Why is my territory in a 2D anime art style?

Chapter 103: The Alchemist Training Program

As the thigh gradually disappeared, all the source energy slowly gathered and finally condensed into a small, ice-blue ball in Fang Nian's palm, about the size of a pigeon egg.

"This is the essence of the elements, but it's not enough for one serving."

Fang Nian held the small ball and handed it to Sui An.

Upon receiving it, Sui An discovered that this thing had transformed from energy into a tangible substance, very similar to the light sphere of the basic source material, except that the basic source material was a pure white light sphere with a clay-like feel.

The elemental essence is ice blue, with corresponding patterns, and even feels somewhat cool to the touch.

Upon summoning the territory's secondary core, Sui An discovered that he could store it as a [Source Energy Resource Reserve].

"Just as I expected, even non-core building materials can be stored away."

Although Sui An knew long ago that anything whose essence was a creation of source energy could be contained.

But seeing the alchemist's work in person today made me understand this principle.

Artificially created energy artifacts are materials made by alchemists using their own energy to extract the corresponding properties from various energy-based organisms, minerals, and other natural substances, and then fusing them with their own energy.

Therefore, the raw ore mined cannot be directly earned; it must be refined by alchemists.

"Alchemy is indeed the foundation of the vast majority of professions!"

Sui An did not continue his research, but instead entered the alchemy workshop. He manipulated the territory projection to move the workshop around. Even though there were three people inside, there was indeed only one binding option.

"Bind on the other side!"

As Fang Nian stood in the room, she suddenly had a feeling that she had gained some kind of authority.

Sui An tossed the remaining thigh onto the worktable: "Try again and see if it has even less energy."

Fang Nian operated it again, and soon a second ball of light appeared. She looked at Sui An with joy.

"Yes, I can feel that energy consumption has decreased by more than 10%, and the extracted elemental essence has been lost even less!"

"As for which one is easier to gain insights from, it doesn't seem to have a particularly noticeable effect."

"This is normal," Fang Si, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

"Alchemy is the initial skill for alchemists and a necessary condition for your future advancement. You need to practice and comprehend it to raise your alchemy skill level to the critical point of level 2 before you can attempt to reach the level 2 professional level."

"I've met a very talented alchemist who took about seven or eight months to level up from level 1 to level 2, which is considered fast for an alchemist. So even with the support of buildings, it's unlikely that you'll feel a significant improvement in your skill control after using a skill just once."

Fang Nian nodded thoughtfully.

Sui An smiled and said, "Now, it's time to discuss your compensation."

The brother and sister suddenly turned around and looked at each other. Fang Si's face was obviously hesitant. Fang Nian was not deeply involved in the world of professionals and did not know the effect of this building.

But Fang Si knew!

If this building were located in Ping An Trading Company in Jiangcheng, many people would pay to rent it. Putting aside the fact that energy saving and consumption reduction are the most practical benefits, the fact that it can improve skill perception alone would be enough to make many people spend money.

"Boss Sui —"

Before Fang Si could speak, Sui An interrupted her: "Fang Si, Fang Nian is now a professional as well, and you can no longer decide on this treatment. From now on, she is no longer a hostage you left in my territory. Even if you want to leave, she can't leave before I reach the intermediate level."

"However, I am not very familiar with many details of alchemy. I will provide two ideas first, and the details can be adjusted later."

"The first option is that you temporarily stay in the territory. You can buy the resources you need with money, rent the workshop for a fee, and sell the materials you make to me or to caravans. All prices are calculated based on actual costs. Territory benefits are irrelevant to you. Once I reach the intermediate level, it's up to you whether I stay or leave."

"The second option is for you to be incorporated into my territory and receive a fixed salary according to your rank. I will assign you the tasks you need to do. You can use this workshop, and I will take care of the energy consumption of the workshop. You don't need to worry about it. You will also receive the benefits of Erhu and the others in the territory. However, if you want to leave later, you will have to convert the benefits and rent into Originium based on your years of service and compensate me double in one lump sum."

"All of this is based on our peaceful and friendly coexistence. If there are any crooked paths, I will take responsibility for them, as long as you can bear the consequences."

"Okay, that's what I mean. You can take your time to think it over. Once you've thought it through, come and talk to me about the specific amount."

