Chapter 670: Old Demon Tie Yi
This old demon volunteered and immediately led the way for Li Qiye and Yuan Caihe with great enthusiasm.
With the old demon ahead, Li Qiye and Yuan Caihe walked side by side while looking at the old demon. Li Qiye revealed a mysterious smile then told Yuan Caihe: “You know this fella?”
Yuan Caihe slightly shook her head in response and replied: “I don’t really know him, but he came to the Serene Garden in the past for medicine and even brought the extremely precious Sacred Curewater in exchange for ointments. At that time, I examined and helped his injuries, but they were extremely fatal and I was powerless. I gave him some ointments and let him leave. Without some Immortal Medicines, I thought he wouldn’t survive for another half a year. Who would have thought that he could persevere for so long and is actually still alive to this day?” While recalling the event, she couldn’t help but look at the old demon in front of them once more; this was a cause for astonishment. Although she was not versed in refining ointments, the Serene Garden had a unique dao of alchemy, and it also had some very precious ointments.
Although Yuan Caihe’s healing techniques were far from comparable to her plant cultivation skill, in her eyes, the old demon’s wounds that year were not curable by anyone in the entire Stone Medicine World, unless he managed to find some Immortal Medicines.
She was a kind person and although she knew that he would not last much longer, she still gave him some ointments. She guessed that without Immortal Medicines, he wouldn’t make it past half a year, so who would have thought that the old demon managed to persist and even fully recover?
She found it very strange, but she was not a nosy person. This was the old demon’s personal matter, so she didn’t question him despite her curiosity.
“So it is like that.” Li Qiye stroked his chin and smiled while looked at the old demon’s back as he walked on.
“Brother Li thinks something is amiss?” Yuan Caihe couldn’t help but ask. Of course, she also found it strange as well.
“Well, only he knows.” Li Qiye smiled, but a little glimmer could be found in his narrowed eyes.
The Celestial Peak was a wild area with dangerous hills. It could be said that there were dangers everywhere in the form of ferocious beasts and vicious birds. Although these creatures had yet to become enlightened, they were powerful beyond imagination and capable of rending the earth with their claws and destroying the sky with their wings.
There were poisonous insect kings all over the place. There were creatures so vile that a mouthful of toxic fumes spat from them could kill everything in a thousand mile radius — terribly shocking.
Because of this, ordinary cultivators didn’t dare to intrude on the Celestial Peak. Only the strong would dare to show up here.
Its dangers also meant that there were many great treasures here that were untouched by man. Thus, this vast and majestic land was full of spirit medicines and herbs.
Along the way, Li Qiye and Yuan Caihe, accompanied by Old Demon Tie Yi leading the way, found many spirit medicines and herbs. Of course, the good ones had their own awareness, so it was a bit difficult to pluck them.
In fact, herb picking was also part of the dao of alchemy. With greater skill, one would be able to pick even better medicines, maybe even Immortal Medicines.
Of course, this was no issue for Li Qiye and Yuan Caihe, they managed to pick many along the way.
Meanwhile, Old Demon Tie Yi also got some leftovers from Li Qiye and Yuan Caihe. When they were picking medicines, he also managed to get some scraps in the form of herbs.
This harvest left him beaming with a delighted expression. It seemed that this old demon was a vagabond, so just a small batch of spirit medicines was enough to excite him.
“Wow, a nearly 1,000,000 year old Young King Medicine.” The old demon started to salivate when he saw Li Qiye pick a root from a ravine.
“Pretty good luck there.” Yuan Caihe also revealed an elegant smile and said: “A Young King Medicine nearing one million years of age is not easy to find, but Brother Li immediately caught one this easily. Your dao of alchemy is really amazing.”
“You noticed it just as fast as me.” Li Qiye said with a smile. Due to his knowledge of the alchemy dao, the moment he set foot on this land, he immediately knew the type of herbs that were growing here as well as their locations. In fact, he had already measured the land the moment he arrived at the Celestial Peak, so even King Medicines wouldn’t be able to escape his grasp easily.
Of course, catching a 3,000,000 year old King Medicine was not difficult for him either, so him catching this Young King Medicine was just an easy matter.
Yuan Caihe gently smiled and said: “Brother Li flatters me too much. Although I also noticed that the root was hiding around this area, I wouldn’t have been able to catch it as well as you. Whether it was the catching technique or sealing the area, I would be one step slower than Brother Li. Your moves are swift and flexible like flowing water and floating clouds and shows the great mastery ingrained in your mind. I have to say that regarding plucking medicines, you are a level higher than me.”
