Chapter 136: Gift of Pills and Clues

Qin Ming followed Gu Qingzhao up to the seventh-floor private chamber of Jingxue Pavilion.

"Gu Daoist, you really didn't need to go to such lengths."

Qin Ming had sent Gu Qingzhao a message-charm the moment he arrived in Canghai Xiancheng.

But he never expected her—the very head of this pavilion—to come out and greet him herself.

He was truly taken aback.

Gu Qingzhao's star-like eyes subtly studied Qin Ming; she vaguely sensed that upon this meeting, he had changed in some way, yet she couldn't quite say how.

Beyond that,

Qin Ming now carried a faint, transcendent air.

With her Foundation Establishment realm, she found it difficult to fully perceive his cultivation.

Gu Qingzhao's voice, like a clear spring flowing, replied: "You are a vital partner of our pavilion, and an honorary guest-elder."

"Since this is your first visit to Canghai Xiancheng, it's only right that everyone here gets to know you."

Qin Ming could only nod and smile.

Inside the private chamber,

a light incense curled in the air.

Gu Qingzhao poured Qin Ming a cup of spirit tea, then asked, "Daoist Qin, have you come again for the Jade Marrow Fungus?"

"Precisely," Qin Ming replied, sipping the spirit tea.

"Sigh, this item is truly hard to find—all hoarded by the higher sects."

"It rarely surfaces in the outside world."

Qin Ming had already anticipated this, yet he still said: "No matter. I'm already deeply grateful you've gathered so many spirit materials for me."

"Daoist Qin, no need for such formalities—it's merely a small matter to me," Gu Qingzhao replied with a casual smile.

She continued:

"Besides the spirit materials I previously gathered, a new batch has just arrived—I'll have Liao Shopkeeper bring them to you right away."

Qin Ming's expression brightened. "That's perfect."

Moments later,

Liao Shopkeeper, upon receiving Gu Qingzhao's instruction, entered the room.

He warmly greeted Qin Ming first.

Then, from his storage bag, he took out numerous jade boxes of varying sizes, each sealed with spiritual materials for refining Foundation Establishment Pills.

Some herbs came in three or four portions; others, only one. Some were immature; some were even withered, their medicinal properties long lost.

Gu Qingzhao couldn't fathom why Qin Ming would collect even expired spirit materials.

Perhaps he intended to experiment with them.

After all, alchemists have many peculiar ideas.

Qin Ming waved his hand—the spirit materials vanished from the table, absorbed into his storage bag.

He then asked Liao Shopkeeper: "Liao Shopkeeper, how much for these materials? I'll take them all."

Liao Shopkeeper smiled and said: "After an 80% discount, the total is over thirty thousand spirit stones."

"The Pavilion Master specifically instructed that you settle at exactly thirty thousand spirit stones."

Qin Ming knew this was Gu Qingzhao's gesture of goodwill—an extra discount.

Moreover, by mobilizing Jingxue Pavilion's networks to gather these materials for him, she had already incurred a significant debt.

If so,

then during this transaction, he would repay her favor.

Under Gu Qingzhao and Liao Shopkeeper's watchful eyes,

Qin Ming produced two delicate porcelain vials.

He took one and handed it to Gu Qingzhao, saying: "This is my token of appreciation for all your efforts on my behalf."

Then he placed the other vial on the table and said calmly: "This vial's pills are to be auctioned off—deduct the thirty thousand spirit stones from the proceeds."

Liao Shopkeeper, listening nearby, blinked in surprise. He couldn't fathom what kind of pills could be worth more than thirty thousand spirit stones per vial. Gu Qingzhao's beautiful eyes also flickered with doubt as she took the porcelain vial with her snow-white hand and gently lifted the seal.

A rich, exotic fragrance spread through the entire chamber.

Gu Qingzhao tilted the vial, and a snow-white, jade-like spirit pill rolled into her palm.

The pill radiated astonishing spiritual essence—its aura was clearly not a first-grade pill.

It was a second-grade spirit pill! Gu Qingzhao stared at the pill in her hand, her mind racing with thoughts.

She strained to recall—had she ever seen this pill auctioned before?

Suddenly,

she remembered: once, at a major auction in Canghai Xiancheng, this very pill had been sold.

It was called the Eternal Youth Pill. Its effect was singular.

That was eternal youth, unaging beauty.

Even Gu Qingzhao, with her vast experience, felt stunned and bewildered.

She knew well that refining a second-grade Eternal Youth Pill was as difficult as refining a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Perhaps even more so.

Faced with such a thoughtful gift, even her usually cold heart stirred with a faint tremor.

No woman could resist the temptation of eternal beauty.

In rarity, the Eternal Youth Pill was no less scarce than the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Gu Qingzhao's eyes shimmered as she smiled faintly: "Then I shall not refuse your kindness—thank you, Daoist Qin."

"And congratulations on your advancement to Second-Grade Alchemist!"

Liao Shopkeeper, beside her, was overwhelmed by the revelation.

He, too, had considerable experience.

The moment Gu Qingzhao revealed the pill, he understood why one vial could equal so many materials.

"Daoist Qin—is this a second-grade Eternal Youth Pill?" As Jingxue Pavilion's shopkeeper, he naturally recognized it.

"Did you refine it yourself?"

Qin Ming gave a slight nod, neither confirming nor denying.

Upon receiving Qin Ming's affirmation, Liao Shopkeeper sincerely congratulated him: "Congratulations, Daoist Qin, on advancing to Second-Grade Alchemist—your path in the Immortal Dao has taken another step forward."

He then remembered something and hesitated to ask: "Daoist Qin, isn't refining second-grade spirit pills supposed to require a Foundation Establishment cultivator's primordial true fire?"

"I was fortunate enough to assimilate a second-grade heavenly spirit fire, hence I can refine second-grade pills," Qin Ming explained.

Gu Qingzhao's expression cleared in understanding.

"I didn't expect you to advance so swiftly to Second-Grade Alchemist. In all of Canghai Xiancheng, there are only three."

"If you can refine the Eternal Youth Pill, refining Foundation Establishment Pills is surely within your grasp."

"Currently, among the three Second-Grade Alchemists, only Sun Jinian is capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills—and he holds the highest status and reputation among the city's alchemists."

The transaction concluded.

From Gu Qingzhao, Qin Ming learned much about the current situation in Canghai Xiancheng.

He then took lodging at Jingxue Pavilion's inn.

Over the next two days,

Qin Ming sought every means to track down the Jade Marrow Fungus.

But

he found nothing.

Just as he prepared to return to Wangyue Island,

Gu Qingzhao sent him a thrilling piece of news:

"Daoist Qin, new intelligence indicates that a group of free cultivators in Canghai Xiancheng has pooled resources to invite Sun Jinian to refine Foundation Establishment Pills."

"These free cultivators are highly likely to possess traces of the main ingredient."

(End of Chapter)