Chapter 008: Wangshan City

Ge Zheng bought something and lost interest in drinking. He hurried back to the store, and in his haste, he bumped shoulders with several people along the way, apologizing multiple times.

"Do you really not know that tomorrow is the annual Wangshan City Festival?" Old Hans exclaimed, wide-eyed. Ge Zheng truly did not know what the 'Wangshan Festival' was. Old Hans explained, "In the mountains surrounding Wangshan City, there are also many small villages, as well as some hunters living scattered in the mountains. Every year, these people bring the local specialties from the mountains to sell in Wangshan City, gradually forming a market, which later evolved into this annual Wangshan Festival."

Honest Dunk grabbed Ge Zheng and said, "You can find someone who knows the value of these items. Take another look; these two things are also treasures! I picked them up from the Jue Ling (Absolute Ridge)." Honest Dunk usually made a living by chopping wood, and his physical strength was much better than that of the average villager. He had no parents, no children, and no wife, and his only hobby was climbing mountains. The Liusi Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, with countless steep cliffs, referred to by the villagers as "Jue Ling." His physical strength was much better than that of the average villager; he had no parents, no children, and no wife, and his only hobby was climbing mountains. The Liusi Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, with countless steep cliffs, referred to by the villagers as "Jue Ling." There were also about a dozen steep cliffs around their village, and Honest Dunk had a "grand" ambition: to conquer each of these cliffs one by one. He had conquered four cliffs and brought back these two items.

The black bear squinted at Ge Zheng and smiled oddly. Clearly, his words had another meaning

At the market, people came and went, occasionally a few would stop in front of him to take a look, but they all shook their heads and walked away. The yellow stone was merely a piece of pyrite, worth only a few copper coins. The black iron block resembled the bottom of a farmer's pot, and as for the beads, their taste was unbearable to anyone.

Ge Zheng had made up his mind, brought enough money, locked the door, and went out to look for Dunk. However, there was no one to be found next to the bar. Dunk had sold his goods and naturally returned home early, having someone tell him that his wife had gone.

Ge Zheng played with the warm and smooth poison in his hand, secretly laughing: this Dunke is truly fortunate, to have obtained such two treasures all by himself. After a moment of thought, he felt that this was not quite right; was he not also insulting himself by calling himself a fool

The inner elixir of any venomous beast is a supreme antidote. However, outside the inner elixir, there is invariably a layer of "toxic skin." This layer of toxic skin is extremely dense; although it is highly poisonous, it typically only emits a foul odor and does not release its toxicity. To obtain the pure inner elixir, it is necessary to soak it in chicken blood wine for a "blood bath." However, the blood wine after this blood bath is highly toxic

Ge Zheng carefully took out the purple-black bead and rolled it into a wooden bowl. As soon as the bead fell into the chicken blood wine, it emitted a hissing sound, and began to swirl in the wine. Fine bubbles covered the surface of the bead, and the chicken blood wine seemed to boil, releasing a plume of white smoke, accompanied by a foul odor.

However, the black iron block beside him caught Ge Zheng's eye—this is a meteorite! Ge Zheng was certainly familiar with it; in ancient China, the Turks often found such objects on the grasslands, which were regarded as heavenly treasures. Artisans from the Central Plains would exchange silk for them, incorporating them into weapons to create superior blades that were far sharper than ordinary ones.

He suddenly had a flash of inspiration: Honest Dunk had said that the Absolute Ridge was full of treasures. Although this was said to boast about his goods, there was some truth to it. The Absolute Ridge is rarely visited by people, allowing the natural treasures to be preserved. Why not find him at https://wwwhetushu.com and ask him to guide me to explore those treasures on the Absolute Ridge

Even without deliberate training, the innate beast instincts within orcs grant them sharper hearing and smell than humans. It is evident that he inadvertently overheard the last words spoken by Emma.

Ge Zheng picked up the meteorite and examined it a couple of times, then asked, "Can it be found again?" Dunk was a bit excited and replied, "I can't guarantee it, but I can give it a try." Ge Zheng nodded, saying, "I want this item; name your price." Dunk hesitated to ask for too much, feeling it would be a pity to ask for too little, so he said, "I don't really know the value of this; you are a noble gentleman, well-versed and knowledgeable, so please offer a price." Ge Zheng smiled and said, "For this, I will give you fifty silver coins. If you find the same thing again, see that flagpole? My shop is right underneath it; you can find me there."

