Put Away Your Divine Techniques Now! Chapter 1156 - 345: A Bit More Luck

(I wasn't feeling well, so I took a break over the weekend.)

Chapter 345 [Increased Fortune]

It is a well-known tradition among the Fierce Beast Race to bestow Divine Tree Juice upon warriors who have rendered service to their tribe.

For instance, that young lass from the Fierce Beast Race, the one who carries a wooden bowl, she possesses Divine Tree Juice.

However, any Divine Tree Juice given as a reward is, without exception, a diluted version!

—Of course, that simple-minded girl with the wooden bowl further diluted it herself after receiving it.

Undiluted Divine Tree Juice is exceedingly rare in the Domain Realm, seeing hardly any circulation!

The reason for this scarcity is that it's seldom seen outside of the Fierce Beast Race.

It wasn't too long ago that Chen Yan and Gu Jinjia collaborated to secure the Divine Tree from the mountains inhabited by the Fierce Beast Race.

Thus, when Chen Yan affirmed, with a nod, that the Divine Tree Juice he held was indeed the undiluted essence...

Shi Lu's eyes nearly bulged out of his head right then and there.

Following that, Shi Lu posed a question to Chen Yan: "How exactly did you 'use' this Divine Tree Juice before?"

Chen Yan offered his honest confession without any reservation:

"I just drank it!"

"Initially, I found it too potent, so I diluted it with alcohol to achieve a specific ratio, and then... I drank it, consuming a small amount each time..."

Upon receiving this revelation...

Chen Yan distinctly perceived that Shi Lu, renowned as the foremost Alchemist of the Black Wood Tribe, and perhaps even the preeminent Alchemist of the entire Ghost Race — considering the Demon Race's distinct lack of prowess in alchemy, this portly elder might very well be the number one Alchemist in the Southern Border!

In essence, the old man's gaze shifted, becoming peculiar as he looked at me.

To put it plainly, Chen Yan felt that if he hadn't been escorted by the East Sea and explicitly instructed by Shi Lu, with the ancestors' decree mandating his service to me...

The old man's eyes seemed to burn with the desire to leap over and throttle me on the spot!!

The sole reason he refrained from acting was not a lack of will, but rather... the binding ancestral orders!

·

Shi Lu's countenance flushed, his breathing growing noticeably rapid as he fixed an intense glare upon Chen Yan for a full minute!

Then, after drawing a deep breath, he subdued his voice, speaking with deliberate slowness: "You know, the most egregious instance of waste I ever witnessed in my life occurred when I was young and undergoing my early training within my sect.

My master's own son, on one occasion, became intoxicated and mistook an eight-hundred-year-old medicinal Dragon Heart Grass for a common Butterfly Pattern Grass. He then proceeded to use it to concoct a Blood Replenishing Pill intended for feeding his pet beasts.

At that time, my master, who cherished his son dearly, having had him in his old age, and indulged him excessively, personally took a sturdy branch and fractured both of his son's legs!"

The stout elder Shi Lu shook his head, his voice rough with emotion: "That event altered the course of my destiny. Originally, my master had planned to concoct a grand medicinal concoction and intended for his son to serve as his alchemy assistant.

However, after incapacitating his son by breaking his legs, he had no alternative but to enlist me to fill the vacant position and assume the role of his assistant.

Consequently, I gained entry into the Inner Sect and received my master's genuine tutelage—previously, while my master acknowledged my talent, he always harbored a disdain for my Ghost Race origins, viewing me as an outsider. He was consistently reluctant to impart any profound knowledge, merely utilizing me as a readily available Outer Disciple, essentially a free laborer.

Therefore, that incident stands as both the pivotal turning point in my cultivation journey and the most preposterous example of squandering precious resources I have ever encountered!"

Chen Yan broke out in a cold sweat: "Are you implying..."

"Compared to your actions, my master's son could practically be hailed as a paragon of frugality!"

Chen Yan: "..."

Shi Lu declared with a chilling tone, then, without the slightest hesitation, demanded in the most ungracious manner:

"Surrender all the Divine Tree Juice you possess! Not a single drop shall remain; hand it all over to me! I shall refine the most exquisitely suited elixir for you!!

To allow such a magnificent substance to remain in your possession for even another hour, I believe the Heavenly Dao itself must be blind!"

·

Chen Yan did not hesitate for even a fraction of a second, promptly retrieving all the Divine Tree Juice he had stored.

Shi Lu was absolutely dependable; this portly old man was the unparalleled Alchemist of the Ghost Race, completely devoted to the welfare of his people, and even more so, to his own grandmother, the revered Elder of the Ghost Race!

The day prior to the East Sea's departure, he had apprised Chen Yan of the backgrounds of both Shi Lu and Golden Saber.

This Master Shi Lu had been recognized as a rare alchemical prodigy within the Ghost Race from a very young age, possessing an innate and exceptionally keen aptitude for identifying and appreciating various spiritual plants.

The distinct alchemy techniques employed by the Ghost Race diverge significantly from the conventional alchemy methods prevalent in the Domain Realm. This is primarily attributed to the Ghost Race's territorial confinement within the mountains of the Southern Border, which boasts an abundance of plant species, many of which differ considerably from the common spiritual medicines found elsewhere in the Domain Realm. Consequently, the varieties, cultivation methods, medicinal properties, and pharmaceutical processes all exhibit substantial variations from external alchemy traditions.

Even in his youth, Mr. Shi Lu had already established considerable renown among the Ghost Race. However, his ambitions were far from limited. He acutely perceived that while the Ghost Race possessed a distinctive medicinal path, it was profoundly restricted, existing in isolation and teetering on stagnation.

Consequently, Shi Lu relinquished the preferential status afforded to a young prodigy within the Ghost Race. He opted for obscurity and embarked on a journey across the Domain Realm to immerse himself in the prevailing alchemy techniques utilized globally. He sequentially joined various sects and families renowned for their elixir mastery, diligently working as an apprentice in cultivating spiritual medicines and later as a hired, low-level alchemist.

After more than a decade of dedicated travel and diverse experiences, his exceptional talent and unique perspectives on cultivating spiritual plants finally captured the attention of an alchemy master. He was accepted as a disciple and spent eight years under their rigorous tutelage. Ultimately, his brilliance shone through, leading him to become one of his master's coveted Inner Sect Disciples, where he received profound and genuine instruction.