Chapter 006: Taiji Emblem

Ge Zheng turned and left, and Kerry hurriedly followed him out. Behind the Lord of the City, among a group of aides, a pair of distinctly black and white eyes watched Ge Zheng's back with great interest

In response to such an arrangement, Ge Zheng displayed a disdainful smile. If it were about beheading, one executioner would suffice; does lining up a row of them really serve to intimidate people?

He thought for a moment and said, "Alright, you bring the items back, and I will brand them with the emblem before giving them to you"

Strangely enough, every two days, that person would come by, asking questions at the price of fifty gold coins each. The inquiries ranged from techniques of alchemy to magical scripts, and even to profound theories. For some of the more complex questions, Ge Zheng would evade answering until that person offered double the price. As a result, this became a steady source of income for Ge Zheng, and by the end of the month, a rough calculation revealed that he had earned as much as six hundred gold coins, which accounted for nearly a quarter of his alchemy shop's revenue.

This is the Tai Chi of China Of course, this sentence was spoken in Ge Zheng's heart, but he would not say it out loud This is the emblem of my family

Another day has passed, and at this same time, the sound of hooves is heard; that horse-drawn carriage has appeared again

It is evident that this is a synthetic equation. The entire process of alchemy should begin with the peacock's tail feathers and conclude with the small snake on the head. However, given the abundance of raw materials, it is clearly impossible to use a pear-shaped flask as the vessel for the refinement. Therefore, the pear-shaped flask should be a symbol, carrying another meaning

Since one is in the business of opening doors, one must be amiable to attract wealth. Ge Zheng did not hold a grudge against the previous matters and said lightly, "Speak." The man recalled for a moment and asked fluently, "Excuse me, Master, the boiling point of insect fish gel is very low, and it is easy to burn when heated. Is there any way to prevent it from burning?" Ge Zheng snorted softly; it was not that he cherished his own knowledge, but he had no obligation to answer such technical questions for someone he was neither related to nor acquainted with.

The person was quite agreeable; after asking his questions, he immediately presented fifty gold coins. Ge Zheng accepted the coins and then said: "There are two methods. If you have already attained the level of a master, you should be able to control the temperature of the flames freely, without burning anything." After Ge Zheng spoke, he paused deliberately. The person's forehead showed several bulging veins; if he were already at the master level, why would he come to Ge Zheng for advice?

At night, the guards of the lord's mansion escorted four tax boxes back to the estate, along with the alchemist Ge Zheng. In the courtyard stood a row of executioners, with bushy beards and robust physiques, each wielding a massive, gleaming axe

A pear-shaped bottle contains a peacock, its tail feathers spread wide, vibrant and striking. Each tail feather is adorned with an object, including a rainbow of seven colors, banners, and colorful stones...! Upon a rough count, there are surprisingly more than thirty different items! A small snake coils atop the peacock's head, and the image features many mysterious lines, marking numerous secret messages.

Since Ge Zheng is willing to atone for his sins, the Lord of Steka City is just taking advantage of the situation. In the end, when he said something like "I must chop off your head," even the Lord himself did not take it seriously. Even if Ge Zheng cannot improve the tax box, he is still a Level 6 Alchemist. How could the Lord bear to chop off the head of a Level 6 professional?

To seek the lord's grace, there are only two methods: first, to pay a sufficient amount of gold coins; second, to find a way to impress the lord, demonstrating oneself as a useful person

The multiple magic circle seals are inscribed. Behind the lord of the city, an alchemist who perceives the profound mysteries gasps in a low voice

As the five individuals approached to capture him, Ge Zheng forcefully pushed off the ground with his foot, creating a deep pit the size of a horseshoe in the stone-paved street, reminiscent of the booming sound of cannon fire. Just from the recoil, one could discern the power of this "cannon." The force originated from his feet, traveling up through his legs and twisting his waist, engaging his entire body. In the face of the assault, although this punch was not a traditional "progressive blocking hammer," the intent behind the punch was undoubtedly that of Tai Chi cannon fist.

The common people peered timidly through the cracks of the gates, while the merchants busied themselves with their belongings. The city defense troops on the walls appeared disheveled and in disarray. The officials within the city were filled with trepidation, and the personal cavalry of the lord of the city had also been mobilized. Even Lord Sterka himself donned his armor.

