"Have you heard? It is said that the imperial court is about to reorganize the Imperial Hospital, vigorously promoting medical and alchemy arts, and will purchase rare herbs and medicinal materials at high prices to refine a large number of elixirs for cultivation."
"I've already heard, I've already heard, I've already heard. I'm very envious of the acquisition price for these spirit medicines, but unfortunately, growing spirit medicines is not something ordinary people can do, and we are all illiterate."
"Yes, I wonder who will be appointed as the chief administrator of spirit medicine cultivation?"
"Does that even need to be asked? Of course, it's Zhou Yunchen of the Zhou family! The Zhou family is the largest family in our Yunyue Kingdom, and Zhou Yunchen himself is a prodigy in alchemy. He is only thirty-two years old, and he can already refine Body Tempering Pills. Now, he can probably refine Foundation Establishment Pills?"
"Who knows? Anyway, we are just ordinary people."
...
At this moment, in the Zhou Mansion of Shuangyue City in Yunyue Kingdom, Zhou Yunchen stood in the center of the study with a smile, holding a letter in his hand: "Do you think I will go?"
An old man in a purple robe sat behind the desk. His hair was white, but he was spirited and had a stern, cold expression. He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing, and said coldly, "If you don't go, who will lead the alchemy lineage of the imperial court?"
"Father, I have disliked court politics since I was young. Those officials in the court are all a bunch of good-for-nothings. I can't be bothered with them," Zhou Yunchen said with a nonchalant air.
But after thinking about what that fellow Chu Chen had been up to in recent years, he immediately added, "Of course, that fellow named Chu Chen is an exception. He is probably the only talented person in the entire court."
The old man in purple robes frowned, his voice becoming even colder, "If that is the case, then you must enter the court and take up the post of Minister of the Ministry of Health. Otherwise, if some petty person ascends to power, the alchemy lineage of Yunyue Kingdom might fall into chaos!"
"Heh heh, Father, you jest. Although the imperial court of Yunyue Kingdom is full of rotten wood, there are many talented individuals among the common people. Compared to them, I am merely an unlearned person. How dare I covet the position of Minister?"
"Hmph!" The old man snorted and said nothing.
Zhou Yunchen sighed softly and said, "Father, once we enter the court, our Zhou family will no longer be an alchemy family in the martial world. The court may not be as good as you think. Didn't our family refrain from establishing an alchemy sect to avoid such scheming and to focus on alchemy?"
The old man was silent for a moment and said, "Times have changed. With the resurgence of spiritual energy, if we do not rely on the imperial court to obtain the greatest resources for advancement, the future of our Zhou family may be unpredictable."
After speaking, the old man sighed.
"The future? But who can accurately predict the future? Perhaps in the near future, this beautiful kingdom will return to its past?"
"Perhaps it will become even more beautiful? But once we compete for the position of Minister of the Ministry of Health, regardless of success or failure, there will be no turning back. In this case, is it worth giving up the family's autonomy, Father!"
Zhou Yunchen looked out the window, as if murmuring to himself, or perhaps trying to persuade his old father.
The old man in purple robes heard this, narrowed his eyes, looked at Zhou Yunchen, and after a long time, he sighed, "Let it be for the sake of the family. After all, the majority of the family members want to advance further."
Zhou Yunchen looked out the window, silent for a long time.
The next day, Zhou Yunchen went to the outside of the Government Affairs Office alone. Just as he was about to enter, a guard stopped him and asked, "This is the imperial court's Government Affairs Office. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter!"
Zhou Yunchen said, "I am Zhou Yunchen of the Zhou family, an alchemy family. I have come to respond to Prime Minister Chu's call for alchemy talents."
The guard said, "Zhou Yunchen? From an alchemy family? Please wait here, and I will inform them for you."
"Thank you, brother."
The guard quickly left and soon ran to report.
"The Zhou family, an alchemy family? Does such a family exist in our Yunyue Kingdom?"
Chu Chen was a little confused when he heard this.
Martial arts sects were understandable, but an alchemy family? If they were so powerful, why didn't they establish a Pill Sect?
"Go and invite him in."
"Yes!"
A moment later, the guard returned and clasped his fists in a bow to Zhou Yunchen: "Please follow me."
"Mm." Zhou Yunchen nodded.
Soon, Zhou Yunchen followed the guard into the Prime Minister's Pavilion of the Government Affairs Office.
Inside the Prime Minister's Pavilion, Chu Chen sat in the head seat. Standing beside him was a person wearing all black clothes even in broad daylight, with their face covered and their eyes filled with indifference.
"I am Zhou Yunchen. Greetings, Prime Minister Chu."
Zhou Yunchen said respectfully.
Chu Chen nodded, "You said your Zhou family is an alchemy family?"
"Indeed."
"If that's the case, then tell me what you can refine."
Zhou Yunchen nodded and said, "My family has inherited many alchemy formulas. I can refine all the elixirs circulating in the market such as Qi and Blood Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, Aphrodisiac Pills, Deficiency Replenishing Pills, Poison Resistance Pills, and Bliss Pills."
"You know quite a lot. If it were just these, it wouldn't be worth you coming to see me personally. You probably don't just want to join the Ministry of Health, do you?"
Chu Chen was somewhat surprised. This Zhou Yunchen, thirty-two years old, knew how to refine so many elixirs.
"Indeed. I heard that the imperial court intends to reorganize the Imperial Hospital and establish a Ministry of Health, with a Minister and two Vice Ministers, and three Directors of the Three Divisions. I wish to seek one of these positions."
Zhou Yunchen did not make a definitive statement, leaving room for maneuver. He was unsure if he could directly aim for the position of Minister.
"I see. You are indeed a person with foresight. However, being able to refine elixirs circulating in the market is not enough. Do you have any additional pill formulas that you can bring to the imperial court?"
Chu Chen nodded, understanding that this person had great ambition and was likely aiming for the position of Minister, not the Vice Minister or something similar.
"Ancient Martial Breaking Realm Pill, which can greatly increase the probability of a Martial Disciple breaking through to the Ancient Martial Realm."
"Thousand Refinements Pill, which can assist in accelerating the cultivation speed of the Body Tempering Realm, with an increase of about twenty percent."
"Myriad Spirit Liquid, which, when mixed with hot water for bathing, can continuously and slightly strengthen the physique, repair training injuries, and slightly improve martial arts talent."
After listing three unique pill formulas of the Zhou family in one breath, Zhou Yunchen looked at Chu Chen with bright eyes and asked, "Do these three pill formulas qualify me?"
"Interesting." Chu Chen smiled.
This fellow had investigated the underlying meaning of the court's decree before coming. The three pill formulas he provided were all urgently needed by the imperial court. If the imperial court obtained them, it could greatly enhance the martial arts cultivation of the lower-tier soldiers.
However... this thing had more crude and direct elixirs from the system, which could directly improve cultivation without the bottleneck of breaking through realms. His pill formulas were somewhat redundant.
Chu Chen pondered for a moment and then asked, "What is the cost? How difficult is it to refine? Can it be widely promoted?"
"Of course, it can. This is something our Zhou family has researched over a thousand years, and the cost has been minimized."
Zhou Yunchen replied confidently.