Even when Bai Chen heard Alchemist Yun's flattering words, he still hesitated to make a final decision.
Seeing his hesitation, Alchemist Yue finally spoke up, "Is it that Fellow Daoist Ba had already joined another faction?"
"Factions?" Bai Chen was caught off guard by Alchemist Yue's words and couldn't help but ask.
"Hmm, you don't know about factions?" Seeing the surprised look on Bai Chen's face, Alchemist Yue asked, to which Bai Chen just shook his head.
"Ah, well, it is like this, since the Alchemist Association is a huge organization with many alchemists, there are naturally clashes of interest between them." Realizing that Bai Chen truly didn't know anything, Alchemist Gao started explaining.
"This has led to the Alchemist Association having been divided into many factions, who only join forces in case of an outside threat." Alchemist Gao's words started to give Bai Chen a new perspective to look at the Alchemist Association's inner workings.
"But when there is no outside threat, the competition inside the Association is really fierce, with each side trying to gain the most interest."
"Ah, so that's why you wanted to befriend me, so that I join your faction?" Bai Chen's face had a look of realization when he heard Alchemist Gao's final line. "But I would have to disappoint you as I have no plan to join any faction for the moment."
When Alchemist Yue heard Bai Chen's words, a look of slight regret appeared on her beautiful face.
She thought for a moment and said, "That's okay. How about this? As long as Fellow Daoist Ba promises not to join any other faction, I am willing to give you twenty-thousand mid-grade spirit stones and the pill you just refined as compensation."
Alchemist Gao and Yun didn't react to her words, signifying they had similar thoughts to hers.
Hearing her words, Bai Chen hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.
When the three alchemists saw this, they all smiled, and Alchemist Yue took off a ring from her finger. She then handed this ring to Bai Chen and said, "You can check; there's twenty-thousand mid-grade spirit stones inside it."
"Aren't you going to make me take some kind of oath? What if I change my mind in the future?" Bai Chen asked, confused, after Alchemist Yue readily handed him the ring.
"There's no point in that," Alchemist Yue calmly replied. "Although very rare, there are ways to bypass a heavenly oath, and Fellow Daoist Ba's Spiritual Qi signifies that you are a righteous cultivator."
"So as long Fellow Daoist doesn't fall to the demonic path, I am sure you won't go back on your word." She gave him a meaningful look.
"Besides, at your current level, no one is going to waste a treasure of that caliber on you," Alchemist Yue said as she handed him the pill, which was now placed in the Qi-locking box to preserve its effects for a long time.
"But I am certain that with your potential, the other factions will soon be more than willing to make such a sacrifice."
"So it's like this." Bai Chen nodded when he heard Alchemist Yue's explanation. He then thought for a moment and handed the ring back to Alchemist Yue and said, "I'd prefer materials for refining instead of these."
"Also, can you add a set of refining tools? My previous ones were damaged in an ambush." Bai Chen said as he also handed her a list of the materials he wanted. He had created this list on his way to the Alchemist Association.
"Sure, it's just a small matter anyway." Alchemist Yue smiled at Bai Chen's request and handed the ring to Zhu Shou, who was like a statue, standing completely still.
"Zhu Shou, please go to the trading hall and buy the materials for Fellow Daoist Ba here. Also, use my 30% discount when making the payment," She instructed the assistant and handed him her token as well.
"Yes, senior," Zhu Shou quickly took the items from Alchemist Yue and went to buy the materials written on the list.
"So, what are Fellow Daoist Ba's plans for now?" while waiting for Zhu Shou to come back, Alchemist Yun decided to make small talk to pass the time.
"I don't have much of a plan right now," Bai Chen also decided to make small talks to avoid awkwardness, "I'll just roam around the world, going wherever fate takes me."
"That must be nice," Alchemist Gao said after he heard Bai Chen's word, longing filling his face, "to not be part of any faction and be able to go wherever you want to."
"Unlike us old-timers, who are bound by our duties and rarely get the chance to go on an adventure," Alchemist Gao sighed, clearly, his free-spirited character wasn't satisfied with staying in a single city.
"Not like you would have chosen anything else even if given the chance, and who are you calling an old-timer?" Hearing Alchemist Gao's words, Alchemist Yue interjected, an annoyed look on her beautiful face.
"No need to get angry, I was talking about Old Yun and me over here," Alchemist Gao hurriedly replied, not wanting to anger Alchemist Yue.
"And it is true that I would still choose the same path. After all, without the faction's resources, I would have never been able to become a mid-level Master Alchemist."
At this moment, Zhu Shou returned from the trading hall with a ring in his hands, which he handed to Alchemist Yue.
Alchemist Yue inspected the ring for a moment before passing it to Bai Chen and saying, "All the resources you requested are in this ring. There is also a set of Master Grade refining tools as you requested."
Bai Chen also probed the ring with his spiritual sense and found everything was in order. Then, he bade farewell to the three alchemists and left the Alchemist Association.
His original plan was to go back to the City lord's mansion and continue cultivating for a while, but he changed his plans when he sensed a few presences following him from the shadow.
Bai Chen changed his route and moved between the streets, finally arriving in an empty alley at a relatively remote area of the city.
"It's not very gentlemanly to follow someone from the shadows, don't you know that?" Arriving there, Bai Chen spoke loudly, a small smile hung on his lips, and his demeanor was relaxed.