Chapter 49: Gu Qingzhao

The next day.

Qin Ming continued cultivating for a little over half a day, consolidating his cultivation.

Evening, You Hour.

Qin Ming returned to Juxuan Pavilion.

"Brother Qin! You've broken through to Qi Refinement Stage Five?"

"Congratulations! Congratulations, Brother Qin, on your advancement—your Immortal Path has taken another step forward!"

Shopkeeper Liao had been longing for this day, never expecting Brother Qin to return so soon.

He was about to be promoted by the Gu Gezhu, and these past two days he'd basked in glory before his colleagues—he was truly riding high, always thinking of Brother Qin, his benefactor.

Yet he never imagined that upon meeting again, Brother Qin's cultivation had advanced once more. Wait—

A thought flashed through Shopkeeper Liao's mind; he suddenly realized something.

Brother Qin was previously at Qi Refinement Stage Four—could it be he successfully refined a mid-grade Spirit Pill in such a short time?

'Does that mean Brother Qin is not only a mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, but also a mid-grade Pill Master?!'

"Shopkeeper, last time we agreed—I'd sell you part of the pills I refined," Qin Ming stated bluntly.

Shopkeeper Liao's face lit up with joy. "Oh my, that's wonderful!"

"May I ask—did Brother Qin succeed in refining mid-grade Spirit Pills yesterday?"

Though hopeful, Shopkeeper Liao couldn't help asking; breaking through to mid-grade Pill Master was no easy feat.

Many Pill Masters remained stuck at this stage for years, even decades.

"Hmm, I was fortunate enough to succeed," Qin Ming said casually.

"What?!"

Shopkeeper Liao froze completely. Even though he'd suspected it, hearing Qin Ming confirm it outright still stunned him.

'At such a young age, Brother Qin has broken through to mid-grade Pill Master—his Pill Refining talent may rival Su the Pill Master's!'

Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Liao shivered involuntarily and immediately said: "Brother Qin, our Gu Gezhu instructed that whenever you come, you're to be invited to meet him."

"Oh?" This time, Qin Ming showed a hint of surprise.

In his memory, Gu Qingzhao had always been aloof, detached from mortal affairs—why suddenly want to meet him?

Shortly after,

Shopkeeper Liao led him upstairs, announced his arrival, then withdrew, leaving Qin Ming alone.

Seventh-floor private chamber of Juxuan Pavilion.

Incense drifted faintly; the air carried a subtle, fragrant scent.

Gu Qingzhao still wore simple robes, but for once, she was not reading scriptures.

She rose gracefully and walked to the door, welcoming Qin Ming into the elegant chamber.

"Brother Qin, I previously neglected you—please don't take offense."

Qin Ming looked up and met Gu Qingzhao's cold, clear eyes, and a faint smile on her crimson lips.

Gu Qingzhao always radiated an aura of lofty elegance, indifferent to the mortal world, utterly absorbed in her scriptures, needing no worldly distractions—like a true celestial immortal.

For her to say such a thing was extraordinary.

In the secluded chamber, jade curtains hung to the floor before the window.

A man and a woman sat across from each other at the table.

Lantern light dimmed.

Perhaps she had just bathed; a delicate, cinnamon-and-lilac fragrance clung to her.

Her breath was sweet as orchids, her skin like congealed fat, her graceful figure half-revealed beneath her plain robes, radiating a mesmerizing beauty.

Facing such a breathtakingly beautiful woman, Qin Ming felt a pang of awe. He silently thought, 'What's this woman up to now?'

"I heard you've broken through to mid-grade Pill Master?" Gu Qingzhao poured Qin Ming a cup of Spirit Tea herself, smiling softly as she asked.

Qin Ming nodded. "Yes. I came specifically to sell some pills and purchase Spirit Materials."

Saying this, he took from his storage bag two bottles of Qi-Stabilizing Pills and one bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills, placing them on the table—each bottle contained five pills.

