145: Chapter 145 If you can't refine a high-grade product, whose fault is it?

Stepping inside, Su Cheng realized the name of this pavilion was far too modest.

From the outside, the Dharma Transmission Pavilion was merely a seven-story building, but once inside, the internal space expanded dozens of times over; the pavilion actually contained its own small world.

On both sides of the wide corridor, nearly a hundred lecture halls of various sizes were lined up.

Some doors were tightly shut, with the faint sound of clashing metal echoing from within, likely demonstrating a certain Spell or Artifact Refining technique; others were wide open, packed with people, and an Elder was speaking eloquently on the podium.

After walking a few steps, Su Cheng smelled the scent of medicinal herbs and metal in the air.

The dozen or so halls on the left of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion were prepared for Disciples of the Dao of Alchemy; the dozen or so on the right were the territory of the Artifact Refining lineage.

As for the halls in the middle, the plaques hanging over their doors bore inscriptions like "Cultivation Technique Practice Room 1" and "Technique Practice Room 1."

Deep inside was the area for buying and selling Cultivation Techniques and Spells.

The foundation of a Nascent Soul Sect was indeed incomparable to those Sects in Qinghe Prefecture.

Su Cheng walked along the corridor toward the lecture hall where Elder Muliang was teaching, passing many Disciples along the way.

Their attire varied: there were the gray robes of Outer Sect Disciples, the green robes of Inner Sect Disciples, and some, like him, wearing the standard white robes of a Personal Disciple.

There were also some older Disciples who didn't wear any standard Sect clothing but carried deacon tokens or Protector waist plates.

Most of these people were not skilled in Alchemy or Artifact Refining; they followed the path of combat cultivation and would eventually become the Sect's law enforcement Guards.

Turning a corner, he ran into several familiar faces.

"Senior Brother Su!" A fair-faced young man greeted him with cupped hands; he was one of the Disciples who had been in the same Foundation Establishment group as him during the selection.

The two had been close to each other at the time, so they were somewhat familiar.

Su Cheng remembered this person's surname was Zhao. He had refined a Medium Grade qi sea pill, ranked in the forties, and became an Inner Sect Disciple, though he hadn't been taken in by a Golden Core Elder.

Su Cheng nodded in return without stopping.

The young man named Zhao didn't chase after him to chat; they were only casual acquaintances, and a nod was enough.

Arriving at the target lecture hall, most of the prayer mats inside were already occupied by fellow Disciples.

Su Cheng took a glance; at least three or four hundred people were squeezed into this hall that could hold five hundred.

The front rows were mostly Foundation Establishment Cultivators, while many Qi Refining Ninth Layer and Tenth Level of Qi Refining Disciples sat scattered in the back rows and corners, each looking serious and filled with yearning for the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Notably, many Disciples from the Artifact Refining lineage were also among them.

A stable Dao Foundation and condensed Divine Sense were useful for Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and pure combat Cultivators alike.

Su Cheng picked a seat toward the middle-back and sat down.

Just as he settled in, a rustle of footsteps came from behind.

"Isn't that Elder Qingmu's new Disciple? The one who successfully refined all three batches of foundation establishment pills during the selection?"

"Yes, yes, yes, a one hundred percent success rate! I was standing right there watching!"

A few lowered voices drifted over, but Su Cheng acted as if he hadn't heard.

However, a few bold Qi Refining Stage Disciples took advantage of the fact that the lecture hadn't started yet and approached in small groups.

Leading them was a Tenth Level of Qi Refining Cultivator with a sallow complexion, as thin as a bamboo pole. He squeezed out a flattering smile and first bowed respectfully.

"Senior Brother Su, please excuse the intrusion."

"Speak, Junior Brother."

The bamboo-pole Cultivator rubbed his hands together. "Um... this junior heard that Senior Brother refined High Grade foundation establishment pills during the selection, so I wanted to ask, do you take private commissions?"

Su Cheng raised an eyebrow.

The bamboo-pole Cultivator quickly explained, "The Sect's foundation establishment pills are too expensive! A High Grade one costs five hundred contribution points! I'm just an Outer Sect Disciple; my monthly allowance is only twenty points. I couldn't save enough even if I didn't eat or drink for two and a half years. Although Medium Grade ones are cheaper, the success rate... hehe, Senior Brother, you understand."

