Chapter 59: Attributes

“I’d like a Grade 3 Alchemist please.”

The stone board made it clear that the Grade 3 alchemists were the most respectable alchemists. It also reminded the customers to take other grades of alchemists unless the item was a rare treasure. This principle was installed to ensure the efficiency of the Grade 3 alchemists.

Obviously, the young customer serviceman in green changed his facial expression. He stared at Xu Yi and enquired, “Do consider carefully if your material or item warrants our Grade 3 alchemists. In addition, we have a new policy to determine the assets worth of two thousand taels of gold before we accede to assign a Grade 3 alchemist for the job.”

Initially, the stone board had not indicated the terms and conditions for commissioning Grade 3 alchemists. All customers who ask for the best alchemists. After the added reminder that Grade 3 alchemists would work on rare treasures, there were still many requests. Due to different assumptions and benchmarks, every customer would consider their materials to be priceless treasures. However. when these items were presented before the top grade alchemists, they were deemed to be insignificant and useless. That had wasted the alchemists’ precious time.

The last resort was to apply strict filters to those customers who requested the top alchemists. An evaluation of their assets had to be performed.

At the minimum, those who could afford to pay two thousand taels of gold would certainly know the quality of their materials.

Xu Yi did some quick thinking. He understood the policy. Without a flicker of hesitation, he took out the money from his waist pouch and passed it over to the customer service representative. The young man counted and returned the assets to Xu Yi. This time, he had a more respectful demeanor. He pointed to the left and motioned to Xu Yi. “Respectable customer, please follow me.” He quickly led Xu Yi to a bright and elegant room. He asked Xu Yi to wait a while and hurried away.

Xu Yi had not thought that the short while was more than half an hour. He had already finished the green tea on the table. He was bored stiff staring at the silent lake and the covered bridge outside the window. He waited impatiently.

He stood up and was about to take action when he heard some movements outside the door. Alas, the green-uniformed youth was accompanying a scholarly old man dressed in a cloth robe.

“Are you looking for me? What’ve you got? Take it out quickly. My furnace is still doing a hardening by quenching!”

The elder was a roly-poly. He sported white beard and hair. His face was glowing, and his voice was loud like a bell.

The green-uniformed man introduced them. “Respectful customer, this is one of our two most senior alchemists. He is Elder Song. Due to his time constraints, do get straight to the point.” He left duo to themselves after making the brief introduction.

Xu Yi’s time was just as precious. He dug his hand into his waist pouch and fished out a palm-sized piece of dragon crocodile skin. He was about to hand it over to Elder Song.

Elder Song’s rotund body moved suddenly and deftly like a civet cat. He leapt forward and snatched the piece of the dragon crocodile skin away. His eyes were sparkling. He pulled the skin, bit the skin, then abruptly pulled out a tiny golden needle and started poking the specimen.

After a while, the elderly man guffawed, “It’s amazing to be able to see dragon crocodile skin in our small Guang’an. Oh my, oh my. And it’s a dragon crocodile skin that carries the spatial attributes.”

He let out a sigh, “It’s a pity that there’s only one piece. If we had hundreds of them, we could forge a Demon Sheaf. Oh my, oh my. We can even arrest a flood dragon.”

“Spatial attributes? Can Elder Song please enlighten on this?” Xu Yi’s curiosity was piqued.

He had obtained the dragon crocodile skin from the Linglong Hall. Because of its scarcity, Linglong Hall was able to provide limited knowledge on its usage. Even Gao Junmo was unable to grasp its defence capability after testing it. As such, Xu Yi had an incomplete understanding of this piece of dragon crocodile skin.

But now, the most learned alchemist could identify the skin’s spatial attributes. Such advanced terms were over his head. Xu Yi was excited, enchanted, and elated.

Elder Song peered at Xu Yi in annoyance. “What a shame that you’re its owner and you’ve no clue on its capabilities. How about you name me a price; I’ll take it from you!”

“Pardon me Elder Song. I have no intention of selling off my dragon crocodile skin.”

What a joke. Xu Yi knew that this price of dragon crocodile skin would save his skin at the next duel. Even if he were a mercenary, he would not exchange his life for mere money.

Elder Song touched his beard. “Young man, please do not attempt to raise my offer price. Five thousand taels of gold, and I’ll take this piece of dragon crocodile skin.”

Xu Yi had purchased the skin from an auction for eighteen hundred taels of gold. Now, the offer price was several times higher. It was indeed an enviable offer.

“Very sorry. This piece of dragon crocodile skin is of utmost importance to me. I’ve no reason to sell it. My motive for this trip is to enlist your help to forge armour out of it. I’m in no desperate need for money.”

Xu Yi snatched his skin and explained.

He had deliberately made known that he was “not desperate for money.” He hoped that Elder Song would stop escalating his offer price.

Elder Song sighed. “Alright then. Since you’re reluctant to let it go, I won’t push it anymore. This piece of dragon crocodile skin is complete and intact. Its spatial attributes remain. To make an armour out of it, it’s neither arduous nor simple. If there is no expert involved, this piece of dragon crocodile skin can’t be put together for you to cover your body. I can guarantee that there’s only one person in all of Guang’an who has the expertise to refine the precious spatial properties of this material. And that would be me.”

Xu Yi listened with trepidation. He knew that the senior was going to ask for an exorbitant price for the refinery work.

True enough, after beating about the bush, Elder Song coldly added, “One price: Three thousand taels of gold. If you’re willing we’ve a deal. If you’re unwilling, please leave!”

Xu Yi nearly fainted. Three thousand taels of gold! A refinery work that would cost him three thousand taels of gold… It’s an obvious money pit.

“Elder Song, you’ve given me a ridiculous price. Earlier on, you’ve offered me five thousand taels of gold to buy my dragon crocodile skin. How can refinery labour cost be more than half the value of the material?”

Xu Yi suppressed his rage and protested vehemently.

Elder Song sneered, “The dragon crocodile skin is indeed extraordinary. What about my expertise? My skills are not plain and ordinary. I’m the only capable man in all of Guang’an, and am I not worth three thousand taels of gold? My offer remains the same. If you disagree, please leave immediately!” He scoffed and left after these words.

“Hold on!”

Xu Yi swiftly blocked the old man’s way. He was thinking fast, and he was already at his wits’ end. He had no choice. The dragon crocodile skin was top priority due to imminent duel. He could not afford to go to the duel without it.

Although three thousand taels of gold was an exorbitant price tag, his life was more precious. He decided to bite the bullet and was about to accept the offer when the earlier customer serviceman rushed in. Contorted with fear, he was shouting from afar, “Elder Song, there’s an astounding strange noise coming from the refinery. We’re afraid that we’ve come upon misfortune.”

Elder Song’s cold and silky eyebrows were suddenly raised. He scraped the floor and darted out. Xu Yi continued to shout and pursued closely.

With the impending duel, he needed the dragon crocodile armour urgently. He could wait no longer. He was terribly worried that the elder would not return.

He trailed behind Elder Song and made several turns. They took a long flight of old stairs that went ten yards underground. They were blocked by an ornamented arch door.

Elder Song pressed his thumbprint against the black disc mounted in the centre of the arch door. The disc emitted a green beam, and the door opened.

At this crucial moment, Xu Yi could not be bothered with protocol. As Elder Song dashed into the room, he managed to squeeze in before the arch door was closed.