The person was taken aback: "What do you mean by that?" Ge Zheng observed his expression, which did not seem to be feigned, and felt somewhat sorry for him: "You have been deceived, haven't you? The person who sold you this alchemical formula, did they not tell you that this is a formula that can transform ordinary metals into gold?"

The alchemy shop is doing quite well, and Ge Zheng's sign "Superior" is visible as soon as one enters the city gate. Coupled with his entire glass curtain wall that attracts attention, it can be said that the shop has been bustling since its opening a few days ago. Every day, over one hundred gold coins flow in, and with Ge Zheng managing the shop during the day and practicing alchemy at night, he has earned more than two thousand gold coins in just over ten days, placing him in the "high-income" tier within Wangshan City. However, the thought of the astronomical costs of materials makes Ge Zheng feel somewhat disheartened.

However, one peculiar aspect of this alchemical formula is that the secret annotations above contradict each other, and they do not use the same magical language. Ge Zheng counted and found a total of four different magical languages.

The city defense troops were initially anxious, nervously staring at the tax box as if it were a monster that could suddenly spring to life and cause harm. They waited until noon, yet the box did not reveal any "terrifying" aspect. It looked no different from before; could it be that the alchemist had deceived the lord of the city?

Improving the tax boxes was quite simple for Ge Zheng. As the city gates closed in the evening, the tax boxes from the four gates were transported to Ge Zheng's shop. All that was needed was to add an imaging spell on top. However, the creators of the four tax boxes clearly lacked skill; they could only seal a single magic array on one item and did not understand the technique of overlapping seals. They added a magical lock to the boxes, which prevented any additional functions from being incorporated. The creators of the four tax boxes clearly lacked skill; they could only seal a single magic array on one item and did not understand the technique of overlapping seals. They added a magical lock to the boxes, which prevented any additional functions from being incorporated

Let me see. He also does not dare to guarantee, after all, interpreting equations is cryptography, and no one can ensure that they can understand every equation.

The lord of Steka City felt somewhat tempted, while the garrison on the city walls was in a state of unrest. If Ge Zheng truly improved the tax box, they might have no profits left to gain

Although the Lord of Sterka is not an alchemist, he has supported many alchemists in his household, including a seventh-tier alchemist, who could not solve this problem. However, Ge Zheng managed to do it! The Lord of Sterka immediately realized that a genius had emerged in his city of Wangshan. His attitude underwent a complete turnaround; he waved his hand, and the executioners outside quietly withdrew. The lord smiled warmly: "Thank you, Master, you have been a great help to me. Captain Kerry, please escort the Master back!" His attitude underwent a complete turnaround; he waved his hand, and the executioners outside quietly withdrew. The lord smiled warmly: "Thank you, Master, you have been a great help to me. Captain Kerry, please escort the Master back!"

Ge Zheng and Tu Shuming understood that it was originally just a "signature"

Ge Zheng did not offer any explanation. He walked over to the tax box and cast an image spell. Shadows began to emerge above the tax box, revealing a record of the entire day's events. Ge Zheng adjusted the playback speed to be half as fast as usual. Although the actions of the figures in the footage appeared rapid and somewhat comical, it was still possible to discern what they were doing. The next matter was the lord of the city’s inquiry, and Ge Zheng had no desire to spend the night watching such tedious footage with them.

With two punches, he sent two opponents flying. Seizing the moment when everyone was momentarily stunned, he shouted, "Wait! Why are you arresting me?" Ge Zheng knew that these five were merely small fry. Even if he managed to take them down in one go, he would still be unable to break through. Relying on the power of the Taiji Cannon Hammer, he might appear formidable and invincible, but that was the limit of his abilities. As soon as the other side dispatched a level six or higher professional who could withstand a punch from him, Ge Zheng would immediately reveal his true self. Moreover, he had already invested all his wealth in Wangshan City. Even if he managed to break through, relying solely on the remaining dozen or so gold coins on him, it would be exceedingly difficult to earn astronomical amounts for materials.

