Earth's Greatest Magus

The departure of the Qin family heiress left a lingering impression on Emery's mind. As the news of his recent success spread, messages flooded in from individuals and factions eager to meet and establish connections with the newly acclaimed Apothecary master. Faced with this surge of attention, Emery sought counsel from Tessa.

In the competitive landscape of the magus universe, the field of Apothecary stood as the most sought-after profession. Given the scarcity of masters capable of producing high-grade products, let alone rare legendary ones, it was inevitable that an Apothecary master of Emery's caliber would become a magnet for offers from prominent families and factions.

These offers typically aligned with one of two primary objectives.

Firstly, some factions sought to secure Emery through a contractual arrangement, aiming to designate him as their exclusive apothecarist, focusing on creating products exclusively for their faction to strengthen their influence. On the other hand, merchant-oriented families like the Qin, perceived Emery as a potential goldmine. Their interest lay in tapping into the lucrative market of high-quality apothecary goods.

"They would invest massively in finding the ingredients, help market your product to its maximum value, and share the profits," she added, her tone carrying a hint of enthusiasm. "This way, a genius apothecarist like you could focus on concocting excellent products and perfecting your recipes... Isn't that great?"

Emery carefully read the subtle message behind Tessa's words and couldn't help but smile. "It's indeed a great offer, but I wonder why I haven't heard any proposals from you yet?"

Tessa let out a sigh and replied, "Who am I kidding? You even rejected a position in the Nephilim faction. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to be committed to any family in this city."

Emery chuckled and said, "You're right, but that doesn't mean I don't need help."

Tessa smiled and responded, "Well, if you need my help, first, I want to hear how ambitious your plan is."

Emery had meticulously contemplated the matter over the past few days. Beyond personal strength, he recognized that accumulating wealth was paramount for ensuring the safety of his friends and the sustainability of his Earth faction. In this pursuit, his adept apothecary skills would undoubtedly play a pivotal role.

Turning to Tessa with a look of determination, Emery proclaimed, "As many as I need to keep my friends safe—hundreds... billions of spirit stones... as many as I can."

His words stirred excitement in Cedric, Aeon, and Karin. However, the Karat heiress injected a note of caution, "I must warn you that such goals will attract more enemies and competitors whose interests will be disturbed by you. Are you prepared for that?"

Emery's response was resolute, "Yes, and I will make more friends and more allies as well."

Upon hearing this, Tessa stood up and declared, "Good answer, we can start right away"

Understanding Emery's inclination to avoid dependency on other factions, Tessa laid out her first suggestion for him—to establish the presence of the Earth faction in Golden City. This would involve purchasing property and opening a shop solely supported by the Earth faction, without involvement from any other faction.

Acknowledging the Earth faction's limited credibility in the sector, Tessa recommended that Emery absorb the entire Terra faction into the Earth faction. Recognizing this as part of the late Lord Izta's long-awaited wishes, Emery readily agreed to the proposal.

"This should be the best thing for Terra"

However, Tessa reminded Emery that the process would be complex, involving assets separated in two distant sectors. It would require extensive historical investigations and court rulings, potentially leading Emery to stand before the Golden City council.

"Hopefully it will not go that far," Tessa reassured, her family's high influence in the council providing a potential advantage. Nevertheless, she believed that Emery could help the process by attaining a better reputation within the city.

With a serious gaze, Tessa emphasized, "You need to focus on creating better potions and reach the pinnacle of the Honorary Master title, that would give some leverage"

She added "Hence, you need people to help you with other aspects and take over key positions." This strategic approach aimed to free Emery from administrative burdens, allowing him to concentrate on perfecting his apothecary skills.

Unfortunately, due to Tessa's status as the heir to the Karat family, she couldn't be formally registered as any part of Emery's Earth faction. However, she casually requested all of Emery's friends to quit their current jobs and lend their support.

Karin and Cedric to terminate their contracts with their current supporters and back up Emery's shop as apothecary experts, overseeing daily productions. Given their established reputation as apothecarists in Golden City, they would also attract a steady flow of customers to Emery's shop. Aeon, with his extensive connections in the Magus guilds, would manage the procurement of workers and essential resources.

Emery was pleasantly surprised when all three of them accepted the task without much consideration. Aeon expressed, "I am actually bored working in magus guilds for 50 years now; it's time for new changes." Cedric assured, "I know my future will be bright following you, and you will definitely need me for your second shop."

As for Karin, she didn't provide a specific reason other than her willingness to support Emery's goal. Emery couldn't help but feel touched by the genuine commitment of the three individuals to help him. "I promised you that I will make sure that we become the most successful shop in the sector,"

With all four of them excited about the venture, Tessa chimed in, "I can help you find the best location at the best price and handle all the necessary permits." She then asked in a more subtle voice, "So, how many spirit stones do you have right now?"

Fully aware that establishing the shop would require tens of millions of spirit stones, Emery couldn't help but grin. "I better start concocting pills right away,"

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