Chapter 54: The Alchemy Test Begins
Damian raised an eyebrow after hearing her words. "My talent?"
Esmeralda smiled faintly. "Yes. Since Sir Damian claims to have refined a pill after only one week, then naturally, I want to see how you do it first."
Damian stared at her for a moment before suddenly chuckling. "So you want me to refine pills in front of you?"
Esmeralda nodded calmly. "Exactly."
Her emerald eyes carried a hint of curiosity. "If your talent is truly as good as you say, then proving it should not be difficult, right?"
Damian leaned back slightly and grinned. "You’re testing me pretty openly."
Esmeralda smiled. "This is business, Sir Damian. Pill recipes are not ordinary goods. If I sell better recipes to someone without knowing their ability, I might be blamed by the pavilion later."
Damian rubbed his chin and nodded slowly. "That makes sense."
Then his grin widened. "Fine. I’ll gladly show you."
Esmeralda’s eyes brightened slightly. "Good."
She lightly waved her hand, and soon, the attendant outside entered again.
"Prepare a basic alchemy room and one set of ingredients for the Body Nourishment Pill."
The attendant bowed immediately. "Yes, Manager."
Not long afterward, Damian followed Esmeralda into a private alchemy room behind the pavilion.
Inside, there was a proper pill furnace, several neat rows of herbs, and a faint formation carved beneath the floor to stabilize the flame.
Damian looked around and nodded. "Not bad."
Esmeralda stood to the side with her arms folded elegantly. "Please begin whenever you’re ready."
Damian walked toward the furnace, rolled his shoulders, and picked up the herbs one by one.
The moment his eyes landed on the ingredients, his expression changed slightly.
The shameless grin disappeared, replaced by focus.
Esmeralda noticed this and narrowed her eyes.
Damian raised his hand, controlled the flame, and began refining.
One herb entered and then another.
The medicinal liquid slowly formed inside the furnace, and Damian adjusted the flame without hesitation.
His movements were not perfect, but they were strangely smooth for a beginner.
A short while later...
Ding.
A round pill rolled out from the furnace.
Damian picked it up, looked at it, then tossed it toward Esmeralda with a grin. "Well? Good enough?"
Esmeralda caught the pill and inspected it carefully.
After a moment, her emerald eyes widened slightly. "High quality..."
Damian crossed his arms proudly. "I told you. I’m a genius."
Esmeralda stared at the pill in her hand for several more seconds before slowly raising her head.
This time, the look in her eyes had clearly changed.
Before, she had only found Damian interesting.
But now, there was genuine surprise in her gaze.
A beginner who had only started learning alchemy for one week had refined a high-quality Low-Rank Mortal Grade Body Nourishment Pill in front of her.
Even if this was only the lowest-level pill, this kind of talent was still terrifying.
Esmeralda slowly smiled. "Indeed. Sir Damian, you really are a genius."
Damian’s grin widened. "See? I wasn’t bragging."
Esmeralda chuckled softly. "Maybe not this time."
She looked down at the pill again and gently rolled it between her fingers.
"Your flame control is still a little rough, and your herb fusion timing is not perfect yet, but your instincts are extremely good."
Damian nodded seriously, as if accepting a compliment from a teacher. "Of course. I already said I have talent."
Esmeralda smiled helplessly. "You really don’t know how to be modest, do you?"
Damian shrugged. "Being too modest makes people think you’re weak."
For a moment, Esmeralda could not refute that.
She placed the pill back into a jade tray and spoke calmly. "Since you have proven your talent, I can sell you better pill recipes."
Damian’s eyes brightened. "Good. Then give me Profound Grade recipes."
Esmeralda immediately shook her head. "No."
Damian froze. "No?"
Esmeralda nodded calmly. "No. Even after seeing your talent, I can only sell you Top-Rank Mortal Grade pill recipes at most."
Damian frowned. "Not even Low-Rank Profound Grade?"
"Not casually." Esmeralda looked at him seriously.
"Profound Grade pill recipes are different. They are valuable inheritances even to the Golden Medicine Pavilion. I cannot sell them to an outsider just because he has talent."
Damian clicked his tongue. "That’s troublesome."
Esmeralda smiled faintly. "It is not impossible, though."
Damian raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Esmeralda’s emerald eyes looked at him carefully. "If Sir Damian is willing to join the Golden Medicine Pavilion and become our sole pill refiner for this branch, then I can apply for higher-level pill recipes for you."
Damian narrowed his eyes slightly. "Sole pill refiner?"
Esmeralda nodded. "Yes. You would receive resources, protection, alchemy guidance, and access to more recipes. In return, most of the pills you refine would be supplied to the pavilion."
She smiled elegantly. "With your talent, your future as an alchemist would be extremely bright under our support."
Damian listened quietly for a moment.
Honestly, the offer was tempting.
Resources, protection, and pill recipes were exactly what he needed.
But the moment he heard the words "sole pill refiner," he already knew the hidden meaning.
It meant being tied down and someone would constantly watch what he did.
Damian immediately shook his head. "No thanks."
Esmeralda paused slightly. "You refuse that quickly?"
Damian nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. I still want freedom."
He grinned casually. "I like doing business, but I don’t like being owned."
Esmeralda looked at him for a moment before slowly smiling again. "I see. Then Sir Damian is more troublesome than I expected."
Damian laughed. "I get that a lot."
Esmeralda shook her head lightly. "Very well. Then for now, I can sell you three Top-Rank Mortal Grade recipes."
Damian’s eyes brightened again. "Now we’re talking."
Esmeralda smiled. "But they won’t be cheap."
Damian leaned back proudly. "Don’t worry. I have money."
Esmeralda chuckled softly. "Then let us continue our business."
Soon, three jade slips were placed in front of Damian.
---
[Spirit Gathering Pill Recipe]
[Blood Qi Recovery Pill Recipe]
[Bone Tempering Pill Recipe]
---
Damian’s smile froze.
These three recipes were exactly the ones he needed most right now.
For a moment, even he couldn’t speak.
Then he slowly looked at Esmeralda in shock. "Damn... you’re actually selling me these three?"