Ge Zheng was momentarily taken aback by the question: "Emblem?" The old man Si entered from outside: "Let me explain it to you. As alchemists and blacksmiths, we each have a unique mark that we imprint on every item we create. This mark is different for everyone, allowing us to distinguish one another's work. This is what an emblem is. Without an emblem, it is impossible to identify who crafted the piece. Ge, you are now a renowned alchemist in Wangshan City, and you should have your own emblem."

However, in this world, the city lord possesses the absolute power of life and death. If he so wishes, he can even impose the right to the first night with the young women of his territory. It is clearly futile to reason with such a dictator. Nevertheless, it is precisely because of this autocratic rule that for Ge Zheng, seeking to absolve himself of guilt is merely a matter of a single word from the city lord

On the third day, Captain Kerry came again: "Master Ge, why do your weapons lack a badge?" Kerry had purchased Ge Zheng's weapons, not intending to use them himself—after all, he could not wield the double-sided battle axe that only a berserker could handle. He planned to wait for these items to appreciate in value and then make a significant profit. However, he joyfully brought them home, only to discover the next day that none of Ge Zheng's items bore a badge. This badge is a distinguishing mark; without it, who would recognize these as Ge Zheng's works in the future? He joyfully brought them home, only to discover the next day that none of Ge Zheng's items bore a badge. This badge is a distinguishing mark; without it, who would recognize these as Ge Zheng's works in the future?

In the world of Xinglian, strength is respected, and Ge Zheng demonstrated sufficient power to earn their respect. Captain Kerry observed the entire incident; he is a Level 5 warrior, and his insight surpasses that of ordinary warriors. As a detached observer, he has already discerned the reason behind the Lord Mayor's handling of the situation, and he silently admires: This person is not only exceptionally strong but also very astute. He strikes first and then negotiates; Lord Earl understands that continuing the fight, even if victorious, would result in heavy losses, and it is better to allow him to convert his merits into a pardon.

He took out a sharp little knife and gently scraped it against the peacock's tail feathers, causing a layer of paint to flake off. Ge Zheng let out a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "So that's how it is..."

The carriage is not luxurious, but the horse is indeed magnificent. It seems that this person is running errands for a wealthy family, and it is very likely that he is a servant in a noble household

Each alchemical formula is a crystallization of the alchemist's hard work, and it has undergone special treatment. Even if a layer is scraped off the surface, the original pattern will still be visible underneath. However, this particular alchemical formula, after some colors were scraped away, revealed nothing but emptiness beneath it

The person stood at the door, shielding their face with their hand: "Please don't be angry just yet; what happened yesterday was my fault, and I apologize first!" As they spoke, they performed a standard noble bow. "I have come this time to seek your advice on a matter."

In the world of Star Refinement, families that possess badges are all nobility. Ge Zheng casually remarked this, and immediately noticed a change in the expressions of the two. "So it turns out the master comes from a prestigious family!" Captain Kerry said solemnly. Ge Zheng felt a bit embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, saying, "That was all a long time ago. Captain Kerry, please go and bring back those weapons."

After the first time, the tax box showed no response, and their audacity grew: that alchemist must have deceived the lord of the city, as this item is completely unresponsive. How can we prevent our embezzlement? Thus, word spread from one to ten, and soon the soldiers at all four city gates began to "resume their old practices"

In the blink of an eye, Ge Zheng unleashed two punches, his internal energy flowing, having summoned the most powerful force possible at the level of "internal vision".

The alchemical formula! Ge Zheng recognized the parchment as soon as he saw it. He cast a suspicious glance at the man, who immediately said, "I will provide whatever materials you need, and the reward is 200 gold coins!" This offer was quite generous, considering that the most expensive weapon in Ge Zheng's shop sold for only 90 gold coins.

In just one night, all four tax boxes were completely transformed. The next morning, the ox cart rumbled as the four tax boxes reappeared outside the city gate. Lord Sterka rode around and, seeing that the boxes had not changed at all, his expression darkened: "Is this the tax box you improved?" Facing the lord on horseback, Ge Zheng remained calm: "You will understand by evening." Sterka, suppressing his anger, replied: "Fine, if I still can't see anything special about them by evening... my executioner has already sharpened his axe. Go!" The lord rode away.

