65. Treasure Hunt

 

Ye Shi had a question in his mind. President? He must not be an ordinary person, but why would he want to see them?

Mu Chen said cautiously, "We are flattered."

Fu Zuquan said, "It's my honor to serve you, Master Mu."

"It is such an overwhelming pleasure." Mu Chen immediately said with sincerity.

"Mr. Mu Chen, it is indeed a genius idea to use Minglan flower and Danshao flower instead of Xueling flower to reduce costs. Minglan and Danshao are mutually resistant, and most people would not think of using them together, but you just took advantage of it. It's amazing..." Fu Zuquan said with full of admiration.

Mu Chen smiled awkwardly, and said, "Thanks for your compliment! I just wrote a casual answer. Whether it works or not, I really don't know."

As soon as Fu Zuquan showed up, he immediately attracted the attention of many people in the hall. Mu Chen found that people were looking at him with doubts. It felt like he was being watched like a monkey in a zoo.

"Who is that guy?! He is actually talking to the president." Zi Fei said with frown.

He's really the master who answered the questions yesterday! Dongling said silently in her mind.

"Who is he exactly?! Why does the President meet him in person?" Li Ping asked.

Zhou Xuan shook his head and said, "I don't know. He's not a local, but he's a second-level alchemist at such a young age. I bet his background is not simple."

Cang Yu squinted, and a bit of jealousy flashed in his eyes. He asked to meet Fu Zuquan several times, but he was rejected. However, the president came to see Mu Chen in person. Why?

 

…………

 

Fu Zuquan looked at Mu Chen and said, "Young Master Mu, I heard that you are collecting first- and second-level elixir prescriptions?"

Mu Chen nodded and said, "Yes."

Fu Zuquan said, "We have many interesting prescriptions. I bet you might be interested."

Mu Chen nodded and said, "I appreciate it."

"Young Master Mu, would you like to be a member of our guild?" Fu Zuquan asked.

Mu Chen frowned and said with guilt, "Senior, I'll be leaving the city soon."

"Are you going to Saint Star Academy?" Fu Zuquan asked.

Mu Chen nodded and said, "Exactly, how did you know?"

"Young talents always like to go to Saint Star Academy. Now is the recruitment season of Saint Star Academy. I guess you might go there too." Fu Zuquan smiled lightly.

"You are right." Mu Chen said with full of compliments.

"We have low-level Alchemist Guilds all over the country. In the imperial capital where Saint Star Academy is located, headquarter of our low-level Alchemist Guild is there. You can be a member of our guild even if you leave the city." Fu Zuquan said.

Ye Shi blinked and asked curiously, "What should Mu Chen do if he become a member?"

"There is nothing difficult to do. You just need to visit the Guild regularly to participate in some activities, and answer questions like yesterday." Fu Zuquan said.

Ye Shi responded without interest, "Okay."

Fu Zuquan looked at Ye Shi and said, "Our member will get discounts of items for sale at the guild. If you want to collect any materials in the future, you can turn to the guild, and we will try our best to help you."

Ye Shi leaned towards Mu Chen and whispered, "Not bad. You can get a discount."

Mu Chen lowered his head and smiled. It was indeed a good idea. But there has never been a free lunch in this world. If he becomes a member of this guild, to a certain extent, he would be labeled as one of this guild. In the future, if the Guild asked for his help, it would be hard for him to refuse. But now that President of the Guild had invited him, he could not say to turn him down.

Mu Chen smiled and said, "I appreciate your kind offer. I would love you to join you. Hopefully I won’t let you down.”

Fu Zuquan said, "You are a talented man. You have a promising future ahead of you.”

"Thank you for your kind words." Mu Chen said.

Mu Chen spent more than 30,000 elementary stones to buy more than 60 first-level elixir prescriptions and more than 20 second-level ones from the Low-level Alchemist Guild, and left.

When Ye Shi walked out the building, he looked depressed.

"What's wrong?" Mu Chen asked.

Ye Shi shook his head and said, "Nothing. It’s just that you can earn money quickly and spend it quickly. Why don’t you answer more questions and earn some extra money?"

Mu Chen shook his head and said, "No need. Let's talk about it when we arrive at the imperial capital." Judging from the crowd of people at the guild, he did attract a lot of attentions yesterday. If he went back to answer questions, he would expose himself under the spotlight.

