Chapter 26: Treasure Pavilion

The difference between the immortal and the mortal—this was the greatest realization Xu Chen had on this journey.

Any mortal, even one with wealth rivaling a nation and monstrous power, would tremble and be as submissive as a little lamb in front of a cultivator; if one were to display the sign of the Taiyuan Sect, even the Emperor would have to carefully descend the steps to welcome them, not daring to put on airs as an Emperor, and would respectfully address them as Daoist Friend.

"Might the three immortal masters stay their steps?" Just as the three turned to leave, the shopkeeper hurried forward and called out in a low voice.

"What other business do you have?" Jiu Shixiong asked.

The shopkeeper hurriedly bowed again and said, "This lowly one has heard that the Treasure Pavilion has recently acquired quite a few spirit medicines; if the three immortal masters are interested, you might as well go and take a look."

Zhao Xuan asked curiously, "Do you know what kind of spirit medicines they are?"

The shopkeeper hurriedly shook his head and said, "This lowly one does not know; they only receive immortal masters and heroes of the pugilistic world, but it is said the quality of the spirit medicines is extraordinary. The alchemists of the Imperial Palace have all gone to see them, and it is said they drooled quite a bit."

Jiu Shixiong said in surprise, "Then it seems it is indeed somewhat interesting. Although the alchemists offered by the royal family are trash, they are still people who know their goods. Since even they drooled upon seeing them, it must be quite good and worth a look."

Saying this, Jiu Shixiong took out a jade bottle, poured out a gray, mung-bean-sized pill, and tossed it to the shopkeeper.

"This is a Qingshui Pill, consider it a reward for you. Where is that Treasure Pavilion? We shall go and take a look now!"

The shopkeeper held the pill in both hands, overjoyed, and hurriedly informed them of the location of the Treasure Pavilion in detail, and the three then strode away.

"Haha, a fortune, a fortune! It seems the three immortal masters must be immortal masters from some great immortal sect."

The shopkeeper laughed until the uvula in his throat was shaking; several of the medicine shop's assistants and servants also swarmed over to watch, one after another gasping for air with mouths full of drool.

"Quickly move aside! If you suck away the Spirit Qi of this immortal pill, see if I don't beat you all to death!"

The shopkeeper chased the group of people away, then hurriedly found a brand-new jade bottle to store it in, placed it respectfully side-by-side next to a Peiyuan Pill, and hung a label for two hundred taels of gold on it.

The Qingshui Pill's function is to cleanse the marrow and wash the bones, removing impurities from the bones, blood, skin, and flesh; although it is also a Mortal Pill, to mortals it is no less than a true immortal spirit pill. If one eats a single pill, it not only strengthens the body, but almost guarantees one will be free from all illnesses, and naturally, it also has the effect of prolonging life.

People living to seventy have been rare since ancient times; for the common masses, being able to live to seventy is already a long life, but if one eats a Qingshui Pill, one can almost easily live to that age. With a good constitution, good nutrition, and the addition of martial arts and exercise, living to a hundred is not impossible.

Of course, the efficacy of the Qingshui Pill is far inferior to the Peiyuan Pill, because the Peiyuan Pill can help open up the human meridians; if a martial artist eats it, they can release true energy externally and become a supreme expert, almost invincible in the mortal world.

When Xu Chen was first brought up the mountain by his Master, he also took half a bottle of Qingshui Pills in succession; after having diarrhea to clear out the body's waste, his body felt light and healthy, and he felt a rebirth-like change.

Of course, he had never eaten a Peiyuan Pill, because his Master directly used vital energy to help him clear and open his entire body's meridians, crossing him from an ordinary person into the Innate Realm in one step, and then supplemented with the Taiyuan Sect's unique Qi-refining technique, he stepped into the threshold of Qi-refining in only two months.

Although the Taiyuan Sect is poor, the medicinal herbs for refining Qingshui Pills are everywhere near the mountain gate; the Medicine Garden doesn't even plant these low-level mortal medicines. One can bring back a huge pile by flying a sword out for a turn, and as long as one is willing to refine them, they can be eaten like candy all year round.