After Sui An finished speaking, he turned and left the workshop, leaving the brother and sister alone in the workshop.

Such a matter cannot be decided in a short time; let them discuss it first.

Sui An wasn't really clear about the treatment of alchemists, but he had a general idea of ​​what they were getting.

"I need to do some serious accounting again—"

"It's so much more comfortable now that this territory is up and running. I felt so cramped in that little courtyard before, but I'm living in this house now."

Erhu tossed the pickaxe into the house, pointed to the room on the east side of Sui'an, and said with a smile.

Sui An didn't mind: "Sure, you can choose whatever you want."

"Is that the alchemy workshop you mentioned?" Wang Zhen stood in the corner, peering through the crack at the room behind it.

A small house.

Erhu leaned over for a look: "It looks pretty ordinary. This is probably the most normal building in your territory."

Zhao Feng readily agreed: "Indeed!"

Looking at Zhao Feng and Wang Hu, Sui An suddenly remembered that when he advanced to level 3, he also received a new kitchen-type building blueprint.

Wang Hu's father is a professional chef, isn't that a perfect match?

Unfortunately, I haven't extracted that blueprint yet, so I don't know the specific benefits. Perhaps it's similar to this alchemy workshop.

Let's wait until the blueprints are ready before having Aunt Zhao show them to Uncle Wang. Once Uncle Wang arrives, the territory will have a head chef, and the living conditions will be completely different.

However, Uncle Wang is a level 3 professional. Although he doesn't have as much influence as a level 4 professional, he may still have some impact on the territory.

Erhu suddenly exclaimed in surprise, pointing behind him: "Xiao An, what are those two siblings doing in that house?"

"Oh, Fang Nian has awakened, and he's become an alchemist. So I just discussed the alchemy workshop and Fang Nian's future path with him and his sister."

Sui An spoke calmly, as if it were a trivial matter.

Zhao Feng leaned closer, seemingly incredulous, and asked again, "That person's sister, she awakened as an alchemist?"

"Yeah~ It awakened right in front of me."

"What incredible luck you have!"

Erhu was so angry he almost cursed. He became even more annoyed by Sui An's expression.

"And why are you so nonchalant? You just so easily hooked up with a beautiful female alchemist. Shouldn't you be gloating and showing off in front of me?"

"Basic operation, don't be silly~"

Sui An waved his hand dismissively, pretending not to care.

Erhu, how could you know that true showing off should be subtle and understated, and that loud shouting should never come from oneself?

He winked at the erhu player to the side.

"If we're going to be happy, it shouldn't be me, right, Erhu~"

"Hey, that's true." Erhu glanced unintentionally at Wang Hu, who was looking back.

Zhao Feng watched the two brothers speaking in riddles with suspicion, feeling that something was amiss, but when she turned her head, she found Erhu looking very serious.

"Speaking of livelihood and career, there's something I forgot to tell you," Wang Zhen said to Sui An, ignoring the two men's silly banter.

"I overheard some news about your neighbor, the Zhao family."

Sui An was taken aback: "The Zhao family, what happened to the Zhao family?"

Wang Zhen said softly, "Zhao Yuan's father, Zhao Heng, has disappeared in Jiangcheng!"

"Disappeared in Jiangcheng?"

Sui An was stunned. Zhao Heng was a level 4 blacksmith, and a mid-level blacksmith with level 4 blue quality weapon blueprints. Such a person's wealth might not be much worse than the He family's.

Although not a top figure in Jiangcheng, he still held some status. For someone like him to disappear in Jiangcheng is such a niche story.

"What the hell? A mid-level blacksmith has disappeared in Jiangcheng? Did a high-level professional intervene?"

Erhu clearly thought it was outrageous. Not to mention that there were patrolling guards in Jiangcheng, Zhao Heng would hire his own guards.

"You could say he was beaten or killed, but the idea of ​​him going missing sounds too far-fetched."

But Wang Zhen, with a serious expression, began to explain to the two of them.

"Some time ago, Zhao Yuan's territory hadn't opened the rift again, right? It was because of this incident. At first, no one outside knew about it, until his brother Zhao Hong reported it to the city lord, and then people started to investigate."

