"Hmm?"
Upon hearing Xuan Yi's words, Xuan Kongzi's gaze sharpened, slowly observing Lü Qiu's face after it had been altered by the Thousand Illusions Divine Art. After a few breaths, a look of realization dawned on his face, and a playful expression appeared on his lips:
"Good lad, I almost fell for your trick!"
At first, Xuan Kongzi subconsciously assumed he was from the Soul Hall, but... upon further reflection, it was practically impossible.
Although this Xiao Yan was fake, his targeting of the Soul Hall was an undeniable fact. Despite the suspicion of self-directed acting, the question was, how could the Soul Hall have the ability to get the Ancient Dragon of the Void to act for them?
Xuan Kongzi glanced at Hei Qing beside Lü Qiu, and he was more inclined to believe that this kid was deliberately using a false name to avoid being pursued by the Soul Hall.
Hei Qing chuckled, a smile of interest appearing on his rugged face. This kid Lü Qiu... he's been outmaneuvered this time, hasn't he?
"What makes you say that, Senior?" Lü Qiu chuckled, showing no panic or embarrassment at being exposed.
"Hmph... A few days ago, Venerable Feng of the Starfall Pavilion traveled swiftly in the Northern Region to pick up a young man. That young man's name is none other than Xiao Yan!" Xuan Yi's gaze narrowed slightly as she coldly stated.
"Hmm?" A look of surprise appeared on Lü Qiu's face. Xiao Yan has come to the Central Region?
No, how did Venerable Feng know Xiao Yan's identity? And how did he travel thousands of miles to pick him up?
Lü Qiu frowned. Something was amiss. Could it be... that Elder Yao had encountered an accident?
"Heh..." Thinking of this, Lü Qiu suddenly smirked. This was getting interesting. Finally, there was a time when he wasn't around!
But... how did this President Xuan Yi get the news so quickly?
Lü Qiu frowned. The doubts in his heart were resolved, but not completely resolved.
"Boy, answer my question. Who are you?" Xuan Yi coldly said, "The Pill Tower does not accept people of unknown origin. You'd better be honest."
The people of the Pill Tower had suffered a great loss due to such a trick by the Soul Palace before, and she could not afford to be careless.
"Xuan Yi, don't be so impulsive. Listen to what this... young friend has to say." Xuan Kongzi was still smiling, very amiable.
He was certain that the young man in front of him had nothing to do with the Soul Palace, and even if he did... he couldn't do anything about him.
The Ancient Void Dragon's talent in spatial power was too strong. Even he, a peak Dou Zun, wouldn't dare say he could capture the Ancient Void Dragon completely.
Seeing Xuan Kongzi's gaze subtly sweep over the Ancient Void Dragon beside the young man, Xuan Yi was stunned for a moment, then realized that this young man was indeed not from the Soul Palace, but... the suspicion still couldn't be completely eliminated.
Behind Xuan Kongzi, Cao Ying had a faint smile on her pretty face, her exquisitely beautiful face full of demonic charm scrutinizing this person who claimed to have the potential to become a Dou Di.
She was quite curious about what secrets this person hid beneath his ordinary appearance.
Feeling the gazes of the three people, Lü Qiu smiled helplessly. As expected of an alchemist specializing in soul power, he was indeed not easy to fool.
"Please excuse my rudeness, seniors. The Soul Palace is too powerful, and I had no choice but to resort to this tactic." Lü Qiu smiled. "Since you two seniors are not pleased, then I will revert to my original appearance..."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand and slowly wiped his face. A faint light flickered, revealing his true face.
"Ah..." Behind him, Cao Ying's narrow, beautiful eyes lit up. He looked much better this way!
"I am Lü Qiu, greetings to you two seniors." Lü Qiu nodded slightly.
"What is your relationship with Xiao Yan?" Xuan Yi's eyes flashed, and she asked calmly.
