Chapter 1025: Warm Baby

Zu An had initially intended to ask about Shen Zhou, but seeing how courteous the other party was, he felt a little awkward and instead inquired about Wuyang Jade.

Wuyang Jade was one of the essential materials for Daji to break through to a higher level. When he had inquired about it at the Imperial Hospital in the capital, even the most knowledgeable physicians were unaware of its existence. They had suggested that if anyone in the world knew about it, it would undoubtedly be Yu Yanluo.

After all, the Yu family controlled the jade trade across the land, and Yu Yanluo was the family head.

"Wuyang Jade?" Yu Yanluo paused, a slight blush creeping onto her face. "Please wait a moment."

Zu An wondered why she was blushing while speaking. He then saw her turn away, and rustling sounds could be heard. From her movements, it was unclear if she was lifting her top or her skirt, but she retrieved something from her lower abdomen.

She then turned back around, a faint hint of shyness now visible on her usually dignified and composed face. "Is this what you mean?"

As she spoke, she extended her hand, revealing a thin jade piece resting quietly in her palm. It was pure white, yet within it, a faint red, flame-like essence seemed to flow slowly. Its translucent, reddish-white hue was reminiscent of her own skin.

Zu An took the jade and felt the lingering warmth of her body. He also caught a faint, elusive fragrance, neither quite like an orchid nor musk, unsure if it was Yu Yanluo's personal scent or the jade's natural aroma.

"I've never seen it before," Zu An began, "I only know that Wuyang Jade is fire-attributed and a rare, precious stone..." His eyes instinctively darted towards her lower abdomen, wondering where she had hidden the jade previously.

Aside from a lingering blush, Yu Yanluo had regained her composure. "That must be it," she said. "This object is the essence of fire, truly rare. Because I'm sensitive to cold, I usually carry a piece on me; it continuously radiates warmth..."

"Ah?" Zu An's face immediately fell in disappointment, and his gaze shifted to a nearby box. "Then it seems my efforts were for nothing."

"What?" Yu Yanluo also looked at the box with a puzzled expression.

Zu An thought for a moment, then took out a square cloth pouch from the box. "The last time I saw you, Madam, I realized you were sensitive to cold, so I went back and devised this," he explained. "It's called a 'Warm Baby,' and as the name implies, it continuously generates heat when placed on the body. Each one provides warmth for six hours."

"A Warm Baby? That name is rather charming," Yu Yanluo said, taking it. She poked it with a slender, jade-like finger. "Hmm, I don't feel any warmth."

"You'll feel it quickly once it's against your body," Zu An explained.

Yu Yanluo hesitated for a moment, then turned around again.

Zu An quickly warned, "This shouldn't be placed directly on the skin; it can cause burns. It's best used over a layer of undergarments."

Yu Yanluo's movements visibly stiffened, as if she was adjusting something.

After a moment, she turned back around, her jade-like cheeks now flushed a deeper crimson than before. "Oh, I really do feel the warmth! You are truly ingenious and skillful, to be able to create something like this, typically for women."

"Uh, actually, it's not exclusively for women; men can use it too," Zu An clarified, not wanting to be mistaken for a pervert.

"This Warm... Warm Baby only lasts for six hours?" Yu Yanluo asked, shifting her body slightly, seemingly trying to feel the warmth from all angles.

Zu An handed her the box. "Yes, it loses its effectiveness after six hours. You can replace it with a new one then. There are twenty more pieces in this box; I was in a hurry, so I could only prepare this many in a short time. Make sure to keep the box tightly sealed, otherwise, if exposed to air and moisture, the Warm Babies will become ineffective."

"Thank you," Yu Yanluo said, her face lighting up with a childlike delight, as if a little girl had found her favorite toy. "I really like this gift; it's the best I've received in years."

Zu An gave a wry smile. "Madam, you don't need to console me. Having Wuyang Jade on your person is much more convenient than these Warm Babies, and its effects are long-lasting."

"Although Wuyang Jade lasts longer, its fire element will gradually dissipate over time," Yu Yanluo replied. She then thought for a moment before asking, "What are your Warm Babies made of, and what is their production cost? Please disregard the question if it's inconvenient to answer; it is rather abrupt of me to ask."

"Madam, you're overthinking it; there's nothing I can't tell you," Zu An explained. "Inside, it's a mixture of iron powder, vermiculite, activated carbon, salt, and other materials. The outside is wrapped in a special waterproof and breathable fabric. All the raw materials are relatively easy to obtain; the most challenging part of the process is actually the fabric for the wrapping."

"Iron powder, vermiculite, charcoal..." Yu Yanluo murmured, nodding discreetly. "These are indeed readily available materials, but in my opinion, the specific mixing ratio is the key. As for finding the required fabric, with so many fabric workshops in the world, someone is bound to possess that skill."

