Chapter 389

In the courtyard's main hall.

Hua Tianxiong, seeing the other party's displeasure, quickly explained to Luo Zhanglao Xi:

"Hehe! Luo Zhanglao, don't be angry—we're all family, all of us."

"No need to be formal."

Seeing the Luo family's dissatisfaction, Hua Tianxiong displayed his full merchant's cunning, weaving a web of deception and flattery to explain.

"Let me introduce the two of you."

"This is Lu Shopkeeper of the Jingxue Pavilion of the Shang Alliance. The matter Luo Zhanglao seeks will depend entirely on Lu Daofriend's help."

Upon hearing this, the Luo family exchanged uneasy glances.

With things as they were, they had no choice but to go along with the host's lead and enter inside to observe and act as needed.

"Luo Zhanglao, welcome!"

"Greetings, Young Master Luo!"

"Cough! Cough! Lu Shopkeeper, you're too kind."

After Hua Tianxiong's lively efforts, the atmosphere in the hall eased considerably. Qin Ming smiled and rose to greet each member of the Luo family in turn.

But when Qin Ming's gaze landed on the severely wounded "Young Master Luo Chen," a wave of suspicion stirred within him.

For he had just secretly activated the Yin-Yang Yang Xuan Jian Divine Skill, scanning the Luo family's inner energies.

Luo Zhanglao Chen showed no anomalies—his body brimmed with lush green vitality, easily over two hundred years of remaining lifespan.

But this Young Master Luo Chen, gravely injured and traveling countless miles to beg for medicine, was problematic.

Ordinary cultivators might not notice.

Yet under Qin Ming's Divine Skill, he saw the young man's dantian qi sea teeming with vibrant green vitality.

Luo Chen's actual age was small—barely twenty, extremely young—with over a hundred years of lifespan still ahead.

This man had concealed not only his cultivation level, but his true realm.

Luo Chen's true cultivation was Foundation Establishment late stage.

Yet he bore some powerful treasure that concealed and masked his magic power and aura—even Hua Tianxiong, a Jin Dan mid-stage cultivator, sensed nothing amiss.

Had Qin Ming not awakened the Yin-Yang Yang Xuan Jian Divine Skill from the primordial wood talisman within his flawless Jin Dan, and possessed a spiritual sense as potent as a Nascent Soul elder's…

He himself might not have noticed.

Qin Ming instinctively realized.

'This Luo Chen is definitely suspicious!'

Immediately, he secretly activated his Break-Magic Heavy Eyes, silently gazing at the man.

He saw that Luo Chen had even used a secret technique to alter his true face—his real appearance was that of a handsome, sharply featured young man, utterly unlike his current visage.

Then.

Qin Ming silently observed the man's soul, discovering a faint wound upon it—yet no serious damage, clearly a carefully crafted illusion.

'The Luo family's actions suggest their request for medicine hides another purpose.'

'And the Luo family members are all normal cultivators, their magic power pure—not demonic.'

'This is truly strange.'

After a few swift operations, Qin Ming had uncovered the Luo family's true nature in mere breaths.

Since they were not demonic, Qin Ming chose not to expose them.

He wanted to see what the Luo family intended.

He also did not whisper a warning to Hua Tianxiong, lest he reveal his awareness.

After a brief exchange,

Luo Xi and Luo Chen learned from Hua Tianxiong's account that securing Su Dadan's aid required the help of the man before them—the 'Lu Shopkeeper.'

Their tone and demeanor immediately grew more courteous.

Luo Zhanglao Xi raised his wine cup and apologized to Qin Ming: "Hehe! Old man didn't understand the inner workings—my earlier behavior was rude and impolite. Lu Shopkeeper, please forgive me!"

Luo Chen feigned weakness: "Lu Shopkeeper, please be lenient!"

"Luo Zhanglao need not worry," Qin Ming replied without revealing his thoughts. "If there's an opportunity to cooperate with the Luo family, I am more than willing."

