Chapter 261

He Pingsheng retracted his spiritual sense.

He examined the jade slip carefully.

Free and Easy Immortal Sect, list of newly admitted disciples.

Wait… how did I come to have this jade slip?

"Snap…" After a single breath of thought, He Pingsheng suddenly slapped his forehead: "I get it!"

Free and Easy Immortal Sect.

The only person connected to the Free and Easy Immortal Sect was the Golden Core Elder He Pingsheng had killed over a decade ago: Bai Shangli.

That means this list was compiled from Bai Shangli's belongings.

In other words, this is a list of newly admitted disciples from the Free and Easy Immortal Sect over a decade ago.

Qiao Xiaoqiao joined the Free and Easy Immortal Sect?

He Pingsheng was stunned.

But it's also possible the names are coincidentally identical.

After all, Hongshi County is vast; duplicate names are not impossible.

"Alright, I understand," He Pingsheng said to Xiaohe. "Xiaohe, keep organizing. I'll keep this jade slip."

Though coincidence is possible, the likelihood that this person is Qiao Xiaoqiao herself is still high.

First, the timing matches. Second, the name Xiaoqiao isn't common.

I still need to investigate the Free and Easy Immortal Sect.

But He Pingsheng won't go now.

Wait. Once Qiao Huizhu returns, I'll decide. She always comes back every one or two months anyway.

He Pingsheng temporarily set the matter aside and diligently resumed his role as shopkeeper at the front counter.

A few days later, the alchemy shop welcomed its second customer in history.

The visitor was a Daoist nun, appearing to be around fifty.

Of course, that was merely her appearance.

Her actual age was hard to tell.

He Pingsheng did not scan her cultivation base, as that would be impolite.

"Greetings, our shop sells elixirs. Our selection is still limited, but we carry the essentials!"

"What are you looking for?"

He Pingsheng respectfully escorted the nun into the shop.

The nun said: "I'd like to see the Spirit Gathering Elixir. Do you have it?"

"We have it!" He Pingsheng said. "Come this way."

The shop had three shelves.

The first held first-rank elixirs, then second-rank, then third-rank.

He Pingsheng led the nun to the second shelf.

Here rested second-rank elixirs: Spirit Gathering Elixir, Foundation Establishment Elixir, Soul Healing Elixir, and Youth-Preserving Elixir.

Each elixir came in mid-grade and high-grade varieties.

The Youth-Preserving Elixir and Soul Healing Elixir also had supreme-grade versions.

"You… you actually have high-grade?" the female cultivator gasped.

He Pingsheng smiled. "Yes. Both mid-grade and high-grade."

The nun opened the high-grade Spirit Gathering Elixir and inspected it. "Not bad… how much for this high-grade one?"

He Pingsheng said: "High-grade Spirit Gathering Elixir: ten thousand low-grade spirit stones per batch."

"Mid-grade: two thousand low-grade spirit stones per batch."

The price was fair.

That's what the Jiaoyi Society charges.

The nun frowned. "The Hongyue Jiaoyi Society charges the same. How can your small shop charge so much?"

"Shouldn't small shops be cheaper?"

He Pingsheng smiled. "Our elixirs are superior in quality to those in the Jiaoyi Society."

"How about this—if you really want it, I'll give you a ten percent discount."

"Which one do you want?"

At the mention of the discount, the nun's dissatisfaction vanished.

She beamed. "Then this one—the mid-grade. Eighteen hundred spirit stones, right?"

"Yes," He Pingsheng nodded.

One batch contains twelve pills—two hundred spirit stones cheaper than the Jiaoyi Society.

After buying the Spirit Gathering Elixir, the nun raised her gaze to the Youth-Preserving Elixir above. "You have Youth-Preserving Elixir too?"

"And it's supreme-grade?"

Second-rank Youth-Preserving Elixir isn't expensive.

Many female cultivators avoid it: one, because it wastes cultivation resources; two, because their natural looks are ordinary.

Preserving youth offers little benefit.

But supreme-grade Youth-Preserving Elixir is different.

It enhances beauty.

It can turn an ordinary-looking female cultivator into someone quite attractive.

That has value.

"Yes!" He Pingsheng smiled warmly. "Would you like one?"

"Hmm…" The nun hesitated. "How much for one?"

He Pingsheng smiled. "Since it's supreme-grade, it's a bit pricey."

"One pill costs five thousand low-grade spirit stones."

"Ssshh…" The nun drew in a sharp breath. "So expensive?"

Beauty, it seems, comes at a price.

One supreme-grade Youth-Preserving Elixir could buy her two and a half bottles of thirty mid-grade Spirit Gathering Elixirs.

"Not expensive," He Pingsheng said. "Youth is priceless. Beauty is priceless."

The woman asked: "Is it true… that supreme-grade Youth-Preserving Elixir can make you more beautiful?"

He Pingsheng said: "It's true."

"Can you lower the price?"

"Yes. Ten percent off—four thousand five hundred spirit stones."

"After you buy it, take it here and consume it. If it doesn't work, I'll refund every spirit stone."

"Agreed?"

"Agreed!" The nun bit her lip, handed back the Spirit Gathering Elixir, and said: "I don't want this. I'll add two thousand seven hundred spirit stones—give me one Youth-Preserving Elixir."

He Pingsheng was surprised.

But he showed no emotion, smiling warmly: "Alright…"

After collecting the spirit stones, He Pingsheng took out a supreme-grade Youth-Preserving Elixir and handed it to the nun.

She inspected it—four dan lines were clearly visible. "This is correct."

Then she swallowed it whole.

A miraculous transformation occurred.

Gradually, her body changed.

Her skin grew whiter, softer.

Her wrinkles vanished.

Instantly, her appearance reverted to her youth.

But her natural features had always been quite ordinary.

"That's odd!" The woman stared at her reflection. "It's exactly how I looked in my youth—why didn't I become more beautiful?"

He Pingsheng was puzzled. Impossible.

He considered returning her spirit stones.

But before he could speak, her face suddenly changed again.

Her features twisted for less than ten breaths—then she transformed from an ordinary female cultivator into a woman of considerable beauty.

At least, far more attractive than before.

"I look better… I really do look better…"

"Wu wu wu…"

The woman trembled with excitement.

Flowers don't bloom for a hundred days; youth never returns.

But cultivators can defy heaven itself and preserve their youth forever.

Even He Pingsheng couldn't help but sigh.