A good stall signifies good business. Those villagers who arrive late, or who are timid in nature and fail to secure a prime location, can only huddle in the corners in silence, hoping that someone with discerning taste will notice their goods

With a single stroke, the live chicken's head rolled aside, and the blood flowed accurately into the wooden bowl. It filled approximately one-quarter of the bowl. Ge Zheng flicked his wrist and quickly turned to another wooden bowl. In total, there were eight wooden bowls, and not a single drop of chicken blood was wasted; each bowl was filled to a depth of one-quarter.

Ge Zheng picked up the chicken and got down from the bench by the wall. The laboratory was already prepared with the items: a row of eight wooden bowls

He lost a dead chicken, then picked up a jar of strong liquor brewed by orcs from the side and poured it into eight bowls. After mixing it evenly, the chicken blood liquor in the bowls displayed a striking bright red color

Upon arriving in this world, Ge Zheng had not yet practiced alchemy; he had merely crafted some alchemical tools. To be honest, he had long felt a bit restless. Just then, he obtained this Poison Dragon Pill, and with excellent materials at hand, he could indeed showcase his skills.

Hahaha... a burst of laughter erupted around. Honest Dunk's face turned bright red, yet he remained resolute, saying: "This bead is a treasure, it is a treasure..."

This bead should be referred to as "Poison | Dragon Dan" on Earth. It does not solely refer to the inner elixir of the "Poison | Dragon," but rather to the inner elixirs of all poisonous beasts that have reached the level of Poison | Dragon. According to the alchemist, the scene described by Dunk that night involved a poisonous beast undergoing a heavenly tribulation. However, apart from alchemy, his understanding of this world is still limited, and he cannot clarify exactly what happened.

Originally, it was thought that Emma and the others would not return until tomorrow at the earliest, but unexpectedly, they came back in the evening. Everyone's face was filled with joy, and as soon as Emma saw Ge Zheng, she exclaimed: "Ge, you are truly amazing. That trap was incredibly effective; the foolish Agama lizard charged straight into the trap and never came out again. It not only struggled weakly as if it were ill, but it also couldn't even breathe fire anymore"

Although the lordly medicine is excellent, it must be complemented by the ministerial medicine; this is the way of alchemy regarding the relationship between the sovereign and the minister. Ge Zheng felt somewhat troubled, as he did not have any suitable materials at hand to assist in refining this Poison Dragon Elixir.

After listening, Ge Zheng nodded and asked, "How much are you selling it for?" "This..." Although Honest Dunk had always believed that this item was a treasure, he had never been able to sell it, which was a blow to his confidence. This time, although he brought it along again, he had not set a price for it in his mind. When Ge Zheng asked, he and the librarian immediately hesitated, crossing their fingers together, and after a few attempts, he tentatively said, "One gold coin?"

Beside a tavern, an honest villager squatted by the door. The tavern was filled with bloodthirsty adventurers coming in and out, and the door would occasionally bump into the villager. The adventurers, armed with swords and daggers, looked fierce and intimidating, and he dared not provoke them. Other places had already been taken over, leaving him with no choice but to endure and remain here in silence.

"Go!" The honest Dunk, excited and with snot bubbling from his nose, hurriedly stuffed the piece of meteorite into Ge Zheng's hand, fearing that Ge Zheng might change his mind.

Ge Zheng stood at the entrance of the shop and glanced around. At this moment, the street outside was becoming busier. Since tomorrow is the day of the Wangshan Festival, the entry tax will be doubled compared to usual. Therefore, some villagers from impoverished families would arrive in the city a day in advance, bringing along provisions to spend the night at the foot of the city wall, saving on tax and securing a good spot for the next day.

Honest Dunk has lived a life of integrity, relying on firewood for his livelihood. He has never seen the glimmering gold coins. When a gold coin falls into his hand, it brings a heavy sense of happiness

Sometimes, a well-meaning honest person being a little cunning can leave you both amused and bewildered

In such a market, adventurers are busy searching for some inexpensive local specialties, and no one would come to patronize the alchemy shop. Ge Zheng has also decided to close the shop tomorrow and then take enough gold coins to stroll around the streets.

"We have matters to attend to and will be leaving shortly, but I still want to thank you!" said Sarnier. Although he was cold, this expression of gratitude revealed a sense of sincerity.

