Chapter 141: The Cave

"Not for the moment, but you can prepare the formula for the Cyan Spirit Liquid for me. I just don't know how long it will take for your transfer to bring over a formula above the third grade," Ye Cheng asked.

"The potion formula for the Cyan Spirit Liquid is a top-tier third-grade recipe, which costs one hundred low-grade spirit stones. The transfer will probably take about a month," Wei Chao said after a moment of thought. "After all, we also need to report to the headquarters before we can transfer items from other branch stores."

"Very well, then I will come back to pick up the Cyan Spirit Liquid formula in a month," Ye Cheng nodded. The Cyan Spirit Liquid costing one hundred low-grade spirit stones, which equated to one medium-grade spirit stone, was naturally within Ye Cheng's expectations.

However, Ye Cheng was once again struck by the exorbitant profits of pharmacists. Last time, a finished bottle of Cyan Spirit Liquid fetched over eighty low-grade spirit stones at auction, an amount that could almost fully cover the cost of purchasing the potion formula.

"Oh, right, you should know what herbs are needed for the first-grade potion formula, Hemostatic Powder. Please help me prepare about twenty portions of those as well. And I also need a spirit tool cauldron," Ye Cheng suddenly remembered and brought it up, otherwise he would have to come out later to purchase the herbs and cauldron for practicing.

Although his spatial ring contained quite a few various herbs, those were all precious herbs. Just think, could herbs cultivated by a top-tier pharmacist be ordinary things? Casually taking out a single stalk could be worth thousands of silver taels.

Yet the herbs required for this first-grade Hemostatic Powder certainly would not involve such precious ingredients.

"Spirit tool cauldrons are rather special, and their manufacturing process is even more cumbersome than ordinary spirit tools. Therefore, they can only be traded with spirit stones."

"What is the approximate price?" Ye Cheng asked.

"I have two types here: low-grade and intermediate-grade. The low-grade only costs five low-grade spirit stones, while the intermediate-grade costs thirty low-grade spirit stones. An intermediate-grade cauldron can increase the success rate by ten percent. I wonder what grade of cauldron you require?"

"Very well, prepare an intermediate-grade cauldron for me," Ye Cheng said after some thought. Although there was a difference of twenty-five low-grade spirit stones between the two, a ten-percent increase in success rate was enough to save Ye Cheng from future losses. Weighing his options, Ye Cheng ultimately chose the latter.

"Hehe, naturally no problem. Please wait a moment," Wei Chao said with a full smile, turning to instruct the female receptionist, "Take good care of Young Master Ye."

"Yes!"

Seeing the young girl reply timidly, Wei Chao turned and left to fetch the order Ye Cheng had just placed.

After Wei Chao departed, the young girl naturally did not dare to neglect Ye Cheng. She hurriedly invited him to take a seat and poured him a cup of tea.

After waiting for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Wei Chao hurried back carrying several scrolls and the herbs required for twenty portions of Hemostatic Powder.

"I apologize for keeping Young Master Ye waiting so long."

"How much is the total? Please calculate it," Ye Cheng said, not wanting to delay any longer now that he had his required items.

"The Hemostatic Powder is one thousand five hundred taels, the Blood-Coagulating Powder and Qi-Consolidating Powder are both eight thousand taels. As for the herbs needed for the twenty portions of Hemostatic Powder, they aren't particularly valuable, so I will give them to Young Master Ye free of charge. Therefore, calculating it all, it comes to seventeen thousand five hundred taels in total. Along with thirty low-grade spirit stones for the intermediate-grade spirit tool cauldron, the total charge for Young Master Ye will be seventeen thousand taels plus thirty low-grade spirit stones," Wei Chao explained thoughtfully.

Hearing Wei Chao's quote, which matched his own mental estimation, Ye Cheng nodded. His personal wealth was not abundant, so he naturally had to budget carefully.

"Your pavilion does purchase spirit tools, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Wei Chao nodded. "Could it be that Young Master Ye wishes to sell spirit tools?"

"I do have some spirit stones on me, but not much silver. However, I do possess some intermediate-grade spirit tools. I wonder what price your pavilion pays for intermediate-grade spirit tools," Ye Cheng stated honestly. He had originally intended to use the spirit tools obtained from Luo Long's spatial ring to trade for the formula.

In any case, the spirit tool he used himself was a spear, and the spirit tools acquired from killing others and plundered goods were of little use to him. Keeping them was pointless, so he might as well sell them in exchange for something useful.

"Generally, we acquire them at a price between one thousand five hundred taels and two thousand taels. However, since it is for Young Master Ye, I will offer a preferential rate of two thousand taels per piece. How does that sound to you?" Wei Chao said slowly.

The Hundred Treasures Pavilion usually sold intermediate-grade spirit tools for just over two thousand taels. In truth, acquiring them at a rate of two thousand taels meant they would still make a steady profit without losses. Moreover, since the other party was a youth with astonishing talent, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was quite willing to take a slight loss on a transaction to befriend a future powerhouse.

"Very well, agreed," Ye Cheng accepted directly. He took nine intermediate-grade spirit tools and thirty low-grade spirit stones from his spatial ring and handed them to Wei Chao, who in turn returned one thousand taels of change.

"Hehe, trading with Young Master Ye is truly a pleasure. Please accept this VIP card from my Hundred Treasures Pavilion. From now on, you can enjoy a twenty percent discount on purchases at our pavilion," Wei Chao said, drawing a purple-gold card from his robe and handing it to Ye Cheng along with the materials contained in an inexpensive Sumeru pouch.

"Such a cunning merchant. He didn't take it out earlier, or I could have saved some more money," Ye Cheng complained inwardly upon seeing the VIP card offered by the other party. Still, he did not dwell on it, as he would need to return to this Hundred Treasures Pavilion to purchase various herbs in the future when refining potions.

Accepting the card and the Sumeru pouch brimming with goods, Ye Cheng returned them to his spatial ring. Without lingering, he walked straight out of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion under the other's watchful gaze.

Upon leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Ye Cheng did not wander off to other places but headed straight back toward his clan's estate.

Upon returning to the Ye family residence, just as Ye Cheng was about to walk toward his quarters, Elder Mu's words caused him to halt his steps.

"Kid, whether dealing with potions or pills, you must remember never to be disturbed while refining medicine. If you hide in your room and someone knocks on the door or breaks in, ruining the herbs is a minor issue, but sustaining damage to your mind and spirit is major. Therefore, I advise you to find a quiet place where no one will disturb you."

"Indeed, Teacher is right. I was indeed careless," Ye Cheng nodded. "If I stay in my own room, it is inevitable that brat Ye Ming might suddenly come looking for me. To be safe, I had better find a quiet place."

"Where on earth is truly quiet?" Ye Cheng muttered to himself in contemplation when his eyes suddenly lit up. He immediately changed direction and walked toward the back mountains of the Ye family.

Bypassing the familiar mountain path, a secluded cave with an entrance only about the height of a man appeared in Ye Cheng's field of vision. This back mountain was a place he frequently visited in the past, and he had discovered this cave entirely by accident, having ducked inside a few times to shelter from mountain rain.

Cautiously slipping into the cave, Ye Cheng surveyed the interior. Although the entrance was narrow, the cave itself was quite spacious, wide enough for several people to walk abreast.

Furthermore, the stone cave was several meters deep, and at the very end, there was another opening that allowed sunlight to slant in, preventing the lighting from being overly gloomy.

Seeing that everything here remained exactly as it used to be without any changes, Ye Cheng was quite satisfied. This environment was the most disturbance-free place he could possibly find.