Early the next morning, chaos erupted in the city defense army camp. The corrupt soldiers were dragged out one by one by the lord's guard, each receiving thirty strikes with a military baton, leaving them battered and bruised in a horrific state. Throughout the camp, the sounds of their anguished cries echoed incessantly for an entire day. Moreover, the lord despised anyone who embezzled his gold coins, issuing an order that prohibited the priests from treating the punished soldiers for a full day. These individuals lay on their beds, wailing in agony all day long. Furthermore, the lord despised anyone who embezzled his gold coins, issuing an order that prohibited the priests from treating the punished soldiers for a full day. These individuals lay on their beds, wailing in agony all day long

Many of the city defense forces still believed it was wise to be cautious; as long as they could survive today, there would still be opportunities for profit later. However, there were always one or two reckless individuals. By the afternoon, some could no longer contain themselves: this thing was clearly the same as before, so what was there to be afraid of? Thus, they resorted to their old tricks and began to let people into the city without authorization.

The two individuals gazed at the strange circle on the ground, which was divided into two equal parts by a curved line. One half contained a solid dot, while the other half held a hollow small circle. "What is this thing?"

The person was taken aback again: "What on earth are you talking about?" Ge Zheng was also puzzled. This person came to him with a fake formula, which could only mean two possibilities: the first was that he was looking for trouble, deliberately trying to embarrass him, much like someone causing a scene at a martial arts school; the second was that he had been deceived, mistaking a fake formula for a treasure.

Ge Zheng smiled bitterly to himself: I didn't expect this with the *picture* book either. I just set off some firecrackers to celebrate the opening, yet you all are making such a fuss about it.

Captain Kerry remained with twenty soldiers, but Ge Zheng's two punches left a deep impression on them. These individuals did not belong to the city defense forces and held great admiration for Ge Zheng's skills, their gazes towards him changed significantly.

Ge Zheng waved his hand and said: "This is a way to offset sins with merits, there is no need for thanks. If you need anything in the future, you can come to my shop to find me. You get what you pay for, Ge Men Alchemy Shop, based on integrity, fair to both young and old!"

Ge Zheng did not expect that his small shop would sell out of goods just one day after officially opening, with a total of seven hundred gold coins, heavy bags in hand, feeling quite pleased.

"Custom orders are indeed possible, but the price will be twice as high," Ge Zheng said淡淡. The man nodded slightly: "Money is not an issue." As he spoke, he took out a piece of parchment: "Take a look, can you refine this?"

"Why?" Starka exclaimed, "Look at what you've done to my Wangshan City!"

His cautious movements almost made Ge Zheng believe that he was also an alchemist. Watching the man leave, Ge Zheng lowered his head to look at the equation, his brows furrowed deeply.

Sir, do you understand now? Do you have any other matters? If not, I will be going back to sleep." As he spoke, he stretched and yawned, saying, "I stayed up all night preparing these four tax boxes for you." Master Ge's meaning was quite clear: I, an old man, have worked hard and deserve to rest

Ge Zheng was somewhat enraged; he had already let you off the hook, yet you still do not know what is good for you! He intended to teach that person a lesson, with true essence circulating within him, his strength reaching his arms, trembling slightly beneath his sleeves

"Alchemist, do you have anything else to say?" The lord of Starka had a large number of crossbowmen ambushed around the room. He knew that Ge Zheng was not easy to deal with, but with so many crossbowmen, even if Ge Zheng were truly a Level 7 warrior, a rain of arrows could turn him into a porcupine. The lord felt a sense of certainty in his heart, and his voice suddenly rose significantly.

The lord of Starka noticed the certification badge on his clothing, and his tone softened somewhat: "Oh, do you have a way to atone for your crimes?" "I can improve your city entrance tax collection vehicle." When entering the city, the soldiers at the gate only collected one gold coin from Ge Zheng and let him in, but did not deposit the coin into the tax box. At that moment, Ge Zheng thought of improving this system, not expecting that it would actually save him this time.

