Chapter 183: Potion Gains Fame
Chu Feng had already left Capital, unaware of the massive stir his “Body-Strengthening Elixir” had caused there.
As one of the few potions—besides the Witch Stone—that could visibly enhance an ability-user’s abilities, it made a huge splash as soon as it hit the market. Zhuang Feixue’s phone was blowing up again.
“I don’t have any, seriously!”
“Alright, alright, if I do get more, you’ll be the first to know.”
She hung up, clearly exasperated.
Zhuang Cheng looked at her, eyes gleaming. “Sis, this serum seems like a huge hit!”
Zhuang Feixue nodded. “From the looks of it, yes.”
Apparently, Chu Feng had shut off his phone again, so all the calls were coming to her.
Unlike elixirs, the serum wasn’t consumed like medicine. Zhuang Feixue had taken two doses herself but didn’t ask for any extras.
Zhuang Cheng’s eyes were bright with excitement. “This potion could probably sell for 20 million per vial!”
If that were true, he could sell a few doses, not only paying back the debt he owed his second brother but also making a big profit.
He’d been financially strapped for a while now. If he could sell the serum at that price, he might finally breathe easy for a bit. Zhuang Feixue crossed her arms. “There are probably quite a few people in the family who need it.”
Zhuang Cheng puffed out his cheeks. “Even if it’s for family, they still need to pay me.”
“You’re planning to charge Dad or Grandpa?” Zhuang Feixue asked.
Zhuang Cheng frowned. “I got it by signing a debt note. I can’t just give it away for free.”
He thought to himself: It doesn’t feel right to profit off family… Maybe I should just sell off the serum quickly.
Zhuang Feixue asked with a puzzled look, “Why did Chu Feng make you sign a debt note? Did you offend him or act all high and mighty in front of him?”
“I didn’t! I didn’t act arrogant at all!”
His second brother was greedy and temperamental, always threatening to cut him in half. Signing a debt note was basically nothing in comparison.
Zhuang Feixue tilted her head. “Chu Feng is gentle and generous. If you didn’t offend him, why did he make you sign an IOU?”
She touched the necklace around her neck—an extremely valuable gemstone necklace Chu Feng had given her. It was worth several hundred million. He’d given it to her just because her brother said she might be upset, and he didn’t even hesitate about the money.
Zhuang Cheng: “…Because Chu Feng is a sis-con, not a bro-con!”
Speaking of which, Chu Feng really is surprisingly good to his older sister! No one quite knows why… the Zhuang family.
Father Zhuang had been called back home by the old master.
“Did Chu Feng come back a few days ago?” the old master Zhuang asked.
Zhuang Zhenyang nodded and replied, “Yes.”
Apparently, many reporters were investigating Illya’s movements. She seemed to be hiding in a villa in a small town. No one knew how she suddenly appeared in the capital so silently.
“What about that potion?”
Zhuang Zhenyang shook his head. “Chu Feng already traded all of it to the military.”
The old master frowned. “If that potion can be mass-produced, the profits would be unimaginable.”
In fact, when Chu Feng was previously selling elixirs, the old master had already wanted a share of the pie. But during the family banquet, when Illya said she was selling unregulated elixirs, the old master had mocked her. So now, it was a bit awkward for him to ask. However, the profit margins for both elixirs and potions were just too great. Their influence was enormous.
Zhuang Zhenyang frowned. “The potion is completely in Chu Feng’s hands! He refuses to return to the Zhuang family, so we can’t get involved at all.”
Illya was an A-rank ability-user, and Chu Feng wasn’t short on money either—he didn’t need the Zhuang family at all.
Their positions had long since reversed. It was no longer Chu Feng who needed to climb the Zhuang family’s social ladder—it was the Zhuang family who were trying to cling to Chu Feng.
Zhuang Zhenyang was still proud that his son was outstanding, but he couldn’t help feeling a vague sense of loss…
After leaving the old master, Zhuang Zhenyang returned home.
“You’re back. What did the old master say?”
Zhuang Zhenyang shook his head. “The old man seems interested in the potion Chu Feng developed.”
Su Manqing frowned. “A lot of people have asked me about it, but Feixue doesn’t have any either.” Chu Feng had given two potions to Feixue, and she didn’t ask for more. “But Xiao Cheng does have some.”
“Where is Xiao Cheng?”
Su Manqing shook her head. “He went out. Apparently, he signed an IOU for fifty million with Chu Feng to get ten potions. He used two himself and sold five at twenty million each.”
Zhuang Zhenyang took a deep breath. “Then doesn’t that mean there are only three potions left?”
Su Manqing nodded. “Yes.”
Zhuang Zhenyang rolled his eyes. “That rascal, what was he thinking? Is he that short on money?”
Su Manqing shook her head. “I don’t know! Xiao Cheng’s account is empty. The money he made from selling jade before seems to have been given to that ‘hero’ guy.”
Zhuang Zhenyang took a deep breath. “No wonder he had to sign an IOU. Where did Xiao Cheng go?”
“Seems like he went to an arcade with some friends.”
Zhuang Zhenyang asked with some confusion, “Why’s he suddenly so into arcades?”
“Xiao Cheng’s strength has increased quite a bit. I think he went to play the punching machine at the arcade.”
Xiao Cheng had been trained in boxing, fencing, and taekwondo since childhood, so he was already quite strong. After taking the potion, his strength had increased even more—probably wanted to show off.
Zhuang Zhenyang hesitated. “Is Chu Feng still in the capital?”
Su Manqing shook her head. “Feixue said after completing the deal with the military, he already left. He exchanged the potion for a lot of valuable medicinal ingredients.”
