30. Useless Ores.

…

~Bi Bin's Shop; Pill Furnace Room~

"Phew! Finally done,"

Tanji lays back on the cold floor, that was a big contrast to the hot room. He takes a pill from a bottle and swallows it. Turning his head to the side, he says.

"My success rate turns out to be seventy percent. Tch, I had thought it would be eighty. Well, I better keep these before someone steps in,"

He takes out two bottles and keeps six pills in each of them, leaving a total of nine pills on a wooden tray. After keeping the bottles, he stands to his feet and picks up the tray.

The tray contained the nine pills and a small wooden box on it. He makes his way to the door and opens it. Yi'er who guarded the door turns around the moment she noticed.

"You are finished?" she asks as she takes the tray from him.

"Yes, is it yet noon?"

"No, but almost. Elder sister Bi Lin is waiting for you, please follow me,"

"Alright,"

Yi'er led the way and the duo made their way back to the hall, where Bi Lin, Mia and the two other workers were waiting. Mia was seated quietly not far away from Bi Lin, who seems to be checking something on the counter.

"Elder sister, the alchemist is finished," Yi'er announces as she walks to Bi Lin with the tray.

"That was fast," Bi Lin turns around. "These…"

Yi'er had reached her and the nine pills she saw caused her eyes to widen. "You weren't kidding, and these pills,"

She stretches her hand and picks a pill. "It's hot, he really just made them. And these fragrance, the quality of this pill isn't low," she thought as she places it in her mouth. She swallows and after a while she turns to Tanji.

"Come with me, let's discuss the terms of your contract,"

"Yes ma,"

Bi Lin walks to the back and Tanji follows quickly. Directly opposite one of the shelves, was a door. She opens it and led Tanji into an office.

"Have a seat,"

As simple as anyone could imagine, was the office. Having a chair and a table at one end and two three-seater chair opposite each other, at the middle of the room, separated by a small long table.

She sat down on one of the three-seater chair and Tanji sat across from her.

"I won't beat around. We have two types of contract that we offer alchemists. One is we pay thirty percent of the earned profits and the other we just pay you on a monthly basis. Which one will it be?"

"Definitely it would be the first one. How long do you plan on having me work?"

"Does a year work for you?"

"Sure, but on the condition that I'll make at my own time. I promise I'll deliver, and not delay your sales,"

"Okay, any other condition?"

"There's not any I can think off now,"

"Please think,"

"Well, is it alright I take a pill cauldron with me, so I can make even in my free times,"

"Of course, even if you didn't ask that's included. Well, here's my condition, after the end of our contract, Bi Bin's shop gets top priority, if you decide to make a contract again,"

"Elder sister means to say you plan on keeping me here even if I go to the western part of the school?"

"Yes,"

"Well, as long as I am satisfied with the terms that would not be an issue,"

"Alright," she took out a paper and passed it on to Tanji. "Go through it and confirm the terms,"

"Okay,"

Tanji takes it and slowly reads through it. When he was finished, he nods at Bi Lin. He takes an ink pen from the table dips it in ink and signs on it, after which he hands it back to her.

"Good we are good to go,"

"Alright,"

"Take this," Bi Lin stretches a token to him. "All our workers get this token and a certain discount on what they buy from the shop,"

"Oh, how much will I pay for a level four artifact?"

"Since it's your first time, ten thousand gold. Next will be twelve thousand,"

"Can I pay seventeen thousand for two and have the remaining three thousand paid later,"

Bi Lin squirted her eyes at him and nods. "I'll have it deducted from your pay,"

"That's good,"

"Go to Yi'er, she'll handle everything. She'll also follow you to your place, so she can be delivering the ingredients and picking up the pills,"

"Okay elder sister Bi Lin,"

Tanji stood up and left the office. As soon as he steps out and came into view, Mia and the workers turned to him. He smiled at Mia before walking to Yi'er.

Walking up to Yi'er, who was beside another worker, Tanji furrows his brows slightly.

"Sorry, could I see that?" Tanji asks the worker, who held a tray of black ores in her hand.

"Um…" the worker looks at Yi'er who nods at her. "Okay,"

Tanji got a closer look at it. Looking quite hideous, were four black ores on a tray. With a frown on his face, Tanji smiles in his heart. "Who would have thought I'll find you here after searching the entire market?" he says in his head.

"What are they?" Tanji asks.

"We don't know. Our shop in the western school found it to be useless so they sent it over to see if we can sell it,"

"It's useless? Though it looks quite ugly, it looks like something important,"

"Seniors at the core formation realm checked and found them useless,"

"How will core formation realm experts know the value of these ores?" Tanji thought. "I like them, can I buy them? Though I don't have enough money on me right now,"

"Um…"

"You can have it," Bi Lin's voice sounds from behind him. "It's useless anyway,"

"Oh, thank you elder sister!" Tanji turns around and said. "I'll add it to my collection,"

At his words Mia frowns, but no one took note of it. Bi Lin turns to Yi'er and says. "Get him, two level four artifacts. He'll pay seventeen thousand for them,"

"Yes ma'am,"

"I'll be stepping out. Right, follow him to his residence with fifty set of ingredients and a pill cauldron,"

"Okay ma'am,"

"Tanji, when should Yi'er come get the pills?"

"Fifty set? Four days, if I'm finished before then I'll come deliver it,"

"Alright," Bi Lin nods and walks away.

"These are the best two level four artifacts we currently have," a worker walks up to Tanji with a sword and a whip.

"Hmm, Mia do you like the whip?" Tanji asks and Mia nods her head continuously. "Okay, we'll take these two,"

"Alright, wait a moment while we get everything ready to go," Yi'er says and Tanji nods.