Chapter 621: Recruiting Talents

“I am absolutely certain. Here, this is a pill refined by Young Noble Li where I watched the process with my own eyes. Please have look, Your Majesty.” The demon monarch hurriedly handed a pill over.

Madam Zi Yan’s expression greatly changed as she got up from her throne after seeing the six transformations pill. She cried out: “Impossible!”

“This fate pill is real.” The Demon King’s reaction was within his expectations. If he didn’t see it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it either.

Madam Zi Yan exclaimed with a pale countenance: “Ninety percent purity, golden color... This is the most amazing and peerless six transformations pill! The one and only of this generation!”

Ancient Pine spoke: “This situation should only occur in nine transformations pills, but Young Noble Li was able to do so for a six transformations pill. It is not an exaggeration to say that no one in the contemporary times can match him.”

After a long while, Madam Zi Yan took a deep breath and slowly sat down, then she skeptically asked: “Did Young Noble Li really refine this pill?”

Ancient Pine immediately replied: “I am one hundred percent certain. I swear with the life of my entire family! Your Majesty, this is Young Noble Li holding our Giant Bamboo Country in high esteem.”

Then, the monarch retold Li Qiye’s dan refinement process.

Even a Demon King like her couldn’t help but gasp after hearing the monarch’s story. After some time, she solemnly said: “This is completely unbelievable... If this is true, then isn’t he comparable to an Alchemy Emperor?”

Ancient Pine responded: “Even if he isn’t one right now, he will definitely become an Alchemy Emperor in the future; the four prodigies can’t compare to him. If our Giant Bamboo Country can keep a talent like this, then we’ll rise sharply in the future!”

Madam Zi Yan remained quiet. As a Demon King and the ruler of a country, she understood the significance behind an Alchemy Emperor. If they had one in the future, then guests would come nonstop with an endless supply of people asking for medicines. Virtuous Paragons and Godkings would gladly stay in the Giant Bamboo Country. If this became reality, then the Giant Bamboo Country would be prosperous just like the golden age of their founding.

A supreme Alchemy Emperor could change one’s fate and prevent death. Even if they couldn’t reign over the Nine Worlds like Immortal Emperors, their prominence remained strong.

Madan Zi Yan calmed down and asked with a serious tone: “What is the background of this Young Noble Li?”

Ancient Pine answered: “Young Noble Li is a human, a vagrant cultivator that doesn’t belong to any sect.”

“How could that be?” Madam Zi Yan pondered for a bit before stating: “All four alchemy prodigies are from famous heritages. If Young Noble Li is this amazing, then he shouldn’t be so unknown.”

Her skepticism was not without merit. Alchemists had a higher status in the Stone Medicine World than any other world, and a peerless alchemist was even more valued. All the imperial lineages would compete for them.

Ancient Pine quickly brought up Bai Weng’s point of view: “We can’t speculate the thoughts of extraordinary people. In my opinion, Young Noble Li doesn’t care for fame since he could easily gain prestige, power, and treasures whenever he wants.”

“But why would such a supreme alchemist stay at our country?” Madam Zi Yan asked with doubt.

Ancient Pine told her Shi Hao’s situation: “I think Young Noble Li has some sentiment for the Giant Bamboo Country. He is also training a disciple who is currently an envoy of ours.”

Madam Zi Yan contemplated again before eventually saying: “It would be best if such a supreme alchemist could stay at our Giant Bamboo Country; this is an opportunity granted by the heavens. However, we need to discuss this further and see if we can find out more about his background.”

“Your Majesty’s worries make sense.” Ancient Pine said: “But we might miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“I understand.” Madam Zi Yan nodded and said: “Keep Young Noble Li here for now. The ancestors and I will discuss this. We need to draw a bottom line if he wishes to stay. As long as we don’t have to cross that line, then we’ll do all we can to keep him here. I will send people to investigate his background.”

“Your Majesty’s decision can’t be any better.” Ancient Pine praised: “It is best if Your Majesty made a decision now and discussed further details later. I will try my best to hold him back, but don’t expect more than three days. If we cause him to feel unpleasant, then everything will go down the drain.”

Madam Zi Yan nodded and said: “Elder Pine can worry about treating him well. If the ancestors give permission, I will go see him tomorrow.”

