Chapter 1148: Business Comes
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
"Yes, Sir."
Ru'er took the plaque. The text was written on it in vigorous and fine strokes. Ever since Yi Yun became a swordsman, he stroked his words like he was swinging a sword. Each stroke contained innate Sword Dao that left lasting impressions on others.
"Sir, you plan on being a proxy alchemist of pill recipes?"
Although Yi Yun had been given 800,000 runes, renting the new store had cost him a good deal of it. If he were to spend the remaining runes on ingredients to make medicine, he would simply put himself into a dire financial position. Even if he could refine some pills, there was no guarantee that an unknown like him could even attract the customers to buy them.
Therefore, Yi Yun decided to hang a plaque and be a proxy refiner. Such a business did not require startup funds. It was fine if he did not have much capital.
"That's right." Yi Yun nodded. The demand for pills in Myriad City exceeds supply. As long as the pills I refine reach a passable standard, customers will slowly begin to swarm in."
"Sir, but…" Ru'er stammered. She found it inappropriate to say certain things. According to Yi Yun's plaque, the refinement of pills was free the first time. Subsequent refinements cost about as much as the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic would charge. How would customers be enticed by that?
Come to think of it, Ru'er did not know how skilled Yi Yun was at refining pills. But even if he was very good, it only made sense for him charge lower prices at the start of his business.
"Sir, should we add a line that if we end up destroying their ingredients, we will compensate them several times more…?"
Ru'er said softly. Although she was innocent by nature, she had some sense. As it was, there was a chance that Yi Yun's plaque would only be mocked. Why would anyone come to employ his services? Gathering materials for pill refinement was very difficult. Who would just casually let an unknown alchemist have a go with their precious materials? If the ingredients were destroyed, it would be a great loss.
Upon hearing Ru'er's words, Yi Yun laughed.
"Ru'er, I don't mind adding that line. It would not do me any harm either. However, my alchemical skills were inherited by an impressive alchemist senior. They don’t come cheap."
"I'm different from others when it comes to alchemy. If I’m not confident I can do it, I won’t do it. As such, there will not be a situation of me destroying the ingredients."
"If I succeed every time and refine high-quality pills, then those who are willing to believe in me will receive handsome rewards. Those who do not believe in me are free to go to another store."
Yi Yun had the Purple Crystal Origins, the Heretical God Fire Seed, and the divine alchemist's heritage. He was well-versed in the Desolate Heaven technique in the Tian Yuan World and in the Luo clan. In the past two years, he greatly improved his alchemical skills and Desolate Heaven technique. Under these circumstances, Yi Yun was naturally confident.
People like Alchemist Huyan, meanwhile, received godlike treatment from the various major factions. His services were rendered based purely on his mood. Even if he took on a job, there was no guarantee of success, nor was he required to pay for the failure.
But for Yi Yun, if he had to lower his prices and pay for the materials, what point was there? He might as well give the pills away for free.
Along the martial path, one had to pay the price to reap rewards. It was the same for everyone.
Ru'er weakly nodded and hung the plaque outside.
The moment it was hung, it naturally attracted a lot of attention.
People were somewhat dumbfounded when they caught sight of it.
"It's free the first time. Anyone that wants subsequent pills refined will have to pay prices that match the three major medicinal clinics?"
"The materials are provided by the customer, but there is no compensation if they get destroyed during the refinement process?"
Many people were rendered speechless when they saw the conditions on the plaque. If this was a plaque hung by the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic, no one would dare question it. In fact, mega stores like the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic did have such conditions, and the customers had to accept them. If the refinement failed, they had to consider it bad luck and move on.
However, for Yun Xin Loft to hang up such conditions, it only appeared as a joke.
Not a single person walked into the store to request Yi Yun’s services. Who would risk the ingredients that they had so painstakingly gathered? If they did so, they would probably become the laughing stock of Myriad City.
Yi Yun did not mind the people’s reactions. He took out the divine alchemist's notes and continued studying them.
He was in no hurry to take action. If no one came for his services, he could continue researching alchemy and the Desolate Heaven technique. Learning was an endless process. It all served to pave the way for Yi Yun's martial path.
"Ru'er, look at those people outside mocking us. Remember their faces…"
"Ah? Why?" Ru'er was stupefied.
"Nothing much. It's fine for them to doubt me. But it's irritating to hear their mockery. When the day comes that they request for my services, I'll charge them double. I'm a person that remembers grudges."
Yi Yun said languidly. Ru'er could only nod. From Yi Yun's tone, he appeared rather confident and was sure that these people would seek his services in the future. However, the store currently had zero business. Would anyone really come?
Ru'er waited helplessly, but not a single person came the entire afternoon. Ru'er ended up memorizing the faces of hundreds of warriors. They had all mocked the plaque.
Ru'er was innately very intelligent. It was not difficult for her to remember them all.
At evening, the illumination arrays began lighting up in the central business district. Instead of getting quieter, the streets began to be filled with more people.
Ru'er watched the open door in a daze, straining her eyes in anxiousness, hoping that someone would appear. Just as she was giving into exhaustion, a silk-clothed person stepped into the store. He surveyed the store and said with a smile, "Where's your boss? I want to get him to refine medicine!"
