Chapter 25: The World Is Full of Unexpected Encounters

The quality of a furnace primarily depends on the precision of its heat control and regulation, as well as its durability under high temperatures. Theoretically, as long as a furnace can withstand the required heat, even a low-grade Tier 2 furnace can be used to refine late-stage Tier 2 pills.

However, the higher the grade, the less demanding it is on the alchemist's skill, and the higher the success rate and quality of the finished pills. In fact, some Tier 1 alchemists use Tier 2 furnaces to refine Tier 1 pills specifically to boost the quality of their output.

Previously, in the local markets of Cangyun Province, the available Tier 2 furnaces were mostly subpar or low-grade, targeting only veteran Tier 1 alchemists. Now that a high-grade furnace had appeared, it instantly drew the fervent attention of many alchemists.

"I bid eight hundred spirit stones," a voice rang out almost as soon as the auctioneer finished speaking. An elderly man announced the price, his face flushed with excitement.

"Eight hundred for a high-grade Tier 2 furnace? You think you can get it for that? One thousand five hundred spirit stones," someone scoffed.

"One thousand six hundred spirit stones!"

...

Relatively speaking, the market for such furnaces was limited, as there were not many people in Cangyun Province who could afford a high-grade Tier 2 furnace. Therefore, the atmosphere in the room was not as heated as it had been for previous items, though the competition remained fierce. Before long, the bidding had already neared the price one would pay to acquire such an item in Tianyuan Province.

"Everyone, I am Master Zou, a resident of the Immortal City. I hope you will all show me some courtesy. If you have any alchemy needs in the future, I will certainly not forget this favor." Seeing the price exceed his psychological threshold, the elderly alchemist could no longer sit still and decided to trade on his reputation.

Li Ji'an was no stranger to this man; Master Zou had been in the Immortal City for eleven years and was widely recognized as the city’s premier rogue alchemist, as well as a Tier 2 practitioner. He had previously taken on commissions to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, though his technique was mediocre, and both his success rate and the quality of his pills were underwhelming. The top-ranked Tier 1 alchemist in the city was actually his prized pupil.

Seeing him use his name to gain leverage, several alchemists representing various families hesitated. After all, those families had a need for his services to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.

"Master Zou, it is not that I do not wish to give you face, but my own alchemy skills are lacking, and I truly need this furnace to compensate. Please forgive me—one thousand nine hundred and fifty spirit stones." Naturally, there were those who had no need for his services and did not feel compelled to yield.

"Indeed, Master Zou already possesses a Tier 2 furnace; why compete with us juniors? I bid two thousand spirit stones."

Master Zou swept his gaze across them, then sat back down, sheepish and defeated, no longer competing. Only four bidders remained.

"Two thousand one hundred spirit stones."

"Two thousand two hundred!"

Li Ji'an remained unmoved. As he watched the price exceed his expectations, he lost his desire to compete. His limit was two thousand two hundred, a figure that already factored in the risk of traveling to Tianyuan Province and crossing the Daze Mountains. More importantly, he analyzed that such supplies would become more abundant in the Immortal City. Even if high-grade Tier 2 furnaces remained scarce in the short term, mid-grade ones would likely appear. Furthermore, with the Bi Yun Sect no longer controlling the local chambers of commerce, there was significant room for maneuver; if all else failed, he could simply visit Tong Xiangyu again. Additionally, he was confident in his own skills—a mid-grade Tier 2 furnace was sufficient for him to refine Foundation Establishment Pills. A mid-grade furnace likely wouldn't exceed one thousand six hundred spirit stones.

Just as he was about to give up, "I bid two thousand five hundred spirit stones!" A man nearby suddenly called out the highest price yet.

"Two thousand five hundred?" Li Ji'an was surprised. This was a massive markup, completely irrational; unless the bidder had an urgent need, they were simply a fool with too much money.

"Oh?" Driven by curiosity, Li Ji'an cast a faint sweep of his divine sense. At that, he could not help but smile.

"Truly, it is a small world!"

The elderly man possessed Qi Refining stage nine cultivation, but his internal energy was no longer steady, and his vitality had noticeably declined. Hidden beneath a glamour spell was an old acquaintance from his previous life—Master Mo!

Calculating his age, he was now nearly one hundred and ten. Aside from those who practiced wood-element techniques and were well-versed in longevity arts like Yan Kongyi, he was considered an elderly cultivator in the Qi Refining stage.

"Sixty years unseen, and Master Mo has actually struck it rich!"

Li Ji'an sighed internally, feeling a sense of wonder. In recent years, he had often heard Yan Qingwan mention that the old Master Mo remained with the Zheng family, where he was reportedly highly valued. Given the situation for alchemists serving in the wilderness, even if they managed to skim some resources from their masters, it was usually funneled into improving their own techniques or personal cultivation. Theoretically, a master family would never allow an alchemist to accumulate enough wealth to leave, keeping them tethered like beasts of burden for life.

