Xia Qingyi and Xiao Yi each produced two jade bottles from their robes and handed them to Guan Sheng.
Guan Sheng opened the bottles, poured out the medicinal pills, and examined them closely. He then brought them to his nose, sniffed, and finally nodded in satisfaction. "Good, the quality is acceptable."
"Junior Brother Xia's are Spirit Eye Pills, and Junior Brother Xiao's are Mind Gathering Pills. In terms of quality, both fall into the category of ordinary pills."
"As usual, we'll purchase them at eighty percent of the market price, with the Spirit Stones settled later. If you buy pill formulas and pill refinement materials here, you'll receive a ten percent discount."
Han Yi wasn't surprised by this scene. Guan Sheng had explained the procedure to him seven days earlier.
For Outpost Disciples, completing assigned outpost missions was nominally required. These missions were arranged by Sect property managers like Guan Sheng. This system essentially provided a channel for Outpost Disciples to pursue their own cultivation during their assignments.
Of course, there were numerous details to understand, which Han Yi had thoroughly studied before leaving the mountain.
In reality...
The Profound Pill Sect's leadership initially devised this strategy for Outpost Disciples, whose Outer Peak residences had been forfeited. It essentially allowed them to contribute to the Sect's enterprises one last time after descending the mountain.
At the same time, it provided Outpost Disciples with a more stable cultivation environment compared to Rogue Cultivators.
It was a win-win arrangement.
Of course, Outpost Disciples could also choose to reject the Pill Shop's assignments, procure their own materials, refine their own pills, and develop their own sales channels.
In such cases, their only remaining advantage over Rogue Cultivators would be their status as Outer Sect Disciples of the Profound Pill Sect.
Most importantly, they would bear all the risks themselves.
The Cultivation World was a treacherous place for Rogue Cultivators, where murder and theft were commonplace in the shadows.
As Han Yi pondered these matters, Guan Sheng had already put away the Spirit Eye Pills and resumed speaking.
"As usual, I'll start by listing the Pill Shop's best-selling pills from last quarter: Evil-Repelling Pills, Breakthrough Pills, Soul-Nourishing Pills, Qi Nourishing Pills, Spirit Eye Pills, Mind Gathering Pills..."
"You can choose to refine these popular pills, or focus on pills you're particularly skilled at making."
Han Yi felt a surge of joy.
The Qi Nourishing Pill was one of the best-selling Medicinal Pills, and he happened to have three bottles on hand.
The four continued chatting for a while, mostly the other three talking while Han Yi listened. Through their conversation, he gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between Outpost Disciples and the Sect's industries.
Moments later, Xiao Yi and Xia Qingyi finished purchasing their Spirit Medicines and Spirit Herbs and left, satisfied.
Once they were gone, Guan Sheng turned to Han Yi, a glint in his eyes.
"Junior Brother Han, there's no need to rush. You've only been down the mountain for a few days and must still be adjusting."
"Besides, with my connection to Guan Di, I don't consider you an outsider."
Han Yi felt reassured by these words.
The Cultivation World, like any human society, operated on networks of relationships.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Guan."
"Senior Brother Guan, I've refined three bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills and would like to sell them directly to the Pill Shop."
With that, Han Yi produced three transparent jade bottles, each containing nail-sized white pills resting quietly inside.
Guan Sheng raised an eyebrow. "Junior Brother Han, has your Alchemy Technique improved?"
Han Yi clasped his hands respectfully. "It was pure luck. After descending the mountain, I experienced a sudden enlightenment that allowed me to barely manage to refine these three batches of Qi Nourishing Pills."
Guan Sheng's eyes gleamed, and his smile widened. "Excellent, truly excellent! This significantly improves your chances of passing the Sect Return Assessment in a year."
He took the Qi Nourishing Pills, uncorked the bottle, and inhaled the Pill Aura. His eyes lit up. "Not bad. The quality is only average, but it's still better than what Junior Brothers Xia and Xiao managed."
"Three bottles, twenty-six pills in total. Since this is your first time, I'll purchase them at 90% of the market price—forty Spirit Stones. How does that sound?"
Han Yi was overjoyed. Guan Sheng's offer was exceedingly generous, four Spirit Stones higher than he had anticipated. A windfall!
Seeing Han Yi's undisguised delight, Guan Sheng paused thoughtfully before continuing, "Junior Brother Han, now that your Alchemy Technique has improved, you should try refining Evil-Repelling Pills."
"Evil-Repelling Pills?" Han Yi blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
"Yes. They're notoriously difficult to refine, but they're the most sought-after Medicinal Pills on the market, commanding premium prices."