Upon arriving at the store entrance, Old Hans happened to return as well. Seeing Ge Zheng, the old alchemist, he called out: "Ge, how did your harvest go? Haha, I spent 2 gold coins to buy a bag of lacquer tree resin, what a great deal!"

Old Hans was startled and turned his head to see a head of Ge Zheng peeking over the wall, looking in his direction. Old Hans came to his senses: "Alright, just wait for me to catch you." Old Hans, feeling greedy, had raised quite a few chickens and rabbits at home, and with his appetite stirred, he decided to take matters into his own hands and slaughter one to offer to the gods.

Old Hans was quite pleased with himself for a long time. He placed the rubber ball-like lacquer tree gum on the table and sat in the yard, carefully admiring it, feeling quite content. Suddenly, a voice came from afar: "Old Hans, do you have any live chickens at home?"

... ...

"This is your first time attending the Wangshan City event, and you still don't know how lively it is," Old Hans exclaimed excitedly. "It truly is a sea of people; you should prepare more gold coins. Every year at Wangshan City, I can buy quite a few materials at a bargain." Old Hans is merely a Level 3 Alchemist, and most of the products he sells are sourced from elsewhere. He also supplies some raw materials to the alchemists who provide him with goods. Most of the products he sells are sourced from elsewhere. He also supplies some raw materials to the alchemists who provide him with goods.

He couldn't help but smile, went back to wash up, and took a bag of gold coins to the street

As the four turned to leave, Powell said to Ge Zheng before departing: "Ge, if your weapons were a bit cheaper, I would save some money to ask you to forge a war hammer for me the next time I come." He scratched his head awkwardly and added, "I eat more than they do, but I earn the same as them, unlike them who are all wealthy."

After repeating this process eight times, by the eighth bowl, the purplish-black color on the surface of the beads finally faded, transforming into a clear, bright yellow. Ge Zheng sighed inwardly: such a powerful "toxic coating" required eight bowls of blood bath to wash away.

Unlike ordinary craftsmen, the alchemists have specifically studied various meteorites, understanding that although these meteorites all originate from beyond the Earth, their compositions are actually different. These records are also documented in the texts of the Ge Men.

Someone happened to pass by and, upon hearing his words, couldn't help but crouch down to pick up the bead for a closer look. To their surprise, as soon as they picked it up, a foul odor assaulted their senses, causing them to quickly drop the bead and cover their nose as they hurried away: "What a treasure, was it pulled out of a cesspool?"

Despite his reluctance, Ge Zheng picked it up to take a look. When he raised his eyes and saw Dunk's eager expression, his heart softened. He handed over a silver coin to purchase this piece of pyrite, which was worth at most ten copper coins.

In this world, the treatment of injuries and ailments relies on the priests of various temples, who employ the healing magic of their respective deities, supplemented by certain medicinal herbs. On the roadside, two villagers are detaining a priest in white, attempting to promote their herbal remedies. Ge Zheng, possessing the "repository of knowledge" of Paracelsus, is well-informed and recognizes that the herbs in question are merely ordinary substances used for hemostasis and pain relief, yet the two villagers extol them to the skies, leaving the priest with no choice but to smile wryly. Ge Zheng, possessing the "repository of knowledge" of Paracelsus, is well-informed and recognizes that the herbs in question are merely ordinary substances used for hemostasis and pain relief, yet the two villagers extol them to the skies, leaving the priest with no choice but to smile wryly

Ge Zheng thought to himself that the iron chain was adorned with a complete triple-layered curse magic array and a threefold gravitational field. Just the triple curse magic array alone could turn a mammoth into a sickly creature, and with the addition of the threefold gravitational field, even the internal organs of the dragon lizard would feel discomfort, let alone breathe fire or struggle

Upon hearing this, Ge Zheng immediately became interested. It was not that he was pleased to be able to purchase materials at a low price, but rather he was very much looking forward to what materials he could acquire. Although the chances of finding the few extremely rare materials he needed in a small city like Wangshan City were negligible, there was still a possibility, however slim.

Ge Zheng said no more and took out a gold coin to give to him

Saniar was quite straightforward, pulling out a transparent crystal card from his waist: "This is a gold crystal card issued by the Adventurers' Guild, containing two thousand gold coins. Any Adventurers' Guild can withdraw from it at will." Ge accepted it, knowing that there was also an Adventurers' Guild in Mount City, and he had one of these cards as well.

