Looking at the Jade Dew Concentric Pill in his hand, Sun Xiuxian’s aged face revealed an expression of disbelief.
As the foremost alchemist of the Modao Merchant Guild, how could he not discern this?
The medicinal efficacy of the Jade Dew Concentric Pill in his hand was even stronger than the modified version he had painstakingly refined back then, by a full ten percent!
One must know that Sun Xiuxian, as the foremost alchemist of the Modao Merchant Guild, was only at the ordinary Tribulation Passage stage in terms of cultivation.
However, when it came to alchemy, he was quite renowned throughout the entire Qingrao Domain.
It was precisely because of this that many powerful individuals from other factions, and even some lords of powerful planes, were more than willing to have Sun Xiuxian customize elixirs for them.
As for his modified version of the Jade Dew Concentric Pill, it was one of Sun Xiuxian’s most proud creations in his lifetime.
With similar costs, its medicinal efficacy was a full one and a half tenths stronger than the original Jade Dew Concentric Pill.
Yet now, feeling the Jade Dew Concentric Pill in his hand, whose medicinal fragrance was about ten percent more potent than his modified version, Sun Xiuxian was completely questioning himself.
"This! What is going on!"
Regaining his senses, Sun Xiuxian’s somewhat stunned, aged face turned to glare coldly at Mo Qiong, who was not far in front of him, as if seeking an answer from Mo Qiong.
And facing Sun Xiuxian's questioning gaze.
Mo Qiong’s expression remained unchanged, though his eyes flickered slightly.
"This is an elixir that recently appeared in a certain location within the Qingrao Domain, sold by a merchant guild called Penguin Apothecary."
"Penguin Apothecary?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Xiuxian immediately fell into deep thought.
As a highly skilled alchemist, the number of other alchemists or alchemical forces he knew was beyond imagination. He was even familiar with many alchemists and alchemical forces outside the Qingrao Domain.
Since Penguin Apothecary had "Apothecary" in its name, and it sold this Jade Dew Concentric Pill, it naturally had to be related to alchemists or alchemical forces.
However, in the next moment, Sun Xiuxian’s brows furrowed slightly.
In a short period, he recalled all the alchemists and alchemical forces he knew in his mind.
But unfortunately, Penguin Apothecary was not among them.
As if sensing Sun Xiuxian’s thoughts, Mo Qiong’s voice rang out at this moment.
"That Penguin Apothecary is too unfamiliar. I have already arranged for people to investigate the surrounding major domains outside the Qingrao Domain during this time, and I have asked many fellow Daoists, but there is no news whatsoever."
It was as if they had appeared out of thin air.
This…
Hearing Mo Qiong’s words, Sun Xiuxian became even more perplexed.
Even the surrounding major domains outside the Qingrao Domain had no knowledge of this Penguin Apothecary.
This Penguin Apothecary? Did it pop out of a rock?
As for further afield, they had not ruled out that possibility.
But there was one point: the fact that Penguin Apothecary could produce a modified Jade Dew Concentric Pill stronger than their Modao Merchant Guild’s Jade Dew Concentric Pill was enough to prove their extraordinary nature. If they were from other major domains, they would certainly not be unknown.
But unfortunately, there was truly no news about them at all.
However, at this moment, the most important thing was not the origin of Penguin Apothecary.
Instead, it was the impact brought about by this Jade Dew Concentric Pill that was superior to that of the Modao Merchant Guild.
Although Penguin Apothecary was currently confined to a few small regions and had not expanded outwards.
The Modao Merchant Guild was, after all, a considerable large merchant guild in the Qingrao Domain, and this was about their Modao Merchant Guild’s Jade Dew Concentric Pill.
Currently, Penguin Apothecary had not yet expanded to other regions.
If they were to expand further.
Those cultivators who needed the Jade Dew Concentric Pill would not care about anything else.
To them, they would naturally buy from the vendor whose elixirs were more affordable.
Even if they had bought elixirs from the Modao Merchant Guild dozens or hundreds of times, as long as they were not the most cost-effective, these cultivators would not waste their time and money on less effective ones.
Furthermore, Mo Qiong also knew that the price of the Jade Dew Concentric Pill sold by Penguin Apothecary was similar to theirs.
At the same price, even Mo Qiong himself would choose the Jade Dew Concentric Pill from Penguin Apothecary.
If that day truly came, their Modao Merchant Guild’s Jade Dew Concentric Pill would have to be improved again to possess even stronger medicinal efficacy. The only other option would be to lower the price.
At that time, the loss would be borne by their Modao Merchant Guild.
And at this moment, Mo Qiong’s voice rang out again, and this time, there was a hint of gravity in his voice.
"Master Sun, I have called you here today to ask if you have the ability to further improve the Jade Dew Concentric Pill, whether in terms of cost or medicinal efficacy?"
However, as soon as Mo Qiong finished speaking, Sun Xiuxian, who had been shocked by the more potent Jade Dew Concentric Pill, immediately shook his head with a grim expression.
"Impossible. Modifying elixirs is extremely difficult. It took me thousands of years to modify the Jade Dew Concentric Pill once, increasing its medicinal power by one and a half tenths while keeping the cost roughly the same. After that, I had to meditate in seclusion for a thousand years to recover my vital energy, spirit, and soul."
"Now, President, you are asking me to modify the Jade Dew Concentric Pill again, to further enhance its medicinal efficacy. That would be easier than nurturing an ordinary person into the Tribulation Passage stage."
"Furthermore, President, even if I could indeed enhance the medicinal efficacy of the Jade Dew Concentric Pill once more, it would take thousands of years. By then, that force called Penguin Apothecary would have likely established branches all over the Qingrao Domain."
Hearing Sun Xiuxian’s words, Mo Qiong’s stern face could not help but furrow slightly.
What Sun Xiuxian said was indeed reasonable. It was truly easier to find an ordinary person and nurture them to the Tribulation Passage stage than to successfully modify a medicinal formula.
Moreover, even if Sun Xiuxian could take thousands of years to modify the formula, by then, it would be too late.
As for purchasing the Jade Dew Concentric Pill from Penguin Apothecary for Sun Xiuxian to directly replicate, Mo Qiong had not even considered this foolish question.
Although both were Jade Dew Concentric Pills, the differences between them were not significant; the similarity could be said to be ninety-nine percent.
But that one percent difference, if one wanted to replicate it.
The cost involved would not be much simpler than directly modifying the formula.
It was merely a matter of having a mold to borrow from, or not.
But in reality, both situations involved a dark, fathomless abyss, where one wrong step would lead to complete failure and the need to start all over again.
This could be seen from the fact that it took Li Qi decades to analyze the original formulas of the elixirs from Cangyan Apothecary.
After all, those decades of Li Qi’s time represented thousands of years for others.