Chapter 11: The Sect-Breaking Elixir and the Zenith of the Mittel Family

Three months had passed.

Su Yun, clad in a plain white robe, sat quietly in the main hall. His slender fingers lightly tapped the celadon tea cup. He took a delicate sip, the warmth of the tea sliding down his throat, a look of contentment appearing in his eyes.

Concubine Ya stood nearby, demure and obedient, her fingertips absentmindedly tracing the patterns on her sleeve, sending a shiver down her spine.

This was because the tea cup contained a poison potent enough to easily fell a Dou Wang—a truly lethal toxin!

She could not fathom why Su Yun had such a peculiar taste.

“The grade is utterly unworthy of notice; the only commendable aspect is the flavor,” Su Yun murmured, shaking his head. With his current cultivation, a fifth-grade poison was of no aid to him.

“Have you not gathered all the items I requested?” he asked.

Ya bit her crimson lips lightly. “The family has already dispatched people to the Izumo Empire to procure poisons. However, the journey is long, and since the Izumo Empire is at odds with the Gamma Empire, the trade caravans might face attacks. It will take some time before they return.”

“Very well,” Su Yun replied without reproach. Due to geographical reasons, the Gamma Empire produced few poisonous herbs.

The neighboring Izumo Empire was quite different—a land shrouded in miasma, where all manner of poisons flourished endlessly.

No wonder in the original tale, after the awakening of the Little Medic Fairy’s poisonous body, she fled to the Izumo Empire—a veritable paradise for those with cursed poison physiques.

“As for the precious medicinal materials you requested…” Ya began.

“They have mostly been collected already,” Su Yun interrupted, setting down his tea cup.

Mittel Tengshan strode in from the doorway, his steps measured and commanding.

“The medicinal materials for refining the Sect-Breaking Pill are even more valuable than the poisons,” Su Yun said. “The poisons remain unattained, yet the materials have been gathered first?”

Indeed, the materials Mittel’s family had been gathering were intended for the Sect-Breaking Pill!

According to the carefully crafted identity Su Yun assumed, this cursed poison body was a sixth-grade alchemist, capable of refining the Sect-Breaking Pill!

“You may not know, sir, but the Gamma Empire only has one sixth-grade alchemist, Ancient River the Pill King. He has only recently ascended to sixth-grade and cannot refine the Sect-Breaking Pill. So, though these materials are precious, they are not scarce. I ordered my men to collect them with full effort, and progress has been smooth,” Mittel Tengshan explained with keen interest upon learning Su Yun’s intentions.

If Su Yun were to rise to Dou Zong, the Mittel family’s status would rise in tandem.

“Why do you think our sect would personally refine the Sect-Breaking Pill rather than seek another sixth-grade alchemist?” Su Yun asked calmly.

Mittel Tengshan smiled, “You are unfamiliar with the times. There is likely no channel to find a sixth-grade alchemist. It is far likelier that you yourself are a sixth-grade alchemist capable of refining the Sect-Breaking Pill. Most tellingly, you never inquired about any sixth-grade alchemist while ordering us to gather the materials.”

“No wonder you have built the Mittel family into a powerhouse. You are quite clever,” Su Yun praised, making Mittel Tengshan feel honored.

“Have you prepared a refining cauldron?” Su Yun inquired.

“We have one—a fifth-grade cauldron preserved in the treasury,” Mittel replied.

Su Yun frowned. “Only a fifth-grade cauldron?”

Alchemy cauldrons ranged from first to eighth grade, with thirteen celestial cauldrons existing above the eighth grade. The celestial cauldrons were considered ninth-grade.

Mittel Tengshan hesitated, “The Gamma Empire only has two sixth-grade cauldrons, both owned by Ancient River the Pill King and Chairman Fama. This fifth-grade cauldron is the best I could find.”

Su Yun shook his head. “Very well. Go summon that Fama.”

“Uh… sir, what reason shall I give Chairman Fama for the summons?” Mittel asked cautiously.

Su Yun was momentarily puzzled but then understood his concern.

“Tell Fama directly that I wish to borrow his cauldron to refine the Sect-Breaking Pill,” Su Yun said.

“Yes, sir!” Mittel responded promptly and went to carry out the order.

A faint smile curved Su Yun’s lips. Perhaps Mittel believed this alchemical endeavor required utmost secrecy.

After all, Su Yun had injured Jia Xingtian and was on poor terms with the royal family. The Yunlan Sect’s stance was ambiguous, and these two Dou Huang powers might interfere.

But how could Mittel possibly guess Su Yun’s true thoughts?

Not only the royal family and Yunlan Sect, but ideally the entire imperial capital, even the Gamma Empire itself, should know that Su Yun was refining the Sect-Breaking Pill!

…

At the Alchemist Guild,

Fama and Jia Xingtian played chess on a stone table.

Fama placed a piece and sighed, “Though I am helping to nurse you, that man’s power is truly terrifying. Especially the flames he wields. If I am not mistaken, it is the Netherworld Poison Fire, ranked twentieth on the Exotic Fire List. Its poison is so potent that even I find it difficult to cleanse.”

“The poison accumulates within you. On ordinary days, your formidable Dou Qi might suppress it, but in battle against opponents of equal realm, the poison will flare anew… Do you know what that means?”

Jia Xingtian slowly closed his eyes, his strong hands scattering the pieces. “It means that nine out of ten times, my strength will wane. Don’t even mention Dou Huang level; even against a Dou Wang, I risk the poison’s backlash. I am no longer the royal protector…

“Old friend, you must keep this matter secret!”

Fama sighed, “How long can you keep it hidden?”

Jia Xingtian’s voice was low, “As long as possible. The key is whether this poison was left on me intentionally. If unintentional, then there is hope. But if deliberate, then his spying on the Gamma Empire has not ceased…

“Old friend, I need your help. The Gamma Empire needs your help!”

Fama hesitated, aware this was a forced choice to take sides.

Back when Yunshan had not yet closed its gates, the Yunlan Sect and the royal family fought bitterly, and he remained neutral. How could he now decide so swiftly?

His aid to Jia Xingtian was only out of past favors.

“Let’s discuss this matter later.”

“Sigh,” Jia Xingtian was helpless.

At that moment, a guard approached. “Chairman, Mittel Tengshan requests an audience.”

“What does he want?” Fama asked, puzzled.

Jia Xingtian sneered coldly, “The Mittel family has been quite formidable lately. Even the other two great families have begun to waver, as if I were dead!”

“Old fox, you stay here. Don’t let Tengshan see you. He may be acting on that man’s orders,” Fama said.

He did not want the Alchemist Guild embroiled in trouble and wanted Jia Xingtian to avoid suspicion.

“Understood.”

Fama entered the Alchemist Guild hall, where Mittel Tengshan had been waiting.

“Tengshan, what brings you here?”

Fama was prepared to stall if Mittel, like Jia Xingtian, intended to sway him to a faction.

He would not dare offend that person.

“The lord wishes to borrow your sixth-grade cauldron to refine the Sect-Breaking Pill. Please accompany me to the Mittel family residence for a discussion.”

“What?!”