The Spiritual Pill Workshop became popular. It became extremely popular.
Pills with excellent qualities were sold 10% lower than the market price. Moreover, there were only 10 alchemists in the city, and their standards… Were not even that good.
Even if the pills that Ou Yangming refined were on par with the others in terms of quality, they would still attract much attention. Furthermore, there was an indiscernible vitality in the pills that he refined, making their qualities even better.
Therefore, it was reasonable for his pill workshop to be so popular.
On this day, an old man dressed in fine clothes walked in. His hair was grizzled white, but it was combed meticulously.
When seen from afar, he gave people a sense of dignity. Just a glance was enough to let people know that he held a high position.
Ou Yangming’s eyes focused, and he thought to himself, ‘What should come has come. Previously, Fang Ming was just a small shrimp leading the front line. Now, the one who’s really in charge has come.’
He collected his thoughts and took the initiative to welcome the old man. With a smile on his face, he asked, “Senior, what would you like to order?”
The elder in luxurious clothes pursed his lips. The wrinkles on his face were squeezed together as he said in a deep voice, “Bring out the best pills in your shop. The best and the worst.” He added another sentence at the end.
After hearing what he said, Ou Yangming’s eyes lit up even more.
He gently took down a bottle of Vitality-consolidating Pills and introduced, “Senior, these are Vitality-consolidating Pills. They have the effect of consolidating one’s foundation and strengthening one’s vitality. What do you think?”
The old man frowned and continued to ask, “Is this the best? I heard that you have pills that can extend one’s life. Do you have them or not?”
“Yes, I do have them, but they’re very expensive,” Ou Yangming nodded as he answered. He flipped his wrist and took out the Longevity Pill.
His voice was not loud, but he was straightforward. It shook the ears of the old man in luxurious clothes, making him ecstatic. Nonetheless, his face did not reveal the slightest bit of joy. He nodded slightly and raised his hand to receive it.
He took off the cork of the bottle and poured out a pill. A rich and fragrant smell reverberated in the air.
The old man took a deep breath and squinted his eyes to sense for a moment. Then, he nodded and said, “Yes, the quality is quite good. How many spirit ores for them?”
“Each bottle is sold for 500 spirit stones, and there are 3 pills per bottle,” Ou Yangming answered with a smile.
The old man nodded slightly and did not say anything. After he paid the money, he left directly.
Ou Yangming looked at his back view and thought to himself, ‘What I have to do next is to wait. Didn’t I do so much just to come into contact with somehow his level? The Big Ruins is really too big. I haven’t even figured out the places shown on the map fragment from Ling Yue. As for the landmarks shown on the ancient tower murals, I don’t even have the slightest clue either.’
The Governor’s Residence was at the very center of the ancient city, guarding all directions.
Outside the main door stood 2 stone lions that were 23 to 26 meters tall, and they glared angrily at the sky.
There were many pavilions within the residence. An ancient path was winding, and a small river was surging. Although they were stained with a touch of grey, they were still full of charm.
The elder in luxurious clothes walked along the ancient path to the front of a secret room. His voice was respectful as he said, “Governor, the medicinal pills have been brought back.”
“Mm, come in!” A hoarse voice was heard coming from the secret room.
“Yes!” The old man took a step forward. With a light wave of his sleeve, he entered the secret room.
What kind of old man was he? He was dressed in a long robe, and his body was frail. He was practically only skin and bones. More than half of the white hair on his head had fallen off. His aura was blocked, and his entire body was suffused with an aura of death. On top of that, his eyes were incomparably turbid. The old man’s state was only slightly better than the Wang family’s patriarch in Huixun City. If nothing unexpected happened, he would die in less than 30 years. 30 years was just a snap of the fingers for a cultivator who had become a Venerable One.
The well-dressed old man took out the Longevity Pills from his clothes and handed them over.
Jiang Caijin raised his hand and took the bottle. He used his spiritual power to sense the pills for a moment, then brought them up to his nose and sniffed them. His voice was dry as he remarked, “He’s quite able indeed. No wonder the pill workshop became the best in the city in such a short time. Besides, there’s indeed a trace of life in the pills.”
” I’ll make the arrangements right away!” Jiang Yuping’s voice was respectful as he lowered his head.
“Wait…”Jiang Caijin waved his hand and continued, “Jiang Yuping, tell me all of the details of your meeting. Don’t miss a single one.”
After hearing what he said, Jiang Yuping immediately turned around and recalled the specific details. It was worth noting that cultivators had distinguished memories. Very quickly, he was able to restore the entire scene.
“You’re saying that the first thing he did was welcoming you?” Jiang Caijin’s fingers gently stroked his beard.
“Yes, but there’s nothing strange about that. It’s very normal for a shop owner to welcome a customer,” Jiang Yuping said softly.
Jiang Caijin’s eyes revealed a look of contemplation, but he did not say anything. He had a feeling that the alchemist had other thoughts in his mind.
The Jiang family was incredibly powerful in the Big Ruins and could be ranked in the top 6. Their territory spanned over 5,000 kilometers, and their totem was a black dragon. Together with the Ji family whose totem was a blood dragon and the Meng family whose totem was an azure dragon, they were collectively known as the Three Dragons. This was because there was a faint trace of the Dragons’ bloodline in their bloodline. Of course, the trace of Bloodline Power was very faint, but it was this trace that allowed their battle prowess to surpass that of ordinary cultivators by a lot.
