ragginovel Chapter 117: Alchemist Xu Huaiyi Demands Unpaid Wages
Chapter 117: Alchemist Xu Huaiyi Demands Unpaid Wages
"Patriarch, I was injured years ago and lost a lot of my lifespan. This time, there is a second-grade high-quality 'Longevity Pill' being auctioned at the Dazeshan Market, so I want to bid for it to make up for my lost lifespan!" Xu Huaiyi had just sat down when he stood up again and said with his hands clasped.
"The 'Longevity Pill'!" Li Ruoyu narrowed his eyes slightly, took a sip of the tea beside him, and said, "In recent years, I have been busy with family matters and have neglected Master Xu somewhat. Please forgive me. I wonder if you have encountered any difficulties in this bidding?"
His smile noticeably faded.
Finally, he took another sip of tea.
"This second-tier 'Longevity Pill' is quite valuable. Over the years, I've spent a lot of spirit stones on that good-for-nothing grandson, so I'm a bit short of money. I'm afraid I won't be able to afford this 'Longevity Pill.' Therefore, I was thinking, could the patriarch distribute some of the dividends from recent years?" Xu Huaiyi said with a smile, looking at Li Ruoyu expectantly.
"Dividends..." Upon hearing this, Li Ruoyu's eyes flickered, and she looked down at Xu Huaiyi.
Xu Huaiyi smiled and looked at Li Ruoyu, his expression one of humility.
"Old Xu, how many years have you been a member of the Li family of Yunmeng Lake?" Li Ruoyu asked Xu Huaiyi.
"It's been 23 years!" Xu Huaiyi said.
"Have my Li family mistreated you all these years?" Li Ruoyu took a sip of her tea and then asked.
"The Li family raised resources and provided me with a lot of convenience in refining pills. The patriarch allowed my grandfather and me to settle on a second-tier spirit island, giving us a stable home so we no longer have to wander outside and be bullied. I am extremely grateful!" Xu Huaiyi said with a bow.
However, the forced smile on his face gradually disappeared as he spoke.
The tone was no longer overly humble.
"You are a talented person, and our Li family has always valued talent!" Li Ruoyu said.
"It's all thanks to the patriarch's kindness!" Xu Huaiyi said.
Then, he looked at Li Ruoyu, waiting for the latter to speak.
"It's been seven years since the last dividend distribution, hasn't it?" Li Ruoyu asked Xu Huaiyi.
"In another month, it will be eight years!" Xu Huaiyi said.
"Eight years...that's a long time indeed!" Li Ruoyu said leisurely, placing his teacup on the table beside him.
Then, Li Ruoyu looked at Xu Huaiyi.
Xu Huaiyi looked at Li Ruoyu, knowing that the important part was about to begin!
"How many spirit stones are owed to you in total?" Li Ruoyu asked.
"A total of forty-six thousand seven hundred yuan!" Xu Huaiyi said.
He is a second-tier alchemist.
They usually refine second-tier pills, which are more profitable than first-tier pills.
If there are enough medicinal herbs, the profits that can be made far exceed what ordinary people can imagine.
In recent years, the Li family has been actively acquiring medicinal herbs, which has enabled Xu Huaiyi to refine pills far more frequently than ordinary second-level alchemists.
That's why he gets so much profit sharing.
It would be difficult for an ordinary second-level alchemist to gather so many medicinal herbs to refine pills.
It can be said that cooperating with a large family is a win-win situation.
"Forty-six thousand seven..." Li Ruoyu tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair, lost in thought.
Xu Huaiyi looked at Li Ruoyu and said, "This old man dares not trouble the family. I only ask that the family head distribute half of it first!" He forced a smile and looked expectantly at Li Ruoyu, who was pondering in the main seat, hoping that the latter would agree.
Li Ruoyu's eyes flickered, and he stopped tapping the chair arm. He looked down at Xu Huaiyi and said, "Master Xu, it's not that I don't want to distribute the dividends. As you know, my Li family is using all its resources to help Uncle Hongtai achieve his core."
"This is a major family matter...it cannot be delayed!"
