Chapter 872: Chapter 660: Ban Tu Negotiation

At this moment, an examiner spoke up to direct the alchemists to exit in an orderly manner.

As they lined up to leave the hall, Zi Di overheard others conversing in Elf Language.

“The first assessment topic is actually this difficult?”

“Yes, it’s much harder than previous years.”

“Alas, I made a mistake. I consumed too many raw materials trying to refine toad excrement. Actually, I could have used fewer materials to refine the other three materials.”

Zi Di listened patiently and did not speak.

Based on her previous quick glance, she was certain that her result was most likely among the top three in the hall.

As she exited the Alchemy Guild, someone immediately approached her.

It was the Housekeeper of the Lijian family.

“Congratulations, congratulations, Mage Yao Ma. Your alchemical results are quite fruitful this time. With your score, you are bound to pass the first round,” the Housekeeper began to compliment.

The Lijian family is indeed a top force within the Kingdom; they can easily gather information about Zi Di’s assessment in the Alchemy Guild.

Zi Di remained calm: “The difficulty of the assessment exceeded my expectations. This was only the first assessment; the hardest parts are yet to come.”

Her results were achieved through cheating.

Although the results were excellent, they brought her even more psychological pressure.

“My alchemical talent is not high, and my alchemy technique is not well-polished. I thought it was sufficient before, but the moment I stepped onto this level of arena, I immediately felt a huge gap.”

“Alas, my previous qualifications were still too poor.”

Zi Di’s qualifications were originally not high; it wasn’t that she didn’t want to work hard, but that her qualifications limited her, making many things unattainable despite her efforts.

The world is so cruel and desperate. Some people want to strive for progress but never have the chance. Because, most of them are deprived of the qualification for effort from birth.

No Bloodline, what for the effort?

But now, Zi Di has hope.

“After purifying my Bloodline, my body’s blood reached the Golden Level.”

“In the future, if I can deepen the use of the Blood Core, it might be possible to change the Bloodline.”

“All of this was brought by you, but where are you now? Why haven’t you returned yet?”

Thinking of this, Zi Di couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing.

She quickly restrained her thoughts and looked towards the Housekeeper of the Lijian family: “Did you succeed in inviting him? I hope you can bring me good news.”

The Noble Housekeeper nodded with a smile: “We did not disappoint you. Lord Ban Tu has agreed to come. However, he only grants you three minutes of conversation time.”

Zi Di nodded: “Then let’s go see him quickly.”

Since learning about the alchemical results of Worry Relief Red Wine and Time Ice from Elder Jiu Jin, Zi Di had taken an interest.

Utilizing this alchemical result can reduce upgrade time, which is very suitable for Dragon-man youth.

In Zi Di’s heart, her beloved squad leader was still only at the Silver Level.

Master Ban Tu is the host of this alchemy project. Zi Di had once proactively sent an invitation, but Ban Tu didn’t even spare it a glance.

This was mainly because the news of the alchemical result leaked out, causing Ban Tu’s status and reputation to skyrocket. Every day he had to meet with many important high-level figures, leaving no room for a small Silver Level Mage in the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps?

Zi Di had no choice but to involve the Lijian family to arrange a meeting with Ban Tu.

The Lijian family is indeed a top force in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom; they successfully managed to invite Ban Tu out.

Not long after.

In a high-end restaurant, Zi Di met Ban Tu.

Master Ban Tu was old and senile, with deep wrinkles and hair like a bunch of gray straw, the texture dull and dry, as if it hadn’t been combed at all.

When he noticed Zi Di sitting down, he merely glanced at her and then ignored her.

Ban Tu kept his gaze on the blue wine in the glass: “In honor of this Blue Wine, speak quickly about whatever you need.”

Zi Di spoke directly: “I hope to purchase Worry Relief Red Wine and the specific method for using Time Ice in combination.”

Ban Tu raised his eyes to look at Zi Di, slowly shaking his head: “Based on you? It seems rather unlikely.”

Zi Di smiled: “Then please, Lord Ban Tu, take a good look at the chips I can offer.”

As she spoke, she took out a document, placed it on the dining table, and pushed it towards Ban Tu.

Ban Tu picked up the two thin sheets of paper and cast his gaze upon them.

Soon, the disdain on his face completely vanished, and his eyes lit up, showing an expression of intense interest.

He looked at the two sheets several times back and forth before saying: “You can actually provide the brewing methods for these wines?”

Zi Di smiled: “Lord Ban Tu, if you can’t trust me, can’t you trust the Lijian family?”

Ban Tu instinctively looked at the Housekeeper of the Lijian family standing in the corner and gave a slight nod.

His reaction was exactly as Zi Di had anticipated.

The brewing methods for these wines naturally came from the War Merchant’s database.

Ban Tu himself was an alcoholic, with a natural pursuit for fine wine. He was also a follower of the Drunken Sect; his specific clerical position was unclear, but there was no doubt that it wasn’t low.

Presenting these wine recipes to the Drunken Sect would undoubtedly be a great contribution.

After all, the Drunken Sect serves none other than a Wine God.

Zi Di was confident that as long as she brought out these few wine recipes, she could definitely trade for the Despair-quelling Red Wine.