Instantly, the secret room fell silent. After a long time…
Jiang Caijin finally opened his mouth and asked, “Have you followed me here to protect this city for several hundred years?”
“Yes, in the blink of an eye, I’m already beyond my years,” Jiang Yuping replied to him respectfully.
Jiang Caijin’s fingers tapped on a stone. After a moment, he said in a deep voice, “Bring that alchemist to see me tomorrow and see if there’s a chance to extend my life.”
Jiang Yuping’s throat moved slightly. He wanted to say something but stopped.
“If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t be so wishy-washy,” Jiang Caijin reprimanded.
Jiang Yuping gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. “Governor, with your current… Current state, you should return to the Jiang family!”
Jiang Caijin looked at the flickering candlelight in the secret room and exhaled. He said, “I’m old, and I can’t go back anymore…”
※※※※
The next day, dawn had just broken. Grey sunlight shone down.
Jiang Yuping walked in front, and behind him were 4 Rudimentary Spiritualists carrying a gorgeous palanquin. On top of it were the most exquisite carvings, causing many cultivators to follow behind it to observe.
When they came to Longevity Alley and the Spiritual Pill Workshop, spiritual power was contained in a voice that resounded in all directions. “Master Yu, the governor invites you.”
This voice was like a storm, sweeping out in all directions. The cultivators lining up outside the pill workshop to buy medicinal pills wondered at the same time, ‘What level of attainment does the owner of this pill workshop have in terms of herbs? The governor actually personally invited him! One must know that the governor’s a Venerable Ones. For so many years, he has never specially invited any cultivator. This is truly shocking.’
Ou Yangming was already prepared. He left Lil’ Man some instructions before he went out.
The aura on his body condensed and became tall. A thick mountain-like aura surged out.
He took a step and arrived at Longevity Alley. He cupped his hand and said, “I’m Yu Tianrui. May I know how to address you, senior?”
“I’m Jiang Yuping!” The old man in luxurious clothes said with a chuckle. He did not put on airs. As soon as his voice was gone, he made an inviting gesture.
Ou Yangming was startled. ‘His surname is Jiang. Is this a coincidence?’ Following that, he took a deep look at Jiang Yingrong’s small shop. The shop door was open, but it was cold and quiet. In just a moment, he suppressed this thought and gently stepped into the palanquin to sit down.
Under everyone’s respectful and envious looks, he slowly disappeared from the street.
The Governor’s Residence was brighter than other places. Ou Yangming followed behind Jiang Yuping and walked along the winding bluestone path. They walked past a gazebo and came to the hall of residence.
Jiang Caijin sat on a pear blossom chair and looked at Ou Yangming. His eyes were sharp. He flipped his wrist and took out a Longevity Pill, then he asked, “Master Yu, I wonder if this pill came from you?”
Ou Yangming had expected this. He nodded with a smile.
Jiang Caijin sat upright. His fingers tapped on the table rhythmically. His eyes were like 2 bottomless stars—unpredictable.
Ou Yangming was not anxious at all as he quietly waited for the elder to speak. The hall suddenly fell into a strange silence.
After a full 20 breaths, Jiang Caijin finally spoke, “Master Yu, I wonder if you can make the vitality in this pill richer?”
Ou Yangming’s face immediately revealed a troubled look. He hesitated as he neither answered nor refused immediately.
When Jiang Caijin saw this, not only did his eyes not reveal disappointment, but the light in his eyes also became brighter. He promised the young fellow, “Master Yu, if you have any needs, just say it, and I’ll do my best to satisfy them.” Just this alone was enough to confirm that the initiative of this conversation was in Ou Yangming’s hands.
Ou Yangming was unperturbed. He cupped his hands and smiled. “Governor, you’re too polite. It’s just that wanting the vitality in the pill to be even denser is also quite a burden for me, and I also can’t guarantee that I’ll succeed.” He spoke without thinking because he was very clear where the vitality came from. It came from the Heavenly Phoenix Fire. As long as the vitality in the Heavenly Phoenix Fire overflowed a little more, the vitality in the pill would be denser. This was the additional attribute that the fire carried when it was used to refine pills.
“Good, this matter can’t be delayed any longer, so I’ll have to trouble you, Master Yu.” Jiang Caijin cupped his hands slightly. His Qi cultivation was outstanding, but there were still no ripples in his eyes.
Ou Yangming nodded and went to the secret room together with Jiang Caijin and Jiang Yuping.
The secret room was spacious, and the ventilation inside was good. Ou Yangming observed for a moment, and his eyes suddenly focused. He flipped his wrist and gently tapped his interspatial bag. A white light spread out and when it went away, a bottle and a pill furnace had fallen to the ground. The shadow of a fire was reflected in his eyes. With a slight thought, the Heavenly Phoenix Fire spread out from his palm, emitting a scorching light.
With him as the center, the air within a radius of 10 meters became distorted, and a blazing wave of air rippled out.
Jiang Caijin and Jiang Yuping exchanged a look and saw the satisfaction in each other’s eyes.
The former thought to himself, ‘Judging from Master Yu’s control over his fire, even among the hidden talents in the Jiang family, no one could compare to him. How could such a figure come to such a small city?’ Deep down, he became more confident about Ou Yangming’s alchemy skills. After all, what he wanted was to delay his life force, not to reproduce his vitality. The difference between them was simply like the sand in the desert and the stars in the sky, which were completely different from each other.