Early the next morning, Ge Zheng, still in a deep slumber, was awakened by the lively sounds of vendors outside. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a scene of bustling crowds; he had never seen so many people on the streets of Wangshan City. In this world, cities are designed with military preparedness in mind, resulting in wide main streets that are paved with stone slabs, facilitating the movement of horses and large vehicles for transporting supplies during wartime. The road outside Ge Zheng's door is also considered one of the main streets in Wangshan City, and at this moment, both sides of the road were completely occupied by vendors, with even the area in front of Ge Zheng's door having become someone else's territory.

Generally speaking, a bag of lacquer tree resin costs around 30 gold coins, and Old Hans indeed got a great bargain, no wonder he is so excited

Honest Dunk's recent trip to Wangshan was a resounding success; all the goods were sold, yielding one gold coin and fifty-one silver coins, equivalent to his earnings from three years of firewood gathering. With this sum, the plan to marry can now be put on the agenda.

In the afternoon, that strange man came again, paid fifty gold coins, and asked an obscure question. Just as the strange man left, Old Hans walked in from outside: "Ge, are you ready?" Ge Zheng was taken aback: "Ready for what?"

Ge Zheng did not respond to the inquiry about the book: "I only ask you, where did you obtain this item?" "This, three years ago, I went into the mountains to gather firewood, and somehow I got lost. As a result, I couldn't find my way out by nightfall, so I climbed a tree and dozed off for the night. In the middle of the night, there was lightning and thunder, it was terrifying! I huddled in the tree all night, and the next morning, I saw a charred corpse of a magical beast outside the forest. Unfortunately, the magic core inside the corpse had already been taken by someone, but I found this bead inside its body. However, that magical beast looked very powerful, so this bead must be a treasure!" I huddled in the tree all night, and the next morning, I saw a charred corpse of a magical beast outside the forest. Unfortunately, the magic core inside the corpse had already been taken by someone, but I found this bead inside its body. However, that magical beast looked very powerful, so this bead must be a treasure!

When the white smoke gradually dissipated, Ge Zheng used two bamboo sticks to make chopsticks, extracting the bead and placing it into another wooden bowl... "Hiss"—another burst of white smoke...

The thicker the poison garment, the more blood baths are required. Ge Zheng had once witnessed his master, Ge Yuan, perform a blood bath on a Poison Dragon Pill in the Ge Sect, using only four bowls of chicken blood wine to cleanse it. The master was quite satisfied, stating that the pill could be considered above average quality. If this particular Poison Dragon Pill required a full eight bowls of chicken blood wine, wouldn't it then be regarded as above average even among high-quality ones

He thought he was seeing things: how could there be such a thing in this world? Ge Zheng crouched down, and a glimmer of hope rose in Dunk's heart: "Sir, take a look, these are all good things!" Ge Zheng's gaze focused on that bead, which he picked up with two fingers: "Where did you get this?" Honest Dunk was filled with excitement, his dark yellow face shining: "Finally, I've met someone who knows the value, sir, this is a treasure!"

Old Hans caught a live chicken and handed it over to Ge Zheng by its wings from the wall. Ge Zheng expressed his gratitude and promised to buy one to return to him tomorrow

When Ge Zheng first met him, although the old alchemist had gained a lot, he had not yet purchased any lacquer tree resin. After just two hours apart, he unexpectedly managed to buy a bag of lacquer tree resin, his luck utterly remarkable. However, Ge Zheng had no time to feel jealous of him; after exchanging a few casual remarks, he returned to his small shop.

The Liusu Mountain Range stretches for thousands of miles, with towering peaks and dense forests, its depths unfathomable. Although these villagers and hunters reside only in the safe zones on the outskirts of the monster-infested forests, over the years they have indeed managed to gather quite a few valuable items. They understand the worth of items like magic cores and beast horns, so they naturally do not sell them cheaply. However, when it comes to some rare alchemical materials, the villagers are willing to sell them for a few copper coins, and the alchemists in the city often take the opportunity to pick up some bargains. They understand the worth of items like magic cores and beast horns, so they naturally do not sell them cheaply. However, when it comes to some rare alchemical materials, the villagers are willing to sell them for a few copper coins, and the alchemists in the city often take the opportunity to pick up some bargains.