His speech and bearing perfectly matched that of a merchant, significantly easing Luo Zhanglao Xi's suspicions.

Then,

Qin Ming wished to probe their limits, so he spoke with deliberate gravity: "Lu indeed has had dealings with Master Su Yuqing."

"But business is business, and favors are favors."

"Even if Lu were to request Master Su to refine a pill, it would require a certain price."

"And Young Master Luo requires a third-rank superior pill—the Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill. Lu has heard of it, even after decades of trade."

"Cough! Cough! As for compensation, anything is negotiable—as long as the pill is refined, paying a price is only natural!" Young Master Luo Chen interrupted before Luo Zhanglao Xi could speak.

His words revealed a willingness to pay any cost.

'This guy's a wealthy bastard?'

'He doesn't even plan to haggle—desperate, clearly.'

Qin Ming mused inwardly.

He even began to suspect the man's true identity was far more complex than a mere Luo family scion.

Could he be one of the core disciples who fled with Han Ya Shiren from the Diyida Sect, the Profound Heaven Sect? Qin Ming sipped his spirit tea.

He probed further: "In that case, Lu can ask Master Su to prioritize refining this third-rank superior 'Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill' for Young Master Luo. But the conditions—"

"You know, third-rank superior pills are far harder to obtain than ordinary medicines—even in the Immortal Realm of Da Jin, only a handful of Dandaoda Sect masters can refine them, and even then, success isn't guaranteed."

"Young Master Luo surely knows that Master Su's pill-crafting skill, across all of Da Jin, is unmatched—if he claims second place, no one dares claim first."

"Therefore, asking him to make an exception and act once will surely come at a high price."

"Furthermore, most of the spiritual materials required to refine the Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill are top-tier third-grade spiritual materials, which are expensive enough, let alone the finished pill itself."

"Thus, to obtain this Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Spirit Pill, one would need at least one fourth-grade spiritual material!"

"As for spirit stones, Grandmaster Su does not lack them; even if they were high-grade spirit stones, he might not necessarily accept them." Upon hearing this, the father and son of the Luo family were instantly stunned on the spot.

They even began to doubt whether they had heard incorrectly.

"A f-fourth-grade spiritual material?"

"Shopkeeper Lu, are you mistaken? Those are spiritual treasures sought out by Nascent Soul True Lords."

"Moreover, although the Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill is exceedingly rare, it shouldn't be... this expensive, right?"

Luo Zhanglao Xi said with an embarrassed expression.

Qin Ming feigned an unyielding demeanor and sighed, saying, "Alas! Senior Luo, it is not that this junior is unwilling to help you."

"It is simply that reality is as it stands; if you feel the conditions are unreasonable, then I, Lu, am powerless to assist."

This single sentence nearly choked the father and son of the Luo family to death.

Luo Xi secretly harbored immense resentment:

What kind of people did Hua Tianxiong introduce? Making exorbitant demands right from the start without leaving any room for negotiation—who conducts business like this? Hua Tianxiong, unaware of the intricacies, was anxiously standing by; even he felt that a demand for a fourth-grade spiritual material was truly excessive. After all, that was a resource only a Nascent Soul sect could possibly control; how could a mere Luo family possess such a thing!

However, even knowing this, he dared not chatter excessively in front of Qin Ming.

Seeing the atmosphere becoming somewhat frozen, he quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying:

"Uh, hahaha! Even if the deal falls through, friendship remains!"

"Daoist Luo, you do not know that Grandmaster Su has an extremely peculiar temper."

"Not to mention anything else, every day, countless noble families and sects travel to the Su family at Longting Lake in the Central Prefecture of Great Jin to seek pills."

"Yet, the number of powers fortunate enough to be received by Grandmaster Su is vanishingly small."

"Naturally, some price is required."

The father and son of the Luo family fell into deep thought, then exchanged a glance, seemingly having made a certain decision.

"Shopkeeper Lu, besides a fourth-grade spiritual material, is there truly no other way?"