Ye Shi nodded and said, "Alright. What are you looking at?"

"This, the prescription for the Beast Spirit Pill." Mu Chen said.

Ye Shi rolled his eyes, and said, "Why do you buy everything? The President already said that one of the herbs that Beast Spirit Pill is made of has long disappeared. So this prescription is useless.”

Mu Chen said with disapproval, "It can be useful if I can find an equivalent herb. It is said that the Beast Spirit Pill can help tame beasts. If I can make it, it will be popular in the market."

Ye Shi pouted and said, "It's only useful if you can make it! Haven't you listened to the president? Don’t be greedy. Many low-level alchemists waste a lot of time on studying one or two special prescriptions."

Mu Chen put away the prescription and said, "Okay, I get it. Let's go and find that thing."

A gleam of light flashed in Ye Shi's eyes. He said with excitement, "Okay!"

According to the map, Green Hell flame existed in Mingling Mountain. Mingling Mountain was neither big nor small. There were many first- and second-level monsters in the mountain.

Many adventurers would hunt monsters there.

In the forest, an arrow pierced the neck of an antelope. Ye Shi hurriedly said to the person beside him, "Okay. Okay. I have already killed that sheep. Don't waste the talisman."

Before entering the mountain, just in case, Mu Chen spent 10,000 elementary stones to buy a bunch of first-, second-, and third-level talismans.

When they were in danger on the way, Mu Chen simply threw the talisman. After several times, Mu Chen didn't feel anything, but Ye Shi did not want to splash the money. Therefore, he went ahead to fight against the danger when needed.

Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi and said, "Stone, you don't need to fight so hard."

Ye Shi smiled disapprovingly, and said earnestly, "We should save some when we can."

Mu Chen nodded and said helplessly, "Okay. I get it."

Ye Shi smiled.

"It should be here? Why is there nothing here? Is this map fake?" Ye Shi felt upset. He finally managed to help Mu Chen once. If the map turned out to be fake, then... would there be something he could do for Mu Chen?

Mu Chen patted Ye Shi's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. If this thing is so easy to find, it won't be so precious. It is not a big deal even if we can't find it. My father has been looking for this thing for a few years, but all failed. We should be patient."

Ye Shi calmed down a bit.

"It seems to be in that direction." Ye Shi, who calmed down, pointed at somewhere in the east, "But, there is no way there."

"How do you know it's in that direction?" Mu Chen asked, frowning.

"Intuition." Ye Shi said.

Mu Chen narrowed his eyes, hesitating for a while in his mind. Was Ye Shi guided by the original plot or any another reason?

"There should be an illusion formation in that place. I guess there should be a way out." Mu Chen thought about it.

Ye Shi asked, "How did you know?"

"I have studied the formation technique, but only a little bit." Mu Chen explained calmly.

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen with admiration on his face, and said, "You are amazing. You know everything."

Mu Chen smiled and said, "It's nothing big."

"Do you know how to break the formation?" Ye Shi asked.

Mu Chen shook his head and said, "No, but, I know how to get in?"

Ye Shi blinked and said, "How?"

"Just close our eyes. Once we close our eyes, we won’t see the illusion, and thus won't be affected by it. This is the easiest way." Mu Chen said.

Ye Shi nodded and said, "I see!"

According to the original story, Ye Shi didn't find the way, so he rushed in and thus made a lot of noise. Although he found the way in the end, he attracted a lot of attentions. It took him a lot of effort to get rid of them.

Mu Chen and Ye Shi closed their eyes. They got into the rock-looking thing and entered a cave.

Ye Shi was full of surprise and said, "You are right! It is different in here."

Mu Chen and Ye Shi walked to a stone gate. With a closer look, Mu Chen was shocked. He thought that the spirit fire was a produce of the nature. But it seemed that it had a master. If it had a master, why was it left here?

Ye Shi knocked on the stone door and said, "This stone door doesn't seem to be easy to move."

"There are words here! The things behind this door are reserved for my descendants. If others dare to take them, they will be doomed." Ye Shi read the words on the stone tablet.

Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi and said, "Where did you get your map? Does your mother have something to do with the owner of the flame?"

Ye Shi shook his head and said, "I don't know. My mother didn't tell me."

"There is a palm print here. You can press it and try." Mu Chen said to Ye Shi.