"But I heard that after several days of investigation, there was still no trace of him, so the news spread in a small area of ​​Jiangcheng. Suddenly, many casual life professionals started to panic. Now, all the life professionals with a little status in Jiangcheng know about it."

"No wonder, when I told Zhao Hong to open a gap, they didn't seem to care much, or even seemed distracted."

Sui An frowned, but what Wang Zhen said was even more suspicious. Clearly, other freelancers also believed that Zhao Heng's disappearance might not be so simple.

"Is this suspicion that someone kidnapped them?"

"But someone who can do this is definitely not a mid-level professional. Why would they kidnap a level 4 blacksmith? Just for that blue weapon blueprint?"

Wang Zhen shook his head: "I don't know, but life and jobs in Jiangcheng are incredibly stressful right now."

Zhao Feng, who was standing to the side, relaxed her brows and said softly, "No wonder Cui Mingming looked so upset when she heard that we were leaving Jiangcheng. So that's what she was worried about."

"I need to make sure Ping is safe and sound when I get back, so that she doesn't run into the same problem."

Erhu whispered, "Uncle Wang should be alright, right? After all, he hasn't broken through to the intermediate level yet. At worst, he wouldn't come after Uncle Wang."

"You're right~" Zhao Feng nodded subconsciously. Suddenly, the beast turned around.

"Erhu, you're teasing your Uncle Wang, aren't you?"

Erhu subconsciously took a half step back, repeatedly smiling apologetically: "No, no, no, I was just stating a possibility~"

"Alright, it's about time, we should head back!"

Wang Zhen glanced at the sky. Although Sui An was now a level three territory, it was best not to stay there overnight if possible.

"It's time to go, let's go then."

Zhao Feng and Wang Zhen drove away in Wang Zhen's car, carrying a load of raw ore.

Sui An didn't intend to let them leave the mine behind. After all, Fang Nian hadn't reached an agreement yet, and although the Dark Crystal Iron ore was just a low-grade ore, it wasn't appropriate to show it to the siblings right now.

Once Fang Nian is bound to her territory as an alchemist, her brother will also be forced to bind. After all, knowing so much about her, Fang Si should seriously consider whether or not to protect his sister.

"Let's go wash up, I'm exhausted after digging all day!"

Erhu glanced around the courtyard and then began moving the daily necessities he needed, which had all been brought over that morning.

Wang Hu also began picking up things he needed and bringing them back to the supplies depot.

Looking at the two of them, Sui An thought for a moment and quickly added a sentence.

"After showering and getting dressed, we'll come out. There aren't just the three of us bachelors left in the territory; the siblings might come looking for us later!"

"Got it~"

Fang Nian ultimately chose to join Sui An's territory.

Whether it was choosing to see Sui An's precious treasure or officially joining Sui An's territory, both decisions were made by Fang Nian herself.

In Sui An's view, all of these ideas went against her brother's.

Fang Si probably didn't expect that her younger sister would be so opinionated.

His original idea was that he was already a level 4 combat professional, with a certain ability to earn money to support his family, and could provide start-up capital to give his sister a relatively free environment so that she could get through the early stages smoothly.

In Fang Si's view, being free is more important than an uncertain baby or benefits that are not specifically explained.

After three days of testing with Fang Nian, Sui An roughly calculated the basic ability range of a level one alchemist.

When the source energy is fully charged:

She can roughly produce 400 energy bars, or 20 portions of basic source materials, or 10 portions of elemental essence.

分别消耗约1800斤的1级源兽肉、约1800斤的1级源兽骨头、约3600斤1级冰晶。

The time spent was 100 minutes, 120 minutes, and 150 minutes respectively.

Then Sui An unexpectedly discovered that the source stones yield for these three most basic materials were almost identical.

Based on recent prices, the value of each of the three achievements is approximately 20 Originium Stones, and the individual's cost in the market is about 18 Originium Stones.

This number is an average of three days. There will be some minor differences, but the fluctuation within this range is less than one Originium.

If the quantity is very large, the source beast meat is probably the most profitable, while the elemental essence is the least profitable.

As a Level 1 alchemist, her source energy takes approximately 12 hours to recover without any assistance.

Including daily life expenses, a level 1 alchemist in Jiangcheng can earn approximately 2 Originium per day.