This is also the powerful gap between the immortal and the mortal.

The Qingshui Pill is hard to find among the people, making the wealthy and powerful scramble for it, but for an Immortal Sect, it is completely a truly trashy pill, kept on one's person when going out, used only as travel money.

Just like when Jiu Shixiong and the others go down the mountain to gain experience, they always carry one or two bottles with them; as long as they feel something or someone is worth it, they will casually reward one, which can both manifest the demeanor of an immortal and make mortals feel awe and respect.

The shopkeeper was well-versed in this, so after discovering that Xu Chen and the three were immortal masters, he would absolutely not easily let go of the opportunity to fish for benefits. Just by providing a vague piece of news about spirit medicine, he obtained an immortal pill worth two hundred taels of gold; this windfall came so easily it was outrageous.

And this is also the reason why mortals are particularly respectful to those who cultivate immortality, because if one is not careful, an immortal master's reward can almost change a person's destiny—either becoming wealthy or becoming incomparably powerful; this is what the common people call immortal fate.

Therefore, after Xu Chen and the three left, the news that the medicine shop had received a reward of an immortal pill from an immortal master quickly spread through the entire street like a hurricane. A large number of wealthy, powerful, and pugilistic figures flocked there, and soon the medicine shop was packed to the point of being impassable. From there it spread from ten to a hundred, and soon it shocked half of Jingshi, even reaching the Imperial Palace.

The Great Song Emperor Zhao Rui was meditating and cultivating in the Imperial Palace; upon receiving the report from the attendant, a smile appeared on his face.

Zhao Rui ascended the throne at thirty-five and is already a hundred years old this year, having been on the throne for a full sixty-five years, and his status as an outer disciple of the Yuqing Hall also made his throne as firm as a rock, with no one able to shake it.

However, his aptitude was limited, and he would never be able to reach Foundation Establishment and enter the Zhenyuan Realm in this life.

Therefore, his lifespan would not be long either. Even if he took various pills to strengthen his body and prolong his life, and was still persisting in meditation and Qi-refining, according to logical judgment, he had at most ten-plus years left to live.

Thinking that he could only live for at most another ten-plus years, Zhao Rui's mood became very bad, but he was helpless. However, he had come from an Immortal Sect after all and knew that life and death could not be defied, so he was still fairly clear-headed.

Taking the opportunity of this hundredth birthday, he would pass the throne to the Crown Prince.

Recently, there have been constant streams of wandering cultivators and Immortal Sect disciples coming to Jingshi to celebrate his birthday and bestowing spirit pills and medicines that are high and unreachable in the eyes of mortals, which could also show that he governs the country well and has received strong support from the Immortal World, making the succession smoother.

Therefore, although he considered the matter of an immortal master rewarding a pill as not worth mentioning, it was also constantly elevating the status and face of the royal family, and he was naturally very happy inside.

"Your Majesty, many immortal masters have entered the city these past few days, many of whom are staying at the Linxian Pavilion, but there are also many who did not accept the invitation. The Ministry of Rites does not even know when the three immortal masters who rewarded the pill today entered the city," the attendant reported cautiously.

Zhao Rui waved his hand and said, "Those who cultivate immortality and seek the Dao all enjoy tranquility and inaction, and do not like worldly affairs. Do not worry about these matters; just arrange the birthday banquet well, and they will naturally all come to celebrate my birthday when the time comes."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The attendant bowed and prepared to withdraw, but Zhao Rui suddenly asked, "What movements has the Eight Prince Mansion had recently?"

The attendant's body trembled slightly, and he hurriedly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, everything at the Eight Prince Mansion has been quiet recently."

After finishing, the attendant suddenly added, "Your Majesty, this servant heard a piece of news just now, but I do not yet know if it is true?"

"What is it?" Zhao Rui asked.

"This servant heard that it seems the Princess of Xiyun has suddenly appeared in Jingshi."

"Oh!" Zhao Rui was stunned, his expression changing instantly. He was silent for a moment and said, "Quickly arrange for people to investigate whether it is true or false, and report back as soon as possible!"