"What you want to ask about... is probably not Xiao Yan, is it?" Lü Qiu chuckled and said quietly.
"You..." Xuan Yi's expression changed, and she couldn't help but feel a little angry. Her secret had been exposed in a single sentence. How could she not be angry?
What did he mean by that?
Cao Ying raised her eyebrows slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in her beautiful eyes. The other party actually knew Aunt Xuan better than she did?
"Interesting..." Cao Ying chuckled. Perhaps she could learn more about it.
"Ahem... Alright, let's talk about these things later. Let's get back to the main topic." Xuan Kongzi coughed lightly and said, "Young Lü Qiu, if you want to prove you're at the eighth rank, the best way is naturally to refine an eighth-rank pill. What do you think?"
"Of course." Lü Qiu nodded slightly, agreeing.
"In that case, you have three days to prepare. In three days, we'll observe your pill refining." Xuan Kongzi smiled.
"I await your arrival, Senior." Lü Qiu smiled.
"Then... see you in three days. Hmm... Don't worry, my Pill Tower won't reveal your identity or name." Xuan Kongzi said, being meticulous in his actions.
"Thank you, Senior." Lü Qiu smiled.
After speaking, Xuan Kongzi led Xuan Yi and Cao Ying out of the manor.
"Xuan Kong, why won't you let me ask clearly?" Xuan Yi asked anxiously. After so many years of hard work, she had finally seen some progress.
"What's your rush?" Xuan Kongzi said irritably, "What difference does it make whether he says it now or later? Besides, you and I control the Pill Tower. If he doesn't tell, won't you go to the Starfall Pavilion to find out?"
Women are indeed short-sighted; what if they offend someone and push them to the Soul Palace?
Hearing this, Xuan Yi was taken aback, his anxious mood instantly calming down. He then took a deep breath and said no more.
Cao Ying's beautiful eyes flickered with doubt as she looked at her teacher and uncle, not understanding what they were talking about.
However, Cao Ying didn't ask further. She had plenty of ways to get the answer. Thinking of this, Cao Ying's lips curled slightly. This Xiao Yan... no, it was Lü Qiu who was quite interesting and worth investigating further.
...
In the manor, Hei Qing yawned: "Lü Qiu, your alchemist affairs are none of my business. I'm going to sleep, don't disturb me."
"That won't do, Brother Hei Qing, come with me." Lü Qiu smiled.
"Where to?" Hei Qing asked, somewhat annoyed.
"The Alchemist Trade Fair... I need to collect some medicinal herbs..."
"Hmm?" Hei Qing's eyes lit up immediately. Treasure hunting! That's my favorite!
"Come on, let's go take a look!" Hei Qing said immediately, his sleepiness vanishing instantly.
...
The Alchemist Trade Fair at the Pill Tower is divided into large and small fairs. The small one is held every moment without interruption, while the large one is held regularly, its scale far surpassing that of the small fairs.
The Alchemist Trade Fair is located at the border between the inner and outer domains of Saint Pill City. It's a bustling place, but not a place where all sorts of people mingle. Murder and robbery are impossible here; no one can ignore the prestige of the Pill Tower.
In front of an extremely vast building, Lü Qiu slowly appeared with Hei Qing. With a flick of his finger, a dark gold seven-star badge was affixed to his chest.
This is the symbol of an alchemist's status; without it, one cannot enter this trade fair.
"Ah... I smell so many treasures!" Hei Qing's eyes lit up, somewhat intoxicated.
The Ancient Void Dragon possesses an innate sensitivity to these rare and precious materials.
Lü Qiu rolled his eyes. If the adorable Zi Yan showed this expression, it would naturally be pleasing to the eye, but Hei Qing... well, a burly man like him... it's a bit strange.
"What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go in!" Hei Qing urged.
"No rush, change your expression." Lü Qiu raised his chin.
"Lü Qiu, what do you mean?" Hei Qing was somewhat confused.