Ye Shi nodded, pressed his palm into the groove. Ye Shi groaned, and the stone door opened in response.

Ye Shi found that there was a small wound in his palm.

Mu Chen now understood that Ye Shi must have a close connection with the owner of the tomb! Ye Shi’s background must be more complicated than it appeared.

 

 

66. Got the Green Hell flame

The two walked into the stone room one after the other. The stone room was full of gorgeous flame stones. There was an altar in the middle of the flame stones. On the altar, there was blue flame.

Ye Shi felt that he was connected to Green Hell flame.

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen, and said, "Mu Chen, is this strange fire deliberately left here by someone?"

Mu Chen nodded and said, "It seems yes. This stone room is built by someone."

"Didn't you say that this kind of strange fire is very precious? Then why did the owner not hide it somewhere, but put it here instead?" Ye Shi frowned and said puzzledly.

Mu Chen squinted his eyes and said, "The owner probably thinks that the flame is too weak?"

Ye Shi was puzzled, "Too weak?"

Mu Chen nodded and explained, "Yes. Strange fire can be strong or weak, but both of them can help during promotion. This Green Hell flame is at third level. For us, it is enough, but not for the person who put Green Hell flame here. These flame stones and the formation on the altar are good to upgrade the flame. The person who left the flame here is raising the flame."

Ye Shi said, "I've only heard of raising chickens or ducks, but I've never heard of raising fire. Can fire also be raised?"

Mu Chen smiled and said, "The world is so big that there are all kinds of wonders."

Ye Shi blinked and urged, "You should absorb this fire quickly."

Mu Chen frowned and said, "Your blood can open the stone gate. The original owner of this flame should have some connection with you. I think you are the better one to absorb this flame." Although Mu Chen wanted the fire too, he still suggested so.

Ye Shi shook his head and said, "No, I don't want it. I don't make alchemy. The flame is useless to me."

Even if Ye Shi didn’t make alchemy, it was beneficial to absorb this flame. At the very least, when he fought against others, his combat power could be improved by several percent. Mu Chen squinted and thought about it, and said, "If you insist, I will absorb it."

Ye Shi nodded and said excitedly, "Okay."

Mu Chen looked down, and a few cold lights flashed in his eyes. In Mu Chen’s opinion, it might be a better choice if he absorbed the flames himself. He did not know how big the influence of the original plot was. There might be a possibility that Ye Shi would give Green Hell flame to Lan Ruofeng. Although the possibility was low, Mu Chen had to prevent it from happening.

Mu Chen did a mild cut on Ye Shi's finger and made Ye Shi's blood drip onto Green Hell flame.

Ye Shi frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I am just thinking that you and Green Hell flame's owner may have the same bloodline. If that's the case, your blood might make this flame much calmer." Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi with worries.

Ye Shi was not angry at all. Instead he said happily, "Really? My blood can offer such a help? Do you think it is useful?" Mu Chen was getting better and better, so much better that Ye Shi was under great pressure. Ye Shi felt excited that his blood was useful.

Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi, smiled, and said, "It's useful. This flame is much gentler. I can absorb it much more smoothly.”

Ye Shi's face blushed, "It's good to know that."

Mu Chen clenched his hands tightly as Ye Shi seemed happy from the bottom of his heart. How could Lan Ruofeng have not been attracted by Ye Shi in the original story? Even worse, how could he hurt Ye Shi so badly?

In order to absorb Green Hell flame, Mu Chen made a lot of preparations in advance. With the help of the fire-melting liquid and Ye Shi's blood, it went smoothly. Green Hell flame was successfully being absorbed into Mu Chen’s body. At the same time, Mu Chen's strength also soared from a five-star warrior to an eight-star warrior, even higher than Ye Shi.

Ye Shi suddenly felt a little strange when Mu Chen overtook him.

…………

 

 

The Lan family.

When Lan Ruofeng was shopping with Zhuang Yu, he suddenly felt a twitch in his heart. It felt like he had lost something.

Zhuang Yu looked at Lan Ruofeng and asked, "Ruofeng, what's wrong with you?"

Lan Ruofeng shook his head and said with a smile, "I'm fine."

Lan Ruofeng frowned. A few days ago, he had a strange feeling. If he didn't go to find Ye Shi, he would lose something very important. But now he felt differently. It felt that he had lost something forever.

