Capítulo 156: Chapter 154 - The Value of Knowledge
Once everyone returned to Ao Wen's clinic, she led Ma Xiaohua to a private room, deliberately selecting the furthest one from the lobby where Brother Gau and his friends waited. "So, you know the herbs I need," Ao Wen said directly. "What is it you want for them?"
"Nothing much," Ma Xiaohua said. "I just want a chance to watch your treatment of the patients you have here today. I'm still studying your notes on flame-based purification of the body. A chance to see it performed in person would be incredibly helpful in advancing my understanding."
"Only one of the men here today is suffering from any toxins," Ao Wen said, trying to understand why Alchemist Ma wanted to observe the remainder of her patients' treatment. "You can watch the treatment of Kui Chong, the one I need those ingredients for. I'll even give you the recipe for the concoction I'll be making. That should balance the scales for the price of the herbs."
"I'd like to observe your other treatments," Ma Xiaohua said, her blood boiling slightly at the humiliation of having to turn to an Alchemy Novice, a middle-stage Alchemy Novice at best, for any kind of instruction. An equitable exchange was one thing, and their first exchange had been friendly because they both stood to gain from each other. Now, however, she was forced to barter for the right to watch Ao Wen's other treatments. It would have been better if the young man didn't think much of it but he clearly knew the value of his skills and wouldn't give her a demonstration for free. "As an Independent Alchemist, I'm sure there are things that I can help you with as you prepare for your exams," she offered, hoping to establish equitable value for what she hoped to learn and at the same time recover some of her standing as the senior alchemist in the room. Somehow, the more she conversed with the young man, the more she felt that he was much further down the road of alchemy than her despite his young age and lack of cultivation.
"You'll have to forgive me for not knowing what you can offer," Ao Wen said, still uncertain about allowing the other woman to watch her treat the other men. She was still developing her treatment methods to correct the issues she found in spirit folk and she desperately wanted the chance to pioneer these methods. They would belong to her, to Ao Wen alone, even if they were built on Cong Daiyu's foundation. This wasn't just about the value of her techniques, it was about her ability to develop something that was HERS and not simply inherited from one of her previous incarnations. She'd read so many books penned by alchemists who pioneered their own methods and she wanted a chance to leave such a book behind with her name on it, an achievement that would belong to Ao Wen alone.
"The techniques I use are a combination of things learned from my Master, my seniors in the sect, and my own innovations. The price for that knowledge is very high," Ao Wen said after several moments of contemplation. She hoped to discourage the other woman from asking further. A technique like the flame purification art she shared could save lives and she was less reluctant to share such techniques in a place that seemed like it could benefit from them greatly. The other techniques, however, were unique to her and while they could certainly change a person's destiny, they weren't often needed to save a life. The difference might seem trivial to some but for Ao Wen it was the difference between knowledge that should be spread for the benefit of everyone and knowledge that should be kept as either a competitive advantage for a business or a strategic advantage for a sect. "I suppose that if you have any techniques graded at Grand Master or above I could be convinced to allow you to observe more of my methods," she finally offered, hoping the high price would put an end to the conversation.
"Grand Master or above?" Ma Xiaohua said in shock. "Those are techniques for fifth-stage cultivators or above. What could you possibly need such techniques for?"
"That's just the thing," Ao Wen said. "I don't really need them. I didn't leave the sect without a reasonable library. Once I break through and become an Independent Scholar I'll start practicing the Blessed grade version of my flame control technique. Master insisted that all of her disciples are able to manage four cauldrons at a time by the time we take our Master Alchemist exam and that we're able to concoct a different pill in each of the cauldrons," she explained.
"Not only do I have everything I need to progress my flame control, I also have a substantial library of pill formulas, elixir recipes, and even more advanced treatment methods. What I don't have," Ao Wen said, giving the other woman a small opportunity, "is a comprehensive guide to the unique ingredients and beasts of Lantern City, the Darkwood Valley or even the Western Peninsula. If you want to barter with knowledge, it's best if it comes from your own research, but the techniques I'll be performing today are higher level and more precious than the flame purification I've already shared."
"Higher level than," Ma Xiaohua started only to trail off as her mind rapidly processed the information Ao Wen had already provided. "The flame purification technique you shared, was it taught to you by your master? What level of alchemist were they and what's the grade of that technique?"
"My Master was a Medical Saintess, a True Dragon of the Fire Dragon clan and an Alchemy Lord," Ao Wen explained with pride. "Her mastery of flame is intrinsic at a level I can only admire," she continued, her voice tinged with warm nostalgia. "The technique she developed for flame purification, at least the version of it I shared with you, can be considered a Master Grade technique."
"I had no idea you'd offered me something so valuable," Ma Xiaohua said, hands clenching at her skirt to stop from trembling with a mixture of reverence and fear for the sort of person she'd come in contact with. When he said he'd come from a large sect she'd assumed that he was one of many low-ranking disciples, struggling his way through the world after finding himself unable to keep up with the competition in his sect. The way he spoke though, he didn't sound like someone who was unable to keep up. He sounded like someone who had been sent out into the world to temper himself in a place where he couldn't rely on his sect to provide a safety net.
"You don't lack for knowledge at all," Alchemist Ma finally said. "You already asked me for everything you needed to learn on your first visit. All you lack are resources to leverage your knowledge," she said, furrowing her brows in thought.
"I do have one thing that you might find interesting," the older alchemist finally said. "I wonder if Alchemy Novice Ao would have a use for the beast core of a Matriarch Darkweaver Spider?"
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JustJae
JustJae Thank you everyone for all the support! If you’re enjoying this, please check out my other work ‘Unparalleled Artist Unlikely Hero’, set thousands of years earlier in the same world and following Wu Ling the disciple of one of Ao Wen’s previous incarnations!
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