"Once Uncle Hongtai successfully forms his core and the Li family can catch their breath, your share of the profits will be paid out in full!"
Li Ruoyu looked at Xu Huaiyi.
Xu Huaiyi frowned and said, "This 'Longevity Pill' is extremely rare!"
The finest "Longevity Pill" is extremely rare.
Once successfully refined, most people will consume it internally.
Any one of these will cause countless people to fight over it, and its value is often tens of thousands of low-grade spirit stones.
Xu Huaiyi naturally didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Who wouldn't want to live another ten years or so?
"It's just a 'Longevity Pill.' Once the Ancestor successfully forms his core, won't he be able to gather enough?" Li Ruoyu said.
Xu Huaiyi frowned.
"Don't worry, once the Ancestor successfully forms his core, I will personally give you the formula for the 'Replenishing Vitality and Correcting Self Pill' to refine," Li Ruoyu said.
"The Elixir for Replenishing Vitality and Correcting Oneself..." Upon hearing this, Xu Huaiyi's heart skipped a beat.
This is a third-tier pill formula.
It is something that second-level alchemists dream of.
If one can understand the principles of the medicine in the prescription, then the alchemy process will not have been in vain.
After a moment of excitement, Xu Huaiyi frowned again.
The third-tier pill formula is indeed tempting.
But if we can't even get half of the spirit stones right now, will the third-tier pill formula remain just a pipe dream?
Xu Huaiyi had lived for over a hundred years, so naturally he wouldn't be so easily swayed by a few words.
"This is a small token of my appreciation... Over the years, I've sold several spiritual artifacts to help my uncle achieve the Golden Core stage, so I'm not exactly flush with cash." Seeing Xu Huaiyi slightly moved, Li Ruoyu flicked her hand, and a storage bag flew towards Xu Huaiyi in the front hall.
Xu Huaiyi took the storage bag and looked inside.
There are three thousand low-grade spirit stones among them.
For most people, this would be a huge fortune!
However, compared to the spirit stones owed by the Li family, three thousand low-grade spirit stones are not even enough to cover the interest.
"Thank you, Patriarch!" Xu Huaiyi accepted the storage bag and bowed in gratitude.
"The difficulties are temporary. Once we get through these years, and my Li family becomes a third-tier immortal clan, you will naturally benefit greatly. In a few days, the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill in our clan will be gathered. I would appreciate it if Alchemist Xu could prepare them and refine this pill," Li Ruoyu said.
"Rest assured, Patriarch, Huaiyi will certainly not fail the Li family's trust!" Xu Huaiyi bowed and said.
"Very good!" Li Ruoyu stood up, flashed in front of Xu Huaiyi, and lifted him up.
"We've been friends for decades, and the Li family will never forget your contributions!" Li Ruoyu said, patting Xu Huaiyi's hand.
"Huaiyi is willing to stand with the Li family and reach the summit together!" Xu Huaiyi said with a moved expression.
"Let's go to the summit together!" Li Ruoyu said in a deep voice, his eyes gleaming with ambition.
……
Xu Huaiyi then left Earth Flame Island in a flying boat.
In mid-air, Xu Huaiyi didn't forget to look back at the main hall behind him.
"Cultivating the Dao is difficult, but it's even more difficult for independent cultivators! It's so difficult!" Xu Huaiyi sighed, and then a sinister look appeared in his eyes before he flew away from the place.
……
three days later.
Snowfall Villa.
Huang Cheng and Liu Yuelong visited together.
Yang Jiuli welcomed him into the villa in the island.
In the pavilion.
The wine is warmed.
The three of them took their seats.
Huang Cheng was sullen.
Liu Yuelong picked up the warmed wine pot, poured himself a full cup, and drank it all in one gulp.
Immediately, he filled his glass again.
He was clearly feeling somewhat depressed today.
"Brother Long, don't just drink by yourself!" Huang Cheng said, taking the wine jug.
At the same time, he got up and poured Yang Jiuli a full cup before pouring one for himself.
"What happened? You all look so gloomy!" Yang Jiuli asked after taking a sip of wine.
