The Strongest Talent Tree

Inside the general store, Xue Qingshan quickly received a Stone Listening Communication from a high-ranking official. His expression shifted repeatedly, and it took him a long while to come to his senses.

"How about it? Do you still think there’s a problem with a fifty-fifty split?" Feng Hao asked with a smile.

Xue Qingshan sized Feng Hao up for a few moments, surprised and suspicious, then said with a wry smile, "I never expected Boss Feng to be one of us. Since that’s the case, there’s no problem with a fifty-fifty split."

"Alright then, it’s settled." Feng Hao smiled, found some paper and a pen on the counter, and with a few quick strokes, wrote out the detailed recipes for the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment. "Here are the detailed recipes for the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment. I hope you’ll keep them safe."

Xue Qingshan was startled. He carefully took the recipes and said solemnly, "You can rest assured. A recipe this important will absolutely not be leaked."

"Although these two pills aren’t high-grade, they require a rather high level of alchemy skill. Can your Treasure Pavilion handle it?"

"Don’t worry. Headquarters has already dispatched a team of high-level Alchemists. I believe it won’t be long before we can go into production," Xue Qingshan said confidently.

Honestly, even he hadn’t expected the higher-ups at headquarters to go out of their way to dispatch a team of high-level Alchemists.

"Good. A pleasure doing business with you," Feng Hao said with a nod and a smile.

"A pleasure doing business with you," Xue Qingshan said, flattered and overwhelmed.

After seeing the two of them off, Yao Ying could no longer contain her curiosity. Her eyes flickered with curiosity as she asked, "Are you with the Holy Hall or the Thief God Hall?"

"Guess," Feng Hao teased.

"I bet you’re a mole the Holy Hall planted in the Thief God Hall," Yao Ying guessed with a straight face.

A dark look crossed Feng Hao’s face. He rolled his eyes and said, "Mole my ass. Get back to work."

"Oh." Yao Ying turned away, disgruntled. Suddenly, she realized a serious problem. "Wait a minute. If the Life Spirit Pills and Snow Frost Ointment are being handled by the Treasure Pavilion, what are we going to sell at the general store?"

"What are you, a mere clerk, so worried about?" Feng Hao said, getting a little annoyed.

Yao Ying had a mournful look on her face. "I finally managed to earn a day’s wages! Without the Life Spirit Pills and Snow Frost Ointment, how am I supposed to make money in the future?"

"Heh, getting addicted to making money, are we?" Feng Hao said irritably. "Enough nonsense. Just focus on being a clerk."

"But..."

"But my ass. If you want to stay, stay. If not, get lost," Feng Hao sneered. "I’m going next door to learn forging. Watch the shop for me."

With that, he ran to the blacksmith shop next door without a backward glance.

Yao Ying was so furious she looked ready to pounce, but she could only swallow her grievances. ’What choice do I have? I still haven’t gotten my great revenge.’

Meanwhile, Xue Qingshan and his daughter had returned to the Treasure Pavilion. Looking at the recipes for the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment in his hands, Xue Qingshan trembled with excitement.

"Dad, is Feng Hao really one of us in the Holy Hall?" Xue Xiaoyun asked, surprised and suspicious.

Xue Qingshan frowned in thought. "I’m not sure either. In any case, that elder of his must be a major figure in the Holy Hall."

"A major figure in the Holy Hall? How is that possible?" Xue Xiaoyun said in disbelief.

"I didn’t believe it at first either, but after I received the communication from the department head at headquarters, I had to. And judging from the head’s tone, that elder of Feng Hao’s is even more formidable than we imagined," Xue Qingshan said gravely.

"But isn’t he from the Thief God Hall?" Xue Xiaoyun asked, unable to understand.

Xue Qingshan shook his head with a wry smile. "That’s not for us to know. Perhaps the Holy Hall and the Thief God Hall have reached some kind of agreement."

"Then when can we go back to headquarters to see Mom?" Xue Xiaoyun asked forlornly.

