I Have the Alchemy Emperor in My Head

Chapter 26: Talent Black Market

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Through Internal Observation, Chu Yunfan could not believe that he discovered a Godhead in his head. Furthermore, there was a scroll wrapped around the Godhead. It appeared in his head out of nowhere, and he did not feel anything.
At that moment, he understood many things, including how he was thoroughly altered and how his talent had grown so much. Perhaps everything came from that Godhead.
It had integrated into his head completely. Very soon, Chu Yunfan found out that there were glimmers that he could only ‘see’ appearing around the Godhead whenever he cultivated. That was when he felt the cooling sensation, making him feel exhilarated and cutting his cultivation time in half while elevating the efficiency.
It turned out the Godhead was the reason!
Meanwhile, the landscape painting scroll that existed in his head was wrapped around the Godhead. No matter what Chu Yunfan did, he could not move the painting.
He had to leave it be. He speculated that he had insufficient mental power, so he could not move the painting nor could he trigger any reaction from it.
Many magic tools were excavated from the Ancient Zenith civilization ruins, and some were still functioning. There were even magic tools that were made following the records in the Ancient Zenith civilization books.
Based on some of the documents the Federation government published, one would require an exceedingly great amount of mental power to be able to use those magic tools. Chu Yunfan had not reached that level yet.
Moreover, the Godhead had come a long way if it was from the Ancient Zenith civilization. It had traveled for so long and reached the modern era. Clearly, it was not some ordinary magic tool, so it was much more difficult to activate it.
“Forget it. Since I can’t move the Godhead or the scroll, I’ll figure it out in the future!”
Since there was nothing that he could do in any case, he could only put the matter aside.
For the moment, his top priority would be making more money!
After Internal Observation would be Qi Nourishment. He could only activate his qi sea by taking in a mouthful of True Energy, and the process was just too long and dreadful. Moreover, Chu Yunfan’s physique was more powerful than average. Taking in a mouthful of True Energy would be several times more difficult for him.
According to his estimate, he would need at least five Qi Nourishment Pills. Even if he could refine them himself, excluding the labor fee, he would need 300,000 coins at least.
The medicinal pills that could help one save time and elevate faster had always been expensive, and the price would only get higher.
Suddenly, Chu Yunfan thought of something. Apart from the cost of the herbs, the main reason the price of medicinal pills kept going up was the expensive labor fee for the alchemist.
Since that was the case, why did he not refine pills for others?
Although the number of alchemists was much higher compared to some years ago, it still could not meet the demand on the medicinal pill market.
Given that many alchemists were recruited by all sorts of factions, groups, and the Federation government, that meant they no longer serve the common people. In reality, the demand for alchemists remained high.
Meanwhile, the Alchemist Association usually only sold common medicinal pills. They did not have medicinal pills with unique effects. Even if someone obtained the recipe, they would still need an alchemist to refine it for them.
On the other hand, the alchemists found through the Alchemist Association would have to pay the high taxes for the medicinal pills, whether the pills were for themselves or to be sold. It would be a different story when one found an alchemist privately. They could save a significant amount on the fee.
However, Chu Yunfan only had an advanced-level alchemy apprentice license. According to the rules, he was prohibited from refining medicinal pills for others. Meanwhile, the official alchemy trainee’s test would only be held at the Alchemist Association itself. One would have to take the test, and the next test would only take place a month later.
Obviously, Chu Yunfan could not wait until next month no matter what.
This made him recall another type of market—the talent black market.
Compared to the regular talent market, a talent black market was not run out in the open, but many people knew about it anyway. Those with various requirements that needed to be met would look for help at the talent black market.
There were all sorts of people in there, and there were also wanted notices with handsome rewards hanging about. However, the strange thing was that security at a talent black market was better than other places. Regular people did not have to worry about their safety when they got in. It was said that there was a powerful force supporting the talent black market. Nobody dared to do as they wished there, or they would suffer savage retribution.
It made sense when one thought about it. Such a talent black market had yet to be banned by the Federation government. Meanwhile, many people knew about its existence. One would figure that the force behind the talent black market must be someone extraordinary.
Chu Yunfan had heard Gao Hongzhi mention it before. That was how he found out about such a place.
Naturally, one’s safety was no longer guaranteed as soon as they visited the talent black market.
He could not refine medicinal pills for others at the proper platforms as he did not have the relative license. However, it was a different story at the talent black market. Nobody would ask to see his license. In reality, there were many alchemist apprentices who would look for business at the talent black market.
The reason being the official alchemists would have many factions and consortiums making them offers. They were not short of funds.
Popular alchemists would be millionaires or even billionaires. They had no problem making money at all.
It was those alchemist apprentices who did not have a steady income. If they wanted to stand out in the field of alchemy, apart from being trained and pampered by those factions, consortiums, or the Federation government, this was the only way to make a living.
Even official alchemists would look for jobs at the talent black market, but they looked for the rather high-end jobs. They did not have to pay taxes to the Federation government for such illegal jobs. There were people protecting them in the talent black market, so there was nothing to stop them.
Since Chu Yunfan had made up his mind, he no longer hesitated.
The next day was a Sunday. Seizing on that, he took the bus to an area between Calm Ocean City and Donghua City in the early morning. It was the intersection between the jurisdiction of both cities, which was the managerial blind spot. That was the foundation of the talent black market’s existence.
Chu Yunfan had finally arrived at the talent black market rumored by the many citizens for the very first time. However, it was very crowded. It was on par with the regular talent market.
They were not afraid of being discovered at all, and Chu Yunfan was amazed by that. The force that supported the talent black market might be invincible in Calm Ocean City and Donghua City.
He hesitated no more and blended in with the crowd.