In the Yunling Empire, second-grade pills are the most widely used and best-selling medicinal products among cultivators. Third-grade and fourth-grade pills, however, are rare and virtually impossible to find on the market. Because there are so few alchemists capable of producing them—fewer than a hundred across the entire empire—and most of those are elderly, the annual output is minimal. Most of what is produced is kept within the alchemists’ own factions, with perhaps only a fraction making its way to the open market.
Consequently, second-grade pills have become the standard choice for the masses. The sudden emergence of these three new pills, which possess effects far superior to the existing second-grade offerings in the Yunling Empire, has naturally drawn intense scrutiny. If Yunfu Auction House only had a small supply, it would be a minor matter; however, if they were to maintain a steady supply, it would undoubtedly deal a major blow to their competitors.
Ever since news of these pills broke, various factions have been mobilizing—some preparing for their descendants to enter the Four Nations Tournament, others looking to reverse-engineer the concoctions. They realize that if they could acquire these pills and hand them over to fourth-grade alchemists for study, there is a strong possibility they could be replicated, which would propel their strength to a new level. Now is not the time to investigate the origin of the pills; the priority is how to get hold of them.
Chapter 102