Zu An was momentarily stunned, realizing he had fallen into a cognitive trap. He had been fixated on the idea of non-woven fabric, overlooking that while this world lacked a technological development tree, many cultivation-based items could achieve effects similar to modern technology.

At this point, Yu Yanluo continued, "As for your earlier comment that Wuyang Jade is more convenient, I must respectfully disagree. Wuyang Jade is extremely rare and precious; even I struggle to find a few pieces. It has absolutely no widespread applicability."

"However, your Warm... Warm Baby is different," she continued. "If the production process is streamlined, the cost could be significantly reduced, making it accessible to ordinary people. Besides providing warmth, it could also assist in treating rheumatism and various pains in the waist, legs, and joints..." Yu Yanluo's eyes gleamed as she spoke. "This could be an excellent business venture."

She rose and paced back and forth for a moment, deep in thought, then excitedly looked at Zu An. "Could you entrust this business to me? After deducting all costs and expenses, we could split the profits: you take seventy percent, and I take thirty."

Zu An noticed that when she discussed business, she seemed to transform instantly. Her previous gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by the astute and capable air of a strong businesswoman.

He chuckled and said, "This item was originally a gift for you, Madam. I'll write down the formula for you later, and you can produce it yourself; there's no need to share any profits with me."

"No, that won't do. In business, it's business. Although our relationship is good, I cannot simply take advantage of you," Yu Yanluo stated firmly. "If that's your stance, I'll have no choice but to abandon this venture. Alas, what a pity it would be for the many poor people suffering from the cold across the land."

Zu An was left speechless.

With her having elevated the matter to such a level, what more could he say?

"Uh, if you put it that way, Madam, I can only agree," Zu An said. "However, a seventy-thirty split is unreasonable. I'm not contributing anything more; everything else will be handled by you. A thirty percent share for me would be sufficient; there's no need for seventy."

"You silly boy, you have no idea what immense business opportunities this holds," Yu Yanluo said with a playful glance. "How about this: we'll split it fifty-fifty. You cannot take any less, or I would rather not pursue this business at all."

Indeed, the subsequent stages would require significant human and material resources, so a fifty-fifty split seemed fair.

Zu An mused that his alchemy, cultivation, and the Valkyries' breakthroughs all required vast sums of money. He was currently troubled by a lack of funds, so he decided against further pretense and accepted the offer.

"Then I wish our cooperation complete success," Yu Yanluo said, gracefully walking to the table. She poured two cups of wine and handed one to Zu An.

Zu An had no fear of her poisoning him. He gently clinked his cup against hers and then emptied it in one gulp.

This wine, brewed with honey, was a specialty of Yunzhong Commandery. It had a low alcohol content and was sweet, making it very suitable for women.

Yu Yanluo covered her lips with her sleeve. After just one cup, her skin took on a rosy flush; she rarely drank, and whenever she did, her whole body would turn red.

She smiled, pursing her lips. "In the past, when doing business, everyone would haggle over every penny. This is the first time I've encountered a venture where people are vying to push profits away."

"I originally came to give a gift, but ended up gaining a business opportunity," Zu An remarked, equally filled with emotion. "This is also the first time something like this has happened to me."

"Please wait a moment," Yu Yanluo said, then walked into the inner room. After a short while, she emerged with a small box. "Besides the piece I just showed you, here are two more pieces of Wuyang Jade. I'll give them to you as well. Anyway, now that I have your Warm Babies, I won't need these."

"No reward without merit; how can I accept something so precious?" Zu An said. Having just learned how valuable the jade was from their conversation, he naturally felt embarrassed to accept it.

"Didn't you also give me a great gift?" Yu Yanluo countered. "Please take them. The value of your Warm Babies far exceeds that of these few pieces of Wuyang Jade." Without another word, she pressed the box into his arms.

"Then thank you very much, Madam," Zu An replied. He placed the first piece of Wuyang Jade into the box as well. Catching the faint, lingering fragrance from it, his heart involuntarily stirred.

Yu Yanluo also shifted her gaze, a little unnaturally. She actually felt a touch of regret, wishing she had only offered the latter two pieces, as the first one had been worn close to her body for a long time.

However, saying anything now would seem too deliberate, so she reluctantly accepted the situation.

Zu An placed the box into his inner garment. "Madam, if I may ask, where did you obtain this Wuyang Jade?"

"Are these not enough?" Yu Yanluo, being exceptionally astute, immediately detected something unusual in his tone.

Zu An nodded. "I need it for alchemy, and I am indeed still short a few pieces..."

Daji needed 5 pieces of Wuyang Jade to break through from Rank Six to Rank Seven, and even more would be required for each subsequent breakthrough.

Yu Yanluo's delicate brows furrowed. "That poses a bit of a problem."