Was this really a customer?
Ru'er was delighted. If such an expensive store perpetually had no business, Ru'er would truly die from anxiousness. She hoped that Yi Yun could win this customer’s business and deliver, making a name for himself.
"My master is upstairs. Sir, what would you like refined? I'll call my master down."
Ru'er said happily. At that moment, Yi Yun had already walked down from the second floor. In fact, he had sensed the person the moment they entered his store.
Yi Yun unhurriedly closed the scroll in his hand. He looked at the customer in the main hall and walked down the steps one step at a time.
"What irony. To think that my Yun Xin Loft's first customer is you—Alchemist Huyan!"
"Hahaha! Don't you welcome business?" A boisterous laughter sounded as another man walked into the store. He was none other than Zuoqiu Haoyu!
"I wondered who was so audacious as to match the prices of the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic. I later learned that it was you, the little bastard. Could it be that your soul was damaged, but as a result of not consuming the Soul Restoring Relic in time, your soul sea cracked and you turned dumb? You actually opened a medicinal clinic near the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic and even wrote such an amusing plaque."
Zuoqiu Haoyu's voice rang loud and clear. It attracted a good deal of the foot traffic in the business district, causing people to look over.
"What's the point of engaging in a war of words? From my point of view, you are like a village shrew that quarrels for no good reason. Just a little offense and you unleash a barrage of invectives. Other than making people think lowly of you, what does it accomplish?"
Yi Yun's voice was nonchalant. By that point, quite a big crowd had gathered because of Zuoqiu Haoyu and Alchemist Huyan's appearance.
Many people were unaware of the quarrel between Yi Yun and Zuoqiu Haoyu at the Heaven Bestowing Medicinal Clinic. They were perplexed as to why Zuoqiu Haoyu was being so rude.
Alchemist Huyan stroked his chin. Yi Yun was an unknown junior with nothing to lose, so he was fearless. He had hung up a foolish refinement notice. The impression others had of Yi Yun was that he was mad and retarded. His standing could not be any lower.
However, the two of them were people of status. If people of status came to mock a fool, it would only add fame to the fool. It would also make others think lowly of them.
"Young Master Haoyu, this is the business district. There are many people watching so it's pointless to mock him."
"Got it." Zuoqiu Haoyu snorted coldly and turned towards Yi Yun. "Yi Yun, you hung up such a foolish notice. You want customers to prepare the refinement ingredients, but you do not need to compensate upon failure. Do you know how much effort is needed to gather ingredients? It might take hundreds, if not thousands, of years. People can go broke gathering the ingredients, and then place all their hopes on the refinement. Yet, you plan on using their efforts to practice. Have you ever considered the price they would pay when you fail? How shameless you are."
Zuoqiu Haoyu's words received the approving nods from many people. As warriors that did not have powerful factions to rely on, gathering ingredients was not an easy task. They had to go through great ordeals.
Yi Yun knew that Zuoqiu Haoyu came to his store with ill intentions. He said with a sneer, "Zuoqiu Haoyu, after saying all this nonsense, why are you here? Are you retarded?"
"Hehe." A sinister beam flashed in Zuoqiu Haoyu's eyes. "What I said does not affect the reason I'm here. Since you have opened a medicinal clinic, how can I not show you support? I have a recipe here and I would like you to refine it. If it succeeds, I will pay you double the price. Conversely, and due to the expensive nature of the ingredients I prepared, you must agree to compensate me double if you fail!"
"I see." Yi Yun chuckled. He long knew that Zuoqiu Haoyu would cause trouble for him. He had clearly brought an extremely difficult recipe. Furthermore, it needed especially valuable ingredients, and so was probably designed to scam him, making him go bankrupt from paying the compensation.
He never expected that his first customer would be such an ordeal. How could he accept such conditions?
"Are you not awake yet? If I refine the pills for you, the pills are yours if the refinement succeeds. All I get is double the pill refinement fee. If I fail, I need to pay double the ingredients' cost in compensation. These ingredients must cost an astronomical sum, right? Why would I do business that is obviously a loss for me?"
When Yi Yun finished speaking, Ru'er finally understood the brilliance behind Yi Yun’s plaque. If he were to indicate on the plaque that refinement failures would be compensated, Zuoqiu Haoyu could hire Yi Yun's services without trouble. He could then treat Yi Yun as a free alchemist and order him around. Yi Yun would not even be able to make an attempt to bargain.
"Hmph! If you succeed in the refinement, I won't even want the pill. I'll give it to you! Twice the refinement fee will be paid as well. If you fail, you will compensate me double. Do you dare?"
Zuoqiu Haoyu went for broke. He no longer hid his motives, going as far as to gamble the pill. If he really was there to refine a pill, why would he offer to give it up?
Yi Yun waved his hand and said, "Pill recipe!"
"Alright!" Zuoqiu Haoyu's eyes flashed with a teasing look. He refused to believe that Yi Yun was an alchemist. How could alchemy be that easy to learn? Furthermore, the recipe he prepared was ridiculously difficult.
Zuoqiu Haoyu threw a scroll, sending it flying at Yi Yun.