Memories of the Evil-Repelling Pill Formula flooded Han Yi's mind, and understanding dawned.
This Cultivation World was vastly different from the one Han Yi had imagined.
The most significant difference lay in the understanding of Heavenly Demons.
In this world, the greatest threats to cultivators fell into two categories: natural disasters and man-made calamities.
While man-made calamities were self-explanatory, natural disasters manifested as Heavenly Demons.
These elusive entities resided beyond the boundaries of the Cultivation World, invisible and untraceable. However, the moment a cultivator within the realm attempted a breakthrough to a higher cultivation stage, Heavenly Demons would descend like sharks sensing blood in the water.
Heavenly Demons were the counterpart to Heavenly Tribulations.
The Evil-Repelling Pill was specifically crafted to guard against these demonic intrusions.
In essence, a cultivator would consume an Evil-Repelling Pill before attempting a breakthrough. During the process, even if a Heavenly Demon descended, the Pill Aura emanating from the cultivator's body would deter it from invading their body.
Once the breakthrough was complete, the Heavenly Demon would naturally depart.
Of course, if an exceptionally powerful Heavenly Demon appeared—for instance, if a Qi Refining Stage Three cultivator attempting to reach Stage Four attracted a Great Heavenly Demon equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator—even the highest-quality Evil-Repelling Pill would prove futile.
Such extreme scenarios were rare.
For minor breakthroughs, such as progressing from Qi Refining Stage One to Stage Two, a single Evil-Repelling Pill sufficed. However, as one advanced to higher stages, the number of pills required increased proportionally.
By Qi Refining Stage Seven, sheer quantity no longer guaranteed safety. To ensure a successful breakthrough, cultivators needed Evil-Repelling Pills of at least standard quality.
This was one of the reasons why the seventh layer of Qi Refining was such a pivotal milestone in this world. Cultivators at the seventh layer were vastly more powerful than those at the sixth.
"An average-quality Evil-Repelling Pill typically sells for five Spirit Stones on the market. If the price of raw materials rises, it could go even higher."
"A standard-quality pill, on the other hand, fetches at least ten times that amount—fifty Spirit Stones. They're quite expensive."
"It's rare for Junior Brother Han to have made such a breakthrough in his alchemy technique. You should seize this opportunity to refine Evil-Repelling Pills. It would greatly benefit your future cultivation."
Guan Sheng continued, noticing the contemplative look on Han Yi's face.
Han Yi felt uneasy, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
"But Senior Brother, I don't possess the Evil-Repelling Pill Formula," Han Yi said. "Moreover, the materials required are precious. I can't afford them."
Hearing this, Guan Sheng's heart leaped with joy. Han Yi's reluctance meant the deal was practically sealed. He whispered conspiratorially:
"Don't worry, Junior Brother Han. Our relationship isn't ordinary. I can provide you with the Evil-Repelling Pill Formula, and even the raw materials themselves."
"Of course, I'm not offering this for free. You know I'm a businessman, Senior Brother."
"If you refine the pills, we'll split the profits eighty-twenty, with me taking eighty percent and you taking twenty. This arrangement will last for one year. After that, when you return to the Sect, our agreement will end."
"What do you say?"
"This year, you won't just break even; you'll gain valuable experience in refining Evil-Repelling Pills and get the pill formula for free. It's a guaranteed win-win deal."
Guan Sheng's explanation piqued Han Yi's interest.
Still, some doubts lingered.
"Senior Brother, I must admit, this proposal is tempting."
"But I have one question: why ask me to refine these pills?"
"Normally, such precious Medicinal Pills would be supplied by the Sect, ensuring a stable supply chain and minimal risk."
Guan Sheng sighed.
"To be frank, Junior Brother Han, recent unrest has affected the Sect's ability to supply Evil-Repelling Pills to our Pill Shops in Mengshan City. With dwindling deliveries, my business is suffering."
"Moreover, I've heard that starting next month, the Sect will no longer provide these pills. Each Profound Fire branch will have to find its own supply channels."
"I'm in a difficult position, Senior Brother," Guan Sheng added.
"Unrest?" Han Yi's tone sharpened with concern. "What kind of unrest?"
"Yes, I've only heard rumors myself. I don't know the specifics," Guan Sheng replied evasively, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
After a moment's thought, Han Yi nodded decisively.
Regardless, obtaining a free pill formula was a clear win.
The 80/20 split seemed reasonable. A more generous offer might have aroused suspicion about Guan Sheng's motives.
"Alright, Senior Brother, I accept."