Chapter 20.1 - Alchemy

11 Feb 2017

Note:

2/5

The rays of the rising sun entered the window, illuminating the insides, and morning birds chirped.

The door silently opened, without issuing any creaking sound at all.

He Yiming walked out of the room. Before his feet landed outside, Xie Mingjin was already before him, “Mr. He, you are awake.”

This moment, Xie Mingjin’s face didn’t have a trace of the arrogance that he had in the forest. After learning that He Yiming had killed the two long-armed raccoons relying on his own strength, whether it was him or the seven attendants, they all now viewed He Yiming as a celestial being.

In Xie Grace’s words, even if all the three tenth layer experts of the family joined hands, they could only fight the two long-armed raccoons to a standstill. Wouldn’t it be same as saying that He Yiming could easily deal with the clan’s three top experts?

Before such strength, Xie Mingjin simply couldn’t hold arrogance in any aspect.

Throwing a surprised glance at him, He Yiming smiled and said, “Brother Xie, you are up quite early. You wouldn’t be waiting here specifically for me, would you?”

Xie Mingjin’s face turned slightly red as he said, “Mr. He, father asked me to await you here sir.”

“Where is Mr. Xie?”

“Father is in the lobby, awaiting you to join him for breakfast.”

He Yiming faintly nodded and followed after Xie Mingjin.

After killing the two long-armed raccoons and obtaining the pulpless fruits, He Yiming followed Xie Grace and the rest down the mountains.

Under the lead of people that were familiar with that section of the forest, he only had to spend one day to get out of the forest. Subsequently, after crazily steering their horses through the day, they arrived in the Fire Crow country’s capital, Downwind city.

Downwind city was obviously far incomparable to the insignificant county town of the Tai Cang county. The city wall was as high as fifteen meters, and the city was quite vast. Reportedly, the permanent residents of the city exceeded the mark of thirty thousand. Adding in inflow and outflow, the city’s population measured above forty thousand.

Xie family, one of the four reputed influential families of Fire Crow country, owned a large manor in the city, which sustained 2000-3000 people.

Xie Grace’s status in the family was extremely high, having a independent courtyard for his bloodline. Due to arriving quite late in the night, the group hadn’t immediately announced their arrival and had instead gone to rest.

He Yiming naturally received the best guest room. After spending three months in the forest, this was his first time sleeping on a bed. However, he was awakened by Xie Mingjin arriving at his door.

Although Xie Mingjin had been cautious to the utmost, softening his footsteps as much as possible, how could it escape past the current He Yiming?

Knowing that someone was waiting for him outside, He Yiming’s skin had not thickened enough to ignore the latter. Moreover, seeing that the color of the sky had started to brighten, he left the bed.

The two seemed to be walking shoulder by shoulder. However, Xie Mingjin’s appearance seemed slightly rushed and body faintly inclined towards He Yiming, as if escorting the latter.

En route, all the servants who saw this scene were left rubbing their eyes, as if having a hard time believing their eyes.

In the clan, the family head, Xie Nuanhang, wholeheartedly pursued the martial dao and never married.

Although Xie Grace was the second lord, his son, Xie Mingjin, was the big young master of the clan. Although this young master was not the best candidate for the position of clan leader due to his straightforward temperament, he was loved dearly by the second lord, and thus, was quite haughty in the clan. Therefore, his current submissive appearance seemed quite unbelievable to everybody.

Soon after, they arrived before the lobby.

As soon as He Yiming entered, Xie Grace stood up and brightly said, “Brother He, did you sleep well last night?”

Faintly nodding, He Yiming smiled and said, “It’s been quite a while since I slept on a bed. Many thanks for Mr. Xie’s hospitality.”

Xie Grace chuckled. With a wave of his hand, servants served the breakfast. The breakfast in the Xie family consisted of light ingredients. Eighteen kinds of congress and soups were laid out, allowing He Yiming to vastly broaden his horizons.