The few Qi Refining Stage Disciples behind him also nodded; they had clearly come together.

"So you want me to refine them for you privately and at a lower price?" Su Cheng was direct.

"Yes, yes, yes! Senior Brother is so straightforward!" The bamboo-pole Cultivator's eyes lit up. "Just name your price, Senior Brother!"

Su Cheng looked at them, his thoughts turning.

Should he take this business? Of course.

What he lacked now were contribution points. There were plenty of Spirit Medicines for refining foundation establishment pills on Qingmu Peak, and his Revered Master had given him permission to use them as he pleased.

The problem was, he couldn't overdo it.

There was an old saying in this trade: those in the same profession are enemies.

As a newly arrived Personal Disciple, if he started a low-price dumping campaign with great fanfare, those Foundation Establishment Stage Senior Brothers who could also refine foundation establishment pills would likely harbor a grudge against him.

"I'll only take commissions for ten pills," Su Cheng said, holding up one finger. "For a High Grade foundation establishment pill, I'll charge a refining fee of two hundred contribution points per pill. You provide the Spirit Medicines yourselves, or you can pay in Spirit Stones or contribution points. For the Materials available on Qingmu Peak, I can give them to you at the Sect's cost price."

The bamboo-pole Cultivator was stunned, then quickly began calculating in his head.

The High Grade foundation establishment pills sold by the Sect's Alchemy Hall were five hundred contribution points each, but that price included the Spirit Medicines.

If one were to buy the Spirit Medicines for a foundation establishment pill at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, the total would be at least over a hundred contribution points.

Calculating it this way, Senior Brother Su's fee—two hundred for refining plus over a hundred for Materials—would only total a bit over three hundred!

For one High Grade foundation establishment pill, that saved nearly two hundred points! (To all you big shots, honestly, I'm not great with numbers. I'll try to downplay them in the future, so please don't calculate too closely.)

"Senior Brother Su is truly righteous!" After finishing the math, the bamboo-pole Cultivator's face flushed with excitement. "This price is too fair!"

"First come, first served. Once they're gone, that's it. And let's get the unpleasantness out of the way first: I can't guarantee the quality. I'll do my best for High Grade, but if I only refine a Medium Grade, will you accept it? Of course, Medium Grade will be at the Medium Grade price."

Su Cheng's words were practical, and the Disciples below actually felt more at ease.

Where in the world was there an Alchemist who could guarantee High Grade? Even if there were, it wouldn't be someone that small fry like them could afford to hire.

"We accept! Of course we accept!" The bamboo-pole Cultivator patted his chest in guarantee. "Senior Brother Su, don't you worry! Not to mention Medium Grade, we'd even accept Low Grade!

The Medium Grade foundation establishment pills sold by the Sect also cost two hundred and fifty points, so any way we calculate it, we won't lose out! Even if we don't use them ourselves, taking them to the market in the Prefecture City to sell would still bring in far more than our costs, and we could even make a small profit!"

"Then it's settled. Go back and gather the Spirit Medicines and contribution points, and come find me at Qingmu Peak within three days."

The few Qi Refining Disciples sat to the side with a thousand thanks. They still had to listen to the lecture since they had spent contribution points on it, and there was no rush to gather the Materials right this second.

Su Cheng noticed two or three Foundation Establishment Senior Brothers in the front row looking back at him with unpleasant expressions.

As expected.

Among the Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples, there were naturally those who earned contribution points by refining foundation establishment pills.

Most of them could only refine Low Grade and Medium Grade, selling them at corresponding prices, at most a few dozen contribution points cheaper than the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

As a result, once Su Cheng arrived, High Grade items were being sold at Medium Grade prices. Although it was only a quantity of ten, the nature of it was not much different from a slap in the face.

Fortunately, it was only ten.

Su Cheng had deliberately controlled the quantity to avoid making a scene.

Those unhappy Disciples looked at each other and ultimately said nothing.

There was no helping it; the rules of the Danding Sect were such that Cultivators' buying and selling of refined pills within the Sect depended entirely on their own abilities.

Who can you blame if you can't refine High Grade?