The Legend of Fangren

Chapter 120 Swallowed in one gulp, instantly dissolved

The following afternoon, Fang Shi arrived at the upstairs of the alchemy shop, intending to go up to the next floor, but was stopped by Dan Tong at the top of the stairs.

"Sir, this is our proprietress's alchemy room; you cannot enter without permission."

Fang Shi politely replied, "I met your boss yesterday at the jade shop and we have an appointment to meet this afternoon."

"Hmm?" Dan Tong gave him a strange look. "In that case, I'll go up and inform him. Please wait a moment, sir."

Thank you.

Fang Shi had no choice but to lean against the stairwell. Feeling a bit bored, he started looking at the antiques and alchemy furnaces displayed in the corridor.

I had seen the alchemy furnace in Senior Nanhe's alchemy room before, but I hadn't looked at it closely. I thought it was just a furnace. But now, peeking through the gaps in the carving, I see that it is incredibly complex inside, unlike a fire-starting furnace.

This was the first time he had ever seen something so intricate in the Xuan Realm. He became fascinated and unconsciously raised his hand.

Clatter, clatter, clatter—The alchemy apprentice who had just finished reporting came downstairs and, seeing this scene, hurriedly called out, "Sir, that alchemy furnace must not be touched."

"Oh?" Fang Shi stopped his hand in time. "Why is that?"

Dan Tong replied, "The alchemy furnace is a fine artifact, and this furnace was used by our boss's wife back then. Although she didn't say much, everyone in our alchemy workshop takes good care of it."

"Then why not put it away instead of leaving it outside?"

"This—as I just said, is simply that our staff are taking good care of you—sir, our proprietress already knows you've come. Please come upstairs."

"All right."

Fang Shi was no longer curious and went straight upstairs.

Upon arriving at the main room and ascending the stairs, Fang Shi was immediately greeted by a delightful fragrance wafting from the front door. Zhu Huan'e, hearing footsteps, called out from inside, "Young master, please come in."

"Boss lady, sorry to bother you."

Pushing open the door, Fang Shi couldn't help but take another sniff and exclaimed, "This is indeed the fragrance of the Spirit Condensation Pill, much clearer than the one I smelled at last night's auction."

However, his words made Zhu Huan'e's eyes flicker, and she said, "Young master, are you joking, or are you flattering me?"

"Why do you say that, proprietress?"

Zhu Huan'e took out only a small wooden box and said, "I refined this Spirit Condensation Pill this morning. It's quite a coincidence that the final pill was quite good, even better in quality than the one auctioned at the trading house last night. It should have a restrained aura, so why is there any fragrance?"

"Oh?" Fang Shi hadn't expected that the pills in the Xuan Realm were produced in the opposite way.

Zhu Huan'e smiled and said, "It seems that the young master does not know much about pills and has smelled it wrong. If ordinary pills emit a strong fragrance, it means that they are about to decompose and spoil."

Fang Shi quickly smiled apologetically, "Yes, yes, then I must have smelled it wrong."

He stared at the pill box in Zhu Huan'e's hand for a while, then, confirming that the fragrance he was smelling did not come from this pill box, he sniffed it again and pointed to an inconspicuous pill box on the other side of the table, saying, "The fragrance I smelled came from this side."

"Uh." Fang Shi didn't know why Zhu Huan'e suddenly fell silent. Could it be that it was also a box of good pills? Had he offended her again with his words?

But Zhu Huan'e got up, picked up the pill box, and sat back down, saying, "I was just joking. This box of pills is actually the Spirit Condensation Pill. It seems that the young master's cultivation is indeed not weak, and he really does have a magic treasure on him."

"Huh?" Fang Shi was taken aback.

Why is the landlady playing tricks on him? The key question is, now that she's said that, how is he supposed to explain himself?

"Young master~ the elixir is right here, but what about the magic weapon—" Zhu Huan'e sat casually on the chair, leaning against the table between the two of them. Her alluring scent, mixed with the fragrance of the elixir, filled the air, stirring one's desires.

Fang Shi could only shake his head and say, "Boss lady, to be honest, I don't have any magic treasures. All I have on me is a plain robe and this Tianfang ring."

"Young master, you jest. You possess cultivation and can detect the aura of alchemical energy, while I have been unable to detect even the slightest trace of your profound energy. How can it not be a magic weapon?"

Fang Shi could only emphasize: "It is indeed not a magic weapon. I just have a special physique and my profound energy is contained within."

"But how did you manage to find the true elixir just now?"

"Just as I said, I smelled it." Fang Shi was also puzzled; the fragrance of the elixir at the tip of his nose was real and authentic.

After being repeatedly emphasized like this, Zhu Huan'e had no choice but to calm down, her eyes filled with thoughtful consideration as she examined the pill box.

The scene became somewhat quiet for a moment. Fang Shishen, realizing that his chances of buying the pills were slim, was about to get up and take his leave when Zhu Huan'e grabbed him. He hadn't expected the proprietress, who had been quite dignified just moments before, to be so abrupt, and he was pulled back to his seat.

"Young master, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I can see that you are very eager for this pill. May I ask what you intend to use it for? I suppose you don't plan to take it only when you are seriously injured."

Fang Shi scratched his head and said, "Of course we'll eat it."

"Alright, in that case, please, young master~" Zhu Huan'e seemed to have thought of something again. Her beautiful eyes stared straight at him. She flicked open the pill box with her fingertips, picked up the round and crystal-clear pill with her jade-like fingertips, and presented it to him.

Fang Shi lowered his head, swallowed hard, and smelled the fragrance of the pill. It was almost touching his lips. If it were an ordinary person, their attention would be on the beautiful woman feeding him the pill, but at this moment, he could only see the pill itself.

"Then I'll accept it."

Like a fish that has taken the bait, Fang Shi didn't even think to reach out and take the pill. Instead, he opened his mouth directly, startling Zhu Huan'e so much that she pulled her hand back and flicked the pill into the air, as if she had returned to that night downstairs, when Fang Shi swallowed it in one gulp.

At this very moment! Zhu Huan'e's heart stirred, and a wisp of imperceptible profound energy was released from her fingertips, connecting with the Spirit Condensation Pill.

She refined this elixir herself, and she was intimately familiar with the profound energy within it. She could discern how this wisp of energy, connected to the elixir, would change upon being swallowed.

If this young master truly has a special constitution, then the profound energy within the pill will be integrated into his body along with this wisp of energy, dissolving and breaking off. However, if he has a concealing magic treasure, then the wisp of energy will break off from the pill energy even earlier.

She naturally hoped it was the latter—once the truth was verified, the other party would have taken a fourth-grade pill from her for free, and she wouldn't be able to refuse.

However, things didn't go as planned. Before Zhu Huan'e could prepare, she discovered that the Spirit Condensation Pill that the other party had swallowed was rapidly dissolving, along with the wisps of energy, without any leakage of profound energy.

"————, how could this be?" She frowned, not only because Fang Shi's words were true, but also because a dignified fourth-grade pill could be dissolved in an instant after entering her body.

Looking at Fang Shi with puzzled and confused eyes, the guy was completely oblivious, still indulging in his own pleasure, as if he had drunk some kind of nectar. He was sprawled in the chair, his whole body and face full of comfort, and even a little drowsy.

Zhu Huan'e was puzzled. Had this young master taken a Spirit Condensation Pill? Why did his every behavior seem completely unrelated to the pill's effects, instead resembling a drowsy pill?