The people nearby were astonished to see someone willing to spend a gold coin to buy the foul-smelling bead from Honest Dunk. Some envied Honest Dunk's good fortune, while others thought that Ge Zheng was seriously ill. One gold coin is enough for an ordinary family of five to live comfortably for a year, and for villagers like them, it could last a year and a half.

Wherever there are adventurers, there are bars. Within the city of Wangshan, there are quite a few bars, and Ge Zheng happened to arrive at the entrance of the bar where the honest Dunk was squatting. Seeing someone about to enter, the honest Dunk quickly stepped aside to avoid being hit by the wooden door. Ge Zheng sniffed and caught a whiff of a foul odor, and when he looked down, he saw a purple-black bead.

The yellow stone is truly unremarkable; it is merely a common piece of pyrite. Presenting such a tasteless mineral to Feore at the city-state's weapon shop will not only fail to earn you his gratitude, but will also make the dwarf master feel insulted.

The poison garment serves as the last line of defense for poisonous beasts to protect their inner elixirs. The thicker the poison garment, the more powerful the poisonous beast, and the better the detoxification effect of its inner elixir.

Since it is impossible to open for business today, Ge Zheng decided to relax and go to a bar for a glass of spirit fruit wine

However, he inferred that this inner elixir should have been further refined from the magic core of that poisonous beast. Whether it is the inner elixir or the magic core, both are the sedimentation and condensation of energy within the bodies of beasts. Dunk said that the magic core of the magical beast had already been taken away by someone; in fact, it was not taken away by anyone, but had merely changed its form, which he did not recognize.

Ge Zheng circled the city but found nothing, lamenting his own "naivety." Had he known it would be like this, he should not have indulged in sleep and should have gotten up earlier

The trap set by Ge Zheng was highly effective, allowing them to easily kill the formidable Komodo dragon and successfully complete their mission. It was not only Sanier in the team who felt grateful.

Ge Zheng laughed heartily, this big fellow is indeed charming. He said generously: "No problem, you are all senior members of my Ge Men Alchemy Shop, and all items will be offered at a 20% discount!"

Although there are many people, truly valuable items are few and far between. Whenever he finally spots a few good materials for alchemy, they are either too expensive or already being negotiated over by someone else. Ge Zheng did not want to participate in the bidding war, allowing the buyers to drive up the prices, so he has not made any significant gains. On the way, he encountered Old Hans, a seasoned veteran who had risen early and had already reaped a bountiful harvest, which made Ge Zheng feel quite envious.

Take another look, this thing is truly a treasure, the Absolute Ridge is full of treasures! This time, Dunk is not being honest; the Absolute Ridge is merely steeper and difficult to climb. If the Absolute Ridge were full of treasures, everyone would risk their lives to climb up and seize them, and then the term "Absolute Ridge" would no longer exist

That person is a fellow townsman of Dunk, who knows his background. Dunk, with his hands tucked into the tattered sleeves, muttered, "This pearl is a treasure, but it just hasn't encountered someone who knows its worth yet"

Ge Zheng was somewhat disappointed, and someone nearby said: "My lord, are you looking for Dunk? I saw you buy that useless thing of his for a gold coin, and now you realize you've been fooled, haven't you?" Ge Zheng asked: "Do you know where he went?" "We are from the same village, so of course we know," the man said, but he did not continue. Ge Zheng tossed out a silver coin: "Take me to him, and this silver coin is yours."

The bead that Honest Dunk found is unrecognized by anyone and carries a foul odor. Every year, he comes to Wangshan Mountain hoping to sell this "treasured bead" in order to marry a wife, but he is always met with a lack of discerning eyes.

Even so, there were still people mocking him. A villager not far away laughed heartily and said, "Honest Dunk, are you selling those unwanted beads from your home again?" In front of Dunk lay a worn-out gray rabbit pelt, on which were only a few items: a yellow stone, a piece of dull black metal, and a dark purple bead.

Lacquer tree resin is a secretion from a rare tree species, forming a large ball similar to a silkworm cocoon. The exterior is soft and resilient like rubber, while the interior contains a transparent gel-like liquid. In alchemy, lacquer tree resin is referred to as "philosopher's sealing wax" and is used to seal the interfaces between two alchemical vessels, providing excellent airtightness. It is only employed in high-level alchemical formulas, whereas general formulas typically use clay for sealing, which is far less effective than lacquer tree resin.