Ancient Pine agreed and was about to leave before Madam Zi Yan spoke once more: “Regarding the Alchemy Conference, you and the other monarchs can discuss it a bit. Try to delay picking the second participant for now. We can decide on the Qing Clan right now, but give the decision on the Lie Clan more time.”

“Your Majesty wants to use the boy from the Lie Clan as a participant for the conference?” Ancient Pine was taken by surprise: “The boy’s skill is much worse than the Qing boy.”

“I’m still thinking about it.” Madam Zi Yan shook her head and said: “We don’t have a better option. Although the Lie Clan’s inheritor has flaws regarding his alchemy dao, we don’t have many who are better than him. More importantly, the Lie Clan has a Fire Source so they will always have a good Heavenly Cauldron. If the Lie boy joins, then he will surely bring his family's heirloom, giving him a great advantage.”

At this point, she paused a bit before continuing: “What’s more, the Qing Clan still strongly recommends the Lie Clan’s inheritor as the second candidate. Although the two clans are related, I suppose the Lie boy’s conditions are not that bad. The Eagle Demon Monarch had pushed for this several times already.”

Ancient Pine could only sigh. Although the country was always peaceful, there was no lack of internal political maneuvering. He replied: “If Young Noble Li stays and participates in the conference, then we can relax and won’t need the Qing Clan. The Qing boy is far worse than the four prodigies, but the four are nothing compared to Young Noble Li.”

Madam Zi Yan slightly nodded in agreement: “It would be best if Young Noble Li agreed to stay and represented us. However, the important part is whether we can accept his conditions or not.”

Both Ancient Pine and Madam Zi Yan believed that a promising alchemist would have astonishing conditions required for them to stay at the Giant Bamboo Country. If one couldn’t afford to pay the price, how could they hold onto a supreme alchemist?

Ancient Pine remained silent. The Giant Bamboo Country was not comparable to an imperial lineage, so if Li Qiye’s conditions were too high, then they wouldn’t be able to accept them.

At this point, Madam Zi Yan said: “Elder Pine, you can return now, and treat Young Noble Li well. I will report this to the ancestors and see their decision.”

A Demon King like her couldn’t decide such a grand matter alone.

Ancient Pine bowed his head and left the imperial palace.

While all of this was taking place, Li Qiye was currently staying at the mansion with many servants at his beck and call. Under the command of Ancient Pine, none of the servants dared to slack off, treating Li Qiye as their most esteemed guest.

After washing his face, he dismissed all the servants. All alone in the room, he absorbed the worldly energy and began to activate his merit law.

He was cultivating a law from the Death Scripture. With the channeling of the law, a white flower floated inside his sea of memories. The sea had eighteen petals that had just finished being refined. However, the petals were bleak as if they were made from paper.

This white flower was the Death Record, one of the four techniques in the scripture.

After successfully creating the Death Record, each time the user died, one of the flower petals would be activated.

At the same time, a huge seal floated inside his body. This seal was formed from extremely complex laws. It was the Death Seal, another of the four techniques.

When this seal is completed, if the body suffered any injury, then this seal would carve a supreme law that redirected all the damage to the seal instead, then it would transform this injury into an energy of death!

As for the last of the four techniques, the Death Chapter, Li Qiye couldn’t finish it at this time because it required a huge amount of death energy!

After a lot of hard work, the Death Seal and Death Record had been completed. Li Qiye then heaved a sigh of relief and stood up.

He left the room to gaze at the tranquil night sky with luminous stars. Being at the capital of the Giant Bamboo Country made his mind quite heavy with thoughts.

On this quiet and solitudinous night, Li Qiye couldn’t help but think of a certain person, a person who had followed him by his side as his friend.

He eventually calmed his sentimental mood and wanted to go to a certain location. Many years had passed and he wondered if it was still there. Without much further thought, he flew there to take a look.

In the outskirts of the capital, there was a very small village to the eastern mountain range.

This village was very inconspicuous and was under the Giant Bamboo Country’s jurisdiction.

There were only around ten families in the village — a few dozen people. It was very ordinary looking and there was a big old house at the end of the village. This old house had lost its splendor, but the architectural style indicated that it was once quite majestic.

It was indeed surprising to see such an ancient house in this little village.