Chapter 267: Join, Cooperate

Qiao Hui Zhu hadn't spoken when Biyun Xianzi, fearing the disciple might refuse, quickly said softly: "To be honest with you, I too am a single Ice Spirit Root!"

"If you join my sect, all my skills and lineage can be yours to inherit!"

"That is also my wish!"

"Agreed?"

"Yes!" Qiao Hui Zhu immediately knelt on the ground; "Disciple Qiao Hui Zhu, bows to my Master!"

"Good good good…"

Biyun Laozu said: "Good disciple, rise!"

She bent down herself and pulled Qiao Hui Zhu up.

Then Biyun Laozu's gaze fell upon He Pingsheng and said: "I just heard Xiao Qiao say you are Hui Zhu's husband?"

He Pingsheng said: "Yes!"

"Mm."

Biyun Laozu nodded: "Actually, you are quite remarkable!"

"The Dao is impartial; all talents are repaid once one reaches the Nascent Soul realm!"

"Though your Five Element Spirit Roots made early cultivation arduous, after reaching Nascent Soul, you'll become an object of envy!"

"To reach Foundation Establishment tenth layer is no small feat—truly impressive!"

"But from your current cultivation to Nascent Soul, deep chasms still lie ahead!"

"Cross them, and the Dao path opens wide!"

"Fail, and your life ends here!"

"If you wish, you may also join my sect as my direct disciple!"

"But I cannot teach you much regarding Five Element Spirit Roots!"

Biyun Laozu's words were fair indeed.

She neither looked down on him nor overpraised him—she spoke plainly: You are strong; if you reach Nascent Soul, you'll be stronger still. But the key is, six great thresholds still stand between now and Nascent Soul.

Three bottlenecks in Foundation Establishment, three in Golden Core.

Do you have the fortune to break through all six?

"Thank you for your kindness, Elder!" He Pingsheng bowed to Biyun Laozu: "I already have a Master—I will not join the Free and Easy Immortal Sect!"

"Also, I have something to report!"

Biyun Xianzi said: "Go ahead."

"Yes!" He Pingsheng said: "Qiao Hui Zhu and I are cultivation partners. Our marriage contract was arranged by my Master and my wife's aunt—we are lawfully wed!"

"I beg you, Elder, to watch over my wife. I shall be eternally grateful and repay you in due time!"

"Oh?" Biyun now looked somewhat surprised.

She had assumed He Pingsheng and Qiao Hui Zhu had become husband and wife by chance.

She hadn't expected they had a formal contract.

One arranged by elders.

There was nothing more to say.

"Good good good…" Biyun Laozu nodded: "I understand. As for repayment, forget it!"

"Here is my token—take it!"

"Though you are not of the Free and Easy Immortal Sect, with this token you may freely enter the inner sect—except for forbidden zones, you may go anywhere!"

He Pingsheng was overjoyed, took the token, and said: "Thank you, Elder, for your generosity!"

She had nearly said outright: I'm giving you this to ease your separation from your wife.

With this, visiting your wife will be much easier.

Hmm… though it's still quite far.

…

"Take this!" At the Free and Easy Immortal Sect's gate, Qiao Hui Zhu handed He Pingsheng the Brocade Cloud Robe.

He Pingsheng said: "You wear it—it'll spare you much trouble!"

"I'm fine!" Qiao Hui Zhu shook her head: "Your alchemy shop's reputation is growing; I fear people from Qi Kingdom might recognize you!"

"You wear it—it could save your life in a pinch!"

"I don't want to lose my husband!"

"Also, I haven't absorbed it—if you're too far away, the robe won't work!"

Qiao Hui Zhu insisted and re-gave He Pingsheng the Brocade Cloud Robe.

He Pingsheng nodded and accepted it.

Qiao Hui Zhu was right—now that he traveled often, he must consider such matters.

He Pingsheng secretly gave her some supreme Spirit Gathering Pills, then flew back to Red Stone City on his sword.

The return trip took three days again.

…

The shop's name could be changed.

He Pingsheng thought a moment, then renamed "Qiao Xiaoqiao's Alchemy Shop" to Grand Void Alchemy Shop.

As for why he chose this name.

He Pingsheng felt it was a kind of memorial.

In the days ahead, he would alchemize and sell pills!

And occasionally cultivate the Joyous Union Scripture.

The Grand Void Alchemy Shop's reputation grew ever larger.

The greater the fame, the fewer pills He Pingsheng sold—but their grade rose steadily.

He no longer sold first- or second-grade pills.

Only third-grade pills.

Such as Spirit Gathering Pills, Dawn Essence Pills, and others.

"Elder, I'm sorry…" He Pingsheng said to an elderly Golden Core cultivator before the counter: "This price was set by my Master—one batch of premium Spirit Gathering Pills costs one million two hundred thousand spirit stones!"

"Not a single stone less!"

Spirit Gathering Pills were a common pill for Golden Core cultivators to absorb and raise their cultivation, just as Qi Refining cultivators used Spirit Gathering Pills and Foundation Establishment cultivators used Spirit Gathering Pills.

But Spirit Gathering Pills were third-grade pills.

Normally, an inferior Spirit Gathering Pill cost thirty thousand spirit stones per pill.

A middle-grade one, fifty or sixty thousand.

A premium one, one hundred thousand!

That was the price per pill.

One batch, exactly one million two hundred thousand.

Expensive?

Of course it was.

But there was reason for the price.

For instance, a premium Spirit Gathering Pill could sustain a Golden Core cultivator from first to twelfth layer—no more than twenty batches needed.

Not much at all!

"Fine!" The Golden Core cultivator had no choice but to pay one million two hundred thousand spirit stones and left.

Immediately after the Golden Core cultivator departed, Ling Zhiwang of the Red Moon Guild arrived.

He was not alone—he came with another woman in a red Dao robe.

"Xu Daoist!"

"Ling Daoist!"

They exchanged greetings.

Ling Zhiwang said: "This is our guild's Grand Elder, Red Moon Elder!"

"A Golden Core great cultivator!"

He Pingsheng was startled, quickly bowed: "Greetings, Elder Red Moon!"

"Hehe…" Red Moon smiled, revealing a row of white teeth: "Xu Daoist, I've come to discuss business with you!"

Business?

He Pingsheng was surprised: "Er… Elder Red Moon, please speak."

Red Moon said: "Your alchemy shop is excellent, your pills are fine—are all these pills made by you alone?"

He Pingsheng said: "Elder, you jest—I can only make second-grade pills; these third-grade pills are all crafted by my Master!"

"Oh?"

Red Moon said: "Your Master?"

"May I meet him?"

"What is his cultivation level?"

He Pingsheng smiled: "My Master is a Nascent Soul cultivator, skilled in arrays and alchemy!"

Red Moon asked: "Might I ask which Nascent Soul cultivator he is? Perhaps I know him?"

He Pingsheng said: "My Master's Dao name is Grand Void."

So He Pingsheng wasn't lying after all.

"Grand Void?" Hong Yue frowned. "I've never heard of it."

He Pingsheng said, "My master is elusive, rarely seen, and dislikes meeting outsiders. Whatever it is, just tell me."

"Very well!" Hong Yue took a deep breath. "Our guild wishes to collaborate with you, Daoist."

He Pingsheng said nothing, merely watching Hong Yue in silence.

Hong Yue said, "Daoist Xu, although this guild bears my name, it is in fact under the jurisdiction of the City Lord's mansion."

"With that explanation, you should understand, yes?"

He Pingsheng smiled.

Laying out the background first—that made things interesting.