But the next moment, she heard Ban Tu sigh.

Ban Tu slowly shook his head, looking at the wine recipe with a mix of nostalgia and regret: “We can’t give you even a single bottle of Despair-quelling Red Wine right now.”

“Why?” Zi Di was slightly taken aback and immediately asked.

Ban Tu’s face showed a hint of hesitation.

But soon, he sighed again: “Forget it, the news has already leaked, and soon it will spread throughout the Royal Capital. I’ll just tell you directly.”

“Despair-quelling Red Wine is not something ordinary Alchemists like us can produce because its main ingredient is the Blood of the Wine God!”

“Our sect exhausted all our strength, refining 600 bottles of Despair-quelling Red Wine for the national banquet. Unexpectedly, the fleet was robbed by pirates!”

“What?” Zi Di was shocked.

These days, she had been fully focused on her studies and hadn’t paid attention to the outside world.

This news had actually been deliberately suppressed by the Lijian family and other parties for a period. After all, it concerned the cooperation between the Ice Sculpture Kingdom and the Bewildering Sect.

So this intelligence had always been classified by the Ice Sculpture officials as “undetermined.”

Until now, the Drunken Sect at Drunkard Port had exhausted all efforts, calling for help everywhere, to the point where it couldn’t be covered up anymore and had to be confirmed.

Zi Di listened carefully as Ban Tu revealed more detailed intelligence.

“Feng Lian?” Zi Di was surprised to find that the one who stole this batch of red wine was actually an acquaintance.

“Or…” She lowered her voice, “We’re also interested in purchasing the research records of this alchemical achievement and the specific alchemy formula.”

Ban Tu was surprised: “You want to brew it yourself?”

He shook his head: “Do you even have any Blood of the Wine God?”

Zi Di said: “Can’t we modify the formula, replacing this Divine Level material?”

Ban Tu chuckled: “This is the most essential ingredient. I won’t elaborate on the specific reason with you.”

The pride of the Elf was apparent at this moment.

Zi Di immediately said: “I understand. Any knowledge has its value. I can purchase it with one of the wine recipes from this information. Please enlighten me, Lord Ban Tu.”

Ban Tu’s eyes flashed with a gleam: “Two wine recipes!”

Zi Di shook her head. She had many wine recipes in her possession, but she did not want to give in so easily. Because this was just the beginning of the negotiation, conceding easily would breed the opponent’s greed.

Thus, Zi Di argued her case, using various rhetoric to entangle.

Ban Tu was not someone adept at haggling, and soon he waved his hand: “Fine, one wine recipe it is then.”

“I’ll tell you, this is related to divinity.”

“Divinity?” Zi Di asked what divinity was.

After explaining, Ban Tu continued: “It is precisely because of the wine god’s divinity contained in the Blood of the Wine God that makes the effect of the Despair-quelling Red Wine remarkable.”

“You surely know that at the deepest part of the Ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake, a Divine Level Dragon Corpse is buried.”

“The reason the waters of the Ice Lake possess the power of time is due to the constant emanation and erosion by the time divinity from the Dragon Corpse.”

“Only the power of the wine god’s divinity can handle the reflective power of time divinity within the Time Ice.”

“The reason why my previously crafted Beautiful Future magic potion failed, the biggest reason lies here. I can’t afford Divine Level materials!”

Zi Di was greatly enlightened.

Her previous level was still too low; divinity was indeed a secret of the gods.

According to Ban Tu, he also didn’t know before, only having learned about it after personally participating in the red wine ice project.

Having known this information, Zi Di immediately felt that her offer was too low.

This knowledge was not even recorded in the War Merchant’s database; perhaps it was lost? After all, the archives recorded by the Tower Spirit were not complete.

It was Ban Tu who, in the eyes of these wine devotees, saw the immense value and great allure of the wine recipe.

Having discerned this weakness of Ban Tu, Zi Di immediately seized it tightly, negotiating on the surface to purchase this alchemy technique for ice wine. Even if there was no Despair-quelling Red Wine, she wanted to buy it.

“You can’t afford it.” Ban Tu shook his head.

Zi Di smiled instead, pulling out another document: “Lord Ban Tu, why don’t you take a look at this?”

Seconds later, Ban Tu’s eyes widened.

He was struggling, hesitating, and his expression was troubled: “This project’s achievement is not just my work but also that of people from the Bewildering Sect.”

“Moreover, this formula is very important to the Bewildering Sect…”

Zi Di, however, said: “Involving the Blood of the Wine God, is the formula really that important? Why is there such a strict guard over it.”

“Lord Ban Tu, with your prestige and position in the Bewildering Sect, can’t you decide on this deal?”

“Is the wine recipe really not for sale and truly not intended for sale?”

Ban Tu frowned deeply: “Come to think of it, no one in the sect has actually demanded this.”

His eyes were fixed on the thin sheets of paper, motionless, his Adam’s apple occasionally moving as if he had already tasted the wine recorded on the document.

Zi Di observed this scene thoroughly, her confidence growing.

She pressed on, persuading persistently.

Ban Tu’s expression fluctuated, his hesitation deepened, but he still couldn’t make a decision.