Too Profound to Be Understood

Inside the merchant association’s meeting room, Elder Mo, who had been suspicious of Xueming, now had his face turned pale and wry.

As for Elder Zhang Long who came forward to confirm Xueming’s trustworthiness and offered 15,000 gold coins to Xueming, he couldn't help but smile widely, delighted as a dandelion in the sun. Then, he kept saying "See? I told you… I told you guys already.”

Many alchemists affiliated with the merchant association were also watching Xueming from the meeting room. They considered the event that had just happened as if they had seen a god. "It burns completely, leaving no ashes. The True Flame, that is. The Alchemist Yi Fei, excuse me, Elder Yi Fei, deserves to achieve medicine cooking at a more advanced human level, being a person who possesses such noble True Flame.” All the alchemists of the Association all agreed with this statement and immediately praised Xueming as their elder.

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"True flames," Fei Xiang exclaimed in excitement. She had heard her teacher say that the alchemists who had attained an advanced human level would be able to use their own spiritual energy to create their own unique flame. The pills that were cooked by their own flame had exclusively special characteristics. These alchemists also had the ability to control the heating temperature as they wished and generally called this flame ... the True Flame.

Xueming—despite not understanding about the True Flame—solemnly nodded in agreement with the claim. "I suppose we’re done here." Knowing that he already passed this stage, Xueming suddenly said something to indirectly expel Fei Xiang again.

Fei Xiang's eyes flashed a glimmer of sadness before becoming brilliant as usual. Fei Xiang was very fond of the science of medicine cooking. When a person with a level of skill that could create a True Flame—one that was higher than her own teacher—appeared in front of her but she could not continue talking with or ask for advice was quite a disappointment. However, since the Elder spoke to indirectly expel her like this, holding him back would be disrespectful, which Fei Xiang understood well.

But before letting him go, Fei Xiang had to build a memory connection with him for an opportunity to meet him again. "Elder Yi, the chair ... " She said with a smile.

"The chair?" Xueming repeated the word while looking at the chair that he was sitting, before realizing that he had just burned a chair in the room.

Fei Xiang nodded and raised the corner of her mouth slightly before opening her fine lips. "The chair that you just burned is made of a special, rare wood called ... the Dead Black Jade tree. When it’s alive, the skin of the wood is as green as a beautiful jade. But when it dies, it turns black, with the wood becoming strong and durable. Plus, it could release the natural power to help the user feel relaxed. It’s an extremely rare type of wood."

Xueming listened and nodded but still did not know the reason why Fei Xiang had mentioned it.

"As the wood is hard to find, and the carvings and assembling of a chair must be meticulously done. If I remember correctly, the chair that you Elder had just burned was bought for an exorbitant price by the Association."

At this point, Xueming's heart fell to his feet. Secretly gulping down the saliva, he still didn't forget to nod.

"If I remember correctly, that chair was worth at least 15,000 gold coins.” Fei Xiang had already learned Xueming's trading information before entering this room. Therefore, she deliberately said a price that was equal to the amount Xueming would receive from trading even though this chair was worth more than 15000 gold coins.

“What did you say??” Eventually, Xueming could not keep his calm that he burst out.

Seeing a shocked expression from Xueming who had always tried to maintain a serious look made Fei Xiang giggle; yet, she didn’t forget to raise her slender hand to cover her little mouth before speaking in a crystal clear voice as if to enchant the people. "Do not bother, Sir. It’s just one chair. For me and the Association, having the opportunity to associate with Elder Yi Fei is more important. I will take care of the cost of the chair as a gift for Elder for showing the dazzling flame to. Do you think that’s appropriate?"

“Of course. Definitely appropriate.” Xueming hurriedly accepted as he was afraid that Fei Xiang would change her mind.

“Thank you again, Elder Yi Fei, for your advice.” Fei Xiang gracefully did the curtsy before slowly turning her back and stepping away from the special lounge.

Xueming kept his gaze until the lounge door was completely closed that he sighed loudly, “Phew.” Then, he bent over to carefully fondle the chair he was sitting on.

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After leaving Xueming's lounge, Fei Xiang went straight to the meeting room to see her father right away and report to all the elders once again about the identity of the Alchemist Yi Fei. After that, she and her father, Fei Yi Yin, excused themselves to a private room to discuss something.

