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Kang Siran had had a miserable time over the past month. The Pill and Artifact Pavilion under the rival Seven Luminaries Commerce Association had pulled a despicable, unethical stunt—they'd poached two of his pillar alchemist masters, leaving him with grievances he couldn't even voice.
If Ling Dan Fang really went under because of this, then his career at the Purple Source Commerce Association would be finished for good.
He had finally managed to find Yang Kai, and had just signed a Soul Contract with him, hoping the man could become Ling Dan Fang's second alchemist to stabilize the situation. Who would have thought that right at this critical juncture, word came that Alchemist Fan was planning to leave?
If Alchemist Fan really departed, then all the ground Kang Siran had fought so hard to reclaim could easily tilt back the other way, and his future prospects would look bleak indeed.
His throat burned with anxiety as he hurriedly led Yang Kai toward the rear courtyard. Before they even arrived, they could already hear Fan Hong shouting: "Who dares stop me? Fan is done here—all of you, get out of my way! Don't blame me for getting rough if you don't move!"
In the rear courtyard, several shop assistants were trying to reason with him in soothing tones, but were having little success in holding Fan Hong back.
Hearing this, Kang Siran knew things were bad. He quickened his pace and in the blink of an eye arrived at the rear courtyard, where he found Fan Hong looking furious, his whole body surging with power as though he was about to erupt into violence at any moment.
But upon seeing Kang Siran, Fan Hong furrowed his brow, a flicker of guilt passing through the depths of his eyes.
"Alchemist Fan, what exactly are you doing?" Kang Siran was inwardly furious that Fan Hong was stirring up trouble at a time like this, but he didn't dare speak too harshly. He could only ask with a long face.
Fan Hong sighed and said, "Shopkeeper Kang, it is Fan Hong who has wronged you. However, my mind is made up—please forgive me."
"Is Alchemist Fan dissatisfied with my compensation? Or has someone else offered a better price? If that's the case, we can certainly negotiate!" Kang Siran knew that the most important thing right now was to figure out exactly why Fan Hong wanted to leave Ling Dan Fang, so he could address the root cause.
"Shopkeeper Kang, that is an insult to me." Fan Hong looked almost indignant. "From the moment I arrived in Maple Forest City, I took up residence at Ling Dan Fang. I have refined pills here for ten years and long since made this place my home. No matter how high a price anyone else offers, I would not be tempted."
Kang Siran gave a bitter smile. "If that's not the reason, then why would you suddenly want to leave when everything was going well?"
Fan Hong sighed again. "Shopkeeper Kang, over this past month, I have been refining pills day and night without rest. I'm practically running on fumes. If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to endure it. Shopkeeper Kang, please have mercy and let me go."
Hearing this, Kang Siran was momentarily speechless.
While the two talked, Yang Kai had been observing Fan Hong. The man clearly matched his own description—he really did appear to be utterly exhausted. His mental and physical state was in poor shape, the fluctuation of his energy unstable and erratic. His hair was disheveled, his eye sockets sunken—it was all plainly the result of severe overwork.
Fan Hong's cultivation was not particularly high either—only at the peak of the third-stage Return Void Realm.
At that level, Yang Kai estimated that even if he was a Void King Realm alchemist, he'd be no more than a low-grade one at best.
After all, pill refinement sometimes required the support of one's internal energy. The weaker that energy, the less hope there was of producing quality pills. But alchemists spent their days handling spiritual herbs and rare medicines—where would they find the time to cultivate? Without cultivation, where would they get strong power? And without strong power, how could they sustain high-intensity pill refinement?
It had almost become a vicious cycle for the entire alchemist profession.
"This was my oversight. Please forgive me, Alchemist Fan!" Kang Siran acknowledged that Fan Hong had indeed given too much over the past month. Hearing the man out, he immediately bowed respectfully.
Fan Hong was startled. "Shopkeeper Kang, that's too much."
Kang Siran shook his head. "It was my mistake. But things are fine now—I've found another alchemist. There's no longer any need for you to work as hard as before. How about this: go back and rest for a few days, then return to the pill workshop?"
"Another alchemist?" Fan Hong was stunned. His gaze swept through the crowd and finally settled on the unfamiliar face of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai offered him a slight smile.
"Alchemist Fan, your dedication to the pill workshop has been plain for all to see. I won't burden you with too many words of gratitude—just go back and rest for a while. When you feel ready, come back, all right?" Kang Siran looked at Fan Hong with sincere earnestness, unwilling to let him walk away under any circumstances.
"This..." Fan Hong looked troubled, seemingly torn with indecision.
Just as Kang Siran was preparing to press his advantage and try harder to persuade Fan Hong, a clear, melodious voice suddenly drifted in from outside: "Is Alchemist Fan here? Time is up—I've come personally to pick you up."
The moment those words landed, Fan Hong's face changed dramatically. The pallor brought on by his exhaustion was suddenly replaced by a purplish-red flush, like the color of pig liver—the very picture of mortification.
Kang Siran, however, froze for a moment before his teeth clenched together: "Zhuo Ningsi!"
His expression was one of utter hatred, as though he bore some enormous grudge against the woman named Zhuo Ningsi.
Yang Kai's eyes shifted thoughtfully as he put the pieces together, then he looked at Fan Hong with an amused smile.
Fan Hong was visibly uncomfortable, his eyes darting about, his lips moving soundlessly as though he were cursing under his breath.