"Soon." Xue Qingshan gazed at the sky outside the window, a sharp glint in his eyes. ’With these two recipes,’ he thought, ’it won’t be long before we can return to headquarters.’

...

In the days that followed, the Treasure Pavilion quickly put the Life Spirit Pills and Snow Frost Ointment into production. Before long, the crowd that used to block the general store’s entrance each day had migrated next door to the Treasure Pavilion.

The Alchemist Association immediately retracted its appraisal of the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment. Zhao Tian Gang and Lang Ping were practically apoplectic, feeling as awful as if they had eaten shit.

In just a few short days, business at the Treasure Pavilion was booming, while the general store seemed to have returned to its previous state, with only a scattered few customers each day.

Feng Hao wasn’t bothered by this, but Yao Ying was miserable.

’I thought I could strike it rich with the store’s business, but this happens after I’ve only earned a couple of days’ wages.’

Inside the deserted general store, Feng Hao was hunched over a mechanical workbench, rushing to produce MP3s. He had no choice. While cultivating the night before last, he had received a Stone Listening Communication from Yu Xiaoxiao asking him to rush a batch of MP3s and Snow Frost Ointment. Apparently, they were selling well in Dust Wind Country.

After this period of practice and experimentation, Feng Hao’s skill in mechanical manufacturing had improved significantly.

Furthermore, since there were many similarities between Artifact Refining and mechanical manufacturing, his current mechanical manufacturing ability had already reached level two, and he wasn’t far from level three.

As his mechanical skill level rose, so did his production efficiency. It took him just over two days to make one hundred MP3s.

After finishing Yu Xiaoxiao’s order, Feng Hao began to research a new mechanical product. After all, he still had to run the general store.

Yao Ying paced around the shop bored, her eyes filled with resignation as she watched Feng Hao at his mechanical workbench.

"Boss, don’t you care about the store’s business at all?" Yao Ying couldn’t help but complain.

"What’s all the racket? Am I not tinkering with a new product right now?" Feng Hao said irritably.

Yao Ying paused for a moment, then leaned in curiously. "What kind of machine is this? Is it like the MP3s?"

"Of course not." Feng Hao said mysteriously while working a piece of metal, "This is something called a handheld game console, or ’handheld’ for short. If I can successfully develop it, it’ll drive countless grade-schoolers wild."

"A handheld game console? What’s it for?" Yao Ying asked, blinking.

"This... you wouldn’t understand even if I told you. You’ll find out when the time comes." Feng Hao couldn’t be bothered to explain and went back to his research.

Yao Ying hmphed and tactfully stepped aside.

Just then, an angry shout came from outside the shop. Immediately after, Qian Sanduo stormed in, his face livid. "You little thief! Get your ass over here and explain this to me!"

Feng Hao turned around, frowning. "Uh, what are you so fired up about?"

"You have the nerve to ask why?" Qian Sanduo was so angry he could barely breathe. He said through gritted teeth, "What’s the deal with the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment? How did they end up at the Treasure Pavilion?"

"Oh, that." Feng Hao seemed to understand. He quickly put down his work and walked over with a light laugh. "Calm down, old thief. It’s just two kinds of pills, isn’t it?"

"Agh, you’re killing me!" Qian Sanduo felt weak from rage and collapsed onto the sofa. His expression was dark as he said, "The Treasure Pavilion is the Holy Hall’s property. Don’t you know that?"

"Of course I know. That’s precisely why I’m working with them," Feng Hao said with a grin.

"You knew and you still... Agh, I can’t take it! You’re killing me!" Qian Sanduo clutched his chest in pain and took a long moment to catch his breath. "Is our Thief God Hall any worse than their Holy Hall?"

"Not at all," Feng Hao said, shaking his head.

"Then is my business acumen any worse than the Treasure Pavilion’s?"

"Of course not."

Qian Sanduo’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he almost passed out. "Then why did you still give the Life Spirit Pill and Snow Frost Ointment to the Treasure Pavilion?"