"Xiang-er, there is no other here. Following your scrutiny, tell me what kind of person the Alchemist Yi Fei is.” Fei Yi Yin gave this mission to Fei Xiang not just to confirm the identity of an Alchemist but also to study his character, using the technique of scrutinizing people learned from him. Therefore, Fei Xiang's scrutiny was much nobler than that of an ordinary watchman.

"Okay, Father." Fei Xiang sat down on the opposite side of her father before lifting the teapot and pouring the tea for him and then herself, sipping it with a nice gesture as usual. "In my opinion, Elder Yi Fei's appearance is not real.” Fei Yi Yin was also suspicious, but the fact that he hadn't met Xueming in person made him unsure of this idea. But when what Fei Xiang said matched his assumption, he immediately nodded in response. "In my personal view, Elder Yi Fei is probably still young. His appearance and expressed gesture contradicted each other, most likely because he was hiding his true self. For me, this is understandable because if a skilled or famous medicine cook had to leave his own safe zone, he would think there could be more dangerous than good."

"Hmm, you’re right, because most alchemists focus on spiritual energy training. Although it is necessary for them to have the first level of natural Qi cultivation, most of them lack experience and combat skills. Being kidnapped by a large martial arts school or being fought over for recruitment would not be strange in any way.” This time, Fei Yi Yin expressed his thoughts.

"But I'm still curious. I could sense that Elder Yi Fei is only at the second level of the basic Qi. But why ... "

Fei Yi Yin smiled as he raised his hand to interrupt "Xiang-er... You got it right. This person had to have a cultivation level that was not lower than the first natural Qi, intermediate level because if practicing to that level, cultivators would be able to conceal their own Qi level to those weaker ones. If we consider from his True Flame, that would make sense."

"Thank you, Father, for enlightening me.” The young girl smiled in reply to her father. "Another point that I still wonder is, if Elder Yi Fei were such a high-level alchemist, why did his expression become anxious when I mentioned the cost of the chair as if he was having a financial problem?”

"Hmm ... Most alchemists aren’t interested in money because if they have this high level of skills, earning money is not a problem. I don’t understand this point, either. In my opinion, this Alchemist Yi Fei is ... too profound to be understood."

Fei Xiang nodded. "As for the last point, I didn't understand the message Elder Yi Fei had answered me. But when I think back and forth, that message, though not clear, resembles the content of various martial arts, rather than medicine cooking."

"Hahaha, I forgot. Despite being fond of making medicine, my daughter has a talent for martial arts, not inferior to that girl named Jiu Xin.” A compliment made Fei Xiang feel shy because Jiu Xin was a main disciple of the Azure Dragon Academy and held the status of Purple Jade Flower just like her. "I can’t answer you on this point you just raised. I only have heard a saying that the higher the path, the more things become similar like the same rope that branched out. If looking back, they all come from the same origin. Likewise, martial arts and medicine cooking, if looking back to their essence, may not be that different."

“Thank you, Father, for your advice. I will remember it.” Fei Xiang moved the chair as if preparing to leave.

But it seemed that Fei Yi Yin still had something he wanted to know. "Are you leaving now?

Fei Xiang also knew what his father wanted but did not utter. "Yes, Father.”

"Hmm. Can you tell me if this Elder Yi Fei was fond of a beautiful woman as the watchmen had reported?”

"It was my fault. My beauty is incomparable to that of Miss Mu. This time your daughter has disappointed you, Father.” In the end, she quietly withdrew from the room.

Everyone deemed Fei Xiang as perfect, whether it was talent, intelligence, and most importantly, beauty. Her qualities were superior to the young girls in the same generation, except her beloved friend, Jiu Xin, who was on par with her. In the past, she had rejected countless young men, and no one dared to deny her before. Today, Fei Xiang found that there was someone who didn't want to be close to her and expelled her, even though she was told by indirect speech. Also, she felt that she was defeated by a girl other than Jiu Xin. Those thoughts were so disturbing that she could not calm her heart like before. The shadow of the Alchemist Yi Fei loomed large as Fei Xiang walked away from Xueming's lounge.

"Hmm, Xiang-er ... Hey, Xiang-er, do you think your father doesn’t know what you're thinking?" Fei Yi Yin looked at the shadow of his daughter's back as she walked away. "Stupid child ... Your confidence is being shaken, isn’t it?"