He hadn't planned to sell the Spirit Gathering Pills yet, but he hadn't expected Gu Qingzhao, the Gu Gezhu, to personally receive him.

So he changed his mind on the spot, deciding to reveal a bit of his strength.

After all, if Qin Ming wanted to access higher-tier Immortal Realm information and circles,

he needed to demonstrate his value.

Gu Qingzhao opened the three pill bottles and examined each one carefully.

Her star-like eyes grew brighter; she sincerely praised Qin Ming: "I never expected your Pill Refining talent to be so exceptional—a mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi and mid-grade Pill Master simultaneously? That's exceedingly rare in Qingyang Bazaar."

"We can purchase your Qi-Stabilizing Pills at two hundred twenty-five Spirit Stones per bottle."

"As for the Spirit Gathering Pills, three hundred fifty Spirit Stones per bottle."

"What do you say, Brother Qin?"

Gu Qingzhao's voice was clear as a spring, her every gesture and smile radiant and captivating.

The price she offered was already ten percent higher than the current market rate.

Qin Ming could feel she was clearly trying to court his favor.

"Agreed."

"But I'd like to exchange all these Spirit Stones for several Spirit Materials used in refining Spirit Gathering Pills," Qin Ming added promptly after nodding.

Gu Qingzhao smiled, revealing her pearl-like teeth. "It seems Brother Qin can now reliably refine Spirit Gathering Pills."

"Spirit Gathering Pills are among the most difficult mid-grade pills to refine—I suspect… you've had guidance from a master?" She picked up the teapot again, pouring Qin Ming another cup with elegant grace, her words subtly probing.

Qin Ming hesitated slightly, then spoke plainly: "Yes. My success in breaking through to mid-grade Pill Master was due to fortune—I received guidance from Brother Su."

The words had just left her lips.

Gu Qingzhao actually fell into a brief reverie, pouring tea until it overflowed from the pot without even noticing.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, the tea is full," Qin Ming spoke up to remind her.

Only then did Gu Qingzhao suddenly come to her senses and hastily put away the teapot.

Then she took out a silk handkerchief, wiped the spilled tea clean, and said with a slightly unnatural look of apology, "My apologies, Fellow Daoist Qin."

She had just thought of something, followed by a bitter smile in her heart: 'This Fellow Daoist Qin must have concealed something last time and didn't tell me the truth; if his relationship with Alchemist Su were merely that of ordinary friends, how could he have instructed her in the art of pill refining? It seems I have underestimated Fellow Daoist Qin.'

After figuring out the crux of the matter, Gu Qingzhao immediately stood up decisively and, with great sincerity, extended an invitation to Qin Ming: "I wish to formally invite Fellow Daoist Qin to become a Qin Keqing of our pavilion; regarding the treatment, everything will be most favorable."

"Of course, if Fellow Daoist Qin has any conditions, feel free to propose them."

Hearing this, Qin Ming was stunned.

He had not expected Gu Qingzhao to directly extend an olive branch to him.

Qin Ming pondered only briefly before politely declining, "Thank you for your kind intention, Fellow Daoist Gu, but I am accustomed to being alone and dislike constraints; I must decline the matter of becoming a Qin Keqing."

He carried a host of secrets and needed to be extra cautious; although he now possessed some slight ability to protect himself,

once he encountered a high-level cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, they could still manipulate him at will.

He even less wished to become entangled in the conflicts of interest among these powers; right now, he only wanted to quietly tend his fields.

"I hope to maintain our current cooperative relationship with your honorable pavilion; in any case, since I have pills and spiritual rice here, I will continue to sell them at Juxuan Pavilion as before," Qin Ming thought for a moment and said seriously.

Gu Qingzhao was dumbfounded; she had not expected Qin Ming to reject her almost without giving it a second thought.

His reaction was nearly identical to Alchemist Su's back then. (End of Chapter)