Bai Jie was not in a very good mood.
He was always thinking back to what Chen Xia had said on the day he was refining pills, "Use 500 years of your life in exchange for a successful pill."
Every time he thought of these words, Bai Jie could not calm down. He always felt like he had really lost some of his lifespan, especially since what Chen Xia had refined was a furnace with two batches of pills.
Bai Jie felt that not only was 500 years of his lifespan docked, but with two batches of pills added together, it should be 1,000 years. With his strength at the inverse sea realm, he had over 10,000 years of lifespan. Adding some more life-extending miraculous pills and elixirs later on, reaching 20,000 years of lifespan would not be difficult.
But 20,000 years of lifespan could not withstand Chen Xia docking it like this. Every time he refined a superior-grade pill, it was 1,000 years of lifespan. If he refined several more times, wouldn't he be directly sending Bai Jie away?
No, absolutely not.
Bai Jie thought it through completely. The next day, he brought 20,000 Spirit Stones and went to give Chen Xia gifts, begging him not to dock his lifespan when refining pills in the future, and was extremely respectful in his attitude.
"Dad, I was wrong. Please spare me. Don't use my lifespan when refining pills in the future, okay?"
"Then whose lifespan should I use?" Chen Xia asked curiously.
Bai Jie thought for a moment, then replied, "Use those with higher cultivations. Those with higher cultivations have more lifespan. Or just directly use the old man's, the old man won't live for much longer anyway, who knows, you might even owe him, that would be a gain."
"You really know how to calculate profits," Chen Xia chuckled and put down the pill scriptures he was holding. He explained, "I was just teasing you, don't take it to heart."
"Ah?" Bai Jie was stunned, then frowned and asked hesitantly, "Really?"
"Do you really think your 500 years of lifespan could substitute for two superior-grade pills?" Chen Xia asked back.
Added together, the two superior-grade pills were worth almost over 200,000 Spirit Stones. As a seed of the inverse sea realm great emperor's family, a single life of Qiong Qi was only worth 300,000 Spirit Stones.
Bai Jie's 500 years of lifespan really was not worth two superior-grade pills when added together.
After thinking about it carefully, he did seem to be right. Bai Jie then laughed and replied, "I knew Dad wouldn't be so cruel to me."
Chen Xia sat in a rocking chair, tilted his head, and suddenly curiously asked, "Who is the most powerful alchemist in the Starry Sky Pill Sect?"
"You," Bai Jie answered without even thinking, immediately replying.
His breadth of mind had always been good.
"Other than me?" Chen Xia continued to ask.
Bai Jie thought about it a little, and replied, "The rest of the alchemists are far below you. The most powerful alchemist is probably the Sect Leader, but the Sect Leader is only at the level of a mid-grade pill alchemist."
"There are no very powerful alchemists in the Starry Sky Pill Sect. Although it takes the name of a pill sect, we take the low-end route, mainly relying on large quantities."
"The Sect Leader also wants to open the high-end market. After all, he can get in touch with those top sects in the upper layer, which means there are greater connections and opportunities."
"But there are only a few dozen pill alchemists in the entire realm, and they are all raised by those major sects. The Starry Sky Pill Sect doesn't have the qualifications to raise a pill alchemist yet."
Chen Xia nodded, feeling that this was normal too. After all, even the previous Soaring Heavens Sword Sect didn't have many pill alchemists. Someone like Zhang Daoming, who could move mountains and was a superior-grade spirit elixir master, could get a position of elder in Soaring Heavens Sword Sect.
This was enough to see how precious alchemists were.
As for pill dao grandmasters who could refine grand pills, Chen Xia had not met any yet, but he had heard of them.
Zhang Daoming highly respected Wang Yangzi, who was a pill dao grandmaster, and was also in the realm. He must be a top-level cultivator in the upper layer.
No wonder Zhen Hu was so humble and deferential to Chen Xia. An alchemist who could refine half a grand pill was one of the few in the entire middle layer of the realm.
If converted, he really was Zhen Hu's granddaddy.
What's more, Zhen Hu was also worried that this granddaddy would be poached by other sects. It was like this in the realm - poaching people was not taboo at all. They would directly make an offer right in front of you.
Some pre-Saint experts would even directly come to snatch people away, regardless of whether you were willing or not. First bring them back, then talk about it. By the time you got back, you would be willing.
Zhen Hu was also worried about this. Fortunately, the top pre-Saint experts didn't really like to come forward now. Celestial Realm cultivators lacked a voice, unless it was a top-notch existence in the twelfth layer of the Celestial Realm. Otherwise, Zhen Hu was not really afraid.
He, Zhen Hu, had been in the middle layer for so long, and also had quite a few connections. He also knew super experts above the fifth layer of the Celestial Realm.
If it really came down to it, even if he couldn't win, he could just surrender. Anyway, all he needed was for Chen Xia to refine a grand pill and get the Starry Sky Pill Sect one spot in the Celestial Realm.
This was Zhen Hu's plan. It couldn't really be called a plan, since you don't make plans against your own granddaddy. At most it was just a thought.
Bai Jie also spoke out accordingly. Clasping his fists, straightening his expression, he respectfully said, "The Starry Sky Pill Sect asks Sir to refine a grand pill for us."
Chen Xia shook his head. "I cannot guarantee the success rate of grand pills, but half a grand pill is possible."
Although there was only a one word difference, grand pills were much more precious than half grand pills. The price was directly doubled, so the difficulty was almost doubled as well.
Bai Jie hurriedly replied, "Regardless of success or failure, Sir does not need to be responsible. And if successful, Sir can keep the grand pill, you just need to pay for the materials."
This was already going above and beyond.
Chen Xia nodded, feeling this was quite reasonable. He asked again, "What grand pill are you planning to refine?"
"Naturally it would be a relatively simple low-grade grand pill. But it's only relatively simple compared to other grand pills, so it would still require someone of your caliber to successfully refine it," Bai Jie hurriedly replied, not forgetting to flatter a bit and further broaden his own breadth.
"When will the refining take place?" Chen Xia asked again.
"It just so happens to be 300 years later, at the Great Sects Conference in the middle layer of the realm. At that time there will be a grand pill competition. Sects that successfully refine a grand pill can use it to offset a spot in the Celestial Realm, and will also receive a reward," Bai Jie replied again. Hesitating for a moment, he added in a low voice,
"By then, Sir will make a name for himself. Perhaps top sects in the upper layer will even invite Sir to join them."
"Here we go again?" Chen Xia frowned. Back then even if he was "invited" to join Soaring Heavens Sword Sect by Elder Yu the fisherman,
"If Sir is unwilling, you can also find some other excuses to evade. You must not show that you are unwilling, otherwise top experts in the twelfth layer of the Celestial Realm may take action personally."
Bai Jie whispered out advice, then trotted to Chen Xia's side, and resumed his thick flattering attitude. Smiling, he said,
"As long as Sir shows willingness to incline towards one, with your alchemy skills, I believe no sect would dare to displease Sir. Even if you go to a top sect in the upper layer, you will enjoy top-tier treatment."
Chen Xia stroked his cheek and frowned. "But wouldn't that be relying on others?"
"There's no way around it. In the path of cultivation, what really matters is just combat strength. Everything else is just icing on the cake," Bai Jie shook his head and advised, his tone helpless.
Just like when Chen Xia had given him two crutches before, Bai Jie could only kneel down and call him big brother.