However, a moment later, he realized the truth. Since Yan Kongyi brought back the early-stage Tier 2 Vajra Puppet and a batch of area-of-effect talismans last year, the war in the wilderness had turned. The Zheng family had suffered many casualties, and a group of bandits had suddenly betrayed them, seizing the spirit vein dojo that the Zheng family had occupied. The Zheng family had been forced to seek help, recruiting a large number of mid-to-late-stage Qi Refining elites to stabilize the situation.

Maintaining such a large influx of external aid was not easy, and the demand for pills had surged. Master Mo had likely come here representing the Zheng family, and the furnace purchase was being paid for by them.

Thinking of this, Li Ji'an’s expression grew stern. With the chaos in the wilderness, the Foundation Establishment ancestors certainly could not leave. To avoid interception by other factions, Master Mo likely brought only a small entourage.

"We shall see if you have the chance to honor your promise from all those years ago!" As his thoughts raced, Li Ji'an reached a decision.

The high-grade Tier 2 furnace eventually fell into Master Mo's hands. The auction continued, but as it mostly consisted of auxiliary materials and herbs, the competition gradually dwindled. Li Ji'an purchased three types of auxiliary herbs for Foundation Establishment Pills and some materials for late-stage talismans at standard prices, careful not to draw attention to himself.

It was not until the final highlight—the high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill—was brought onto the stage that the atmosphere reached its peak. Watching the crystalline pill, marked with four intricate, crisscrossing veins, the Qi Refining cultivators in the room looked as though they were gazing at the stairway to immortality, their eyes filled with intense excitement. Had it not been for the formidable pressure exerted by the Qi family, the city's new guardians, someone might have lost control.

Li Ji'an also felt a yearning. With such a pill, he would have a ninety percent success rate for Foundation Establishment; as long as the spirit pressure in his cultivation cave was stable, there would be almost no room for failure. Unfortunately, his pockets were shallow. He could only watch as the price was driven up to over ten thousand spirit stones, eventually falling into the hands of the Bai family, one of the five great clans.

With that, the grand auction concluded successfully. The Qi family, the new masters of Jinhuang Immortal City, had gained the recognition of most cultivators in Cangyun Province. However, a major test remained: whether the Qi family could ensure the safety of cultivators entering and leaving the city—not just within the city walls, but outside them, including clearing the routes of bandits. Many cultivators lacked confidence in this regard; after all, the Qi family had traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to get here and were not a local power. They lacked sufficient manpower, and the local bandits would not show them any respect.

That night, many cultivators who had only come to watch the spectacle huddled together and left the city under the cover of darkness. Li Ji'an placed a soul mark on Master Mo and followed him to a small inn, discovering that he was accompanied by three other robust men in the late stages of Qi Refining. They showed no immediate sign of leaving, likely needing to purchase more pills or perhaps even strategic supplies. However, since the city had just changed hands, the major merchant houses would not risk selling to outsiders unless they had trusted intermediaries, fearing a retaliation from the Bi Yun Sect. The soul mark Li Ji'an had placed on Master Mo would last for seven days and could be sensed within a ten-mile radius.

After pondering through the night, Li Ji'an decided the next day to visit the residence of the Liu family, a clan of beast tamers, in the Immortal City. He reasoned that if he missed this opportunity, it was uncertain when he would see Liu Jiuchan again. He lacked the confidence to visit the Liu family's home territory alone. Furthermore, with the Qi family's Golden Core master still in the city, no matter how much Liu Jiuchan disliked him, she would not dare to act rashly, providing him with a layer of protection.

That day, Li Ji'an arrived at the Liu family's residence in the inner city, appearing in his true form.

"I am Li Fan, here to request an audience with Senior Jiuchan." As he spoke, Li Ji'an handed a Spirit-Binding Talisman to the guard. The guard looked at the talisman, then at Li Ji'an, his expression pained. As a prodigy of the Liu family—one of the five great clans of Cangyun—and a Foundation Establishment cultivator herself, she was not someone a minor Qi Refining cultivator could see on a whim. Most importantly, she was still angry about the young beast of Earth-grade quality from yesterday's auction...

"I am an alchemist of fine-grade quality in the city, as well as a guest alchemist for the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce. I have had dealings with Senior Jiuchan before; please, I ask you to relay this message." Seeing the guard's hesitation, Li Ji'an had no choice but to inflate his own standing.

"A fine-grade alchemist? Very well, Master Li, please wait a moment while I report this." The guard looked slightly relieved and turned to go inside.