Li Qiye only smiled after receiving the praise. For tens of millions of years now, his hands had plucked countless spirit medicines, so of course he had no peers in this regard.
“Fairy Yuan is the divine physician and Young Noble Li is the king with regards to the dao of alchemy. The two of you are at the peak of alchemy without rival.” Meanwhile, Old Demon Tie Yi immediately flattered the two of them. He looked at the Young King Medicine in Li Qiye’s hand and couldn’t help but gulp.
Suddenly, right at this moment, a group of people descended from the sky with an imposing aura. This was a group of experts that wore precious robes, giving off a cold atmosphere filled with disdain. The leader of this group was a young man around the age of twenty with an imperial robe that showed off his nobility and contempt for others.
“The Golden Leopard Country’s cavalry and the Golden Leopard Prince…” The moment the old demon saw this group of people coming down from the sky, his expression greatly changed. He did a roll and immediately went underground, disappearing without a trace.
His sudden escape into the ground left Yuan Caihe speechless. It was extremely rare to see a cowardly person of this magnitude.
“So it is Fairy Yuan, please excuse me.” The person who led the group was the prince. He cupped his hands together and spoke to Yuan Caihe: “I have heard my followers’ report. They were blind and stopped your path, so I am here to apologize.” Having said that, he slightly bowed.
The Golden Leopard Country was a demonic great power with a number of Demon Monarchs that mainly consisted of animals. The Golden Leopard Prince was their first prince, thus his status was quite high.
However, his status was far from being comparable to Yuan Caihe’s. People who were in a similar position to the Golden Leopard Prince in the entire Stone Medicine World numbered in the thousands, but Yuan Caihe was one of the four alchemy prodigies, someone with great fame; very few among the younger generation could be considered her peer. At times, many great powers and imperial lineages would require the aid of a young genius such as her.
She was a very easygoing and amiable person. Without any arrogance, she nodded and said: “Golden Leopard Prince said too much. There will always be some complications as we tread the outside world, so Golden Leopard Prince doesn’t have to worry about it.”
The prince bowed again and said: “Thank you for your tolerance.” After apologizing, the prince’s gaze fell upon Li Qiye. To be more exact, it fell on the Young King Medicine in Li Qiye’s hand.
To the prince, an unknown nobody with such an ordinary appearance like Li Qiye was not worthy of his glance. In his eyes, this nobody was not worth mentioning.
What attracted his gaze was the root Li Qiye was holding. In fact, a 1,000,000 year old Young King Medicine — to any cultivator — would be a precious treasure and was worth coveting.
At this time, the prince asked Yuan Caihe: “This is…?” If it wasn’t for the fact that he really wanted the root in Li Qiye’s hand, someone with a great status like him would be too lazy to ask about an unnamed junior.
“This is Brother Li, he’s also an alchemist.” Yuan Caihe only did a simple introduction without going into great detail.
“Alchemist Li is truly lucky to be able to pluck a Young King Medicine; this is a rare occasion.” The prince said. He felt that speaking to Li Qiye was already doing this nobody a great honor due to his great status. Because of this, he didn’t even refer to Li Qiye as “Dao Brother”, only “Alchemist”.
However, Li Qiye was too lazy to even interact with someone like the Golden Leopard Prince; he simply stood there leisurely in complete indifference.
The prince’s attention was not on Li Qiye but the Young King Medicine in his hand, so the prince clapped his hands together and spoke to Yuan Caihe: “To tell the truth, I came to the Celestial Peak this time in order to find a King Medicine in addition to Immortal Sulfur. I see that the Young King Medicine in this Alchemist Li’s hand is just right for me, so I wonder if Alchemist Li is willing to do a trade?”
At this time, Li Qiye shifted his eyes and glanced at the prince. He still didn’t say anything, but the prince continued on: “As long as Alchemist Li is willing, you can just name the price. Whether it is refined jades or treasures, this prince will try my best to satisfy you.”
At this moment, Li Qiye slowly put away the Young King Medicine in his hand and shook his head to say: “My apologies, but this Young King Medicine is not for sale. I’m keeping it for my personal usage.”
In his eyes, a Young King Medicine was no different to a weed. However, he wouldn’t sell it to someone like this Golden Prince Leopard.
“Alchemist Li should reconsider, as long as you name the price, this prince will try to meet it.”
Li Qiye didn’t even bat an eye as he coldly refused: “Not for sale.”
The Golden Leopard Prince’s expression immediately sank because Li Qiye’s attitude annoyed him. How could he remain cool when Li Qiye, this nobody, was acting in such a haughty manner towards someone as great as him?