Zhuang Zhenyang sighed. “Gone again?”
Just like before—he came, didn’t even call, and left after meeting with Feixue.
He’d received several calls from business associates recently. Some asked whether he had any potion. One even bluntly asked if his relationship with Chu Feng wasn’t good—otherwise, why would Chu Feng hand the elixir business over to Feixue instead of his own father? If it were him, he could’ve made much more money!
Thinking of those comments, Zhuang Zhenyang felt a bit uncomfortable. Truthfully, his relationship with Chu Feng wasn’t great…
At the arcade.
A few teenagers surrounded Zhuang Cheng, saying enviously, “Zhuang Cheng, your strength has improved a lot!”
Zhuang Cheng raised his fist proudly. “Of course.”
“It’s the potion, right? Your second brother is really impressive—not only does he have such a handsome boyfriend, he also always manages to get these amazing potions.”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Yeah, my second brother is definitely impressive.”
“Zhuang Cheng, does your second brother have some kind of superpower?”
Zhuang Cheng gave a dry laugh. “Miss Shen didn’t detect any powers last time.”
Some ability-users had hidden abilities—even they didn’t know they had them.
Now, ability-user testing centers had been set up across the country. Anyone could go get tested to see if they had abilities.
After those centers were established, the number of visitors never stopped. Many people who noticed even slight abnormalities in their bodies were convinced they were awakening powers and rushed to the testing centers.
At first, testing was free, but because too many people came—and some even caused trouble by showing up every day—the centers had to start charging fees. Even so, plenty of people still went.
“Someone online said your brother’s ability is ‘mind charm’, which is why Illya is so devoted to him.”
Zhuang Cheng rolled his eyes and thought to himself: Mind charm? What kind of cheap trick is that? His brother’s abilities were straightforward and ruthless—clean cuts, no nonsense.
Zhuang Cheng even secretly suspected Illya stayed with his brother because she was afraid of getting ‘cut off’—then quickly shook off that bizarre thought and came up with a more reasonable explanation: maybe Illya just liked traveling, and being with his brother meant she could go wherever she wanted.
“If Second Brother is willing, he could tour the entire world in less than a year. What a wonderful ability that would be!”
*
Zhuang Cheng, carrying a backpack, excitedly returned home.
“Dad, Mom, you’re both here!”
Father Zhuang looked at him and said, “You’re finally back. Where’s the potion? How much is left?”
Zhuang Cheng blinked and said, “Not a single vial left.”
Father Zhuang stood up. “Weren’t there still three?”
“There were three left, but on the way back from the arcade, I was stopped by an uncle. He was willing to pay one billion for the remaining three vials, so I sold them.”
Father Zhuang asked with some irritation, “Do you really need one billion?”
Zhuang Cheng nodded seriously. “Of course I do!” One billion is still a lot of money! He wasn’t short on cash, but the feeling of earning a billion was quite nice.
Father Zhuang: “…”
Zhuang Cheng took a deep breath and thought to himself: If I had known the potion would sell for this much, I should’ve asked Second Brother for more. I could’ve made a lot more money.
Seeing his father’s expression, Zhuang Cheng rolled his eyes and said, “Dad, do you want to drink the potion too? Honestly, after taking it, you just feel more energized and physically stronger—it’s not some miraculous elixir. It doesn’t awaken powers.”
Father Zhuang rolled his eyes. “Having those effects is already impressive enough.”
The company had been quite busy lately, and he’d been feeling drained. He really wanted to try the potion. Unfortunately, this brat Zhuang Cheng had sold it all.
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “True, after all, it was made by an ability-user.”
Father Zhuang looked at him and said, “Next time your Second Brother comes by, let me know.”
Zhuang Cheng pouted. “He always contacts Sister when he comes. I only saw him because I was with her.”
Father Zhuang sighed. “Got it…”
*
Zhuang Cheng left his father’s place and went to Zhuang Feixue’s apartment. When he arrived, she was on a phone call.
After she hung up, Zhuang Cheng tilted his head and asked, “Another one asking for the potion?”
Zhuang Feixue nodded. “Yeah.”
“Who is it this time?”
“Jiang Yan. But she’s not asking for herself. It seems her parents asked her to request it on behalf of Jiang Yuening.”
Zhuang Cheng frowned. “Didn’t Jiang Yuening already join the National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities?” Most of the potions this time had already been handed over to them. As far as he knew, the Bureau prioritized giving them to their own ability-users.
Zhuang Feixue shook her head. “Too many monks and too little porridge. Jiang Yuening already applied for a Witch Stone, so she can’t apply for a potion too.”
Potions were even more in demand than Witch Stones. Witch Stone could only be absorbed by the Awakened, but potions could be used by anyone.
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Makes sense.” Can’t let one person have all the benefits.
“Where did you come from?” Zhuang Feixue asked.
“Dad asked to see me. He wanted the potion,” Zhuang Cheng replied.
“Did you give it to him?”
Zhuang Cheng shook his head, sounding a bit regretful. “No, I sold it all.”
Zhuang Feixue tilted her head. “Sold out already? That fast? You sound like someone who was scared it’d get stolen, so you rushed to sell it off.”
Zhuang Cheng blinked guiltily. “Did I?”
Zhuang Feixue tilted her head. “Didn’t you?”
“Nope! The potion was just too popular. Second Brother must have some left. If Dad really wants it, he can go ask him.” After all, those potions were hard-earned—he had to practically beg Second Brother for them.
Zhuang Feixue looked at him and said, “You must’ve made a lot this time.”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Made 150 million in profit. Selling unregulated products really brings in the cash! No wonder Second Brother isn’t interested in the company at all.”
Zhuang Feixue: “…”