Upon hearing about going to the lord's mansion, the man quickly turned and left, saying, "If it's fake, then let it be fake; I guess I'm just unlucky..." Ge Zheng let out a cold snort and let him go

However, from his reaction, it seemed that neither was the case. Ge Zheng simply stated to him: "This formula is fake; it is impossible to produce anything from it." "Ah!" The man was taken aback and quickly unfolded the formula, only to find that a part of it had already been scraped off by Ge Zheng. The man immediately became anxious: "You, you actually damaged my formula; you must compensate me!" Ge Zheng laughed heartily, pushed him aside, and said: "You want to extort me? Fine, let us go to the city lord's mansion and ask the city lord to mediate for us." The man was instantly flustered: "You, you actually damaged my formula; you must compensate me!" Ge Zheng laughed heartily, pushed him aside, and said: "You want to extort me? Fine, let us go to the city lord's mansion and ask the city lord to mediate for us."

The lord of Starka City was also intimidated by Ge Zheng's two punches. A person capable of sending a level 4 warrior flying with a single punch is at least a level 7 general. The highest-ranking warrior under the lord is the commander of the city defense army, Basda, who is merely a level 6 warrior and is likely no match for Ge Zheng. With the chaos already stirred up in the city by Ge Zheng, if a large army were to be mobilized to capture one person, causing even more disorder, what face would the esteemed count and lord have left?

"Very well, I will give you one day, Captain Kerry. You will station twenty soldiers here," commanded Lord Starka as he turned his horse back to the lord's mansion. "Alchemist, I hope you will not disappoint me; otherwise, I will surely have your head."

The next day, the carriage appeared at the door as scheduled. The man from yesterday cautiously walked in and asked, "Boss, how is it? Are you confident?" Ge Zheng tossed the parchment to him and coldly replied, "Where you came from, you shall return. This time, I will not hold it against you."

On that day, a light carriage stopped at the entrance. A well-dressed individual alighted from the vehicle, took a stroll around the shop, and approached the counter: "Boss, can you customize items here?" Ge Zheng had already noticed him; most of the patrons of the alchemy shop were adventurers, some arrived on horseback, others on magical beasts, and some came by carriage. In all the time since the shop opened, this person was the first of his kind.

If you do not possess that ability, there is a simple method. Use a set of two pots, one large and one small. Fill the larger pot with water and place the insect fish gel in the smaller pot inside it, so it will not burn.

Ge Zheng's alchemy shop was bustling with customers, thanks to a display of firecrackers and four tax boxes, which greatly enhanced his reputation. The first to visit his shop was Captain Kerry from the city lord's guard. Kerry had witnessed Ge Zheng's miraculous transformation of the four tax boxes overnight. Upon seeing the weapons hanging on the walls of the shop, he speculated that these items must be extraordinary. Each weapon was priced at an average of 70 gold coins, and he estimated that once Ge Zheng became famous, the prices of these weapons would surely rise. Without hesitation, he borrowed money to purchase all the goods!

"What pattern will you use as your emblem?" Captain Kerry and Old Hans both asked with curiosity. Ge Zheng chuckled and reached down to draw a circular pattern on the ground

"How is it? Can you do it?" the man asked as he entered the account room. Ge Zheng considered for a moment: "I need time." The man hesitated for a moment: "Alright, I will give you one day. I will come back at this time tomorrow." After saying this, he turned to leave, but then, feeling somewhat uneasy, turned back and said: "Be careful, do not let others see you."

This sheepskin scroll does not appear to be ancient, bound with a black cotton string. Ge Zheng opened it, and a pattern unfolded before his eyes

Until late at night, Ge Zheng was still studying the alchemical equation that puzzled him endlessly. Under the light, the uneven shadows of the parchment appeared increasingly laborious. Ge Zheng rubbed his somewhat sore eyes and suddenly stopped moving. The alchemical equation shimmered under the light, revealing some peculiar aspects to Ge Zheng.

Ge Zheng's gold coins have nearly been spent, and the remaining dozen or so are likely insufficient to impress the lord of Wangshan City. Therefore, he must make him recognize his own value. Ge Zheng had a sudden inspiration and quickly said: "Esteemed Count, I can convert my merits into absolution for my crimes"

Ge Zheng compiled a list, and Captain Kerry withdrew the items from the lord's mansion warehouse overnight. The imaging magic is not complex; the key lies in the technique of overlapping sealing magic arrays. Two magic crystals were arranged to form the imaging magic array. Ge Zheng used a complex synthesis equation to seal the imaging magic onto the box, which does not conflict with the previous magical locks