Douluo Continent: Transmigrating into Huo Yuhao's world, I start by becoming Yao Lao's app

Chapter 16: Tell Old Mo, I want to eat fish!

"Yuhao, how much money do you have left?" Yao Lao suddenly asked from within the Sea of ​​Spirit.

Huo Yuhao was slightly taken aback, calculated in his mind for a moment, and then replied, "A little over ten thousand gold soul coins, I guess. What's wrong, teacher?"

"You can now try to learn the basics of alchemy, but to make medicine, you need materials and a cauldron," said the old medicine master.

"I told you before about your lack of money, and I can help you solve that. What I mean is that you can sell your alchemy products. But first, you need enough money to buy materials and a cauldron, and you need to prepare at least twenty sets of materials. After all, learning alchemy requires being prepared for failure."

Huo Yuhao nodded. He had actually guessed some of what Yao Lao was saying beforehand.

After all, Emperor Yan initially gained some money and status in the novice village by selling the pills he and Yao Lao refined. His current situation is not much different from that of Emperor Yan back then.

The alchemist's business model involves refining pills, selling them to earn money, and then using that money to buy materials to refine more pills.

Moreover, if you want to find an alchemist to refine pills, you can never provide only one set of materials; you usually need to provide three or even five sets.

If the alchemy is successful on the first try, all the remaining materials belong to the alchemist. If all the materials are used up but the alchemy fails, the alchemist bears no responsibility.

Making pancakes on flat ground guarantees a harvest regardless of drought or flood—that's the kind of risk-free business alchemy is. Yet, despite this, countless people desperately want to beg alchemists to concoct medicines, but no one has the connections!

However, Huo Yuhao's biggest problem right now is the lack of start-up capital.

The ten thousand gold soul coins he currently possesses seem like a lot, but they are not enough to purchase materials for alchemy and to forge a suitable medicine cauldron.

The materials that Elder Yao used for refining pills included rare herbs and the essence blood of soul beasts over a hundred years old. While these things weren't exactly priceless, they were still extremely expensive.

To withstand the temperature of flames generated by soul power, or even the burning of beast fire and strange fire, the materials of the medicine cauldron must be rare metals that are extremely resistant to high temperatures.

If you calculate it carefully, he doesn't have enough money right now; the gap is huge.

After all, his daily diet requires a lot of money, and he absolutely cannot spend all the money on medicine-making materials and cauldrons, thereby affecting his cultivation.

The old apothecary was also observing Huo Yuhao. If Huo Yuhao asked him for help to refine some items for sale, he wouldn't refuse. However, this would mean that Huo Yuhao had become dependent on him, which would be very dangerous if things continued this way.

Flowers grown in a greenhouse may grow quickly, but they cannot withstand wind and rain. Only by achieving self-reliance and independence can one become a true strong person in the future.

"Or should I ask someone to lend me some money?" Huo Yuhao was pondering this question, as he didn't want to ask Yao Lao for help over such a small matter.

"Wang Dong shouldn't be short of money, but it's better for me to stay away from her for now. She has a divine thought of Tang Shenwang inside her, and I dare not get entangled with her right now."

"Ning Tian is the young sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, so she should be quite wealthy. But we're not familiar with each other yet, so she won't lend me the money, will she?"

"If it were Qian Duoduo, the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, he would definitely lend me the money if I asked. But... forget it. Favors owed to the Shrek Academy have to be repaid with one's own body. I'd better not create trouble for myself."

Huo Yuhao thought of a few people, but none of them seemed quite suitable.

"Big fish, where can I find a big fish to get some soul coins to spend?"

Just as Huo Yuhao was deep in thought, a lean and muscular man seemed to have heard him and walked towards him excitedly.

"Dude, how did you know I caught a 20-pound arowana today?"

Huo Yuhao was completely dumbfounded upon hearing this. He was clearly talking to himself, and he didn't even know this person!

Who the hell asked you that? You cunning fisherman!

"Wait a minute, fish?!" Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Brother, what great skills! You managed to catch such a big golden arowana!" Huo Yuhao patted the fisherman's arm and praised him loudly.

"Ahem, well... I didn't catch this fish entirely by myself," the fisherman said, scratching his head sheepishly. "My daughter came with me fishing today, and she caught this 20-pound golden arowana on her very first cast. But she's not strong enough, so I had to pull it up myself."

Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao looked with pity at the golden dragonfish, which was over a meter long, on the trailer next to the fisherman.

Veteran airmen aren't scary; what's truly frightening is a newbie. Why did you provoke her? Now look what happened—you've been used as a newbie gift pack!

"Brother, what do you do for a living?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"I deliver fish to the academy's cafeteria; I'm just an ordinary merchant in Shrek City," the fisherman chuckled. "The students at Shrek are all noble Soul Masters, so I wouldn't dare let you call me 'Big Brother,' it would shorten my lifespan. Just call me Old Mo."

"Old Mo?!" Huo Yuhao was stunned when he heard this, and then he was filled with respect.

"Hello, Lao Mo, I'm a freshman at Shrek Academy. My name is Gao Qi, no, my name is Huo Yuhao!" Huo Yuhao shook Lao Mo's rough right hand.

"Starting today, I'd like to buy some fish from you, as well as some fresh meat from ten-year-old soul beasts, and some vegetables. I'll buy everything from you at three times the market price. What do you think?"

"Three times the market price?!" Old Mo exclaimed incredulously. "No, no, no, that's too much. I can't make money off just one child. Just give me some running errand fees."

Huo Yuhao smiled gently and patted the simple and honest fisherman on the shoulder.

"It's okay, just do as I say. I'll give you more money later when my business grows!"

Old Mo declined several times, but he couldn't persuade Huo Yuhao otherwise, and could only leave with profuse thanks.

The 20-pound golden dragonfish also belonged to Huo Yuhao, and was handed over to him along with the other items that night.

Huo Yuhao gave Lao Mo a deposit of one thousand gold soul coins to purchase these items. Considering that he might not have time to pick up the goods in person in the future, he also agreed with Lao Mo on a secret code for picking up the goods.

Tell Lao Mo, I want to eat fish!

The old apothecary was completely bewildered. Seeing Lao Mo leave, he quickly asked Huo Yuhao, "Yuhao, what are you trying to do?"

"Teacher, does alchemy require practicing the ability to control flames?" Huo Yuhao asked with a smile.

"That's right, the ability to perceive the soul is of paramount importance in alchemy, but why are you asking this?" the old alchemist said, puzzled.

"It's nothing. I've found a very clever way to practice my control over flames. You'll see tonight."

(End of this chapter)