He Yiming heartily ate and drank all the items. Although he wouldn’t go as far as to clear everything out, this big-belly monarch caused all the servants to be tongue-tied inwardly. At the same time, they also disdained him incessantly, feeling puzzled why their second lord, who was such an heroic character, had brought back such a moronic bumpkin.

The father and son happily accompanied He Yiming, occasionally taking a bite from the chopsticks. However, their eating was quite cultured in comparison. Seeing He Yiming patting his stomach in satisfaction, the father and son also put down their chopsticks, indicating they had finished just now.

Although this was merely an insignificant action, it earned them quite a favourable impression from He Yiming.

After the breakfast, Xie Grace again waved his hand. Subsequently, the servants quickly sorted out bowls and chopsticks before quickly withdrawing.

With a faint nod from Xie Grace, Xie Mingjin immediately stood up and gave a deep bow to He Yiming, “Mr. He, we father and son have a request for you.”

He Yiming hoarsely laughed and said, “Brother Xie, if you have something in mind, just say it.”

Xie Mingjin’s complexion somewhat tensed but he still said, “Brother He, please don’t publically proclaim that we killed two long-armed racoons yesterday.”

He Yiming unhesitatingly nodded and said, “All right.”

The father and son exchanged a glance in astonishment. Originally, they thought they would have to extensively reason with him or pay a considerable price in order to convince him. They hadn’t expected him to agree directly.

Little did they know, He Yiming had profoundly experienced the results of how riches and fame could move people’s hearts firsthand.

Why would their He family be so secretive about the gold-crowned python?

Xie Mingjin bowed to the ground and said, “Many thanks to brother He for understanding.”

He Yiming immediately helped him up and said, “No need to be courteous, brother Xie.” Subsequently, his vision shifted to Xie Grace before he grimly said, “Mr. Grace, I have a request as well.”

Xie Grace solemnly said, “Whatever request brother He has, if it’s in our power, we will spare no effort to fulfill it.”

“I wish to learn Xie family’s alchemy. I will trouble Mr. Grace to help me fulfil this wish.” He Yiming sincerely said.

XIe Grace faintly started and said, “Brother He, I will go take a look if my elder brother is awake. If he is, I will pass on the information about your arrival and request to him. Then it will be up to him to decide. Is that fine with you?”

He Yiming deeply nodded and said, “Please,” before supplementing, “I merely wish to learn the technique of inner core extraction. Please, make this distinction clear on my behalf.”

Xie family was, after all, a clan with a medicinal legacy. Thus, alchemy would obviously be of utmost importance to the family. The decision that whether it could be passed to an outsider made by the clan leader only seemed fair and reasonable.

Xie Grace’s face revealed an understanding smile and said, “So, it’s like this. Brother He, be at ease, my elder brother will certainly not decline.”

After saying these words, he briefly cupped his hands, threw a meaningful glance at Xie Mingjin, then left.

Although Xie Mingjin’s nature was candid, he was not a fool by any means. He immediately picked on the gesture and immediately called for tea.

“Mr. He, this is Grand Extension country’s reputed tea Mist. It is said that this tea grows on mountain peaks amidst dense fog. Plucking its leaves is extremely difficult. After being transported to the northwest, it becomes extremely expensive- equivalent to gold,” He bowed and said, “ Please have a taste.”

He Yiming’s curiosity got better of him. In the He manor, although he did drink tea, for him, it was no different than an ox chewing peony flower. He’d no appreciation at all.

He picked up the exquisite cup, which seemed more like a piece of art, and sniffed. As he expected, there was a mild fragrance. However, upon taking a light sip, he discovered that it wasn’t any different than the tea back home- at least not in any way he could discern.

Xie Mingjin also took a sip, then expectantly shifted his vision over to He Yiming.

Four eyes met. After a while, Xie Mingjin embarrassedly laughed and said, “Mr. He, actually, I have studied a bit about tea sampling, but never managed to understand a thing about it. Please, forgive me.”