Liu Yuelong remained silent, but sat down sullenly.
"It is said that three days ago, Master Xu went to the patriarch to ask for his share of the profits!" Huang Cheng said, glancing at Yang Jiuli.
"Oh, Master Xu!" Upon hearing this, Yang Jiuli's gaze sharpened.
"The result is in!" He gently shook his wine cup and looked at Huang Cheng.
"It is said that the patriarch only gave Master Xu three thousand spirit stones privately... and did not distribute any dividends!" Huang Cheng said.
"Three thousand yuan!" Yang Jiuli whispered.
"Only three thousand? You should know that Master Xu's share of the profits is forty-six thousand seven hundred!" Liu Yuelong said from the side.
He can no longer remain calm.
Previously, he had said that the Li family was large and powerful and would not delay paying dividends.
But after learning that even a second-tier alchemist like Xu Huaiyi was owed wages, he couldn't sit still any longer.
A second-tier alchemist is an extremely sought-after talent in the cultivation world of Chu, and no one would dare to neglect them.
If the Li family is in arrears on spirit stones for someone like him, will they ever distribute spirit stones to first-level alchemists like him in the future?
To put it another way, the Li family even owes dividends to second-tier alchemists, which shows how desperately they lack spirit stones.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Who knows how big a hole is behind them?
Yang Jiuli had anticipated this.
In recent years, the Li family has not only had to collect medicinal materials for Li Hongtai, but also spent a lot of spirit stones.
Even for those cultivators who died while escorting medicinal herbs, the compensation was a huge expense.
Moreover, there were losses incurred by the caravan after the attack.
In addition, the newly contracted medicinal herb plantation has required a huge initial investment, and although the herbs have been planted, they have not yet generated any revenue.
This makes it normal for the Li family to be strapped for cash.
"What are your thoughts?" Yang Jiuli took a sip of wine and then looked at Huang Cheng and Liu Yuelong.
"This..." Huang Cheng and Liu Yuelong were both taken aback.
In reality, they were truly out of options!
At this time, those who came to see Yang Jiuli were either delivering messages or venting their frustrations.
As cultivators from a minor clan, what could they possibly do to the Li family?
"Ninth Brother, do you think we made a mistake coming to Yunmeng Lake?" Huang Cheng asked after pouring himself a glass of wine.
He was feeling depressed.
At this point, he was almost certain that it would be difficult to get his dividends back in the future.
"If I hadn't come to Yunmeng Lake, I would be at the Qingyan Immortal Sect by now, having already reached the eighth level of Qi Refining," Liu Yuelong said.
There was a hint of regret in his voice.
If he were in the Azure Flame Immortal Sect, his achievements would not be low either; at least he wouldn't have his life force exploited and be owed thousands of spirit stones.
"That may be true, but life is like a game of chess; once a move is made, there's no going back..." Yang Jiuli said.
"Once a move is made, there's no going back?" Upon hearing this, Liu Yuelong frowned, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"If you encounter setbacks and there is no better way out for the time being, you should lie low and accumulate strength to strengthen yourself, so as to seize the opportunity. If you keep complaining and regretting, you will not only fail to change your predicament, but you will also cloud your mind, make mistakes, and miss the opportunity."
After saying that, he raised his glass to Liu Yuelong and Huang Cheng, and then drank it all in one gulp.
"Lying dormant in the abyss, accumulating strength..." Liu Yuelong mused.
"Wait for the right opportunity..." Huang Cheng also pondered.
"Ninth Brother's words are truly enlightening. I was too hasty just now. I toast you!" Liu Yuelong raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.
Indeed, we are powerless to change the status quo; the only thing we can do is improve ourselves and wait for a better opportunity.
Huang Cheng nodded.
He also raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
"With wind and rain approaching, my two brothers should make good preparations to prevent any unforeseen events," Yang Jiuli said as he poured wine for the two of them.
"Is a storm coming?" Liu Yuelong's eyes flickered as he looked at Yang Jiuli.
Huang Cheng also looked at Yang Jiuli.