Lü Qiu rolled his eyes again, then grinned, raised his head, puffed out his chest, and pointed his nostrils at Hei Qing: "Little Hei, come on, follow me inside!"
Hei Qing was momentarily stunned, then his lips twitched, barely suppressing the urge to slap him as he followed behind Lü Qiu.
At the entrance, the heavily armed guards, seeing the badge on Lü Qiu's chest, immediately showed a hint of respect, but when their eyes met Lü Qiu's arrogant face, their expressions darkened, wishing they could plunge their spears into his nostrils.
"What are you looking at? Stop blocking my way and get out of my way!" Lü Qiu shouted, stepping inside.
The guards, their faces dark, were glad they hadn't bowed to this scoundrel; he wasn't worthy!
Inside the Alchemist Trade Fair, the arrogant voice attracted a lot of attention, and instinctively, many people looked towards Lü Qiu's location.
"Hmph!" Lü Qiu snorted coldly, and a vast soul pressure suddenly erupted, instantly causing the expressions of everyone in the Alchemist Trade Fair to change drastically. Such powerful soul force!
This arrogant brat, though domineering, wasn't a useless spoiled brat!
"Old man, how much for your Southern Ridge Ghost Raven Flower?" Lü Tu grinned, walking to a stall and picking and choosing like a market vendor, making the stall owner's face darken.
But the stall owner dared not retaliate; the other's soul strength far surpassed his own, and his arrogance suggested he might be a spoiled brat from some powerful family.
"A scroll of a Grade 7 mid-level pill with clear soul traces..."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Lü Tu slammed his hand on the crystal counter before he could finish, the loud "bang" startling the old man.
"Do you think I'm easy to fool? Are your petals made of gold or your stamens?"
"This thing is only worth one Grade 7 mid-level pill, do you want it?"
"This...this..." The old man broke out in a cold sweat; the powerful pressure on his soul left him bewildered. What the other man said made sense; his price was indeed high, but...who doesn't make a profit in business?
Thump!
A jade bottle slammed onto the crystal counter. Lü Lu roared, "If you don't speak, I'll take that as a yes! This is a Grade Seven Rainbow Wei Pill!"
With that, Lü Lu stuffed the Southern Ridge Ghost Rape Flower into his storage ring and turned to another stall.
At the stall, the old man who owned it was overjoyed. The Rainbow Wei Pill was only a mid-grade Grade Seven, but it was a top-quality healing elixir, specifically for repairing injuries to the soul.
This was an essential pill for alchemists, as alchemy was a high-risk profession; a single mistake could easily damage the soul. Having this on hand was definitely a precaution!
In fact, although the Rainbow Wei Pill was only a mid-grade Grade Seven, some people were still willing to pay a price comparable to a high-grade Grade Seven pill!
"Wow...so many pill patterns?" The stall owner opened the jade bottle and was overjoyed. "This...this must have been made by an eighth-grade alchemist!"
Hearing this, countless people in the alchemist trading hall looked at Lü Qiu with a hint of shock. Sure enough, this kid's background was not simple, and he was definitely not to be underestimated!
Invisibly, Lü Qiu's persona as a spoiled brat was further confirmed.
Lü Qiu shrugged. He wasn't bothered at all. It was true that the Caiwei Pill was very precious.
But...this was Mu Gu's stock. Being generous with other people's money didn't bother Lü Qiu at all. Anyway, he already had the pill formula and could refine it again at any time.
Then Lü Qiu grinned and began to sweep through the alchemist trading hall with an arrogant gait, exchanging for the medicinal materials he needed.
He couldn't hold onto medicinal materials. He basically devoured them as soon as he got them, so he needed to find some.
Seeing his generosity, the stall owners, though disliking his arrogant demeanor, couldn't resist the temptation of money. Faced with Lü Qiu's casual, almost grocery-buying, selection of herbs, they reluctantly made deals.