Lan Ruofeng squinted his eyes and couldn't help but wonder why he felt that way. It was too strange. If his feeling was true, then who was the one who took it away from him? Was it Mu Chen? The first time when he saw Mu Chen, he did not like him.

"Ruofeng, you looked terrible!" Zhuang Yu said worriedly.

Lan Ruofeng forced a smile and said, "I am fine."

"Ruofeng, I heard that you sent someone to investigate Mu Chen and Ye Shi?" Zhuang Yu asked.

Lan Ruofeng's heart sunk and said, "How did you know?"

Zhuang Yu complained about Lan Ruofeng's odd attitude, "You have always been distracted recently. I am worried about you, so I..."

Lan Ruofeng squinted. Zhuang Yu was good-looking and friendly. Many people were fascinated by him. He should be proud to have such a partner. But he did not like that Zhuang Yu attracted people around him.

"Yes." Lan Ruofeng responded calmly.

Zhuang Yu blinked and asked, "Ruofeng, why are you investigating Mu Chen and Ye Shi?"

Lan Ruofeng smiled and said, "It's nothing serious. Mu Chen and Ye Shi seem to have misunderstood me. I am thinking to reconcile with them."

"You are so generous. Mu Yuanfeng made you embarrassed in front of your father, but you are so generous that you want to reconcile with Mu Chen. Mu Chen will be ashamed when he finds out." Zhuang Yu said to Lan Ruofeng.

Lan Ruofeng raised his eyebrows in disapproval. Mu Chen would not feel ashamed.

According to rumors, Mu Chen was stupid and pushy. But the Mu Chen he saw was not like that at all.

Zhuang Yu said, "The rose shop is in front. I heard that the rose shop has a lot of good things. Let's go and have a look."

"Sure." Lan Ruofeng smiled.

 

 

…………

In the jungle.

Bull roars burst out.

Boom! Mu Chen punched an iron-hoofed cow who was knocked out.

The iron-hoofed cow rushed over again. A layer of blue light lingered on Mu Chen's hand. Bang! They collided fiercely again. A large piece of the iron-hoofed cow's skin and flesh was burned off. It screamed in huge pain. It fell on its own blood.

Ye Shi was amazed and said, "Good for you, Mu Chen. You are a master now."

Mu Chen smiled and said disapprovingly, "It's still a long way from a master." The strange fire was indeed powerful! With only his own strength, he could only cause a mild injury to this monster with one punch, but, with the help of strange fire attack, he could kill this monster.

With his current strength, with the help of Green Hell flame in battle, he shouldn't have a problem of killing 1-star or 2-star level monsters, maybe even the 3-star ones.

Even though he improved quickly now, he still should be extra careful.

After all, according to the original plot, one year later, he would be killed by Lu Yao. If Lu Yao found out that Mu Yuanfeng had the Hundred Exercises, he would still take action. Before that, Mu Chen must be powerful enough to protect himself.

Ye Shi quickly ran to the iron-hoofed cow and collected the blood of the cow.

Ever since Ye Shi liked physical training, he basically couldn’t live without taking bath with beast blood on daily basis. Along the way of this journey, Ye Shi bought beast blood to take a bath. He kept beast blood in the space ring for easy access.

This time, they found that the wild beast blood was surprisingly greater for physical training. Therefore, when Ye Shi had a chance, he collected beast blood.

Mu Chen said as Ye Shi was busy with collecting blood, "Stone, my space ring has a limited capacity! I don’t think we can collect so much beast blood."

Ye Shi said, "It doesn't matter. We can take a bath first before leaving! We have collected a lot of beast blood recently."

Mu Chen smiled and said, "Okay!"

"You will use milder beast blood. We are in the wild. If you scream too loud, you might attract monsters." Ye Shi reminded.

Mu Chen, "..."

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen's ring and said, "Mu Chen, you should buy a larger space ring. Your ring is small."

Mu Chen said, "It is indeed small! It costs 50,000 elementary stones for such a small ring."

Ye Shi was shocked by the price of the ring and also by how Mu Chen splashed his money.

"Actually, although it's small, it's good enough." Ye Shi said with a grin.

Mu Chen said disapprovingly, "I don't think it's enough. When we get to the imperial capital, I have to find a way to make more money and get a bigger one."

Ye Shi, "..."