Chapter Sixty-Four: Fellow Daoist, Please Wait

"Qiqi, what are your plans?" Seeing the others depart, Huangfu Xiu asked, for now, he and Zhou Qi had fought side by side as brothers.

"I have no plans at the moment. I’ve just succeeded in forming my foundation, and only wish to find a safe place for secluded cultivation," Zhou Qi replied.

"My Huangfu family estate is absolutely safe. Why don't you return with me? Aside from the ladies of the family, everything else is at your disposal. I have enough influence to guarantee that," Huangfu Xiu boasted.

"I’ll pass. There’s no place unsuitable for cultivation. By the way, Xiu'er, do you know where I can sell third-grade pills in bulk and buy demon cores from the Heart-Shadow Wolf?" Since he had a local connection, Zhou Qi decided to make use of it. As a scion of the Huangfu family, Huangfu Xiu surely wouldn’t care about such trivial profits.

"Eh, so Qiqi is an alchemist too? Able to refine third-grade pills, that's impressive. Why not become a guest alchemist at my family’s estate? The terms can be negotiated." Huangfu Xiu invited him again.

"I’m not an alchemist. These pills were given by my master, meant to be exchanged for spirit stones for cultivation," Zhou Qi answered after a moment’s thought. Bearing the legacy of the Medicine Immortal’s Holy Mansion, he knew that revealing it would only bring trouble. Even the Heavenly Dao Sect would covet it, and the Huangfu family would be no exception.

"Alright then, just sell them all to me directly. I’ll trade them for spirit stones when I return to the family. As for the Heart-Shadow Wolf’s demon core, you’ll need to go to the auction house. That beast is extremely rare, skilled in illusions and difficult to capture. If any exist, you’ll only find them at the auction," Huangfu Xiu mused.

"Thank you, Xiu'er." Zhou Qi no longer refused, handing Huangfu Xiu a storage ring.

Huangfu Xiu sent his spiritual sense into the ring and was shocked: inside were one hundred thousand third-grade Spirit Recovery Pills, one hundred thousand third-grade Body Strengthening Pills, and one hundred thousand third-grade Vitality Pills. At market price, a single third-grade pill was about eighty low-grade spirit stones, totaling twenty-four million low-grade spirit stones, or two hundred forty thousand mid-grade stones. Even as a scion of the Huangfu family, he couldn’t possibly carry so many stones with him.

"Your master treats you well, giving you such a fortune outright. But for an alchemist, this is normal. I don’t have that many spirit stones on me right now, Qiqi, so you’d better keep them for now. I’ll get the stones from the family and settle with you later," Huangfu Xiu said, embarrassed. He had hoped to show off, but failed.

"No matter, you keep the pills for now and pay me when you secure the stones," Zhou Qi replied boldly. With three laborers at his disposal, it hardly mattered. This was also a good test of Huangfu Xiu's character.

Huangfu Xiu was deeply moved by the trust, promising to obtain the spirit stones as soon as possible and reassuring Zhou Qi.

The two agreed to meet in Suiye City in three days.

After Huangfu Xiu departed, Zhou Qi finally calmed himself, having not yet thoroughly examined his new foundation-stage cultivation.

Upon reaching the foundation stage, the speed at which he absorbed spiritual energy through the Profound Heavenly True Art increased. However, spiritual energy now had to be converted into liquid form, adding an extra transformation process. The overall speed remained similar to the Qi Refining stage, but the foundation stage required vastly greater amounts of spiritual power. Advancing every few days or months, as before, was no longer possible. After a trial run of the Profound Heavenly True Art, Zhou Qi realized that to advance further, he would need a large supply of spirit stones and prolonged seclusion.

The Ten Thousand Swords Return and Profound Thunder Escape techniques could now be freely used; even a single drop of spiritual liquid sufficed to activate them, their power surpassing the full-force attack of a Qi Refining tenth-layer cultivator. Yet, to increase their power, more spiritual liquid was required.