"Lü... cough cough, Xiao Yan has something different over there." Hei Qing glanced around, pointing to a disheveled old man picking his toes nearby, but he was referring to a brass piece on a crystal cabinet in front of the old man.
"It's indeed a good thing..." Lü Qiu raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Hei Qing to find it; he had originally planned to look for it later, but Hei Qing had pointed it out directly.
Lü Qiu's eyes darted around, and he immediately led Hei Qing over.
"Old man, how much for this?" Lü Qiu grabbed the patina-covered brass piece and examined it. It was covered with patterns resembling those in traditional Chinese paintings, but they weren't runes or arrays; they were more like reliefs or murals—in short... useless!
"Hehe..." Seeing someone interested in his copper piece, the slovenly old man chuckled, looking utterly lewd:
"A high-grade seventh-rank pill formula, friend. This thing is an ancient artifact, absolutely worth more than its price!"
"Damn it, this old man Yan is really greedy..."
"He dares to charge such a price for a worthless copper piece!"
"What's all the noise about! Can't you see I'm doing business?" The slovenly old man was immediately enraged, turning his head and roaring, completely lacking the noble demeanor and temperament of a pharmacist.
After roaring, he turned to look at Lü Qiu, chuckling: "Friend, let's continue, this copper piece is absolutely worth more than its price!"
"I've been selling things here for decades, and I've never cheated anyone!"
"Shh..."
"How can you say that? I'm ashamed for you!"
The old man's words were met with a chorus of boos, but he didn't care, still chuckling as he looked at Lü Qiu, as if he were looking at a sucker, a fat sheep.
"Alright! I'll take it!" Lü Qiu grinned, flicking his arm. A scroll flew out and landed in front of the disheveled old man. At the same time, a copper sheet covered in verdigris flew over and landed in Lü Qiu's hand.
"Haha... Good lad, you really know your stuff!" The old man glanced at the scroll—a high-grade seventh-rank Lesser Aid Pill—and couldn't help but grin.
The onlookers shook their heads helplessly. Poor kid, he'd been ripped off by this old man Yan.
"Haha, kid, take this back and study it carefully. This ancient artifact is definitely not simple!" The disheveled old man clutched the Lesser Aid Pill formula, turning it over with obvious delight, his mouth practically stretched to his ears.
"No need, I already know..." Lü Qiu chuckled, and right in front of him, he put two fingers together, his battle qi surging and condensing into a needle. The needle tip danced and lightly picked off all the verdigris.
Seeing his actions, the old man's eyes widened. Something was wrong. Did this kid know what this thing was?
However, the next moment, the young man opposite him flicked his finger, sending the copper sheet flying. With a flick of his hand, he gathered all the verdigris and condensed it into a ball.
The disheveled old man's heart skipped a beat, an ominous premonition gripping him.
At that moment, flames surged in Lü Qiu's palm, and the scorching Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame began to melt the small verdigris ball.
In the blink of an eye, the verdigris ball melted, and grains of pale yellow powder fell into Lü Qiu's hand.
"This...this is Spirit-Nourishing Powder?!" The disheveled old man's eyes bulged, and he screamed in shock, his voice involuntarily becoming high-pitched.
The old man's face flushed red with excitement the moment he saw the pale yellow powder. This stuff could help someone reach the eighth rank!
"Haha... Old man, your business is truly excellent value for money!" Lu Yu laughed heartily, folding his fingers to store it in his storage ring.
*Pfft!
* Hearing this, the disheveled old man's face turned pale. He clutched his chest and staggered back a few steps, as if a thousand arrows had pierced his heart, the pain so intense he could hardly breathe!
"Hahaha... Old man Yan, you're the real sucker!"
"Nonsense, how can you call it sucking when it comes to business?"
"Hahaha..."
Instantly, the entire alchemist trading hall was filled with a joyful atmosphere, except for the disheveled old man.
(End of Chapter)