"Indeed, apart from that, I, Lu, have no other method," Qin Ming replied with absolute certainty.

His words were filled with apology, feigning an appearance of being powerless to help.

For a moment, the main hall fell into silence once again.

"Sigh! Never mind then; since that is the case, we will think of some other solution."

After a long while, Luo Xi finally said with a sigh.

After some polite exchanges, the father and son of the Luo family took their leave and departed.

Only after they had left did Hua Tianxiong ask with some confusion, "Master, why...?"

"There is something wrong with that Luo Chen; he has used a secret technique to disguise his identity. I suspect his request for this Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill serves another purpose."

"Just rest assured; sooner or later, the father and son of the Luo family will definitely come looking for you again," Qin Ming said indifferently.

Hua Tianxiong suddenly had a great realization, "Ah? Damn it! That old rogue Luo actually dares to deceive me!"

Immediately afterward, he thought of something else.

"But what if they seek other alchemists to refine the pill?"

Qin Ming revealed a meaningful smile.

"The Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill is extremely special; regarding spiritual pills that treat the divine soul, let alone within the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, even within the other two Immortal Realms..."

"Apart from Su Yuqing and myself, no other alchemy grandmasters can refine it at all."

"Furthermore, it rarely circulates in the market; by the time they manage to purchase one, the flowers will have long wilted and cooled."

"Cough! Go personally and convey a message to Brother Su on my behalf; should anyone approach him to refine a Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill, simply ignore them all."

"I would quite like to see what scheme these sneaky father and son of the Luo family are actually plotting."

Of course, Qin Ming also had another plan; if the people of the Luo family were truly willing to offer a fourth-grade spiritual material in exchange for the Nine Yang Soul-Continuing Pill...

He would not be unable to act... This business was a guaranteed profit with no loss; if he could secure the final main material for refining the Infant-Condensing Pill, the Five-Elements Spiritual Ginseng, he could immediately depart this troublesome place.

"Hehehe! Master is truly brilliant! This humble one is extremely impressed, practically prostrating myself in admiration!" After hearing Qin Ming's words, Hua Tianxiong revealed a sinister grin.

Immediately, Hua Tianxiong set off without delay to carry out Qin Ming's instructions.

As for Qin Ming, having nothing else to do, he simply closed his eyes to rest and began cultivating within Hua Tianxiong's small courtyard.

At the same time.

At the border between the Great Zhou Immortal Realm and the Great Li Dynasty.

A dark demonic-patterned spiritual carriage, pulled by eight six-winged demonic bats, was speeding through the air with wind-like swiftness.

Compared to the dharma boats and spiritual vessels of those great sects and major clans, it was unknowably many times faster.

The demonic-patterned carriage was decorated with unparalleled luxury; its exterior featured curtains woven from third-grade demonic spider silk, emitting a layer of crimson-black radiance.

The roof was crafted from the wings of various rare demonic creatures, and the entire carriage seemed to be smelted and cast using the skeleton of a flood dragon.

It was inlaid with demonic crystals for patterned carving and decoration.

Luxury had been pushed to the extreme.

Although the Demonic Gold Imperial Carriage appeared on the outside to be merely a carriage, the space within was extremely vast, spanning several tens of zhang.

The furnishings inside were also exceedingly magnificent, resembling a palace.

Yet, only two people sat within: the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the Blood Refinement Demonic Sect.

"Junior Sister Lan, you said that Elder Han Crow was struck by your Ice Soul Demonic Light; where do you suppose he has fled to?" Jiang Yuan casually popped a crimson fruit into his mouth and asked carelessly.

Holy Maiden Lan Bing sat cross-legged on a chair, closing her eyes to rest.

After a long while, her Zhu Chun moved slightly as she replied, "He must be searching somewhere for a method to heal his divine soul."

"Having struck my Ice Soul Demonic Light divine ability, even an old monster at the Nascent Soul stage, if not treated in time, will suffer continuous consumption and erosion of their Nascent Soul."

"So that's how it is."

(End of Chapter)