"Yes, this old servant takes his leave!" The attendant hurriedly bowed and retreated.

Zhao Rui's expression instantly became incomparably cold. He stood up and muttered in a low voice, "It seems there is indeed something fishy about this matter. Are you seeing that I am about to die, and finally unable to hold back?"

Although the group of palace maids and eunuchs heard it, they all lowered their heads in fear, not daring to make any move.

As for the royal inside stories and messy affairs, Xu Chen and the others had absolutely no interest in them; they were already at the Treasure Pavilion.

Looking at this huge building, built with such opulence that it resembled an immortal palace, Xu Chen felt it was very unreal.

Compared to other shops and buildings in Jingshi, this Treasure Pavilion was built a bit too ostentatiously and gorgeously.

Jiu Shixiong smiled and said, "I have been to Jingshi several times, but I never knew there was such a place. It looks quite good."

Zhao Xuan said, "It looks like it was built not long ago, but there are several fluctuations of vital energy inside. I imagine there are cultivators sitting in charge; it is indeed quite different from other mortal shops."

Jiu Shixiong nodded and said, "To be able to obtain spirit medicine, they naturally have some strength. It should be backed by some Immortal Sect; I fear ordinary wandering cultivator families wouldn't have such face in the inch-of-land-is-an-inch-of-gold Jingshi. Let's go, let's go in and see."

The three stood in front of the Treasure Pavilion, observing and exchanging a few words, then walked into the main entrance together.

On both sides of the gate stood two rows of young and beautiful welcoming maids. Seeing the three stride in, they all hurriedly bowed and said in unison, "Welcome to the Treasure Pavilion!"

The three only nodded slightly and walked into the hall. Facing them was a rockery several zhang high, and below it was a flower pond over ten zhang in circumference. Inside were lotus roots, and several lotus flowers were in full bloom. Spring water dripped from the top of the rockery into the pond with a tinkling sound, then turned into swirling mist that surged and filled half the hall. It looked truly like a Jade Pool immortal realm; clearly, this flower pond and rockery was also an Array.

Xu Chen couldn't help but click his tongue and say, "Looks like a pretty big investment!"

Jiu Shixiong curled his lips and said, "It's just a Floating Cloud Water Condensation Array, what kind of big investment is that."

"Hehe, the three of you have quite the big mouths. Do you know whose property this Treasure Pavilion is, to dare to spout such nonsense here?"

Suddenly, a cold snort rang in the ears of the three, and at the same time, a Divine Sense landed on them. Turning their heads, they saw a young man in luxurious clothing walking over, a three-colored lotus flower on his chest being exceptionally eye-catching.

Jiu Shixiong glanced at him lightly and said, "So it is a Daoist Friend from the Yuqing Hall. It seems this Treasure Pavilion is your property then?"

The youth in fine clothing's body gave a sudden jolt, and cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead, yet he still maintained a trace of arrogance as he said, "That is correct. I do not know which Immortal Sect dojo the three of you hail from, or what business brings you to my Treasure Pavilion?"

"The Yuqing Hall indeed has quite a large reputation; it truly looks like one that cannot be trifled with!" Jiu Shixiong smiled, then added, "We are people from the Taiyuan Sect. We rarely come to Jingshi on ordinary days, but we just heard that you have Spirit Medicine here, so we came specifically to broaden our horizons."

The youth in fine clothing breathed a slight sigh of relief, then said in a lukewarm tone, "So you are Daoist Friends from the Taiyuan Sect. Forgive my lack of discernment earlier for the offense. Recently, to celebrate the hundredth birthday of the Great Song Emperor, the Treasure Pavilion has indeed brought in many Spirit Pills and Spirit Medicine, taking this opportunity to exchange and appreciate them together with Daoist Friends from all under heaven. Since the three Daoist Friends have come, there is no need to go to the second floor; you may head straight to the third floor, and someone will naturally receive you."

"Very well, then many thanks, Daoist Friend!"

Jiu Shixiong slightly cupped his hands, and taking Xu Chen and Zhao Xuan with him, he bypassed the rockery and flower pond to walk up the stairs.