talent, I'm probably inferior to Fellow Daoist Sansu."
Xu Chuan made a thoughtful appearance. After a short while, he looked up, "This humble one is used to wandering freely and also cannot possibly stay in the Dan Hall all the time, so..."
"Ha ha ha~" Hearing this, Yun Zhongzi laughed, "Fellow Daoist Sansu worries too much. There are indeed pill masters who fully join the Dan Hall, but there are also elders in the form of guest elders.
Such pill refiners come and go freely, don't even need to refine pills daily at the Dan Hall, and can even enjoy the Dan Hall's stipend, at minimum five spirit stones per month."
"Not being at the Dan Hall yet still enjoying five spirit stones? Aren't you afraid people will run away?"
"Naturally, to receive the stipend, one must go to the Dan Hall in the imperial city to collect it. However, one can also collect it every half year or even one or two years, but the prerequisite is completing previously accumulated tasks."
"Those tasks are very easy for Fellow Daoist. It probably won't take more than two or three months to complete a full year's tasks. After that, you can wander wherever you want. If you refine extra pills, they can count toward next year's tasks or be settled for additional spirit stones."
A base salary plus performance?!
Xu Chuan inwardly commented, then asked, "Then may I ask, how many spirit stones can Dan Hall elders obtain on average per year?"
"Excluding this old man, each person gets about two to three hundred spirit stones."
Yun Zhongzi continued, "Don't think it's little. The Dan Hall has the Great Wei imperial family backing it. Few people dare to offend it.
Many rogue cultivators with exceptional pill Dao attainment who don't want to be suppressed by others all choose to join the Dan Hall.
Any clan in Great Wei will give Dan Hall some face. Unless they're mortal enemies, they absolutely won't move against Dan Hall elders. Otherwise, they'll inevitably face the imperial family's thunderous fury.
Currently, there are only twelve elders in the hall. If Fellow Daoist joins, you'll be the thirteenth.
Besides elders, the Dan Hall also has apprentices. They are the future pill Dao talents of our Great Wei."