Before long, the guard returned with a sigh of relief. "Master Li, the Elder will see you."

"Many thanks."

After thanking him, Li Ji'an followed his directions into the Liu family compound. Entering the inner courtyard, he saw the familiar flash of red from afar—she looked even more stunning than she had three and a half years ago.

"Junior Li Fan pays his respects to Senior." Li Ji'an bowed from a distance.

Liu Jiuchan turned her gaze, toyed with the Spirit-Binding Talisman in her hand, and cast a sidelong glance at Li Ji'an. "Heh, it truly is a small world. Li Fan, you still have the nerve to come looking for me?"

Li Ji'an raised an eyebrow. Was she planning to renege on her promise? He sighed internally—women were not to be trusted, and the more beautiful they were, the less trustworthy they became. He looked up slightly, meeting her peach-blossom phoenix eyes, then quickly lowered his gaze again, feigning terror. "Senior, please calm your anger. I... I have done nothing improper, have I?"

Liu Jiuchan sneered, stood up slowly, and paced toward him. Her Foundation Establishment pressure poured out, a display of overbearing arrogance. Compared to three and a half years ago, her features were more refined, and her expression held a new layer of haughtiness. Every gesture carried the air of a queen looking down upon the world. Li Ji'an knew this was her true nature; three and a half years ago, she had only seemed humble because she needed something from him.

"Look at me!" Liu Jiuchan stopped a yard in front of him and spoke with great authority.

Li Ji'an looked up, his eyelids twitching wildly. Although Liu Jiuchan was taller than the average woman, she was still half a head shorter than him. Yet, to maintain a sense of superiority, she was hovering slightly, placing her exactly two heads taller than him.

"Senior..."

"Audacious Li Fan! You dared to deceive me three and a half years ago, causing me to fail at the last moment and lose that beast! Because of that, I was delayed by two years, only reaching Foundation Establishment last year. Do you know your crime?"

Li Ji'an widened his eyes in feigned horror. "Senior, all those years ago, I only sold you the three Spirit-Binding Talismans you requested. As for capturing the beast, I could not have..."

With the Qi family's Golden Core master still present and the city having just celebrated its grand opening, not even Liu Jiuchan, let alone a pseudo-Core ancestor of the Liu family, would dare to cause trouble. Furthermore, the fact that she was wasting so much breath meant she had no intention of actually attacking. She was merely bluffing or trying to force him to abandon the promise she had made him.

"Hmph! Li Fan, you still dare to quibble? You clearly had higher-grade late-stage Spirit-Binding Talismans, yet you only sold me three mid-grade ones." She interrupted him immediately.

"..." Li Ji'an’s mind raced. He quickly realized she must have passed through the area where he had captured the fire spirit and sensed the lingering aura of his higher-grade talismans.

"Senior, is there some misunderstanding? How could I have had late-stage Spirit-Binding Talismans?" Li Ji'an decided to deny it to the end.

Liu Jiuchan sneered. "A misunderstanding? You dare deceive me again! If I didn't have evidence, would I bother arguing with a minor cultivator like you?"

Li Ji'an acted indignant. "Senior, I have never deceived you! I truly did not have any late-stage Spirit-Binding Talismans!"

"Hmm?" Seeing this, Liu Jiuchan paused slightly. She had been bluffing, and seeing his reaction, she became less confident. "In that case, do you dare to swear a Heart Demon Oath?"

Li Ji'an felt a jolt in his heart. This woman was truly difficult. A Heart Demon Oath affected a cultivator's state of mind and could have disastrous consequences when attempting to break through to higher realms; one could not swear such oaths lightly.

"Senior, how can you insult me so? Since you believe I hindered you, the previous promise is void, and I will return the spirit stones from that year." As he spoke, he took fifty spirit stones from his storage bag and offered them to her. These were the stones she had paid for the three talismans.

Liu Jiuchan stared at him, observing his look of wounded pride, and suddenly laughed. "Little Li, why so serious? It was just a joke. Do I, Liu Jiuchan, seem like someone who breaks her word?" She paused. "I only wanted you to understand that you were of no help to me back then."

Li Ji'an let out a long breath and bowed to her. "It is my misfortune, Senior. I am ashamed."

"Enough. Speak—what kind of beast pill do you wish to purchase?" Seeing his attitude, the resentment she had held for years dissipated, and she prepared to honor her promise.

Li Ji'an felt a sense of relief; luckily, he had held firm. "I wish to purchase a Blood Pill!"

Liu Jiuchan frowned slightly. "Say that again? What do you want to buy?"

Li Ji'an had expected this. As a key pill for promoting Tier 2 spirit beasts, the Blood Pill was rarely sold. If not for that, he would never have begged for such a promise all those years ago.