A foundation-stage cultivator could now fly with the sword at will, no longer bound to running on the ground. His spiritual sense had multiplied, his lifespan greatly extended—living for several centuries was no longer a fantasy, something unimaginable in his previous life.

The benefits of the Perfect Foundation Pill went beyond solidifying cultivation; with all his meridians unobstructed, his spiritual power circulated faster than ordinary foundation-stage cultivators, and his spells could be cast more swiftly. Still, these advantages needed to be tested in actual combat.

Having checked his combat strength and spells, Zhou Qi turned his attention to the Restoration Pill. This was a valuable item that could instantly restore one's condition, its effect similar to the Immortal Reviving Pill. If he could teach his three laborers to refine Restoration Pills, the pace of acquiring spirit stones would increase. As for the Immortal Reviving Pill, it was beyond consideration—anything bearing the "immortal" character was not for foundation-stage cultivators.

Unfortunately, after searching with his spiritual sense several times, Zhou Qi found no recipe for the Restoration Pill. Evidently, this pill was created by later generations and not included in the Medicine Immortal’s collection. The Medicine Immortal’s Holy Mansion contained recipes superior to the Restoration Pill, but their requirements were far too high.

Having searched in vain, Zhou Qi could only give up, guarding a treasure mountain but unable to use it—a frustrating predicament. He wondered when he would encounter another soul-bearer of the Profound Heavenly True Lord. If the opponent’s cultivation was far superior, his fate would be no different from Long Feiyu’s.

Zhou Qi encouraged his three laborers once more, withdrew his spiritual sense from the Medicine Immortal’s Holy Mansion, and began searching for a place to cultivate. Though only three days remained, every moment had to be seized.

Three days passed swiftly. Zhou Qi awoke from meditation and realized it was time to meet Huangfu Xiu. He mounted his sword and headed toward Suiye City.

Zhou Qi flew low on his sword, unable to shake off the shadow left by the bungee jump. It would take time to overcome, and Huangfu Xiu’s trauma was even greater—when he might recover was anyone’s guess.

Flying toward the location Huangfu Xiu had indicated, Zhou Qi carefully avoided a stone in his path when a voice called out, "Fellow Daoist, please wait!"

Zhou Qi stopped and turned back. It was an elderly man with sharp, gleaming eyes. He was very old, grinning eerily and revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Do you have business?" Zhou Qi inquired.

"I see a dark aura around your forehead. Bloodshed may be imminent, so I offer this warning," the old man said with a smile.

"Oh, really? Thank you." Seeing the old man's sinister smile, Zhou Qi had no wish to stir up trouble and turned to leave.

"Fellow Daoist, you have yet to pay for my services," the old man continued.

"Payment?" Zhou Qi thought for a moment and tossed him a low-grade spirit stone.

The old man shook his head. "Please present your storage ring and allow me to make a selection," he said, releasing a foundation-stage aura—foundation stage, second layer.

So it was a robbery. Zhou Qi was taken aback. Broad daylight, under the open sky, a foundation-stage, second-layer cultivator was robbing a foundation-stage, first-layer cultivator. Was this justice? Did one layer's advantage permit robbery of those below?

"Sorry, I only have this one spirit stone, and I don’t possess a storage ring. My apologies," Zhou Qi replied.

"Fellow Daoist, don’t refuse a toast only to drink a penalty cup. You’re just a Qi Refining cultivator, ignorant of the foundation-stage’s strength. If it comes to blows, you’ll regret it," the old man threatened.

Qi Refining cultivator? This old man must be mistaken. Zhou Qi said nothing more, releasing the aura of a foundation-stage, first-layer cultivator. Though only first layer, his aura was stronger than the old man's.

The old man’s expression changed instantly. He had misjudged. Seeing Zhou Qi fly his sword so low, he had assumed he was a Qi Refining cultivator, afraid to ascend for fear of falling. Unexpectedly, Zhou Qi was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.